Tag Archives: Warfighter

Warfighter vs. Ranger

Boardgames, Review,

Title reminds me of…….

Enjoying another session with Warfighter.

Started thinking about one of its modern tactical mission predecessors, Ranger.

What a difference, and not just the programmed text aspect of Ranger, but in the treatment of mission planning and execution.

Warfighter focuses on team selection. Sure, Ranger has that planning aspect also, but it goes into greater depth as the soldiers literally “acquire” skills during their pre-mission refresher training. In Warfighter, they come with their skills.

Ranger’s planning phase also involves route selection, and not simply blind movement to contact. Warfighter’s card allocation and flow allows little in the way of route planning. You can avoid a certain piece of terrain or place, but at the cost of time loss. That’s an acceptable abstraction, but Ranger focuses more on avoiding contact. After all its subtitle is “Modern Patrolling Operations.”

Warfighter is all about combat. As one reviewer over at Boardgame Geek put it, and I quote rather loosely, it’s “the analog version of Call To Duty”. Ranger’s combat is not as involved or relentless.

The tension in Ranger is “what might I run into next”. The tension in Warfighter is “how many of these bastards am I going to have to shoot next”.

Apples and Oranges. But, wouldn’t it be nice to combine the two?

Warfighter

Boardgames, Review

Never been one for video games. The ones I did like were Asteriods, Space Invaders and, later, Doom. All point and shot, and all date me.

Put Warfighter on the table this week. It’s not just a point and shoot game.

 I’ve developed an interest in ultra-modern skirmish wargaming, and checked out the highly regarded Sangrin rulesets. Had one and lost it in the Great IPad Data Loss Debacle. I lack the will to commit to the time and expense needed to paint the figures and construct terrain. And, I wanted to do this on a small scale, like 10mm. No figures available, even from the redoubtable Pendraken line. I thought Warfighter might provide the experience without all the work. It does.

Played three small scenarios the past few days. The learning curve was not smooth.

The commentaries about rule difficulties are spot on. But, again, you can say that about many games. It just becomes more frustrating for a game that shouldn’t be that difficult. Maybe it’s just me, but wrapping my head around a game where the cards are loaded with information is difficult.

Once I got it……I GOT it, and the game just flowed. Lots of tension and decision making. Do I really want to play that “Back Street” card that is loaded with potential bad guys and trouble? Maybe take an action and discard for the possibility of easier terrain.

Sure, once the enemy appears it is a point and shoot, but a coordinated one. It’s just not you. There are other troops, and all actions have to be integrated for a successful mission. Gee, a fast playing tactical card game where you go with the fundamentals: move, shoot and communicate. Shocking!

The challenges begin before the mission starts. How does one allocate resource points between personnel, their skills, equipment, and weapons? You can’t have it all, whether it’s a matter of resource points or ability of a soldier to carry what you think he should have as opposed to need.

It’s a challenging and entertaining game. Highly Recommended.

I’ll post up some other thoughts and commentary after a few more plays.