Great game and remember play testing it just before publication back in the day. Sadly Chad the designer passed away in 2019 but its great that his legacy continues with his systems.
The randomness in the card play helps it remain more exciting for me and less dry. When you always know what actions or orders you can take there is a predictability which lends itself to people really mastering the nuances of the system. I like how CC levels the playing field a bit while still allowing space for smart plays.
Yeah Pacific use alot of the rules that old Combat Commander introduces by Battle Packs. The melee rules are from the Stalingrad Battle pack, and a few rules are from the Normandy battle pack. I think Pacific is cool. But I will almost always play original Combat Commander, but sometime I can play a scenario that introduce just some special rules (that you find in Pacific). But in general Standard Combat Commander is the best
I vastly prefer the Pacific rules myself, I really wish that Europe/Med had a lot of those (especially the Asset Request/Denied in Pacific over the much more limited Artillery Request/Denied in Eur/Med)
Combat Commander Stalingrad had a similar rule about Melee in that it was resolved on the Ally turn also. For movement Combat commander Europe has a rule that if you have trench line with bunker and/or pillbox cost only 1 MP similar to caves except this can be for either side.
Thanks for a thorough review. Especially like the examples of play. That tells us if we want it. How's solo play (which we're reduced to these days)? I suspect card-driven play makes it a better candidate than most games. Still think it co$tly for paper maps that don't lie flat and jiggle. Would like to see tanks. Just a few.
I actually got my copy of CC:Pacific at Consimworld Expo flea market in 2015. And get this...it was a shrinkwrapped copy and it was selling for THIRTY DOLLARS. Oh my God, I almost passed out from the sheer joy. I bought it from the seller and promptly rushed back to my room and put it away in my suitcase, afraid it was going to be stolen. All this time, I haven't played it yet. :(
I agree set up of CCE/CCMed and this expansion is very difficult especially for players like me still learning the system. I have looked and haven’t any thread on BGG or anywhere of suggested set ups. It would be very helpful. Great videos. Thank you.
There is a similar melee set up in the Stalingrad pack. Something I disliked about the Pacific set was the enemy's ability to remove your support weapons. That nearly ruined it for me.
The closed system dice rolling is really the selling point of CC to me and a lot of people! I hope more games do the same in the future. I also agree that revive cards felt punishing in this system. My biggest criticism, however, is that due to the always-present threat of your opponent running units off of your side of the board for VPs, I always felt like I was wasting fire cards when I used them as actions instead of as op-fire. Thanks for the good review!
You can rally guys who are adjacent to enemy units, no problem. :) If you guys are interested in getting more time in Combat Commander, you should join us on the Combat Commander ladder. One game a month, CC: Europe, Med, and Pacific, and all the battle packs rotating through the months. Like this month, we played CC:P base game and next month is CC:P New Guinea battle pack. If you want to join, ping me and I'll tell you how to join us.
I have been considering purchasing CC:Europe, but some comments in the video make me wonder if the CC system is right for me. Does the CC system require card counting to do well? I have a terrible memory and would never remember the cards I have drawn or my opponent has drawn. Is it a faux pas to simply have a list of my cards and my opponents card in the game deck and simply cross them off the count tally as they come into play? Thank you.
It's probably not a faux pas, as long as you discuss it with your opponent. Whilst it's not key to card count (I cannot) I just try to gauge in generalities "oh, they've played a bunch of X card, so it's less likely they have more". There's a card list on the back of the rule book so it's not a secret.
@@ThePlayersAid Thank you for the information. What you wrote about the game cards sounds more reasonable. I am likely a player in the minority who games for the immersion factor. I tend to eschew game analytics if I feel they are drawing me out of the game's atmosphere...not sure if any of that makes sense...
I am still holding off on this because it is rather silly to have WW2 combat without ANY mechanised warfare. Nothing, zero in a world war where AFV’s and mechanised combat was the most innovative in history ever. Blitzkrieg anyone? Sorry no tanks, not even half tracks that would allow it. My preferred systems are wargames where you have grand tactical elements like Panzer or the Grand tactical MMP games instead of playing a too narrow kind of card game that never touched upon what WW2 was based on: mechanised warfare. Even Up Front (AFV can be included) stands miles above this system where GMT managed to get a dozen+ expansions of ... Infantry ONLY.
I'll probably pass until there are tanks. For me it's not an "either or" but a mix. Infantry and armor needed each other. Read Harry Yeide's "The Infantry's Armor: The US Army's Tank Battalions in WWII." A bit pedestrian but rams home the point. Even the Germans tried to provide armor for their foot soldiers but often had to settle for assault guns (which, surprisingly, the infantry preferred over tanks).
I know exactly what you mean about the lack of tanks, etc. I felt exactly the same, until I tried it. CC has completely shocked me by turning out to be an amazing game!
I hope that you can get to try it at some point because if it is, or if it isn't, the best game you have never played then at least you will know. These games are so much fun to play and until you've experienced it you won't really know.
I can't tell you how much I enjoy listening to the two of you talking about games. Thank you for what you provide to us.
Great review, gents! We await you on the Combat Commander Ladder! :)
Great game and remember play testing it just before publication back in the day. Sadly Chad the designer passed away in 2019 but its great that his legacy continues with his systems.
Rest in peace Chad Jensen. I loved playtesting your games with you. Private Adamson US battlefield promotion.
This is a great. Thanks for highlighting the differences and talking about what you liked/disliked or felt about the differences.
Thanks guys!
Once again, great vid!
Free CC advice: use the recon card to see what your next “die roll” will be!
The randomness in the card play helps it remain more exciting for me and less dry. When you always know what actions or orders you can take there is a predictability which lends itself to people really mastering the nuances of the system. I like how CC levels the playing field a bit while still allowing space for smart plays.
Yeah Pacific use alot of the rules that old Combat Commander introduces by Battle Packs. The melee rules are from the Stalingrad Battle pack, and a few rules are from the Normandy battle pack. I think Pacific is cool. But I will almost always play original Combat Commander, but sometime I can play a scenario that introduce just some special rules (that you find in Pacific). But in general Standard Combat Commander is the best
I vastly prefer the Pacific rules myself, I really wish that Europe/Med had a lot of those (especially the Asset Request/Denied in Pacific over the much more limited Artillery Request/Denied in Eur/Med)
Combat Commander Stalingrad had a similar rule about Melee in that it was resolved on the Ally turn also. For movement Combat commander Europe has a rule that if you have trench line with bunker and/or pillbox cost only 1 MP similar to caves except this can be for either side.
Thanks for a thorough review. Especially like the examples of play. That tells us if we want it. How's solo play (which we're reduced to these days)? I suspect card-driven play makes it a better candidate than most games. Still think it co$tly for paper maps that don't lie flat and jiggle. Would like to see tanks. Just a few.
I actually got my copy of CC:Pacific at Consimworld Expo flea market in 2015. And get this...it was a shrinkwrapped copy and it was selling for THIRTY DOLLARS. Oh my God, I almost passed out from the sheer joy. I bought it from the seller and promptly rushed back to my room and put it away in my suitcase, afraid it was going to be stolen.
All this time, I haven't played it yet. :(
This hits real hard.
Have you removed the shrink wrap?
@@dalerobinson8051 Of course not! Are you insane? :) Just kidding! yes, I have removed the shrink but haven't played it. :(
I agree set up of CCE/CCMed and this expansion is very difficult especially for players like me still learning the system. I have looked and haven’t any thread on BGG or anywhere of suggested set ups. It would be very helpful. Great videos. Thank you.
There is a similar melee set up in the Stalingrad pack. Something I disliked about the Pacific set was the enemy's ability to remove your support weapons. That nearly ruined it for me.
The closed system dice rolling is really the selling point of CC to me and a lot of people! I hope more games do the same in the future. I also agree that revive cards felt punishing in this system. My biggest criticism, however, is that due to the always-present threat of your opponent running units off of your side of the board for VPs, I always felt like I was wasting fire cards when I used them as actions instead of as op-fire. Thanks for the good review!
You can rally guys who are adjacent to enemy units, no problem. :) If you guys are interested in getting more time in Combat Commander, you should join us on the Combat Commander ladder. One game a month, CC: Europe, Med, and Pacific, and all the battle packs rotating through the months. Like this month, we played CC:P base game and next month is CC:P New Guinea battle pack. If you want to join, ping me and I'll tell you how to join us.
I have been considering purchasing CC:Europe, but some comments in the video make me wonder if the CC system is right for me. Does the CC system require card counting to do well? I have a terrible memory and would never remember the cards I have drawn or my opponent has drawn. Is it a faux pas to simply have a list of my cards and my opponents card in the game deck and simply cross them off the count tally as they come into play? Thank you.
It's probably not a faux pas, as long as you discuss it with your opponent. Whilst it's not key to card count (I cannot) I just try to gauge in generalities "oh, they've played a bunch of X card, so it's less likely they have more". There's a card list on the back of the rule book so it's not a secret.
@@ThePlayersAid Thank you for the information. What you wrote about the game cards sounds more reasonable. I am likely a player in the minority who games for the immersion factor. I tend to eschew game analytics if I feel they are drawing me out of the game's atmosphere...not sure if any of that makes sense...
No need ro car.’d count. I played for years and I dont do it
Just check the discard piles if it's critical info.
CC Med is UK, Italy, and France. Then there's CC: Resistance
Do you use any of the pacific rules in Europe? Eg stacking changes, attack twice defence = unit removed etc
Great video + sub.
Does it include the Battle of Hong Kong?
I don't believe so
Is there a battle of King Kong?
I am still holding off on this because it is rather silly to have WW2 combat without ANY mechanised warfare. Nothing, zero in a world war where AFV’s and mechanised combat was the most innovative in history ever. Blitzkrieg anyone? Sorry no tanks, not even half tracks that would allow it.
My preferred systems are wargames where you have grand tactical elements like Panzer or the Grand tactical MMP games instead of playing a too narrow kind of card game that never touched upon what WW2 was based on: mechanised warfare. Even Up Front (AFV can be included) stands miles above this system where GMT managed to get a dozen+ expansions of ... Infantry ONLY.
I'll probably pass until there are tanks. For me it's not an "either or" but a mix. Infantry and armor needed each other. Read Harry Yeide's "The Infantry's Armor: The US Army's Tank Battalions in WWII." A bit pedestrian but rams home the point. Even the Germans tried to provide armor for their foot soldiers but often had to settle for assault guns (which, surprisingly, the infantry preferred over tanks).
I know exactly what you mean about the lack of tanks, etc. I felt exactly the same, until I tried it. CC has completely shocked me by turning out to be an amazing game!
I hope that you can get to try it at some point because if it is, or if it isn't, the best game you have never played then at least you will know. These games are so much fun to play and until you've experienced it you won't really know.