Robert Pollard
United Kingdom
Bristol
Avon
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After a few days wait my game finally arrived.
The box was in great shape, no visible signs of damage - overall it looks pretty solid. Its external surfaces are kind of like a non-gloss canvas texture.
Components included:
1 x Letter from Uwe 
1 x 19 page full colour glossy rule book.
1 x 20 page full colour glossy scenario book with 15 scenarios.
2 x Glossy full colour 2 sided card summary sheets
4 x Glossy full colour player track sheets
75 (quick count) x Glossy 2 sided frictionless* full colour cards
6 x double sided map overlays
70 x Full colour double sided German counters on one counter sheet
70 x Full colour double sided Russian counters on one counter sheet
70 x Full colour double sided play aid counters on one counter sheet.
4 x Full Colour folding mapboard
2 x D6 Dice
*The cards have to be held to be believed. They are just so 'slidey'! Very handy for shuffling.
I have posted up a picture from the dodgy camera on my Palm at http://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/798806/conflict-of-heroes... showing the unpunched box contents.
The first thing that hits you is the overall quality of the components. This has been said many times before, but is something that immediatly pops out at you open the box.
In an age of boardgames with cheap components this makes a refreshing change. Some might say this is because its a 'Euro-game' (whatever one of those is) - well if it is - then I like Euro-games!
The counters are completely different from any I've owned before. For a start they are full colour and for seconds they are LARGE! I much prefer this size to the fiddly infantry counters in ASL - anyone try to fight a packed street battle in ASL knows what I mean....
The other outstanding feature of the counters is that they are held in their frames incrediably lightly. You only have to look at them and they fall out of the frame. Ok - slight exageration, but after I took the photo, three of them dropped out!
What's more when they fall out of their frames the counters are prefectly shaped and exhibit no bumps of other unsightly artefacts.
This means that you need not bring a modelling knife with you - its simply not required!
This was wholely unexpected. All of my old games, with perhaps the exception of Cry Havoc required skilled use of a modelling knife, otherwise the back of the counters would separate!
The map overlays were another surprise. The only overlays I have prior to this are ASL overlays. These (at least the ones I have) are one sided and printed on very thin card. Another issue with the ASL overlays, is that one needs a pair of scissors and skilled cutting as they are not die-cut!
COH's overlays are of very thick card - at least as thick as the counters and are two sided. Although the thickness surprised me, the biggest surprise is that like the counters they are pre-cut and just itching to fall out of their frames.
The map boards are mounted on pretty thick card and unlike the ones I'm used to fold so that the map side folds outwards. All my previous games fold inwards.
A cursory look at the maps reveals a host of fine detail - looks like the graphics artists were having a field day.
I was very pleased to be getting mounted maps in a day and age where most maps are just paper maps.
That said I have noticed that the maps are not sealed around the edges with the backing material like the old AH boards, so I'm not sure if this will affect longetivity - though they should last a lot longer than the paper affairs from competitors. I guess one advantage with this contruction is that the hexes of two adjoining maps can be matched perfectly without any map edges getting in the way.
Both booklets are very well done. As others have said they are very well laid out with colour registration being carried out accurately.
This boardgame posesses by far the best quality components that I've ever had. To say that I'm impressed is an understatement.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the four solo games (yes this game solos very well - or at least its prediocessor does) I played on VASSAL. From an old timer used to ASL it was a major eye opener. Could rules have advanced so much in the period of time I stopped playing? I think I have to answer that with a resounding yes.
Sure, ASL has more detail, but you really pay for that in terms of fluidity of game play and frequent rules look ups. With COH I was up and running for the first two scenarios within 20 minutes or so. The rules are so simple I could just play and concentrate on tactics.
I know the rules in SoS are slightly different, but I have also heard they are better(!) So I'm really looking forward to going through them using the programmed instruction format.
I've said this before, but I think these rules represent a evolution in squad level combat of the type seen when Squad Leader first came out. The combination of simplicity, fluidity and accuracy is outstanding. I particularly like the way players are given a huge range of options every time a unit is activated or uses an action.
I have to say having the original CoH available on VASSAL effectively sealed my decision to buy after only my first game. I think all companies should offer their products up on VASSAL as its good advertising and allows the community to play electronically at times where face to face games would be impossible - a big plus in my book.
Next month I will be purchasing the first module and my intention is to get hold of the Western front modules the second they become available!
Well done Uwe for one of the most fun and compelling tactical games to come out in a long while!
RobP
http://AncientArmies.co.uk
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Brett Soutter
Canada
London
Ontario
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FlashPan wrote: To say that I'm impressed is an understatement.
You and I both. I was hooked on CoH the day I opened the box and played my first scenario. I've now bought AtB, Marsh Expansion, and SoS and am eagerly awaiting PoH and Guadalcanal - and, frankly, anything else that Academy Games manufactures, including upcoming CoH boxes as well as Sturm Europa and The Eagle And The Star (or whatever it's called).
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Brian Bennett
United States
West Bloomfield
Michigan
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BrettS wrote: FlashPan wrote: To say that I'm impressed is an understatement. You and I both. I was hooked on CoH the day I opened the box and played my first scenario. I've now bought AtB, Marsh Expansion, and SoS and am eagerly awaiting PoH and Guadalcanal - and, frankly, anything else that Academy Games manufactures, including upcoming CoH boxes as well as Sturm Europa and The Eagle And The Star (or whatever it's called).
This is great to hear! I work for Academy Games as a developer and we strive to put out the best qualty components possible and it is nice to hear that it goes noticed! The new "The Eagle and the Star" is actually going to be called "Strike of the Eagle!", which is the project I am on and we are working hard to get it right, it should be great when it comes out later this year or early next!
-Brian
Academy games
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Brett Soutter
Canada
London
Ontario
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Hey Brian
Great news!
Will you be adding Strike of the Eagle! as a game here in BGG so that we can keep up to date on it?
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Brian Bennett
United States
West Bloomfield
Michigan
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yes, I was planning on doing that very soon. I have never "added" a game on BGG, so I'll have to figure that out, but we do have the art for the cover done so I could put that up at least!
Regards,
brian
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Brett Soutter
Canada
London
Ontario
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Hey Brian
Adding a game looks reasonably straightforward. I believe that you just go into the top menu (underneath the banner at the top of the page), and click on Misc... Add Board Game.
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Gary Barr
United Kingdom
Newtownabbey N.Ireland
Co Antrim
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Hi
I just got my copy today and am also very impressed with the quality of the components of this game. The tactile feel of the counters simply has to be experienced (and I am primarily a miniatures gamer) rather than described. If the game plays even half as good as it looks it will be a belter !
Initial skim of rule booklet it seems an elegant and playable system.
If only Squad Leader looked like this !! 
Very impressed after some qualms over expense
Cheers
Gary ( http://sgtsteiner.blogspot.com/)
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Lewis Karl
United States
Vienna
Virginia
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I received my copy in the mail yesterday and was also very pleased with the components. They are very high quality, so I have no complaints at all. Dang that box was heavy.
This is not a complaint, just a thought, but it would be nice to have a counter storage system, i.e., plastic container, but I suppose that would just increase the cost of the package. I ended up sorting the counters into separate plastic bags for now.
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James Palmer
Canada
Kitchener
Ontario
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pisqueeter wrote: it would be nice to have a counter storage system, i.e., plastic container, but I suppose that would just increase the cost of the package. I ended up sorting the counters into separate plastic bags for now.
Starting with Conflict of Heroes: Price of Honour - Poland 1939, all Conflict of Heroes games come with a plastic storage insert.
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Lewis Karl
United States
Vienna
Virginia
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Okay then. I will just have to buy PoH!
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Timothy Phelps
United States
Canal Fulton
Ohio
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Any chance these plastic storage inserts will be made available for purchase separately?
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James Palmer
Canada
Kitchener
Ontario
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Asyncritus wrote: Any chance these plastic storage inserts will be made available for purchase separately?
Yes, Uwe is looking into getting extras printed and making them available.
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Robert Zimmer
United States
Ohio
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Im trying to convert Memoir 44 players :-) look here...
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/5700010#5700010
Think Uwe will send me a free copy of Price of Honour??? I wish )))
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