I’ve held off on posting this, honestly. I had my first game but it was just one game. With something like Chain of Command, I feel wrong writing anything that may be taken as impressions so soon. It’s a deep system. I can’t tell you as much as I’d like after just one match.

But I can tell you that if I had just remembered a few of my new options at the right times, I could have won this match.

See, I was be tormented by an LMG team well positioned inside the bottom floor of the house adjacent to my anti tank gun. At one point I had a section sitting next to that house. I could have readily mouseholed my way in.

Alternatively, I could have use my Chain of Command Points to order a unit to move 1D6 out of sequence without counting as an activation. This would have let me save a dwindling unit eating fire from my opponent’s tank. I could have and should have done that rather than deploy my AT gun so close to the front. Close enough for my opponent to attempt a foolhardy charge which resulted in the AT gun getting and staying pinned.

I could have saved my points more for an ambush–that’s not even new, just clever.

I could have leveraged the new German national rules to step up my firepower output. Or even just used the new suppressing fire mechanic more effectively.

There’s so much to learn here. I come to realize that Chain of Command has always been complex. The new rules are written so clearly that it becomes truly apparent. The rulebook itself is such an upgrade I find myself wondering how I ever tolerated the first edition.

You’ve seen a chorus of people praise this new edition. I won’t call it a full ‘impression’ as I’ve just had one game, but so far I’m already convinced this is a far better game with more to learn and new strategies and choices to apply. It’s remarkable how many times I’ve turned this match over in my head and thought of new solutions. This is the beauty of Chain of Command. It reveals itself the more you play. There’s a risk VS reward in everything and at no point is there truly an obvious right answer.

It’s still a friction filled mess of occasional randomness. My opponent got a quadruple turn. He did nothing win it and I gained 4 Chain of Command Points from it which I used to hit him back. I can’t say, at first blush, that this edition will change any minds. I do think it’s worth reading if you didn’t like it the first time. There’s a good chance confusion fed that opinion and here the rules are so much clearer it’s silly. I can say with some confidence that if you enjoyed the first edition you should absolutely get the second.

Again, not a full impression. I reviewed the first edition after 100 or so games. To claim to know this edition so early is nonsense. I’ll come back after maybe 5-6 rounds with my impression. I hope to have over 20 games before a review.

But after one game I can say with confidence: that pretty darn rad.