What you get for $6.95 are a 4 page rules folio, one reference chart page, one 8.5x11map, one scenario, 2 six sided dice, and 140 die cut counters representing German and Russian soldiers.
Look and Feel: The game itself is definitely a good Desktop Publishing style game. The map, rules, and counters are colorful and clean. Each counter shows an image of the weapon the soldier in question is carrying. The text and numbers on a counter represent movement, range, weapon type, and combat bonus. Each counter is also individually numbered and that number is referenced in the scenarios to show which counters are used for that particular scenario. The counters are easy to read, but artistically leave something to be desired. I would have preferred soldier images, not an image of the weapon he is carrying on the counter. The weapon being carried is already denoted on the counter with a letter and pushing around rifles or SMG images on the map just feels hollow. I was raised that if you complain about a problem, then you better offer a solution. So, I made my own counters which (if you want a copy) you can find and download under the Sergeants! listing on Board Game Geek. Personally (though they are not stunning by any means) they better represent man to man combat than a simple rifle image vs. a SMG image. Also there are “FAKE” counters provided in the original counter mix. I am unsure why the word FAKE was used over DECOY. This is purely personal preference but I think DECOY is a better term and my counters use that in place of FAKE.
The play is the thing: Sergeants! Is a classic IGO-UGO war game with an added fog of war element. Units are placed face down on a map and are only revealed when spotted, fired on, or when they fire. This provides a nice little bit of tension to the game as decoy units may be on the map and can be used to draw out enemy fire. You can set up to two soldiers in a turn on over watch which provides a little additional combat chrome to the game with out making it rules heavy. The game concerns itself with the following modifiers in combat:
Line of Sight- Terrain- Weapon Type- A soldier’s Combat bonus- Pinned Status
There is no classic CRT, instead combat is resolved by opposed die rolls. Both the firing unit and defending unit roll 1d6 to resolve combat. Each side determines their own appropriate combat modifiers and a d6 is rolled by the attacker and the defender with their own modifier applied to their own die result. If the defender’s total is higher than the Attackers-there is no effect. If the Attacker’s total is more than the defender’s (but not double) the defending unit is pinned. If the attacker’s total is double or more than the defender’s total, the defending unit is eliminated. The mechanic is clean and easy to teach. I found combat to go fairly quickly and the reference chart provided with the game is consulted heavily during play but is easy to use and sits nicely right next to the map. Ideally I would have liked each player to have a reference card of their own, but you can make a copy.
Line of sight and terrain play a key part in Sergeants!, but anyone familiar with war gaming will have no problems with this. Gamers coming from an OGRE/GEV back ground will find this a minor step up in rules at first, but nothing taxing or tough to learn by any means. Game play is fast paced and can be tense. The initial scenario and map are good, but certainly leave one feeling hungry for more.
You want more? Free is a very good price! Lost Battalion is doing a terrific job of giving those who play Sergeants! more on a monthly basis. You can download additional scenarios and maps for free on their website. These scenarios all use the counters provided with the main game and are each a little gem on their own providing a lot of good replay value.
Sounds great, but nothing is perfect: I really enjoy Sergeants!, but I do have my issues with the game, specifically the scale of the game. It is a man to man war game, but the map scale (1 hex =100 yards) really feels odd. I expect a house to house or maybe room to room sort of combat, close and deadly, instead it is more abstract and wide open. This does not make it bad in anyway, but it does takes away from the feel of a man to man game which this is supposed to represent. If you have played Firepower or Close Assault, those maps are more in line with what I expected and in the future would like to see. Secondly no Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFV’s) were included and no rules associated with using them are available. Future expansions may include them, but I was a bit sorry they were not included in the initial release. Lastly the counters themselves are serviceable, but as I stated previously, are a bit lackluster.
Overall Impression: Sergeants! is hopefully the start of something great. Not since my beloved OGRE/GEV have I played a microgame so often. I am using Sergeants! to teach friends the next level of war gaming, and though they may not progress any further-it is nice to have something other than OGRE/GEV to play as a lite war-game. Game play is quick as a battle can be fought during a lunch break. The Website Freebies are a must, and I hope to see the game continue to develop adding AFV’s and maybe some alternative map styles for house to house or city fighting. The system is clean and playable and a true bargain at $6.95. If you enjoy war gaming it is a must buy and if you are an OGRE/GEV player and want something new-you can’t go wrong with Sergeants!
See you on the front lines, Christopher Brandon
