Looks quite interesting with each tank getting a card and x-wing style upgrade cards too. Could be a good game for people not into overly complex wargames.
I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way. - Captain John Paul Jones
I received a copy of the TANKS Starter Set a couple of days ago: $25 CND plus shipping, so quite affordable.
It took me about 90 minutes to put together the three included 15mm minis - two Shermans and a Panther. The miniature tanks are fairly easy to assemble and have some nice detailing. The German tanks are different in color from the other factions, but I have painted all the tanks a weak brown wash to dirty them up and highlight the surface detail. I may yet apply some decals.
The various cards are plastic-coated and quite nice, while the tokens and 2D terrain are good quality, 2-3mm thick cardboard. One slight issue: the Starter Set _should_ include some basic D6 dice, but my copy did not. No biggie; I have plenty of D6 already...
I've run through the suggested 'learner' scenario a couple of times: a Panther versus two Sherman's with smaller 75mm guns. That seems to be a pretty good match: one of the Shermans is bound to get destroyed, with one of the other tanks destroyed and the third suffering serious damage.
I think the game seems okay, basic rules, fast playing. The rules are very straight-forward and simple. As I've seen some folks claim, it is very much a simpler 'X-wings' with WW2 tanks instead of space fighters. The game definitely forces you to try to take advantage of cover or impassable terrain to get the most advantage.
The Starter includes stat cards for about 20 different tanks. I have some 15mm tanks for Axis & Allies Miniatures that will work great with this game, and any similar-sized tank minis will also work fine. Overall I am pleased and look forward to playing more TANKS!
I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way. - Captain John Paul Jones
The starter showed up today. Didn't take long to absorb the rules. Looks like a great "fast shoot'em up" kind of game. Nothing too complicated.
The use of 15mm tank models is a big plus, allowing the use of AAM Tanks, and allowing these models to be used in AAM. The TANKS Panther is heads and shoulders nicer than the uber rare and expensive AAM version (assuming you don't mind the assembly, painting, and likely a need to protect it with storage padding of some kind). I just ordered another one on CoolStuff Inc for less than $7.00.
This has a very different game than AAM. Just tanks, not infantry, artillery, or aircraft, but the tanks themselves are a little more complex. Secondary armament and vulnerability to infantry don't appear to be factors. Very similar game play to X-wing as others have said.
One interesting thing...there appears to be no maximum range for the guns. Basically, if you are on the map and the line of sight is clear, you can be hit. I guess the assumption is if you with the 3ft x 3ft map, you are well within range. At this scale, probably fine.
While I've never been a big fan of house rules, this game system would lend itself to lots of modifications to enhance game play.
I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way. - Captain John Paul Jones
I love me some TANKS! I play once a month at the FLGS in Port Huron, Michigan. The tanks are supposedly the same scale as AAM, but are just slightly (a couple mm) larger than AAM (and PSC) tanks. I initially planned on using my AAM units but love making the kits.
Here's some pics from yesterday. My opponent had a Jagdpanther and 3 Panzer IVs, but had a Panther and StuG stand in for 2 of the P-IVs. I had a platoon of Canadian Grenadier Guards Shermans (3 Vs and a Firefly Vc) with an additional Firefly in support (2nd Sherbrooke Fusiliers - the Firefly that got Wittmann). We played on my new Caen map with the shops' new plastic French houses (including the church from St. Mere-Eglise).
My bad dice combined with the opponent's fantastic dice to spell doom for my units.
I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way. - Captain John Paul Jones
German Panzer III Tank Expansion German Panzer IV (Long) Tank Expansion German Tiger Tank Expansion
British Grant Tank Expansion British Crusader Tank Expansion British Honey Tank Expansion
I got the Flames of War El Alamein box. 2 Crusaders, 1 Grant, 1 Panzer III and 1 Panzer IV for less than the price of 5 TANKS kits. No TANKS cards, but I'll get some of the TANKS kits when released and use these as cheaper additional units. Also, the cards are on the TANKS website, so I can get some early games in with my Normandy Tigers and AAM Stuarts.
Been looking at the same thing myself. I've done the same in a few other cases where I had more tank cards than minis...just bought FoW or PSC minis to fill in. I'm not too hung up on the minor scale differences, and I don't worry about it in large scale "friendlies". Hoping to get some games in against Brigs next weekend!
I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way. - Captain John Paul Jones
I like the idea of this more than X-Wing. X-Wing seems to... sporadic. By that I mean, it's all open space (true to it's dogfighting origins) and the objects in space are decoration or nuisance more than objects to be used smartly. It's hard for me to pin down, but when I finish a game of X-Wing I don't feel satisfied like I do with other games. I think this game, with it's active use of terrain and movement/targeting balance is probably more my style. If I wasn't already ankle deep in Armada, I would've bought this already. Heck, I've considered using the rules with my micromachine collection
The nice thing is any 15mm minis will generally work. The expectation is FoW/TANKS minis in competitive play, but for casual play just about anything will work. I'm currently using a mix of AAM and PSC while I find time to paint FoW/TANKS minis.
I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way. - Captain John Paul Jones
I enjoy Tanks because although it's very simple, it's also relatively fast playing - no getting bogged down in details, and constantly flipping through a rulebook.
You can play with other sizes too. There are companies online making acrylic movement arrows scaled to other sizes, like 1/72 and 28mm. You can use the ruleset with other sized tanks if that's what you have, you just have to alter the length of the movement arrow.