Hi

I just bought the game yesterday and since then I've been curiously reading the rules preparing for the game. As I studied the units and scenarios I came to realise that I should have bought an expansion with the game in the first place. Can you share some experiance and thoughts about the two expansions that the game has(and if you can the Fury of the bear). Im really confused so if you can please give some advice on which expansion a new player like me should buy first.

I would get Days of the Fox next. It's map boards look assume and the scenarios are really nice. Plus it adds an entire new nationality to your existing units. Of coarse the Russian expansion will do this too, but I would start by getting the British first.

Actually, I would also recomened you to read reveiws of any scenario before playing them... This because a lot of the scenarios are unbalanced to the point that they are extremly booring.

I got into TOI in the last 6 months and this is how i went with the expassions, First i went with days of the fox, as said above it adds the Brits into the mix the desert boards and AT guns /rules (love how its possible to capture enemy AT) next I went with the Designer serise book as it added alot of good scenarios to the game (which uses the base game and days of the fox). I just recently got the normandy expansion which has more game boards which allows for beach landing scenarios which is cool, brings a few new armour units for the germans and one for the US and a few more brit infantry, and also adds campaign rules to (havent played any normany stuff yet) But i would go with days of the fox first,to me normandy feels more like an add on once you have everything else

Now im just hanging out for the Russians!!

I would also recommend Days of the Fox as your next purchase followed (very closely) by the Designer Series Book 1. Despite a few glaring, but relatively minor errors in the Designer Series book (Make sure you download the FAQ and errata to address them) it has some really well thought out scenarios. I found that the book really spiced up the "flavour" of TOI for me.

Which expansion is the best? Hmm they are reasonably different and have their own merits. Days of the fox is more of the same, rules-wise, but offer a different setting obviously with interesting desert warfare elements as reflected in the strategy cards. the AT guns are a very welcome addition too. It also adds some new squad specialisations that take experience into account.

Normandy takes you back to the reasonably "familiar" European western front (with beaches) but its inclusion of more squad specialisations, destructible buildings, weather, special commanders, campaign play etc ...to me it is starting to reveal itself as a game system starting to mature a little more and therefore beginning to show even more promising potential. Thats not to say that the game did not shine on its own before hand...it was a fine game from day one.

....oh yeah. Fury of the Bear?

That is anybodies guess...we have all been left "hung out to dry" since the initial announcement earlier in the year followed by the curious "lack" of follow up information. Knowing nothing is tantalisingly interesting and keeps the anticipation high while also being incredibly frustrating at the same time

Grandmikus said:

It wouldn't hurt to have both the Fox and Norm expansions, but if you could only pick one and only one at this time, I would recommend the "Days of the Fox" expansion first. You get the British for one, but also opens up another theater of operations... North Africa.

I'm a new player too. I just ordered ToI and the Designer's book - be here Wednesday! - and will buy Normandy and DotF next month.

How important is it to get the Map pack?

MaxieTPB said:

It expands your options for designing your own scenarios considerably.

Thank you - I'm getting it then!