Here's a list of products that I own and that are still available. I have many TPP products that are no longer available (like all the TOT packs, pretty much all the HASL stuff from HOB, and a couple of things from Critical Hit). This list does not include magazines or scenario packs, only "more significant" products like HASLs or packs with maps. Magazine and scenario pack reviews can be found here.
Note that this is a list of products that I own. Unlike others on the Mailing List, I do not make judgements about products I have not seen. I'll give my opinion on each, as well as score them with a 5-star system:
* = do not buy
** = might be ok, but be careful
*** = you won't be disappointed, but you won't love it
**** = impressive and fun;
***** = wonderful!
1. All American 1, 2, and 3. These are nice scenario packs, each with a map. Maps are quite nice, although some minor artwork changes were made (the orchard symbol has many more tree depictions than the standard 4, for example). The scenarios are tight and fun. Ian Daglish is a great designer, and a lot of thought went into these. All three are recommended. AA1: ***1/2; AA2: ***1/2; AA3: ***1/2
2. Arnhem, The Third Bridge. I personally really like this, but it got a lot of bad press for a couple of reasons. First, the non-standard building artwork: edges of buildings spill over the hexsides. Although this isn't too difficult to deal with and plays quite well (there are cases of this occuring on official mapboards and HASL maps), it threw a lot of people for a loop. Second, the politics between Kurt Martin at CH and the guys at MMP. A,TTB was supposed to have been put out by Avalon Hill. Very nice, but the audience was small, as most prefered to wait for MMP's module. I have both, and actually prefer CH's since the scenarios and map are better, but probably will end up playing more from MMP's due to compatability issues with other players. Not recommended. Rating: **
3. Dzerhizinsky Tractor Works. Disappointing. They took a great map and ruined it by using extra-small hexes. The two Platoon Leader campaigns are horribly unbalanced (I won one on the very first scenario!). The scenairos are very good and are among the best Stalingrad historical scenarios I've ever played, but there are only four of them. Not recommended, since it's a lot of money for 4 scenarios. Rating: *
4. Valor of the 37th Guards. This pack tries to improve the DTW module. It includes a reprinted Tractor Works map, this time with extra-large hexes. However, the map is only a portion of the DTW map (maybe a bit more than half of the original). Includes 9 good-looking scenarios and rules for a campaign game based on Red Barricades rules. The problem is that to get value from this module, you need DTW, since there are terrain rules in the DTW module. Furthermore, the scenario cards are really non-standard, with the OBs for each side on separate cards. I have no idea why they did that. Brian Williams on the List has made up PDF files of the scenarios in standard AH format though, so it maybe isn't really an issue if you have a color printer. Not recommended unless you own DTW. Rating: * (** if you already own DTW).
5. Gembloux: The Faint. More of a scenario pack than anything (no boards or maps), but it includes rules for a Platoon Leader campaign game. Scenarios depict battles between Germans and French in 1940. Interesting subject matter, and not that expensive, but the scenarios look a little ordinary. You won't be disappointed, but you won't be enthusiastic either. Rating: ***
6. Ruweisat Ridge. Not available, but I'm including it here because it's so cool. Hands-down my absolute favorite thing ever produced by CH. It has its bad points, which I'll discuss, but because the scenarios and the campaign game are so fun, I'm willing to overlook them. The bad: this module is plagued with errata. Now that all the mistakes have been found and corrected with an errata sheet on their website, this isn't huge but it's still really annoying. The map artwork is amature-level. It's really ugly when you look at it, but once you set up and start playing on it, it's not an issue and the map works very well. There are unmounted counters with non-official presentation which makes them nearly useless. You don't need them to play, though, so while it really bothered some, it's actually not an issue. The Good: the way the scenarios and the CG play out is incredibly fun, and that's what really matters in the end. There's enough terrain so that you can have some up-close (even CC) battles with infantry while having a running mobile tank battle going on at long range (20+ hexes!). Highly recommended if you can find it. Rating: *****
7. Scotland the Brave 1 and 2. StB 1 is pretty interesting (some nasty fighting between SS and some tough Brits), and far better than 2, which is hoh-hum. I haven't played anything from 2 (which I bought unseen because I liked number 1) and might not ever. Have played most of the scenarios from 1, which were fun. The map in number 1 is much more interesting than 2. The first map has some fun terrain to fight over, while the second is pretty much flat and open. The scenarios in the second are also "fishy"...several are all-tanks, and others don't seem to offer much in the way of manuever. So, I recommend StB 1, but not 2. StB 1 Rating: ***1/2; StB 2 Rating: **
8. Soldiers of the Negus. An interesting pack covering the war between Italy and Ethiopia in the 1930s. Includes a couple of countersheets (of quality equivalent to or better than official counters) for the Ethiopians and a bunch or really good scenarios. The subject matter might turn people off, though. Recommended. Rating: ***
9. Stonne 1940. Nice map with some really fun scenarios. People say the CG is tough on the Germans; I've started it as the Germans and was making some decent progress before my opponent had to quit. Pretty light on the errata, but a few hexes of the map are difficult to interpret (unclear what level they are), so you need to download the reference map from the CH website. Module is supported by a recent CH Mag with more scenarios and 2 more campaign games. Recommended. Rating: ****
10. Hell's Bridgehead. Battle of Kursk, 1943. 2nd-best CH product next to Ruweisat Ridge. Scenarios are really fun and play out very well. They range from some really big ones that will take all day to play, to some smaller ones that use a portion of the map. Map terrain is interesting, and allows for close-in battles as well as long-range tank duels. Large woods, grain, and elevation changes also allows for some "cat and mouse" style of fighting. Errata is minimal and map art is good. Presentation of CG rules (there are 2 CG) is somewhat shoddy, with some cheap photocopies. Recommended. Rating: ****1/2
11. Uncommon Valor. The battle for the Iwo Jima airfield between the Marines and the Japanese. Some really good-looking scenarios and a couple of CGs. Map is nice, and errata is minimal. Very small audience for this, though, since it has an extensive use of caves, which is a big turn-off for most ASLers. Recommended only if you have an opponent willing to play and you don't mind caves. Rating: ***1/2
12. Busting the Bocage. This pack includes a map that is the inland portion of the map from the Pointe du Hoc module (i.e. no ocean or cliffs). As such, it represents the 2nd Ranger Battalion's battles in the bocage once they were up the cliffs and had pushed south a bit. Map is nicely done, and there are some nifty scenarios (including one with a flamethrowing Char-1bis). One scenario uses German AFVs that were included in Pegasus Bridge, so that module is needed to play it. No BAR-gunners for those who questioned them. Recommended ***1/2
1. High Ground. Get this now, before it is sold out or HOB disappears. Highly recommended, with two mapboards which combine to form a large hill. Quality is equal to or better than official boards, and artwork is standard so they look great. Very nice scenarios covering a wide range of actions, from Kursk to the desert to Italians vs. Greeks. Rating: ****
2. Onslaught to Orsha. The lateset effort from HOB is a revolution in quality and components for them. It's a huge historical study style module with an enormous map and 22 scenarios. Fabulous game play on the map, and exciting scenarios and CG. Included is a sheet of Sturmovik aircraft and AFVs (minerollers and FT tanks), and an extensive rules/historical writeup chapter. Best thing HOB has ever done. Highly recommended. Rating: *****
Other Sold-Out or Out of Print Products
1. Baraque de Fraiture. This was a very good HASL scenario pack covering this Battle of the Buldge fight. It was put out by Front Line Productions. Several fun scenarios (although the big scenario is very unbalanced in the Germans' favor...the US has no rout paths from pretty much the start of the game) and one of the best (the best?) third-party maps you'll ever see. Some of the scenarios, however, are not set on the map. Recommened. Rating: *** Would have been four stars but the big scenario is a dud.
2. Those Ragged Bloody Heroes. Released by Critical Hit, but it was a Paddington Bears production. This HASL module recreates the fighting between the Aussies and the IJA over the Gona settlement. Decent-quality map (computer generated graphics rather than hand-drawn art gives it almost too "neat" of a look) and some interesting scenarios. CG includes IJA coming ashore in Landing Craft...don't see that too often! Recommended. Rating: ***1/2
3. Older HOB HASL modules are sold out, unfortunately. They were all good except for God Save the King (their Arnhem module some of which found its way into MMP's module) and Blood Reed Tarawa, which was pretty much directly turned into MMP's version. That leaves:
Berlin Red Vengence. This module was plagued by poor presentation: the map art is ok but a bit on the amature-ish side and the scenario cards suffer from some printing problems (the pictures are grainy and the unit symbols are crooked and faded). All of this is more than made up for by fun scenarios and a good CG. Highly recommended due to fun factor. The only other issue I have is that some of the scenarios are not set on the HASL map. This is a personal pet peeve of mine: why have a HASL map and not have all the scenarios set on it? Rating: ****
Fortress Cassino. This module has a good-looking map, although the slope depictions on the hill mass are very difficult to see. Some interesting scenarios, although the lack of a "biggie" is a stinker. I think ASLers have come to expect their HASLs to include one monster scenario that can substitute for a CG. And just like BRV, FC contains a couple of scenarios that aren't set on the map. GRRR! The CG is fun and gives each players some interesting and difficult things to deal with; definately unique. Recommended. Rating: ***1/2
King of the Hill. Set in Normandy 1944, portraying the battle for the high ground around Caen between the Brits and the SS. This module will take you to school and teach you (probably the hard way) the difficulties of attacking across open ground. The CG has brutal fighting, as the lack of terrain and large amounts of firepower on both sides contributes to much mayhem, confusion, and carnage. Several good scenarios (two are on my top-20 list) but again, some of them don't use the HASL map. Many of the scenarios are also night actions, so if you can't/won't play night scenarios, I'd avoid the module. Recommended. Rating: ****