There’s plenty of chatter on the new release from DVG.  Michael shows us what’s in the box!

Michael Eckenfels, 31 July 2015

The DVG ‘Leader’ series is really going gangbusters. Phantom Leader, Hornet Leader, Tiger Leader…plus numerous others. The demand is out there, and DVG keeps churning out good products so far (the three I mention, I own, with Tiger Leader just arriving on my doorstep). I’ve not played anything outside of the ‘Air’ Leader series…back in the day (early 90s to be specific), I loved playing the original Thunderbolt/Apache Leader by GMT, which I know DVG has also done. (I’ll be going after them in a month or two to see if I can get a copy of that one to see how it has changed.)

This particular game – Tiger Leader – according to the back of the box, “places you in command of a German Kapmpfgruppe in the most decisive campaigns of WWII!” I’ve seen the Let’s Play videos that DVG posted on YouTube discussing this game, and even with pre-production artwork it looked pretty good. I can’t wait to get this to the table to see how it plays. Watching is one thing…playing, something entirely different!

The box in all its glory. There’s something rather cathartic about getting a brand new board game. A nice heavy mailing box, nice solid product inside, shrunk-wrapped and pristine. It’s like my woobie or something.

The back of the box, showing a design that I think DVG has stuck with for several products. The large hexes are particularly interesting; makes me wonder how many counters are going to be occupying the same space. It’s also weird as a boardgamer to see hexes that large in the first place! But I like the extra room to see everything that’s there.

The rule book. Full color, as usual.

The rules look good, but will require a full read-through before I can comment any further. I like the high quality of the color print, and the thickness of the pages (thicker than normal pages, such as a magazine for example).

The Player Log Sheet, a staple thus far with every Leader series game I’ve seen from DVG. The intent is to photocopy it/scan it for use, recording your battles and your troops’ statuses.

I think this is what the box refers to as the “HQ Sheet.” I could be wrong; as I said I have not read through the game yet. This is not a mounted board; it’s a less-sturdy cardstock. More sturdy than simple paper, but not ‘normal’ boardgame thickness. This is fairly large – 11” x 17” if I’m correct in my assumption – so a decent amount of room on a table will be needed.

Six sheets of terrain cards. These are printed on both sides, so technically there’s 12. I believe it covers terrain in areas like snow, desert, and ‘normal’ tank country. Not sure if there’s stipulations for bocage fighting; it did mention D-Day 1944 as one of the many campaigns that can be fought, so surely there must be.

A close-up of the Snow terrain. Pretty stark and plain; looks like perfect tank country (if not for, you know, the snow and all).

Two countersheets, loaded with Allied and German vehicles and units, as well as game markers.

A close-up of the sheets. Sorry for the lens flares; I’m not trying to shoot a Star Trek movie here.

Ah, here we go. This is a mounted board, and it’s huge – 22” x 17”. Couple this with the other one and you have quite a bit of space you need. The game’s footprint is larger than either Hornet Leader or Phantom Leader. I don’t know if that’s true of the other Leader games they have out now.

A close-up of the map art in the center of the large mounted board’s display. I love this kind of stuff; reminds me of the maps in the classic war history literature. Pretty cool-looking.

One corner of the mounted board’s display, giving you a little more detail.

The cards, all wrapped up, and a d10 as well (with – GASP – a ‘10’ printed on it, not a ‘0!’). Lots of high-quality look to it. Not sure I like the leader cards (drawn art as opposed to photographs). I understand the complexities in doing real-world pictures and/or getting actors to pose (not to mention the cost of the latter – ugh, actors!), so that’s understandable. The more I think about it, the more it looks aged, depicting leaders like that, so maybe it’s not that bad after all. It might grow on me.

A close up of some of the cards, giving you a better look (not to mention a better look of one of the aforementioned leader cards).

What do you think? Sound off below, or in the forums!