http://www.blitzkrieg-commander.com/Conten...se/default.aspx
и развернутое (на мой взгляд) сравнение
There are plenty of people playing FoW in 6mm, so I wouldn't let the scale issue put you off. I'm building a 3mm collection myself. The game actually works better in some ways with smaller scale figures, since you've got much more maneuver room on the same size table. You might want to scale the measurements down, but that's not really requirement.
I've played a lot more FoW than BKC (v1), and I like both. They are very different games though. Every vehicle or base in BKC represents multiple figures -- we played with 1 base = 1 platoon. FoW is 1 to 1 representation, although squads are made up of 2 bases. I know some people play BKC at 1 base = 1 squad, so at that level, they are much more similar. With FoW, you are focused on positioning of individual elements. With BKC, higher command and control aspects are the emphasis. If you have a taste for one approach or the other, that might guide your choice.
As others have mentioned, BKC uses an activation system that most decidedly does not guarantee you will be able to do something with each and every unit every turn. You have to choose your sequence of actions carefully, and put effort where needed most. The differences between nationalities are largely represented by command effectiveness. FoW has no such restrictions, and there is very little representation of "friction". You get to activate every unit every turn. Differences between nationalities are reflected in rules that tweak what different types of units can do in certain hands. Again, opinions vary considerably as to which is better.
I found BKC very easy to pick up and understand. FoW took a bit longer to learn, largely due to that lower-level of focus. I personally felt that BKC was a bit more bland in that there's not as much of a distinction between AFVs of similar types in the hands of one nationality or another, other than the aforementioned differences in command ability to activate. By adding enough HQs (not restricted in the rules), I was able to build a Soviet list that gave me fewer problems controlling my forces than the German player I faced.
Since I'm understanding you're not so concerned about playing the "official" game, I wouldn't get too hung up on the need or lack of need for additional books. While BKC provides individual vehicle data, it provide a limited number of actual unit organizations. There is a nice unit builder online that is, I think, free for one year. FoW puts that data into separate books. For either, you can locate any historical reference listing unit organizations and use that. Battlefront (publishers of FoW) have recently made nice summaries freely available that list all of the additional rules for most of the nationalities listed in the game, so you can apply those easily.
FoW only covers limited theaters, while BKC provides vehicle data for all theaters. This means you'll have to do a bit of conversion, or find 3rd party conversions, for doing anything but 1942-44 Europe, Africa or Eastern Front with FoW.
I've seen odd things in tourney settings for both (and other rules) so I wouldn't worry too much about that aspect. Any rule system can be gamed by players that have that mind set.
If you are contemplating mostly playing solo, BKC has a definite edge due to the command & control mechanisms.
I hope I've captured everything correctly. For me, the decision was largely based on who I expected to play. My sons wanted FoW, and there's a very active local community. That said, I do not seem to have suffered any long term brain damage from the experience, and I am fully capable of switching between the two. The same basing and miniatures can be used for both, though you'll need a somewhat different mix to represent the same units.
In other words, don't feel you're restricted to one or the other exclusively. Buy one now, and ask for the other (and a few others) for your next birthday present!
- Bob
