Review: Dropzone Commander

Figured it would be good to do this one too...

Disclaimer:
I like this game. I'm biased to like it for a few reasons. Also, I've only played 6 games of it so far, so my opinion might change in the future.

Overview:
Dropzone Commander (DZC for short) is an epic-scale type game, using 10mm scale models and built around rapid deployment and sound strategic decisions. The games tend to have a rock-paper-scissors sort of dynamic in that there are aircraft, ground units and infantry, each with its own key value to the game.

What I Don't Like:
* No bases - Seriously, no models really have bases. This is a pain for things like determining movement and line of sight. Sure, they would ruin the aesthetic of the game, but it would tighten up the gameplay a lot. This is hands down my biggest complaint.
* Small models - 10mm scale is just weird to paint. Like weird hard. I've seen some pretty amazing paint jobs and would love to paint to that level, but it's really hard.
* Army building - This is just complicated to learn. It could probably be simpler, and in all fairness I get the purpose of it, but they really need an app to make this easier.
* Rules index - Their rule book index is terrible. Fortunately the rules are relatively compact to mitigate this, but learning the game is a real challenge.
* No cards - Come on! Seriously? Reference cards for models is just a de facto standard now!

What I like:
* Epic! - The battles represent a larger force. It's still a sort of skirmish, but they are battlegroups of models instead of the kind of stuff I've been playing with Warmachine or Malifaux.
* Tight rules - The rules aren't perfect, but they are relatively tournament worthy. Plus they have rules for when aircraft get shot out of the sky and crash, and for destroying buildings and such. I dig that.
* Different - This scratches a very different itch for me. The game has this very dynamic due to transports and dropships and how that can make everything move very quickly.
* Missions - The system for setting up missions works very cleanly and yet is very flexible. It might be my favorite aspect of the game so far.
* Strategic - I feel like the game allows for sound strategy to really take center stage rather than "this tricky models does X and wins".

Barriers to Playing:
Cost, painting, etc. But honestly, this company did something smart: They have faction starter boxes with a skirmish-level force for dirt cheap. It made jumping into the game ridiculously cheap, fast and easy.

Overall Summary
I dig this game. I'm looking forward to the next book and more releases and generally playing more of it.