Although this seems to be a touchy subject I'll enter in my opinion. I've used Empire for probably eighteen years. I've tried other rules but I feel than rather running willy-nilly around trying to find the *best* ruleset I felt it made more sense to learn one system and get good at it rather than change.

A lot of the problems with Empire that we didn't like have been changed through later editions and if we still didn't like some of the aspects we altered them to reflect our opinions. I think the biggest pro-blem most people find with them is that they are a complicated ruleset, but with experience in playing them the games can get over rather quickly. Reasons I like them:

1. Good command and control. This is the best part of the game in my opinion. Most people ignore this aspect of Empire and I think that's a big mistake as it adds lots of flavor.

2. You don't have to control armies to play it. Good games are a corps a side with each person controlling a division. Makes for a fun game.

3. I like moving battalions and using that level of tactics. It fits my liking of Napoleonic warfare. Now here's my take on the whole "my rules are better than yours" argument that usually happens on this ng. This is a game. It can not represent real life. Different rules concentrate on different things. I've never played Napoleon's Battles but if people like the brigade level system then I think that's fine. Its not for me largely because in this area its largely an Empire crowd that I play with.