So, I have begun collecting board games about four years ago, and over the course of that time have purchased with my tiny students's budget the following games:

1) Twilight Imperium third edition- none of the expansions
2) World at War eisenbach gap
3) World at War death of the 1st panzer
4) Space empires 4x
5) Civilization (from fantasy flight games) with both expansions
6) Ascension chronicles of the godslayer
7) MBT from GMT games (yet to arrive)

also, from my young years (pre- teens) we have lying arround:

1) The colonists of Catan
2) Alhambra
3) Carcasonne
4) Axis and Allies (1942 edition)
5) Risk

I greatly enjoy most of these, although the latter five are in my opinion greatly surpassed by the prior six.

I personaly have taken interest in a few games, which I will list at the end of the post, but maybe I missed out on a hidden less obvious great title that might suit my needs? Therefore I decided to post over here were I hope the board game geeks of the steam community might provide an answer (I am aware of the boardgamegeek site, but I don't like having to make accounts hither and yon on the internet just to pose a question so I ask here instead)

I am looking for any of the following:

a hex and counter wargame with a fantasy setting, a large strategic scope, a bit of economic management, and interesting (magical?) combat. I thought the game Wizard Kings, listed below, could satisfy these requirements?

a hex and counter squad level wargame, preferably in a world war II eastern front or communist vs capitalist modern setting (a bit like a squad level world at war you might say). It doesn't really matter as long as it's not korea or vietnam, unless there are no alternatives. (I really am not interested in those wars). It doesn't really matter, however, if it's a bit sci-fi. I have caught glimpses of a title called "Firepower" but apart from some mentions I can't seem to find anything about it?

If it is a miniatures game, like earth reborn (listed below) you would like to recommend for squad-based/level skirmishes, I'd like to check those out as well, it doesn't par se have to be hex and counter, but with my limited budget I'd like to ask as a prerequisite (hope I spelled that right-I'm not English :/ ) that all the miniatures you might ever need be part of the main game box, i.e. that you don't still have to expand some collection afterwards (for which I simply don't have the required amount of money available)

Or a game along the lines of twilight imperium; lovely backstabbing and black treachery during diplomacy/political phases, the ability to ruin the day of a more militarily powerful opponent by forming a pact with other weaker players to spam action cards in his direction, and a decent amount of thought required to achieve galactic domination

A list of titles I've looked at and which sparkle my interest:


Wizard Kings:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/692/wizard-kings

Earth Reborn:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/73171/earth-reborn

Eclipse:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/72125/eclipse

Memoir 44;
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/10630/memoir-44

Combat Commander Europe:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/21050/combat-commander-europe

(these last two don't appear to really satisfy the squad level stuff, but look great nonetheless)

Firepower:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3692/firepower


lastly, a bit contradicting perhaps, with my self-applied requirements, this one;

Infinity; a skirmish game:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/21133/infinity-skirmish-game

I suppose I could get a bunch of 15mm miniatures cheaply from these guys:

http://shop.groundzerogames.co.uk/

The rules could be modded for smaller minis, and I dont really give a damn about the quality of the minis (I'm not directly someone who judges by looks only, especially not where (video) games are concerned)


Fire away with the recommendations! And have fun with the christmas festivities!