What are the rules for the Church? Is it just a Level 1 terrain building (i.e.; cross between building and hill)?

While I would buy any ToI product that FFG decides to put out, my preference would be for a Pacific Theater expansion.

Don't get me wrong, the Eastern Front is awesome and I would love to see more all-tank scenarios such as Operation Crusader from Days of the Fox, but I think a setting that focuses on the War in the Pacific would really help distinguish ToI amongst the glut of WWII wargames out right now.  It seems that everybody is doing the Eastern Front, but not as many WWII games have tackled the Japanese (and the Marines).  Even AAM, which encompasses a fair amount of variety in its unit list, has short-changed the IJA.

From a sales standpoint, if FFG times it right they might even be able to ride the wave that HBO's $250 million "Pacific" will surely create.  Plus, I wonder if it would be better to wait and make the Eastern Front a big boxed set like the main ToI game, almost like a 2nd edition where new players who weren't interested in ToI's Western Europe setting and were discouraged by the rumors of imbalanced scenarios might be enticed to jump on board.

Anyway, just some crazy thoughts.

I've heard that Tom Hanks and Stephen Spielburg are doing another WW2 miniseries along the lines of "Band of Brothers" called "The Pacific." It is rumored to be released in 2009. If that is the case, my speculation is that a Pacific expansion could do quite well in 2009.

MGBM said:

Well...

For starters...

TIDE OF IRON expansion ideas

1. Dragon’s teeth (same size as tank traps, razor wire? impassable for vehicles?)
2. Crater (same size as entrenchment, pillbox? Mv penalty for vehicles?)
3. Underground Bunker
4. Boats
5. Civilians
6. Different ammunition for tanks. HE, AP--probably covered by op cards
7. Trench (same size as entrenchment, pillbox? Or in shape of razor/tank trap? No MV penalty if moving contiguously to/from another trench hex, bunker, pillbox, or entrenchment. Does not trigger OpFire.  )
8. Wall (same size as razor wire, tank trap? Impassable for vehicles, -1 mv to inf?)
9. Anti-Tank Mines (for AT specialization?)
10. P.O.W.’s (taking routed squads.)
11. Operation Cards
    1. Snow
    2. Frostbite
    3. Night. Firing Range/LOS is halved? (Supposedly in designer series)
    4. Low Ammo. May only make Concentrated Fire actions or support attacks.
    5. Zeal. Gain 1 CP for each enemy squad routed or destroyed.
    6. Blitz. Your squads do not receive movement restrictions for Fire and Movement or Assault Actions
    7. Hero. Similar to Elite Tank. +1 FP +1 MV
    8. “Zimmerit” thin concrete over tanks vs. magnetic mines (+1 armor vs. infantry?).
    9. Exhaustion/Illness.
    10. Camouflaged vehicle or equipment? Concealed vehicles/equipment?
    11.  
12. Strategy Cards
    1. Scorched Earth. Target controlled command objective. Remove command objective from the game.
    2. Retreat. Play during opponents turn between actions. Target non-fatigued squad gains +1 movement and may only Advance to a hex not containing enemy units.
    3.  
13. Molotov Cocktail (and rules on fire?)
14. Tank crews escaping when vehicle is heavily damaged (1 squad of regular infantry?)
15. Allow set-up of entrenchments during deployment
16. Demolish enemy command objectives
17. Reinforcement hexes must be controlled in order to receive support
18. Flares (for night rules? Normal los & visibility w/in area of effect?
19. BAR or LMG differentation. Lower range and firepower, allow fire and movement? (R/F=4/3 vs. inf. 2/1 vs. vehicles?)
20. SMG? Lower range and firepower, allow fire and movement? (R/F=3/2 vs. inf 1/1 vs. vehicles?)
21. half track mounted guns 105mm, 47mm, etc. i.e. 75mm Ranger Cannon Co.
    1. between 57mm & 88mm. R/F 6/6 vs. inf. 10/8 vs. vehicles.
22. Destroyed Flamethrower squads cause damage
23. Death of Officers=change of Operation Cards
24. use of rough hexes when buildings/roads are destroyed (covered by Normandy!)
25. eliminate rounds and play to the death
26. New terrain tiles*
    1. Large/Wide Bridge
    2. Large/Wide River
    3. Hill with cover
    4. Dam
    5. Railway Station
    6. Railway Tracks
    7. Church with Steeple
    8. Swamp
    9. Ruined Building
    10. Industrial Building/Factory
    11. Radar Station
    12. Airfield
    13. Oil Depot
    14. Warehouse
    15. City Blocks
    16. Windmill
    17. Multi-Level Building
    18. Multi-Level City Block
    19. Ditch
    20. Ammo Depot (Covered by Normandy!)

note: this is from an old forum thread