The latest preview is up http://www.axisandallies.org/node/112
Rangers are strong competitive piece, though unless they get new (non-improved) indirect fire units the Spotter SA is mostly just thematic.
(Edit)Here’s my full review:
As the opening salvo says, “its inevitable that it will be compared to the Axis workhorse, the SS-Panzergrenadiers.” Quite true, though thankfully the Rangers have enough differences to keep them from being just carbon-copies.
The Lead the Way SA is interesting in that it’s once per turn, not per phase (or during movement and/or assault), so be careful when you use it; unless it’s to grab a last minute objective, re-rolling a movement roll isn’t too important, though thematically it’s nice.
Spotter is again nice, if not too useful. The M1 81mm Mortar doesn’t need a spotter, nor do spotters enhance them, and the open back M7 105mm Priest is an easily neutralized unit. I suppose you could save 1 point and use the Russian mortars instead if you really wanted to. Also, lacking the Spotter SA they can’t enhance aircraft.
The Rangers have slightly improved defence and a re-roll over the similar Veteran SMLE Riflemen; the only time the Australian unit is, well when you can’t take Rangers (eg Pre-1942 game). By themselves the Rangers are at the high end of 5 points, but compared to the Garand they perhaps should have been 6; as is they make the Garand fairly useless. Sure the Garands can have the same dice, without a re-roll, but that requires more points for an adjacent commander, and is -1/-1 defence.
A great unit that I’m sure will see a lot of use both in casual and competitive games: 4.5/5
