Board Game with Battles - easier than Risk or Axis & Allies?

Depending on the scale you like (small battles vs big campaigns) I would recommend Richard Borg's games starting with Battle Cry (American Civil War) and running through the Command and Conquer series from GMT Games (a heavier war game series) and Memoir '44. These games include blocks, cards and minatures and variable terrain tiles. They are played in very fast little scenarios which can be played in an hour or more. I have enjoyed each of them.