[jmherbener]

Please forgive the delay in my response. MES strips away much of the historical development of and philosophical ground for economic thought that Mises has in HA. MES sticks to mainly to economic theory and policy and develops each in a more elaborate manner than HA.

I would not say that HA is essential for a good grasp of AE. It is essential for a complete understanding of the philosophical and historical context of AE.

I suggest you read Bob Murphy’s study guides to MES and HA to get a better sense of how they compare and contrast.

https://mises.org/library/study-guide-man-economy-and-state

https://mises.org/library/study-guide-human-action-treatise-economics