After Action Report

[Steve Burt]

Played another game last night, this time with the full rules with cards and clouds in play. That really enhances the game. The Spitfire’s tight turn and the Me109s climbing and diving ability came into play. The aces had special abilities, RAF had Home Advantage, but were Poorly trained.

The stands that come with the game don’t look as nice as my home-made stands which show altitude, but they are very functional and easy to use.

The only thing I’d change is the tie breaker for planes with the same speed. It’s a huge advantage to go first; in the first game we used Spitfire 2s which are just a tiny bit faster than Me109, but didn’t actually arrive until November 1940, so after the BoB was over. This time, we used Spitfire 1s which are just a tiny bit slower. In both games, it was a fairly easy win for whoever had the planes which went first, but with such tiny differences in speed it seems too much of an advantage. I think in future if two planes have actual speeds within 10mph of each other we’ll dice to see who goes first if advantage and pilot skill and coarse plane speed are all tied.

[Koin-Koin]

Cards and clouds are really something that give this game such depth. I hate when I see demos without those.
I agree that it helps to remove send to learn the game, but a demo is supposed to show what a game is proposing, what makes it worth buying.
If I need to simplify it for a demo, I will only remove the cards as the mechanic is a bit less relevant when playing only a couple of planes.

Regarding the speed initiative, I only see it as a concern when you play a all pilots same level game. If the levels are mixed it’s not a game breaker anymore.
Again, for demo, I enforce different pilot levels as it is a key element in the gameplay.

Anyway, having more options as the speed change you’re implementing is always a good thing.
What really matters in the end is that everyone enjoys the game.

[Steve Burt]

We played with different levels (5,4,3,3,3,2 for the six pilots).
But it still means that for instance with 2 advantaged aces, one always gets to go first, which often means he can tail the other one….

[Koin-Koin]

It will obviously happen more frequently if you tend to match the opponent level but much less than in an all level 3 pilots game (which is a pain I admit).
I personally try to avoid this as I prefer to try to use the automatic outmanoeuvre that provide an higher level pilot.
So if my opponent have an ace, I try to neutralise him by forcing him to focus on my lower level pilot so my own ace is free to clear the sky.
Sure I am offering the same to my opponent but by doing it on purpose I find it provide a better control.

My point is, speed is the last value to provide initiative, so try to have the advantage and/or pilot level for you and you could keep the initiative.

[Steve Burt]

It matters mainly early in the game, we find. Everyone is advantaged as they have all climbed, so the critical thing is the first interaction. Both sides have pilots at each level, so the side which gets to go first at each level can give themselves a big advantage. We’ll try dicing and see what happens.
We’re also going to try playing on a hex grid to see what effect that has; it may not work, I’m afraid tailing will be too hard.

[Koin-Koin]

I agree that it may happen. I just think it won’t be something that happens every time.
Clouds in the middle of the zone may change a lots of thing as the planes go neutral.
If you didn’t use it yet, roll a dice for each plane to decide at which advantage level each will start.

Besides I definitely agree on the fact that the spitfires are easier to play than the messerschmidts because of the potential initiative and the trait card.

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