Battle Report- Dogfight over Peephinghtohm

Giovanni and I enjoyed a game of Wings of War this past Sunday- in fact, it was my first non-solo wargame that I've played for many a year!  And it was well worth the wait. A fun, simple game that is not so simple to master!

The game ended in victory for yours truly- but not through any great tactical skill or acumen on  my part, I assure you.

    "Gallant Heroes of the Air"

Both Giovanni and myself pranged a kite each through neglecting to start and end an Immelman loop manoeuvre card with a move in a straight line.  That sucked, but at least fate was even-handed.  I also soon realized that while the Tripe and Camel are as agile as hell, particularly when making a right turn, they are not all that swift- especially the Fokker. 

So as the mission required that I just had to get off the table edge opposite, I put the pedal to the metal, and just made a bee-line to the horizon.  Neither pretty nor glorious, but it worked!

Here is an old newsreel found deep in the vaults of the British Pathe collection, celebrating the exploit.  While a victory- of sorts- for the RFC, it did cost Capt. Fetlock-Withers a promotion, on account of damaging His Majesty's property through his own recklessness.

(You might want to give some time for the video to load if you have the patience; 

I couldn't compress the file as much as I wanted to, as the clarity was already a little iffy).

As the game was really just a training exercise, we dispensed with altitude and other advanced rules.  But already I love Wings of War, and I'm sure I'll be coming back to it.  The use of the cards is cleverly conceived, you have to think ahead fast, and the production design is first-rate.

Ever since I was a kid I've had a long-held interest in WW1, both air, land and sea. Accordingly I've played a number of WW1 air board games over the years; Richthofen's War, Sopwith, and Ace of Aces to name a few.  This one was, along with Sopwith, my favourite so far.  It plays fast, which I think is the essence of an airwar game even if it is at the expense of detail.

And unlike Ancients and Napoleonics, it requires little in the way of painting or preparation.

I've already been mulling over ideas for a campaign- and I've always hankered for a flight of SE-5a's.