Okay, I finally got to play with my friends this weekend. I have the Duel Pack rules, but I bought 2 extra planes for everyone to try and see if we all liked the game (we did!). However, I have been wondering about something.
When I was teaching the game, I told them there was 'no information sharing' which was my, apparently poor, way of saying that damage and effects that are secret are secret to everyone, even your team mate. I think this is correct as it keeps with the idea of not being able to relate specific damage and otherwise would slow the game and give things away, as a team mate showing his friend a damage card is a clue to something happening.
However, after the game (My girlfriend and I won, beating them both times. ) they mentioned something about having difficulty because they couldn't plan during the game. My team happened to not plan since we were defending and the game just played out that way (plus, I was using a Dr1 for the first time and concentrating on my moves the whole game). It occurred to me that they understood my direction as that they could not strategize at all once the game began. I didn't clarify since we were done playing and it would only have lead to guffaws of "that's why we lost!" and I wasn't sure if I stumbled on a real rule or not anyway since it never occured to me.
My quesion - Is there a rule in the book that discusses team communication? From a historic point, I could see it both ways so that isn't helpful. Anyway, I am interested in what the game says about the game and not what history says about the game.
Thoughts - While team communication would definitely make team play more cooperative, it would undoubtedly slow the game down as people tend to agonize over how to get the very best out of a team effort. There is also the possibility of the 'alpha gamer' telling his team which cards to play because he is the master of all games. One thing I particularly like about the game is its speed and I would hate to lose that in such a plodding manner. Also, though it was frustrating to collide with my team mate (which we did) when a simple, "You go left. I'll go right" could have solved that, it wasn't a game killer (as I fear that excessive planning might be).
Also, I think having only pre-planning increases the tension as enemy contact changes the plan and players then have to read their team as well as their foe in order to see what is going on and best contribute. It also helps reinforce the quick action that is taking place where pilots couldn't fly a holding pattern until they decided to turn left or right.
Recap - Is there a game rule or mention in WoG about teams communicating? IF so, what? If not, how have you all played it and what results did it give you?
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