Series 6 revealed!

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 10-05-2015 11:33

Me neither Dave.
But then I do give them all an overspray with varnish, followed by Testors' Dull coat.
Rob.

**Tonx** · 10-05-2015 11:36

Originally Posted by David Manley

I must admit that in 40-odd years of wargaming with plastic kits I've never come across this issue

Same as a friend of mine says but if using decals he uses varnish to protect them. I use Humbrol Decalfix ever since being introduced to it and what it does during 2011.

I accept that this may be me being a bit pernickety or fussy about tamp printed

being better. But after 10 years of 172 kit building I am full of horror stories involving decal applications peeling and irreplaceability

**milcoll73** · 10-05-2015 12:01

Originally Posted by Sagrilarus

I agree with no kits.

I realize that Ares is a small company, and I realize that they offshore their production and do it in lots. But I think they'd do well to find a way to keep the most common, most well known, most "popular" airplanes in stock as best they can at all times. I'd also recommend (if this isn't too pricey) to make minor changes to the appearance, a different number on the tail, an arrow on the wing, etc., to give bigger collectors such as us the ability to have six or eight of the same model airplane on the table at the same time without complete duplicates. This would allow new players to get their Spitfires and their Bf.109s and their Zeros while giving us veterans a chance to build squadrons that don't all look exactly the same.

It would also be an advantage to the Retailer, as people like us would stop in to see if the number had changed on a particular airplane. I wouldn't even issue a separate SKU for the minor differences if it was me, let people find them the old fashioned way.

All that said, I think Ares would benefit from a P500 plan, for retailers and individuals to participate in the same way GMT and MMP do. Let the market drive the production cycle.

I advised a brand new retailer to hold off on WGS products until a better starter kit was available, keying on Battles of Britain and Midway. As it stands right now he can't purchase a decent set of products to get new players interested in the game. I live in a Navy town, he could do very well with WGS if he could get the right planes.

i do like that idea of the same paint scheme with different decals like they did with the us dh 4 reprint. and ive said all along that the most popular and iconic planes being available pretty much continually would be good for the game.

**Flying Helmut** · 10-05-2015 13:37

Pre-built, pre-painted plane, with separate decal sheet, is, IMHO, NOT a kit!

I too, also with 40+ years of kit-building, have never heard of the aforementioned decal disasters.

**Tonx** · 10-05-2015 14:34

Originally Posted by Flying Helmut

Pre-built, pre-painted plane, with separate decal sheet, is, IMHO, NOT a kit!

I too, also with 40+ years of kit-building, have never heard of the aforementioned decal disasters.

Too right I agree about the first point. However it is also not ready-to-run out of the box which is what Ares Games caters for so well and Nexus did too before then.

Decals. Not all of the kits I have built have featured decal disasters just one in every seven or eight due to either perished (age) or crap quality to begin with - worst offender is Heller 172 scale kits from France

**Stumptonian** · 10-05-2015 14:58

Originally Posted by Tokhuah

P500 is a preorder system by GMT games. Check it out here:

GMT Games Project 500

Thanks for the link. This is what I was implying when originally said Kickstarter would be a good idea, but misconstrued the implications to the brick-and-mortar shops.
"Put your money where your mouth is" and get better chance of realization. That would work for me.

**THECCRICH** · 10-05-2015 19:56

Good discussion...

No easy answers...

But you all are right, Ares already has some solid holes in ones. B-25, FW-190, Spitfire MK-IX, Lancaster... Need I continue...

Ares games has spoiled me and I love it...

Chris

**Sagrilarus** · 10-06-2015 06:07

Yeah, that's definitely part of the problem. These are very nice products at a very reasonable price. On one of my other gaming sites there's the "shut up and take my money" joke that's the go-to response for these kinds of threads, and I think it applies here in spades. Those of us deep into the product want every plane that flew while new customers need the first tier of aircraft. Ares is in a pinch to provide both simultaneously and as best I can tell there's only two people that work there full time. That likely means only two home-equity loans are available to bankroll production runs.

That said, I'll settle for a magic wand that turns Yak-1s into other planes. There's at least one of them in every game store in America, hanging on it's little hook all by itself with no other WWII airplanes next to it. The Russians only wish they had so many of them during the war.

S.

**milcoll73** · 10-06-2015 10:26

Originally Posted by Sagrilarus

Yeah, that's definitely part of the problem. These are very nice products at a very reasonable price. On one of my other gaming sites there's the "shut up and take my money" joke that's the go-to response for these kinds of threads, and I think it applies here in spades. Those of us deep into the product want every plane that flew while new customers need the first tier of aircraft. Ares is in a pinch to provide both simultaneously and as best I can tell there's only two people that work there full time. That likely means only two home-equity loans are available to bankroll production runs.

That said, I'll settle for a magic wand that turns Yak-1s into other planes. There's at least one of them in every game store in America, hanging on it's little hook all by itself with no other WWII airplanes next to it. The Russians only wish they had so many of them during the war.

S.

not true. weve got a couple dewotine 500s, some regiane re 2001s, and a p-40 , not to mention a couple b-25s to keep it company at our flgs

**Diamondback** · 10-06-2015 11:55

Phillip, is that the French P-40 or Lott's Checkertail? An old prof was one of William Lott's successors as Commanding Officer of the 318th, and I'm looking for another copy--thinking about building the guy a display of all the 318th's "Boss Birds" if I can find everything in 1/200. (Painting the markings on his F-106 is gonna freakin' SUCK, though...)

**Tonx** · 10-06-2015 12:54

Originally Posted by Diamondback

Phillip, is that the French P-40 or Lott's Checkertail?

I thought the French P-40 was not available on it's own. Lead to understand WGS WW2 Starter Pack

only ...

**milcoll73** · 10-06-2015 14:19

Originally Posted by Diamondback

Phillip, is that the French P-40 or Lott's Checkertail? An old prof was one of William Lott's successors as Commanding Officer of the 318th, and I'm looking for another copy--thinking about building the guy a display of all the 318th's "Boss Birds" if I can find everything in 1/200. (Painting the markings on his F-106 is gonna freakin' SUCK, though...)

i think its lots but ill have to check as we had some flying tiger p-40s at 1 time. i think thats great what youre doing btw

**THECCRICH** · 10-06-2015 15:40

Painting the markings on his F-106 is gonna freakin' SUCK, though...

White decal paper?

I takes some getting use to, but works once you get the hang of it:

http://www.decalpaper.com/product-p/25c.htm

I did these on Microsoft paint and printed out at 850 dpi

Click image for larger version.

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Click image for larger version.

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It wasn't until recently that I learned you have to let them dry completely or they will pink up on you as you can see above. Also once the paint continues to cure over several months, it really pulls into the details of the model.

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 10-07-2015 00:02

Chris,I now tend to use clear decal paper and paint a white patch underneath the decal area, as I find the white paper thicker and harder to blend in the edge.
Rob.

**Mad Charly** · 10-07-2015 01:15

Do You have any news about the date of release of series 6?

Thanks
Carlo

**Marechallannes** · 10-07-2015 01:24

Originally Posted by Oberst Hajj

My emails with Roberto this week says he still thinks we can get them for Christmas. They should be cleaning up the production photos for the releases this week and next. I think we should hear something official soon.

This is from 2nd October, Carlo.

**THECCRICH** · 10-07-2015 07:36

Chris,I now tend to use clear decal paper and paint a white patch underneath the decal area, as I find the white paper thicker and harder to blend in the edge.
Rob.

I think I will have to try that next...

The white also leaves that pesky cut out line around the decal. Good recommendation sir...

I was looking at those Messerschmitt Ks at the beginning of this thread again... Wow... That is going to be a Christmas morning moment when I get to fly those around.

**milcoll73** · 10-07-2015 12:50

Originally Posted by Diamondback

Phillip, is that the French P-40 or Lott's Checkertail? An old prof was one of William Lott's successors as Commanding Officer of the 318th, and I'm looking for another copy--thinking about building the guy a display of all the 318th's "Boss Birds" if I can find everything in 1/200. (Painting the markings on his F-106 is gonna freakin' SUCK, though...)

its the flying tigers one

**Mad Charly** · 10-07-2015 14:37

Thanks Sven
Above all we are waiting for Me 109 G and K.

Bye Carlo

**Tonx** · 10-07-2015 14:45

Originally Posted by Mad Charly

Above all we are waiting for Me 109 G and K.

The Messerschmitt Bf.109G will not be appearing in WGS Series 6 - just the 109K.

**Mad Charly** · 10-08-2015 14:00

Yes I know it.
But it's so easy to trasform it in a Me 109 G6, G10, G14.

Bye and Stay Tuned
Carlo

**Marechallannes** · 10-09-2015 03:57

Found this in the UK subforum:

http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sho...s-new-releases

Thank you Spring-Chicken.

**Marechallannes** · 10-09-2015 04:08

Seems that we get our prototype pictures.

French SBD and some Judies on the pictures.

Bases are still empty.

Just one request comrades: Just be happy for 5 minutes for those first pictures of series 6 before starting to complain about the French SBD version and your unfullfilled miniature wishes.

Thank you.

Your's Marechallannes

**7eat51** · 10-09-2015 04:24

Nice pic of the WGF bombers as well.

I look forward to some new sculpts.

**Tonx** · 10-09-2015 07:24

Originally Posted by Marechallannes

Just one request comrades: Just be happy for 5 minutes for those first pictures of series 6 before starting to complain about the French SBD version and your unfullfilled miniature wishes.

Sven, hi. Thank you for posting those first pictures of WGS Series 6 including the French Douglas SBD Dauntless. I am going to be happy for longer than five minutes after seeing these ... Much longer

French SBDs are growing in popularity for those who didn't know about the Airfix 1/72 re-release of this aircraft type. One of the decal options with them is French and I have never seen these markings before. This encourages me to build the French version when I get round to building this offering from Airfix as where possible I like to collect WGS

in kit form or as diecast models. If the exact aircraft is not available in 1/72 scale then I always look for something very similar since I started playing.

**fast.git** · 10-09-2015 07:40

Originally Posted by Marechallannes

Seems that we get our prototype pictures.

French SBD and some Judies on the pictures.

Bases are still empty.

Just one request comrades: Just be happy for 5 minutes for those first pictures of series 6 before starting to complain about the French SBD version and your unfullfilled miniature wishes.

Thank you.

Your's Marechallannes

Thanks for the photos, Sven.

I will keep any grumbling about non-French French aircraft to a dull roar.

**P-51D** · 10-09-2015 13:01

Yeah, it has begun! As long as the other two SBDs are American, I can handle a French SBD! Now if we have one French, one New Zealand, and an Army A-24, I am gonna be bent! Two USN Dauntlesses is my hope! Judys are like the Val's, all very similar, which I am fine with, as I only need two of each instead of the three of each that I was originally considering buying.

**Tonx** · 10-09-2015 13:18

Originally Posted by P-51D

Two USN Dauntlesses is my hope!

Look down and to the left of the French A-24B Dauntless and that looks like the tail / wing of a USN version. The A-24B information came from another thread which is currently running about choosing pilots for the Dauntless: It's the Air Force version of the SBD without a tail hook which is the equivalent of an SBD-5 Navy version in terms of capability and armament.

**Sagrilarus** · 10-09-2015 13:18

I agree, wingmen are nice to have.

Ares likes to have a group of three and goes for variety, but matching pairs is awfully nice. If they're not there for the Dauntless I'll likely get an identical pair and juuuuust a bit of paint to make one different.

I wasn't going to do Pacific war, but 20 Pacific war planes just landed in my lap, and I'm reading Fire in the Sky. Given that I live in Annapolis and a new game store is opening up it suddenly looks like a good idea.

J.

**P-51D** · 10-09-2015 13:30

C

Originally Posted by Aussietonka

Look down and to the left of the French A-24B Dauntless and that looks like the tail / wing of a USN version. The A-24B information came from another thread which is currently running about choosing pilots for the Dauntless: It's the Air Force version of the SBD without a tail hook which is the equivalent of an SBD-5 Navy version in terms of capability and armament.

Thanks for pointing out the tail of the Likely American SBD. I am familiar enough with the A-24 Banshee to know it doesn't belong in the game. If it saw combat at all, and I am thinking it didn't, it was very minimal. The USAAF preferred level bombing to dive bombing and multi-engined aircraft to deliver the ordinance. I would prefer the Kiwis get a SBD before the USAAF, but that is just me. I am just thankful to likely have a USN SBD available in the near future.

*Looking it up again, the Banshee did see service in a very very limited capacity in Java and New Guinea.

**Tonx** · 10-09-2015 13:45

Originally Posted by P-51D

I would prefer the Kiwis get a SBD before the USAAF, but that is just me. I am just thankful to likely have a USN SBD available in the near future.

You are not alone Daniel in your preference of an NZ SBD over the A-24 Banshee. Though the navalised version of the SBD came first the USAAF were very uncomplimentary about the A-24 Banshee once it had entered service! According to Airfix who re-issued the 1/72 scale Douglas SBD-3 / 5 Dauntless last year with French markings included the A-24 was soon being viewed by the USAAF as obsolete. However the USAAF appears to have been the same about dive bombers in general: The preference appeared to be bigger aircraft capable of carrying bigger payloads from what I have understood today. Airfix say that the USAAF even relegated some A-24s to other duties such as personnel transport in terms of the action they saw.

**Marechallannes** · 10-10-2015 10:51

First look on the Bf109 and the P47.

Thank you Nachtschwärmer!

**Tonx** · 10-10-2015 11:05

Cannot wait to get my hands on that RAF Far East Air Command Thunderbolt Mk II (P-47) ...

Also looking forward to confirmation that the Messerschmitt Bf.109K will be capable of distributing D Damage Tokens

**Angiolillo** · 10-10-2015 11:06

Originally Posted by P-51D

Judys are like the Val's, all very similar, which I am fine with...

Sorry, Judy is far more quick (150 km/h more the D4Y-1, even more the D4Y-3) and sensibly more agile.

**Angiolillo** · 10-10-2015 11:08

Originally Posted by Aussietonka

Also looking forward to confirmation that the Messerschmitt Bf.109K will be capable of distributing D Damage Tokens

Confirmed, but subject to jamming if you use an optional rule about that.

**Tonx** · 10-10-2015 11:13

Originally Posted by Angiolillo

Confirmed, but subject to jamming if you use an optional rule about that.

Thank you Sir. Looking forward to a few more D Tokens being fired in my WGS games when these appear

**Kaiser** · 10-10-2015 11:13

More pictures from the SPIEL

**DarrylH** · 10-10-2015 12:48

The Free French A-24 looks great, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear howls of outrage quite soon about the Atlantic scheme SBD-5. It's striking, but an ASW tasked aircraft--and one which didn't stay in use long, because TBM Avengers could also operate off US escort carriers, and had folding wings as well. Hopefully the Midway set will include a 1942-era SBD.

**Kaiser** · 10-10-2015 12:51

Midway Set?

**DarrylH** · 10-10-2015 12:55

Battle of Britain and Midway campaign sets-bigger than the WGF Duel packages, and more akin to the old Deluxe sets, from what the Oberst tells us--are on the horizon, although apparently not far enough along to be featured at Essen.

**Kaiser** · 10-10-2015 12:59

Nice

I have to look here more often

Sad that this game is still rarely if ever played in my area

**fast.git** · 10-10-2015 13:12

I like the look of the P-47s... not sure about the SBDs. Looks like a later Pacific, and an Atlantic (plus the FF). Makes sense, since the SBD-5 missed Midway and Coral Sea... would have preferred an earlier, lighter Pacific shade, but maybe I'm being ungrateful. The Judys look like... Judys, and I'm going to want another look at the 109s.

Regardless, thanks for the pics!

**Jager** · 10-10-2015 13:20

Get pictures; thanks Nachtschwärmer and Kaiser

OK; my take on the Dauntless: almost all repaints

We have a French A-24 from '44, an anti-sub tasked one from the Atlantic, and a Pacific one that from the markings comes from mid to late '43, after all the big naval battles that made it a legend are over

The P-47s look great, but how long did the invasion stripes last? Why both USAAF needed to have them?

My opinion of the Judy, I've already given

The Bf-109Ks look great.

Karl

**BobP** · 10-10-2015 13:33

Thanks for the pics of the planes. At least now we know they will become real. Nice to have the SBD but the paint scheme I have to get used to.

**Flying Helmut** · 10-10-2015 13:35

I'm just going to repaint all the SBDs I acquire.

Thanks for posting the pictures!

**Dom S** · 10-10-2015 13:38

Pretty much +1 to Jager there. The Judy's perfectly serviceable, but an odd choice of model - paint-wise they're all very similar schemes, but most were, and it means they'll look fine together on the table at least.

The 109s are pretty nice, and probably the pick of the crop, and the Jugs look good too, although the NMF one might've been better without invasion stripes.

The Dauntlesses are terrible though - the classic dive bomber of the Pacific war, and only one scheme is even Pacific theatre, and even that is from November '43, when the Dauntless was past its prime, rather than a Midway or Coral Sea aircraft. I have no idea how they arrived at those three being the best options available....

**Stumptonian** · 10-10-2015 13:57

Thanks for posting the pics.
I look forward to ordering from Herr Oberst

**Lord_Ninja** · 10-10-2015 14:05

HARTMANN CONFIRMED!!!!! *And the German flyers go crazy!!!* HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!

**fast.git** · 10-10-2015 14:06

Invasion stripes were painted on June 4-5 and were ordered removed in November 1944... though many were removed much earlier, and some stuck around into December.

The SBDs are a disappointment, but I saw that coming with the decision to do the -5 instead of the -3. SBD-3s flew off American carriers at Coral Sea and Midway... the -5s not reaching the fleet until later in '42.