Circuits and Bumps I

[Flying Officer Kyte]

However another way in which WGF / WGS win again came from a guy I know Down Under who asked me if I noticed how the Website here in general is welcoming compared with the way some PC gaming forums very quickly tend to fill up with aggressive feedback / borderline the very nasty:

We do our best to keep it so.
Rob.

[Tonx]

We do our best to keep it so.
Rob.

Please allow me to say what a fine job you are all making of this then

The 'free' online PC games such as War Thunder are the worst offenders for anti-learnerism and anti-beginnerism so I have found. Wings of Prey on the Steam Games Network is also another bad one plus the fact that Gaijin Entertainment who are behind the game assured lots in the beginning ... Most of which was not there when the game was released. Warbirds 2013 (now Warbirds 2015) has its fair share of characters but it has hardly any non-Facebook availability in terms of having its own website which is bang smack up to date. Which is a shame as with those characters mentioned all in all it makes for one of the better WW1 and WW2 flight combat simulators out of the choice which are still available / have working Multiplayer options!

As you can probably tell from that I don't 'do' Facebook. Long complicated story to do with what I do for a living ...

Just emerged from that Spitfire versus Fw190D dogfight which was mentioned towards the tail end of Page 1 ... Our kitchen table at home (with those wine bottles still in place!) Sees more action than my PC does these days Gaming-wise

[Tonx]

Over the next week to ten days the first genuine bombers will be joining our Minis

This should spice things up a bit now that there are three Spitfire Mk IXs and three Fw190D-9s already stationed here. Going to try one bomber from each side ... First will be the Heinkel He-111 followed by the N A B-25C Mitchell. Not getting into the four engine stuff just yet - that will be coming possibly next month along with the first Yak-1s to introduce Russia into our conflict over the skies of Derby (especially Galactic Models on Wednesdays!)

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Sounds as if you are steadily opening up the possibilities of this game Barney.
Doing so in a sensible and measured manner is a good thing and will pay dividends in the long run.
Rob.

[Tonx]

Sounds as if you are steadily opening up the possibilities of this game Barney.
Doing so in a sensible and measured manner is a good thing and will pay dividends in the long run.
Rob.

This means a lot coming from you - thank you very much.

I hope that you and Johnbiggles in particular are reading this thread and are proud of what you both inspired. Always intended it to be about development of the game at a manageable pace ... Along with the intention of being there for other newcomers / learners for whenever the need arises. Beginning this interest in WGS is rapidly turning out to be one of the most worthwhile things I have embarked upon in life. But whilst still unable to offer an official gaming mat / oodles of miniatures etc I am still able to offer a spot of creativity and preference of sharing as opposed to sitting on this idea.

[Tonx]

Knowing Your Kit ... As proven by something which took place on April 3rd 2015.



Fans of the Bristol Beaufighter are going to like this posting as this type of aircraft has just served as the perfect example of this matter. I do not tend to go off the pilot names attached to each aircraft having been properly interested in WW2 aviation ever since 2003. However I have noted that the Beaufighter pictured is the 'Davoud' version also known as the Mk IVF.

There are three Beaufighters currently available for WGS - this one and the other two which are both Mk IFs (including the night fighter version) and all of which are currently available at this website's excellent retail outlet. However put the Mk IVF into use like I did for the first time on April 3rd having become used to the Mk IF already and this may also end with very different as well as very destructive results! In common with the Mk IF the Mk IVF can be successfully operated around a compact 90 cm x 90 cm gaming mat without flying off the edge of the game constantly.

However what very much makes this aircraft the odd one out is the tail gunner installation which it features in place of the Mk IF's Observer Station. But the most spectacular odd feature has to be the forward fire power particularly at close range: Those on the wrong end of this will find themselves having to take 1 x A damage token / 1 x B damage token and 4 x C damage tokens. This lethal Axis annihilator sure can pump things full of lead being one of the most powerful firing platforms which can be placed into a WGS game! The Mk IF without it's tail gunner installation cannot fire to the rear but can still pump the opposition full of lead in terms of forward fire power - just to a slightly lesser extent than the Mk IVF is capable of ...


Bish ... Down goes the first Axis aircraft on April 3rd's WGS dogfight!


Bash ... Followed by this Axis aircraft with the Beaufighter still relatively unscathed!


Bosh ... Though beginning to sustain damage the Messerschmitt Massacre of April 3rd continues!


Boom ... One more Axis aircraft for luck on April 3rd!

Yet in real life the Beaufighter was never really considered an effective dogfighter unlike it was admired in the ground attack and torpedo attack roles.

Returning to WGS what has been learned: Just because types of aircraft look the same it is worth examining the intricacies of the Miniature for functional improvements or alternatively functional deficiencies rather than just assuming for example that 'All WGS Bristol Beaufighters are the same' or 'Both versions of the WGS Avro Lancaster have the same gunnery defence layout' ... This is also adviseable to know about your kit when deploying Miniatures into scenarios / choosing what aircraft you wish to use in a WGS game. As one learns the game particularly into using Normal Rules instead of Basic Rules the less assumptions which are made and the more facts which are known and acted upon begin to pay worthwhile dividends IMHO too. Especially when the stage is reached when Advanced Rules begin to apply to WGS games - but I have not reached this stage myself yet. Still plenty to learn and experience under Normal Rules ... Especially the unexpected and genuine surprizes awaiting you like this one was awaiting me until yesterday!

[Tonx]

Knowing Your Kit ... Learners versus Bombers April 5th 2015.

I am currently seeking advice about the first usage of medium to heavy bombers playing WGS and all responses received will be gratefully appreciated. Gameplay here using Normal Rules has reached a good juncture at which bombers have become something which I very much look forward to introducing ... Or could that be unleashing upon Wings of Glory in this neck of the woods?! Most of all I would like to see what they are capable of when used in a compact gaming environment bearing in mind the 90 cm x 90 cm playing space available at home on which everything has been working very well so far.

Where is it best to start? With medium bombers or heavy bombers or does it actually matter ... The reason I have found myself in this quandary is that I would like to begin with acquiring and using medium bombers - the Heinkel He 111 / N A B-25C for example and gradually working my way up to the usage of anything bigger. Whereas the wife possibly due to type familiarity is anxious to see the first Avro Lancasters appear within WGS games prompting me to seriously examine this possibility at the same time. Seeking advice because from what I see the Avro Lancaster may very well be a workable option to introduce at this stage because of the simplicity of it's gun arrangements and ranges. Especially when compared with the Heinkel He 111 which I know from having seen it in action during the first WGS game I was ever part of is bristling with guns. As is the N A B-25C Mitchell. Or ... Have I got this wrong either somehow or somewhere?

What is the objective? Bearing in mind the compact gaming environment which is operated within a typical bomber scenario would (I envisage) begin with airborne and gunnery skills only ... Never send just one single engine fighter up against the bomber - always work in pairs minimum. Also how to catch the bomber as it flies straight and level following a diagonal trajectory in a smaller aircraft and be able to shoot without then just flinging oneself off the board constantly because of flying too fast: Another case thinks me of 'practice practice practice' in order to achieve. Developing onto seeing what bombers are able to do in the same compact environment or maybe are unable to do - consigning them to this role of just diagonal straight and level 'plod plod plod' type flying within WGS games. However regardless of aircraft manoeuverability something which remains to be introduced but only after the first bombers have become available is the usage of target cards / staging of bombing missions which are able to take place using Normal Rules so I have noticed.

Any other business? Yes and it relates to how so I gather the four engine bomber aircraft miniature packs contain extras like maps or guides to the Dambusters Raid (Avro Lancaster Dambuster Edition) and what these are all about. If the Dams Raid can be fitted into 90 cm x 90 cm this unforeseen WGS shock will take the record from the previous (Bristol Beaufighter Mk IVF) one! After all there was hardly any aerial opposition to the raid - 95% of the opposition came from FLAK and AAA guns located on the ground. Thoughts of grandeur aside should one want to use the Dambuster Lancaster as a generic bomber with an easy to understand gun layout then I envisage this still being possible ... If this start is made ith Lancasters then the plan is to acquire both miniatures and with this both versions currently available for WGS. Or if the choice features medium bombers first once again the plan will be to successively acquire both Heinkel He 111s and then both B-25C Mitchells before touching anything with more than two engines.

Advice? Yes please. All responses mindfully and gratefully appreciated bearing in mind there may be others in this same situation who stand to benefit from what they read here

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Not much time to answer today Barney, but briefly.
Start with a medium bomber or even a fighter that can carry bombs. You want to concentrate on the bomb run and not crew management problems like who is where in the aircraft.
as far as flying off stage right pursued by a Russian Bear goes, always try to leave enough room to get an Immelmann in. It can get you out of all sorts of trouble and also get you back into the fight a lot quicker.
If working in pairs try to split the bombers fire power between the two, and don't go in one at a time. Coordinate your rush. If you are using altitude you are at an advantage. Taking on a bomber without this facility makes it harder.
Try to get into the blind spot if it has one. Don't go in for a slug fest. Hit and run, then repeat.
hope this addresses some of your concerns.
Rob.

[Tonx]

Not much time to answer today Barney, but briefly.
Start with a medium bomber or even a fighter that can carry bombs. You want to concentrate on the bomb run and not crew management problems like who is where in the aircraft.
as far as flying off stage right pursued by a Russian Bear goes, always try to leave enough room to get an Immelmann in. It can get you out of all sorts of trouble and also get you back into the fight a lot quicker.
If working in pairs try to split the bombers fire power between the two, and don't go in one at a time. Coordinate your rush. If you are using altitude you are at an advantage. Taking on a bomber without this facility makes it harder.
Try to get into the blind spot if it has one. Don't go in for a slug fest. Hit and run, then repeat.
hope this addresses some of your concerns.
Rob.

Thank you very much. Especially for the advice on how to build up to and then begin with a medium bomber ... Stops me from accidentally getting too big for my boots too quickly!

Looks like the Avro Lancaster which the Wife would so much like to see in our WGS gaming is going to have to wait a while longer

*UPDATE* 07/04/2015 - Heinkel He 111s x 2 on the way and should be arriving over next seven days. Gone along with 'graduation' approach to this subject as opposed to just adding Minis 'for the sake of doing so' and potentially in a meaningless way too - less to look forward to as both the game and time progresses. Next bombers to be added when able will be the pair of N A B-25s ...

[Setarius]

Barnaby,
The first bombing mission I tried was with a pair of Stukas and a pair of 109s against 3 Spits. There were 3 of us playing, 1 Brit and 2 Germans. Each Stuka had an escort. The guy flying the Spitfires immediately ignored the escorts and went after the bombers. My Stuka misjudged his bomb run and was going to come around for another pass when it got shot down, and the other Stuka was downed just short of the target. In return 2 Spitfires were shot down and all 3 of the planes left on the board went home very heavily damaged.
I placed an order late last night for the Bauer B25 and both B17's, they should be here no later than Friday and possibly even Thursday.
A friend of mine wants to do 3 B17's against some defenders, I told him I would gladly be the defender if I could put at least 12 planes up against them.
From what I can see of the B25 its weakness is being attacked from both sides at once. You have 2 guns and 1 crew member to operate them. Or if you can attack from directly behind.

[Tonx]

From what I can see of the B25 its weakness is being attacked from both sides at once. You have 2 guns and 1 crew member to operate them. Or if you can attack from directly behind.

Dale,

With the early versions of the North American B-25 Mitchell that is true as these never had a tail gunner installation - I think the B-25C was the first with the observer station located at the rear. Good piece of information about only one side-gunner being available to operate both left and right installations there too.

Hope your three new arrivals find their way to you safely and successfully - and of course thank you for the contribution

[Setarius]

Barnaby,
I made a mistake on the bomber side gunners. I said earlier that one guy can fire either gun. The bomber card says they have one gunner for each position with the side gunners being able to move back and forth if either one is injured. My mistake.
Placed my order for planes around midnight Monday and received them before noon on Wednesday.

[Tonx]

Dale, thanks for pointing that out and glad your new arrivals are there with you safely.

Our first Heinkel He 111s have just arrived x 2 ... What a different experience playing with just one bomber is compared with single / twin engine fighters and single / twin seaters as we have been up until now!

Takes a bit of studying and plenty of practice flights to get these in the air successfully - best suggestion is at first to revert to Basic Rules until one is used to what the bomber can do or is capable of. Then and only then once comfortable with these try playing Normal Rules - not there yet so advice on way when we do ...

[grumpybear]

I am not much on WW2 but your approach looks like a great way to get into it the right way.

[Tonx]

Knowing Your Kit ... Bombers versus Learners April 11th 2015.

With the first medium bombers about to see action in this location I thought it wise to post an introduction so that learners know more of what to expect once they too have reached this stage. Up until now bombing has been carried out using Normal Rules and with the Messerschmitt Bf.110C-4 (Schupp Edition - which is detailed as a fighter bomber with long-range fuel tanks) nominated as the target aircraft for interception prior to being able to drop it's payload ... Los!

This section features the Heinkel HE.111 H-3 Medium Bomber which is currently available for WWII / WGS (STAB./KG53 Edition) through the retail outlet - see link on website. Upon first opening the box it will be noticed how the altitude pegs for bombers differ from the smaller aircraft in terms of length x 1 and thickness - all. The altitude pegs are located alongside the Miniature on the first level of the box. For the rest of what the pack contains remove the Miniature within it's packaging as everything is located underneath. Remember to check your kit carefully for missing components but all being well with the Heinkel HE.111 H-3 the following should be contained within the box:

Aircraft Stand Base - Larger as are all of the bomber-sized aircraft than those in use with smaller aircraft but laid out in the same format. All gunner positions and shot arcs / damage tokens each position can inflict are detailed for playing Basic and Normal Rules. However for Advanced Rules two additional gunner positions apply but these too are detailed on the stand. Gunner positions in use Basic and Normal are all detailed in red as are the shot arcs. Gunner positions applicable to Advanced Rules only are detailed in yellow as are the applicable shot arcs. Most of this bomber's gunner positions inflict 1 x A Token in terms of damage and can cover 360 degrees around the bomber owing to it's dorsal gunner installation top-fuselage. There are no blindspots noted on the Heinkel HE.111 and if there were these would be highlighted and detailed in black.

[B]Aircraft Card[/B ] - same size as the aircraft stand base and so larger than what has been operated with previously. This again follows the layout one will be familiar with and reiterates / shows once again the information described on the aircraft stand base above. This twin engine medium bomber uses an XA Movement Deck or Manoeuver Deck (included) and it has a damage token total of 30 in order to shoot this type of aircraft down successfully.

Aeroplane (or Airplane) Management Card - These will definitely have never been seen before but play a similar role to the Basic and Normal Rules as used and seen before regarding two seater and twin engine aircraft types. Once again what is applicable to Basic and Normal Rules is detailed in red or relates to the tokens (included) with Advanced Rules details highlighted in yellow. This card actually looks worse than it actually is to use during gameplay and the title hardly helps this not to seem intimidating to newcomers and learners alike at first. Practice practice practice appears to be the key with this element of the usage of medium to large bombers ... Do not judge this book by it's cover and go losing heart as a result!

Basic Rules For Multi-Engine Airplanes (or Aeroplanes - leaflet) - this four page leaflet acts as a guide as to what is contained with the bomber Miniature ... Such as the additional crew and aircraft management tokens (included) and any Special Rules which are often aircraft-specific and which apply in this instance to the Heinkel HE.111 H. This leaflet is your lifeline to the effective use and deployment of a bomber within gameplay or within a scenario: Make sure this is read and understood before attempting to do so. Bombers unlike the majority of the smaller aircraft are not 'plug and play' in their nature in order to gain a 100% return from them. Unlike so many of the single engine and single seater fighters which can just be inserted into both gameplay and into scenarios hence my use of this 'plug and play' adjective (description.) Once read and understood fully it is then practice time in order to make the use of the Management Card seem far less intimidating or complicated.

Bomber Specific Tokens - the way these are used is detailed within the leaflet mentioned above and for the Heinkel HE.111 H contain both sets of five crew member incapacitation tokens required under Basic and Normal rules as well as engine management tokens. Again these are aircraft type-specific as the more crew / engines the move from medium to heavier bomber types entails the more there is to manage during gameplay / scenarios.

XA Deck Of Movement (Manoeuver) cards - the size of these will have been seen before but the manoeuvers contained relate specifically to bombers. This includes the bombing cards required for the aircraft to take out a target whilst the rest of the cards allow the aircraft to perform scaled-down realistic manoeuvers which are in proportion with the scale used (1/200 scale) along with the manoeuvers which other aircraft are able to perform surrounding a bomber. What one will notice instantly is that there is no 'about turn' manoeuver card which is also better known as the 'Immelmann' card for medium to heavy bombers. Another key difference when considering what has been seen and is known from before when graduating up through the ranks of aircraft sizes up until this juncture is reached. Although there are real life stories which tell of some types of medium to heavy bombers and exceptional manoeuverability when pushed (the 'corkscrew' which the Avro Lancaster was capable of performing when pushed to the type's structural limits!) Bombers during WGS gameplay and in WGS scenarios are not even able to perform 'Chandelles' in order to 'about turn' quickly: The defence of the aircraft is well and truly in the hands of the turret and installation gunners in the direction of attack from an opposition aircraft.

BTW - Turrets and Installations: A Gunner Turret most often takes the shape and form of a turnable device which is attached to the aircraft structure and while accommodating at least one crew member. A Gunner Installation is quite often fixed and therefore incorporated into the aircraft design whilst able to accommodate one or more aircraft crew members. Tail turrets and dorsal turrets located top-fuselage are the best examples of turrets while side gunner positions are the best examples of installations actually cut into the aircraft fuselage to help with the more effective division of fire power particularly within heavier bomber types.

As I prepared to take the aforementioned Heinkel HE.111 H-3 out on it's debut operational sortie I hoped that this information will help others to gain valuable insight into getting 100% return from their bomber Minis. Bearing in mind that these are the most expensive investments of the lot (World of War Minis aside!) but extremely worthwhile when utilized to the full and in the correct way ...


Heinkel HE.111 H-3 featured in this posting.


Boom Card deliverance on first outing!


Nearing the bomb run.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

I am sure that this will be a very useful introduction to any newbie buying his first medium bomber.
Rob.

[Tonx]

Knowing Your Kit ... Bombers versus Learners April 22nd 2015.

Having not had much luck using medium bombers to their full effect within a 90 cm x 90 cm gaming environment I thought that this was worth a mention. The principal reasons why these have proven difficult to operate without far too many accidental board fly offs is the bombers' lack of manoeuverability as well as their speed. Hopefully the building of a brand new gaming mat by myself today which gives 120 cm x 120 cm of gameplay space will help to alleviate this matter with the additional space which this is able to offer in comparison.

Needless to say that I will not be trialling any heavy bomber types on the smaller gaming mat when these are moved onto over the next ten days to two weeks. Oh well at least we know now about the limitations of using traditional / medium / heavy bombers within compact gaming environments compared with the way fighter-bombers and divebombers can actually be put to great use within the same space. I am just hoping that with the new gaming mat being roughly 1/3 bigger in size than my previous one the additional space can and does offer more towards the operation of medium to heavy traditional bomber types. I will conclude this entry with some photos of the other Heinkel HE.111 H in operation which is of course the winter-camouflaged H-5 version of this medium bomber.

[Setarius]

The use of the heavy bombers and their maneuverability does seem to be a problem going left and right on smaller gaming areas. I do my best not to stray from the straightest line in these situations and when the heavy gets to the end of the play area I have them disappear for anywhere from 3-5 game turns then reappear going the opposite direction. This also gives the defenders time to land refuel, rearm and put a fresh plane or two in the air for revenge.

[Tonx]

After making a WGS Solitaire Session last for nearly 2.5 hours ten days ago I feel that this aspect of Glory's versatility needs commenting upon. The session involved three aircraft initially and a full description of what happened can be found under UK Wing / Galactic Models Gaming Night for those interested in the full story.

To give a brief scenario appraisal though things all started off with three Dewoitine D520C aircraft taking off on training flights / sorties as these had just arrived into my collection and being a brand new type of aircraft I wanted to see just what these were capable of. Soon after which it all went wrong for one of them which came millimetres from flying off the board if it wasn't for a violent Immelmann manoeuver ... Which prevented the loss of this aircraft but also so I insisted induced G-LOC (G Force Loss of Consciousness) upon the pilot incapacitating them with a head injury. The D520C is only a single seater. This introduced a fourth aircraft to the scenario in the shape of a recently repainted Gloster Sea Gladiator (Bob Dunkin) which was also awaiting it's debut sortie: This assistance role which it played was it!

The incapacitated pilot was recovered successfully to base in a solitaire four-aircraft scenario (Basic Rules - but using the modifications seen on Page 1 to produce climb and descent manoeuvers regarding the airfield) which lasted almost 2.5 hours in total. There was never any really boring moments even without an opponent with three and then four aircraft to account for plus the objective set initially which was to 'learn' the D520C. Then if all went well deploy Bob Dunkin's Gloster Sea Gladiator on it's debut 'showing off' I guess sortie being my first ever repaint. But nothing ever goes according to plan ... As a result the excitement factor shot up once again and the boredom factor - well there was not time to feel bored!

The other vital requirement was that a DOE or Diary of Events was kept as the scenario progressed - best to record everything even if it is just one of the aircraft having to go around (missed approach as some will also know this term as) especially of just in case there are any further crashes fires and spins / anything resulting in an aircraft loss. I actually found that scenarios like this do prove that players become 'attached' to their collections. Ready for when they are deployed in the direction of active combat / a live opponent by which time you know them fully as well as inside and out if you do take them out on practice sorties like this regularly.

The best description of an extended Solitaire session as it silently makes progress is that it is like the card game Patients meets Chess. Do not ever be afraid of conducting Solitaire sessions 'because Glory (WGS and WGF) is usually played in groups' ... Yes, that may very well be the case which receives the most attention or gets discussed the most because of what becomes the usual result but Glory is versatile enough to accommodate Solitaire sessions of the upmost value: Need I say more based upon this one which I have cited.

But this proves is that playing Glory in general is on a par with skydiving so I am informed ... Best enjoyed in a group but also at times a real buzz on your own: Thanks 'Dawesy' (Lois Dawes from Brisbane) for the skydiving analogy!

PHOTOS: Showing the Incapacitated Pilot Scenario in play as well as Bob Dunkin's Gloster Sea Gladiator N5516 / N (Based upon the Burges Edition of the same aircraft N5519 / R) ... Both saw action in the Mediterranean Theatre of WW2 during 1939 - 1940.





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[Tonx]

Knowing Your Kit ... Bombers versus Learners May 1st 2015.

It has finally happened - our first Heavy Bomber has been ordered and should be here within the next seven to ten days. Decided to go for the Avro Lancaster 'Dambuster' Edition as it is the simplest of the four 'heavies' to commence operations with. There are still four engines but even compared with the normal (Groggs The Shot) Lancaster there are fewer crew and onboard factors to manage. In order to accommodate the operation of heavy four-engine bomber types a brand new 120 cm x 120 cm Gaming Mat was created ten days ago in response to what was being learned as medium bombers were not exactly fitting on the 90 cm x 90 cm Compact Gaming Environment all that well unless being used rather boringly and predictably in a straight line. The expansion by 1/3rd offered by 120 cm x 120 cm at least allows the medium bombers to fly other manoeuvers effectively as and when required to do so.

As was seen before with the Heinkel HE.111H-3 medium bomber I aim to provide the same sort of article about the Lancaster when it does arrive detailing what is in the Special Pack (again as opposed to being an airplane pack like the smaller types) and the purpose it serves ready for those who like me have still to commence heavy bomber operations. Especially for those who are not sure with all of the additional requirements and complications within such operations (or what are perceived to form part of them) if they would like to go ahead into this phase. All I will say so far is that to have reached this juncture with a good understanding of medium bomber operations was the best piece of advice I think I have been given so far regarding playing Glory.

But in order to remain challenged by the game and what it has to offer I am ready to take the next step into heavy bomber operations.

So ... Ready for the Next Episode because I am sure looking forward to it

[Flying Officer Kyte]

That is great to hear Barney.
You have made a journey in months that some of us took years over.
O.K. maybe that was because Flight of the Giants was not released when we started. Nevertheless, I am very happy that you feel confident enough to make this next step. When you get your Leviathan, do take time to try a few trial bombing runs with it at height and against a variety of targets. Learn its turning circles, and the best way to approach a target. Then unleash your aircraft against the might of the Reich with confidence.
Rob.

[Gotham Resident]

It is interesting to see a reasoned & managed approach. I played once at a game night, then went directly to buying the starters pack. And then getting a few models (Wildcat, Zero, and Flying Tigers P40). My son and I flew a few head to head missions, then the bug hit () and we got Heinkel & a Beaufighter and a P51. We tried them one on one (and two on one), mostly straight up dogfights. Then we tried a little campaign. Flew a few basic missions, but then it's got a little busy.

You are proceeding doggedly and patiently. Nice posting! Keep it up.

[Tonx]

Knowing Your Kit ... KI-61s versus Learners May 2nd 2015.

Came across something today which I have never come across before and as will be seen I think this discovery needs a mention. Regarding the Kawasaki KI-61 Hien aircraft which are currently available for WGS ... Just check this out for a hidden capability difference which only really becomes apparent once gameplay with these two aircraft has started! In today's game which thanks to ill-health has been the first Glory game to be played in this neck of the woods for around ten days the mission started out as the pair of Kawasaki KI-61 Hien aircraft hunting down and shredding a low-flying N A B-25C Mitchell medium bomber. Soon after this all began was when the following was first noticed ...


Model: WGS103A Edition: NAKANO Description: Kawasaki KI-61-IB Hien Comments: The white liveried version.

Total Fire Power - Short Range Shot = 2 x B Damage Tokens
Long Range Shot = 1 x B Damage Token

Model: WGS103B Edition: ICHIKAWA Description: Kawasaki KI-61-I-KIAD Hien Comments: The green liveried version.

Total Fire Power - Short Range Shot = 1 x B / 2 x D Damage Tokens
Long Range Shot = 1 x A / 1 x D Damage Token

As a direct result of this capability mis-match accidental that it was the far more powerful and D-Token distributing KIAD Hien practically shredded the medium bomber whilst it's far lesser firing counterpart hardly managed to graze the target!

Have never come across a difference so extensive as this playing WGS before so like I said I definitely feel that this needs a mention. It also just so happened that the KIAD Hien was the first D-Token firing aircraft I have ever flown playing WGS achieving another milestone in itself based upon that fact. Definitely has to be the most vicious aircraft I have known playing Glory since the famous Davoud Bristol Beaufighter Mk IVF 'Messerschmitt Massacre' incident of last month. But as for it's lesser powerful counterpart in comparison - I am still having a job getting over just how different both these aircraft are from one another ...

[Tonx]

With just days to go until the heavy bomber makes it's debut appearance within the 'Circuits and Bumps' thread this already has me thinking as to what the next chapter following this is going to be ... With my thoughts pointing towards the creation of scenarios and campaigns proving to be a logical next step.

However unlike what has been featured so far in this thread these scenarios and campaigns will be distributing ordinance at an opposing side - no more training mission scenarios from this next juncture onwards. Put another way it is time to pump a few things full of lead ... But with one's own personal touch added to doing so! Once dealt with effectively this will progress towards the creation of one's own campaigns. The reason I am thinking this is that I have just made an interesting discovery between the two Rule Books which are available for WGS: One which comes with the WW2 Starter Set which includes the four aircraft and the Rule Book I have from the WW2 Rules and Accessories Pack.

On Pages 27 to 31 the WW2 Starter Set RB goes into detail about scenarios and campaigns before giving details of seven different playable scenarios - all of which involve the four which come with this WGS introductory package. These range from the first 'Dawn of War Patrol' scenario which can involve four players / aircraft and is playable within a 90 cm x 90 cm gaming environment / gaming mat to the missions at the end which involve dive-bombing requiring bigger gaming environments as a result. At no stage does the WW2 Rules and Accessories Pack RB go into detail on this same subject possibly due to the fact that there are no aircraft included in this WGS introductory package. When I purchased mine back in February at Hammerhead 2015 I purchased four aircraft at the same time having read on the back of the box that it is most recommended to start proceedings with two to four players. Now further to this and which neither Rule Book elaborates upon is the Bomber Scenarios which instead are available from the Ares Games website: See under Downloads / Wings of Glory WGS and these scenarios are available in PDF format as a four-page document.

However as we can all imagine learning from each other is far more fun and effective than having to just read and regurgitate the Rule Book on many Glory gameplaying subjects - this definitely being one of them. So if anybody is currently writing their own scenarios or maybe have created their own campaigns and would like to share these experiences please do: All contributions will be greatly appreciated.

BTW: For those of you who like myself are WGS fanatics the four included in the WW2 Starter Set are unique versions of the KI-61-I-KIAC Hien, P-40E Warhawk, Yak-1 and Reggiane Re.2001 Falco compared with the ones which are available as Airplane packs. Explaining why there are only two of these types available compared with the other Airplane Pack-released types where three different aircraft have been released. However I think these four models are only available exclusively as part of the introductory package and not available separately. Which is a shame as I wouldn't mind getting my hands on the Reggiane Re.2001 Falco / P-40E models for my collection!

[Gotham Resident]

Regarding the "D" damage. My son had me purchase Ichikawa's plane just so he could use those chits against me. Somewhere is the breakdown of hit % (0's vs actual damage), so while the D deck has only a 25% chance of actually damaging a plane. But when it does, it can be deadly, while the A deck might hit 50% of the time, it's damage isn't as serious because of the lighter guns.

There have been discussions of limiting the "D" cannons to only 2 or 3 times a game to reflect possible ammuntion loads. But that's a house rule you can choose to use and/or modify as you see fit.
---
With respect to campaigns, the other members have done a tremendous job of creating a set of rules to allow pilots to grow and improve and to provide some continuity to playing from session to session.

[Tonx]

It's setback time ... Regarding the Heavy Bomber Debut spoken of on May 4th 2015.

Received news yesterday from my local Wings of Glory stockist that the Avro Lancaster 'Dambuster' which I have on order with them may take a week or two to arrive. This puts back when heavy bombers will be making their debut appearance in this neck of the woods which I have to admit I find a little bit frustrating. However these things happen from time to time and as soon as I receive this aircraft we will be taking it for a tootle ...

So we may as well proceed with the next topic which was being discussed which is the creation of one's own missions scenarios and campaigns. Then we will get onto the subject of heavy bombers.

Of these Campaigns are the simplest to deal with: These are defined as a series of related missions or scenarios played as planned in succession or in relation to one another. It is a good idea at the start of a campaign to either use the same pilot name (e g Burges or Landers) according to which of your Miniatures the campaign features. Or invent a pilot name of your own especially if using a repainted or customised Miniature (e g Bob Dunkin) if you wish to play the campaign. These can be played Solitaire or against a live opponent: Just remember to take notes on how each mission / scenario during the campaign plays out because then if you so wish this will help you to produce accurate AARs or After Action Reports too.

Missions IMHO involve more shooting than Scenarios but can be played against an opponent or Solitaire: There are two sets of rules for carrying this out. There is a basic set of rules available towards the tail-end of the Rule Book or there is a far more comprehensive set of rules available which have been written by Richard Bradley. The full set of these rules can be obtained from the Tyneside Wargames Society website and for Missions these are better than what is in the Rule Book. Those rules work better for Scenarios but again this is in my humble opinion (IMHO) now that I am in a position to compare the two.

To create and write Missions and Scenarios properly a number of considerations need to be made. This is opposed to just placing two on a gaming mat facing one another and 'pressing Play' ... Which is easily enough done even with Basic Rules in force. The greater the number of aircraft I have learned, the more fun the gameplay - especially as this gives rise to the increase in opponents who are able to get involved also creating atmosphere and maybe a bit of banter too.

The best example of a Campaign involving 'scenarios' there could be is here right under our noses - Circuits and Bumps has progressed from one scenario to the next and developed as it goes. It has been played Solitaire most of the time but on occasions featured action against a live opponent too. It has been well documented all along with these After Action Reports all being compiled in the interests of encouraging and assisting others to learn WGS the fun way. A valid alternative to having to rely upon the Rule Book all the time which can and does get boring. But most of all it has so far been most worthwhile and rewarding to have achieved and accomplished - even though actual shooting has so far been kept to a minimum.

So that's a Campaign sans shooting in a nutshell. I can hear many asking at this point 'what about some shooting' and thus turning scenarios more into missions? Has anybody successfully written a mission and then played it? What considerations were there to make and what level of playing experience had been reached by the time the mission was written? I personally have not created or written any missions just scenarios so far and as I am on the verge of doing so it would be interesting to learn more about this subject. All contributions of course very much appreciated by Myself and fans / followers of this thread.

[flash]

Has anybody successfully written a mission and then played it?

There are a few here who have created successful WGS scenarios/missions for solo play in different theatres Barney. I'm sure you'll learn a lot by just trawling through them and I'm sure the chaps will answer any questions you have for them.

[Tonx]

There are a few here who have created successful WGS scenarios/missions for solo play in different theatres Barney. I'm sure you'll learn a lot by just trawling through them and I'm sure the chaps will answer any questions you have for them.

Dave, thank you - my research into this subject has begun. It will conclude with the writing of a 'shooting scenario' and a brief documentation of what happened and how it played out in this thread.

What I have in mind goes all the way back to my WGS playing roots: Gloster Gladiators vs Fiat CR.42 Falcos - the bi-planes of WW2. This way simplicity meets manoeuverability with Normal Rules in force. It also builds on a recent learning experience I underwent where I helped a friend pace out and size up a 'shooting scenario' for WGF involving bi-planes and their manoeuverability ... Looking forward to being able to do this and then get round as mentioned to the subject of heavy bombers ...

[Tonx]

Creation of a Shooting Scenario ... Missions versus Learners May 22nd 2015.

In terms of creating shooting scenarios and missions of one's own I am hoping that this rough guide will prove useful to those who are interested in this subject. Firstly it is wise to point out that this isn't all about sticking a number of Miniatures on a gaming mat randomly and then pressing the 'play' button! We could all do that ... But this as does the creation of properly thought out scenarios and missions just goes to show the overall versatility of the game. Here we look at a two-on-two game which has just been played which features the bi-planes of World War 2 and an ambush. The gaming environment measures 120 cm x 120 cm to accommodate four aircraft and this is designed for two to four players.

The aircraft: Types involved are 2 x Allied Gloster Sea Gladiators and 2 x Axis Fiat CR.42 Falco aircraft. Both types match each other well in terms of capability and use L Deck manoeuver cards. The only slight inequality is that it takes 15 damage token points to down a Gladiator whilst it takes 16 to down a Fiat. The Allies are on Combat Air Patrol placing both Gladiator aircraft together in one of the gaming mat's four corners. Their trajectory until required otherwise is diagonal and their objective is to enter the gaming environment from one corner together (in formation) and leave from the opposite corner whilst maintaining formation. But as can be imagined this will not be what takes place! The Axis objective is to ambush the Combat Air Patrol and prevent it from leaving the gaming environment at all: Both Allied aircraft must be brought down before either one of them can fly off the gaming mat as planned.

Considerations: Though the Allies start position is rigid the Axis start positions are optional and can be chosen. Unless a start position brings two opposing aircraft to within two long-range shot lengths of one another: This distance can be determined using the shot-range ruler. Opposition aircraft must begin the scenario outside of two ruler lengths. Also with both types of aircraft using the same manoeuver deck (L Deck) this is another way in which too much advantageousness in favour of one side over the other is able to be surpressed. This ambush and resulting air battle is going to be all about manoeuverability and speed. Playing WGS the biplanes of World War 2 offer plenty of manoeuverability making for a tough but worthwhile mission which is likely to draw itself out over more than ten turns ... So wear comfortable shoes if like myself you prefer to play standing up as opposed to sitting down. Boom Card damage tokens in this scenario are Boom Cards: Instant elimination / destruction of the aircraft which this hit has been scored upon. Unless of course one would prefer to play under Basic Rules which allow the removal of Boom Card damage tokens should one wish to do so.

Skills: In concept this mission is relatively simple and straightforward: The Axis must use the element of surprize to ambush and in terms of their objective destroy the Allied Combat Air Patrol. Or be destroyed by the Allied CAP should this tactic fail at the hands of supremely alert Gladiator pilots who turn out to be adept in the dogfighting department! This is not a training scenario this is live so Fight is ON. Rules which can be applied: BASIC if playing with inexperienced or learner players but NORMAL is what is best recommended as Damage Tokens-wise this (as seen before concerning Boom Cards) is where the real fun enters into the game.

Gameplay: The Allied Combat Air Patrol was positioned in the SW corner of the 120 cm x 120 cm gaming mat with the intention of flying SW to NE. Whilst in the meantime one Axis Fiat was positioned in the NW corner of the gaming mat with the other positioned SSE of the gaming mat centre. Positioning the aircraft in or close to the mat corners is a good way to maximise gameplay and gain experience / learn more through doing so.

Ready for Turn One: NOW press 'Play' ...

After Action Reports or AARs: As the game progresses take a DOE or Diary of Events down on paper so anything significant / outstanding / entertaining is documented. As the firing begins record which turn this happened during and of course take a damage total down on paper for each aircraft. In this game we went off 'Pilot Names' to categorise each aircraft ending up with Game 1: Allies - Burges. Allies - (Bob) Dunkin. Axis - Rinaldi. Axis - Duncin. Under which the Damage Totals very soon started to accrue. This was instead of just referring to for example 'Allies - Gladiator 1' / 'Axis - Fiat 2' and so forth bringing the game to life a little more as the result of doing so. Some players find using names and call-signs makes them feel a greater sense of 'attachment' or 'ownership' to their Miniatures whilst playing this sort of scenario or mission. All of which contributes to the fact that an After Action Report can then be compiled with regard to the game once it has ended and then placed on here in the Missions sections of the Aerodrome. There really are some fantastic AARs on here which really do bring past games back to life when read. Compiling a successful AAR does involve elements of skill and creativity but not oodles of it. The best thing for picking up AAR writing skills is to research the 'Missions' sections and see which ones grab your attention and why. It takes time and patience but it can be done: A worthwhile skill to develop particularly if you enjoy contributing to the Aerodrome website like I do.

Conclusion: It was an Allied victory on this occasion as Allies - Dunkin and Axis - Rinaldi survived the game. But Allies - Dunkin was able to outmanoeuvre the opposition making it to the exit point (NE corner) of the gaming mat. Last believed to be having tea with mum following a safe return to base! The game lasted for 16 turns and IMHO was definitely a worthwhile learning experience particularly about how to succeed when it comes to close-range dogfighting.

Would I recommend this mission to a friend: Yes.

[Tonx]

Know Your Kit ... Heavy Bombers versus Learners May 31st 2015.

They have arrived - they being the first two Heavy Bombers to grace the skies in this neck of the woods. But these are very much not of a 'plug and play' nature. In fact this could if I get it wrong get quite complicated. So I think a Part 1 and Part 2 format will be what is required.

In Part 1 this thread will look in detail at the Avro Lancaster B Mk III 'Grogs The Shot' and everything which comes in the package - counters, aircraft management card etc not to mention quite a spectacular Miniature of one of WW2's most iconic heavy bombers. This will be very similar to the Heinkel HE.111H guide which appears earlier on but without any flying having taken place.

In Part 2 we will be taking to the skies in the same Avro Lancaster s/n LM739 HW-Z(2). There is a tactic to actually and effectively flying a heavy bomber when playing Glory so this second section will feature the actual operation and flying side of these aircraft and the skills required in order to master this. The alternative to just fly these aircraft in a straight and level fashion using them as targets does not get the full utilization out of these aircraft which learning to fly and operate them has the potential to introduce to gameplay. Not to mention getting a full ROCE (Return on Capital Expended!) on these huge aircraft: The most expensive of the regularly available Ares Games Miniatures which are currently available.

Parts 1 and 2 will be appearing very soon - I have kept this thread waiting long enough for developments in this direction ...

[Tonx]

Know Your Kit ... Heavy Bombers versus Learners June 1st 2015: Part 1.

They have arrived - they being the first two Heavy Bombers to grace the skies in this neck of the woods. But these are very much not of a 'plug and play' nature. In Part 1 this thread will look in detail at the Avro Lancaster B Mk III 'Grogs The Shot' and everything which comes in the package - counters, aircraft management card etc not to mention quite a spectacular Miniature of one of WW2's most iconic heavy bombers.

Aircraft Overview: This Avro Lancaster is a B Mk III Version which carries the Service Number LM739 and the Ident HW-Z(2) ... Nicknamed 'Grogs The Shot' the aircraft represents the standard version of the Avro Lancaster and served with 100 Squadron RAF. Crewed by eight airman this version of the Lancaster has one pilot who was joined up front in the cockpit by the aircraft's Air Engineer. A development of the highly unreliable twin-engine Avro Manchester this version of the four-engine Lancaster bomber is powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines. There is a rumour that some airmen in the early days of service viewed the Lancaster as 'four Spitfires bolted together' and from the early 1943 onwards the Lancaster entered service with RAF Bomber Command. Although there were initially some teething troubles following Service Entry with 5 Group RAF Bomber Command these were ironed out within a matter of months. Not all Avro Lancasters were RR-powered with one variant being powered by Bristol Aero Engines Ltd but this does not apply to the two versions of the Lancaster which are currently available for WGS from Ares Games: This version and the modified 'Dambuster' Edition.

Aircraft Review: Please note that this part (one of two) only covers the aircraft along with details of what is available along with the Miniature in the Special Pack. The Avro Lancaster B Mk III was selected for this thread as the contents of the Special Pack pretty much resembles what is available in the two Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Special Packs too: These being for the B-17F 'Memphis Belle' and B-17G 'A Bit O Lace' which are also currently available from Ares Games for WGS. As some may already know the contents of the Avro Lancaster 'Dambuster' Edition Special Pack differs from this norm and is quite unique in it's nature. Especially the additional 'gaming mat area' which is included containing the two main dams which were attacked during the raid - the Eder and the Mohne Dams. Which so I understand is able to be cleverly blended into the 'city' official gaming mat whichever side is used for gameplay. Also at this stage the aircraft has not yet been either 'flown' or operated: LM739 is being reviewed out of the box and AOG (Aircraft on Ground) with the 'flying' section to come in Part 2.


View one of the Avro Lancaster B Mk III Aircraft Miniature - LM739 HW-Z(2)


View two of the Avro Lancaster B Mk III Aircraft Miniature - 'Grogs The Shot'


View three of the Avro Lancaster B Mk III Aircraft Miniature - LM739 'Grogs The Shot'

Special Pack Contents: The Avro Lancaster B Mk III uses an XD set of manoeuver cards as pictured below with the rest of the Special Pack Contents.





A note for the historians amongst us when it comes to the Crew Situation on the Aircraft Management Card ... Which reckons that only four Crew are on board this Lancaster during gameplay: Yes this is historically inaccurate but in WGS terms the pertinent Crew (e g pilots and gunners only) are what is required and are situationed accurately throughout the aircraft. It takes a damage total of 42 to down an Avro Lancaster and in terms of the damage it is able to inflict from it's turrets the Dorsal turret located along the fuselage is the most powerful: This can distribute a B-Token during a short-range shot to another aircraft. During long-range shots this turret joins the others in the nose and tail in distributing A-Tokens at all times. Bear in mind that despite it's size the Avro Lancaster does only have one actual Pilot - the second crew member with a seat up front positioned beside the Pilot is the Air Engineer whose role with regard to WGS is not regarded as 'pertinent' enough for inclusion within this aircraft's crew. The Aircraft (or Airplane) Management Card is therefore quite easy to understand and comes clearly marked and well set out for use during gameplay. As also seen in the photo additional aircraft management tokens are included within the Special pack as these are indeed aircraft-specific.

The next content to comment upon is the inclusion within heavy bomber Special Packs of an Industrial Zone target card which again can be seen in the photo. These are only ever seen as part of these Special Packs and are approximately the size of the aircraft's base. Bomb Cards for usage against these enlarged targets are included within the aircraft's XD Manoeuver Deck. Finally as with all Medium and Heavy Bomber Special Packs the 'Basic Rules For Multi-Engine Airplanes' leaflet is included which as will be seen in Part 2 will no doubt assist greatly with the actual operation of this aircraft ...


Four Crew on board ... Remember to keep everything in WGS context as opposed to 'real' context!

So onto Part 2 we move - via the fact that yes I would recommend the acquisition of this aircraft to a friend with care due to it's non 'plug and play' nature. If you are going to get the maximum return from this type of aircraft there is some homework, some learning and a lot to practice before the perfection of this along with what it takes. Theoretically it is possible to just fly heavy bombers straight and level and use them as targets for smaller fighters all the time but if you ask me this is a waste of potential with regard to gameplay ... Along with what the proper and full operation of these aircraft will be able to introduce if never seen before.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

"Good man I like your thinking. Take all the time you need until your first mission this evening."
Harris.

[Flying Helmut]

Please note that the management card is INCORRECT

The dorsal turret [2] should fire 'A' at both long and short range (two machine guns only!)

The rear "tail-end-charlie" turret [3] should fire 'B' at close range and 'A' at long range (FOUR machine guns!)

What a mix-up!

[Tonx]

Please note that the management card is INCORRECT

The dorsal turret [2] should fire 'A' at both long and short range (two machine guns only!)

The rear "tail-end-charlie" turret [3] should fire 'B' at close range and 'A' at long range (FOUR machine guns!)

What a mix-up!

Enormous THANK YOU for pointing this out. Just checking the Aircraft Card for the 'Dambuster' Lancaster and this is showing the correct firing configuration applicable to the back turret. Only the B Mk III Lancaster Aircraft Card contains this error as pointed out.

Cheers Tim!

Part 2 of this thread's look at Heavy Bomber operations will continue to focus on the Avro Lancaster B Mk III as until this was discovered I feel that it was definitely serving it's purpose as the easiest of these aircraft to deploy. I shall look into where the correct information may be available from on here (will look to see if the corrected aircraft card is available to download) and on the Ares Games Website. After all this is all part of getting this aircraft operational. We take to the air for Part 2 on Wednesday 3rd June 2015 at Galactic Models Gaming Night in Derby City Centre where if able to play a Solitaire Session I will have two and a half hours worth of airtime until the Wife joins me there at which point a normal WGS game gets played. There are also now two Heavy Bombers to explore and prevent from accidentally leaving a 120 cm x 120 cm gaming environment.

FOOTNOTE: I am now aware of the full contents of the Avro Lancaster 'Dambuster' Edition Special Pack ... Am I glad that I picked the B Mk III to feature for the basics as this aircraft really is the Cream of the Crop in terms of all Special Aircraft Packs. In fact there is sufficient equipment contained along with the aircraft Miniature (P for Popsie - a modified Avro Lancaster B Mk III) to fly a self-contained dams-esque raid with some damage tokens out of the WGS Rules and Accessories Pack being the only additional requirements: D Damage Tokens and Anti-Aircraft Gun (green) tokens. There is a full guide as to how to conduct the raid and I was right about the gaming mat segment which this 'Dambuster' Special Pack includes being 'blendable' into the 'city' Official Gaming Mat. This aircraft IMHO needs it's very own section in this thread as does the raid which can be carried out gameplay-wise. So ... Working on it. Work in Progress as I am sure 3rd June will reveal just what it takes to master the basics of the Heavy Bomber. Whereas this discovery albeit not for just 'die hard heavy bomber fanatics' or 'the WGS Elite' really is something else. Spectacular ... Even though anything beyond one Altitude Peg if used on a 'Dambuster' Raid is actually cheating!

[Tonx]

Photo of the offending Aircraft Card with Gun Turret Error clearly visible upon it - as kindly pointed out by Tim (Flying Helmut) yesterday.

Just had a good trawl through the Ares Games website but could not find any corrections as to this situation available in any shape size or form. Was hoping to find a brand new Aircraft Card which displays the correct information on it available to download ... But no. There is nothing even though this error has clearly been made by Ares.

[Nightbomber]

Barney, what about a small circle shaped sticker with 2 and 3 sticked to the card (I mean sticking 2 in the place of 3 and the other way around)? Simple and easy, IMHO.

[Tonx]

Barney, what about a small circle shaped sticker with 2 and 3 sticked to the card (I mean sticking 2 in the place of 3 and the other way around)? Simple and easy, IMHO.

That would be a better solution than the one I had in mind ... Finding out if tipp-ex works on Ares Games Aircraft Cards! On the way to Galactic Models on Wednesday I will take a slight detour via WHSmith and see if they stock what your suggestion requires. Then I will be able to perform the correction there and then on Wednesday - the next day this aircraft is due to see action anyway. Thanks very much for that

[LTJG NSCC]

I think the Beaufighter will have a distinct advantage, there...! You might want to give the BF-110 a positional advantage of some type or an ace ability or two to even things out. (Or to make things extra-interesting, put the ace bonuses on the Bf-110's rear gunner...but frankly, if the Beaufighter's forward armament is matched against the Bf-110's tailgun, the tailgunner would have to be a Teutonic "Sgt. York" to make much difference.)

Historically, giving the Beaufighter a ground-attack mission would be highly appropriate, and thus dividing the Beaufighter's attention between his ground target and an interceptor might also be a leveling factor.

Have fun! Now, me personally, I taught my wife to play chess and then stopped because I learned that when I lost, I lost; but when I won, I lost much bigger, possibly for days. Your mileage may vary. Just remember that "it doesn't bother me at all" is often female for, "How dare you, and I shall make you pay!"

[Tonx]

Know Your Kit ... Heavy Bombers versus Learners June 3rd 2015: Part 2.

They have arrived - they being the first Heavy Bombers to grace the skies in this neck of the woods. But these are very much not of a 'plug and play' nature. In Part 2 this thread will continue to look in detail at the Avro Lancaster B Mk III 'Grogs The Shot' and the two and a half hours I have just spent learning how to actually 'fly' this aircraft to it's full potential. Part 1 looked at the aircraft AOG or before flight. But it has been done now and this is how things went ...

Aircraft Overview: This Avro Lancaster is a B Mk III Version which carries the Service Number LM739 and the Ident HW-Z(2) ... Nicknamed 'Grogs The Shot' the aircraft represents the standard version of the Avro Lancaster and served with 100 Squadron RAF. Crewed by eight airman this version of the Lancaster has one pilot who was joined up front in the cockpit by the aircraft's Air Engineer. A development of the highly unreliable twin-engine Avro Manchester this version of the four-engine Lancaster bomber is powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines. There is a rumour that some airmen in the early days of service viewed the Lancaster as 'four Spitfires bolted together' and from the early 1943 onwards the Lancaster entered service with RAF Bomber Command. Although there were initially some teething troubles following Service Entry with 5 Group RAF Bomber Command these were ironed out within a matter of months. Not all Avro Lancasters were RR-powered with one variant being powered by Bristol Aero Engines Ltd but this does not apply to the two versions of the Lancaster which are currently available for WGS from Ares Games: This version and the modified 'Dambuster' Edition.

Aircraft Performance: This Avro Lancaster B Mk III uses the XD Bomber Manoeuver Card Deck and can be successfully operated on a gaming mat of dimensions 120 cm x 120 cm. But I would not recommend that these aircraft are deployed on smaller mats if one actually hopes to fly more than just the mundane and the boringly wasteful 'straight and level' style flight. 120 cm x 120 cm allows plenty of room for a variety of manoeuvers to be flown without accidentally flying off the gaming mat all the time. One flight of mine - the very first one did but the second flight produced a far more valid set of results taking 20 turns to fly once around the gaming environment without the same happening again. The mistakes of the first flight were learned from and building upon this 'how not to do it' experience proved to be the way forward ...



The key to the successful flight was to make sure I was familiar with the turning circle of the aircraft - it was of course far bigger than anything ever operated before when playing WGS. However the more one flies the aircraft the more of a general 'feel' you get for such things. As a result your gut instincts soon begin to tell you when it is time to commence a turn away from the edge of the gaming environment. As your knowledge and also confidence builds it is possible to take the aircraft wherever one would like to take it as opposed to just following the edge of the mat all the time which over time risks becoming mundane and boring again. As the following photos show they can easily find their way to a variety of locations even within 120 cm x 120 cm so long as they are treated appropriately and individually and not handled like for example a twin-engine aircraft would be handled.











In getting a feel for the operation of such a heavy bomber one will quickly realise that not pushing your luck ... Means don't push your luck especially with the avoidance of tight corners and turns. Forward thinking and planning is essential especially when manoeuvring to hit a target. This is very much a case of the aircraft can get to the target even in the 120 cm x 120 cm gaming environment it was tested in today ... But has the operator got the skills and the initiative to get it there? Practice very much makes perfect when it comes to the development of what is required and one will be able to tell when their skills and knowledge is on the up ... Because it will feel just like this is so.

Be prepared for a few accidental gaming mat exits when first starting off with these aircraft: Don't get frustrated so I saw for myself but learn from what has happened or what is happening instead. Heavy Bomber operations are indeed a challenge which awaits those who are up for it. From my experience today I would definitely urge those interested to take this challenge up but at a sensible logical juncture after at least a few months' experience of operating smaller WGS aircraft. It is definitely ill-advised to jump to heavy bomber operations without having gained experience of operating medium bombers firstly - and I nearly made that mistake myself two months ago.

[Setarius]

You are perfectly right Aussietonka. Anyone doing bombing runs needs to start out with the smaller bombers. I started with the Stukas and Val's and worked up from there. I have yet to take my B17s out for a serious run because I'm still trying to be consistency with my dive bombers and medium bombers. For those who haven't caught the antics of my Memphis Belle, check out my KY Derby thread.
Remember you need to walk before you run, that is why the heavy bombers came out later.

[Tonx]

You are perfectly right Aussietonka. Anyone doing bombing runs needs to start out with the smaller bombers. I started with the Stukas and Val's and worked up from there. I have yet to take my B17s out for a serious run because I'm still trying to be consistency with my dive bombers and medium bombers. For those who haven't caught the antics of my Memphis Belle, check out my KY Derby thread.
Remember you need to walk before you run, that is why the heavy bombers came out later.

I did read about the KY Derby Thread - thought it was an excellent idea. I now have the B-17F / G Minis but have yet to take them for such a detailed flight as this Lancaster has been on. So I see the B-17F especially uses the XC Manoeuver Deck which is different to the XD Manoeuver Deck which this Lancaster uses. I don't know which Deck the B-17G uses as I haven't opened it up yet. Have fun when you do get to 'fly' the B-17F against a target whenever that may be ...

[Tonx]

http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sho...gh-of-Aircraft ... Is another thread which has been created on the Aerodrome with learners and FNPs (Fairly New Players) in mind. It's WW1 / WGF but I think it is so outstanding that this thread should support it.

This new thread provides the WW1 / WGF player with a tactical walk through (or guide) to each aircraft type available: Plus it's principal strengths and weaknesses. Provided in a compact and comprehensively user-friendly manner unlike this thread where the information is there just in a more long drawn out format: Which some I understand may prefer to be abridged or shortened in some shape and form.

[Tonx]

Know Your Kit ... Heavy Bombers versus Learners August 11th 2015: Avro Lancaster Dambuster.

They have arrived - they being the Heavy Bombers to grace the skies in this neck of the woods. But these are very much not of a 'plug and play' nature. In this part the thread will look in detail at the Avro Lancaster B Mk I 'Dambuster' and everything which comes in the package - counters, aircraft management card etc not to mention quite a spectacular Miniature of one of WW2's most iconic heavy bombers.

Aircraft Overview: This Avro Lancaster is a B Mk I Dambuster Version which carries the Service Number ED906 and the Ident AJ-P ... Nicknamed 'P For Popsie' the aircraft represents the Avro Lancaster serving with 617 Squadron RAF and featuring the modifications made to aircraft involved in Operation Chastise: Also known as the Dambusters Raid. Crewed by seven airman this version of the Lancaster has one pilot who was joined up front in the cockpit by the aircraft's Air Engineer. A development of the highly unreliable twin-engine Avro Manchester this version of the four-engine Lancaster bomber is powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines. There is a rumour that some airmen in the early days of service viewed the Lancaster as 'four Spitfires bolted together' and from the early 1943 onwards the Lancaster entered service with RAF Bomber Command. Although there were initially some teething troubles following Service Entry with 5 Group RAF Bomber Command these were ironed out within a matter of months. Not all Avro Lancasters were RR-powered with one variant being powered by Bristol Aero Engines Ltd but this does not apply to the two versions of the Lancaster which are currently available for WGS from Ares Games: This version and the standard B.III 'Grogs The Shot' Edition which is featured earlier on in this thread.

Aircraft Review: Please note that this part only covers the aircraft along with details of what is available along with the Miniature in the Special Pack. As some may already know the contents of the Avro Lancaster 'Dambuster' Edition Special Pack differs from this norm and is quite unique in it's nature. Especially the additional 'gaming mat area' which is included containing the two main dams which were attacked during the raid - the Eder and the Mohne Dams. Which is able to be cleverly blended into the 'city' official gaming mat whichever side is used for gameplay: See final photograph. Also at this stage the aircraft has not yet been either 'flown' or operated: ED906 is being reviewed out of the box and AOG (Aircraft on Ground) showing the full range of accessories which comes with this aircraft. What I have found is that one has to be careful for this not to turn into just a 'trophy' aircraft so unique is it in it's nature. The second photograph shows the level of detailing which applies to this Miniature: Showing the Upkeep Weapon also known as the Bouncing Bomb which was the creation of Sir Barnes Wallis. However Upkeeps were only ever used against the Great Dams of the Ruhr Valley as was this aircraft in the configuration shown: AJ-P survived the raid and is heavily featured in the film which was made about the raid in 1954 starring Sir Richard Todd and Sir Michael Redgrave.


Avro Lancaster 'Dambuster' Miniature ED906 AJ-P


Underside Detailing including Upkeep weapon

In order to get started on just how low the aircraft flew during Operation Chastise ... Using anything more than one altitude peg is too high / cheating! As seen in the first / third illustrations: ED906 comes equipped with the basics for aircraft operation: Aircraft Card and Management Card plus a full range of altitude pegs even though it only requires one (!) and an XD Manoeuver Deck of cards. Aircraft tokens are also included as is the mandatory heavy bombers operation leaflet from ARES which gives further insight as to how to operate such an aircraft-type in general. In this respect it is almost identical to the standard B.III edition mentioned above. However the way this aircraft differs extensively is seen in the second photograph: Most of what is seen allows one to conduct a dams-esque raid on an applicable target which is featured a little further on in this thread.


Full Kit Overview - Avro Lancaster 'Dambuster'


Specialist Kit Overview - Instructions as to use are provided


Basic Kit Overview For Aircraft Operation

The Avro Lancaster 'Dambuster' suits both Solitaire and Opponent Play but best suits Solitaire play in this format as during Operation Chastise the only opposition in terms of enemy fire actually came from the ground. In the shape of FLAK (FLugzeug Abwehr Kanone) guns which were mounted as shown on the sub-gaming mat on the dams themselves. Only on the return leg were enemy fighters encountered hence all that low flying which was mentioned earlier on. The specialist kit which comes with this aircraft plus the instructions as to how it is used allow a dams-esque raid to be conducted using just one aircraft. This is able to be carried out by a Solitaire player or as a group: the choice is available. All other accessories required are available from the WGS RAP and this only consists of FLAK counters and similar: Nothing substantial - everything of this nature as shown comes with the aircraft.

We now turn to our final three photos: the first one showing the sub-gaming mat which comes with the aircraft Eder-Side Up. Followed by another photo of this mat Mohne-Side Up. The two Dams are depicted as targets on either side of this paper mat which is folded in four due to box-size restrictions. The final illustration shows how cleverly the sub-gaming mat can be incorporated into the City Official Gaming Mat and regardless of whichever side is in use.


Eder-Side Up


Mohne-Side up


Incorporation Instructions for Official City Gaming Mat.

Conclusion: Would I recommend this aircraft to a friend? Yes but with care so that it does not become like mentioned earlier a 'trophy' like aircraft. With plenty of creativity applied this aircraft would be able to be sent on other missions: Either supposedly carrying another creation of the legendary Sir Barnes Wallis such as the Tallboy Bomb. Or to finish off the Axis battleship Tirpitz which 617 Squadron accomplished with the assistance of 12 Squadron RAF with both operating the Avro Lancaster. But this raid was carried out at a far more conventional height and speed as opposed to the 120 Feet / 180 Knots of Operation Chastise ... All of which can be carried out with the use of just one (short) altitude peg and the equipment provided by ARES against an actual dam target with just one aircraft in use. This definitely has to be the biggest points-scorer for innovation which I have ever come across for WGS.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

A very fair appraisal Barney, however, I would tend towards flying higher with a pair of mats in use.
Then having to descend to low level for the attack itself.
Extra AA could be provided in order to keep the aircraft honest on its flight over the first mat.
Rob.

[Nightbomber]

A very nice review, Barney. Well done.
I wonder what your impressions would be if you send some nightfighters to chase the Lancs after they dropped the balls.
I can not hide my negative opinion on how that kind of fight is handled in WGS - due to large Lancs' base.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

I tend to ignore the base size for large aircraft and just say if you can hit them then they can hit you Andy.
Within the rules of arc of fire, and line of sight of course.
Rob.

[Tonx]

Let us find out about both of these ideas: the only thing I am struggling with is Official Gaming Mats as I only have my two custom mats. However I have the dining room table in mind to try the first idea out as the four-foot radius of this gives me a gaming environment which is close to what two Official mats would be able to offer. There will only ever be one Lancaster involved in this dams-esque raid so one problem which I will not have to deal with is too many large aircraft competing for too little space.

The plan is to firstly run a TEWT (Tactical Exercise Without Troops) which features the NA B-25B Mitchell throughout. The aircraft has been borrowed to allow something more manoeuverable to conduct this dams-esque raid for the first time to change altitude and contend with FLAK both enroute to and at the intended target. The NA B-25B should in the Doolittle Raids configuration make the round trip successfully. Already curious as to what effect the altitude changes will have upon the flight now they are being introduced: Dam Raid ... Advanced Rules ... No time like the present I guess! However if playing Advanced Rules does become too overwhelming Normal Rules will be reverted to and the TEWT re-flown at low level.

At some point after the TEWT has been successfully completed X Marks The Spot ...

Night Fighters: Yes and on the return journey I have yet to decide if it's one Messerschmitt Bf.110C-7 or a pair of Focke Wulf Fw.190D-9 / 13 aircraft which will attack. Either way both the TEWT and the actual aircraft will be subjected to some shape & form of enemy fighter activity. Due to the way historically and in real life the Lancaster which was flown by Sq Ldr H M 'Dinghy' Young was brought down over the Dutch coast. Probably going to go with the Messerschmitt Bf.110C-7 option for definite historical accuracy and also for simplicity's sake on these first two flights: Keeping it as a one-upon-one as these will both be Solitaire Missions. Thinking due to the structure of what is going on and the activity involved of writing this up properly as a Part A / Part B Mission where X ONLY Marks The Spot upon successful completion of the TEWT.

In which case I'm going to need a name - would be good to keep with the Operation Ch ... theme given how the Dams Raid in real life was Op Chastise.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Apart from Grog's the shot, which is obviously not appropriate for this mission, I only have two Dambusters Lancs myself. P for Popsie and Gibson's. That means I can do the raid as the real Dambusters did. Gibson first, then P for Popsie whilst Gibson stooges around splitting the AA Fire. Popsie can then do another run pretending to be the third attacking Lanc etc. until the Dam finally goes. Then it's just a matter of getting them off the table without too much damage.
Rob.

[Tonx]

Great idea Sir: I can see where the advice to use two Official mats comes from with two Lancasters on the loose at once. I am hoping to have the Mitchell airborne on August 17th 2015 in which case I have got Part 1 of this mission to write. Borrowing Dr John Sweetman's excellent book about Operation Chastise from a friend to read up on the mission as opposed to watching the 1954 film with Sir Richard Todd in it. It's a great film but it contains several key inaccuracies so I understand ... Still intrigued by the effects of changing altitude during the mission and hoping that I am able to manage this correctly.

SLIGHT RE-PLAN: My next chance to play Solitaire is coming up on August 17th 2015: Where I will be able to multiply the dining room table into three Phases. Phase 1 - Outbound To Target. Phase 2 - Attack The Target. Phase 3 - Return From Target. Because of the shape of the dining room table Phases 1 and 3 will entail the Allied aircraft flying from one side to the other. During Phase 2 the aircraft will cross the table via the target dam. Surrounding which they will manoeuver accordingly including any altitude loss and gain required from Phase 1 / to Phase 3.

TEWT: During Phase 3 the Mitchell will be attacked by a single Axis night fighter. The Mitchell selected does have rearward firing capability from it's dorsal turret. One-on-One aircraft action will result.

ACTUAL: To deploy the Avro Lancaster 'Dambuster' following a successful TEWT. During Phase 2 loss and gain of altitude is also likely to be required in order to attack the target dam. During Phase 3 ... Same again! One-on-One aircraft action will result.

FACTUAL: Potentially now to accommodate a second Avro Lancaster 'Dambuster' which I may be able to acquire on Saturday. Such a special mission is this as quite a bit of research will be behind this (including the TEWT) when it goes live. Also the suggestion of using two Lancasters throughout the mission appears to work and was again what took place in real life. During Phase 2 loss and gain of altitude is also likely to be required in order to attack the target dam. During Phase 3 ... Same again! However this time two Axis fighters may be deployed meaning that two-on-two aircraft action will be the result. Due to the way historically and in real life the Lancaster which was flown by Sq Ldr H M 'Dinghy' Young was brought down over the Dutch coast. Will be wearing comfortable shoes at this point as this will lengthen Phase 3 of this mission considerably. With two missions in front of this third bonus test of what James May once described as Brains + Bonkers x (0.25 / Hari Kari) has no date set for it yet. Sir Barnes Wallis is thought to have given his invention one chance in three of working. But X still Marks The Spot ...

This is beginning to get dangerous!

[Naharaht]

My understanding is that the Lancasters of 617 squadron flew at low level to and from the target to reduce the chance of radar detection.