Veteran noob puts an end to the lurking

[spindoc]

Hello all! I found out about the 'Drome from 7eat51 after seeing a post he'd made on the "Wargamers Paying It Forward" thread on BoardGameGeek (thanks Eric!).

I'm the designer of Red Baron, a set of WWI air miniatures rules from '92 that's mostly forgotten now, but back in the early-mid 90's it was pretty popular (won some awards, lots of play at conventions like Historicon etc.). I also designed the original game of Zeppelin, a rather mangled version of which was published in Strategy & Tactics magazine #159.

I sold most of my RB stuff about ten years ago, but the last couple of years I've gotten back into gaming. Nowadays if I play a wargame it's solo, so I hadn't considered getting back into WWI air stuff (except for trying the Bloody April boardgame, which was way too dense for me - or perhaps I was too dense for it).

But with Eric's help I found out about WoG/WoW, picked up a few planes and gave it a try. Now I'm hooked - a bunch more planes are on their way, and I've printed out Blackronin and OldGuy59's outstanding Universal Diceless Solo Deck. Really impressed with how comprehensive, elegant, cohesive and scalable the whole system is - and with such a nice variety of beautiful mass-produced planes! Who woulda ever thunk it?

[Warhawk]

Welcome to the 'Drome Bill!

[spindoc]

Thanks Wes. Looking forward to diving in deeper.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

On behalf of the Squadrons based here in Dear old Blighty, welcome to the Drome Bill.
I think that most of us oldsters have had a brush with Red Baron over the years.
It is great to get the number of the author and be able to thank you personally.
Cutting edge stuff in its day, as far as I was concerned.
It's astounding how many old gamers have graduated to this site. Must be something in the Tonic Water.
Fly safe.
Rob.

[Nightbomber]

Welcome to the Drome from Poland, Bill.

[Flying Helmut]

Welcome to the Drome Bill, from another ex-Red Baron player, in Middlesex in the U.K.

[Guntruck]

Hi Bill, welcome from England

[grumpybear]

Hi and welcome from Alberta

[BBSuds]

Welcome to the Aerodrome, Bill.

[bsmith13]

Lurking is a long and glorious tradition, of which I am very fond. Welcome to the forums!

[spindoc]

I think that most of us oldsters have had a brush with Red Baron over the years.
It is great to get the number of the author and be able to thank you personally.
Cutting edge stuff in its day, as far as I was concerned.

Thanks for your kind words Rob.

I've been pleased to discover that WoG covers a lot of stuff that I felt was essential to Red Baron, as well as including extras that were added to it after publication (Zeps, balloons, bombing, etc.). The main difference between the two games is that RB was more strictly scaled (1"=100 ft in all directions, 1 game turn=7 seconds, 1 movement point=10 mph, 1 burst=20-25 rounds of ammo), while WoG is more abstracted.

What's nice about WoG is that between house rules that may exist somewhere in the cavernous expanse of the 'Drome and modifications that I come up with on my own, I can tweak it to my own preferences. For instance, I really want to see altitude represented on the table (in RB we used 4 ft tall dowels for each plane), so I'm going to be using 4 or 5 pegs to represent each altitude level.

There are a few other things like that that I'd like to see represented (observer gun play arcs when banked, deflection modifiers for shots, proper bank attitudes for maneuvers) that to some extent are abstracted in WoG, that I may or may not add in rules to incorporate. Right chuffed to get to it!

[flash]

Welcome to the 'drome bill from a nearly sunny East Sussex in England, good to have you in the circuit

[spindoc]

Welcome to the Drome Bill, from another ex-Red Baron player, in Middlesex in the U.K.

Thanks Tim. Do you use any of your old RB miniatures for WoG? I used to have a bunch of Red Eagle/Skytrex 1/144 planes back in the day (and a few scratch-built too), but sold most all of them off (they had holes drilled in them for the mounting wire). I think I may've kept one or two but I'll be danged if I can find them...

[Teaticket]

Welcome to the Drome from Cape Cod.

[spindoc]

Welcome to the Drome from Poland, Bill.

Thanks Andrzej. Wow, Poland. Do you know the game 7 Days of Westerplatte? It's a cooperative boardgame on the opening of WWII, sort of a cross between a Euro and a wargame; very accessible and with great artwork. It's Polish designed and published. I picked up a copy of it a few months ago and it's a great game.

[Nightbomber]

Oh Bill, of course I know it. Have not played it yet (shame on me), but it is shelved ready to be played very soon with my patriotic buddy!

[spindoc]

Oh Bill, of course I know it. Have not played it yet (shame on me), but it is shelved ready to be played very soon with my patriotic buddy!

I think you'll enjoy it. And like most good co-op games, it solo's well too.

Hi Bill, welcome from England

Welcome to the 'drome bill from a nearly sunny East Sussex in England, good to have you in the circuit

More Brits! Thanks guys. Hey, when you guys play WoG does most everyone want to fly for the RFC/RAF?

[Flying Helmut]

Thanks Tim. Do you use any of your old RB miniatures for WoG? I used to have a bunch of Red Eagle/Skytrex 1/144 planes back in the day (and a few scratch-built too), but sold most all of them off (they had holes drilled in them for the mounting wire). I think I may've kept one or two but I'll be danged if I can find them...

I started using 1/72 scale kits mounted on tall dowel poles! I still have a dozen or so, packed away in the attic.
It proved unmanageable, so I switched to 1/300 micro biplanes. I sold these a decade ago, and shelved all WW1 miniatures gaming until I discovered Wings of War 2 years ago (I still played "Richthofen's War" now and then). My vast collection of WGF miniatures have all been acquired in the last 2 years, including a box of 75 Red Eagle planes picked up on ebay for little more than £1 per plane!

[Flying Helmut]

More Brits! Thanks guys. Hey, when you guys play WoG does most everyone want to fly for the RFC/RAF?

Personally, I prefer to fly for the Central Powers, but will happily fly RAF/RFC kites if the scenarios require it!
I repaint Wings planes, and find the central Powers schemes much more attractive/challenging - also, fighting against the odds is much more fun!

[Tonx]

Welcome to the Drome Bill, whereabouts in NC are you from? You will LOVE it on here - have met tons of excellent friendly people on here since joining myself.

I know Wilmington very well - trained for my US DoT FAA Commercial Pilot's License in South Carolina and was based in Wilmington NC for six months on J-1 Visa Exchange Programme (during 1998.)

Aussietonka

[zenlizard]

(welcoming head bobs) to Bill from the lizard.

[Naharaht]

Welcome to the Aerodrome, Bill, from here near Norwich in the United Kingdom. Your rules writing experience could be valuable.

[Jager]

Greetings, Bill, from Akron, Ohio.
I had heard of Red baron, but never played. Back then, my air game of choice was Mustangs & Messerschmitts. I find WoG to be a great game, and the folks here the best on the web.
If you wander up to Origins, a bunch of use will be running games under the Buckeye Gamers in Flight banner.
Looking forward to any house rules you think of.
Karl

[gully_raker]

G'day Bill & a special welcome to the 'drome from the pilots who fly in NSW down in Australia.

Many of us here play Solo games in both WW1 & WW2.
Check out the Campaign After Action Reports down in those sections & the Campaign rules as well.
Some very well thought out rules are available for the various campaigns & maybe you would like to join in some in the future.

[Casey]

A warm Welcome from the "Snowy Oslo" in Norway Bill.

[Archidamus]

Hello Bill - welcome to the 'drome from here in the UK

[Willi Von Klugermann]

Hello Bill and Welcome.

[matt56]

I'm glad you threw off the mantle of anonymity, Bill - this forum is a wonderful place to explore and share! I'm sure you'll find it as enjoyable as I have

All the best,
Matt

[milcoll73]

welcome to the drome bill!!!!!! hopefully youll find some players in your are as wog is an awesome social experience as well as a fun game!

[milcoll73]

Thanks for your kind words Rob.

I've been pleased to discover that WoG covers a lot of stuff that I felt was essential to Red Baron, as well as including extras that were added to it after publication (Zeps, balloons, bombing, etc.). The main difference between the two games is that RB was more strictly scaled (1"=100 ft in all directions, 1 game turn=7 seconds, 1 movement point=10 mph, 1 burst=20-25 rounds of ammo), while WoG is more abstracted.

What's nice about WoG is that between house rules that may exist somewhere in the cavernous expanse of the 'Drome and modifications that I come up with on my own, I can tweak it to my own preferences. For instance, I really want to see altitude represented on the table (in RB we used 4 ft tall dowels for each plane), so I'm going to be using 4 or 5 pegs to represent each altitude level.

There are a few other things like that that I'd like to see represented (observer gun play arcs when banked, deflection modifiers for shots, proper bank attitudes for maneuvers) that to some extent are abstracted in WoG, that I may or may not add in rules to incorporate. Right chuffed to get to it!

youve discovered one of the reals strengths of this game. its elegant open ended simplicity and expandability!

[spindoc]

I started using 1/72 scale kits mounted on tall dowel poles! I still have a dozen or so, packed away in the attic.
It proved unmanageable, so I switched to 1/300 micro biplanes. I sold these a decade ago, and shelved all WW1 miniatures gaming until I discovered Wings of War 2 years ago (I still played "Richthofen's War" now and then). My vast collection of WGF miniatures have all been acquired in the last 2 years, including a box of 75 Red Eagle planes picked up on ebay for little more than £1 per plane!

Yeah, I've played in one or two 1/72 scale games at cons - not my cup of tea. I also used to have some 1/300 scale planes, ostensibly for larger actions, but they never saw much use. 1/144 just seems to be the sweet spot.

In a couple of ways, Richtofen's War was instrumental in the genesis of Red Baron. For one thing, it was the first WWI air game I ever played, in December '74 (I can remember playing it on New Year's Eve). While we had some fun with it (including with the maneuver cards), when Yaquinto's Wings came out, RW was banished to the closet, never to be heard from again. Then around '89 or '90, I befriended a couple guys selling beautifully painted Red Eagle 1/144 planes they'd done, but was horrified to see them squandering these beautiful planes by using the very obsolete RW rules with them. So Red Baron began as my attempt to do better, initially by adapting Wings for use in 3D with miniatures.

Regarding your ebay score - wow! 75 planes for that little? Please tell me they weren't painted.

[spindoc]

Welcome to the Drome Bill, whereabouts in NC are you from? You will LOVE it on here - have met tons of excellent friendly people on here since joining myself.

I know Wilmington very well - trained for my US DoT FAA Commercial Pilot's License in South Carolina and was based in Wilmington NC for six months on J-1 Visa Exchange Programme (during 1998.)

Aussietonka

Small world - I've lived in Wilmington since 1984! What do you remember about it? Thanks for the welcome, by the way.

[Captain Chum]

Welcome to the Drome Bill, browse around and enjoy.

[Flying Helmut]

Regarding your ebay score - wow! 75 planes for that little? Please tell me they weren't painted.

No, they weren't painted!

[spindoc]

A big thank you to all of you who've welcomed me! You make a feller feel right at home...

[Gribble]

Good landings plenty of ammo, Bill, welcome to the Aerodrome from the Bluegrass of Kentucky.

[spindoc]

Thanks Mel. Just picked up some mats and some more planes and pegs, looking forward to getting airborne tonight!

[Setarius]

Welcome to our world Bill. I do hope you enjoy your flying time here.

[spindoc]

Thanks Dale. Hey, back to back Kentuckians! Do you and Mel know each other?

[mav1624]