Explosion damage card. Necessary for fun?
New to the game here but I can't help but wonder if the Explosion damage card wouldn't ruin a fun time in a 2v2 battle. Seems pretty harsh that there's instakill in this game. One person would be forced to sit out while the rest play on. Plus it really puts a bad taste in a new players mouth. Am I missing something??
yes getting the boom card sucks but its an important balancing factor for aircraft of disparate ability. for instance say you end up having a fokker DVII facing off with say, a spad XIII. chances are, without the possibility of the boom card, the fokkers going to beat the spad every time. with the special damage and the boom card in the deck theres always the random chance of the spad taking the fokker down.
in multiplayer games we usually just have the boom card recipient respawn (there was always the possibility of other planes joining a fray in progress by flying into the area or taking off from near by aerodromes) and just end the session at a pre determined time or stop respawning 20-30 minutes before ending time. it keeps everybody in the game and the sides balanced.
one variation weve done is start in lesser aircraft and work our way "up the food chain" so to speak (as keith does in the aerodrome invitational at origins game fair).
A couple of things by the sounds of it. It really adds an edge to the game and the joy of someone else getting it has to be experienced. You could always shuffle it into the bottom third or quarter of the damage deck so it won't come up early in the game. There will usually be a point where someone gets shot down and has to sit out the rest of the game even without the boom card. Especially when you add in the +1 bonus' to gameplay. If you play with a double deck, as many do, you could always take one of the boom cards out.Originally Posted by Mefwyn
Sapiens qui vigilat... "He is wise who watches"
There are number of 'explosion deck' add ons in the file section. These are cards you draw if and when you get a boom card. Or as an alternative use Andrea you only take half damage with a boom card. Didn't help him at PragueCon when the 2 cards he drew were both boom cards.
See you on the Dark Side......
I like the surprise of the explosion card reveal, and how it disrupts one's plans. When it appears in a one-on-one, we just restart - in the only larger game I have played with it, the affected player 'respawned' - note this same game played with a time limit so any player shot down respawned...
From a historical point of view ... Aircraft did explode in mid air should a bullet have found the fuel tank for instance. Many other war games feature instant death measures if drawn and the consequences are the same: Draw the explosion chit in WGS or the Explosion / Boom Card in WGF and it's game over even with Basic Rules where so many other special damage indicators are actually discounted.
But conscientiously the thought of a player having to sit the rest of the game out even plays on my mind ... Until they realise what the opportunity to observe offers them: A chance to learn and take notes. I always carry a notepad and pen after a game during Doncaster 2015 (the famous one where I earned the Bullseye Award!) But then later on that same day I destroyed an Opposition Lancaster Bomber when an explosion chit was drawn for it ... and won Second Prize in that game!
In fact now I come to think of it those two Doncaster 2015 examples show the two sides of the Explosion Chit / Boom Card debate and to an extent with regard to each. But I used my self-inflicted down time to observe and this lead to me carrying a note pad and pen in the event of this happening again. Positive coming out of a negative - maybe people just don't realise what the chance to observe is able to offer?
Historically I get it, and personally I could handle it. But my group will only be able to get together once a week or once every 2 weeks, and for 3 hrs at a time. My concern is someone dying early and being turned off by game. Maybe for first couple games I can take them out, and after that put them in and warn people of the danger and the games historical intent for having them in...
SIMPLY YES. THE SUPRISE IS PART OF THE GAME.
I would leave them in and just give that player a new plane, maybe the opposite of Philips 'Up the food chain' and give them the lesser plane available. Others should have some damage so getting the lesser plane would be closer to evening things out?
HMMMM...Maybe pulling the boom card means you draw from the balloon rocket deck. Still a couple of chances at boom but likely fire and massive damage instead. Of course here is also the slim chance of 0 damage still.
I think it would be silly to have the boom card in if you were teaching the game. But its great when I see my opponent draw it so I don't feel bad if I get it......its part of the game. Someones got to loose.
I can understand that the boom card adds to the suspense of the game and all the other reasons given, but I for one don't play with the boom card unless it's a solo game. I certainly don't play it when I'm teaching new players. Recently I joined a group that gets together once a month, and they never play with it either. If we forget to take it out and someone draws it, they just draw again. Its more fun for me to play than to win, and in a small group the boom card just ends the game (and the fun) early, in my opinion.
It doesn't matter if I drew it or my opponent, whenever it gets drawn I'm always glad that we just draw again. You can certainly have fun with or without it.
It is also the great leveller - imagine how chuffed the newbie pilot would be when you draw the boom card and they take down the master!
The boomcard. Fun to give away but a bugger to get
Being blown to pieces after a few turns isn't fun but it is a part of the game just like all other specialdamage.
Sitting out a game ain't fun eitherRespawning is one way. I usually put the boomcards in the bottom half of the damagedeck when I play with new players.
Do what ever suits you. It is all about having fun
Pat, another option which we use at our Games Club for "new chums" is to return the Boom card & take 2 extra Damage cards instead.
This keeps them playing unless they are already heavily damaged & gets them used to seeing the dreaded Boom card appear.
A boom always hurts but poo happens so live with it lol
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