Large'ish game for non-playing friends - your thoughts please

[Boreas]

Gentlesirs & Ladies,

I'd love any helpful feedback please.

I'm running a game in a few weekends time, wherein we may have 10 or so participants.
No-one, apart from me, has ever played before. I am extremely experienced - having
played once before... (With a mate & his 3 kids...3yrs ago...)

I'm going to keep it extremely simple & use basic rules only. No climbing, diving, special
damage or whatever. Yes, I know they add to the game, but it's not gonna happen. (Please
therefore refrain from telling me I'll be missing out on experiencing the game to it's fullest.)

I have told my boys & girls (all RPG gamers) that there will be a small prize for the winner...
& to adjudicate, we'll be using the following basic scoring & rules etc.

Points will be scored as follows:
Shooting down an enemy plane 3pts
Shooting at an enemy plane 1pt
Being shot down behind enemy lines -2pts } using the 'critical damage' cards someone
Being shot down behind your own lines -1pt } on this site posted. (Cool job by the way!)
Flying off the edge of the world (table) -1pt

In the event of a tie, the player on the winning side (if on opposing sides) will be
declared the victor. If both are on the same side, I will assign a winner based on
who looks more like Snoopy on the day.

Everyone will start in a Scout (what fighters were called back then). If you get shot down,
you will be allowed back, but not in the same plane…

The 1st person who gets shot down will come back in their side's strongest Scout, because
I shall feel sorry for them. The next person who gets shot down shall return in their side's
weakest plane, because you should know better by now. The 3rd shall return in a 2-seater
(if that's possible) & with a reconnaissance mission. After that, I'll decide at my whim…but
it'll generally be one of the mid-range planes if available & dependent upon player choice,
again if possible.

If we have an uneven number of players, anyone being shot down from the 'strongest'
side shall come back flying for the weaker side & so-on.

Missions.
All Scouts have the mission of shooting down as many enemies as possible. Entry points
onto the table decided by a d6, for left, center & right from your side of the front lines.

2-seaters will have a specific target to fly over & photograph. Doing this will require flying
straight for 2 moves in a row over the target…& may result in you being shot at for being
such an easy target. (I love you all honestly). Entry points onto the table decided by a d6,
for left, center & right…but target point by a d8 with a bias away from points on the table
directly opposite your entry. (e.g. For center entry = 1-3 left, 4-5 center & 6-8 right.)


So experienced WoG persons - what say thee?
The object of the afternoon is to have fun for my birthday. Do you think this'll do the trick?

Cheers - all answers (except those telling me to use the full rules) gratefully accepted. ;-p

[flash]

Sounds like a plan Philip, make sure you have enough damage decks (Andrea reckons 1 deck to 4 planes) and you should be fine.
On deciding the winner in event of a tie you could use the number of planes lost by the player as a criteria before going to which side had the most kills. (be a bit harsh if one had lost a plane and the other had lost three but the latter wins because his side did better overall)

[milcoll73]

sounds like great fun! i like the points system as it rewards you for setting up a firing solution even if you dole out zeros!

[Boreas]

Good idea - cheers!

[Nightbomber]

Let me throw my 2 cents, Philip.
I have organized multiplayer games many times, even with green players, kids, non flying girls, wives, so here is my advice.
1. No altiutude of course. Play it 2D.
2. DO USE special damages. Do not resign from that. They add A LOT to the game and to overall fun your guests will have. Explaining what those icons mean takes 5 minutes. Make it easier: play with OPEN SPECIAL DAMAGE if your players wich so. It will be a great lesson for them.
3. DO NOT count points as you planned. Just count how many kills everyone scored and how many times he/she was shot down. Compare the kills/shotdowns. Declare the winner. Counting points you will soon get messy.
4. Prepare special smoke and fire markers. They will add a lot to the show.
5. RESPAWNING. Do not let people straggling around the table after being shot down. Bring them back to ACTION immediately with a new or even the same plane!
6. Play a WWI movie from DVD or Youtube (Red Baron, Fly Boys, etc.) in the background.

Dave is right about multiple damage decks. I usually use 2 of each and it is more than enough for up to 8 players.

[john snelling]

Let me throw my 2 cents, Philip.
I have organized multiplayer games many times, even with green players, kids, non flying girls, wives, so here is my advice.
1. No altiutude of course. Play it 2D.
2. DO USE special damages. Do not resign from that. They add A LOT to the game and to overall fun your guests will have. Explaining what those icons mean takes 5 minutes. Make it easier: play with OPEN SPECIAL DAMAGE if your players wich so. It will be a great lesson for them.
3. DO NOT count points as you planned. Just count how many kills everyone scored and how many times he/she was shot down. Compare the kills/shotdowns. Declare the winner. Counting points you will soon get messy.
4. Prepare special smoke and fire markers. They will add a lot to the show.
5. RESPAWNING. Do not let people straggling around the table after being shot down. Bring them back to ACTION immediately with a new or even the same plane!
6. Play a WWI movie from DVD or Youtube (Red Baron, Fly Boys, etc.) in the background.

Dave is right about multiple damage decks. I usually use 2 of each and it is more than enough for up to 8 players.

Excellent advice.

I would add make a poster with most of the rules on it for easy reference.

[Nightbomber]

I would add make a poster with most of the rules on it for easy reference.

That's it. I am sure there is a file with them in the files section or on BGG.com.

Try this:
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/filepa...id-famous-aces

[Willi]

The more the merrier. There are many fine suggestions made already. I concur with adding movies or sound effects in the background. We often run the shows you have right there in NZ, which are marvelous reenactments with great sound effects. We sometimes use the Blue Max theme music (there is an approx. 8 minute long orchestration you can find on iTunes). Themed shirts and hats are always welcomed in our games and are readily available - might make good prizes.

[Flying Helmut]

Let me throw my 2 cents, Philip.
I have organized multiplayer games many times, even with green players, kids, non flying girls, wives, so here is my advice.
1. No altiutude of course. Play it 2D.
2. DO USE special damages. Do not resign from that. They add A LOT to the game and to overall fun your guests will have. Explaining what those icons mean takes 5 minutes. Make it easier: play with OPEN SPECIAL DAMAGE if your players wich so. It will be a great lesson for them.
3. DO NOT count points as you planned. Just count how many kills everyone scored and how many times he/she was shot down. Compare the kills/shotdowns. Declare the winner. Counting points you will soon get messy.
4. Prepare special smoke and fire markers. They will add a lot to the show.
5. RESPAWNING. Do not let people straggling around the table after being shot down. Bring them back to ACTION immediately with a new or even the same plane!
6. Play a WWI movie from DVD or Youtube (Red Baron, Fly Boys, etc.) in the background.

Dave is right about multiple damage decks. I usually use 2 of each and it is more than enough for up to 8 players.

This is spot-on correct!

The Files section has a sheet of visual depiction of the Immelmann and Split-S manoeuvres, and also the blind-spot rule. These are great for helping new players get stuck in!

[Rebel]

Hi Philip
There are some scenarios in the file section which might help.

[Boreas]

Thanks one & all.

[Teaticket]

That's it. I am sure there is a file with them in the files section or on BGG.com.

Try this:
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/filepa...id-famous-aces

These cards are great but I wish the effect of crew wounds kept the pilot wound as it should be instead of ignoring it.

[Baxter]

If it was me I would use a couple of balloons. Makes everyone pay attention imho.

['Warspite']

I would change:

"Shooting at an enemy plane 1pt"

to Damaging an enemy plane 1pt

Nothing for firing your guns but something for actually hitting the target. This will cut down on your book-keeping and paperwork and act as a reward for actually damaging the enemy rather than just trying to damage the enemy.

[Boreas]

I would change:

"Shooting at an enemy plane 1pt"

to Damaging an enemy plane 1pt

Nothing for firing your guns but something for actually hitting the target. This will cut down on your book-keeping and paperwork and act as a reward for actually damaging the enemy rather than just trying to damage the enemy.

Cheers!