Let me start off by saying that I have been playing Wings of War WWI since 2007, so a lot of my comments and comparisons will be based off of that.

Unlike the WWI Deluxe Set (which I own as well), the WWII version was printed and released in the US with an English language rule book. Also unlike the WWI version, it was released with four different paint schemes on the miniatures then what you can get in the single aircraft packs. Both of these are a huge plus in my book. At US$70, it is a bit more expensive then the basic box sets like Dawn of War and Fire From the Sky. However, the over all value of the Deluxe set is much better.

The box





Deluxe Set contents

The Aircraft

The main attraction of the Deluxe Set (from here out called DS) is of course the miniatures. Lets take a look at them...

Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-3

Pilot:Feldwebel Erhardt Pankratz
Nation: Luftwaffe - Germany
Maneuver Deck: B
Damage Points: 17
Close Range Damage: A C C
Long Range Damage: C






Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I

Pilot: Pilot Officer Alan Wright
Nation: Royal Air Force - UK
Maneuver Deck: A
Damage Points: 17
Close Range Damage: B B
Long Range Damage: B





Mitsubishi A6M2 Reisen

Pilot: Kokutaicho Iyozo Fujita
Nation: Dai-Nippon Teikoku Kaigun Koku Hombu - Japan
Maneuver Deck: C
Damage Points: 17
Close Range Damage: A C C
Long Range Damage: C






Grumman FM-1 Wildcat

Pilot: Lieutenant (junior grade) Earl H. Steiger
Nation: United States Marine Corps - USA
Maneuver Deck: D
Damage Points: 17
Close Range Damage: B B
Long Range Damage: B





The Counters

A Damage Counters





There are 72 A Damage Counters and they break down as follows:

0 = 19
1 = 16, Engine Damaged, Right Rudder Damage, Left Rudder Damage
2 = 16, Right Rudder Damage, Left Rudder Damage, Crew Wounded, Fire
3 = 7, Smoke x 2, Crew Wounded
4 = 2, Engine Damaged
Explosion = 1

B Damage Counters





There are 72 B Damage Counters and they break down as follows:

0 = 10
1 = 5, Right Rudder Damage, Left Rudder Damage
2 = 9, Smoke x 2, Crew Wounded
3 = 7, Engine Damaged, Fire
4 = 6, Right Rudder Damage, Left Rudder Damage
5 = 6
6 = 2, Crew Wounded
7 = 1, Engine Damaged
8 = 2
Explosion = 1

C Damage Counters





There are 72 C Damage Counters and they break down as follows:

0 = 25
3 = 8, Right Rudder Damage, Left Rudder Damage, Smoke, Engine Damaged
5 = 6, Right Rudder Damage, Left Rudder Damage, Smoke, Crew Wounded
6 = 4, Crew Wounded, Engine Damaged, Fire
8 = 5
Explosion = 1

D Damage Counters





There are 60 D Damage Counters and they break down as follows:

0 = 13
5 = 3, Right Rudder Damage, Left Rudder Damage
8 = 1, Crew Wounded, Smoke
10 = 2, Fire
12 = 2, Engine Damaged
15 = 1
18 = 1
Explosion = 1

Flight Control Boards

These are the four flight control boards






If you already have any of the basic box sets for either WWI or WWII, all of the components are made out of the thick cardboard stock as the counters. The range rulers are about 2/3 the width of the WWI ones, so to me they seem to bend a little easier.

I really think the counters for the damage types was an elegant way to do these. You get all four damage types in one box and you get a lot of them! That being said, I find my self wishing they were decks of cards like in the WWI series. I think the cards are much nicer, but might be unwieldy with the damage counters that you get.

If you are just looking to get in to playing the WWII version of Wings of War and you know that you want to use miniatures, there is no better way to get in to the game then the Deluxe Set!