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Thread: Review: Dawn of War Deluxe Set

  1. #1

    Default Review: Dawn of War Deluxe Set

    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!

  2. #2

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    Very nice pics. Told the Mrs. that's what I wanted for Christmas. Hope to get it early hehe. So, are the landing gears up on the WW2 planes? Don't have any yet. Also, does the game play as nice as the WW1? Have a good day and talk at ya soon.

    Tom

  3. #3

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    Very nice, I like these chits more than the WW-I ones!
    Especially since the ones I got was printed off-center..

  4. #4

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    A big advantage is that it's much easier to get the planes out of the box than it was the case with the WWI Deluxe set. No chance to break the wings here. But there is almost no space for the counters.
    Don't know what to think about the fact that the models included can't be bought otherwise. For me it's nice, cause I startet with the Deluxe Set. Others might think different (a friend of mine is dying for the green Reiser )
    Last edited by Scoop; 11-17-2009 at 08:49.

  5. #5

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    Excellent breakdown. Thank you. Just bought this yesterday. I own everything for Wings of War WWI and this was the slippery slope for WWII. Oh well...

  6. #6

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    Thanks for the great review! I do eventually want to start collecting this one but being the completest that I am, if I start with this I will need to get everything, and I already have my work cut out for me on the WW1 set, plus I still need to complete a few other boardgames in my collection, maybe some day

  7. #7

    Default WW2 Deluxe Set

    I just received my WW2 Deluxe Set from Milsims today, great product! The green Zero in particular is very striking.

  8. #8

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    Yea, that's the best part - makes my friends jealous Plus the only true british Spitfire.

  9. #9

    razide's Avatar
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    While the DS is very nice as a starter set it is a little disappointing that it didn't include any other plane cards apart from the four modelled ones. DS edition cards for the two planes on the box cover would have been a good option along with one or two of each type that appeared in the Dawn of War box.

    Luckily I ordered it with Fire From The Skies and already had the two WWII boosters but compared with the other boxed sets it is a little light on in regard to plane cards.

  10. #10

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    The Deluxe Set is all about minis. You get extra cards, but these are the bombs and ground targets. I never play with just the cards so I wasn't disappointed. Even quite the contrary cause I got minis you can't buy elsewhere.

  11. #11

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    I am the same as Scoop. I will only buy the minis for WWII. Our group only plays with the minis from WWI set and I own everything, so I am wiser when it comes to purchasing WWII stuff.

  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bixby View Post
    I am the same as Scoop. I will only buy the minis for WWII. Our group only plays with the minis from WWI set and I own everything, so I am wiser when it comes to purchasing WWII stuff.
    I always play with minis, but because I use non-WoW minis as well I still buy the card booster packs for the manouevre decks.

  13. #13

    razide's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scoop View Post
    The Deluxe Set is all about minis. You get extra cards, but these are the bombs and ground targets. I never play with just the cards so I wasn't disappointed. Even quite the contrary cause I got minis you can't buy elsewhere.
    Now retrospectively looking at the box I understand that the DS is really a
    "Wing of War WWII miniatures deluxe set" with some rules and tokens not as I was hoping a Dawn of War deluxe set with miniatures.

    Col. Hajj - very nice mini photos.

  14. #14

    mattcalaho
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    I purchased it from Boards and Bits at a great price, i was unaware that the planes were specific to the box set very cool for me. Have not played it yet, is it really different from the ww1 game.

  15. #15

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    The mechanics are the same, but the rules are different enough that a good reading of the rules is needed. It really does have a different feel to it.

  16. #16


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    Col Hajj, just as i have shared with you about my son's plan... buying 3 deluxe set would be the only way to go if we are to dogfight between flights of spitfires and Me's... right? or is one deluxe set enough and just purchase the minis? my only concern is the damage cards, if one set is enough.

  17. #17

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    It is a great game. As mentioned above, just different enough so that you have to read the rules. I like the move, plan, move mechanics of the game. It seems to give the allusion of speed.

  18. #18

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    It's a great game. The 2 speeds are good for losing a tail. Also with the tailing rule it gives a great advantage when you do get in that position. It is best played with everyone having two planes.

    Tom

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by Katipunero View Post
    Col Hajj, just as i have shared with you about my son's plan... buying 3 deluxe set would be the only way to go if we are to dogfight between flights of spitfires and Me's... right? or is one deluxe set enough and just purchase the minis? my only concern is the damage cards, if one set is enough.
    You should be fine for up to around 6-8 players with just the Deluxe set and extra minis. DoW comes with "decks" of 72 chits for each damage type. And since not all the planes use the same type of damage, the decks go further.

  20. #20

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    I found that with only 2 planes on the map, all we did was chase each around. It was difficult to stay in contact.

  21. #21

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    Played the Deluxe for the first time this past weekend, have been playing the non-deluxe box for about 2 years. The optional rule about shooting at the plane and not the card has been removed from the deluxe set. We always liked that rule, but now my friend wants to play with 'his' rules (deluxe) and not mine (non-deluxe).

    Why was this rule removed? Was it considered harder to determine with miniatures?

    Henry

  22. #22

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    Quote Originally Posted by HardRock View Post
    Played the Deluxe for the first time this past weekend, have been playing the non-deluxe box for about 2 years. The optional rule about shooting at the plane and not the card has been removed from the deluxe set. We always liked that rule, but now my friend wants to play with 'his' rules (deluxe) and not mine (non-deluxe).

    Why was this rule removed? Was it considered harder to determine with miniatures?

    Henry
    So your saying your friend wants to just shoot at the card and not the plane only? I like shooting only at the plane with minis but when we play with a lot of kids we use the "hit the card only" rule. Just because its easier for them. Now I like using a lot of house rules as well. The jam gun counter only comes off when you fly using a straight and are not being shot at, as an example.

    Tom

  23. #23

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    There has always been issues with rules changing from product to product... it's a shame and kind of a pain. I don't recall for Dawn of War, but in Wings of War, shooting at the plane was always an optional rule. If it is still an optional rule for DoW, I would say your friend has a better claim on how to play it. There are a few threads that talk about this same issue with some decent insight into it.

  24. #24

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    He liked the game before but would rather play something else, something he owned. Now he owns the Deluxe box and wants to play this alot, no problem there, but with 'his' rules. Even though he pushed to use the optional rule before, now it's not in 'his' rules so he doesn't want to use it.

    I lost a tournament MANY years ago because my rules were v1.01 and my opponents were 1.012. Just want to be on the same page, not blindsided by a small rule change.

    Just curious about why the change was made, I liked the optional rule, made more sense to me.

    Henry
    Last edited by HardRock; 07-17-2010 at 14:09.

  25. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by HardRock View Post
    He liked the game before but would rather play something else, something he owned. Now he owns the Deluxe box and wants to play this alot, no problem there, but with 'his' rules. Even though he pushed to use the optional rule before, now it's not in 'his' rules so he doesn't want to use it. Always was a bit of a cheesey player, he still lost.

    I lost a tournament MANY years ago because my rules were v1.01 and my opponents were 1.012. Just want to be on the same page, not blindsided by a small rule change.

    Just curious about why the change was made, I liked the optional rule, made more sense to me.

    Henry
    I hear ya. Played a few guys like that myself. I enjoy a straight up game where your honor is more important than a win every time.

    Tom

  26. #26

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    Hi, I just got a copy of the deluxe set, at a pretty good price, but - (isn't there always a but?) - the rule booklet is in German. Is there any where that any of you guys know where I can get, or download, an English version of the rules, please?

    Thanks for any help or suggestions.

    John.

  27. #27

  28. #28

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    Thank you very much, Morten. Exactly what I was looking for.

    John.

  29. #29

    cromojaro
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    I'll prefer that the deluxe set have two british airplanes vs two german airplanes. But that is better than none.

  30. #30

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    I think miniatures included in the set are really detailed and it is far better playing with them then using cards. Then I'm going to order gimbal mounts from site shop and physical marker, looking at a plane turning while performing a turning maneuver has no price

  31. #31

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    Quote Originally Posted by cromojaro View Post
    I'll prefer that the deluxe set have two british airplanes vs two german airplanes. But that is better than none.
    I agree with you on that. Make the deluxe set Pacific, European or North Africa etc. This way you can start collecting planes for the campaign you want to fly in.

    Thomas

  32. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by CappyTom View Post
    I agree with you on that. Make the deluxe set Pacific, European or North Africa etc. This way you can start collecting planes for the campaign you want to fly in.

    Thomas
    Of course I will be getting them all.

  33. #33

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    There is an edition of this for sale on the boardgamegeek bazaar by an Italian retailer. It's 45 Euro I think. I was drooling over the PTO planes, but I will just use the Merit Wildcats and paint my own Zero's I think (gulp).



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