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Ducalutra
06-09-2010, 10:01
When I play WoW using altitude, I saw that few players go over 4th level, while in most pics I see miniatures with loads of stands, even 20 or more. To tell you the truth my fellow players think it coward to go too high...

While using altitude, do you fly very high? And why??

flash
06-09-2010, 11:12
I will use whatever height is appropriate - usually above balloons but below or level with a target two seater..

Flying Officer Kyte
06-09-2010, 11:13
I usually arrange my height to match the scenario. High for dog fights, Stooping down onto balloons, or sweeping in low to bomb trenches etc. A dog fight that breaks up into various combats can go on at many levels, and when flying my Nieuport as Albert Ball I try to get one climb counter under the enemy aircraft, and that is easier said than done when all your opponents are expecting it. On the whole I'd say that like most of the tactics in WoW. do what you fancy, and see where it takes you, only don't experiment with your favourite top Ace until you have perfected the move.Rob.

Naharaht
06-09-2010, 12:04
What do you do if you want to 'raise the floor' of the levels represented by the pegs and your opponent does not agree?

Flying Officer Kyte
06-09-2010, 12:15
We never play that rule. We add another peg until the aircraft reaches its natural ceiling. Having said that, most of our dogfights seem to spiral down. I don't remember anyone actually reaching their top ceiling.
Rob.

Ducalutra
06-09-2010, 12:33
What do you do if you want to 'raise the floor' of the levels represented by the pegs and your opponent does not agree?
I don't follow you here... What do you mean?

Flying Officer Kyte
06-09-2010, 13:52
I don't follow you here... What do you mean?

He is talking about the rule that says you must agree to fly within certain ceiling and floor levels before you start a game. Say a floor of 4000 feet and a ceiling of 8000 feet. If you want to change it in the game you all need to agree a new floor and ceiling. Now you can see why we never play it. It negates the effect for planes with a higher ceiling.
Rob.

AlgyLacey
06-09-2010, 14:35
20 pegs is just a good way to knock over stands, snap pegs and bust expensive a/c.

Remember heights are relative - If your Roland is cruising at 14,000 on a pile of pegs so tall they're scraping artex off the ceiling and the top cover is actually playing in the room upstairs, a pair of Nieuports or even Camels will take all evening to get up there.

At the start of scenario you can agree that 4 pegs = whatever you like. If anyone goes below 1 peg they're out unless all agree to move the "floor" ("hard deck") AND the scenario ceiling max down.

If you're diving out of contact and your opponent doesnt want to follow you down you got away - end of scrap - go home and count bullet holes.

Only if the scenario takes place at low level as aircraft strafe trenches/ land behind enemy lines/ fan the enemy aerodrome need the "hard deck" actually be grass and mud

If we're hung up on scale 1 peg = about ten feet. 10,000 ("NEVER cross the lines under 10,000") would be a thousand pegs and your minis would be 30 ft up from the tablecloth - no fun at all.

In a big furball I'd resolve sub-scraps widely separated by altitude separately on the table.

Ducalutra
06-09-2010, 14:40
I see.. Actually, I'm so used to ignore the rule that I forgot about it!

IRM
06-09-2010, 15:23
What do you do if you want to 'raise the floor' of the levels represented by the pegs and your opponent does not agree?

In that case, the levels aren't changed. All players have to agree to change the base level according to the rule. The same rule also does not allow planes to move outside the 4-peg range (peg one can represent any agreed height) without leaving the table.

I don't see the point of having aircraft at hugely different levels. Given how long it takes aircraft to climb levels and the range of their guns most will end up at roughly the same height after the first few turns anyway as the higher aircraft will have to dive to within 1 peg of their intended targets. I just take it that by the first turn of the game all the aircraft in play have already dived or climbed into combat range from whatever level they were patrolling at after spotting the enemy. I don't see any need to play that part out.

BTW, I think that each peg must represent roughly 1500 feet (assuming they don't change scale at very high and/or very low levels). The SE5a had a ceiling of 19500 feet (at best, depending on engine type)and has a ceiling of 14 pegs in the game.

usmc1855
06-09-2010, 15:42
We play at what ever level is appropriate to the scenario. With Balloons, 3-5. Planes only... the average starting elevation is about 7. We do not use pegs, we use the Litko made flight stands, as well as the Litko made elevation markers.

Kahlerclan
06-09-2010, 18:23
Brian,
In your left hand thumbnail is the altitude counter through the dashboard card? Or is it just sitting on top?

Oberst Hajj
06-09-2010, 21:38
Kahlerclan, If I recall correctly, he glued them to the flight board. I'm currently working on a new flight board that address altitude and fuel:

http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=180&pictureid=3962


There is a thread (http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/showthread.php?t=1423) discussing this new flight board and what features it should have.

Rum Demon
06-09-2010, 21:50
I tend to fly around the same altitude as my prey. Our group flies from floor to (each plane's) ceiling, but usually not higher than 10 pegs. I prefer flying around five or less, to keep the teetering towers from toppling.

-Joe

Guntruck
06-10-2010, 01:41
We tend to use about 5 pegs irrespective of height, which is depicted either by altitude markers for each aircraft, or using the good Colonel's flight stands.

Two reasons for that, the first is that too many pegs make the aircraft/stand/pegs vulnerable if someone knocks them over, but mainly because most of my group can't be arsed to add or take away pegs during a game.

Flying Officer Kyte
06-10-2010, 03:49
I must admit that since starting to use the col's. flight stands, we are getting lazy and not adding the pegs to gain height so much as we were. The flight stands save a lot of time faffing about, and wear and tear on dropped planes.
Rob.

Rum Demon
06-10-2010, 12:32
I can appreciate the speed and ease using Litko stands and counters, but nothing beats the visual impact of planes zipping around at different heights. Especially on a table with 8 or more planes in the air, as our club usually has. Now if I can get them to use counters to indicate their climb increments, we'd be set....

-Joe

usmc1855
06-10-2010, 18:58
Brian,
In your left hand thumbnail is the altitude counter through the dashboard card? Or is it just sitting on top?


Just sitting on top.

usmc1855
06-10-2010, 19:02
I concur. Before the WoW minis came out, our aviation miniature games used telescoping metal flight stands with the little metal roach clip attachments at the top to hold the plane. The telescoping stands really do add to the effect of different elevations, and having some form of gimble system to represent banks, climbs and dives are also a plus!




I can appreciate the speed and ease using Litko stands and counters, but nothing beats the visual impact of planes zipping around at different heights. Especially on a table with 8 or more planes in the air, as our club usually has. Now if I can get them to use counters to indicate their climb increments, we'd be set....

-Joe

Ducalutra
06-11-2010, 05:45
It seems nobody flies very high after all...
Now I wonder whose are all those pics of miniatures played with 10 pegs or more...

IRM
06-11-2010, 05:53
I bet they're all from the same player or games group.

Ducalutra
06-11-2010, 06:12
They are far too many...

Rum Demon
06-11-2010, 10:04
Well, our club DOES fly ludicrously high at times. Sometimes starting at 7 or 8 pegs, with folks at times climbing above 10. I didn't vote "high" in the poll because I prefer NOT to fly so high. It's easier to knock planes over at those heights, but I'll climb to my plane's ceiling if that's is where my quarry be.

-Joe

KiltedWolf
07-07-2010, 12:28
Brian, I found a company that sells just those flight stands. They look interesting and remind me of M&Ms. Does anyone use something like this in their games? Seems like it would take care of adding/removing pegs while adding the visual element of altitude.

http://www.topgunmarketing.org/home

Off course the Col.'s stands make it extremely easy to mark altitude, which is why I ordered a few.

I wonder if the telescoping option could be used in conjunction with Col. H's stands? No need to measure for altitude, just use the telescope for a visual indication, while the stand displays the current altitude.

Cheers,
KW

Max Headroom
07-07-2010, 15:05
I personally don't see the need for the pegs... I glued mine with 2 pegs immediately when I got sick of the plane popping off and made an altimeter (see files). It's so much quicker.
Said that, I tend to fly a Fokker DrI, so use it's excellent climb to get high, then drop on the opponent when I'm ready. Sort of obvious I guess.

Flying Officer Kyte
07-08-2010, 00:35
I personally don't see the need for the pegs... I glued mine with 2 pegs immediately when I got sick of the plane popping off and made an altimeter (see files). It's so much quicker.
Said that, I tend to fly a Fokker DrI, so use it's excellent climb to get high, then drop on the opponent when I'm ready. Sort of obvious I guess.

Good call Max. I have found that since picking up the good Col's flight stands, we tend to just fly at the regulation 4 pegs high and dial up the altitude. I only vary the height for the cosmetic look of the game when photographing the action.
Cant wait for the Col's new control boards. That should make things even easier to track.
Rob.

Goering Ace
07-15-2010, 16:13
We typically fly at 1-4, depending on the mission. With balloons in play we go as high as 6 or 7, but have never gone above that. We also only use 2 pegs regardless of the altitude in order to avoid accidental knock offs or knock overs. However, I may give the extra pegs another try because it would be cool seeing the planes at different heights on the table. But as soon as our new bases arrive we won't need the pegs for anything more than a visual.

Scott

ktodd
07-15-2010, 18:41
............... But as soon as our new bases arrive we won't need the pegs for anything more than a visual.

Scott

What new bases would these be?

Keith

Flying Officer Kyte
07-15-2010, 23:54
What new bases would these be?

Keith

The ones that the good Col. is marketing in aerodrome accessories.
Rob.

Olt^Jones
07-16-2010, 00:21
hi, i use quote rules of the rulebook.
usually we dont change it except when we decide to play some campaign missions.so we "study" an appropriate quote range (min/max alt.) and if we are all agree we apply it.
when i play i like to have one more peg against my opponent and i try always to get a fav position to follow him and shoot him down easily like the real dogfights.

Oberst Hajj
07-16-2010, 00:43
Keith, he is talking about these bases:

http://mobowow.powweb.com/store/media/100414-0000204031-GP5B6945.jpg