What's your game preference - a mix of types or flights of the same types?
The games we have at our club invariably involve a mix of Entente machines against a mix of Central Power types. I have a hankering for games with "flights" (is that what they called them in WW1?) of the same types - to this end I've ordered another 2 Morane-Saulnier Type N to make my first flight of 3.
What's your preference?
Doug
Hi Doug,
Historically the RFC, RNAS and to a large extent the French Aviation Militaire fielded squadrons equipped with one type of aircraft, particularly from 1916. The Germans on the other hand were happy to mix their types - so a late 1917 Jasta might have a couple of Fokker Dr.1's, some Albatros D.Va's and the odd Pfalz D.III.
So for the Entente air forces, then yes like flies with like - for the Central Powers not so much.
Cheers,
Carl.
I tend to form flights of the same types for both sides.
Thanks for interesting input, Carl.
I have modest numbers of aircraft, but I usually manage to keep it to having the same types of plane on one side in a game. This is because it looks so much better. When mixing, I use planes which fit well visually. Albatrosses and Pfalz' seem to work together, although I find Udet's DVa does not look pleasing with any other wow or WoG planes I have (oh, except for with the Klein's Pfalz). I used to think Spads did not look good, but a flight of them looks impressive. I recommend flying flights, although a mix of two of one kind and three of another, also seem to work well visually, for example.
For WW I my gamers prefer free choice as long as the planes play in the same league.
(No Fokker Eindecker vs. a Sopwith Snipe)
For WW II: No Europe/Pacifc mix, no Allies/Russian mix & no Italians for BoB missions, etc...
I prefer flights of the same types.
My most favourite matching flights are Albatros D.III's against Nieuport 17's or Camels against Fokker Dr.I's. I am going to have to get my hands on some alternative SPAD VII's too, for when Aviatik Berg D.I's come out.
This is my preference, for the same reasons, though I do not object to mixing it up a bit for the Entente necessarily as long as the time frame is accurate & performance levels are equal (baring other balancing factors).Originally Posted by Carl_Brisgamer
Historical opponents is always a good match, that and trying to deplore a flight representative of the country involved such as mixed flights for Germans and one type for Entente.
Um -- there were some (but not many) Italian units in BoB:
Corpo Aereo Italiano, formed 10 September '40:
-- 80 BR.20M bombers (61 active): 13 Stormo B.T., 11, 43 Gruppi; , 43 Stormo B.T., 98, 99 Gruppi
-- 50 CR.42 fighters *: 56 Stormo, 18 Gruppi
-- 45 G.50 fighters (42 active): 56 Stormo, 20 Gruppi
-- 5 Z.1007bis recon: 172 Squadriglia RST
-- 12 Ca.133 transports
-- 11 Ca.164 liaison (9 active)
-- 1 SM.75/Tp staff transport
[*: Units for which there is an Official WG2 Card]
CAO was active from 24 October '40 to 18 April '41, when they were sent to the Balkans. In that time, they performed 137 bomber, and 590 fighter, sorties; and dropped some 27 (metric) tons of bombs on England; but failed to shoot down a single enemy airplane. They lost 19 bombers, 14 fighters, 1 recon, and 1 Ca.164 transport (19 in combat; 16 to accidents); crow losses accounted to 29 dead/missing, 12 wounded, 6 POW.
(Data from _Regia Aeronautica, by Chris Dunning, pp. 73-5.)
Depends on the scenario. I often find that Albert Ball flying alone meets up wit the odd plane from some other Squadron.
Escorting two seaters obviously involves a mix of types, but in the main I prefer Flights against Jastas if I can manage it.
Rob.
Yes I agree. For Allied Flights either Camels or SE5a's. Early war more a mix of DH-2's, FE2b's & Gunbus's which would be historically accurate. Mix in a 2 seater of the correct timeline for those types of scenarios.
With the Germans a mix of Aircraft as was the norm.
I tend to use the same relevent aircraft for both sides but occasionally like a mix match for something different.
During my lasts games, my flight buddies and me use squadron of same planes (generally Fokkers or Albatross vs Sopwith or Spad XIII). One of the player of each side can use a bigger plane (pilot and shooter), to give some "boost".
But we like to play as a group of pilot, with a plane for each player, making some missions (eg. shoot down a bomber, etc.).
We're still new players, and we take lot of pleasure. Lots of mistakes, as newbies ^^, but now, I can say that we're not Green anymore ^^
The only time we get more then one plane per side is during our local campaigns and at Cons. During the campaign, players can chose any plane form their side as lon as it was in used during the campaign year. This normally leads to two different Entente types starting in mid war, but the Germans tend to all fly the same plane type. Occasionally we might an odd type mixed in with the rest of a Jasta.
At the Cons, it is all done by scenario, but I try to do like planes when I can.
For serious games and our campaign we try to stay as historical as we can but every now and then we have a blind game when a player draws a random plane (or planes) and just go for it just for fun of course.
Any game where planes see battle is good enough for me! My son imposes a flight restriction for the Germans, we always fly as MvR and Kempf, the the other side I usually try to sneak one different plane in just for variety.
Not done enough flying yet, but I would like to do it as historical as possible.
It's all about forming up whatever I think is going to make the most chaos. I like to just throw a bunch of stuff on the table and see how it shakes out. Bombers have been REALLY a lot of fun to play around with in that regard. Wait till I ambush in some TIE Fighters...lol
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