The laser, which is a dot, goes through a bezel that draws straight line on the table. About 4 to 12 inches depending on how far away you hold the laser. If the bezel/lens is not right the line it draws is curved. The one I got from Harbor Freight is fine and we use it often in any game which we need line-of-sight measurements. But others prefer the Black and Decker one that attaches to skill saws, without the saw of course.
[Edit: or of course a strong gravity well]
I ordered a limited number of the BSG Starter Sets to see how much interest their is among us Wings players. They are up on the AA site now for anyone wanting one.
I must say that the quality of the paint jobs on the production minis is way better than the photos they have up on the Ares site (I had to use the same photos). They are really nice. I'm also pretty sure I'll be making some replacement combat rulers. They are made out of the typical thick card stock that warps and wares out pretty quick. I might be inclined to make some replacement token sets as well.
Went out to do the weekly chore of putting out the garbage today, and tripped over a package. It must have been there yesterday, but being that we drive into/out-of the garage, we didn't see it.
Celophane and sunlight don't add up to a good picture, sorry.
And Ares included the Starbuck Ace card, too!
After muddling through the Quick Start Rules, this was the end turn:
The Toaster gets turned into scrap! There were lots of misses, but a few too many solid hits on the Cylon. Plan, Move, Shoot works just like WGS, but you have to roll to see if you hit. Damage is a draw from the chit bin, but if you draw a "+" chit, you have to draw another (only once per hit, so you don't keep drawing on "+"s). My buddy drew several plusses, I didn't draw any. A Cylon Raider has 15 Structure, so with the damage drawn for this hit, the Cylon was out of the fight.
We didn't use the Kinetic Energy rules in the Quick Start version, but we attempted to track it. Also, you have to watch the "G" ratings on your maneuvers. I messed that up twice, but caught it on the second time, as we re-read the rules.
My gaming partner wants to play again, and use all the rules, now that we are 'warmed up'. Well, I am. He's in the cold embrace of hard vacuum after this encounter.
Note: A very BIG Thank You to Ares Games for sending me a complementary game. I am now scheduling demo games in Courtenay and Nanaimo to introduce it to Vancouver Island.
PS: The multi-faceted randomization devices are not included in the set. It did come with black-spotted white things, but they weren't cool enough for a first battle. The above items are Chessex "Fire" (Link:Chessex.com - Fire) and "Stealth" (Link: Chessex.com - Stealth) speckled versions.
PPS: The Cylon Raider is not sporting a one-tone paint job, as indicated on the Ares site. Look at this:
So, not a three-color lozenge pattern (Link: Battlestar Galactica - Post #36), but not a bland color scheme, either.
Last edited by OldGuy59; 12-06-2018 at 15:23.
Mike
"Flying is learning to throw yourself at the ground and miss" Douglas Adams
"Wings of Glory won't skin your elbows and knees while practicing." OldGuy59
The models look fantastic. Do they use the same detail process as the last wave of BoB WFS?
Nice looking models... thanks for sharing!
Way to go Mike
A nice little present from Pere Noel.
Do I sense a grudging acceptance of di in this game
I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings
Coming down is the hardest thing
I'm not sure to what you are referring? The Squadron Packs of WGS planes are crap. Decals are applied to the planes, and they are too small, up to 20% too small for the Crappicanes, to cover the whole upper surface of the planes. Ares did some creative selection of the color scheme for the Bf.109 to allow them to get away with the poor decalling, and still have it look reasonable.
These models (Battlestar Galactica - Starship Battles) are very much like X-Wing, in that they appear to be 100% painted. If you've seen X-Wing minis, these are as good, or better.
Paul, I didn't buy this game, and I had to choke down the fact that it isn't Wings of Glory, but a different game. I use multi-facetted randomization devices in lots of games, I just don't want them in Wings of Glory. It is a grudging compromise.
I can see this game using a chart/table for damage, but Andrea went with the damage chit system again. Same issues with diminishing chances of special damage as the game goes on. If you are flying two ships each, there could be a chance that you'd never get two pilot wounds on one ship, depending on if there have been wounds drawn by other ships already. Things like that can happen in WoG with multiple planes (especially with single sets of chits), I can see it in this game, too.
More playing to check out the rules. Oh! And no collisions. If two ships might overlap, then the faster ship is placed beyond the slower. This caused a few lost shot opportunities in the close dogfighting we did today. That toaster would have been on the scrap heap a lot sooner.
Last edited by OldGuy59; 12-07-2018 at 07:58.
Mike
"Flying is learning to throw yourself at the ground and miss" Douglas Adams
"Wings of Glory won't skin your elbows and knees while practicing." OldGuy59
Like most games a personal tweek can improve the dynamics. Waiting for the European release so I can relive the Prague experience brief as it was
I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings
Coming down is the hardest thing
They look neat Mike. Dread to think how big the BSG and Cylon Command ships will be to scale! Will they be be bringing out the other small troop carrier ship from BSG in the future, that long since I watched it can't remember what its called.
Can see this game being hit and run and minor skirmish or protecting a smaller transport/supply ship type battle.
Now where did I put my polystyrene asteroid field!
See you on the Dark Side......
The back of the rule book does reference additional ships and accessories that will be coming out that you can buy to expand your games.
"The Battlestar Galactica - Starship Battles game is growing month after month, with new exciting releases"
Based on Wings and Sails release schedules, I find that quote a little amusing.
A "Galactica" type Battlestar works out at around 9 metres long (30 feet!) (apparently!).
A Cylon Base Star would be bigger
The Colonial Viper Mk.VII and Raptor are being added, as is the Cylon Heavy Raider.
1st Cylon War Viper and 3-crewed Raider should be coming as well.
I laugh in the face of danger - then I hide until it goes away!
Ares said that the Battlestar Galactica itself and Cylon Base Star models would be in a different scale.
Latest session with the new toys: Battlestar Galactica - Learn-to-Play Session at the FLGS
Mike
"Flying is learning to throw yourself at the ground and miss" Douglas Adams
"Wings of Glory won't skin your elbows and knees while practicing." OldGuy59
I just ordered mine from the Aerodrome store. Pity about the exchange rate but it looks like a well crafted game. I am watching the TV series for the first time for scenarios too. The four series set that starts with the episode called 33.
Over the weekend I worked up the AA replacement rulers for this game. They are made from the same acrylic that my cockpits are and they are double sided as well. Let me know what you guys think:
Those look pretty cool, Keith! I will have to look at the game when it comes out to see how things work - I imagine that these are far superior to what comes in the box (just like your AA bits and bobs are for WWI and WWII)
All the best,
Matt
Cool Keith
I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings
Coming down is the hardest thing
Very nice, Keith. The red & white one really pops.
Thanks Chris. I was trying to use colors that were faction appropriate. The matte gray and dark blue was the closest I could come up with for the Cylons and I really wanted to do red on white for the Colonials, but white on red was all that I could get.
Lol, I'd be happy to take your money here Zoe. I do also plan on making upgraded templates for 3&3 as soon as I get my hands on a set to work from.
Mike
"Flying is learning to throw yourself at the ground and miss" Douglas Adams
"Wings of Glory won't skin your elbows and knees while practicing." OldGuy59
Trying real hard to not jump at this. Remember the original series as a kid and the wife and I watched the Whole reboot (still have it on CD on the movie shelf). Even got the Caprica move to watch. Prefer the 3 crew Cylon Raiders from the first run show though.
What a bunch of knockers! They are probably being gift wrapped even as we whinge.
Think some stable range rulers are a good idea, Herr Oberst!
Voilเ le soleil d'Austerlitz!
Another scrounge through a fabric store for a suitable game surface turned up this:
Much better than stained oak. Not a star field, but I think atmospheric and less distracting. Also, I got enough to cover a banquet table for much less than a mouse-pad mat.
This is my Raider taking two double-damage hits to completely scrap my toaster.
The Raider is the template marker, again because the prongs on the front of the Raider get in the way of the on-coming Vipers. 5 + 1 from the top Viper, 6 + 5 from the lower Viper, with 9 points of accumulated damage from previous hits. The "draw a second chit" if you get a "+" on the first is a killer! Digging around in the chit bin for the biggest chits didn't help, either.
Latest version of cheat sheets posted here: Battlestar Galactica - Learn to Play Session - Post #21
Last edited by OldGuy59; 12-14-2018 at 12:42.
Mike
"Flying is learning to throw yourself at the ground and miss" Douglas Adams
"Wings of Glory won't skin your elbows and knees while practicing." OldGuy59
Can't wait for mine to arrive.....
Nice fabric find Mike. I just bought a couple of metres of black felt for my games.
I hope the game is not too complicated for my old brain.
I like that fabric more than any of the "nebula" style of mats I've seen. And at a much more reasonable price. That's a win twice over in my book.
Thanks for continuing to bring us the BSG action.
I received a telephone call from my local games shop yesterday to say that they may be receiving the Battlestar Galactica Starter Sets next week.
I got mine waiting for me to pickup Monday. Be interesting to see it in the .....cardboard?
Karl
It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus
Mine's on pre-order, and should be in store on Tuesday - I hope to get it by next weekend.
I laugh in the face of danger - then I hide until it goes away!
I am now the proud owner of a Battlestar Galactica Starter Set. I collected it from my local games shop today.
Stopped in our local game store and saw 5 copies sitting on the display table...they had eight as an initial order. They are planning on stocking whatever is put out for BSG. I flipped the box over to read the back and check the price...as BSG is not high up on my list of 'to-gets', I think I will wait for a while...
It does look cool, though, and several folks in the Buckeye Gamers in Flight played it Sunday in Columbus and loved it. I'm glad our store has it in stock!
All the best,
Matt
Picked up mine today. Might run a game at the next NOWScon in January. Or an air race......with guns!
Karl
It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus
My copy is winging , or warping its way from the UK as of today
I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings
Coming down is the hardest thing
Got an email that it was back in stock at CSI. When I logged on they were already sold out again. Maybe it wasn't meant to be?
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