The first gameplay we did with the new demo set was set in the Pacific theater, during 1942. As there are only 3 planes for the Empire of Japan, we decided to stick with the models provided in the sample expansion (so, 3 wildcats as the opposition). No specific scenario, just a simple dogfight.
As the demo set doesn't have entry panels with lines connecting the approach and continuing on to the map boards, we started in opposite corners, on the first dots available.
The first couple of turns are rather uneventful. Zoey's Zero's breaking formation, while my Wildcats stayed in formation, on a higher altitude level than the enemy.
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| The Wildcats prepare to dive onto the enemy |
One of the Zero's gets taken out with the opening salvo. At this point we are still getting used to the higher speeds of the planes, and the different turning radius because of this.
After my short success at first, Zoey manages to cripple the wings on one of the Wildcats, and kills another with her trademark dice rolls. Now i'm down one bird as well with another with holes in the wings, while she has 2 operational Zero's on the hunt.
After a short brawl, its all over. That's how deadly combat in this game is. I tried to shield the wounded cat by getting some distance, with the other one going for the remaining Zero's, but only manage to kill one of the Zero's before getting killed itself.
End result was one remaining but damaged Wildcat limping for home, and one unscratched Zero proudly saluting his wounded adversary before heading for home itself.
The planes we used in the scenario were fairly balanced between them. Same speed, with the Zero being more agile but with less armor, and a tiny bit stronger firepower factor than the Wildcat.
It's still the same game as the WWI variant, with a few changes, and a few bits added in.
As for the changes, the shooting is the greatest change. First roll 1d6 to hit, than if hit, roll 2d6 + firepower factor - target armor and check for effect. The to hit tables feel too powerful, the A column (shot straight from behind) being a 2+ makes it all but impossible to miss. Given that there will be rookies and aces with their own modifier to hit, and a new "stance" being aggressive and cautious (we still don't know what those will do), we feel this can easily be changed to 3+ to hit. The B column is any angled shot, and it is 4+ to hit, which is a 50% chance to hit, but all our testing and only one time a plane missed (and that was on the A table rolling a 1). This could have been a 5+ to hit, further modified by skills. Alternatively this can be a 2d6 table, similar to what we had in the WWI game.
There are no long bursts now, and no weapon jamming. I doubt this will change in the final rules
If hit, the attacker then rolls for effect. This table is okay, but the destroyed result could be a bit harder.As it stands, a roll up to 6 has no effect, 7-10 is damaged, and 11+ is destroyed. We find that it's far too easy to get the destroyed result. The damaged result could expand 7-12 for example, it self being a way to destroy already damaged planes, while avoiding the one-shot kills with some 80% of the rolls. This game didn't show this very much, but the next one, with a bombing raid saw some 5 fighters (2 of them being jets) being one-shoted off the board by bombers defensive fire. It could be that the defensive fire had too strong of a factor.
The first impressions are very much positive, just the shooting table needing a tune-up. We didn't use the fuel counters for this game. It was over so quickly that we barely made a few photos.
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