Good review as always one faux pas it is Radar range , don't think any missiles use radio signals. As others have noted it can seem scripted to a large extent and a bit dry however the player has control of how he plays his hand. This era's pilots are probably the most highly trained of all military personnel and likely have access to the same tactical doctrines. The aircraft differences and number will set the tone(sic) but then the pilot has choices and luck/skill will play a part within the scenarios they face as a simulation that seems about right. You exploit advantages and weaknesses and be ready to capitalise on good luck or mitigate bad luck and the luck margins are tight. It is a puzzle with many variables and mastering it probably reflects life for a fighter pilot with one exception time is not adequately simulated. I would recommend players have a time limit Pre-Turn & Post-Turn Discard/Draw Cards say 10-20 seconds and a few seconds to play each card in the main Play Cards (Action-Reaction Cycles). IMO This lifts the game and is a better simulation, it also rewards a pre game study of combatants involved and is a great learning opportunity for air combat and approaching gaming in general. The playout of the scenarios are then more exciting and fun , producing a narrative along the way as opposed to following the script and overthinking the puzzle solving aspects.
Thanks Mike! Yeah so interestingly, I just got ahold of “Rise of the Luftwaffe” Designed by DV (when he worked for GMT Games). There have been a few games he designed in the Down in Flames (DIF) series, again for GMT. So “locked on” it seems is the Solo attempt(s) now that DV has his own company (DVG). Also, GMT has a big boxed Game called Wild Blue Yonder, which is a remake of all those early GMT DIF games…. That Dan V helped design?! Wait What?!! Confused? I have no idea how all the legal stuff is workin there…. But both companies are making DIF games. But GMT’s stuff is not really made for solitaire play. It’s a hoot to play, though with others!
One of my favourite games. Sure it's simple and random but I can feel the theme. It's the only dogfight card based game I know and I love it. Want to try some of the leader games but you command several planes/pilots not only one. I'll keep an eye on the new Stuka Leader game when it comes to retail.
Thank you for the playthrough. The game itself seems like you are following a script of sorts, with not many opportunities to make a choice to change the outcome. You just start a process and let it play out. It all comes down to dice and the cards you have or do not have. Unless I am missing something about this...
I used to love that game! But there was never a solo mode right? Unless a fan made one? But I did borrow my friend’s copy of Talon 1000 (solo play for GMT’s Talon), so might film that one of these weeks.
As I watched the video, the game look more complicated to understand then a game of chess and/or Risk, due to the different modifiers, rules, etc. you have to keep track of. Even the rulebook you showed at 2:52 might have hinted how complicated it can be too, since there were a lot of modifiers in just those 2 pages. Are most war/military type games this complicated most of the time, since this game looked like it could be easier to understand as a hex-type grid miniatures game than through as a card game?
War games can certainly be RIFE with die roll tables and modifiers, but it entirely depends on the game. For example, check out my videos on the valiant defender series (lanzerath ridge most recently). Also war games, but no complex tables, very few die roll modifiers, etc. Generally speaking the most complex solo wargames are the competitive ones that add solo. Things like Wars of Marcus Aurelius and Castle Itter and others that are MADE for solo play tend to be much smoother experiences
I found this this game nearly unplayable for solo. I mean... it's playable but imo it's no fun if you are not sure how it all works every time you play and constantly run into questions due to a crap rulebook. Chances are you will be playing it incorrectly and constantly looking up rule questions. To get to a point were anyone can zip through a match like this... geezzz it would take me dozens and dozens of tries. I wanted to like this game but no. For what it is, it's too much work/effort to learn and to play solo. Pvp... never bothered. Still to many rule questions. I really wish this game could be overhauled to clarify movement, range, targeting, everything the solo rules are unclear about. A grid playmat with mini's would help with the visualization of the planes in 3d space. Will it ever happen? Probably not. These DVG games are for those you get off on complexity and games that jam as much crap onto as little space as possible. I find zero joy in that, especially when the rules are crap. I wish there was something else out there that offered a solo combat game, that is simpler to understand and doesnt require constant rule-checking due to... yes.. I'll say it again... a crap rulebook :)
