From: "D. Holte" Subject: Re: Down In Flames At 03:51 PM 1/10/97 PST, you wrote: >Danny. >Is there a write up on it on Grognard's or do you have some info you would >like to share. I am very interested in this as it sounds like a lunch break >game at work. What kind of fight could I accomplish in 30 minutes? How >many planes are covered? >Did I hear that it has a campaign game? Scott, Here's a write-up I did on Delphi a while back for some of the guys over there: Well, I'll be as brief as possible... To start, I give this game my _highest_ recommendation. It's just simply a BLAST to play; and play again, and again, and... I believe they're working on a Pacific expansion right now, and I'll be near the front of that very long line to buy it. 'RISE OF THE LUFTWAFFE' is by GMT Games. It's the first in the 'Down In Flames' series and covers the airwar from 1939-1942. Included are 132 full color playing cards (art by Roger MacGowan) and 48 counters. There are also 5 campaign displays and a 32-page rulebook. You -don't- need to read 32-pages of rules, however; about 12-pages of large print text w/plenty of charts and diagragms is about all to get into the air. The rest of the rules bring-in campaigns and bombers. The second in the series, 'EIGHTH AIR FORCE', covers the ETO from 1942-45. You must have ROTL to play EAF. With 132 new cards, and 96 counters, it expands the aircraft available to include most of the late war fighters, including the Me262 and several of the night fighters (+lots more). They also re-wrote the rules into two separate booklets, the Basic Rulebook, covering dogfights, and the Campaign Book, which adds bombers. Some rules were expanded and clarified from ROTL. Note that ROTL is -not- broken, and it's an immensely enjoyable game on it's own. '8AF' just gives some welcome 'octane-booster'. 'EIGHTH' also includes 6 new campaigns. Play: The game is for 2 or more players. Two is great, but the more the merrier (and 'hairy-er', for that matter...) There are two types of cards in the game; Aircraft and Action Cards. When you set up a game, usually you will control one or more elements. An element consists of a Leader plane and a wingman. The wingman is somewhat limited in what it can do, but don't leave home without one... The action cards consist of Attack and Response cards. Many are manuever cards, like Scissors, Barrel-Roll, Tight Turn, or simply 'Maneuver', etc.. Attack cards will have a 'burst' number and a 'damage' number. There is one attack card in the game that states simply, "Fuel tank hit, Aircraft Destroyed". The artwork will tell you what to do when this one is played on you.. =8-O Cards have two boxes, 'Attack', which will explain what the card can do for you in the attack mode, and 'Response', which lists which cards this card can counter. It's a very intuitive game. Attack cards will have a 'Burst' rating (how many burst required to fire), and 'Damage', which is the damage inflicted on the enemy card if he cannot counter the action. Without getting into bombing and campaigns (or TOO much detail), a fighter leader card has values for: Performance, #Bursts, Horsepower, and Damage. The performance value is going to dictate how many action cards you start the game with, and can hold as a maximum. #Bursts represents firepower. Horsepower represents how many cards you can draw at the end of your play to refill your hand. Altitude can affect Performance and Horsepower. On the reverse, or damaged side of the card, are reduced values which are used once the front-side damage allowance is met or surpassed. As an example: Bf109e Performance: 6 Bursts: 1 Horsepower: 2 Damage: 3 Hawker Hurricane Performance: 5 Bursts: 1 Horsepower: 2 Damage: 3 The number of bursts will dictate an aircraft's capacity for doing damage. From a neutral position, the Bf109e can deliver 1 burst. If 'advantaged', you add one, and if he's 'tailing' an enemy aircraft, add 3. You can play as many cards in a turn as you are able, but remember, you can only -draw- equal to your performance at the end of your turn. This elegantly simulates the loss of energy ('E') that happens when manuevering violently in combat. Here's a _basic_ outline of play: Say the German is going first. He'll have a hand of 6 action cards (barring altitude mods) His hand might consist of: Maneuvering (x2) Tight Turn In My Sights (1 burst, 1 damage) In My Sights (1 burst, 2 damage) In My Sights (2 burst, 3 damage) The Hurricane: In My Sights (1 burst, 2 damage) (x2) Tight Turn Barrel Roll Maneuvering The German plays the Maneuvering, which will give him an 'Advantaged' aspect on the Hurricane unless the British can counter. The Brit plays 'Tight Turn', which can counter. The German plays his own Tight Turn. The Brit cannot counter this one, so the original card takes effect; the Brit is 'Disadvantaged'. Now, the German plays his 1 damage In My Sights (IMS) card. The British player declines to counter, and takes one damage. The German player now plays another 'Maneuver' card, for which the British player cannot respond. The German is now 'Tailing' (directly behind) the Hurricane. He has used one burst, but in his Tailing position gets three more. He decides to play his IMS 2 burst, 3 damage card. The British player, expecting such a move, NOW plays his Barrel Roll card. Since the German player, down to one card, cannot counter, his attack fails. If the British player had used the Barrel Roll to counter the earlier 1 damage card, he would have now taken 3 damage (which would equal his damage rating, so he would have had to flip his aircraft card to the damaged side.) Smart use of the cards and keeping a poker face is always a bonus! The German could play his remaining IMS card, but declines. He draws cards equal to his Horsepower (2-cards) and gets a Vertical Roll and an Ace Pilot card. His turn is over and it now goes to the British player, who is being tailed by the Bf109e and has one damage. I've left wingmen out of the explanation for brevity. This is a basic example. Some dog fights can go a number of turns before any damage is incurred. Sometimes, the wrong 'Out Of The Sun' card will have you pushing up daisies before the oil warms in the engine! Especially fun and wild are four player, 4-element dogfights. With four aircraft on a side, you really have to watch your back! This is an _outstanding_ game, and can be taught to a newcomer literally in minutes. It is not a simulation, but it IS a very ingenious and fun game that will give you the hell-bent-for-leather feel of air combat without burying you with paperwork. It's one of my favorites, and my gaming group plays it often. -Danny