New card game about WWI dogfights

Angiolillo · 29 January 2003, 05:55 AM

Hello everybody!
If you pass by Nurnberg Toy Fair in those days, Nexus Editrice from Italy is showing around a preview of its new card game "World War Wings". The mechanics are quite original and simple, while the artwork is quite well accurate from a historical point of view.
The game comes out with English, Italian, German and French rules in the same box. The first box features Camel, Dr.1, Sopwith Triplane, D.Va and SPAD XIII. The second one has Nieuport 11, Halberstadt D 3, De Havilland DH4, Albatross C.5, Hanriot Hd 1. Other will follow.
Available this spring... I hope. If you ever have a chance to try it, any comment is welcome!

VictorVonDoom · 29 January 2003, 06:23 AM

Are those cards already availables at the italian shops?
If yes maybe i'll do a look...

Ocio ma anche orecio.

Lufbery · 29 January 2003, 07:46 AM

Cool. It'll be neat to see how it turns out and if it will be released in the U.S.

Would either of you be willing to write a review for this board if you get the game?

That reminds me of an older game that I've heard of but never played: Ace of Aces by Nova Games.

Here's a review I found on the web:

[hr]
Title : Ace of Aces
Publisher : Nova Games
In print? : No
# players : 2
Plays best with: 2
Ease of learn? : 5-10min (basic game), 15+ (intermediate/advanced)
Avg. play time : <15 min (basic game), 31-60 min (advanced game)
Immed. replay : 2-3 times
Long-term replay: Occasional
Format : Other (uses 1 book of airplane views/player)
Genre : Wargame (barely)
Feel : Mixed bag

Description : Each player is pilot of a WWI fighter plane. Each playing book has 223 illustrations depicting the view out of your cockpit relative to your opponent. Players secretly select one of the 25 possible airplane maneuvers (16 are available in the basic game). When the two moves are combined and resolved, each player will see a view that correctly reflects the change in each plane's relative position. The object is to shoot down the opponent. The basic game emphasizes basic movement only. The advanced game add extra maneuvers, more detailed damage records, ammo limits, altitude, acceleration, pilot skill, etc. Campaign rules also exist.

Comments : There were several different sets of books in the series, including more WWI and WWII books, and Balloon Busters (a solitaire version). Most people will enjoy the game at least the first time, due to its unique presentation. Multiple replays usually limited to wargamers (as the interesting rules are in the advanced game, which most non-wargamers don't want to mess with). The rules state that the game is for 2 players, but it is possible to play with as many players as you have books - normally, everyone ends up splitting up into 1 on 1 dogfights.
[hr]

Here's a web site with some more information.

It sounds interesting.

Regards,

Angiolillo · 29 January 2003, 09:31 AM

>Are those cards already availables at the italian shops?
>If yes maybe i'll do a look...

Not yet! In spring they will be, expecially in the adult game shop. Honni soit qui mal y pense: I mean boardgame, simulation game and role-playing fgame shops. And you will be able to buy them by post from the publisger, nexus@nexusgames.com.

>Ocio ma anche orecio. *;D

e nasca, papille e polpastrelo!

Angiolillo · 29 January 2003, 09:45 AM

>Cool. It'll be neat to see how it turns out and if it will be released in the U.S.

It will be probably available in U.S. hobby shops (simulation and RPG's shops) and from some Internet dealers. By the way, Nexus already distributes in the U.S. the reprints of the Atlantic plastic toy soldiers that were very popular in Italy (and even out of it) in the '70s and '80s.

As far as "released" is concerned, well... who knows. Steve Jackson Games already licensed "X-Bugs" from Nexus Editrice: it's a game in the same format, even if mechanics and subjects are totally different.

>Would either of you be willing to write a review for this board if you get the game?

I may not. I am one of the two authors, together with Pier Giorgio Paglia: it would not be fair to the readers, I think...

>That reminds me of an older game that I've heard of but never played: "Ace of Aces" by Nova Games.

I played it a lot, and it is a great game. To you review I can add that there have been other versions besides the WW1 and WW2 ones: a fantasy one and a Star Wars one on the air, and a sheriff vs. outlaw one and a fantasy characters one on the ground.

The main difference between Ace of Aces and World War Wings (besides being a booklet game and a card game) is that in Ace of Aces you choose your move for the turn and you fire at the end of it, while in WWW you build the turn step by step with basic manoeuvres and you fire at the end of each intermediary step. But please be patient, you'll see the game soon... I hope.

VictorVonDoom · 29 January 2003, 10:21 AM

Angio you're a cool guy !

So you're the author of that cards game!

There is online a site for more info about the game?
It looks very interesting.

If you want to write me by email for discussion about the game (or a test of it

) feel free to write me at andreamanes@libero.it, at least we can talk about it in italian...
Im pretty expert about WW1 planes, air-combat and other WW1 stuffs... 8)

Angiolillo · 29 January 2003, 10:42 AM

No site at the moment, but we are planning to make one. English and Italian versions! *

For more info, I can post the text of the Nexus leaflet distributed at the International Toy Fair. It is advertising, so if you read it you coyuld think that the game is good indeed. But never belive too much to advertising leaflets...

Bye and thanks for your interest!

Andrea

- - -

WORLD WAR WINGS
Fly and fight!

World War Wings is an exciting new game series which merges card and board game mechanics to recreate, in a simple but accurate way, aerial combat in the XX Century. The first series of World War Wings games will focus on the "knights of the air" age, World War I, with an accurate portrayal of the abilities of the fighting planes of this period.
Airplanes are represented by a single card which is used as a playing piece on any open surface; the players choose and play simultaneously movement cards *to decide the actions of the airplane they control. Different planes use different decks of movement cards to represent their different maneuver capabilities, and different deck of "Fire" card are used to take into account their fighting effectiveness and to keep track of damage.
Simple to learn, fun to play, infinitely expandable, World War Wings is a series which will appeal to gamers of all ages.
Each WORLD WAR WINGS set is a complete game for 2 to 4 players which may be combined with additional sets of the same series to play larger games.

Why WORLD WAR WINGS is better?

- Easy to learn rules
- Fast and fun gameplay
- Innovative system of maneuver cards allows gamers to play anywhere without need of a gameboard
- Each set includes multiple aircraft to choose from for your games
- Accurate reproduction of the aircraft details and coloring are based on in-depth research
- Aircraft used by all the countries involved in WW1 are featured in the series to appeal to fans all around the world!

Look for the first two games in the World War Wings series:

WW1 WINGS - FAMOUS FIGHTERS!
Play famous planes and famous aces in fast and furious dogfights!
The "Famous Fighters" set includes 20 planes such as the Spad XIII, Albatross D Va, Sopwith Camel, Fokker Dr1, Sopwith Triplane used by aces like Baracca, Von Richthofen, Rickenbecker, 4 decks of movement cards, 1 deck of combat cards, ruler - everything you need to make up to 4 planes fight against each other!

WW1 WINGS - WATCH YOUR BACK!
Two-seater planes add new challenges to air combat in the second set of the WW1 WINGS series.
The "Watch Your Back!" set includes 20 planes such as the Nieuport 11, Halberstadt D 3, De Havilland DH4, Albatross C.5, Hanriot Hd 1, with special rules to recreate their combat abilities. The set includes 4 decks of movement cards, 1 deck of combat cards, ruler - everything you need to make up to 4 planes fight against each other!

WWW101- FAMOUS FIGHTERS - 2/4 player set (available Spring 2003)
WWW102- WATCH YOUR BACK! - 2/4 player set (available Spring 2003)

WORLD WAR WINGS is a game created by Andrea Angiolino and Piergiorgio Paglia. Artwork by Vincenzo Auletta.
© 2003 Nexus Editrice Srl
WORLD WAR WINGS is distributed and licensed worldwide by:
Nexus Editrice srl - Via Calagrande 9 - 55040 Capezzano P. (LU) - Italy
Web www.nexusgames.com * *E-mail nexus@nexusgames.com

Lufbery · 29 January 2003, 10:43 AM

He he!

So the author of the game plugged his wares.

As difficult as it is to be patient, I'll give it a shot. Meanwhile, thanks for the added information on Ace of Aces.

Regards,

Angiolillo · 29 January 2003, 11:02 AM

>So the author of the game plugged his wares.

Hope it is not unwelcome. Somebody asked. :-[

Anyway, I played more than a single WWI simulation game: just on the spot I can remember Richthofen's War (Avalon Hill), Dawn Patrol (TSR), Wings (Yaquinto - 1st edition), Aces High (WWW- with Blue Max expansion kit), Red Baron (or something like that - from The Wargamer by WWW), Blue Max (GDW). I also have the family games Sopwith (Gamer) and Dogfoght (MB), and I published a "La Squadriglia degli Assi" (a hex-grid boardgame on air warfare 1915-1918) on the Notiziario Giovani of the Italian Air Force Ministery a few years ago. So if it's additional info on old games that you want, please just ask! If you are interested in one of those, maybe I can help you.

Lufbery · 29 January 2003, 11:58 AM

Quote:

>So the author of the game plugged his wares.

Hope it is not unwelcome. Somebody asked. :-[

Yes. As far as I'm concerned this kind of thing is welcome here.

Quote:

Anyway, I played more than a single WWI simulation game: just on the spot I can remember Richthofen's War (Avalon Hill), Dawn Patrol (TSR), Wings (Yaquinto - 1st edition), Aces High (WWW- with Blue Max expansion kit), Red Baron (or something like that - from The Wargamer by WWW), Blue Max (GDW). I also have the family games Sopwith (Gamer) and Dogfoght (MB), and I published a "La Squadriglia degli Assi" (a hex-grid boardgame on air warfare 1915-1918) on the Notiziario Giovani of the Italian Air Force Ministery a few years ago. So if it's additional info on old games that you want, please just ask! If you are interested in one of those, maybe I can help you.

Cool. There's been some great disucssions here about many of those games. I'm a great fan of GDW's Blue Max. I also play the solitare game, Wings Over France. I've actually not played any card games or any board games that feature cards.

Regards,