Canvas Eagles, Blue Max, Aerodrome...

[jlhaack]

I love Dawn Patrol, it is my favorite wargame.

My other hobby is modeling. The Canvas Eagles rules (an expanded version of the Blue Max miniature rules as far as I can see) and other rules Aerodrome 1.1, Red Baron etc... are WONDERFUL ways to combine the love of W.W. I wargaming and building models. Most use the 1/72 scale on various types of stands.
You could convert DP to miniatures, 1/144 scale would be the best unless you have a big room, hall or gym...or you can just use the Canvas Eagles as is, using the 9 segment antenna system for mounting the A/C. A 4'x8' table works well with 6" hexes or so... RED EAGLE makes a line of 1/144 scale W.W. I aircraft.
Bottom line, it s FUN! You can get your kids involved in building their own aircraft, researching the historical color schemes and creating their own for their favorite JG or Squadron! Thus, preserving the history of the worlds first air war and those brave souls who fought it.

Respectfully, LTC Haack (Joe)

[Stephen]

A few years ago Scott Campbell began working up a miniatures set for DP. We only played with it once, but it was a lot of fun. ISD featured a full write-up of the game and you might be interested to read it:

www.sopwithmotorsports.com/indysquadron/id47.html

Scroll halfway down the left side of the page for an article titled To Use Miniatures, Or Not To Use Miniatures, That Is the Question.

I'm not much of a modeler and what little I do is sub-par, but I'd love to play another WWI aviation miniatures game if the opportunity ever presented itself.

[bergovoy]

Also many years ago, Kerry Nash had written a series for the Aerodrome discussing how to put minatures in special palstic gel cubes and use them as counters, I am sure Alien could fill us in more on this.

And remember that the first playing of FITS was on tile squares with 1/72 scale models.

Thanks

George

[jlhaack]

Not a very encouraging first use of miniatures I must say... There have been many improvements in the various mounting systems, Red Baron (from the former Emperors Press in Chicago) used a tiny brass rod mounted inside the Fuselage that was flush with the rear of the model, below the rudder. Other systems used are good also, Alligator clips etc...
Like I said. I love DP, I used the Blue Max counters (reduced to 80%, mounted on picture framing matt board (1" squares) with ID Numbers and sealed with a clear coat) Nice counters are great, but the models are beautiful!
LTC Haack (Joe)

[noski]

Jim Pink set up a miniature DP game at Kankakee a few years ago using 1/72 models on the car antenae/clip things. It was fun and easy to play. DP on sticks. I lost a 6 kill German observer in a Halb CLII when we lost a wing. Shot down by Pink himself.

Dan

[albpilot]

So, there has be no activity on this board lately and I thought I'd toss this thought out.

I have seen the future of WW1 aviation gaming. And unfortunately, I don't think it's Dawn Patrol.

Here's the rational for the above statement.

I went over to the Origins con last weekend in June with Barton. I didn't schedule myself for much because I wanted to try as many new games as I could find and not run all over creation trying to make a start time.

While walking around the miniatures area, I found a group of 3 tables that had a bunch of people in Red Baron hats moving models of WW1 planes around on a board. Each table had like 10-12 players and there was a waiting line of 6-8 folks. And this was ALL DAY LONG. When is the last time you have seen this kind of interest or support for Dawn Patrol?
The players were all having fun, there was no talk of whether or not a rule interpretation was better one way than another, there seemed to be no personality conflicts inhibiting play. The folks there were just having fun. Granted, DP seems to model the flight characteristics a bit more realistically than this game did, but most players were willing to sacrifice for enjoyability.

The game was Aerodrome. And I highly recommend having a look at it during GenCon for those who are coming. I'd be interested to see if your impression is the same as mine.

[Stephen]

Years ago I would have debated the value of simplicity in gaming; today I would not. On that we agree entirely.

Regarding personality conflicts, I believe that they are created by people, not games. The same people who have constant personality conflicts in DP will have them in other games as well. I've seen it time and again. Conflicts are personality driven, not driven by external stimuli.

Regarding the number of people playing... we cannot make any comparisons until DP is an active game on the market again. If Aerodrome is a currently published and marketed game, it is only reasonable to believe that it will have far greater interest than a game which has not been on the market for twenty years.

I'll take a look at the game at Gen Con and see what its about. I've not heard of it yet. Seems to me that the future of WWI aviation gaming is not Aerodrome or DP or Knights of the Sky... its whatever game is being marketed aggressively.

[gblemings]

anyone every played a game called 'wings over france'?

i just looked it up, and it seems to be a campaign, based on Bloody April....seems interesting, as a backdrop to DP...

thanks
garyb