So here’s where I go way out of my wargaming comfort zone:
Should be delivered today, along with more counter storage trays.
Hey, if I like this one enough, I may get the Rommel, Napoleon, and Nimitz games as well.
B-17 FFL
Shipped!
In Stock!
Looks like the online stores are getting in their B-17 Flying Fortress Leader games, which means my order should be shipping soon.
There’s an option to fly your own personal bomber within the missions, where you command the entire squadron. This makes the game a bit like the old B-17: Queen of the Skies game.
So now I need to come up with a name for my bomber.
Suggestions are welcome.
Notes to Narrative
8th Air Force
My interest in the B-17 Flying Fortress was reawakened when I recently started playing B-17: Queen of the Skies, though I’ve just made a quick check of games that I’ve ordered, and I have THREE other B-17/8th Air Force games coming in sometime in the near future.
- B-17 Flying Fortress Leader by DVG has been released, and should be in my possession in the coming weeks. It was pre-ordered a couple of months ago.
- Target For Today by Legion Wargames has been produced, and should be shipping fairly soon (June). Heck, I think I pre-ordered this one over a year or two ago.
- A Wing and A Prayer by Lock ‘n Load Publishing should be published/produced soon. It was pre-ordered a few weeks ago.
Even though Memphis Belle is the movie that really made this bomber popular, I remember reading about the 8th Air Force long before that, even before I played my first game of B-17: QotS.
And then there was one of Harrison Ford’s lesser known films, Hanover Street.
Harrison Ford stars as an American WWII pilot stationed in England who falls in love with a married British nurse (Lesley-Anne Down). When his plane is shot down behind enemy lines, he discovers that the secret agent he must protect is her husband.
I think I saw this on on cable, once, in 1979-80(?), and then it was on again recently at a Chinese restaurant near work, of all places. Ford’s character flew a B-25 Mitchell instead of a B-17 Flying Fortress. The newer games appear to have the B-26 Marauder available, which is historically more accurate from what I’ve read.
Anyways, I’m looking forward to these games, as each has a different take on game play. Queen of the Skies put you in command of a single bomber, while a couple of the new ones have you commanding the entire squadron on the bombing run.
And I recently bought a new book on the subject:
Warfighter WWII
About Warfighter WWII
The rules appear to be identical to Warfighter Modern, with changes appropriate to the time period. For example, there’s lots of different pistol/rifle ammo sizes in the modern version, but only one basic ‘bullet’ type in the WWII edition, called ‘Ammo ‘.
I looked at the available expansions, which I’m holding off purchasing because I’m told that there’s plenty of replay in the core box. If I were to get any of the expansions, I’d probably get the extra US, and UK card decks. Maybe the Germans, but I’d have to see if I don’t mind playing them. I really have no interest in the Russian and Polish expansions.
I’m not sure what the next couple of waves of expansions will be, but I’m hoping for Pacific Theatre card decks for the WWII game. As for the Modern setting, I really don’t know.
I hope to get a game play in sometime this weekend. Luckily the WWII Call of Duty figures were delivered to the office today.
And I may or may not start taking turn-by-turn notes in order to create a mission narrative for an after action report.
Games Incoming
Warfighter: Mission 1
Location: South American Jungle
Mission: Covert
Objective: Eliminate Drug Cartel Boss
Squad: Staff Sgt. Giacomelli, SPC Corona
Result: failure
Deployed via helicopter, the pair made their way to the Wetlands, where they were immediately set upon by an ambush. Corona managed to eliminate the the trio of ambushers, but Giacomelli had trouble dispatching a drug runner. Thugs, lookouts, and more drug runners kept springing up, making progress to the objective a crawl. By the time all of the hostiles were dealt with, Giacomelli made it to the high ground, but time had run out and their quarry had escaped.
I made a few mistakes during play, like forgetting to check of hostile reinforcements, but I think I got the gist of the game play down.
I’ll be attempting this mission again, with a larger force. Perhaps I’ll send in the British SAS instead of US Special Forces.