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Author Topic: Review: Blood Red Skies  (Read 1008 times)

Offline Easy E

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Review: Blood Red Skies
« on: June 29, 2020, 01:56:24 PM »


I downloaded the rulebook for Blood Red Skies for free from the Warlord site.  I had been pointed to these rules as I was working on the rules for Glittering Void at the time.  One of my readers thought that my struggles with altitude bands in a space mecha game could benefit from reading these rules and seeing what I learned about air combat rules and how they applied to Space Mecha.  Perhaps they were trolling me because they thought my rules sucked!  Who knows?  I guess I got the last laugh because I downloaded them and have read them.  He who laughs last laughs best!

When I was a wee lad, I used to love to watch a TV show on the Public Broadcasting Station (PBS) called Piece of Cake.  It was a show imported from the BBC to the states and consequently had strange viewing slots, so I often would only catch bits and pieces of it.  The movie was about a British Spitfire Squadron during the Battle of Britain.  I wish I could still find it on YouTube or somewhere as I would gladly watch it again.  I have never been able to see it again so if you know of it, have a link, etc. please leave me a comment!

Piece of Cake kindled an interest in World War II, and the air war in particular.  The jargon, the tactics, the personalities, and of course the amazing planes.  Granted, it is not a topic that I have exhaustive knowledge on, but it is an area of interest to me.

Anyway, this game was written by the (in)famous Andy Chambers.  You may remember him for writing the rules for the Starship Troopers game.... and maybe some other smaller game systems here and there.  He was/is a pretty well known name in the wargame industry and fits pretty well with the stable of ex-Games Workshop writers that freelance with Warlord from time-to-time.

I am a huge fan of Warwick Kinrade's Aeronautica Imperialis rules that were put out by Forgeworld.  He was a near contemporary with Andy at GW.  It is also a fighter plane game, but one using 40K universe aircraft.  Everyone knows that 40K aircraft are basically WWII fighters and bombers... IN SPACE!.... so it will be an interesting contrast.  I am also familiar with Check Your 6, X-wing, and Wings of War to contrast the rules with.

I only have the core 16 page rulebook and not all the fighter stats and pilot stats.  However, after reading and absorbing the game, I think I have a pretty good feel for the rules and how it plays.

Let's clear the runway and get up and at 'em then!  Piece of Cake!


https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2020/06/review-blood-red-skies-warlord-games.html
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Offline Rick F

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Re: Review: Blood Red Skies
« Reply #1 on: June 29, 2020, 04:13:53 PM »
I remember Piece of Cake, about 91ish, I thought it was really good. A bit like this game, I was the only one in our group who did like it though, so it's been sat in the box since its first outing :(

Offline Plynkes

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Re: Review: Blood Red Skies
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2020, 05:39:15 PM »
I must have been in my late teens when Piece of Cake was shown, but honestly I have no memory of it even being on, let alone having watched it. Doesn't seem to have entered the national consciousness like a lot of other WW2 dramas and comedies. I thought for a minute it was the thing with Nigel Havers that had The Bells of Hell Go Ting-a-ling-a-ling as its theme tune, which I do remember. But it turns out that was "A Perfect Hero", a different 6-part drama about the RAF in WW2 that was made around that same time.

Wikipedia says Piece of Cake was made by LWT, which is a commercial channel, so not actually made by the state-owned BBC. Our American friends always seem to think all British TV is made by the BBC. If I had a pound for every time I've seen Downton Abbey called a BBC show I'd have... well enough for a pint, probably.  :)


Thanks for the review. If nothing else it has reminded me how much I love the idea of aerial combat games, even though I haven't experienced all that many of them (my chum is always making me try out all the space ones that come along though). Last one I played was that one with the range pre-painted Great War bi-planes and the directional order cards. I forget what it was called, but I'm fairly sure they made a WW2 version of it as well.




Edited for improper use of an apostrophe (how shockingly slack of me. You can't moan at other peoples' bad grammar if your own postings are going to be riddled with mistakes).
« Last Edit: June 29, 2020, 07:17:00 PM by Plynkes »
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Offline Will Bailie

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Re: Review: Blood Red Skies
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2020, 07:14:16 PM »


 Last one I played was that one with the range pre-painted Great War bi-planes and the directional order cards. I forget what it was called, but I'm fairly sure they made a WW2 version of it as well.


I think the game you're referring to is 'Wings of Glory", aka "Wings of War".  I enjoyed that game, too, still have the pre-painted WWI models around here somewhere.   And while I'm temped to jump into a (miniature) Hurricane or Spitfire to defy the beastly (miniature) Hun, I'll need to resist and keep my butterfly gaze limited to the half-dozen active projects that I already have on the go!

Offline Easy E

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Re: Review: Blood Red Skies
« Reply #4 on: June 29, 2020, 08:54:45 PM »
Thanks guys!  I might have to look-up a Perfect Hero as well.

Offline Harry Faversham

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« Last Edit: June 30, 2020, 09:21:40 AM by Harry Faversham »
"Wot did you do in the war Grandad?"

"I was with Harry... At The Bridge!"

Offline gweirda

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Re: Review: Blood Red Skies
« Reply #6 on: June 30, 2020, 10:30:01 AM »
"I remember Piece of Cake...I thought it was really good"

The book is excellent, as well:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1321736.Piece_of_Cake
(The same author did a handful of WW1-era novels, as well, if you prefer biplanes.)


 

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