Crimson Skies: Shootout over Manhattan

[Michi]

I don´t know better where to post it, because it´s alternative interwar. So I post it here:

Last night´s game was the first time we made it through all 24 turns until fuel ran low and we had to quit the fight.
Doc wanted to pilot a Brigand (the plane in the foreground, the other is a Coyote), thus I lent two planes to him. This is his "White Feather" flight from Navajo Nation:



Their opponents were my proud southerners from "Dixie Blue" flight, leader Jason Hambone and his wingman Fred "showstarter" Crawford had both been gathering experience in previous dogfights. I had a Brigand too and a Fury which proved to be very useful by Walter and Doc in previous games.



We started on opposing table ends. Scycrapers made obstacles all around and we got into a wild manoeuvring around the aerodrome in the centre.





Though we finally got into firing positions and gave lead to each other. Brigand pilot Evander Doughnut and Fury pilot Fred Crawford were equally quick on the trigger. We had to roll it out and Doc beat my 9 with an unbelievable 10...  :banghead:



Even worse: Doc´s Coyoty could fire at my Brigand while I faced the wrong direction to fight back...  :rant:








My poor Jason Hambone swallowed lead by pounds...



...and the brave Brigand´s wingspars got surgically severed. The pilot didn´t manage to bail out and I lost another valuable veteran.



Meanwhile the Fury and the Brigand exchanged lead as well. I even sunk two drill rockets into Doc´s Brigand´s wings each.



We curved around for a while with me permanently tailing the crippled Brigand, but Doc couldn´t get his Coyote in a firing position. Regretfully I had lost three guns, all rockets and the remaining two guns got jammed. I could have fired at the Brigand each turn if not for those damned guns!  :banghead:





Turn 24 saw me pumping some more lead into the Brigand´s tail again, wiping out the gun turret, but the game was over.


I had to fly home according to the rules and had to consider myself the looser as I had lost a plane and a pilot...  :bye:
Though fighting through 24 turns within three hours was a record for us!

[Westfalia Chris]

The best map they ever published for the game! And such lovely paintjobs on the models. Great report and sounds like you had great fun.

[Operator5]

When Crimson Skies first came out, I was part of a group that played once a month. There were anywhere from 5 to 8 of us on the board, so to keep thinks simple, each pilot had one plane and no rockets. It was always two teams chosen randomly.

I typically flew the Valiant (I think that is what it was---.30 cal, fast and maneuverable).

IN one mammoth pick-up game at a convention we had 10 people. That game was memorable for me being the only pilot left on my side and avoiding 5 other planes for about half a dozen turns before we called it a draw. Two of the planes went down on my team due to pilot error (they flew into mountains).

Your planes look fantastic and thanks for posting this, it brought back great memories!

[Ray Rivers]

Way Kewl!

Never saw a game of Crimson Skies, so an eye opener for me.  Very nice.

And, of course, Michi, your painting is splendid!

[Tom Reed]

Those planes are beautiful.
I know a guy who made an in scale dirigible for the game. All of the engines and gun turrets were magnetic and could be pulled off when damaged or for storage. The thing was at least 3 feet long!

[Michi]

I know a guy who made an in scale dirigible for the game. The thing was at least 3 feet long!

Now you know two:

Famous LZ-129 "Hindenburg"

[Westfalia Chris]

I had a cardboard Zep too, some 60cm long (it had a base made of the number of "Zep Bases" for the standard Zep Map). Some great games with that one, but it didn´t survive a move. Sadly, no pics of that one.

[Phil_McCrackin]

I've been in lust with Crimson Skies for years.  This is a beautiful action report, with beautiful planes.

I confess . . . . I keep wanting to play it with 28mm scale planes, over a 28mm scale "A very British (Or American) Civil War" game happening on the ground . . . . .

[commissarmoody]

I've been in lust with Crimson Skies for years.  This is a beautiful action report, with beautiful planes.

I confess . . . . I keep wanting to play it with 28mm scale planes, over a 28mm scale "A very British (Or American) Civil War" game happening on the ground . . . . .

Oh!OH! I am so down with that!

[Chairface]

Man, beautiful looking minis! Just beautiful. I've been painting some Crimson Skies over the last little while and I feel like throwing them out now!  Poor imitations.... 

[Crudeboy]

Man, what a surprise to see something for Crimson Skies.

I confess I never actually got to play the original FASA game, only a few games of the later watered-down "clicky" version. I've always loved the setting and the aircraft designs.

But yes, gorgeous paintjob on those planes! The zepp is amazing as well.

[Michi]

I never actually got to play the original FASA game

Do it, if you ever get the chance. There are worlds between the old and clicky version, although the models exact each other.

[Dewbakuk]

I introduced a couple of players to the FASA Crimson Skies a couple of weeks ago. Time to see if they fancy another game.

[dijit]

Wow - I too have neve seen Crimson Skies or really knew too much about it, but that looks great. The data sheets seem to be rather complicated though, how easy is it to pick up the rules?

[Operator5]

The data sheet is complicated only in that there can be a lot of boxes to cross off. The rules are fairly easy to learn. We taught players and we're playing a game within 10-15 minutes.

The real challenge is the pre-plotted movement. It's great fun trying to outwit your enemy.