Author Topic: Blue Skies Wood and Canvas - First Impressions review (Read 1262 times)

pauld · « **on:** April 29, 2023, 03:53:07 PM »

As WW1 aviation has a good few posts lately I will join the buzz and add my few words and pictures

I recently downloaded the free ruleset Blue Skies Wood and Canvas and have tried a few solo furballs to put them through their paces. They are not a simulation but a quick and easy game set that can be set up and played through in very little time - something that I look for nowadays.

First game was on a Blue Max game board but the white outlined hexes spoilt any immersion so for the next I threw down a game mat and used some transparent hex bases as movement templates - much better and easy to use.

As mentioned above manoeuvres are hex based and the aircraft cards have all the information for speeds and capabilities on them. The only thing missing in my mind is a pilot test to add the chance of failure under stress, panic or poor ability but this is something that is easily added. Something like, fail a roll with modifiers and the manoeuvre is a simple one or a straight or ends with a randomized facing.

Initiative is based on a die roll with the planes manoeuvre ability and pilot ability/condition modifiers and higher rolls go first so the better planes/pilots will act later. Firing is simultaneous after the movement phase although this could be modded to add pilot ability and platform stability into a staged firing sequence.

Altitude is important when manoeuvring for shooting angles and I marked the card with a D20 for each plane. It works but true 3D with telescopic rods is the ideal although I plan to have a magnetic board next to the table with colour coded base dot and corresponding marker on a board full of altitude rows so that a quick glance at the colour will give a visual representation of the relevant altitudes.

The guns however have limited ranges (basically 10") and you roll equal to or higher to hit on a d10 - each difference in altitude level is counted as 2" so getting levels and angles right is crucial to combat which is as it should be. Planes have a number of hit points and critical hits are scored as additional effects.

All simple enough and moves along nicely without too much brain ache - I could comfortably control 6 aircraft on my own.

There is AAA and bombing in the rules but I have not tried these so far.

All in all I would recommend these rules for a fun game. Add mission scenarios and a campaign frame and you will have a very serviceable long term legacy game that is easy to get out, set up and play.

Now for some pictures. These are 1/200 scale planes printed on my FDM printer and I was surprised considering the DR1 is about an inch how well they came out. If I were to print again I would change to a smaller nozzle for even better results. If you have a resin printer then of course you're laughing but they get the job done with what I have. All free models too.

Fist game on the Blue Max board - uggh those hexes sure make it hard to enjoy the visuals (but the natural light was better)