Thanks Mark, it sounds like a lot of fun. Do you feel under time pressure as the Allies? My first ever wargame experience was a game called Arnhem on the ZX Spectrum which I played to death as a 12 year old. So it was computer wargaming that got me into board wargaming!
I did play Static Pro Football, but I don't remember it as well. I think there are similarities. There are rules online for paydirt. Just google paydirt and you can find different sites for it.
Playing Federation Commander made me never want to play any other space ship game. It is just the right level of detail and variety. In that one, Klingons are more like Zeros and Federation are like Panzers. Weird analogy, sure, but it's all balanced between movement and firepower so well.
I played SFB in the past, but not recently. It is, as you say, more about the rationing of energy and distributing it between shields, weaponry, etc. I remember it fondly, but I just haven't had the time to invest in it.
The idea for the game came from an article that was published in Airfix magazine in the '70s. It used both sides of scale models to perform the maneuvers. He next wrote a book on this, Air Battles in Miniature, and Lee picked this up and refined it into the game we see now. He's already working on a volume 2, and will be supported by GMT's C3i magazine too.
I can't recommend Federation Commander enough, if you like sci fi or star trek or even just fast paced games. From everything I've read, it has all of the basic tactical principles as SFB but is more streamlined. I enjoy playing the game a lot and I have taught kids to play it too. Really easy to ration out the energy. The most attractive thing is that the data cards are pre-laminated and in color already! All you need is a map pen or dry erase marker.
Good to hear! I just ordered it a week ago.
I own all of Lee's previous air games and have played them extensively.
I just ordered this today. I've been looking for something other than ASL for PBEM games. There seems to be plenty of players around as well.
BA was done by Terry Simo who also did Elusive Victory.
If you want to know some more about the Wing Leader system, you should visit the Inside GMT webpage which has an extensive scenario replay.
Was the card art done by Rodger MacGowan? I've always loved his boxes.
I own this as well, although it isn't an LBW game per se. Played 3 or 4 scenarios and I have to say it didn't grip me. There is a very good review on BGG that highlights the problems. There is the potential for too much dog fighting and this can bog the game down to a crawl. Whereas in, for example, Downtown, dogfighting has enough chrome to please but dogfights don't occur that frequently so chrome is good. In BA almost every scenario will involve dogfighting. The game comes with a huge number of individual aircraft, but very few of those will actually ever see play. Of course the Red Baron is there, lethal. Involving Richoften in any scenario pretty much condemns the hapless RFC fliers to an early exit.
I believe Mark Simonitch did the cards.
