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#Post#: 2919--------------------------------------------------
Wing Leader: Falcons (Expansion 4)
By: pilotofficerprune Date: August 17, 2019, 2:17 pm
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In this thread I want to consider a proposal for a possible
fourth expansion. This would be a 'thin' expansion with few new
components and would be designed to have a relatively low art
workload for me. Ideally, components would include:
1 x Scenario book
1 x ADC sheet (8 ADCs total)
1 x Countersheet (140 1 x 0.5" counters)
Note there would be no campaign in this book. Just scenarios.
The scenario book could be fairly thin.
Update 18 Aug 19: I probably want to limit the number of
scenarios to something manageable. I think the 26 scenarios in
Origins was do-able, but I'd feel more comfortable if Falcons
stayed more in the region of 18 scenarios (no more than 20).
This would permit me a 24 page scenario book, leaving me three
to five pages to do something useful with, such as a master
version of the 'What ADC Do I Use?' list that covers ALL the
games and expansions.
#Post#: 2920--------------------------------------------------
Re: Wing Leader: Falcons (Expansion 4)
By: pilotofficerprune Date: August 17, 2019, 2:21 pm
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I’d like to consider those scenarios that might be viable for a
fourth expansion. The focus of a fourth expansion would be on
‘filling in gaps’. Criteria for such scenarios are:
(a) Scenarios that we have not previously been able to publish
because they mix early and late war aircraft.
(b) Scenarios that add counters where there’s currently a lack,
for example, allowing us to add more Me 410 counters to the mix.
(c) Scenarios that feature aircraft in new colour schemes, such
as Bulgarian D.520s and Bf 109Gs.
(d) Scenarios featuring new aircraft that fill in gaps in the
aircraft manifest, such as early Seafires.
(e) Scenario that introduce variety, by employing rarely-used
rules or situations.
Here’s a list of ideas.
EXISTING SCENARIOS
Scenarios I already have laid out but didn’t make the cut in
previous expansions. Note that they may have failed to make the
cut because they are simply not good enough scenarios in their
current form:
Versuchsbomberstaffel 88. May 37, Spain. Condor Legion vs.
Republican. (New aircraft: He 70) [New counters: Bf 109A.]
Ace of Clubs. Jul 37, Spain. Nationalist vs. Republican. (New
aircraft: R-5)
Raid on Nanking. Sept 37, China. China vs. Japan. (New aircraft:
P-26 Peashooter)
Ypenburg Fiasco. May 40, Holland. Dutch vs. German paradrop.
(New aircraft: A-17/8A-3N)
Sweeping Scraps. Feb 42, Java. Allied vs. Japan. [New counters:
Dutch Hurricane Mk.II] LBW: I think this may be a weak scenario
and I am unhappy with it.
Java Jive. Mar 42, Java. Allied vs. Japan. (New aircraft: A-25;
Albacore) [New counters: Dutch Hurricane Mk.II]
CONTRIBUTED SCENARIOS
These are scenarios that have been sent to me by others but are
not yet laid out. They haven’t really been examined too closely
for viability.
In the First Line of Fire. Sep 38, Spain. Nationalist vs.
Republican. (New aircraft: He 45, though the designer suggests
replacing these with He 46s) [New counters: Ro.37 squadron; Ju
87A]
Mischia. Nov 38, Spain. [New counters: additional Republican
I-16s]
Darwin Debacle. May 43, Australia. RAAF vs. Japanese Navy. [New
counters: Spit VC in Pacific colours]
Army Day. Jun 43, Australia. RAAF vs. Japanese Army. [New
counters: Spit VC in Pacific colours]
Last Hurrah. Sep 43, Italy. British vs. Italian. (New aircraft:
Re.2002 Ariete) [New Counters: Spit Mk.IX in Mediterranean
scheme; British P-40F (we already have these but might wish to
add more); MC.205 in pre-armistice RA scheme]
IDEAS
The following are ideas and proposals for neat scenarios:
Operation Retribution. Apr 41, Yugoslavia. Germans vs.
Yugoslavs. (New aircraft: IK-3) [New Counters: Bf 109E and
Hurricane Is in Yugoslav scheme]
Raid on Colombo. Apr 42. British vs. Japan. [New counters:
possible Fulmars?; Hurricanes in Far East scheme]
Untitled Kursk. Aug 43. German vs. Soviet. LBW: An opportunity
to cover Kursk with mix of early and late-war aircraft; unsure
what new counters are required.
Black Days. Nov/Dec 43, Bulgaria. US vs. Bulgarians. [New
counters: D.520, Bf 109G in Bulgarian scheme]
Untitled Hungarians on Eastern Front. Late 43, Eastern Front.
Hungary vs. Soviet. [New counters: Ju 87D, Ju 88A, Me 210 in
Hungarian schemes]
Patriotic War. Late 44, Bulgaria. Bulgarians vs. Germans. [New
counters: Ju 87, Bf 109G in Bulgarian schemes]
FURTHER IDEAS
I’d like to find excuses to produce more of the following
counters:
Variants of Soviet counters in winter schemes.
Variants of Bf 109F counters in desert schemes.
Variants of Spitfire Vs, IXs and Hurricane counters in
Mediterranean/desert schemes.
Yank Spit IXs.
Scenarios involving important unpublished aircraft such as
B-25J, A-36, early Seafire. Of course 'importance' is a
subjective judgement call, but these three aircraft were
certainly significant enough that they'd be good additions to
the game, if we can find the right vehicle (i.e. scenario) for
them to appear in.
#Post#: 2921--------------------------------------------------
Re: Wing Leader: Falcons (Expansion 4)
By: pilotofficerprune Date: August 17, 2019, 2:34 pm
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Just to be clear where I’m coming from:
I’m looking at the ‘end game’ on Wing Leader. I’ve been working
on this game for over five years now and I’m contemplating how
it comes to an end.
OPTION 1
After Origins I walk away from Wing Leader EXCEPT for arranging
the reprint of Supremacy. That reprint, should it happen, may
involve new ADCs and content just like the Victories reprint, so
I’m imagining approximately four new ADCs and a similar number
of new scenarios to accommodate them.
OPTION 2
After Origins I produce one more expansion - Falcons - as well
as the reprint of Supremacy. The Falcons idea is based around
filling in gaps and rounding out the counter inventory to give
fan scenario builders all the material they need. For this I
need to keep ADCs to a minimum and maximise the countersheet
space available for other counters.
OPTION 3
After Origins I produce two more expansions: Falcons and
Endgame, as well as the reprint of Supremacy. Endgame is the
post-war concept we have discussed in another thread.
[hr]
Course of Action
Frankly, I’m unlikely to go for Option 3. I may have the
strength and enthusiasm for Option 2. But Option 1 is still a
possible, depending on how I feel. That said, I’m steeling
myself for Option 2, as a ‘thin’ expansion, focussed purely on
scenarios and fleshing out the countermix. This seems like a
do-able project, with a view to being completed by the end of
2020.
Some of this, it must be said, depends on you guys. I’ve been
relying a lot on your volunteer effort to help me get these
things out. I could only go on if enough of you continue to
help. So the conversation starts here.
[hr]
Supremacy Reprint
With regards to the Supremacy reprint, I am putting some ADCs
aside for that. I believe I now have scenario material for
daylight scenarios featuring the late-model Halifax and the
Lancaster. This would also permit me to add counters for RAF
Mustang Mk.IVs, which would be sweet. I think we may be able to
put together a counterfactual scenario for the Ta 152H-1 for the
Luftwaffe fanboys.
Note that because I am putting these aside for the Supremacy
reprint, they will not be available for Falcons.
#Post#: 2922--------------------------------------------------
Re: Wing Leader: Falcons (Expansion 4)
By: pilotofficerprune Date: August 17, 2019, 3:16 pm
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Further ideas:
Soviet Lend-Lease
We have scenarios for Soviet P-39s and P-40s, but I don’t recall
any for the Soviet A-20s/Bostons, despite having counters for
these (they are the only counters that don't have a scenario). A
scenario featuring Soviet Hurricanes would be great, and any
featuring Soviet B-25s and Hampdens would also be great. (LBW:
I'm looking at a Kursk scenario set on the northern flank as
being a possible vehicle for Bostons to appear.)
USN Pacific
The SBD soldiered on into the late war, but we don’t have any
SBDs in late-war paint schemes. Scenarios mixing SBDs and
Avengers with late war fighters would be perfect, and could be
vehicles for late-war bomber schemes.
Barbarossa
Obviously, we covered Barbarossa in Blitz, but one significant
aircraft was missing from that module - the 1-15/I-15bis. We're
now rectifying that in Origins, but the new expansion will only
contain one counter for Soviet Chaikas. The rest of the counters
are either Spanish or Chinese. So I'd like to put together a
Barbarossa scenario as a vehicle for adding at least a few more
Soviet I-15 counters. This might also be a potential vehicle for
the one remaining Soviet aircraft I'd love to include: the Su-2.
Naval Attacks
There are some rarely covered naval attack situations that we
might benefit from. Gordon and I discussed these recently, and
ideas we touched on include Soviet torpedo strikes in the Baltic
(with Bostons, I think) and G3M/G4M torpedo strikes.
#Post#: 2923--------------------------------------------------
Re: Wing Leader: Falcons (Expansion 4)
By: pilotofficerprune Date: August 18, 2019, 12:52 am
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Moar Submissions
Canterbury
Scott Key has submitted to me a scenario set in 1942 featuring a
tip-and-run raid by JG.2 Jabos on Kent. This fits our criteria
as it mixes early Typhoons with Spit Vs, as well as covering a
less-covered corner of the war.
Operation Retribution
Scott Spencer (we have too many Scotts!) has submitted a
scenario for Operation Retribution, which is full of Yugoslav
goodness, such as Bf 109Es and Hurricanes in Yugo drag, as well
as the IK-3. This order of battle is pretty much the beau ideal
for a Falcons scenario.
[hr]
I have now added these files and some of the other submitted
scenarios (including Javier's fat file of Spanish Civil War
scenarios that I mined for Origins) to a new Falcons folder on
dropbox. This allows you guys to peek at some of the materials I
already have on file.
Note that a bunch of this material won't make the cut. For
example, the 'Polish superman' scenarios are nice, but don't
offer anything really new. I'd like to prioritise those
scenarios that add new counters to the game. However, these
files are a resource we can draw from.
#Post#: 2924--------------------------------------------------
Re: Wing Leader: Falcons (Expansion 4)
By: pilotofficerprune Date: August 18, 2019, 2:18 am
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Expanding the Counter Manifest
I’ve just had a skim through the countersheet roster, looking
for aircraft that currently only feature one or two counters
(total, in all liveries).
Aircraft I indicate in red are ones that, for reasons of
importance, ubiquity or otherwise, might really benefit from
having additional counters supplied in an expansion.
B 17 - 2 sqn
B 18 - 2 sqn
Do 17E - 1 flt
Halifax - 2 sqn
Hampden - 2 sqn
Hawk III - 1 sqn
He 46 - 1 flt
He 112 - 1 flt
Ki-30 - 2 sqn
Ki-49 - 2 sqn
Manchester - 1 sqn
Me 163 - 2 flt
Me 410 - 1 sqn, 1 flt
P.23 - 2 flt
R-Z - 2 sqn
Ro.37 - 1 sqn
SM.81 - 1 flt
Stirling - 2 sqn
T.V - 1 flt
Whirlwind - 1 sqn, 1 flt
The following are special cases, as they are aircraft that we
have counters for in foreign liveries but lack counters in their
native nationality, and I’d love to add more:
I-15 (Soviet livery) - 1 sqn
SM.81 (Italian livery) - no counters
Me 210 (German livery) - 1 sqn
As you can guess, part of the Falcons exercise is to look at
what the system as a whole lacks and then see what gaps a skinny
expansion might fill. This is with a view to giving counters for
fan scenario makers to work with.
Update:
Additional counters needed for Falcons:
Early He 111s in German schemes (needed for the Czech scenarios)
Blenheim Mk.IV squadrons
#Post#: 2925--------------------------------------------------
Re: Wing Leader: Falcons (Expansion 4)
By: Scott Spencer Date: August 18, 2019, 1:37 pm
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Lee, thanks for letting me in. I feel like a kid in a candy
store right now.
I'm working on a number of scenarios that will "Scratch the
itch" so to speak for some of these planes and theatres:
1. April 11, 1944 - Me 410s w/50mm cannon vs 8AF raids on
Sorau, Rostock, and Oschersleben. I have good info on the
Allied side, waiting on some research material for the Luftwaffe
end of things.
2. July 13, 1943 - Me-110Gs on a Jabo mission on the northern
Kursk front encounter IL-2s escorted by Yak-7s of the French
Normandie-Nieman Regiment.
3. August 22, 1943 - A-36s escorting B-26s against Bf 109s over
Salerno.
I have a couple of other Kursk ones I'm looking at, including
one involving Hungarian Me 109Gs in the South on July 5 and a
big air battle in the north on that same day involving just
about every Soviet fighter type vs FW190s.
#Post#: 2926--------------------------------------------------
Re: Wing Leader: Falcons (Expansion 4)
By: Scott Spencer Date: August 18, 2019, 1:41 pm
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While I know very little about it, the Soviet invasion of
Manchuria in August of 1945 might provide some interesting
scenarios vs the Japanese.
#Post#: 2927--------------------------------------------------
Re: Wing Leader: Falcons (Expansion 4)
By: JoeKundlak Date: August 19, 2019, 3:33 am
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Lee,
even though I have been out of the loop for some time now, I
think Option 2 is the most viable here (unless you are "forced"
to go with Option 1).
It really "closes" the Wing Leader saga on a high note while
still leaving plenty of room for custom scenarios designed by
fans. You could then perhaps insert a "Suggestions" article into
the Scenario book for potential battles/scenarios that were not
yet explored, which the fans could pick up and run with.
Producing your "Endgame" idea from Option 3 might be a stretch,
especially in terms of people opting (or not) for P500 to
support it. But then again I don't know how dedicated the
existing Wing Leader fans are and whether there would be enough
people supporting the printing themselves (outside of "new"
players), so I am just throwing stuff at the wall here.
#Post#: 2928--------------------------------------------------
Re: Wing Leader: Falcons (Expansion 4)
By: pilotofficerprune Date: August 19, 2019, 3:58 am
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Scott,
Those ideas sound good. The one that really jumps out at me is
the Me 410 scenario. That scores on two fronts: an opportunity
perhaps for more Me 410 counters and uncommonly-used game
mechanics -- in this case the Heavy Gun rules.
I've been looking at all the A-36 histories and don't recall
them escorting B-26s against Bf 109s, but if you've got some
material on that I'd love to see your scenario!
I was also looking at Hungarians at Kursk as potential scenario
material. But if you've got something, then go for it.
Finally, I have looked at the Soviets verus the Kwantung Army
and there's very little air action there. The Japanese launched
few sorties and what actions there were are below the scale of
the game. A shame, because there's some neat kit there, such as
IL-10s.
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