Ironclads and Biplanes

It contains a role playing element but can be used as a straight up game of WW1 aerial combat

The back of the box

Blimey - January 31st already! After weeks of lethargy and meandering around way too many projects, potential and otherwise, my butterfly-like brain cell has finally gotten itself into some kind of order. At last!

To begin with, my order from Warbases has arrived so it means that I will be able crack on with the ships - no doubt much to the delight of the respective commanders! I plan to undertake some work on them over the weekend, along with a couple of other outstanding items. Work on Developing the Portable Ironclads Wargame can resume in earnest.

I remember seeing Dawn Patrol when it was released back in the early 1980s but never picked it up - Richthofen’s War, Wings and Aces High were more my thing - and I remember thinking at the time “no hexes?” The game uses squares rather than hexes which, at the time, is probably why I passed it by. I have a far better relationship with squares these days so am more than happy to be proved wrong!

The game had a long gestation period - some ten years - and was inspired by the film “The Blue Max” and as well as a tactical system there is also a role playing element so players can develop their pilots over various missions and accrue ‘kills’ (or not, as the case may be!). 

The box contains the following bits and pieces:

The rules and data book which also includes play sheets, mission logs, manoeuvre cards and scenarios

The map. The squares are 1”

The counters. These are 1” square (observation balloons are 2” x 1”) and are nicely coloured but are sadly printed of quite thin card - no matter, I shall probably mount them on bases.

I was really pleased to pick up a copy of this to add to the WW1 collection. I will happily play with this as is but naturally, I have a couple of ideas as to how best to make use of the components. The aircraft counters are delightful and of a sufficient variety of type and nationality to satisfy most of my needs. As mentioned, I am seriously considering fixing the counters to an MDF base in order to increase their durability and ease of use. I am even thinking to making some flying bases to use with them but that, as they say, is for another day.

I will need to revisit my WW1 aerial film library though - purely for research purposes of course….