WWI Aces at Dawn at timmys

Played Dave's mods for a WWI ruleset entitled Aces at Dawn by MJ12Games.

Took all of us awhile to get used to how to fly. Not that the rules are hard, just getting used to the mechanics. For example I flew my second plane way too fast, in fact almost off the board.

Again, Dave did some great work on the models. I would comment on his mods but I've never played them so I don't know what he changed. Perhaps he can comment here and let us know.

Here's a quick video of the game.

Dave such a good job of helping expose us to a variety of games. Good gaming role model. Also, I've been enjoying this group of gamers because they're passionate yet flexible. Some of us are pretty confident what we think a game should do and be. However, we're open to playing a different set even if they do things out of our paradigm. We roll with it, call each names, and then laugh about the bad moves and bad rolls.

Dave's Maps and Aircraft Weathering

I asked Dave to share how he made his map and how he weathered the planes from Angels 20. I'll let Dave speak for himself:

First on the maps:

The game mat images were all "screen captures" of Google map sections.  The WWI field map surface was already digitally assembled into a high resolution image that I found on a fan website, and I added the trench section from a Google map image I found of a reenactor's battlefield in Pennsylvania. 

I used four overlays of the same trench image, but some were flipped, reversed, and rotated so as to break up the regularity of the repeat trench image.  The field and forest terrain on the master image was revealed by cutting away sections of the unwanted trench "overlay" using manipulation tools within my photoshop program (Paint Shop Pro), such as outlining and dragging away unwanted sections wholesale, and fine erasing along the borders of the wanting trench image(s) to reveal the "lower "map's fields and forest. 

Lastly, I captured a section of shell holes, and isolated them on a transparent texture layer, which I repeatedly applied to the completed field and trench image to "meld" in the war-torn trench sections to the more pristine surrounding forest and fields.

The WW2 map was a similar process, but I "screen captured" each section of the selected Google map images (from around Dover England), and assembled these into a complete large map image.  As I recall it took something like 10-12 individual screen map images to get the desired breadth of coverage. 

The open-ocean texture (beyond the coastal wave images) was a free-source ocean texture I found on the web, which I re-sized for proper scale, and once made into a multi-sectioned large image, was layered and "melded" to the coastal waters using the same image removal and erasing techniques as for the above WWI trench section work. 

The hex grid on the WW2 map comes from a number of sections of grids on a transparent layer which I overlaid in sequence to complete the pattern.  Knowing the overall map dimensions wanted, and the number of rows of hexes at a particular individual hex size that should fill the map's area is necessary so that the printed map comes out as desired.   I did "subdue" the opacity of the hex lines by successive eraser swipes (digitally), so that the hex outlines weren't so starkly contrasted against the map's background terrain.

The completed images files can be uploaded to a commercial printer who offers online service, and printed to the selected dimensions (in inches) on vinyl advertising banner material.  Comes delivered to your house in a sturdy packing tube, which serves for transporting the mat to wherever the game calls. :) 

And now, a little about his weathering of the Axis and Allies, Angels 20 planes. The models are pretty impressive as is. But his subtle work helped immerse me even more in the game. Here's Dave:

The pigment I used was "Secret Weapon Weathering Pigment" in "Exhaust Black" color, but I imagine any good brand of pigment will work as long as its dark enough to give a model's etched details enough contrast against the surrounding surface colors. 

I applied the pigment powder with a model brush making sure to dust it into the recessed details especially well, basically covering the entire model aircraft's upper surfaces completely with a thin layer of pigment  (doing this over a piece of paper to catch the excess which drops off during the application). 

After the pigment is applied, and after cleaning one's fingers off, with two sections of folded-over paper towels in reach, I began to wipe off the pigment on the model by drawing the towel flat across the surface, folding and turning over clean sections as needed (often). 

Once the majority of the pigment has been removed, only the pigment in the recesses should remain, providing an enhanced contrast to the panel lines and joints.  With the second paper towel, the insignia and things like painted stripes can be further cleaned with a moisten section of a towel, because the pigment tends to darken these areas, and they'll need to be brightened for better color clarity.

Lastly, the bottom surface must be checked and clean for any over-dusting, and then the model is ready for a coat a clear-flat spray finish, which will seal the pigment under it.

I think the pigment process could be used for other wargaming miniatures also, and especially for vehicles and even buildings.  Any models that have good surface detail (I'm thinking of trying it out on pre-painted WW2 1/144th scale tanks too.

Where I Meet timmy! and Fly a Spitfire

timmy!, who's contributed some input for the blog with is Modern Force on Force! armies had a few people over to play in some Wings of War (Now Wings of Glory), WWI air combat, and some Angels 20, WWII air combat. Angels 20 is the new Axis and Allies miniature game.

clockwise (l) - (black shirt) timmy!, Ed, Dave, Jerry, Doug, Rich, Will, Pat

I got there pretty late and played one game, as a British pilot, against 4 Germans in their 109s.  Dave S was actually putting the game on and of course had washed the planes a bit to dull down the plastic look, as well as, printed out a map from Google to make the game looka real nice-a. (forgive the bad Italian accent.)

I had the first kill as I shot down a 109 with a devastating roll of 7 hits - which took it out. I also assisted in another kill when Ed and I surrounded a 109. I gave him one point of damage, but then Ed had like 6 hits. - destroyed.

 
I believe this was Dave's first game as a GM and was using the simple rules. Pretty straight forward rules and it sounds like the advanced rules would help it a bit to add some nuance. To me it's a great convention game. Can learn the basics pretty quickly, and once engaged it goes quickly.

Dave does a great job of playing/gming the miniature/boardgame combos. I'll have to do more of a post about some of his conversions.

In addition, it was good to meet timmy! in person and to see his stuff and work area in person.

I like all the lamps and the paint/photo booth.

He has a variety of stuff and has a collection that is, in Dave's words, "era agnostic". Very true. ACW, ECW, WWII, Napoleon, Modern, Battletech, Air, Future, 15mm, 20mm, 18mm, 6mm, ... I will get more into his collection in future posts. I've been tempted to try some Cold War Commander - maybe I could rent some kit from him.

Airbrushed Digital Camo with the cutest little stencils...CRAZY - but looks good.

 Also, I believe Basic Impetus covers ECW(?)...yes, they do if you use their Basic Impetus ECW supplement (FREE) and their ECW list.

Also, he's made some progress on his Recruit's Somalis. I will have to go to Recruits one year with this group.