[SkyBuffalo]

I ran into this game called "SORTIE" in a catalog last week, looked it up online, ordered it and got it this afternoon.




Here's the Manufacturer's Description :

The year is 1943. From Asia to England, and all places in between, Axis and Allied pilots put their daring, skill and nerve to the test in a fight for air supremacy; the prize being nothing less than the fate of the world. In Front Porch Classics' new adventure game, Sortie, players simultaneously play cards that authentically simulate the thrill and exhilaration of World War II dog fighting. Cast metal planes, a segmented wood playing surface and more than 100 playing cards combine to give you a taste of what it was like behind the cockpits of the fighting machines of yesteryear. This dog-fighting game comes packaged in an elegant all-wood, book-style box. For 2-6 players, ages 8 and up.

Contents: 1 wood game box 6 die-cast airplanes 6 game board pieces 1 flying ace medal 12 aircraft cards 6 climb cards 82 maneuver cards 1 flight manual Here is the website who has the game for the cheapest price (where I got it - they're good) : http://www.funagain.com/control/prod...duct_id=017130 My personal review : The game box, board and everything is way cool. I've seen one other game by this company and they go for quality. The wooden box is just a little bit weathered looking, the board is heavy duty and the cards are thick - they should last. The little diecast airplane pieces are very generic and kind of art-deco looking, but cool. They definitely don't represent specific WWII planes. GAME PLAY : Each player starts with one "climb card" and 5 maneuver cards. They put their planes in preset starting points on the board's hexagonal grid (different starting places depend on number of players). Each player looks through their cards and picks one to play on their next turn. Each card has two ends - a "Dogfight" end and a "Maneuver" end. The player can play either end as they choose. The "Dogfight" end just lets you move your piece one or two spaces in a certain direction (4 O'Clock = SE, 10 O'Clock = NW, etc.), then you can turn your piece one of three direction. One the maneuver side, each card is identified by a certain WW2 tactical flight maneuver, including Loop, Split-S, Avalanche, Barrel Roll, Dive, Power Dive, Snap Roll, High Speed Yo-Yo, Spiral Dive and Immelman. Basically each maneuver says to move your plane so many places forward or back, then you can turn it in the indicated direction (usually three choices). The maneuver side of the cards also state a number that the maneuver costs you or gives you. One that says UP 2 lets you take 2 more cards and put them in your hand, while a DOWN 3 says you have to put three of your cards in the discard pile. Most of the cards seem to make you lose cards, but you can also use the "CLIMB" card every player has - you only move one space forward on the maneuver side, but you always gain 2 cards (i.e. UP 2). And you always get to keep your "CLIMB" card - a sure way to get more cards. Once everyone lays down a card, they turn them over and move their pieces accordingly. Then you take away or gain cards as stated on your maneuver cards, if using that side. NOTE : the up and down on the maneuvers basically correspond to 1,000 drops or gains in altitude. Once everyone is in the new position, then everyone gets to fire their planes' guns, starting with the person who has the "Flying Ace Medal", then going around clockwise. At the beginning of the game, the medal goes to the oldest player, then each round it is passed clockwise to the next person. If another plane is one or two spaces in front of your plane when you fire your guns, you shoot them down and they are out of the game. So if you shoot someone first, who was going to shoot someone else on their turn, then person two is already dead and doesn't shoot down player 3. All surviving players continue to the next round. NOTE : If two players land on the next hex space, they have to count how many cards they have, which corresponds to you altitude. If the two players are on the same altitude, i.e. same numbers of cards, they collide and both are out of the game. It seems unlikely but possible. Then the players pick their next cards for their maneuvers and it starts all over again for the next round. It seems your are basically trying to maneuver to shoot at someone else at fairly close range (1 to 2 hex spaces away) while trying to keep out of other players' paths. The game info. says it should take about 20 minutes - that seems reasonable for what little I have messed with it. You could play 2 to 4 games in an hour, I would guess. You could make it simple or really get some strategy involved if you wanted to.

There are also 12 "AIRCRAFT" cards that could be used, but they don't have to be. The cards are for P-47 Thunderbolt, F4U Corsair, P-51 Mustang, Mistubishi Zero, Kawanishi NIK1 Shiden, Supermarine Spitfire, P-40 Warhawk, Hawker Hurricane, Mig-3, Macchi Mc.202 Folgore, Messerschmitt BF-109, and the Focke-Wulf FW-190. Each card has a basic drawing of the plane and a simple blurb about it. The real reason for the card is the modification to maneuvers or rules it gives you. Examples are : Discard any number or cards to draw an equal number, stay in place in a Dogfight instead of having to move 1 or 2 spaces, discard one less card than said on a DOWN costing maneuver, move an extra space in a Dogfight, +2 gun range (i.e. hit things 4 spaces away instead of just 2), rotate an additional space or possibly 180 degrees.

ISSUES : Only two flaws I could find. One is that the two diecast plane pieces that are green and very nearly the same color. It's hard to tell them apart. I'm going to end up repainting one of the green ones - either putting on dark green/brown for camo. or just painting it metallic blue. Secondly, you have to be sure to remember which plane is yours. With them moving around the board and crossing each others' paths, I could see people losing track and forgetting which one is theirs. And there are no markers to put in front of the player to associate the plane with the player. I think I'm going to end up getting something simple like 6 dice or coins or such and painting them the same colors as the planes. Then the markers can be placed in front of the players to keep track of the planes.

Overall, the game is really cool and I highly recommend it for someone who likes board games. Not too complicated, but quick play while keeping it random and interesting. I'll give it 4.5 out of 5 stars. And I doubt there is anything else like out there for us plane geeks. It could make a great birthday or X-Mas gift for the plane geek in your life. And it'll look cool on the shelf.

[bsmith13]

Thank for posting that! I'm always looking for a good aviation game.

One of my favorites is Wings of War by Fantasy Flight Games. They have both a WWI and WWII version. The mechanics are really easy to learn, and movement isn't randomized; you pick three maneuvers per turn from your Maneuver Deck, and lay down your choices in order, simultaneously. My kids even like playing it with me.

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/wingsofwar.html

[SKUNKY]

Board game?.....what the heck's a board game? ...Can I play it on my PC?.....or do I need a X-Box or Playstation?

[SkyBuffalo]

Originally Posted by SKUNKY

Board game?.....what the heck's a board game? ...Can I play it on my PC?.....or do I need a X-Box or Playstation?

This is the emergency back-up gaming system for when the power goes out. Or possibly if terrorists set off one of those big ol' nasty EMP devices. This will be all you'll have left. It'll be something to do in those rare free moments inbetween bowhunting squirrels, churning moose butter and sewing together deer-hide underwear.


bsmith13, thanks for the link to the Wings of War stuff. I remember seeing the WWI version last year, but didn't go for it since it was WWI stuff, which I'm not into. I had totally forgotten about it. But I just ordered the WW2 Dawn of War version. And I'll be looking forward to many expansions to it. Danka.

[mikeb1958]

Originally Posted by SKUNKY

Board game?.....what the heck's a board game? ...Can I play it on my PC?.....or do I need a X-Box or Playstation?

No Skunky...you need a ATARI game system from 1981.