Aeronautica Imperialis flight experience exchange

[Exilyth]

I got to play a demo game of Aeronautica Imperialis at the local GW today.

(unfortunably, they didn't have any AI stocked.)

 

The maneuvre mechanic is quite interesting - trying to get into position to shoot at the enemy while not getting shot makes it really feel like a dogfight.

 

What I took away from the demo game is:

• Swoop is really usefull for curves and circling around the enemy.
• Stall turn is good when the enemy is coming from straight ahead - if you're lucky (e.g. they keep going straight ahead), you can overshoot the enemy and end up behind them. If you're unlucky, they stall turn too and you either end up facing each other or facing away from each other in opposite directions.
• Ork dakkajets are really squishy - but also really fast.
• Hitting stuff is hard with altitude modifiers & stuff.
• Having no move/los-blocking terrain felt a bit weird at first. (note to self: maybe use AT 'spires' as houseruled obstacles later)
• We played one Thunderbolt vs. one Dakkajet - as we kept ending up moving away from each other and had problems to get each other into our firing arcs, I'd definately second the recommendation of playing with at least 2 planes on each side.

So, what's everyone elses experience playing Aeronautica?

Anything usefull you could learn so far?

 

(Got any tips for getting enemies into firing arcs?)

[Kilofix]

Sorry - more questions than answers:

 

Am finding it hard to get spacing with the Thunderbolt to effectively use its weapon when it’s slower than the Dakka.

 

And I’m still not sure how useful changing altitude is except to buy time if you think you’re going to be in a bad position.

 

Lastly, I’m not clear on what the utility of maneuvers 6 / 7 / 8 really is above 2 / 3 / 4; granted we haven’t got to use Interceptors yet.

[Exilyth]

Am finding it hard to get spacing with the Thunderbolt to effectively use its weapon when it’s slower than the Dakka.

I'd guess moving two T-Bolts away from each other, the enemy will try to follow one, the other or both. Then fly a corner and have the T-Bolts go straight at each other - this may give you an opening to shoot at planes tailing the other T-Bolt.

 

And I’m still not sure how useful changing altitude is except to buy time if you think you’re going to be in a bad position.

This did not matter during the demo game I played, but e.g. a thunderbolt has a max altitude of 5 while a dakkajet can only climb to 4. You can force the enemy into taking a modifier and can drop down to their altitude when you're in a favourable position.

 

Also, from what I heard, the ground based AA guns from the Rynns' World book can only fire up to a certain height (and they get altitude modifiers outside their effective range).

 

Lastly, I’m not clear on what the utility of maneuvers 6 / 7 / 8 really is above 2 / 3 / 4; granted we haven’t got to use Interceptors yet.

Mind games? While we had most maneuvers available to us in the demo game, we tended to mostly use sweep.

 

I could see some use in using e.g. bank to shake an enemy from your tail.

[Dosjetka]

Some advice for Ork players (but can be of interest for Imperial players, too) gleaned from last night's game.

 

When you're up against Da Navy Thunderbolts, make sure you keep your aircraft either:

• ideally, stay at Short range (1-4 hexes) from Da Navy aircraft,
• or stay at Long range (9+ hexes).

At Short range, they will only have 2-3 dice when firing at you (per aircraft) whereas at long range they'll only have 1 dice (per aircraft). Short range is riskier as they can still hit and wound you with those 2-3 dice but at least at that range, you can bring your dakka to bear and shoot them out of the skies with 8 delicious attack dice. :devil:

 

I haven't played against Marauders yet but by looking at their profile cards, they seem most vulnerable at Short range, in the Front or Side Firing Arcs, and at the same altitude or below so keep that in mind when zooming around the skies with your DakkaJets!

[Beaky Brigade]

Some advice for Ork players (but can be of interest for Imperial players, too) gleaned from last night's game.

 

When you're up against Da Navy Thunderbolts, make sure you keep your aircraft either:

• ideally, stay at Short range (1-4 hexes) from Da Navy aircraft,
• or stay at Long range (9+ hexes).

At Short range, they will only have 2-3 dice when firing at you (per aircraft) whereas at long range they'll only have 1 dice (per aircraft). Short range is riskier as they can still hit and wound you with those 2-3 dice but at least at that range, you can bring your dakka to bear and shoot them out of the skies with 8 delicious attack dice.

 

I haven't played against Marauders yet but by looking at their profile cards, they seem most vulnerable at Short range, in the Front or Side Firing Arcs, and at the same altitude or below so keep that in mind when zooming around the skies with your DakkaJets!

I played two stock Thunderbolts vs 2 DakkaJets with Kustom Big Shootas and Rockkits and I was kept at either short or long range the entire game. Both my Thunderbolts downed without damage to the DakkaJets! (Ended turn 5).

 

Using the smaller Wings of Fury map it is quite hard to keep people at medium range.

[Gorthaur]

I got a chance to play it yesterday, it was pretty easy to pick up and learn. The only thing I struggled with was picturing the maneuvers in my head and where i'd end up. Especially if my craft was across the table facing in my direction. It's probably something that will get easier with time though.

[Fajita Fan]

This was an issue learning X-Wing too. You will absolutely pick the wrong template at some point...

[Enuncia]

This was an issue learning X-Wing too. You will absolutely pick the wrong template at some point...

 

This is true.  Sometimes it would work out because the other player had no idea that you would pick that template....Other times you flew off of the side of the map.   =)

 

To strengthen your template abilities in X-Wing, we used to do a thing at my FLGS called the Kessell Run.  We would set up a maze of asteroids and designate a path through them.  We would race through the course (obviously using templates).  The player that completed the course with the fewest amount of moves won.  I wonder if something similar could be done in this game system.

[Beaky Brigade]

 

This is true.  Sometimes it would work out because the other player had no idea that you would pick that template....Other times you flew off of the side of the map.   =)

 

To strengthen your template abilities in X-Wing, we used to do a thing at my FLGS called the Kessell Run.  We would set up a maze of asteroids and designate a path through them.  We would race through the course (obviously using templates).  The player that completed the course with the fewest amount of moves won.  I wonder if something similar could be done in this game system.

 

 

I have already thought of some outlines of 'solo' training missions you could do, though your mileage of playing this way may vary.

 

It is possible to do ground attack missions purely against a heavy AA defence. Just have the AA target the closest or random aircraft each turn. It probably requires a few special rules and play testing to make it a challenge.

 

In terms of 'training' scenarios you could have drone aircraft fly from one end of the AoE to another using random variations of level flight, and you have to destroy as many as you can before they go off the edge. Have them appear from random edges and random altitudes.

 

In a manoeuvre scenario you could randomly place tokens throughout the AoE and have to fly through them in as few turns as possible without going off the board edge.

 

 

I think this game will be very rewarding to those that learn the manoeuvres well, and the capabilities of your own and enemy aircraft.