New to Aeronautica Imperialis

[Master Ciaphas]

Hello there!

New, budding Wing Commander here! With the release of the new starter set “Wrath of Angels” I just might be convinced to dip into Aeronautica Imperialis. The new Xiphon fighters are beautiful models – and having loved films like Top Gun and The Battle of Britain – it seems like this might be a good fit.

 

That said – what would I need to get playing?

 

1) Should I just get the starter box – or instead by a box of Xiphons? Is the rulebook available separately?

 

2) What about the multitude of tokens needed? Can these be gotten separately? Is there a 3rd party acrylic tokens manufacturer who does it better than GW?

 

3) I have watched the GMG review of the first starter set “Wings of Vengeance”, as well as two battle reports. The second game was played with an “Area of Engagement” map, that seems to be available separately. From the post-game discussion, I got the clear impression that the area of Engagement boards make for a vastly different and better gaming experience?

 

4) GW has released a box of cards for both the Adeptus Astartes and Aeeeeeldaaaari factions. Are these limited in stock? Are they necessary to play to game? Should they be along with the initial purchases?

 

5) Any other things I should know before splurging out on this game?

 

Cheers in advance!

 

Faithfully,
Master Ciaphas

Edited October 14, 2021 by Master Ciaphas

[General Zodd]

Hi Ciaphas, another emigree from the Titanicus board, I see! I’ll give you my perspective,

 

1) I’ve not done the maths on the value, but GW boxed games are usually decent value, as long as you want a critical mass of stuff. If you’re only interested in Marines, maybe it’s not great? Either the Rynns World or Taros Air War books have all the rules, including special weapon and mission rules that aren’t in the previous smaller box set books. Of the two, Taros is probably the best, as it has some interesting new scenario rules.

 

2) GW have previously sold a token pack, not sure if it’s still available. I know some places do acrylic tokens, but I haven’t got any recommendations for you, as I haven’t gone down that route.

 

3) The smaller the area, the more difficult it is to leverage longer range weapons, obviously, so they benefit orks and eldar. Either get one of the battle boards, or future proof it with a larger play mat from Deep Cut Studios or similar. But you can wait to play a few games before you splash out on one of those options, I’d say.

 

4) They are limited, but given AI is not as popular as AT or Necromunda, so they may not vanish as quickly as some other card packs. They’re not essential but they are handy. The new kits come with a cut out paper version of the plane card, but not (as far as I’m aware) any of the missiles or upgrades and stuff like that. They released campaign books with previous box sets, which had all the stats in, so without these cards I’m not sure if the thin rulebook comes with rules for named pilots and things like that. Maybe someone with the new box can confirm?

 

5) Personally, the strength of AI is 95% the lovely models. As a dogfighting game it’s really not a patch on X-Wing/Wings of Glory, apart from the scenario play that introduces landing/reinforcing troops and doing ground attacks. It’s a fun game, but it’s not setting the world on fire from a gameplay perspective in the way that AT for example does!

[Firedrake Cordova]

1) Should I just get the starter box – or instead by a box of Xiphons? Is the rulebook available separately?

The "starter boxes" (Wings of Vengeance, Skies of Fire, and Wrath of Angels) all include a rulebook, but it doesn't include the full set of scenarios, nor does it normally include rules for aircraft not found in the box. From memory, I believe the rulebook in the box doesn't include the advanced rules, either, although I could be wrong on this.

 

There are two campaign books, which include the full ruleset, additional scenarios, and aircraft lists:

• Rynn's World Air War: covering Imperial Navy & Orks
• Taros Air War: covering Imperial Navy/Astra Militarum and Tau

The only content duplicated between the two is the ruleset (although the rules in the Taros book are expanded insofar as they include rules for collisions), so if you want the full set of scenarios, you'll want both. Unfortunately, the Rynn's World book is only available as an e-book now, unless you can find a shop with old stock of the hardback. That there's been no campaign book for this wave of releases is a departure from the previous release structure, and is a bit odd.

 

On the subject of value, it's a hard one to say - the boxes are cheaper than buying the components separately, so it's a case of if you want all the contents, then go for it. If you only want some of the contents, or want to supplement the models in the box (e.g. you want 5 Nightwings), then it becomes less clear-cut.

 

2) What about the multitude of tokens needed? Can these be gotten separately? Is there a 3rd party acrylic tokens manufacturer who does it better than GW?

GW used to make a supplementary token pack, but they were on really thin card (think business cards), and I don't think they're available any more.

 

There are some third-party manufacturers making acrylic tokens, which are a better idea (unless you get two starter sets ), with eBay or etsy likely being the best bet. Art of War Studios do some which look OK, but I'm not sure if they ship to the Land of Vikings

 

3) I have watched the GMG review of the first starter set “Wings of Vengeance”, as well as two battle reports. The second game was played with an “Area of Engagement” map, that seems to be available separately. 

I think the mat which comes in the starter set is too small, and the Area of Engagement mat looks like a better surface. Having said that, I'm not sold on how well foldable cardboard will hold up with use (crease lines...), so I'd look at one of the mat companies who make mats for Blood Red Skies and their ilk, and see if they'll print a hex grid on it (or if you can get the mat, and get a transparent sheet with hexes on it as an overlay). Deepcut Studios make some mats which look like they should fit, and will put a hex grid on them for you.

 

GW did release a board for Rynn's World (town and desert) and Taros (desert and caves), but I think they're hard to find now.

 

4) GW has released a box of cards for both the Adeptus Astartes and Aeeeeeldaaaari factions. Are these limited in stock? Are they necessary to play to game? 

The previous card sets (Orks, Navy, Militarum, and Tau) are no longer available, and took varying times to sell out. Watching the GW UK site, the Astartes and Eldar cards were sold out and "no longer available online" by 10:30, but were later marked as available, so I'm not sure what happened there, but if you want them, I'd get them sooner rather than later. The final page of the instructions booklet for the new boxes has the aircraft card in it, which gives the stats and points, along with the available weapon upgrades (i.e. rockets/guns), so the only data you're missing from the cards are the ace cards and non-weapon upgrades.

 

Having said that, I'd say they're by no means required - you can easily make a roster in Excel (or OpenOffice/LibreOffice Calc), which has "colour in" boxes for structure points, shots fired from limited ammunition weapons, and fuel used, which I'd argue is probably more useful/usable (obviously, this presupposes you have access to a PC and printer).

 

5) Any other things I should know before splurging out on this game?

The models are small with fine detail, so unless you have perfect eyesight, you may wish to invest in a magnifying device for painting them. It is fairly inevitable that you will inadvertently try to feed the carpet monster due to the small size of some of the components, so having a clear workspace is advised.  If you don't like the rules, the first edition rules rules are a bit "heavier" (if you can find the books on eBay or elsewhere), and I've seen other systems (e.g. Bag The Hun) adapted for the models.

Edited October 15, 2021 by Firedrake Cordova

[klisof]

One thing to note about the cards, in previous releases the campaign book included everything that you find on the card set so they were nice to have but not vital. This includes the rules for named ace pilots.

 

With the lack of campaign book in this release the only way to get the rules for named ace pilots is by getting the card packs.

 

But- they may release the campaign book later, and if not the named ace pilots for previous factions have been nice but not must takes in any list so you are not loosing too much by missing them.

[Mandragola]

I can't honestly recommend this game. I know some people enjoy it but I don't, despite the models being excellent.

 

I find that there are a number of really fundamental problems. One is that essential stuff like the areas of engagement, cards and ground assets are produced as limited runs that go out of stock, which is frustrating. I know we have the same issue with AT, but that's mitigated by AT being a good game. I don't think the same is true of AI.

 

As a dogfighting game, AI is flawed because the set manoeuvres give you an enormous amount of freedom, and you then activate your planes in simple alternations. There's nothing to stop you from activating a bomber last and it's manoeuvrable enough to always point at a target, or else simply dive or climb so it can't be hit. The result is that the agility of planes is almost completely irrelevant in the game - which is a bit mad for a dogfighting game.

 

Instead whoever has the cheapest planes gains an advantage because they have more planes to activate, and can move some after the other player has finished. And if one player loses a couple of planes they also lose activations, giving them a further disadvantage and making it extremely hard to come back from a bad start.

 

The problem is made worse by the long range of lots of guns. Imperial stuff tends to be most effective at medium range and that means that those planes' fire arcs cover massive areas of the board. It's very easy to point at a target - even multiple targets. And this means that agile planes have nowhere to go.

 

The end result of this is that AI is a game about crunching numbers, not skilled flying. You take the planes with the best balance of firepower, hull and price. These tend to be planes actually designed for ground attack, like valkyrie vendettas and marauder destroyers.

 

Some people do enjoy that and it's a simple game for pushing great-looking planes around a map. But don't expect involved tactical gameplay.

 

I still bought the new Marine and Eldar set, mainly just for the models. I don't have any plans to actually play.

[Master Ciaphas]

Hello!

 

Thanks for all your replies! They are really helpful, and I am sorry that I have been tardy in replying to them! 

 

I am getting the impression, that AI is a "lite" game, perhaps almost a beer and pretzels game?  And pushing beautiful models around a map, even if the rules are rather simple, might be a nice thing, rather than the deep, tactical experience of titan combat. 

 

Faithfully,

Master Ciaphas

[Rik Lightstar]

As with almost every GW game, if you play Aeronautica Imperialis in the way they picture you playing then it's a great little game. If however you like to apply a keen analytical mind to finding the most efficient units and combinations of units possible then you'll frequently end up frustrated that such things are possible.

 

Most of their games seem to be written with the intention that you'll choose your forces based on background and what's cool and then play in a sporting manner and attempt to create "cinematic" moments. In all fairness these games are often the most fun for me so it doesn't bother me in the slightest. Aeronautica and Titanicus are for me at the absolute bleeding edge of great casual games that you really shouldn't take too seriously.

 

The only one of their games that stands up to any real level of competitive gaming is Warhammer Underworlds and I'm truly baffled that they've not done a 40k version of it. I genuinely think it would be their biggest seller within a year.

 

Rik

[Cyrox]

Hello!

 

Thanks for all your replies! They are really helpful, and I am sorry that I have been tardy in replying to them! 

 

I am getting the impression, that AI is a "lite" game, perhaps almost a beer and pretzels game?  And pushing beautiful models around a map, even if the rules are rather simple, might be a nice thing, rather than the deep, tactical experience of titan combat. 

 

Faithfully,

Master Ciaphas

 

That, and more, if you ask me.

 

If you compare it to other games, then maybe there are shortcomings but thats the same as when you compare any game of a similar theme.

 

I've think its very underrated and I'd disagree with that argument its just a numbers game

 

The models are great, the rules are decent and there's plenty to enjoy, especially when you get giddy with the manouvers

 

EDIT - Rik said it far more eloquently than I - curse my slow typing!

Edited November 8, 2021 by Cyrox

[klisof]

I'm of the opinion that all GW games are best played as beer and pretzel type games.

 

AI definitely lends itself to that, it has a smaller buy-in in both £ and time compared to most GW games.

 

A less competitive play style also results in less min/maxing of hulls and activations and more just for fun lists but not everyone has the option of playing like that. Or even enjoys it, some people prefer more competitive play.

A lot of issues in most GW games go away if you are playing beer and pretzel style, I think its the only way the game Devs play.

[Rik Lightstar]

I don't think it's the only way they play, but I'm not even sure they're making the wrong choice either really.

 

When you look at their sales volumes (or at least guess from their annual results) there are far more people playing than ever go to tournaments and the like. So the invisible "Beer & Pretzels Garage Gamers" are probably a larger part of their customer base than we credit.

 

For example, I live just outside of London and without going into London there are probably at least 7 or 8 Games Workshop stores, plus maybe double that in "independent stores" within a 1 hour drive. But attendance for local club nights will rarely break 20 or 30 people at the clubs in the same area. There has to be a huge number of people playing games at home to support these stores because there's no way they're ALL sustained by the 200 or so guys going to clubs.

 

Rik

Edited November 8, 2021 by Rik Lightstar

[MithrilForge]

I don't think it's the only way they play, but I'm not even sure they're making the wrong choice either really.

 

When you look at their sales volumes (or at least guess from their annual results) there are far more people playing than ever go to tournaments and the like. So the invisible "Beer & Pretzels Garage Gamers" are probably a larger part of their customer base than we credit.

 

For example, I live just outside of London and without going into London there are probably at least 7 or 8 Games Workshop stores, plus maybe double that in "independent stores" within a 1 hour drive. But attendance for local club nights will rarely break 20 or 30 people at the clubs in the same area. There has to be a huge number of people playing games at home to support these stores because there's no way they're ALL sustained by the 200 or so guys going to clubs.

 

Rik

 

This 

I and my friends buy a fair amount of GW 40k/AI/Kill Team stock but would be those players that never pop up on Gaming clubs radar's as we have never played in store or at Clubs, as we usually play in a mates garage or on the large dining table etc...

AI is a good game for us as it's a easy going game with pretty planes that we don't have to think too hard about the rules to play and it's quick and easy... i hope it continues to get units and campaign books  ... Although, I went to my FLGS on the weekend to get some of the new stuff but they had nothing so i had to order some.... I'd like to get at least one set of everything they bring out before it visits Dodo Land... i hope it doesn't (but I'm not that naïve)  

 

Mithril

[Master Ciaphas]

Cheers!

 

Well - I have gone and done it and gotten a few bits and bops for AI.  I have so far gotten the following:

 

Outer Reaches Area of Engagement

Adeptus Astartes cards

Adeptus Astertes dice

Eldar cards

Adeptus Astartes Ground Assets

 

The Assets I am currently busy painting up, as they will certainly also be used for Adeptus Titanicus. They are smaller than I expected - and was I only invested in AT18, I would certainly have skipped them. When they can have a dual use purpose, I can just, sorta, only barely justify the price tag on them.

 

When Black Friday rolls round, I will be getting the last of the stuff I want/need/feel like, which is:

Wrath of Angels

1 Thunderhawk

1 box of Fire Raptor Gunships

 

If GW ever releases an Adeptus Astartes campaign book like Rynn or Taros, I will be getting that as well. 

 

Looking at my gaming group, there is only one other who plays AI (and also AT18). He is heavily invested in AI and has all the planes for all factions, sans the Forge World resin planes and assets. Another might - just might - be interested in AI once the Necroissaints come flying . Basically, what it means is that if I want to be able to play a game, I will be needing two factions - hence the Eldar stuff. 

 

My Astartes will be painted as Salamanders, who are also my Horus Heresy army. Regarding the Eldar, I might either go Ulthwé, or Alaitoc/Iyanden or perhaps a minor one such as Mymeara or Kaelor. Basically, pretty much all are up in the air, except for Biel-Tan, whose colours are too simlar to the Salamanders. 

 

Faithfully,

Master Ciaphas 

Edited November 16, 2021 by Master Ciaphas

[Firedrake Cordova]

Congratulations on your new toys!

 

Unfortunately, as you say, the Forgeworld ground assets are so very pretty (especially the Imperial Navy and Tau ones), but so very expensive.

 

Necroissaints

 

My Astartes will be painted as Salamanders, who are also my Horus Heresy army. 

Ah ... correct choice

[MithrilForge]

Congrats on entering the AI corps  ... 

I will be getting that "Wrath of Angels" set ... i just got the Skies of Fire & Taros Campaign Book as "early Christmas Gifts"... 

Salamanders is a great colour choice, but i think Ultramarines will be my choice as my mate wants to do Biel'tan or Iybraesil (sp?) for the eldar... 

The FW stuff is pretty expensive.. albeit very pretty  ...I wanted to get the Ork Air Waaagh Mega Bomber but in Aust dollars it would be more expensive than the whole "Wrath of Angels" box set & half of a Thunderhawk... ... i cant rationalise that amount for just one slightly bigger plane !!.

 

Good luck with your new additions and please Post them up here once you've completed them !

 

Cheers, Mithril

Edited November 17, 2021 by mithrilforge

[Master Ciaphas]

Hail!

 

Cheers for all your replies! It certainly increases my incentive to do something about this AI part of things :-) Again - thanks!

 

 

Good luck with your new additions and please Post them up here once you've completed them !

 

Ask and you shall receive:

 

 

I finished these off last night and am calling them done! Lovely little things (if, as already stated, quite expensive for what you actually get). 

 

Once I get what I think I am getting for Black Friday, I will be ssure to post more pictures here. 

 

Faithfully,

Master Ciaphas

[Firedrake Cordova]

Looks like you're off to a good start! :D (it took me ages to get a colour scheme I was happy with for my Salamanders - I was chasing the Neil Green 3rd Ed colours)

[MithrilForge]

Great start!    That's the Joy of AI & AT ... small but well detailed models that you can potentially get finished in an evening if your Mojo's flowing right  

You have enthused me to go dig my marauders out and finish them( the orks are all done)... seeing those ground assets makes me a lil bit jelly  ... 

very nice stuff for the tabletop...

Speaking of ,if you want a 3x3 map with hexes and done in mousepad matting.

see here -->  3x3' Aeronatical with Hex - Best Battlemat Gaming Mat Surface Neoprene – TABLEWAR®

 

 Cheers, Mithril

[Master Ciaphas]

Hello!

 

Thanks for the comments! It was indeed a pleasure to be able to finish the three Ground Assets so quickly. I have painted a rather large (200-ish points) HH Salamanders force already, so I have the recipe down to a tee. 

 

That is a beautiful mat, mithrilforge! Thanks for sharing! I am very tempted to get that. 

 

I think I will hold off on additional purchases until I have gotten some wee planes, and you know, actually tried to play the game :-)

 

Faithfully,

Master Ciaphas 

[Firedrake Cordova]

I've not used them, but Deepcut Studios also do an urban mat adapted from one of their Adeptus Titanicus designs. They also have a couple of mats for Blood Red Skies that might be appropriate - Battlefield, Fields, and Mig Alley - although you'd have to use their "Print-O-Mat" facility to get the 2" hex grid drawn on them.

 

Just adding it in as an option as they may work out cheaper for those of us in Europe, as TABLEWAR send from the US, if I remember correctly.

Edited November 18, 2021 by Firedrake Cordova

[Master Ciaphas]

Hail!

 

Lovely mats, all! I think I might prefer the Mig Alley and Fields, to be honest - but of these two and the TableWar Mat, I think the TableWar wins out on sheer aesthetics. That said - cost definitely factors into things, and DeepCut do deliver lovely products, so...

 

For now, though, I am good with the hard board Outer Reaches. 

 

Faithfully,

Master Ciaphas

[Master Ciaphas]

Hail!

 

So - Black Friday came and went, and I was happy to get 20% off at my FLGS as well as being able to spend earned credits on my loyalty card. 

 

I bought the aforementioned starter box (Wrath of Angels) and a plastic Thunderhawk. In the end I decided to wait on the Fire Raptors, as I will try out the game before making any additional purchases. These two I in effect got for "free" as my loyalty points more than covered it. Good deal IMHO. 

 

Even though it makes no rational sense, I will start by assemling and painting the Thunderhawk. It looks like an awesome model. Also, it will look fantastic as a piece of terrain or objective marker for my games of Adeptus Titanicus 2018.

 

Faithfully,

Master Ciaphas

[MithrilForge]

Oh i missed out on a ThunderHawk... I look forward to seeing yours painted up ! 

What legion will it be again?...Salamanders Right?... 

Congrats on the discounts, i have ordered my Wrath of Angels from My FLGS ...should get it just after Christmas.

 

Cheers, Mithril

[Master Ciaphas]

Thanks for the comment, Mithril!

And yes - Salamanders are absolutely right! Those will be the mainstay. As, however, there is an Ace card for a Xiphon in the cards pack, I might paint a single Xiphon in the scheme of the Horus Heresy Dark Angels, just to single it out. I am not quite decided yet. After all, I only have three Xiphons, and I do not quite feel like buying a set of six, as nine Xiphons is probably vastly more than I will EVER have need for?

 

I have finished putting the Thunderhawk together - and though I had planned to do that first, I might as well put the three Xiphons together also, as they seem very easy. After all, it not that much of a hassle to spray coat four models instead of one...

 

Faithfully,

Master Ciaphas

[Mandragola]

I agree that nine xiphons is definitely more than you'll ever need. I think I'd probably recommend getting another starter set, or maybe just the marines from it, rather than buying them individually.

[Master Ciaphas]

Hail!

 

Thanks for you replies!

 

I agree that nine xiphons is definitely more than you'll ever need. I think I'd probably recommend getting another starter set, or maybe just the marines from it, rather than buying them individually.

 

Yeah, that might be the way forward - unless  I can find someone to split a single Xiphon box with. In any case, I will be playing the game a few times before I invest anything further in it. 

 

Speaking of playing the game - one first needs models for it - and I have assembled the first 100p (and change):

 

 

These wee planes are SO nice models! I really love them - and am looking forward to painting them. Seeing that the Xiphons were a breeze to put together, I might just also assemble the two Storm Eagles, so that all is done. It is, after all, only another two planes. 

 

Faithfully,

Master Ciaphas