B-17 Queen of the Skies (Discussion Thread) (Game On)

BanzaiCat · March 14, 2015, 03:30:41 PM

I'd like to do a tabletop AAR just for funzies, and have wanted to do one on B-17: Queen of the Skies for some time, especially after the one PE did long ago, so here goes!

Since I gave up on the B-29 Superfortress AAR (which was a shame, because I really wanted to like that base game), it really made me pine more for B-17, a game I played quite often in the late 80s. I still have it, and it's still intact (I'm hoping all the counters are present, but I have not laid it all out to count to see. Doesn't matter...I can make do, and it looks like they're all here anyway.

I scanned the base material so I can do some basic Photoshopping to illustrate; it won't be quite as ambitious as what I tried to do for my B-29 AAR, but it will get the job done, I expect.

I went ahead and grabbed the list from B-29, of those of you that decided to attribute your names to that game, and translated it over to B-17. If you're still good with doing this, please post below. If you're not, please post below.

Pilot (CAPT): Banzai_Cat (because if this thing crashes, it'll be my fault, and I'm rollin' the dice, so...)
Copilot (1LT): JasonPratt
Bombadier (1LT): Nefaro
Navigator (2LT): mirth
Engineer (MSGT): Barthheart
Radio Operator (SGT): GJK
Ball Gunner (SSGT): Jarhead
Port Waist Gunner (SGT): UCG
Starboard Waist Gunner (SGT): bob48
Tail Gunner (SSGT): Staggerwing

In the Replacement Pool: Shelldrake

Only issue is, there's 11 spots in B-29, and of course only 10 in B-17, so one'll have to go into reserve. There's no Radar Operator position in a B-17, so I could just put UCG in reserve, but that's not terribly fair. So if there's that much interest, let me know.

Once interest is shown, I'll start the AAR, though it will be sometime next week. The pieces are in place, I just need to start the game once I know if you guys are interested.

As long as one crew survives, I'll continue the AAR. But if the bomber is lost with all hands, that will be the end of the saga. Also, any of you that know B-17 knows the game can be very slow for the first ten or so missions, but I'm okay with that. I am going to stick with the base, boxed game rules, with no add-ons or anything like that. Unless some of you know of something that would be absolutely essential to include!

I plan on taking it easy with this AAR. I have other writing/producing commitments but as I said, I've wanted to do this for a while now, and I'd reeeeallllly like to see this through to the end. So on with the show. Let me know what you think.

Staggerwing · March 14, 2015, 03:34:18 PM

One of us could be an Army correspondent along for the ride. If one of the waist gunners buys it the correspondent can take over the position.

BanzaiCat · March 14, 2015, 03:56:48 PM

Quote from: Staggerwing on March 14, 2015, 03:34:18 PM
One of us could be an Army correspondent along for the ride. If one of the waist gunners buys it the correspondent can take over the position.

Hmm. An excellent suggestion! Where do you think he'd sit? That would make a difference if there's a dreaded BIP...

bob48 · March 14, 2015, 04:06:33 PM

I hope Geek knows how to use that radar.

Staggerwing · March 14, 2015, 04:15:32 PM

For some reason I recall that there was a fold-down seat somewhere in the cockpit or engineering section.

BanzaiCat · March 14, 2015, 04:23:12 PM

OK. I imagine UCG would not be terribly upset by being that extra crew, since his radar op position doesn't exist here.

Barthheart · March 15, 2015, 06:22:56 AM

Cool! UCG can have half of my seat and work the fire extinguisher for me....

mirth · March 15, 2015, 02:16:28 PM

He can have my spot once I bail out and spend the remainder of the war in Stalag 13.

Silent Disapproval Robot · March 15, 2015, 02:18:23 PM

Quote from: Barthheart on March 15, 2015, 06:22:56 AM
Cool! UCG can have half of my seat and work the fire extinguisher for me....

Please don't let that be a euphemism.....

undercovergeek · March 15, 2015, 02:19:42 PM

Lmao - I'm currently bombing dams in the other Aar thread - I don't mind if I'm redundant here

BanzaiCat · March 18, 2015, 07:37:15 PM

I've been working on some graphics. I scanned the game boards which looked okay, but the pixelation really bugged the hell out of me so I redid the main campaign map and the fighters. I'll share tomorrow.

Might not start this campaign until the second week of April. The wife and I are headed out on a cruise a week from Saturday to Key West and a couple of islands in the Bahamas. :)

BanzaiCat · March 19, 2015, 06:22:28 AM

Here's some remade German fighter counters:

I can't get the redone mapboard to upload, but I've had this issue at work before. I'll try later.

Staggerwing · March 19, 2015, 06:24:52 AM

Damn those are nice!

mirth · March 19, 2015, 08:06:01 AM

Quote from: Staggerwing on March 19, 2015, 06:24:52 AM
Damn those are nice!

+1 They look great.

BanzaiCat · March 19, 2015, 02:42:20 PM

Thanks for the feedback. I grabbed the plane images from an image search; I don't want to misrepresent myself. I didn't draw 'em myself or anything.

Here's the map, it's finally cooperating...pretty simple but the added color helps I think instead of just having a plain green for all landmasses.