Age of Dogfights: WWII

Pledge manager reopening, new rewards and more
over 1 year ago – Mon, Aug 05, 2024 at 03:18:43 PM

End of production and shipping status

The Rulebook and Scenario Book has been printed, assembled and bound.

The shipping will continue this week. Backers will be asked by email to confirm their shipping details beforehand, because a long time has passed since the campaign ended, and it's a holiday season so we want to make sure there will be someone to receive the package.

BackerKit pledge manager reopening

As we have announced several times, at the request of many backers, we will unlock the orders in the pledge manager so more items can be added. All the add-ons (expansions, accessories, etc.) will be shipped in the second shipping wave, as announced during the Kickstarter campaign.

All items remain at the same prices as initially offered in 2021, despite the global inflation and the elements added to the basic game and to almost all expansions. So, this is a good opportunity to order various expansions and add-ons at the old prices.

To add items to your pledge, either log in to your BackerKit account (if you have one) and search for Age of Dogfights: WWII under "Your Surveys", or go to THIS LINK to get a new survey link sent to your email address (enter the email you used for backing and click "Get My Survey", then open the link you received in an email), as explained here.

Due to unknown technical issues, about a third of the orders cannot be unlocked. If you cannot find a button "Edit Your Order", or there is a notice saying "Your order has been locked", contact us at [email protected] so we can manually add items to your order (to see all the items in offer, check the pre-order store).

New expansions and add-ons

Ground Units expansion

Given that complete rules for air-to-ground and ground-to-air actions have been added to the basic game, complex Scenarios with land units are made possible. The translucent plastic markers included in the basic set can represent various land vehicles and units (tanks, AA guns, etc.), but they are not visually appealing and cannot actively participate in combat. That's why we decided to make another expansion, Ground Units, which contains markers made of thick cardboard with printed drawings and characteristics of land vehicles and other units. All markers are double-sided, with one side showing active units and the other destroyed ones.

The expansion will come in a thin cardboard box (17x12x2.5 cm), so that the price would be more affordable.

This expansion contains 150 tokens (tanks, transport vehicles, stationary guns and anti-aircraft guns), and 12 building markers that can represent various targets (e.g. headquarters) and can be used as cover from enemy fire.

The following types of ground units are included:

German vehicles — Pz IV, Panther, Tiger, Tiger II, Jg Pz IV, Jagdpanther, SdKfz 251, Opel Blitz, SdKfz 7/1, Flak Pz IV

German stationary guns — 7,5cm Pak, 2cm Flak, 3,7cm Flak, 8,8cm Flak

Allied vehicles — Sherman, Easy Eight, Jumbo, Churchill VII, Firefly, Jackson, M3 half-track, Bedford QL, M15 CGMC, M19 MGMC

Allied stationary guns — 17pdr QF, M45 Quadmount, Bofors 40mm, 90mm M2

The rules for ground units are very simple. A ground unit moves only one Step in each Round, as it is the simplest way to make it compatible with aircraft movement, which are always much faster than tanks. The rules for firing at other ground units are also simple, adapted to use the same Durability values as for air-to-ground attacks. The rules for anti-aircraft firing are already explained in the basic game Rulebook, with the only difference being that some AA guns are self-propelled.

These markers allow creating complex and dynamic Scenarios. It is no longer necessary to, for example, artificially determine a time limit by which aircraft must destroy land targets, instead it all depends on the specific situation on the ground.

The price of this expansion on BackerKit is $14, and it will be more expensive ($18) later on our website.
 

Thematic expansions

Unlike 'regular' expansions, which provide diversity in different aircraft types, 'thematic expansions' aim to provide a greater number of the same aircraft types, in suitable colors for a particular battle, operation or a period. The first two thematic expansions that we have prepared are: Operation Overlord and Guadalcanal Campaign. Both come in thin cardboard boxes measuring 17 x 12 x 2.5 cm to make the price more affordable.

These expansions can be added to order in the BackerKit pledge manager, but can also be obtained as a special reward (see below). As you know, Forsage Games is a small company, and it doesn’t have the resources to create nor finance a serious advertising campaign. Until now, we have always relied on a 'good word', as our games have usually received a lot of praise within the community. Various video reviews and articles in web or print magazines contributed to the final number of backers during the campaigns for AoD:WWI and AoD:WWII. Also, many backers have contributed to the popularization of this series of games through various comments and posts on social networks.

 

Requirements for earning thematic expansions as rewards

After the backers get the basic game in the first shipping wave, they will have the opportunity to play games according to a given mission or Scenario, or their own setup. After playing a few games, players will be able to get full impressions about the game quality (as the first impression may be incomplete after playing just once). The best medium for giving impressions and rating games is the site BoardGameGeek, which is generally accepted as the place where all tabletop games on the market are displayed and evaluated.

The criteria to get the Operation Overlord thematic expansion is all of the following:

- Rate the game and write an honest opinion about the game in a comment on BGG.

- Make a post on BGG forum, with your impressions about the game, and detailed description and photos of at least one game played (either by a given Scenario or your own setup).

- Share the short description and photos of gameplay, including a link to the post on BGG forum, on at least one social network of choice.

- Send us the links on [email protected]

The criteria to get both Operation Overlord and Guadalcanal Campaign thematic expansions is as follows:

- Fulfill the above conditions, but instead of just one, make at least three posts on BGG forum showing different Scenarios played (at least one of which must be a more complex Scenario, with more than 15 aircraft participating), and share each game in separate posts on social networks (and send us the links).

We hope that many backers will find this idea interesting, and fulfill these conditions, to mutual satisfaction.
 

Thematic Expansion: Operation Overlord

This expansion contains the most important aircraft types that were used during Operation Overlord (the Allied landings in Normandy in June 1944): 12 Allied and 5 German aircraft types (for a total of 50 aircraft tokens with their corresponding Control Panels). The expansion also contains a brochure (with 4 Scenarios, and historical facts related to Operation Overlord and all aircraft types represented) and a poster with aircraft.

The aircraft types in this expansion are already represented in the basic game or in another expansion (but usually in different version or color scheme), with the exception of Armstrong Whitworth A.W.41 Albemarle. All Allied aircraft have distinctive black and white stripes on the wings and fuselage. The Scenarios use aircraft from this expansion together with those from the basic game, since they are from the same period.

It is interesting that the Allies chose the Hurricanes to be used for communication and the transmission of mail and written orders to forward positions (in case the radio links were disrupted), as the usual aircraft in this role were Lysanders or some other liaison aircraft. The reason was that the Hurricane as a fighter (although outdated at that time) could defend itself or escape in the event that German fighters attacked it, and it had a reliable landing gear to be able to land on unprepared terrain, in contrast to the Spitfire (which had weak landing gear) and the Tempest/Typhoon (too heavy for soft terrain). In one of the Scenarios, the Hurricanes will, due to a sudden turn of circumstances, get a very important role...

On BackerKit, this thematic expansion will be priced at $15 (and will be $18 later on our website).
 

Thematic expansion: Guadalcanal Campaign

The Guadalcanal Campaign includes a series of land and naval-air battles around the island of Guadalcanal that took place from August 1942 to February 1943. This thematic expansion features some types of naval aircraft and several ships that took part in those battles.

The set contains a total of 50 aircraft tokens with their corresponding Control Panels. A big novelty in this expansion are ship markers made out of thick cardboard. The US and Japanese forces contain 6 ships each, with corresponding Control Panels.

The brochure will contain at least 6 Scenarios, a text about the Guadalcanal battles and about the aircraft. This expansion also comes with a poster with aircraft drawings.

Besides playing according to a Scenario, even the simplest setup can be very fun: Japanese ships with aircraft on one side and the US ships with aircraft on the other, with a simple task - destroy as many enemy ships and planes as possible, and it's up to players to plan how to attack (whether to use dive bombers or torpedo bombers first, where to deploy fighters, etc.). If the opponent's carriers are sunk, the aircraft located on them are automatically destroyed, and those in the air may be able to find salvation by landing on another carrier (if it is not also sunk).

The expansion is priced at $18 on BackerKit ($23 later on our website).
 

PnP - expansions pack 2

The new expansions (Ground Units and two thematic expansions) are available in "expansions pack 2" as Print and Play, together with all five micro-expansions (American Bombers, British Bombers, British Fighters, Mosquitos and German Fighters). The price of "Pack 2" is $5.
 

Notebooks and notepads

New items (add-ons) that will be offered in BackerKit are Age of Dogfights themed notebooks (in two sizes: A4 and A5) and notepads (also in two sizes 16x16 cm and 15x10 cm). The notebooks have 30 sheets each, and the pads 40. The backers will be able to choose between blank sheets, or sheets with our characteristic triangle grid. The prices of notebooks are: $3.2 and $1.7, and notepads: $1.6 and $1.

Additional content for existing expansions

Just like the basic game has received a lot of additional content that wasn’t announced during the campaign, we decided to add new components to all expansions. First, all 8 expansions and 5 micro-expansions will have posters with all the aircraft represented, and an expanded brochure with text about the aircraft.

Also, all five major expansions will get a significant addition:

The Blitzkrieg expansion gets 25 tank tokens (4 × Pz II, 6 × Pz III, 4 × Pz 38; 5 × Hotchkiss, 3 × Somua S35, 3 × Char B1)

The African Campaign expansion gets 25 tank tokens (4 × M13/40, 6 × Pz III, 3 × Tiger; 4 × Matilda II, 4 × M3 Lee, 4 × Sherman)

The Eastern Front expansion gets 25 tank tokens (5 × Pz IV, 3 × StuG III, 3 × Tiger; 7 × T-34, 4 × KV-1S, 3 × KV-1)

The Battle of Britain expansion gets 15 barrage balloon tokens with Altitude Stands. Barrage balloons were present in great numbers in the British sky at the time, especially over London. Although not being a part of the Battle of Britain, there will be a Scenario: Operation Outward (which lasted from February 1942 to September 1944) where these balloons will be used.

In the Pacific Theater expansion, there will be an additional set of 3+3 thick cardboard markers for ships (USA: Essex-class aircraft carrier, Omaha-class cruiser and Fletcher-class destroyer; Japan: Shōkaku-class aircraft carrier, Sendai-class cruiser and Fubuki-class destroyer). The scenarios use these ship markers in a variety of ways, similar to Guadalcanal Campaign thematic expansion.

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As can be concluded from the rather long text above, the AoD:WWII project is extremely rich in expansions and various add-ons. The expansions that were already announced have received additional content, and now we have introduced several new ones. Upon reopening the BackerKit pledge manager, you will have the opportunity to order new items and those that you didn't order at first, all at the lower prices.

Rulebooks are finally being printed!
over 1 year ago – Mon, Jul 15, 2024 at 06:48:13 PM

After a longer wait than expected, we can say that the rulebook has started printing.

At the same time, the brochure with Scenarios is undergoing a final proofreading check, and it will go to print as soon as the main Rulebooks are done (we've been promised that there won't be any delays in between). We presented texts and schemes for 16 scenarios in several updates (#35, #37 and #39) from last year. The last one (Operation 'Sausage') wasn't selected for the printed edition of the brochure. However, we created 4 new scenarios instead: Jet Confrontation, Fog, Night, and Unusual Encounter, so there are a total of 19. The new Scenarios feature some specific battle conditions (night or fog), and some of them feature aircraft that haven't previously been represented in a scenario. Therefore, every aircraft type included in the basic game is now featured in at least one Scenario or Mission (missions are part of the rulebook).

We are now publishing the pages in the Scenario Book containing a short text with historical and technical data for each aircraft type. We planned to make the aircraft drawings a part of the Scenario Book, but we decided to print two separate posters instead. They are folded in half so they can be stored inside the booklet, and they have already been printed in full batch. The Scenario Book also contains text about the air forces of each of the three countries represented (Luftwaffe, RAF, USAAF).

Re-opening of the BackerKit pledge manager

The update after this one will be very important, so we kindly ask the backers to follow project updates.

The next update will cover the topic of re-opening the pledge manager, so you can add more expansions or add-ons to your pledge. Most backers have already ordered the expansions and add-ons, and those orders are locked. However, many backers have contacted us (both those who have already added something and those who have not) with the desire to expand their order. So, in the next update, we will explain the full procedure for those additional orders. All prices will remain the same as during the Kickstarter campaign, regardless of the fact that almost everything has become more expensive in the meantime.

Also, in the upcoming update, we will show some new add-ons, which we believe will please many of you. Almost all the expansions have got additional content that was not announced during the Kickstarter campaign (similar to the basic game).

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Once again, we use this opportunity to thank the backers for their trust and patience all this time.

 

Update #49
almost 2 years ago – Sat, Jun 15, 2024 at 09:38:18 AM

We are still waiting for a free slot at the Lucky Graf printing house to print all the instruction manuals. The delay occurred due to the specialized graphics equipment fair in Dusseldorf - "Drupa", and the absence of the owner for several days caused some changes and delays in their schedule. We hope, however, it will all be soon sorted out, and our manuals will be put to print as soon as possible. After this one, another update will follow, containing some important information related to this project.

We also use this opportunity to announce another campaign on our secondary Kickstarter profile, Forsage Light Games. This campaign was originally conceived as a reprint of the Carom Mini Golf game from last year (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2078586680/carom-mini-golf), but shortly before the start of the campaign, we’ve added a new variant: Carom Golf.

As always, we have provided gifts for early pledges (this time, the Garbage mini expansion) and a loyalty gift for all our returning backers: a multipurpose spinner.

About Carom Golf

Carom Golf is a tabletop simulation of golf, played on a modular board made of up to 12 board segments.

The goal of the game is to put the ball from one end of the course into the hole on the opposite side, and the winner is the player who manages to do so with the fewest strokes. The strokes are performed by rolling a die and moving the ball accordingly over the hex grid on the board; this is not a toy nor a flicking game, so dexterity doesn't play a role.

On its path to the hole, the ball may encounter different types of obstacles (provided in the set), with which it interacts in various ways. By carefully choosing the path, however, the ball can bypass any obstacle, and even fly over it, if it gets hit hard enough.

The game is designed for up to 12 players, as there are two sets of 6 balls each provided. It can also be played solo, as finding the best and the quickest path for the ball on any imaginable course is a joy in its own right. 

When playing in company, however, there is a special Carom mode where all players play one stroke at a time on the same hole, and their balls remain on the course at all times. In this mode, it is possible to hit the other player's ball with your own, change its position, and even knock it out of bounds, in order to mess with your opponent’s game. If you’re a competitive bunch, you’ll prefer this mode for sure.

Whatever you choose, you’ll be equipped for hours of fun. See you on the course! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2078586680/carom-golf?ref=dkpeuh

Summary of added elements
almost 2 years ago – Sun, May 26, 2024 at 07:31:13 PM

At the time we started the Kickstarter campaign for Age of Dogfights: WWII, our previous game (AoD:WWI) had just been delivered to backers, who didn't have much time to unbox it and try it out. Our original intention was to make the WWII game slightly more extensive and detailed than its predecessor, so the rulebook was not finalized before the campaign. In the meantime, we started receiving excellent feedback for the AoD:WWI game, and we felt the need, as authors, to make the new game even better and more complete than the previous one (just as the aircraft from the WWII period were better and more advanced than WWI aircraft). So, we decided to include the rules for air-to-surface and surface-to-air actions in the game with the same level of detail and realism as for air-to-air actions (something that wasn't even featured in the AoD:WWI). The new, more detailed rules also required the introduction of many new physical elements in the game, which all in all significantly increased the contents of the game (and weight).

We, as authors, are very satisfied with how we managed to fit everything into a functional whole, and we believe that the gamers around the world will be pleased as well. The end product is a game that can simulate all aviation actions during WWII, so we're confident that the gamers will be able to play new, interesting games for many years, especially if they use at least one of the available expansions. We are eagerly awaiting the first comments about the new game, but we are sure the overall quality of the game will be recognized by the community.

However, looking from the business aspect, our decision to significantly expand the game was unfortunate. First, writing the rules took much longer than we anticipated, which created additional costs on its own. Second, in that extended period, many raw materials have become more expensive, not to mention the increase in shipping fees. Thirdly, for elements that were produced a long time ago (boxes, boards, turn counters, etc.) we had to rent additional storage space, as we do not have enough room in our existing premises (including the apartment). For all that, we are the only ones to blame, because we didn't properly estimate the time we needed to do everything we set out to do.  But, perhaps more than these additional costs, we are worried about the fact that we caused unsatisfaction among backers due to the delay in the shipping. Hopefully, that feeling will disappear when we finally deliver all the games.

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In the previous post, we showed photos of all the elements from the AoD:WWII set. We also announced that we will soon list all those elements that were not announced during the campaign, and they are the result of the fact that we, the authors, decided to significantly expand the scope of the game.

1. Rulebook and Scenario Book

The AoD:WWI rulebook contained 16 pages, including the scenarios. We knew in advance that the rulebook for AoD:WWII would be more extensive, but the original estimate was between 24 and 32 pages. However, in the end, the rulebook for the new game has as many as 52 pages! (Which doesn't mean the game is much more complex, as explained in Update #46.)

The separate Scenario Book (36 pages) contains scenarios and texts with information about all types of aircraft from this set. There are also introductory articles on the German, British and American air forces of WWII.

First intended to be part of the Scenario Book, illustrations of all the aircraft from the basic game are printed on two posters. Those posters are folded in half so that they could fit in the box, but we believe that many backers will hang them on the wall.

So, in total, there are 52 (rulebook) + 36 (scenario book) + 4 (posters) = 92 pages with text and pictures, 6 times more than for AoD:WWI or about 3 times more than the original estimate for AoD: WWII. Due to the large volume of the books, we decided to make covers out of thicker laminated paper.

2. Player Aid

In AoD:WWI, there was just a small piece of cardboard with only one chart for reference, while here it is a large (32 x 23 cm) double-sided printed and laminated cardboard.

3. Terrain Markers

In order to realistically simulate the air-surface and surface-air effects, the set includes two cardboard sheets (32 x 23 cm) with printed terrain markers.

4. Task Markers

In AoD:WWI, there was a small set (6 + 6) of thin plastic task markers that represented task zones and ship silhouettes. AoD:WWII game contains two A4 sheets with a total of 37 + 37 task markers.

5. Barrage Sector

We managed to solve the challenge of simulating barrage fire of large-caliber anti-aircraft guns in an innovative way. For that, we have included three A4 transparent plastic sheets in each set, that feature some necessary numbers and symbols printed with a special color for plastic.

6. Speed indicators

AoD:WWI had no speed indicators, and we originally announced that there would be 24 of them in AoD:WWII, however, we've added 12 more, so the set contains 36 indicators consisting of plastic cubes and PVC stickers.

7. Dice

AoD:WWII contains 11 dice (9 special ones) instead of the originally announced 10 (the AoD:WWI set contains 6).

8. Chits (markers)

AoD:WWI contained 83 square markers, and for AoD:WWII we originally predicted only slightly more, but, in the end, there are as many as 154 round markers (which required making a more expensive punching tool).

9. Temporary Board Extensions

An element that was not present in AoD:WWI; AoD:WWII has two double-sided pieces (25x9cm).

10. Speed Calculators

Each AoD:WWII set contains two speed calculators.

11. Spacers

Each set contains 10 transparent plastic spacers.

12. KS exclusive content

This zip bag contains 6 small dial counters. They were announced in the campaign, but later we realized that they are not necessary, because it is simpler to use only the one main dial counter instead. Since they were already produced, we've included them in the set, so you could use them here if you wish, or in any other board game where they are useful.

Additionally, this zip bag contains two L+1 spacers that were not announced at the beginning of the campaign. We remind you that the set also includes 3 additional tokens with the corresponding control panels for three Bf 109 G-10 aircraft.

AoD:WWII sets in later retail will not contain this zip bag.

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All the things listed in the first 11 bullet points were either not foreseen nor announced in the campaign at all, or were announced, but in a smaller quantity, so producing them was a significant additional cost. In addition, the new content has increased the weight of the set, which will also affect the shipping fee.

In one of the following updates, we will announce some elements that we included in the expansions: Pacific Theater, Eastern Front, Blitzkrieg, Battle of Britain and African Campaign. Those additions are different for each of the 5 listed expansions and will significantly affect the quality and variety of scenarios. All these elements were not announced in the campaign, and we are sure that they will be welcomed by the players.

We are aware that many backers are unhappy about the delay, and they absolutely have the right to feel that way and to say so publicly. However, we believe that there are others who appreciate our effort to make the best possible version of the game, which resulted in the introduction of new elements into the game and, unfortunately, additional production and shipping costs. If you want to help us in covering the additional costs incurred due to the addition of these new elements, we offer you the possibility to donate a certain amount through our website.

We emphasize that this is not mandatory, nor will it affect the order of delivery. All backers will receive their games in the first wave, and the ones who ordered add-ons will receive them in the second wave according to the schedule we have already established. The donations will be used to cover the production costs of those additional elements, and we thank you in advance for that.

Donations can be made on our website, at the link below (due to some technical issues, PayPal is the only payment option). There are three options: a 5 Euros donation, a 10 Euros donation, and a 15 Euros donation.

DONATE

As a thank you for the payment, every donor (regardless of the donated amount) will immediately receive 18 digital wallpapers with illustrations of aircraft from the AoD:WWII base game and the Advanced German Aircraft expansion (in resolution 3840x2160).

Start of shipping the first packages!
almost 2 years ago – Wed, May 08, 2024 at 07:01:19 PM