Wing Leader
Wing Leader is a side-view WWII air combat game with counters representing squadrons or flights.
Wing Leader is produced by GMT Games.
I like Wing Leader because it differentiates aircraft in a simple but effective way, emphasises the importance of aces and crew training, and gives realistic loss rates.
Its rules are relatively simple (but subtle) and games can be played in a couple of hours.
Wing Leader is produced by GMT Games.
I like Wing Leader because it differentiates aircraft in a simple but effective way, emphasises the importance of aces and crew training, and gives realistic loss rates.
Its rules are relatively simple (but subtle) and games can be played in a couple of hours.
Squadron displays
We found the standard Wing Displays proved too easy to knock and disturb.
I have created a web page that enables you to fill in the details of the squadrons and generate a display for printing.
See this page for full details: WL squadron display
I have created a web page that enables you to fill in the details of the squadrons and generate a display for printing.
See this page for full details: WL squadron display
Wing Leader counter list
It is handy to have a list of squadron/flight counter ID markers when planning games and making up pen and paper wing displays (see below).
See this page for full details: WL counters
See this page for full details: WL counters
Modifications for play at a games club
I have been playing with multiple gamers at my local club and found several tweaks made the game operate much more successfully when played this way.
Bigger board and full-sized cloud markers
I drew and printed on paper an A0 version of the board. This has rectangles that are 45 mm x 40 mm. This larger size reduces the need for the Battle Display as you can fit more counters in the rectangles. It also enables the players to spread out round the table.
The cloud markers are based on those by The3Furies, as detailed on Boardgamegeek.com.
Card strips, of varying lengths, are used to represent the clouds, rather than the smaller counters. These are less obtrusive, making it easier for players to concentrate on the aircraft counters.
I went for stylised clouds, somewhat like those on weather reports.
Card strips, of varying lengths, are used to represent the clouds, rather than the smaller counters. These are less obtrusive, making it easier for players to concentrate on the aircraft counters.
I went for stylised clouds, somewhat like those on weather reports.
Sequence markers
These are small counters (numbered 1, 2, 3, etc.) to indicate the order in which squadrons move.
We place these at the start of the movement phase, and gradually remove them as counters are moved. This makes it easier to keep up with things, especially when there are a lot of chains of tallies.
I made these from transparent coloured counters, with added adhesive numbers generate with a Brother P-Touch printer.
We place these at the start of the movement phase, and gradually remove them as counters are moved. This makes it easier to keep up with things, especially when there are a lot of chains of tallies.
I made these from transparent coloured counters, with added adhesive numbers generate with a Brother P-Touch printer.
