"Western Front Ace" - Second and Third Patrol

A video playthrough of the second and third patrol of the solitaire World War One board game "Western Front Ace" published by Compass Games and designed by Gregory Smith and Ian Cooper. The game allows the player to fly as a scout (fighter) pilot in World War One. The goal is to score as many victories as possible and simply survive.
Our pilot, Josef Bongartz, flies his second (Balloon Busting) and third (Offensive Patrol) sorties. Bongartz gets "lucky" in one mission but not-so-much in the other.
1:35 Second Patrol / start
8:34 Third Patrol / start

[@ShellPartage]

I love the post-prof effect, it makes the reports very entertaining and intense ! Keep up the good work !

[@seanornery4985]

Thanks for these videos. They are always very entertaining.

[@chrisschall5834]

Great reports. On the balloon mission you would not have taken the preattack hits because you rolled a 6. Only on 1-3 do you take pre hits.

[@pdex2165]

Ugh...🤦 You are correct, of course. Thanks again, Chris.😊

[@vandrik77]

Theese videos are AWESOME!

[@pdex2165]

Thank you! Very happy you are enjoying them.

[@jona826]

Great AAR. Looking forward to the next one.

[@brundebrauc5198]

Great vid Poindexter! I might pick this one up, but the one I'm really waiting for is Spitfire Ace, if that one will still be released

[@pdex2165]

Thank you! Yes, "Spitfire Ace" is still in the pipeline as far as I know, but it looks as if it's going to be a while before release.

[@JoseMartinez-wy8jb]

It's getting interesting. Waiting for the next mission.

[@buffuzo4201]

The Gun jam shooting at the balloon would affect one of the spandaus.. not both. The other gun would fire with reduced the consequent reduced fire table. The D.I has two forward Spandaus.

[@buffuzo4201]

And I believe there should have been an encounter possibility over NML prior to engaging the balloon.

[@pdex2165]

Yes, I believe you are correct about the gun jam affecting ONE gun, not both. However, in rule [7.1.9] it states under Balloon Busting "In No Man's Land, your encounter is the balloon..." Thanks for the clarification on the gun jams!

[@buffuzo4201]

Thanks for doing the vids!

[@xxjj4082]

@@pdex2165 I don't believe that is correct ideology about the weapons. I believe the rules are stating "each" weapon as either the front or rear weapons, not "each individual" weapon. Meaning that BOTH front weapons are jammed or the rear weapons are jammed and must be unjammed.

[@pdex2165]

@@xxjj4082 I think I'll have to ask for clarification on BGG. Thanks for the comment! Update: Greg Smith replied to my query that BOTH guns jam. Technically, it's not just one gun but the whole firing system.

[@shaneintheuk2026]

Still waiting on my copy but I’m enjoying the chance of learning by watching.

[@kevinpaulson2659]

This was great. Thanks!

[@buffuzo4201]

Ah.. my next Austrian pilot, Franz Schubert.

[@shaneintheuk2026]

Lol.

[@xPEACExTSM]

👍 well done sir.

[@tedbrayton]

Greg addressed it in the errata, you only miss one mission when upgrading your aircraft, instead of the original two missions

[@pdex2165]

Ted, thanks for that! Yes, I do see it in the errata and will update it on the next video.

[@tedbrayton]

@@pdex2165 teamwork makes the dream work. I wouldn’t last in this hobby, without the regular help from fellow gamers and videos like yours. I had been missing the incendiary/fuel tank rule, so thank you. Good luck navigating the wingman rules.

[@casca6664]

good aar looking forward to your next one would love to see you do and aar on 'eagles in the sky' by revolution games the comparison would be great.

[@dhmosquitoiv]

Once again love the playthrough.... do do the graphics have you created a Tabletop Simulator board?... Just curious regards, Ian

[@pdex2165]

I use TTS, yes. I try to use the actual graphics from the game itself whenever possible (taking them directly from images in the rulebook). But, I often re-create them myself in Photoshop in order to get clearer and higher resolutions for the video.

[@dhmosquitoiv]

@@pdex2165 The stuff you have produced over the last couple of years is really top notch and leading edge as far as I'm concerned when doing playthroughs.... I doff my cap. Ian

[@dennissvitak5475]

If you lose just one month, that would be your CURRENT month only. It is possible to lose a month, and just lose the remaining sorties for that month, as few as one sortie.

[@thehappywargamer9122]

Really enjoy your replay wondering why when you where disadvantaged you did not perform a maneuver or draw a defensive card? Your German pilot has lasted longer than I did, keep up the flying.

[@ddlod9896]

Game seems easy