How to Train your Dragon

Hello people,

Before reaching the weekend proper I dropped round to Rich's Friday night to try out his latest acquisition D&D Attack Wing. I'd seen a bit of blurb come up on the Wizkids site but hadn't paid too much attention other than wondering how different it would or wouldn't be to STAW.

In answer it's the same mechanic applied appropriately,  by which I mean that any necessary tweeks have been made. You still get a movement dial and an action but there are a number of necessary tweeks. 

- There are 3 flight levels and the ability to land with ground movement being a separate dial.
- Each dragon has a ranged Bite and Tail attack.
- Bumping doesn't loose you your action.
- Upgrades are primarily physical abilities, magic items and spells.
- Shields convert to Armour which isn't removed by damage but critical and breath attack damage ignores armour.

In the starter set you get one Red, Blue and Copper dragons. Reds are brawlers, Coppers agile tricksters and Blues mid level mages. 

We played through three games, the first being the tutorial and then a couple of 100 pointers, which is two beasties with various levels of upgrades. Rich's pair of Reds,  named and unnamed, didn't leave much spare and beasted my Copper and Blue souped up named pair first time out. Second time round with a better game plan they were the ones limping home.

After one evening's gaming my impression was solid if unspectacular with some nice, appropriate, twists on the mechanics that I know so well. 

What will be really interesting is when ground troops come into the mix. From the page count dedicated to them in the fair sized rule pamphlet their an integral part of the game rather than dragon feed on legs. It would also seem that scenario play will be just as integral.

Apprehension....up in smoke ;)