Here
there is all you need to know for a match of "Wings of War" using the
basic rules.
To start, each player chooses an airplane card and puts it in front of him, on
the table or on the floor. Then he takes the Maneuver deck matching the blue
letter on the airplane card.
At the beginning of each turn, every player chooses three maneuvers and put
them face down, one on top of the other. The cards with a little square are
steep: you can not use two of them in a row. Even if the last card of the
previous turn was a steep maneuver, you cannot use one as the first card of the
new turn. The card with an arrow pointing down is an Immelmann turn: you have
to play a straight move just before it and another just after. Here again,
"just before" and "just after" can refer to the end of the
previous turn or the beginning of the next one.
When all the players have planned, they reveal the first Maneuver and put it in
front of their plane so that the beginning of the arrow matches the little blue
line in front of the plane. Then they put the plane on top of the maneuver
card, so that the dark blue arrow head on the rear of the plane matches the
arrow head of the maneuver. Then they remove the Maneuver card, that can be
used again in the following turns.
After all planes moved, check if they can fire to an opponent. Take the ruler
and put an end on the red spot at the center of the plane: if it stays inside
the firing cone and it can reach any point of an enemy plane card, the airplane
can fire at the opponent. It is forbidden to fire through another plane, enemy
or friendly. If two planes overlap, they can not fire at each other but they
can fire at other targets; other planes can shoot at the overlapping planes.
If the target airplane is reached by the first half of the ruler, it takes two
cards of damage. If it is reached by the second half of the ruler, it takes one
card of damage. Cards are taken from a deck whose letter matches the red one on
the firing airplane card.
Two seater planes can fire at two different targets: one in the front arc of
fire, another in the rear arc.
Damages cards are taken by the target player and kept secret. Each one has from
0 to 5 damage points. When the total of damage points reaches the green number
on the plane card, the airplane is shot down. If a card with the explosion
instead of the number is drawn, the airplane is immediately eliminated: an
optional rule suggest strategic players to take it off the deck, at least in
tournaments.
If the player draws a card with a crossed out aim, he shows it. The airplane
that fired at him has jammed his guns and cannot fire after the next three
maneuvers. If a two-seater jams, it can not fire within the arc of fire that
was firing when it jammed but can still fire with the other.
After all firing has been resolved, everybody reveals the second maneuver card
for the turn, move their plane and resolve firing again. Then they reveal the
third card, move and resolve firing. Now the turn is finished and the next one
has to be planned.
The winner is the last player having one or more planes on the field after all
the enemies have been eliminated or exited (an airplane that goes out of the
playing area with its central dot is out of the game).
Optional rules included in the rulebook are about special damages, aim,
tailing, blind spots for rear guns and getting out of control (illegal
planning). Optional rules about aces will be released online.
The booklet describes also several scenarios, including bombing and recon
mission, together with suggestions to design new ones.
In the box there are a game board for each plane and a set of 36 double-sided
counters, to help players to keep cards tidy during the game and to remember
the length of jamming and special damages, the last maneuver executed in the
previous turns, victories and successful missions.
Just
to know the optional rules, that I personally advice to use if you are a
regular gamer...
Tailing
To see if tailing is possible, connect the center of an airplane with the center
of the would-be tailed airplane. If the ruler is long enough and it passes
through the front side of an airplane card and through the rear side of the
other, without crossing any other plane card, tailing is possible. The two
airplanes plan their turn as normal, but before revealing the first maneuver,
the tailed player has to show his first card to the tailing player who can
rearrange the three cards he choose for that turn in the order he wants. Then
the first maneuvers are executed. After firing and before revealing the second
maneuver, check again: if tailing is still possible, the tailed player has to
show his second card to the tailing player and the latter can rearrange the two
remaining cards if he wants.
Special damages
Some cards have symbols besides the number of damages: these are special
damages to the target airplane. They are kept secret, except for fire and
smoke.
- A crossed out arrow toward left or right means that the rudder of the plane
is jammed. The airplane can not choose Maneuvers to that direction (with a
symbol of a little left/right arrow on the card) for the next turn.
- Two broken gear wheels mean that the engine is damaged. The plane has to play
at least one stall Maneuver each turn (one with the very short arrow) up to the
end of the game. If an airplane takes a second damage to the engine, it
explodes and it is eliminated.
- An airman face means that the observer of the two seater plane is
incapacitated. The plane cannot fire any more in the rear arc of fire.
- A smoke column means that the airplane leaves a smoke track. The airplane can
not make tailing for the rest of the turn and for the next two turns, but it
can be tailed.
- Some flames mean that the airplane has caught fire. For the next three turns,
before revealing the first Maneuver, takes an A Damage card. In addition, the
plane smokes.
Blind spots for rear guns
The rear machine gun of two-seaters planes has a blind spot just on the rear of
the tail. Use the ruler to connect the center of the two-seater plane with the
center of the target. If the ruler passes in the rear side of the two-seater
airplane card and it touches any point of the target card with its first half,
firing is not possible.
Aim
When a plane fires at the same enemy plane in the same firing arc for several
playing phases in a row, from the second phase onward all the damage cards
causing damage score one additional damage point. 0s are still considered 0s.
Getting out of control
When a player plans an illegal move (for example, two steep maneuvers in a
row), the plane goes out of control and it is eliminated.
Tournament rule
If you want to have less luck in the game, take the "explosion card"
out of the damage deck.
Here
we have a few house rules from players and authors. Please feel free to add or
to suggest corrections.
Some of those rules, and the Ace skills rules presented separately, can be a
bit complicated... But they are optional. On the other side, detail has to be
stopped sooner or later...
Shoot at
the real thing!
When you aim to a plane, you have to reach any point of the enemy airplane with
the ruler, not just any part of its card. In the same way, only the drawing of
the plane blocks the line of view.
Notes: players at www.giochidatavolo.net played often with this version of the
combat rules. Pier Giorgio and me considered this option and discarded it,
during initial play testing, for easier play, better game balance and to avoid
quarrels ("Yes sir, look well, I touch the propeller!). But if you are experienced
players and men of honor, this rule is pretty fine: it makes firing more
difficult and it is more realistic too.
Plane drawings are not in scale (Nieuport Ni.11 "Bebé" would be so
small and you'd loose all the details of Auletta's work) but there is a proportional
reduction depending on the size of the real machines.
Overlapping rules remain the same.
Firing
with a single machinegun
If you have a B firing airplane and you do not own a B Damage deck, you can use
the A deck, halving the value of the damage points rounding fractions up.
Special damages on the A cards are applied normally.
Notes: this is not how we did the B deck, but it is an approximate way to play
the Sopwith Triplanes single-machinegun variants and the promo Ufag included in
"WoW - Famous Aces" with just the A deck that you have in that box.
To tell which card are halved, if you do not use the optional rule about aiming
you can keep them on the +1 damage section of your console.
Fly that
Ufag right now!
To make a H maneuver deck, you can take a B deck and take away the Immelmann
turn, a right sideslip and a left sideslip (cards n. 12/18, 15/18 and 18/18).
Notes: To move the promo Ufag C.I in "WoW - Famous Aces", you'd need
an H maneuver deck from "WoW - Watch your back!". But with this rule
you get it with the B deck in "WoW - FA": after all the Ufag C.I went
at 190 km/h, that was almost the same speed of the Albatros D.Va (189 km/h)
that uses a B deck.
To shoot with the Ufag you'd need a B deck: see the rule above.
Landings
and take offs
At the start of the game, set the limits of a landing field. It should be at
least 9 x 27 cm. Draw on the table or put a sheet of paper of the right shape.
This could represent a real airfield or just a nice spot where somebody is
waiting for rescue...
Landing: the player must plan a straight maneuver (he is still flying), then
another straight (he is landed), then a stall, then the blank maneuver card
that it is inside the box (if you do not have it just play a restricted and it
count as a blank). Since the second straight, the plane is considered on the
ground. At this point the movement for that turn ends, even if there would be
more phases.
Take off: the plane must start with the red dot inside the landing field. The
player must plan a stall, then a straight maneuver (he is still on the ground),
then another straight (he is now flying). At this point the player can play any
other maneuver he wants.
If the player wants to start taking off in the second or third phase, just play
one or two blank cards or non-stall maneuvers before the stall, and consider
them as no effect blank cards. If the player has the red dot inside the
airfield and just pretend to take off without doing it (the plane is there with
engine on and ready to start) just put three of them: the plane can't be moved
or turned that turn.
Crashes: if an airplane ends with its central red dot out of the landing field
while it is on the ground and it is taking off (after the stall or the first
straight) or landing (after the second straight or the stall), it crashes. It
takes 2 A Damage cards (4 B ones if you do not have an A deck) if it happens
with the stall, 3 A cards (or 6 Bs) if after the straight: take into account
damage points, explosions and fire, but ignore all other special damages. The
plane is now considered grounded and it has to be completely still for all the
next turn. If it is not destroyed, it can be moved or turned, or start a new
take off, from the second next turn onward.
Planes on the ground: while on the ground, planes can not fire and don't block
the line of sight, but they can be fired at. During the second phase, before
any maneuver card is revealed, the owner can move and turn the plane card
freely, but the red dot at the center must remain in a point of the table that
was covered by that same plane card at the start of the turn.
Collisions: if after movement two planes on the ground overlap and at least one
of them was taking off or landing, both of them take 2 A Damage cards (4 B ones
if you do not have an A deck) each. Ignore special damages except explosions
and fire.
Fire on the ground: a plane can not take off until it is on fire. At the start
of each turn, before considering fire damage, take an A damage card (a B if an
A is not available): don't consider damage or anything, but if it is a 0 take
away a flame counter without taking any damage in exchange for it. This means
that the crew and/or ground staff of the airport managed to extinguish part of
the fire. If one or more counters are left, trade one for the damage as in the
basic booklet.
At the end of the turn, if a plane on the ground that is on fire overlaps one
or more planes not on fire that are on the ground, the latter take two flame
counters (each, if they are more than one).
Notes: developed together with Andrea Russo from
Deflection
Whenever you shoot, trace a line from the center of the firing plane to the
center of the target plane. If the line crosses a short side of the firing card
and a short side of the target card, you are firing without deflection and the
damage cards are worth +1 damage point (but 0s are still counted as 0s). To
remember that, put them on the +1 space of your console. If they are also +1
for other reasons (aim, ace rules...) they are +2: to remember it, put them in
the same space but turned 90°.
By
request by Jon... a draft to be experimentally used with "Famous
Aces", let me know what you think.
Ammo
At the start of the game, each player takes 6 damage cards and put them face
down on his own console, without looking at them. The rest are put on the table
as a "common deck".
When a plane fires, the target takes a damage card from the deck on the console
of the firer. If there is a second card to be taken (short range), take it from
the common deck on the table. When the 6 cards on the console are finished, the
plane is out of ammo and can not fire any more.
When a plane is shot down, take his unused damage cards and put them under the
common deck without looking at them. NOT the cards it took as damage when it
was shot at.
A plane can always decline firing even if he has a target in range.
Never tested it. I think 6 cards are maybe too few, but if you give 7 probably
the common deck is too little. And I think that this will allow too little
firing to B damage planes to be effective in any way. Better ideas?
Of course, when we will have Lewis guns we will need another rule: roughly to
have fewer cards at the start, but to allow pilots to reload machineguns in a
couple of maneuvers.
Collisions
Whenever two cards overlap, put the smaller plane on the bottom and the larger
above. If the card of the larger plane covers, completely or even in a little
part, the silhouette of the smaller one, there could be a collision. It
does not matter if planes are friendly or enemy.
The two would-be colliding planes takes two cards from their maneuver deck, one
with a right little arrow and one with a left one. An enemy player draws one. If
the same direction is picked for both planes, there is a collision.
Each of the two planes takes 3 A damage cards (or 6 B ones if you so not have
As), ignoring special damages and taking into account only points and
explosions.
If a plane collides with more than a plane, draw just a card for it and compare
to all the cards of the other colliding planes. Then draw damage for each
collision separately.
If a plane explodes because of a collision, all the planes that collided with
it on that turn take an extra A damage card (or 2 Bs).
Never tested it too. We did not put a collision rule because we did not want
players to ram enemy planes on purpose. Well, this has been done... especially
in the very early part of the war, when there were no machineguns on board, but
also lately because of the frustration of jammed MGs. One of our aces in WyB is
the Russian Aleksandr Alexandrovich Kozakov, who "shot" down his
first enemy (an Albatros C) on March the 31th, 1915 ramming it with his
Morane-Saulnier near Guzov-Volja. But we did not like it to happen anyway...
The card is picked up by an enemy player (and not choose by the player) to
avoid cheating (previous agreements before the match starts) in collisions
between friendly planes. The direction has to be the same, no matter the
relative position of the two planes: it is just a randomization system, not a
simulation of the reaction.
Jamming twin guns (A firing planes)
When you fire with an A weapon, that represents twin guns, you could jam one of
the machineguns or, more rarely, both of them.
If you are at short distance, you jam a machinegun if target picks up a jammed
Damage card, you jam both of them if he picks up two of them. Firing at long
distance, you jam both of them if the target picks the 0 red jammed Damage
card, only one if he picks the 2 red or a green jammed Damage card.
Planes jamming a single gun take three jammed counters. Each turn after moving,
the player can decide if unjam the jammed machinegun or if they want to fire
with the remaining one. If they unjam, they discard a token; if they fire they
do it at B capability (and they normally jam this second weapon if a jamming B
card is picked by the target). The weapon is unjammed if the player unjam it
after three consecutive maneuvers. It is allowed to stop unjamming to fire with
the other weapon at any moment, but the jammed counters are immediately
restored to three.
If both weapons are jammed, they are unjammed at the same time after the same
three consecutive maneuvers. No desperate account of unjamming is necessary.
With this rule you increase realism, and also the advantage of A firing planes.
Of course you need to have both the A deck from "Famous Aces" and the
B deck from "Watch your back!".
These
are some house rules I've just toyed around with--feedback welcome:
1. Turning.
Biplanes didn't "snap around" very well going from one turn to
another, so:
If you make a turn (play a card with a symbol on the bottom), you can't play a
card turning the opposite way until you've played a straight card (one with a
forward arrow).
One might want to exempt the "shifting over" cards (the ones that
move you over an inch but still have you going straight).
2. The "Turn less" Game.
In this one, there are no game turns--only phases. After you flip over a card,
move, fire, and assign damage, you take that just-used card into your hand, and
move the "II" and "III" cards in the queue over one (to
become the new I and II cards, respectively), and then play a card from your hand
as the new III card. This way "reaction time" stays constant
throughout the game (after the first few phases, anyway)--each card you play
takes effect three phases later, rather than 1, 2, or 3.
2. The "Turn less" Game.
Very smart suggestion... and actually, it is very close to the system we are
testing for the WWII version of WoW. But we allowed a quicker reaction.
In short, you start planning two cards. You reveal and use the first, and fire.
You put a third one. You reveal and use the second, and fire. You put a fourth
one. You reveal and use the third, and fire. You put a fifth one. You reveal
and use the fourth, and fire. You put a sixth one... And so on. So each card
you play takes effect two phases later, instead of three like in your
suggestion. That makes life easier both to players (easier to fire to the
enemy...) and to the publisher (less cards needed for a maneuver deck - that
since card decks are standard, could mean more useful thing in each box).
We played this rule also with a "Famous Aces/Watch your back!"
scenario (actually a WyB scenario using FA cards and the house rules published
here to fly the UFAG). It seems to work. Let us know...
Bye and thanks!
Andrea
Altitude:
Ok
seen a lot of people asking about the lack of altitude rules. I came up with
some that wont slow the game down and are very simple...I apologize ahead of
time if anyone else has posted similar ones.
First get a dice for every plane in the battle and place one on the card
representing each airplane...could be on the card itself or the damage station
card on the side lines.
Now 6 represent the max altitude for a plane and 1 represents flying just above
the ground.
rules are as follows.
1. Every plane starts at level 3 (of course you can make scenarios that change
this to represent different situations)
2. To climb a plane must make a straight maneuver. While descending a plane can
make any maneuver other than those considered steep (because you can’t be
descending and climbing at the same time)
3. Only one level can be climbed or descended per action (per maneuver played)
4. If a plane climbs you halve the length of the straight maneuver. The slowest
straight maneuver being the planes slowest forward climb.(i.e. if the plane
uses a full forward movement card it would only move half the length of the
card, if the plane is using the small forward movement card it moves the full
distance.)
5. If descending the length of the straight movement cards are doubled. Any
other maneuver is as the card states.(i.e. diving turn just lower the altitude
and move the plane as the card states)
6. If you’re not on the same level as your opponent you must be climbing or
descending towards them to make an attack on them.
7. Each level of altitude equals on half the length of the measuring stick for
shooting. Distances are measured from the level a plane would be at after the
change in altitude. The damage values according to the length on the measuring
stick remain the same.
8. If diving on a target while attacking add one damage card to the attack
9. If attacking a target from below the damage remains the same.
10. Two seater aircrafts rear seats can attack targets at the same level or
above them but not below.
11. maneuvers that require setups(i.e. Immelmann which requires you to fly
straight before performing it) cannot be performed after climbing but can be
performed after dives but all card requirements still have to be met.
12. Lastly, If two planes overlap and are at the same level after the maneuvers
are played, then a collision occurs and both planes receive 4 A damage cards.
These rules have literally added amazing amounts of depth to the game. There
not to hard to follow and don't seem to slow the game down at all. You can even
introduce terrain such as mountains or buildings and set there level at dice
heights, if a plane is directly over the building or mountain and at the height
or lower it collides with it. Bombers or recon could be required to be at a
specific altitude. The ways you can use these rules are limitless. Use all of
them or just a few of them as you see fit...good hunting.
One
rule I forgot to put in my above...if a person forgets they are at level one
and descends they collide with the ground and are destroyed.
Great!
Thanks a lot. So you tested the, didn't you?
But one thing I am not sure about. Do everybody plans to gain or loose altitude
in the planning phase? Do you put counters on your console? Do you secretly
write on a leaflet?
One rule I forgot to put in my above...if a person forgets they are at level
one and descends they collide with the ground and are destroyed.
Except if... We merge it with the "Landings and take offs" rule that
somebody else already tested. Maybe it just needs a bit of editing to be made
compliant with the rules above...
At the start
of the game, set the limits of a landing field. It should be at least 9 x 27
cm. Draw on the table or put a sheet of paper of the right shape. This could
represent a real airfield or just a nice spot where somebody is waiting for
rescue...
Landing: the player must plan a straight maneuver just after reaching 0
altitude, then a stall, then the blank maneuver card that it is inside the box
(if you do not have it just play a restricted and it count as a blank). Since
it reaches 0 altitude, the plane is considered on the ground. At this point the
movement for that turn ends, even if there would be more phases.
If in the moment it lands the red dot is inside the airfield ok, if it is
outside the plane crashes (see above).
Take off: the plane must start with the red dot inside the landing field. The
player must plan a stall, then a straight maneuver (he is still on the ground),
then another straight (he is now altitude 1). At this point the player can play
any other maneuver he wants.
If the player wants to start taking off in the second or third phase, just play
one or two blank cards or non-stall maneuvers before the stall, and consider
them as no effect blank cards. If the player has the red dot inside the
airfield and just pretend to take off without doing it (the plane is there with
engine on and ready to start) just put three of them: the plane can't be moved
or turned that turn.
Crashes while on the ground: if an airplane ends with its central red dot out
of the landing field while it is on the ground and it is taking off (after the
stall or the first straight) or landing (after the second straight or the
stall), it crashes. It takes 2 A Damage cards (4 B ones if you do not have an A
deck) if it happens with the stall, 3 A cards (or 6 Bs) if after the straight:
take into account damage points, explosions and fire, but ignore all other
special damages. The plane is now considered grounded and it has to be
completely still for all the next turn. If it is not destroyed, it can be moved
or turned, or start a new take off, from the second next turn onward.
Planes on the ground: while on the ground, planes can not fire but they can be
fired at. During the second phase, before any maneuver card is revealed, the
owner can move and turn the plane card freely, but the red dot at the center
must remain in a point of the table that was covered by that same plane card at
the start of the turn.
Collisions: if after movement two planes on the ground overlap and at least one
of them was taking off or landing, both of them take 2 A Damage cards (4 B ones
if you do not have an A deck) each. Ignore special damages except explosions
and fire.
Fire on the ground: a plane can not take off if it is on fire. At the start of
each turn, before considering fire damage, take an A damage card (a B if an A
is not available): don't consider damage or anything, but if it is a 0 take
away a flame counter without taking any damage in exchange for it. This means
that the crew and/or ground staff of the airport managed to extinguish part of
the fire. If one or more counters are left, trade one for the damage as in the
basic booklet.
At the end of the turn, if a plane on the ground that is on fire overlaps one
or more planes not on fire that are on the ground, the latter take two flame
counters (each, if they are more than one).
What do you think?
To answer your
question I made u and d tokens and you put them under the card when you place
the maneuver card on the table...so when revealed the intent of the altitude change
is revealed when the card is picked up.
Here is another one...Immelmann can either be performed as stated or by putting
an up-u token under the card they can be considered loops...when the plane gets
to the top of the Immelmann you up the altitude of the aircraft by one. you
still need to follow it with a straight card but if the straight card is a dive
you have performed a looping maneuver. If you don’t dive with the straight card
you have climbed rolled and are cruising at a higher altitude. You have to
think ahead a bit to perform these maneuvers but it adds to the game.
In actuality you can recreate just about any maneuver using these altitude
rules.
I
screwed up the rule in my last sorry...I meant to say after you perform the
Immelmann in the looping maneuver you perform a straight maneuver than follow
it by another diving Immelmann to perform a looping maneuver.
Another thing I play tested the rules with two different versions if you have a
lot of planes in the combat use them as stated. but if you
find that there’s a lot of flying but not much shooting consider changing the
firing distant rules to:
1. You can fire on a enemy who is up to two levels different from your own
height so one level you can use the full length of the ruler firing rules don’t
change....two levels you can fire up to 1/2 the ruler away...and you need only
dive or climb to attack your opponent if their 2 or more levels from your own
level...it allows the people to attack one another from further away.
Both versions work well the second one works better in smaller battles.
Optional Rules for Wings of War (FA)
A
package of optional rules for WoW (FA) just for
something different.
Quite a few of the ones mentioned have already been devised and submitted by others
so I hope they do not mind them being incorporated into this document – I
repeat them again as it has a bearing on an Ace’s special ability (see below).
1) Order
of Firing – All firing in the game is simultaneous so this means that any
plane shot down has a chance to fire in the same phase it was
shot down before it is removed from play.
There are two
exceptions to this:-
a) Aces – see later under Aces Generic
Ability
b)
If two
or more planes are firing on the same target then the closest plane fires first
then the next closest etc. If the first plane to fire downs the target then he
claims the “kill” and any other planes do not get to fire (they cannot choose
another target). If the first plane does not shoot the target down but the
second (or third etc) does then the plane that actually shoots the plane down
gains the credit. In other words there are no shared
kills.
I have not considered rear guns in the order
of firing but given the difficulties of sighting and maintaining aim in a plane
that is evading a pursuer, there has to be an argument that observers fire
after pilots with forward firing guns but leave this to players to decide.
2) Deflection
– During air combat, it was easier to aim at a target when there was no angle
between firer and target (ie, directly behind or in
front). If firing at a target passing across the front of a plane it was more
difficult to to aim and required plenty of skill and
practice.
To reflect this,
if (when firing) the ruler passes through either of the two short edges of the
target card (ie, front or rear) the firing is
resolved as normal. If the ruler passes through either of the
long edges (left or right) the fire is restricted as follows:-
a)
If the
target is only reached by the second half of the ruler
then no firing is possible.
b)
If
the target is reached by the first half of the ruler the draw one damage card
(instead of the usual 2).
3) Ammo
– This option is only available if there are an
appropriate number of damage cards (ie, usually more
than one deck, depending on the number of players).
Place eight damage
cards (from the appropriate deck) on or near a players
console. Each time a plane fires on a target then the target takes one of these
cards with a second card (if applicable) being taken from the common deck (ie, those cards remaining after ammo cards have been
distributed).
Once all eight
cards have been used up then a plane cannot fire any
more. An opponent cannot inspect an ammo deck to see how many cards remain.
I have not
considered observers and not sure if their guns carried more or less ammo. The observer’s ammo
deck should be adjusted accordingly.
4) Campaign
– If intending to play with the same pilots (until killed) and recording
victories etc then include following adjustment.
It was difficult
for WWI pilots to escape spins, heavy structural damage, planes on fire etc but
it was not unknown.
When a plane is
shot down then the pilot takes the next card from the A damage deck. If it is a
4 or 5 then the pilot is deemed to have landed safely
and is available for future use. If the plane uses up its last damage point due
to fire then the pilot only lands safely when a 5 is
turned rather than 4 or 5.
5) Aces
– When a pilot earns his fifth “kill” he is deemed to be an
Ace. All Ace pilots have GENERIC abilities and then one or more SPECIFIC
abilities.
All Aces have the
following GENERIC abilities:
a)
An
Ace can only be tailed by another
Ace.
b)
Aces
fire before non-Aces so that, for example, if an Ace and a non-Ace were firing
at each other, any damage inflicted by the Ace (including, of course, shooting
the non-Ace down) takes place before the non-Ace gets to fire.
c)
If an
Ace and one or more non-Aces fire at the same target, the Ace can elect the
firing order regardless of range. For example, if a non-Ace is closest to a
target and would normally fire first then even if the Ace is
further away he can elect to fire beforehand. Converse is also true, if the Ace
is closest then he can elect for a plane further away to fire before him. If more than one Ace fires at the same target then rules in 1)
above apply (ie, closest first).
In addition to
GENERIC ability, when a pilot becomes an Ace he earns a SPECIFIC ability. Roll once
on the following table when a pilot earns five kills and for every five kills
thereafter.
|
ROLL
(1D10) |
SPECIAL
ABILITY |
|
1 |
Anticipation: Place cards for phases I and II as normal. Only place the phase
III card after all phase II moving and firing has been resolved. This
means that the Ace can see the results of the first two moves prior to
placing the third card. |
|
2 |
Shooting Eye: The penalty for deflection shooting
(see rule 2 above) does not apply. |
|
3 |
Longevity: If shot down, pilot survives on a
damage card of 3,4,5 (not just 4,5). If downed due
to fire, pilot survives on a turn of 4 or 5. See rule 4) earlier. |
|
4 |
Evading: Ace can ignore one damage card after
drawing and viewing it. Only available once per dogfight.
Place discarded card at bottom of deck. |
|
5 |
Daredevil: Can do two steep maneuvers in a row. Only available once per dogfight. |
|
6 |
Tenacity: If the Ace is firing from behind the target
(so that the ruler crosses the front edge of the Ace and the rear edge of the
target) then the target draws one more card than normal (ie, two
or three, depending on range). Only available once per
dogfight. |
|
7 |
Sniper: If the Ace is firing from behind the
target (so that the ruler crosses the front edge of the Ace and the rear edge
of the target) then the Ace draws
one more card than normal (ie, two or three, depending on range), discards one card of his choice and passes
the remaining one or two cards to the target pilot. Only available once
per dogfight. |
|
8 |
Bullet Checker: Ace ignores jamming cards with green
cross. Only red cross jams affect this Ace. |
|
9 |
Acrobat: Can do an Immelman
without having to do a straight maneuver immediately following it. Only available once
per dogfight. |
|
10 |
Marksman: Once per turn, this Ace can use a +1
aim bonus even if he did not fire on the target in the previous phase. |
