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Thread: Our Night scenario rules

  1. #1

    Default Our Night scenario rules

    I simply find night missions thrilling, and yep we have a few night planes released already - there is just still room for developing some house rules for night missions. There have been some nice attempts to simulate night flight already, but i was thinking about a slightly different approach to it - i was gonna incorporate WWI style planning to simulate uncertainty of the night flight.

    We tested the early set of rules yesterday with my wing buddy Kubajs and few other guys of Czech wing, and after smoothing out some clumsiness of the early rules we basically came with something that was working very well.

    There are 2 modes in the game - Search mode and Attack mode. While at search mode, you use WWI style planning - 3 meneuvers, no speed changes. While in the attack mode you use a standard WWII planning.

    The rules do work, but they are meant for people who are experienced in both WWI and WWII WoG.

    Night rules:

    A. No altitudes.
    This is a simplification of the fact that the night fighting is not much about having an altitude advantage over someone you cannot really see.
    B. Start in the Search mode, setting up 3 maneuvers with no speed tokens. To move, use just fast speed arrows and Stall. Immelman turn is carried out like in WWI - fast speed straight - turn - fast speed straight.

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    Then you carry on planning the 3rd maneuver every planning phase. No speeds.

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    C. In the end of every turn (= after the fire phase) check for one of the following conditions to switch to the Attack mode.

    1. You were shot at during the last fire phase.
    2. You have an enemy airplane around you within short range, anywhere but in the angle between the stand and both corners of the rear edge of the base, to put it simply - anywhere but behind you. This doesn't apply for airplanes with a rear gunner. Those trigger Attack mode while enemy is at short range anywhere around.
    3. There is an enemy airplane on fire within long range anywhere around you.


    As soon as one of the conditions above has been fulfilled in the end of turn, you will switch to the Attack mode, during the following planning phase:

    In the end of turn your Search mode board will look like this

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    During the following planning phase remove the played maneuver, move the two unplayed maneuvers to the left, and put speed tokens on them.

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    Now you are in Attack mode. Put a marker next to your airplane, and carry on with standard WWII planning ...till ....

    As soon as none of the conditions above has been fulfilled at the end of turn, you will switch back to the Search mode, during the following planning phase:

    In the end of turn your Attack mode board will look like this

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    During the following planning phase remove the played maneuver, move the unplayed maneuver to the left, and add two extra maneuvers with no speed tokens

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    If your Search mode lasts, plan one maneuver with no speed every turn.

    You can shoot at short and long range targets, but consider this - long rage shooting will switch your target to the Attack mode, while you can stay in Search mode for the next turn or so.
    Last edited by Honza; 10-30-2014 at 09:10.

  2. #2

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    How about turning the room lights out or down to very dim. Or using tape over goggles to simulate the limited angles and ranges. Night and all-weather scenarios enormously reduce what we know and when we find out, so the time scale is also compressed.

    Ron

  3. #3

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    To me WGS is not really intended to simulate night fighting It is a game about maneuvering, while night fights were all about strems of Lancasters and nightfighters sneaking inside the formation to have one deadly shot...Simply not much fun in this game, however I do appreciate your effort, Jan. We try to bend the rules, but the outcome won't be superb anyway.
    There are much better games simulating night bombing raids: Duel in the Dark is the shining example of gaming gold, IMHO. Nightfighter is another one.
    <img src=http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/image.php?type=sigpic&userid=2554&dateline=1409073309 border=0 alt= />
    "We do not stop playing when we get old, but we get old when we stop playing."

  4. #4

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    We had fun trying it out Andy. That's why i posted it.

  5. #5

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    Pictures taken, Honzo?
    <img src=http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/image.php?type=sigpic&userid=2554&dateline=1409073309 border=0 alt= />
    "We do not stop playing when we get old, but we get old when we stop playing."

  6. #6

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    Haha that's the think, we used a black artificial leather for a game mat, and some really dark airplanes on it.
    We went for 3 Hurries against Me109 + Me110, later joined by a merciless Italian Falco. I went down first, as Kubajs set me on fire a so i was unhappily triggering my enemies' Attack mode with my torch till i burned down. Then one of the Hurries went down, and then the Falco.
    3 more guys joined the game room, so we stopped the Night hunt and went for hilarious WWI with the worst airplanes you can fly with
    I definitely wanna play that again. It was a very different experience, a bit harder to master, but pleasant to do.

  7. #7

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    I do not understand...

    It seems very difficult to handle each player's mode separately.

    Am I right with the statement, that the player in the attack mode has an advantage?

    Why should you be able to go into attack mode if anybody shoot at you?

    No short range shooting?

    Why do you move all planed maneuvers to the right instead of the left, when you change the mode?



    You have an enemy airplane around you within short range, anywhere but in the angle between the stand and both corners of the rear edge of the base, to put it simply - anywhere but behind you.

    You handle this like a rear gunner blind spot? If a piece of the other plane's base is in this section - no change to attack mode.
    Voilŕ le soleil d'Austerlitz!

  8. #8

    Default

    This got me thinking of a game I played using hidden movement when not in contact with the enemy. It was a board game, using three rooms, three copies of the game, a referee. One team each in separate rooms, and the referee passing information between teams.

    I can see this using me as the referee in a Skype game, and two teams in other locations. Anyone up for a trial? I need two players at a common time. I'd prefer WWI, but I do have Bf-109s, Spits and Hurries.
    Mike
    "Flying is learning to throw yourself at the ground and miss" Douglas Adams
    "Wings of Glory won't skin your elbows and knees while practicing." OldGuy59

  9. #9

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    I've run a few double blind WW2 mini games before. Very interesting indeed. Not yet quite sure how night fighting in WoG should be handled. I'll be watching this develop.

  10. #10

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    It seems very difficult to handle each player's mode separately.
    You don't. You may use a token to mark the Attack mode on an airplane.
    There was a grave mistake in description of planning, please check it out again - all people plan at the same time like in normal game.

    Am I right with the statement, that the player in the attack mode has an advantage?
    Yes.

    Why should you be able to go into attack mode if anybody shoot at you?
    Cos you get pissed?

    No short range shooting?
    Yes, indeed, short range shooting is allowed.

    Why do you move all planed maneuvers to the right instead of the left, when you change the mode?
    My bad, thank you Sven, corrected.

    You have an enemy airplane around you within short range, anywhere but in the angle between the stand and both corners of the rear edge of the base, to put it simply - anywhere but behind you.
    You handle this like a rear gunner blind spot? If a piece of the other plane's base is in this section - no change to attack mode.
    That is under testeing yet. Either a piece of the base or the stand. Actually, i think the stand in the blind angle seems like a good rule.
    Last edited by Honza; 10-29-2014 at 23:18.

  11. #11

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    I see this using Skype by running the game on my table, but not using the overhead web cam until someone is in view. Each side texts their card numbers to me each phase, and I move the planes until someone makes contact.

    If we are using airborne radar, then I would say that there was a ping on the scope until the pilot brought the target into visual range, then switch to overhead camera.

    In either method, once visual or radar contact was lost, I'd switch off the overhead cam, and back to hidden movement.

    We'd have to try it out a bit to see if it would work. It would be fun trying, though.
    Mike
    "Flying is learning to throw yourself at the ground and miss" Douglas Adams
    "Wings of Glory won't skin your elbows and knees while practicing." OldGuy59

  12. #12

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    There was a mistake in explaining the planning in our rules. It is corrected now, and it is a way shorter. The trick is everybody is planning at the same time. People in attack mode plan normally WWII style, and people in Search mode plan their third maneuver with no speed token.

    In short, these rules let you switch between search an attack mode. Search mode is clumsier, and simulates searching for an enemy, Attack mode is aggressive and more potent and simulates the moment your enemy has been detected.
    Last edited by Honza; 10-29-2014 at 23:27.

  13. #13

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    I added some graphics to the pilot post.

  14. #14

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    Jan, I like the update, easier to understand. Looks good.

  15. #15

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    Thanks Peter
    I let the pictures speak.
    Last edited by Honza; 10-30-2014 at 07:59.

  16. #16

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    Ok, I'll check this again.
    Voilŕ le soleil d'Austerlitz!

  17. #17

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    Honza,

    I like the idea! Seems easy to follow, but I have to check it in real game.

  18. #18

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    Yeah, check it out, any experience adds to the development
    I wanna terrorize you guys with this at Prague Summer Con, so i wanna have it polished by then - plenty of time.

  19. #19

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    I was just thinking about our night attack on Taranto at Doncaster, and Neil's clever use of searchlights to pick up incoming aircraft.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  20. #20

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Honza View Post
    I wanna terrorize you guys with this at Prague Summer Con, so i wanna have it polished by then - plenty of time.
    We can polish them so much that they will shine, but will the be NIGHT rules anymore then?



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