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.
Then you carry on planning the 3rd maneuver every planning phase. No speeds.
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
During the following planning phase remove the played maneuver, move the two unplayed maneuvers to the left, and put speed tokens on them.
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
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
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.
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