Wingman Rules - Follow the Leader

[Zoe Brain]

Aircraft in WWI didn't have air-to-air communication, other than by wing-rocking, hand signals etc.

This means that ideally, all players should have only one aircraft each, so that there's no "telepathic" co-ordination.

However, there is one way of more closely simulating fighting pairs, relatively simply.

You have 2 aircraft of the same type (or at least the same speed band) fairly close to one another - in base contact is good, but having one altitude difference is recommended to avoid collisions.

You just plot the move for the leader. The wingman uses the same cards (has no choice) - with a 1-card delay.

So if leader plotted a straight at the end of last turn, then this turn a dive, left turn, stall, the wingman aircraft would be compelled to play straight, dive, left turn. Then a stall as the first card of next turn.

If the wingman takes an engine hit, fire damage, rudder damage etc meaning it can no longer "follow the leader" like this, it must plot a course that takes it off the board and out of play at the earliest opportunity.

Multiple wingmen can be used - often aircraft operated in flights of 3. This was also the case in WWII with aircraft without radios, A6Ms and I16s.

[grumpybear]

Interesting idea I will give it a try.

[flash]

You could allow a stall or a straight as a reaction to what the leader is doing - this may help the wingmen to keep separation from each other in turns when they follow the leader - they tend to line up if they turn at the same moment, they may also need to side slip to regain position so the lead might need to make allowances with the cards drawn.

I've used this method in the past by just playing the leaders movement cards



It works well so long as you keep the moves simple (ideal for two-seaters) and accept there will be times where the wingmen will exceed what would be permitted on a card. It ain't perfect but it did get the job done.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Two good choices to pick the bones out of there.
Thanks Zoe and Dave for both your insights into how this situation may be handled.
Rob.

[Hedeby]

Nice ideas both, definitely food for thought

[Flying Helmut]

I've done the same thing with WW1 destroyers - it worked very well for them!

[gully_raker]

Yes I have used a similar set up for WW2 for Dive & Torpedo bombers & it worked well especially when flying a number of aircraft & AI as well.

[Banana Joe]

You could allow a stall or a straight as a reaction to what the leader is doing - this may help the wingmen to keep separation from each other in turns when they follow the leader - they tend to line up if they turn at the same moment, they may also need to side slip to regain position so the lead might need to make allowances with the cards drawn.

I've used this method in the past by just playing the leaders movement cards



It works well so long as you keep the moves simple (ideal for two-seaters) and accept there will be times where the wingmen will exceed what would be permitted on a card. It ain't perfect but it did get the job done.

Thats a nice idea to set up the start placement for the planes in some kind of ambush scenario.