When it comes to communication between players, I've already allowed hand signals (actually made by the players to each other) with friendly aircraft who's bases are overlapping. (It was a bunch of gesturing to the left, to avoid a collision. He ignored it.) I can also see 2-4 pre-arranged signals using Vary guns, which can't be discussed during the game, and of course are completely unenforceable.
In real life, some early WWII aircraft with poor radios would sometimes use aerobatics to communicate. (Apparently the radios on the Zero's at Midway were so poor that what passes for "fighter direction" consisted on cruisers firing shells into the sea in the direction of oncoming attacks, hoping the hundred-odd foot columns of water would get their attention. At the time of the critical dive bomber attack, fully half the CAP was absorbed trying to shoot down Thatch's flight of 3 wildcats, rather than leaving 3-4 planes there while the rest resumed patrol.)
In game, I could see "wiggling the wings" as requiring a straight? maneuver, with one pre-arranged signal (you would announce what you're doing what you play the card).
Another alternative that would help is the real world concept of doctrine. Basically it's a pre-agreed set of what players will do in certain circumstances. For example, in an overlapping base scenario, if both planes have no climb counters, the overtaking plane will do a climb as its next move. If both planes have climb counters, perhaps the plane at one less than it's rate of climb will do a climb. If both planes are one less, than the plane with the faster climb (or failing that, the leading plane) will do a dive. Alternately, it could be that that the leading aircraft will never do a climb, and the overtaking aircraft will never do a dive, or that the lead aircraft will never change altitude, for simpler versions. You can't talk about it once the game starts, but if both players remember it, in this case it could prevent a collision. It's completely unenforceable, but if the players agree, remember and follow through, it could give them a major advantage.
Bookmarks