Boom and Zoom

**Ken at Sunrise** · 03-28-2017 09:37

I'm fairly new to most so please forgive a couple of foolish questions or ones so obviously answered.

Using the existing official rules is Boom and Zoom not represented well or is not represented at all?
Or perhaps I'm all confused in my reading of other posts and the Boom and Zoom tactic is represented well in the game.

In any case, represented well of poorly could you, using the existing official rules, give me a good example of a Boom and Zoom tactic?

All I can think of is the SPAD XIII and it's speed. Fly past while firing, then after gaining distance and a better angle of attack try again. But how might this be applied with altitude? Again using the existing official rules, I know there are so many optional ones out there.

**Teaticket** · 03-28-2017 09:56

Boom and Zoom isn't correctly portrayed in the game as all planes use changing altitude levels in a dive at the same rate. You are correct in thinking of the SPAD as it is the fastest in the game along with the SE5a. They can swoop in for an attack and fly off leaving their opponent behind, turning around for another attack when a safe distance has been attained. For level flight Boom and Zoom works but when altitude is used the planes don't get to show their true differences. I'm sure some have made up some house rules on this.

**Nicola Zee** · 03-28-2017 10:24

Originally Posted by Ken at Sunrise

I'm fairly new to most so please forgive a couple of foolish questions or ones so obviously answered.

Using the existing official rules is Boom and Zoom not represented well or is not represented at all?
Or perhaps I'm all confused in my reading of other posts and the Boom and Zoom tactic is represented well in the game.

In any case, represented well of poorly could you, using the existing official rules, give me a good example of a Boom and Zoom tactic?

All I can think of is the SPAD XIII and it's speed. Fly past while firing, then after gaining distance and a better angle of attack try again. But how might this be applied with altitude? Again using the existing official rules, I know there are so many optional ones out there.

Easy answer - with the official rules you can't trade altitude for speed and then trade speed for altitude.

**Ken at Sunrise** · 03-28-2017 12:45

Originally Posted by Teaticket

For level flight Boom and Zoom works but when altitude is used the planes don't get to show their true differences. I'm sure some have made up some house rules on this.

I have two issues with most alternative altitude rules.

1) It is strictly personal in my case but I enjoy this game for it ease of play. Strategy but not a lot of things to look up. Rules that have depth but not overly complicated. The problem for me is that most of the alternative rules for altitude have just a bit too much to track for my tastes. I don't have the foreknowledge of the planes like many here. I just wouldn't know an early model, light model, fast model, etc. to be comfortable with some of the rules that define different classes of planes. Also I'm not fond of a list that I'd be required to refer to often. For example if it wasn't easy to label the bases of the planes with the climb rate and ceiling I might have been put off on the standard altitude rules; okay maybe I'm not that bad. I'm not lazy, though it may sound that way. But I do play a variety of games and don't care to memorize every detail of a game, like I once did when I moved from one obsession to another.

2) Even though the planes are at one scale, movement at another and the published maps are at yet another, most are only concerned that the altitude scale is wrong. Seems odd to me. So when looking at some of these alternatives that expand that altitude to properly match. The altitude it opened up and realistically there really isn't any way to use more that a few altitude levels in the game. So most planes stick to a narrow band to play, at least from what I've read even by the authors of some of the alternatives. This seems odd since when played the altitude bank really is about wide as the game uses now; just a different scale. Then of course to properly show things we need new climb rates and dive rules. Often broken down by plane class, and there is more that one class of single seater I've been told. Also needed are new attack and distance rules.

Please do not think my idiosyncrases are complaints. No not at all. In fact I love some of the things that might be gained from alternatives such as spinning out of control, either as a bluff or do to damage.

If there were rules that were simple and easy to implement that would be fantastic. If it was easy such as adding an extra straight when performing a zoom dive. Of course what is a zoom dive. Even if it has something like, one-seaters do this, two-seaters do this, multi-crew or multi-engine do this... all good. But breaking down the one-seaters into multiple categories would be beyond my little novice group's ability to tell them apart. I do know in real life some planes suffered for diving too fast while others were far better. But distinguishing between with two without a reference is another thing.

I would be happy to see and read any alternatives. Also I would always hope for an easily implemented addition to the rules that betters the game. Trading altitude for speed should be easy, shouldn't it?

**csadn** · 03-28-2017 15:17

Originally Posted by Ken at Sunrise

I would be happy to see and read any alternatives. Also I would always hope for an easily implemented addition to the rules that betters the game. Trading altitude for speed should be easy, shouldn't it?

It should -- but as I've mentioned elsewhere: Most games can't be bothered to implement it, so we end up with games where historical results cannot be reproduced.

In _WoG_'s case: One would have to define Actual Speeds for card-lengths moved; then allow WW1 airplanes to use different cards for moving different speeds; then rework the altitude system into something which accurately represents how far apart in altitude airplanes are from one another; then work out how many speed increments are gained|lost from diving|climbing; and at this point, one may as well play _Richthofen's War_, because one is no longer playing anything recognizable as _WoG_.

The closest option I can offer is the _Crimson Skies_/_WoG_ crossover I came up with a few years back; not sure if the files are still on this site. If not, I can send stuff directly.

**kalnaren** · 03-29-2017 05:06

Crimson Skies into WoG. That sounds awesome.

On the boom rule, would something simple like allowing the plane to execute two cards back-to-back work? (so allowing it to execute 4 cards in a turn instead of 3). Or would that mess up balance too much?

**Nicola Zee** · 03-29-2017 05:21

Originally Posted by kalnaren

Crimson Skies into WoG. That sounds awesome.

On the boom rule, would something simple like allowing the plane to execute two cards back-to-back work? (so allowing it to execute 4 cards in a turn instead of 3). Or would that mess up balance too much?

I think the user Warspite has gone down that path - so for this it might be worth checking his posts.

**Ken at Sunrise** · 03-29-2017 05:24

Originally Posted by kalnaren

Crimson Skies into WoG. That sounds awesome.

On the boom rule, would something simple like allowing the plane to execute two cards back-to-back work? (so allowing it to execute 4 cards in a turn instead of 3). Or would that mess up balance too much?

Sounds interesting to me. An over dive sounds 'sort of' like a zooming dive.

But if you could trade an extra altitude for an extra maneuver card, that might be an easy fix. The obvious down side is a penalty or limitation.

**Ken at Sunrise** · 03-29-2017 05:25

P.S. What is the penalty/danger of an Over Dive? The only limitation I can recall is not being able to use an Over Dive it the plane cannot Immellenn.

**kalnaren** · 03-29-2017 05:34

That could work... Play an overdive card, immediately followed by a non-steep maneuver card, lose an altitude peg.

**Flying Helmut** · 03-29-2017 06:04

Originally Posted by kalnaren

That could work... Play an overdive card, immediately followed by a non-steep maneuver card, lose an altitude peg.

That's what I do when there are no newbies around - the 4th card has to be a long straight, or a long turn left or right; only those three cards permitted.

**Ken at Sunrise** · 03-29-2017 06:39

Originally Posted by Flying Helmut

That's what I do when there are no newbies around - the 4th card has to be a long straight, or a long turn left or right; only those three cards permitted.

You could call it the Boom an Zoom maneuver.

Though all planes would drop the same amount of altitude when used they would go only the distance on they maneuver cards.