loosing altitude ... one marker at a time

[Gallo Rojo]

Idea:
Problem I think the game has:
airplanes have a tendeciy to loose altitude during dogfight. That doesn't happen in the game.
Solution:
Every time a plane make a steep maneuver, it looses an altitude marker (not an altitude peg, just a chip)
Some planes also looses an altitude marker after certain maneuvers: example: Fokker Dr.1 looses an altitude marker after playing two 90º turns in a row. Sopwith Camel looses an altitude marker after playing three 90º turns in a row.

[Rebel]

I hear what you are saying Ezekiel and you are quite correct. Like a car losing speed in a turn. However my view is keep it simple.

[Ken at Sunrise]

I thought the idea of loosing an altitude marker with each steep maneuver sounded interesting. But if each plane is different that would make it too fiddly for our group.

[flash]

Can't see that works - an agile bird like the Dr1 would lose altitude fast compared to some other old bus with a rubbish climb rate - wouldn't it ?

[Gallo Rojo]

I thought the idea of loosing an altitude marker with each steep maneuver sounded interesting. But if each plane is different that would make it too fiddly for our group.

maybe not loosing an alt. marker with each steep but with each stall?

[Gallo Rojo]

Can't see that works - an agile bird like the Dr1 would lose altitude fast compared to some other old bus with a rubbish climb rate - wouldn't it ?

yup... that's a problem
posible solution: each plane looses a # of altitude markers equal to half of its climb rate

[Flying Helmut]

yup... that's a problem
posible solution: each plane looses a # of altitude markers equal to half of its climb rate

Interesting idea, but too many players would baulk at handling the necessary maths and card/chip tracking.
I'm up for it, but almost all of my opponents are in the "Keep it Simple" brigade, and some think the game is too complicated already

[Ken at Sunrise]

Interesting idea, but too many players would baulk at handling the necessary maths and card/chip tracking.
I'm up for it, but almost all of my opponents are in the "Keep it Simple" brigade, and some think the game is too complicated already

I don't know if I ever put in for that brigade but surely I sympathize with them. But opting for simplicity doesn't quite hit the nail on its head. Actually I might say I prefer non-fiddly. So I've added the climb rate and ceiling labels to the planes bases. Reduces the need to keep referring to rules or looking things up. Can't really put too much more on the base without the base becoming too fiddly as well. Avoiding fiddlyness is one reason I shy away from all but the clearest house rules. I suppose it's just me really.

[Naharaht]

One small problem with losing an altitude marker for each steep manoeuvre is that a climb and an Immelmann turn are both steep manoeuvres, so you would never be able to gain altitude.