Two Seater Rear Gunner Blind Spot House Rule Suggestion

**Cujo8-1** · 10-11-2009 08:25

Gentlemen Fliers,

I participated in a WWI bombing mission yesterday with 11 other guys at our local gamestore. I was piloting the Airco DH 4 and was part of a very successful raid against two Zeppelin Hangars

.

During the course of the game, we had a question about how to simulate the blind spot for the tail gunner of two seater aircraft without having to resort to the altitude rules. I found the following in the Optional Rules section of the rulebook that came in "Watch Your Back":

"The rear machine gun of two-seater planes has a blind spot just on the rear of the tail. Use the ruler to connect the center of the two-seater plane with the center of the would-be target in the rear arch. If the ruler passes in the rear side of the two-seater airplane care and if the ruler touches any point of the target card with its first half, firing is not possible."

I think it would also be possible to supplement the above with a LOS string to ascertain whether the physical tail of the firing aircraft is indeed in the way as well.

Although I enjoyed greatly the power of both guns on my Airco DH 4 aircraft, I think a combination of the stated rule with my suggested supplemental house rule is both reasonable and workable and could be part of our local gaming house rules for the next bombing raid scenario to reduce the power of the two seater aircraft.

All discussion welcome and appreciated.

**Oberst Hajj** · 10-11-2009 08:50

It sounds like your added house rule will make the Blind spot smaller for two seaters. Is that what you are trying to accomplish?

**Cujo8-1** · 10-11-2009 09:32

I inadvertently posted this in the WWII Threads when it was meant to be posted in the WWI Threads. Can it be moved?

I am not trying to make a blind spot smaller, I am attempting to come up with a rule to establish a blind spot without having to use the altitude rules. I understand this is being discussed by a few folks and I would like any suggestions for how to make this a reality for our gaming group who for the most part do not want to play with the altitude rules.

Do you believe the optional rule I quoted from the Watch Your Back Rulebook is sufficient to cover this without any supplemental rule? Have other players used this one? Not one of the other fellows knew about the optional rule yesterday. I didn't until I looked at it this morning.

Thanks.

**Oberst Hajj** · 10-11-2009 10:38

I've played with the Optional blind spot rule for a long time, and I feel it is pretty good. If your players use two-seaters as flying battleships instead of recon and bomber planes, it will not be enough to bring them back in line with fighter planes.

My group did not want to play with altitude rules either as it slowed the game down quite a bit and added to much record keeping (climb counters). I came up with some custom simplified altitude rules that work very well. They are quick, simple and do not slow down game play. Have a look at them as an alternative to coming up with several rules to impose on the two-seaters.