The main issue i've been seeing with the variants proposed where the obligation to play certain cards in a row, which limits a lot the maneuverability ingame. Which in my opinion is not credible as is very common to change direction while climbing/diving to avoid opponents in a real dogfight. What should be preserved is speed instead.
Yesterday we used the following and played pretty well: Keeps the game simple, allows easy change of altitudes but does not limit maneuverability in excess.
Climb (+1 altitude) + Any nonsteep slowspeed maneuver
Dive (-1 Altitude) + Any nonsteep highspeed maneuver
Overclimb: Climb (+1 altitude) + Stall (+1 altitude) + Any nonsteep slowspeed maneuver
Overdive: Dive (-1 Altitude) + Highspeed straight (-1 Altitude)+ Any nonsteep highspeed maneuver
Split S: Stall+Immelmann (-1 Altitude) +Any nonsteep highspeed maneuver
Immelmann Turn: Highspeed straight+ Immelmann (+1 altitude)+ Any nonsteep slowspeed maneuver
This are the only cases where an engine broken plane can perform a highspeed maneuver, by diving to gain inertial speed.
In my play group also when we play "illegal maneuvers" instead of replacing the card with a straight, we play the illegal maneuver but the plane takes an (A) counter for structural damage. this allows for more acrobatic maneuvers at the pilot's risk.
Opinions are well received
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