Altitude Rules

[usmc1855]

Has anyone worked to integrate the Altitude rules into play for Knights of The Air?

[WilliamBarkerVC]

Personally I have never played with the altitude rules. Our gaming group just thinks they are too fiddly to try and use.

I saw in another thread something about clips for the pegs with altitudes on them, that might be easier. I don't know...

[usmc1855]

We use, and enjoy the altitude rules in our regular games. Our group uses the Litko altitude dials to indicate the altitude of our planes.

There are several missions in the KoTA campaign in which altitude could be very important to the succeeding in the missions, especially the bombing and strafing missions. I am curious as to whether or not anyone else has implemented altitude into their campaign, and if yes, then what where some of perimeters they included in the missions, such as starting altitudes, minimum altitude for successful recon of ground targets, etc.

[Oberst Hajj]

I am actually looking into adding a simpler altitude set of rules for KotA. I think the ones in the official rules are very good and pretty realistic, but I'm afraid they slow down game play to much with lots of players on the same table. I need to play test my ideas a little and then I'll post them up on the site here for other to try and report back on.

My rules will be using the Litko dials that I posted about in that thread.

I saw that you were planning on running a KotA campaign here soon. Just a heads up I hope to start the world wide campaign around the end of October.

[Oberst Hajj]

I've just posted my simplified altitude rules.

[afilter]

We have only used altitude a few time. Neat concept, but not so much so for younger players.

I do like the litko stand idea and I actually bougt some of these instead of the dials.

http://www.litkoaero.com/page/LAI/PROD/AFS/AFS016-10

They also have some that hold a die and a dial:

http://www.litkoaero.com/page/LAI/PROD/AFS/AFS017-5

If you elevate the holder slightly it holds a die really well. Much better than the WoW pegs, which agin are not the best for younger players or older players sometimes.

For those that say 1-6 altitude is nt enough you can easily put two on one stand giving you 1-12 altitude range.

I figure we will start to incorporate altitude more as my playing groups gets a bit older.

[Big Al]

Personally I have never played with the altitude rules. Our gaming group just thinks they are too fiddly to try and use.

I saw in another thread something about clips for the pegs with altitudes on them, that might be easier. I don't know...

The altitude rules are a must. Yes they are a bit fiddly but an airplane, especially a vintage one, would find it difficult to climb quickly during combat, which is what the tokens are trying to reflect. This is why altitude is so important and why fighters would try to gain height and attack from above. It is also why you must carefully weigh up the decision to follow an enemy down when tailing him and know when to break off. He will find it more difficult to get back into the fray while you can go to the aid of a wingman and increase the chances of defeating the enemy. The altitude rule is a must as it really opens the game and makes you think as you try to manouevre with the extra dimension. Try it and you won't look back, I promise you!

[usmc1855]

With our group, use of the altitude rules have enhanced the game play by forcing the players to think through there next several moves as they approach a target. Changing altitudes are sometimes hard to recover form in a timely manner, and may either make you vulnerable, or take you out of the fight. BY vulnerable I mean: if you dive to approach a target, thinking that other enemy planes have altitudes to high to come at you, so you fly under them, then they turn and do an overdive into your tail before you can effectively maneuver our of their firing arcs while still trying to pursue you original target.

[afilter]

With our group, use of the altitude rules have enhanced the game play by forcing the players to think through there next several moves as they approach a target. Changing altitudes are sometimes hard to recover form in a timely manner, and may either make you vulnerable, or take you out of the fight. BY vulnerable I mean: if you dive to approach a target, thinking that other enemy planes have altitudes to high to come at you, so you fly under them, then they turn and do an overdive into your tail before you can effectively maneuver our of their firing arcs while still trying to pursue you original target.

Altitude is great from a simulation stanpoint. I guess I would equate it to the old AH complexity rating system.

Depending on what other optional rules you use playing WoW without altitude is a 1-3 on a scale of 10. Adding Altitude jumps it up to a 5-8 depending on what other rules you are using.

That is what I love about this game. Simple enough to play with the kids or other non-wargamer types in 20-60 minutes or you can ramp it up to a more realistic aerial combat game for experience gamers.