Throttling Down ?

[Willi Von Klugermann]

Although some of the maneuver decks allow different turn radii, the straight cards are all the same length/speed. I was wondering if thought was given to flying at less the max speed other than playing stall cards.

I'm considering a house rule where if a straight is played the plane has the option to move anywhere between the max distance to just above the stall speed. I think this would help with formation flying instead of using stalls and sideslips to maintain grouping.

Has anyone considered this ? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[AlgyLacey]

With rotary engines at least, throttle control tends to be all or nothing or so I've been told.

I guess it just keeps the mechanics as simple as possible.

[gregbond77]

[QUOTE=AlgyLacey;21362]With rotary engines at least, throttle control tends to be all or nothing or so I've been told.

I have read the same thing. The pilots used a technique called bliping, where they would cut off the engine for short periods to slow down. The problem was if you left the engine off for too long, the gas would build up, then when you turned the engine back on caboom!:eek: This is one of the reasons pilots were given extra training when transitioning to rotery engine aircraft.

[Goering Ace]

If you did use that house rule, it would have to be limited to non-dogfight scenarios since you couldn't prove where you intended the placement (along the straight card) to be when revealing maneuver cards without inevitably causing some conflict at some point. i.e. you place your plane just far enough along the straight maneuver card to fall just short of the opponents target ruler, thus your opponent misses but ultimately questions if you didn't intend to place it further along.

Unless you could somehow specify before the reveal exactely where along the card you intended the placement to be, I can't see it working.

Scott

[Oberst Hajj]

You could solve the issue (and Scott's concern) buy mixing in the straights from DoW if the arrow lengths line up for the deck you want to use them with. Then just use the fast and slow counters that come with DoW. This would at least give you some degree of speed control. You might have to disguise the backs of the cards some how... card sleeves maybe?

[Strangely Brown]

Although some of the maneuver decks allow different turn radii, the straight cards are all the same length/speed.

I think you need to check your decks again, as in a straight line the Spad XIII will outrun a Dr.I

[Oberst Hajj]

I think he means that any given plane can only go the full speed of the straight maneuver card for it's deck.

[Strangely Brown]

I think he means that any given plane can only go the full speed of the straight maneuver card for it's deck.

Alles klar...

[Willi Von Klugermann]

You could solve the issue (and Scott's concern) buy mixing in the straights from DoW if the arrow lengths line up for the deck you want to use them with. Then just use the fast and slow counters that come with DoW. This would at least give you some degree of speed control. You might have to disguise the backs of the cards some how... card sleeves maybe?

I guess another thought would be to incorporate some straights from maneuver decks of slower planes into the the faster planes decks. This would eliminate any ambiguity about the placement.

I was aware about bliping for rotary engines..but along those lines what is the time equivalent for 1 maneuver card ? I suspect it wouldn't be long enough to make the engine explode.

[Oberst Hajj]

There is a thread about the time interval of a maneuver card if you really want to look it up.

Adding in slower straights is a good idea. You could add in the straight from every deck that is slower. I think if you are going down this road, you would need to add in the slower turns of the same radius/degrees as well though.

[Willi Von Klugermann]

There is a thread about the time interval of a maneuver card if you really want to look it up.

Adding in slower straights is a good idea. You could add in the straight from every deck that is slower. I think if you are going down this road, you would need to add in the slower turns of the same radius/degrees as well though.

Things get tricky then as the turn rates for the planes are different. Also given the same bank and rudder position a plane will turn tighter at lower speeds. My original thoughts were for formation flying and for tailing slower aircraft.

I do want to thank everyone again for their input.