Anti-aircraft (AA) guns - Altitude - shooting distance

[petitbilbo]

Hi there!

Just a quick question: if I shoot an AA gun toward a plane at level 1, the max distance is 2 rulers.
But: is it the maximum distance (meaning I can choose to shoot short of that) or the fixed distance (meaning, I can only shoot at that range)?

The rulebook leaves some wiggleroom for interpretation...

Thanks for your help!

petitbilbo from Brussels

[tuladin]

I believe this is the rule in question (from Burning Drachens)


ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS
When placing the artillery counter on the table, the player must declare the altitude at which the shot is aimed (minimum level 1, maximum level 5). Only planes and balloons at that level are affected; those overlapping the counter but at different altitudes are not. Subtract a half-ruler of range for each additional level after level 1: The counter can be put at two rulers of distance at altitude 1, one and a half ruler’s distance at level 2, one ruler at level 3, a half-ruler at level 4, and must overlap some part the gun card at level 5. (This rule supersedes the rule on page 10 that the artillery counter may not be placed above the gun card itself.)

It is kinda ambiguous, but the earlier rule makes it clear...


At the start of any round, just before maneuvers are revealed, the player controlling the gun can place the artillery counter anywhere on the table, so long as the edge of the counter is no more than 2 rulers of distance away from the red dot at the center of the gun card.

So I think range at different altitudes is just a maximum - it should read: The counter can be put at up to two rulers of distance at altitude 1...

[petitbilbo]

That's how I understand it too, thanks!

[Bruce]

Yup, I agree too. We played several scenarios with 6 AA guns and 4 AA MGs defending an aerodrome which could send-up/take-off 1 aircraft at the start of each Turn after the guns engaged the attackers. There were 5 attacking aircraft.

There was alot of bobbing and weaving and altitude changing, but the AA guns actually got 1 attacker and the AA MGs got another. The attackers destroyed 1 hangar (10 strength pts), 2 AA MG emplacements (5 strength each) and one defending AC before they fled back to their aerodrome. We called it a draw.

It was really quite interesting playing the AA Guns, but since those 2 games last year we have not played a scenario that uses them. Also, while it was enjoyable, it was not as much fun as flying one or two aircraft.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

We usually just man the AA guns with someone flying one of the planes. That gives them a chance to get action when the aircraft are out of ground fire range. I also have plastic flack markers from Litco and am going to place one of the Cols. altitude dials on each one so the height can just be dialed up when the gun fires.
Rob.

[Doug]

Thats a good idea Rob as I keep on forgetting what altitdue I fired the gun at!

[MayorJim]

What Larry said...2 ruler max