Ok. I've had a chance to revisit and rewrite this. I'm going even finer on the graduations (5m per 'climb counter')... possibly too fine for easy tracking, but we shall see. It looks a lot more complicated than it is since I have included all the rules for overdiving, collisions, landing etc...
Also, I'm sure a certain amount could be left out, or could be optional.
Special Rules for Altitude:
1. Basic altitude
a. Altitude will be tracked in 'altitude units', with each unit representing 5 meters (~16 feet).
b. One peg should be used for each 20 altitude units (or fraction there-of).
Optionally one peg per 10 altitude units could be used if there are sufficient pegs.
2. Climbing
a. Climb rates for aircraft are defined in terms of the number of altitude units gained for each climb maneuver. New climb rates may be converted from existing climb rates by subtracting the existing rate from 9.
RE.8 climb rate 3
Sopwith Triplane climb rate 6
Albatros D.III climb rate 5
b. Climbing is planned as normal, and the aircraft will gain the stated elevation units when the climb is played.
3. Diving
a. Maximum dive rates for aircraft will depend upon the speed band of the aircraft. Maximum dive rates are as follows*:
Very Fast max dive 36
Fast max dive 30 (Sopwith Triplane)
Slow max dive 24 (RE.8, Albatros D.III)
Very Slow max dive 18
b. Diving is planned as normal. However, when the dive card is played the aircraft will lose one third of the maximum dive rate elevation units. A dive counter may then be placed on up to two following moves. As each move with a dive counter is played, the aircraft will lose an additional third of the maximum dive rate altitude units. The aircraft is considered to be in a dive an long as moves with dive counters are played. (Dive counters should be placed face-down, with blank counters used in place of any dive counters not used. Dive counters carried over to the next turn must be planned as such, but are set aside until the moves are planned.)
c. Overdiving is planned as normal. When the dive card is played, dive counters are placed as per diving and elevation units are lost in the same manner (one third per card). When overdiving all dive counters must be used. When the straight card is played, the aircraft will lose an additional number of altitude units equal to the maximum dive rate of the aircraft. The player must then draw 3 'A' damage cards. If the total damage is equal to or greater than the remaining structure points of the aircraft, it suffers critical damage and is removed from play. (Treat the explosion card as a 0, and ignore any special damage.) These cards are not retained and are returned to the deck immediately.
4. Special Maneuvers
a. Immelman – straight, immelmann, straight – no change in altitude
b. Split S – stall, immelmann, straight – lose one third maximum dive rate altitude units
c. Half Loop – straight, immelmann, stall – gain climb rate altitude units
5. Collisions
a. A collision will occur if aircraft overlap pegs and are at the same number of altitude levels
6. Landings etc.
a. Landings / Crashes may be performed by playing a dive to 0 altitude units or below. The usual rules for landing at take-offs otherwise apply.
7. Firing
a. For every 20 elevation units difference between the firer and the targets, treat the target as being one range category further away.
b. Forward-firing guns (pilots' guns) have an arc of fire vertically as well as horizontally. These guns may not fire at a target more than 10 elevation units different per half-ruler length away, or more than 2 elevation units different if there is base overlap.
c. When climbing or diving, the pilot's vertical arc of fire is doubled in the direction of the climb/dive, but no fire is possible in the other direction.
d. When overdiving, the pilot's may fire at a target at a lower elevation that is at least 10 elevation levels below per half-ruler length away.
e. Flexible-mount guns (observers' guns) have a blind zone across the rear base of their aircraft if the target is at the same or lower elevation, and if there is base overlap and the target is at a lower elevation.
f. Firing at a target at a lower elevation, or at the same elevation if diving, grants the +1 aim bonus. (Note that this does not apply to ground targets.)
g. Firing at an overdiving target allows the target to redraw up to one damage card during the dive, straight, or the following card with a dive counter.
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