Possible night fighter rules/scenario idea for 2 player cooperative?
Greetings, fellow pilots. Though I'm very new to WGS, I've had a long time interest in night-fighter missions in WW2 (I'm a big fan of the Bf.110, even as bad as it is, lol) and I was thinking about ways to create a playable nightfighter scenario in WGS.
I've read Csadn and Skafloc's alternate rules, but I had another possible idea for a cooperative 2-player game scenario I'd like to share. I haven't tested it yet, so please feel free to take it to pieces and let me know if you think it would work or if you see any issues that would make it problematic. Also, I haven't worked out the full details of how the mission should be set up, victory conditions, etc., so if you have thoughts on that please feel free to suggest. Thanks!
SCENARIO:NIGHT FIGHTER VERSUS BOMBER (early concept draft)
This is an idea for a 2-player cooperative scenario. The two players take control of a night-fighter attempting to shoot down an enemy bomber that is attempting to cross the map.
SUGGESTED AIRCRAFT:
Because the choice of available bombers is limited, my initial idea was to use the following aircraft:
Bf. 110 (Night fighter) versus Avro Lancaster (bomber)
Bristol Beaufighter (Night fighter) versus Heinkel He. 111 (bomber)
PLAYERS:
This is a cooperative scenario for 2 players. One player takes the role of the radar operator/controller. It is this player's job to guide the night-fighter pilot in position to attack the bomber (see "Setup" below). This player will also be responsible for moving the enemy bomber using the Automatic Movement rules in the WGS rulebook.
The second player is the night fighter pilot. This player's job will be to select the movement cards each turn for the night fighter in an attempt to successfully maneuver into firing position against the bomber.
SETUP:
The radar operator sets up the map being used, with the enemy bomber starting at one edge and the night fighter at the other. The radar operator sits at the table with the map and aircraft.
To simulate the uncertainty and "fog of war" of flying and fighting in darkness, the night fighter pilot will take the maneuver deck for the night fighter and set up in a location where the table, map and aircraft cannot be seen by the pilot (another part of the room, another room in the house, etc.)
PLAY:
At the beginning of each planning phase, the radar operator sends a message to the pilot regarding the position and estimated distance of the enemy bomber (via mobile phone, writing on slips of paper, shouting to the other room, etc.,) to help guide the pilot to the target. I was thinking of using clock positions with the night fighter's nose at 12 o'clock. For example, the radar operator might say, "Enemy bomber at 2 o'clock, distance 3 ruler lengths!"
The pilot then selects the movement card for the night fighter as per normal rules, and gives it to the radar operator. It's important that the pilot does NOT get to see the positions of the planes! The card should be handed over to the radar operator without the pilot seeing the map and planes at all.
The radar operator then moves the night fighter using the pilot's chosen maneuver card, and selects a maneuver and moves the bomber using the Automatic Movement rules. If neither plane is in range to fire, repeat planning and movement.
COMBAT:
If the night fighter moves into position and range where the bomber may be fired upon, the pilot can come over to the table and make an attack as normal on the bomber. Once the attack is made, the pilot must again move to a location where the map can't be seen.
The night fighter may fire at either long or short range if in arc. The bomber, due to darkness and the element of surprise, may only return fire at the night fighter if the night fighter is within short range and arc of one or more of the bomber's guns.
The radar operator draws damage tokens for the bomber, but does not share any special results with the pilot unless they would be visible, such as Fire damage. Also, if the bomber suffers Fire damage from an attack, the pilot may return to the table and plan maneuvers normally as long as the fire is present because the fire makes the bomber visible. If the night fighter suffers fire damage, the bomber may fire normally at it at both short and long range as long as the fire is present.
OPTIONAL:
The night fighter can be equipped with "Schrage Musik" and make attacks with it using the rules from the main rulebook.
OBJECTIVES:
If the night fighter successfully downs the bomber before it leaves the map, the players win
If the night fighter is destroyed or the bomber successfully exits the opposite edge of the map, the players lose.
What do you think? There's still a lot I could use suggestions for, including:
Altitude: Do you think any special rules/setup for incorporating altitude or climbing and diving are needed, or should the standard altitude rules be used without modification?
Searchlights and anti-aircraft guns: Any thoughts on incorporating these elements, possibly using Skafloc's house rules?
Any major flaws/issues you see that I've missed? Please be honest...I'd like to work out any major problems before trying this idea out.
Thanks!
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Originally Posted by tikkifriend
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