Night Fighting Rules for Wings of Glory WW2 by Peter Landry (teaticket)
ARES has released several planes for night battles but haven’t released any rules yet. I’ve wanted to use these planes not in the normal daytime battles we tend to use them in, but at night. I have given up waiting and have made my attempt at night rules below.
These rules are written with the thought that you know there is/are enemy about nearby. The challenge now is to get the enemy in visual contact so you can fire upon them. This is not a super detailed simulation but a rather simple rules set to get a feel for night fighting where planes are not easily seen and can come into and go out of visual contact.
How you write your scenarios is of course up to you. I would suggest that bombers (either AI or player flown) should fly a straight course until found and if in formation always moving straight. If not in a formation then maybe fly a random route but still towards the target, off board or not.
1. Additions to the normal turn sequence.
1.1, After all movement has been completed there will be a spotting phase.
1.2, After all firing, spotting is updated.
2. New counters to be used for Night Fighting are Spotlights and Eyes.
Spotlight counters are placed on planes than have been spotted. Eyes are placed on planes that are within long range of the spotted plane. (there will be another set of 13-24 counters in the files for larger battles)
Using the counters.
2.1 Each plane gets a Spot ALL, a #Spotlight and set of corresponding color #Eyes before the game starts.
Whenever this plane is spotted it will place on it either the Spotlight ALL or the #Spotlight, or both if shooting. The #Eyes are placed on planes within long range that see this plane.
2.2, After a movement phase, when a plane has been spotted, you will place its #Spotlight counter on the spotted plane and an #Eye with the same number/color on all planes within long range that see it.
2.3, After the shooting phase, any plane that has fired or is on fire will acquire a Spotlight ALL counter. Also, any planes within long range that had not previously seen this plane will automatically spot it as in 2.2 above and place the #Spotlight and #Eyes as necessary.
3. How to acquire visual contact.
3.1, After the movement phase before shooting there is now a spotting phase.
3.2, When an unspotted plane is within long range of another plane and in spotting arc, spotting is attempted.
3.3, Spotting is not restricted to the firing arc. For a single seater, spotting is done at 180* forward from the spotting plane’s rear base edge to the target’s base. Multi-crewed planes can spot at 360* if a crewman other than the pilot is still functioning.
In the example below, after movement the Zero can attempt to spot the Dauntless but not the Wildcat. The Wildcat and Dauntless can attempt to spot the Zero.
3.4, The plane attempting to spot draws a ‘D’ damage chit for each plane it is trying to acquire visual contact. If successful #Spotlights and #Eyes are placed.
See spotting chart below.
Be careful to see that success can be greater than and equal to OR lesser than and equal to .
This varies because I used only D chits for spotting and had to juggle them on how the odds fell.
3.5, In subsequent turns if a plane remains within long range, another attempt can be made to spot if it had previously failed.
3.6, If in subsequent turns a plane remains within long range of a plane it already spotted, visual contact is automatically kept.
3.7, If using altitude, spotting rules ignore differences in altitude of 1 level. Spotting is always measured in the normal half and full measure stick distances. Planes that are 2 or more levels apart cannot attempt to spot but will still be able to see planes with Spotlight ALL counters on them. Shooting is still the same and one must be at half a measure stick to be able to fire when at 1 altitude difference.
(Here I am assuming if you are stalking a plane it will be easier to spot it from above or below)
3.8, At the end of a shooting phase, any planes that fired will gain a Spotlight All counter. Also, any planes within long range of a plane that just shot will acquire #Eye counters while the plane that just shot gets a #Spotlight.
3.9, A plane can have a maximum of two Spotlights on it, its #Spotlight or a Spotlight ALL.
3.10, A plane in range of a plane with a Spotlight ALL marker on it automatically sees it. Place the #Spotlight and #Eye as necessary.
3.11, All planes see any planes with Spotlight ALL counters no matter the distance.
4. Losing visual contact.
4.1, In the spotting phase after movement, any spotted planes that have moved beyond long range will have their spotters remove their corresponding #Eyes. If all their specific #Eye chits are removed, then the matching #Spotlight chit is also removed.
4.2, Planes that do not shoot have their Spotlight ALL counter removed at the end of the shooting phase.
5. Shooting at spotted planes.
5.1, A plane cannot be fired upon unless it has at least one Spotlight on it at the beginning of the shooting phase.
5.2, Planes with a Spotlight ALL can be shot at by planes within range, normal shooting and altitude rules apply.
5.3, A plane with only a #Spotlight can only be shot at by a plane with a corresponding #Eye.
5.4, When initial spotting happens from a successful damage ‘D’ chit draw, on that immediately following shooting phase, firing is treated as long range.
5.5, If you have visual contact on a plane with only a #Spotlight (no Spotlight ALL) for consecutive maneuver cards at close or long range, you will fire normally. (you could spot at the end of a maneuver phase but hold from firing and the following fire phase would be normal fire)
6. Blind Spot
6.1 Blind spots are treated as normal when a plane has a Spotlight All.
6.2 If initial spotting has a plane in the blind spot of a larger plane, ignore 5.4 even if there is no Spotlight ALL on the target.
(here I am saying the initial shot at close range on a large plane is treated as close range)
6.3 Once visual contact has been lost, the spotting process will start over as well as the blind spot.
Night Rules summary
Spotting attempts are done at 1 measure stick distance at same or 1 level altitude difference. If at 1 level difference within 1 measure stick distance, treat it as long range for spotting.
Once spotted, if short or long range is maintained visual contact is kept regardless if shooting or not.
Planes that shoot or that are on fire are automatically spotted by everyone.
Planes must have #Spotlight or Spotlight ALL counter on them to be shot at.
Firing on a plane that was just spotted at close range without a Spotlight ALL already on it is treated as a long-range shot, unless in a blind spot of a larger plane.
Planes that don’t fire remove its Spotlight ALL counter.
All #Eyes are removed from planes beyond long distance to each other. #Spotlight markers are removed when there are no matching #Eye markers in play.
Spotting Examples
In this case all planes are fighters/small planes while using the spotting chart as they are on fighter bases. No radar or advantageous lighting are used in this example. I’ve added lines extending from the rear of bases of the Zeros to show their spotting arcs.
1st spotting happens after movement and is simultaneous. Here the chart for fighters/small planes at long range is used, needing a 10 or higher to successfully spot.
Turn 1 movement.
The Dauntless tries to spot the green Zero at long range, drawing a 5, and fails to spot the green Zero.
The upper Wildcat tries to spot the grey Zero at long range, drawing a 15, successfully spotting the grey Zero placing the #Spotlight on the grey Zero and a corresponding #Eye on the Wildcat.
The lower Wildcat tries to spot both Zeros at long range, first green Zero drawing a 0 failing. Next on the grey Zero drawing a 10, successfully spotting the grey Zero placing a corresponding #Eye on the Wildcat.
The grey Zero cannot try to spot the Dauntless as he is out of long range but can try to spot the upper Wildcat as it is in its spotting arc at long range. It draws a 5 and fails.
The green Zero can only try to spot the Dauntless, drawing an 18, successfully spotting, placing a #Spotlight on the Dauntless and a corresponding #Eye on the green Zero.
Turn 1 shooting.
Firing phase spotting adjustments.
After the 1st spotting phase, firing is done between all planes that see a target and are within range that wish to fire.
The upper Wildcat fires on the grey Zero. A Spotlight ALL is placed on the Wildcat. The grey Zero will now see the upper Wildcat and the #Spotlight is placed on the Wildcat with the corresponding #Eye on the grey Zero.
The lower Wildcat fires on the grey Zero. A Spotlight ALL is placed on the lower Wildcat. The grey Zero will now see the lower Wildcat as it is within long range and the #Spotlight is placed on the Wildcat with the corresponding #Eye on the grey Zero. The green Zero, also within long range, will also see the lower Wildcat so it will get a corresponding #Eye.
The green Zero holds fire on the Dauntless hoping to get into close range on the next movement.
(In most cases I think a plane at long range will fire. If you spot the enemy at close range but they don’t see you, you might hold back for a better first shot. See 5.4)
Turn 2 movement.
The Japanese press the attack.
After moving, no planes moved out of long range so no markers are removed.
The grey Zero is now in long range of the Dauntless.
The green Zero is now in close range (for example sake) to the Dauntless and the lower Wildcat.
New spotting attempts.
The grey Zero draws a 0 and still does not see the Dauntless! The Dauntless draws a BOOM and spots the grey Zero placing a matching #Eye on its own base.
The Dauntless tries again to spot the green Zero at close range and draws a 0, success. A #Spotlight is placed on the green Zero and a matching #Eye is placed on the Dauntless.
The lower Wildcat draws a 5 and spots the green Zero, gaining a corresponding #Eye on the Wildcat.
Turn 2 firing.
The grey Zero has no enemy in sight in its firing arc, so no shot.
The upper Wildcat fires on the grey Zero, no changes to spotting markers.
The lower Wildcat fires on the green Zero. It is at close range but just spotted it in the previous spotting phase so takes a long range shot. An #Eye is placed on the green Zero to match the Wildcat’s #Spotlight.
The green Zero shoots at the Dauntless at close range. A Spot ALL is placed on the Green Zero.
The Dauntless fires at the green Zero at long range. Even though the green Zero is in the blind spot it was just spotted so rule 6.2 is in play so the Dauntless can fire. 5.4 is also in play so the shot is taken at long range.
The Dauntless gets a Spot ALL, the grey Zero now sees the Dauntless and gains a #Eye as it is within long range.
Turn 3 movement.
The Japanese are feeling the heat and peel off. They both get beyond long range of the Dauntless but the lower Wildcat is still in range of the green Zero. The lower Wildcat is no longer in long range of the grey Zero.
Spotting will now remove the #Eye from any planes no longer within range of the plane with its matching #Spotlight. If no plane has matching #Eyes to its #Spotlight still on another plane(s), the #Spotlight is also removed.
#Eyes are removed between the Dauntless to both Zeros as they are out of range. #Eyes are removed between the grey Zero and the lower Wildcat.
The #Spotlight is removed from the Dauntless.
Turn 3 firing phase.
The only shot taken is by the lower Wildcat.
All Spot ALL markers are removed except for the lower Wildcat.
All other markers remain.
Optional rules:
Collisions
Collisions at night can happen at a higher rate as visibility is restricted. Collisions between at least one unspotted plane and any other plane will happen when there is a peg / base overlap as usual, but also when 2 or more corners of both bases between 2 planes involved overlap. This could be 2 corners of one plane or 1 or more from each plane overlap.
It’s important to know where the enemy and friendly planes are to lessen the chances of a collision. Spotting for friendly planes must be done as well as enemy. Do this for both sides in solo games.
Bright Moonlight
If your mission is under a bright moon and clear skies it will be easier to keep your eye on the planes around you once you have spotted them. (You can roll randomly for it or set the Moon phase and weather as you see fit.)
Spotting is now attempted on the Advantageous Lighting line at range.
Visual contact will be lost if beyond long range and no firing is witnessed regardless the weather conditions.
Firing range is now normal once visual contact has been made. Ignore 5.4 under Advantageous Lighting.
Radar Equipped Planes
Radar would guide fighters close to their target but it wouldn’t guarantee spotting. I’ve read accounts where radar operators would tell their pilot the enemy was 150 yards straight ahead and the pilot still could not see it.
Use the column Spotter Has Radar to improve chances for spotting.
Special Japanese Night Fighters
Treat Special Japanese Night Fighters as having Radar.
Spotlights
Spotlights were used to illuminate enemy planes so AA and friendly fighters could see to shoot at them.
Use the spotlight chart to find and maintain a lock on enemy planes under clear or cloudy conditions. Range does not matter.
A successful spotlight search places a Ground Spotlight ALL on the target plane.
Each turn after movement the ground spotlight has to try to maintain a lock on the target plane. Use the Sustain line on the chart.
If a target plane fires and acquires a Spot ALL from shooting, a ground spotlight will only have to use the Sustain contact line to lock on.
Markers for Ground Searchlights
Blue on blue
Pilots flying at night may be a bit jumpy when spotting a plane.
Any rookies that spot a friendly plane must draw a second ‘D’ chit. This damage chit must be drawn to recognize this as a friendly plane. Drawing a non-special damage chit, he will recognize the plane is friendly and will not shoot. If he does not recognize the plane as friendly, he will shoot at it if possible. As long as he stays in close range, he gets to draw another chit to recognize the plane in the next spotting phase. Once recognized, this plane will always be friendly for the remainder of the game.
Non-rookie non-ace pilots will also have to draw a second chit to recognize a friendly plane if his drawn chit is a successful spot. Drawing a 10 or less on the 2nd chit will recognize the plane as friendly. If he failed to recognize the friendly plane he will shoot if possible. As long as he stays in long range, he gets to draw chit another card in the next spotting phase to recognize the plane. Once recognized, this plane will always be friendly for the remainder of the game.
Ace/Veteran pilots will recognize a plane as friendly or enemy on a successful spotting attempt.
Solo games
In solo games, AI planes will always shoot if possible. Enemy AI planes will not shoot at each other.
In solo games, your controlled plane(s) does not have to shoot.
My note to you, this may look intimidating at first but if you play out 4-5 turns to test run it you'll find it is actually easy. You may get frustrated as your target often disappears into the darkness, but this is night fighting!
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