AA Fire

[Baxter]

A couple of things came up at our last battle and one of them was AA fire. I was thinking this.

Movement 1 of the turn:-

1. Place AA marker on the map and everybody moves their planes.
2. Nothing happens with the AA Gun. Everyone else moves their planes.
3. Everybody moves their planes. AA marker explodes with C damage to anyone touching or overlapping it.

Movement 1 of turn 2.

1. Reload sequence starts with the corner of the card.
2. Reload sequence moves to the middle of the card edge.
3. Gun is fully loaded again.

Movement 1 of turn 3.

1. Place AA marker on the map and everybody moves their planes.
2. Nothing happens with the AA Gun. Everyone else moves their planes.
3. Everybody moves their planes. AA marker explodes with C damage to anyone touching or overlapping it.

That means firing AA every second turn, Is that right? We find the RAP a tad confusing.

[hokusai]

The way I interpret the example is:

Turn 7

1. Place AA marker on the map and everybody moves their planes and nothing happens.
2. Everybody moves their planes. AA marker explodes with C damage to anyone touching or overlapping it. Put the artillery counter aside.
3. Planes execute 3rd maneuver. Reload sequence starts with the corner of the card.

Turn 8

1. Reload sequence moves to the side of the card.
2. Reload sequence moves to the center of the card. AA is reloaded
3. Place AA marker on the map and everybody moves their planes and nothing happens.

...

[flash]

Think that's a little out of sync as I read it, Gary, I think you have inserted an extra 'everybody moves their planes'.
If an AA gun is loaded (arty counter in centre of card) it may fire that movement phase.
Just before manoeuvres are revealed for that phase AA markers are placed by the person controlling the gun.
Two plane manoeuvres are then played, in the firing part of that second phase any plane that has a base overlapping the marker takes a C damage card.
AA damage is simultaneous to any other types of shooting.
If no one overlaps the AA marker, it has missed & is removed.
Next movement phase the gun begins it's reload - marker is placed at corner of the AA card.
Next movement phase the marker is placed at side of the AA card.
Next movement phase the marker is placed at centre of the AA card - gun is reloaded and can fire in any subsequent phase


Turn 7
Phase 1. Before manoeuvres revealed, place AA marker on the mat. (Gun goes Bang !). Everybody moves their planes.
Phase 2. Everybody moves their planes. (Shell goes Boom !) Any plane overlapping the AA marker takes a C damage card
Phase 3. AA begins reload, place reload marker on AA card corner (Gun goes Clang !). Everybody moves their planes,

Turn 8 .
Phase 1. Place reload marker on AA card side (Gun goes Clang !). Everybody moves their planes.
Phase 2. Place reload marker on AA card centre (Gun goes Clang !), gun reloaded. Everybody moves their planes.
Phase 3. Before manoeuvres revealed, place AA marker on the mat (Gun goes Bang !). Everybody moves their planes.

Turn 9.
Phase 1. Everybody moves their planes. (Shell goes Boom !) Any plane overlapping the AA marker takes a C damage card.
Phase 2. AA begins reload, place reload marker on AA card corner (Gun goes Clang !). Everybody moves their planes.
Phase 3. Place reload marker on AA card side (Gun goes Clang !). Everybody moves their planes.

The alternative I use is the Solitaire AA Rules where you draw cards from an A deck - if in range target is hit when a special damage card is drawn (inc jam) - A C deck card is then drawn for the damage caused.
Ability to fire again takes one more phase.

[Flying Helmut]

I agree with Dave's interpretation, but I always wait one phase in Turn 8 above, before firing again in Turn 9.

If you play it as read (and interpreted), the Turn 8 AA marker is placed in phase 3, THEN EVERYONE PLANS FOR TURN 9
...so you can plan to move to avoid the AA marker! Then, after 1st card movement in Turn 9, the AA marker explodes - always a miss, coz everyone saw where it was before they planned!

Turn 7
Phase 1. Before manoeuvres revealed, place AA marker on the mat. (Gun goes Bang !). Everybody moves their planes.
Phase 2. Everybody moves their planes. (Shell goes Boom !) Any plane overlapping the AA marker takes a C damage card
Phase 3. AA begins reload, place reload marker on AA card corner (Gun goes Clang !). Everybody moves their planes,

Turn 8 .
Phase 1. Place reload marker on AA card side (Gun goes Clang !). Everybody moves their planes.
Phase 2. Place reload marker on AA card centre (Gun goes Clang !), gun reloaded. Everybody moves their planes.
Phase 3. HOLD FIRE ON AA. Everybody moves their planes.

Turn 9.
repeat Turn 7

Just like in Gary's example above, you get to fire every second Turn.

If you follow the RAP, you can fire a tiny bit quicker, but you reveal your aim point two shots out of three, and you end up confused and missing phases (or at least I do!)

[flash]

..If you play it as read (and interpreted), the Turn 8 AA marker is placed in phase 3, THEN EVERYONE PLANS FOR TURN 9
...so you can plan to move to avoid the AA marker! Then, after 1st card movement in Turn 9, the AA marker explodes - always a miss, coz everyone saw where it was before they planned!..

Good move if you want to put someone off their target - not forgetting that the gunner can hold fire, or, adjust the aim after the AA marker has been placed and still mess with them further on along their projected flight line.

[Teaticket]

Holding off can as Dave says mess with the pilots. You get to reposition the marker and watch them pull out some hair.

I prefer the solo version for AA as the small marker rarely has a chance to hit anything.

[Baxter]

Thanks guys. The older I get the more I forget.

I also have a heck of a job spelling some words these days like manoeuvre

Some say manoeuvre others manoever more often than not just move the damn thing

[Flying Helmut]

Holding off can as Dave says mess with the pilots. You get to reposition the marker and watch them pull out some hair.
.

Yes, but the whole "gamesy" feel to it is just wrong (pilots using their crystal balls to predict the point of aim, then avoiding it).

I'll stick to my method, thanks.