NimitsTexan
09-17-2007, 09:44 AM
Here are a couple of different versions of new air rules. Both set out to better represent the specific strengths and weaknesses of WWII naval air power. If some people would play test them and give me feedback, I would appreciate that. (Please pardon spelling errors and typos).
Version 1 (The "Small" Version)
AIR DEFENSE PHASE
• Each Fighter may attack enemy Aircraft in its sector twice, using its anti-air die (Ex.: F4F makes two seperate 7 die attacks). Attacks may be against different air units in the same sector, or against the same air unit.
• If your Fighter is in a sector with no enemy fighters, it may use its Escort SA against ships in that sector.
• Any Rearming Fighters on a Carrier with the "Combat Air Patrol" SA may "Scramble." Scrambled Fighters remove their Rwarming Markers and may make Antiair attacks against enemy aircraft in the same sector but get -1 penalty on all attack die.
• Ships with no enemy Aircraft in their sector may use their Antiair attack enemy Aircraft in an adjacent sector with a -1 on all die rolls
• If you roll success equal or greater than the target's armor you hit the Aircraft. If a Figher, Dive Bomber, or Torpedo Bomber is undamaged, apply a face up 1 Hit marker. If a Fighter, Dive Bomber, or Torpedo Bomber is already damaged, it is Aborted. Patrol Bombers are aborted as per the Advanced Rules.
• A damaged aircraft may make only one attack for the rest of the game. Other anti-air attacks may be made against it. Aborted aircraft are treated as per the Advanced Rules.
AIR ATTACK PHASE
• Each Fighter, Dive bomber, and Torpedo Bomber may make two attacks of the same type against enemy Ships and Submarines Both attacks must be of the same type, and both attacks may be used against the same Ship or Submarine, or against different Ships or Submarines in the same sector. (Ex.: TBD makes 2 torpedo attacks against Tone, but may not attack I-19 with ASW)
AIR RETURN PHASE
• Remove one Rearming Counter from any aircraft which has them.
• Place a Rearming Counter next to any Aircraft returning to a carrier. Any carrier with a Rearming Aircaft on board suffers a -1 to vital armor
• Place two Rearming Counters next to any aircraft returning to a land airbase
EFFECTS OF DAMAGE
• Crippled Carriers suffer a -1 in Basing Capacity (to a minimum of 1). Aircraft already on board in excess of the Basing Capacity main remain until the next Air Mission Phase.
• If a carrier is crippled, you may lose air units too. For any Rearming Aircraft based on that carrier, roll a die. On a roll of 1, the Aircraft is destroyed at the end of the phase (giving you opponent points for those aircraft).
DESTROYED CARRIERS
• If your Carrier is destroyed, any aircraft on board with a rearming counter are destroyed as well (giving you opponent points for those aircraft). Aircraft airborne remain in play, but will have to your land airbase or another carrier.
Version 1 emphasizes the overwhelming firepower of a major carrier strike against any force without adaquate AAA or CAP protection. A coordinated strike with flak surpression stands a better chance of getting through and causing some damage. On the other hand, its also brings to bear the fragility of a carrier force, which should generally only get one really good "alpha strike" off. Once the air units start taking damage, which they will considering the additional AAA and fighter attacks they will be subject to, they will lose the extra attack ability and are of course limited to one attack every 2 (or three) turns.
Version 2 (The "Big" Version)
UNITS
• For each Fighter, Dive Bomber, or Torpedo Bomber used, you recieve 1 additional free unit of the same type.
(giving you opponent points for those aircraft).
• Aircraft Carriers and Land Bases can base twice the number of Aircraft indicated by the Basing Capacity. They can only launch the number of air units per turn indicated by the Basing Capacity
• Each Aircraft Miniature reprsents a 3-plane element (Patrol Bombers) or a squadron of 24 planes (as purchased) divided into 2 12 plane divisions.
AIR MISSION PHASE
• Each player may only place the a number of Aircraft from each Carrier and the Land Base matching the Carrier's or Land Base's basing capacity.
• Aircraft may be placed in sectors with no Enemy Units.
AIR DEFENSE PHASE
• • If your Fighter is in a sector with no enemy fighters, it may use its Escort SA against ships in that sector.
• Any Fighters with a "Defend the Flattop" or "Combat Air Patrol" SA onboard a Carrier may "Scramble." Scrambled Fighters remove their Rearming Markers (if any) and may make Antiair attacks against enemy aircraft in the same sector and get -1 penalty on all attack die.
• Ships with no enemy Aircraft in their sector may use their Antiair attack enemy Aircraft in an adjacent sector with a -1 on all die rolls
• If you roll success equal or greater than the target's armor you hit the Aircraft. If a Figher, Dive Bomber, or Torpedo Bomber has not been hit yey, apply a face up Crippled counter. If a Fighter, Dive Bomber, or Torpedo Bomber is already crippled, it is Aborted. Patrol Bombers are aborted as per the Advanced Rules.
• A crippled aircraft may suffers a -1 to its armor, vital armor, and torpedo attack. It gets a -1 die roll on each Bomb, Gunnery, Antiair, or ASW attack. Additional Antiair attacks may be made against it. Aborted aircraft are treated as per the Advanced Rules.
AIR RETURN PHASE
• Any Aircraft which used attack die must land. Aircraft which have not used attack die may remain airborne (e.g. on the mapaway from the carrier)
• Remove one Rearming Counter from any aircraft which has them.
• Place two Rearming Counters next to any Aircraft returning to a Carrier. Any Carrier with a Rearming Aircaft on board suffers a -1 to vital armor
• Place three Rearming Counters next to any aircraft returning to a land airbase.
STACKING
• In a single sector a player may have 8 Aircraft units (12 in a 500 point game).
EFFECTS OF DAMAGE
• Carriers suffer a -1 in Launch Capacity for each point of damage. Basing Capacity is unchanged.
• Crippled Carriers may not launch aircraft.
• If a carrier is crippled, you may lose air units too. For any onboard that Carrier, roll a die. On a roll of 1, the Aircraft is destroyed at the end of the phase (giving you opponent points for those aircraft).
DESTROYED CARRIERS
• If your Carrier is destroyed, any aircraft on board with a rearming counter are destroyed as well (giving you opponent points for those aircraft). Aircraft airborne remain in play, but will have to return to your land airbase or another carrier.
Again, these rules attempt to emphasize the power of the first strike as well as the fragility of aircraft. You get more aircraft for your "money," and again, if unchallenged, they can deliver a whopper of a first blow. However, even a regular armor hit will now reduce an aircraft unit's combat power buy about 25% (no more invulnerable Super Wildcats). Additionally, this version also demonstrate one of the classic problems of WWII carrier command: whether to wait and try to mass all of your aircraft together for a big strike, or too send out your planes out piecemeal as quick as you can launch them. I think this version shows the most promise (it is more or less based on a similar house rule for Victory at Sea I happened upon on the internet) I feel it replicates the real feel of WWII carrier ops without diverging from the spirit of WaS, requiring many extra steps or die rolls, or in theory at least drastically altering the balance of the overall game. The only real drawback, of course, is that it requires twice as many aircraft and rearming counters.
Version 1 (The "Small" Version)
AIR DEFENSE PHASE
• Each Fighter may attack enemy Aircraft in its sector twice, using its anti-air die (Ex.: F4F makes two seperate 7 die attacks). Attacks may be against different air units in the same sector, or against the same air unit.
• If your Fighter is in a sector with no enemy fighters, it may use its Escort SA against ships in that sector.
• Any Rearming Fighters on a Carrier with the "Combat Air Patrol" SA may "Scramble." Scrambled Fighters remove their Rwarming Markers and may make Antiair attacks against enemy aircraft in the same sector but get -1 penalty on all attack die.
• Ships with no enemy Aircraft in their sector may use their Antiair attack enemy Aircraft in an adjacent sector with a -1 on all die rolls
• If you roll success equal or greater than the target's armor you hit the Aircraft. If a Figher, Dive Bomber, or Torpedo Bomber is undamaged, apply a face up 1 Hit marker. If a Fighter, Dive Bomber, or Torpedo Bomber is already damaged, it is Aborted. Patrol Bombers are aborted as per the Advanced Rules.
• A damaged aircraft may make only one attack for the rest of the game. Other anti-air attacks may be made against it. Aborted aircraft are treated as per the Advanced Rules.
AIR ATTACK PHASE
• Each Fighter, Dive bomber, and Torpedo Bomber may make two attacks of the same type against enemy Ships and Submarines Both attacks must be of the same type, and both attacks may be used against the same Ship or Submarine, or against different Ships or Submarines in the same sector. (Ex.: TBD makes 2 torpedo attacks against Tone, but may not attack I-19 with ASW)
AIR RETURN PHASE
• Remove one Rearming Counter from any aircraft which has them.
• Place a Rearming Counter next to any Aircraft returning to a carrier. Any carrier with a Rearming Aircaft on board suffers a -1 to vital armor
• Place two Rearming Counters next to any aircraft returning to a land airbase
EFFECTS OF DAMAGE
• Crippled Carriers suffer a -1 in Basing Capacity (to a minimum of 1). Aircraft already on board in excess of the Basing Capacity main remain until the next Air Mission Phase.
• If a carrier is crippled, you may lose air units too. For any Rearming Aircraft based on that carrier, roll a die. On a roll of 1, the Aircraft is destroyed at the end of the phase (giving you opponent points for those aircraft).
DESTROYED CARRIERS
• If your Carrier is destroyed, any aircraft on board with a rearming counter are destroyed as well (giving you opponent points for those aircraft). Aircraft airborne remain in play, but will have to your land airbase or another carrier.
Version 1 emphasizes the overwhelming firepower of a major carrier strike against any force without adaquate AAA or CAP protection. A coordinated strike with flak surpression stands a better chance of getting through and causing some damage. On the other hand, its also brings to bear the fragility of a carrier force, which should generally only get one really good "alpha strike" off. Once the air units start taking damage, which they will considering the additional AAA and fighter attacks they will be subject to, they will lose the extra attack ability and are of course limited to one attack every 2 (or three) turns.
Version 2 (The "Big" Version)
UNITS
• For each Fighter, Dive Bomber, or Torpedo Bomber used, you recieve 1 additional free unit of the same type.
(giving you opponent points for those aircraft).
• Aircraft Carriers and Land Bases can base twice the number of Aircraft indicated by the Basing Capacity. They can only launch the number of air units per turn indicated by the Basing Capacity
• Each Aircraft Miniature reprsents a 3-plane element (Patrol Bombers) or a squadron of 24 planes (as purchased) divided into 2 12 plane divisions.
AIR MISSION PHASE
• Each player may only place the a number of Aircraft from each Carrier and the Land Base matching the Carrier's or Land Base's basing capacity.
• Aircraft may be placed in sectors with no Enemy Units.
AIR DEFENSE PHASE
• • If your Fighter is in a sector with no enemy fighters, it may use its Escort SA against ships in that sector.
• Any Fighters with a "Defend the Flattop" or "Combat Air Patrol" SA onboard a Carrier may "Scramble." Scrambled Fighters remove their Rearming Markers (if any) and may make Antiair attacks against enemy aircraft in the same sector and get -1 penalty on all attack die.
• Ships with no enemy Aircraft in their sector may use their Antiair attack enemy Aircraft in an adjacent sector with a -1 on all die rolls
• If you roll success equal or greater than the target's armor you hit the Aircraft. If a Figher, Dive Bomber, or Torpedo Bomber has not been hit yey, apply a face up Crippled counter. If a Fighter, Dive Bomber, or Torpedo Bomber is already crippled, it is Aborted. Patrol Bombers are aborted as per the Advanced Rules.
• A crippled aircraft may suffers a -1 to its armor, vital armor, and torpedo attack. It gets a -1 die roll on each Bomb, Gunnery, Antiair, or ASW attack. Additional Antiair attacks may be made against it. Aborted aircraft are treated as per the Advanced Rules.
AIR RETURN PHASE
• Any Aircraft which used attack die must land. Aircraft which have not used attack die may remain airborne (e.g. on the mapaway from the carrier)
• Remove one Rearming Counter from any aircraft which has them.
• Place two Rearming Counters next to any Aircraft returning to a Carrier. Any Carrier with a Rearming Aircaft on board suffers a -1 to vital armor
• Place three Rearming Counters next to any aircraft returning to a land airbase.
STACKING
• In a single sector a player may have 8 Aircraft units (12 in a 500 point game).
EFFECTS OF DAMAGE
• Carriers suffer a -1 in Launch Capacity for each point of damage. Basing Capacity is unchanged.
• Crippled Carriers may not launch aircraft.
• If a carrier is crippled, you may lose air units too. For any onboard that Carrier, roll a die. On a roll of 1, the Aircraft is destroyed at the end of the phase (giving you opponent points for those aircraft).
DESTROYED CARRIERS
• If your Carrier is destroyed, any aircraft on board with a rearming counter are destroyed as well (giving you opponent points for those aircraft). Aircraft airborne remain in play, but will have to return to your land airbase or another carrier.
Again, these rules attempt to emphasize the power of the first strike as well as the fragility of aircraft. You get more aircraft for your "money," and again, if unchallenged, they can deliver a whopper of a first blow. However, even a regular armor hit will now reduce an aircraft unit's combat power buy about 25% (no more invulnerable Super Wildcats). Additionally, this version also demonstrate one of the classic problems of WWII carrier command: whether to wait and try to mass all of your aircraft together for a big strike, or too send out your planes out piecemeal as quick as you can launch them. I think this version shows the most promise (it is more or less based on a similar house rule for Victory at Sea I happened upon on the internet) I feel it replicates the real feel of WWII carrier ops without diverging from the spirit of WaS, requiring many extra steps or die rolls, or in theory at least drastically altering the balance of the overall game. The only real drawback, of course, is that it requires twice as many aircraft and rearming counters.