You could include the possibility of same-hex fire if at lower altitude and climbing!
I missed this. So much for the omniscience of the designer. Excellent idea and totally necessary to maintain consistency. Add that in to the playtest rules.
So there will be no "ground", right? But this won't preclude the possibility of including anti-aircraft guns and stuff like that, right? 
I don't think the lack of ground will preclude AA fire. The assumption would be that certain hexes would be within the range of AA and so any and all a/c would be susceptible to it. I,ll have to give this more thought on the mechanics of this though.
When firing, you must be within 3 levels vertically of the target.
Sounds too restrictive to me... it would be very easy to escape vertically this way!
Climbing is going to be a bit restrictive. You only go up on S and certain other maneuvers. I don't think you will climb as well as you dive. The N.17 and Dr.I are the two best climbing planes in the game, with the N.17 doing 17fps and the Dr.I doing 16.5fps. I imagine I will limit their climb to 3 hexes. One of the reasons von Richthofen liked the Fokker is its ability to quickly climb out of trouble. Try this. You climb equal to the inverse of the speed number. For instance, a DrI moving 3 would climb one altitude level, 2 when doing a speed 2 and would be allowed to climb 3 doing a stall S with no roll for stall. Or when doing a Stall must roll for stall and if it doesn't stall is allowed to make the climb. This would create a best climb rate for each a/c without adding a lot of detail.
This also creates an actual situation that exists for a/c that have a faster speed than their pursuer. Best example I can think of is P-38 vs Zero. The Zero can outclimb a P-38 in a straight up climbing test to altitude. However, in combat, if properly flown, the P-38 will outclimb the Zero. Think of both a/c level on the same plane and both going flat out. The 38 has a higher top speed. Now tilt the plane up about 5 degrees and project both planes paths along the plane. If you measure the altitude along the plane as the a/c move along it, the 38 will go farther along the plane than the Zero, and will be at a higher altitude. If the Zero increases the angle of his climb and the 38 doesn't, then the Zero can stay at the same altitude as the 38, but the 38 will open the distance quicker.
The 3 level altitude difference might or might not work. In most games people don't do a lot of climbing or S maneuvers so there will be a tendency to stay very much within the same level or not much above or below one another. I think. Only playtesting will tell.
You fire as if one hex closer,(being above or below increase target size) but take the deflection modifier if firing from directly behind or ahead.
I like this one! But who will be at an advantage, the one at higher or at lower altitude?
Only the firing a/c has the advantage in either situation. The target a/c is presenting more surface area to the firer than if they were in the same plane. Mostly more wing and tail area are visible, but any shot out of plane is automatically deflection since coming down or going up, the target a/c is moving across the plane of movement of the firing a/c.
When changing levels down pay one less fuel. You may go up two fuel/speed numbers when diving, meaning you ignore restrictions going from a speed one to a speed 3.
...and expend one extra fuel when climbing...
This is one I need to think about. In the original altitude rules the cost of climb was built into the S maneuver, but it could also cost additional to climb.
All stall maneuvers are speed 0 and cost no fuel points. You must lose altitude on the turn following a stall (exception: this does not apply to the Fok. D.VII)
I like the Fokker DVII exception 
When diving S you lose levels equal to the speed number. When performing S maneuvers you must note any altitude change you intend on your movement sheet. You may only climb straight ahead.
That is climb only on 2/3/4/5, not even on 6/7/12/13/18/19/25/26, right? Can I climb at top speed? I can dive less than the maximum when going straight, right?
Need to clarify the wording. You may only climb on any S maneuver except 34 and 35. Going to change my mind on the 28 maneuver and say no altitude change takes place. 28 is the original Immelman as Immelman did it. Today we call a half-loop an Immelmand and the Immelman is called a Hammerhead Stall. The idea behind the Immelman turn was to approach an observation craft from the side, make your shot, fly past, pull up, stall, kick the rudder in the direction the enemy is flying and come back for another pass from the opposite side. Against a pursuing enemy it would be pure folly to do an Immelman, but against an unarmed two-seater it would be no problem.
Two possibilites on diving while going straight. One would be that you could choose to dive a certain number of levels equal to one more than your speed. Another would be that you must dive one level if you do your maximum speed and an S maneuver.
When you move and change the facing of the a/c from the original facing, lose one level for each hexside turned.
So
8,17 => no altitude loss
6/7/12/13/18/19/25/26, 14/16/20/21 => (-1)
10,15,22,23 => (-2)
11,24 => (-3)
There would be no control over the possibility of climbing/diving when doing these manoeuvres?
That looks right. No, you can't climb while doing any r or l maneuver except as specified for certain maneuvers in the restricted area. The reason is these are hi-G turns and the a/c are falling out of the air. They have to give up altitude to make these turns. The standard rate turn where you can "spiral up" are the S maneuvers that result in a turn of one hexside.
Clarification to rule:
You may not gain altitude while doing an R or L maneuver except where specified. You lose one altitude level for each hexside change in the facing of the a/c from its starting facing when doing any R or L maneuver not exempted from this rule.
When performing maneuvers 29S2 you may gain or lose 1-3 altitude levels, your choice of how many. When performing 32S3 or 33S3 you gain altitude. When performing 36 or 31 there is no loss or gain of altitude.
What about 34/35? We always figured they represent a tonneau, is this correct? You will stay level when doing these, won't you?
I'm going to remove 30, 32, and 33 from altitude gain. They should leave you at the same altitude since that was the purpose of the Immelman Turn. 34 and 35 represent a barrel roll to put you on the tail of an enemy so while you gain some altitude on the up side you lose it on the down side of the roll and end up at the same altitude.
Don't be sorry, this is such an interesting discussion (at least to me...).
I will hear from my friends and write you an e-mail if we can arrange a Face to Face playtest session!!!
Thanks for not taking offense. Let me know if you are able to arrange something. It has been interesting for me too. I haven't felt this charged up about BM in years.
Phil |
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