Assumptions. Planes represent a formation of aircraft. When planes are driven off it may represent one or two planes shot down, but when the result is shot down the squadron is effectively destroyed. The effects generated by these rules are the effects on a formation, it’s whether there is enough of the formation left at the end to carry out a mission.

There are two types of planes to use in the game, attack and defence planes.

Defence planes: off board fighters whose sole aim is to stop enemy planes reaching the battlefield.

Attack planes: different distinct groups. Ground attack, high-bombers, low bombers, fighters, dive-bombers and any other class you care to create.

The standard use of a plane 5 rounds over the table can still be used with this system, but the main aim is to get away from this and bring some realism to the battlefield. The points should fit with existing points and planes can be adapted depending on what players have.

These rules are being written for on call planes, which are called for when needed. A certain number of points for aircraft have to be allocated beforehand as when normally fielding an aeroplane. This reserves the planes for use by this army group. An aircraft liaison officer, vehicle or observer also needs to be paid for as the standard points for artillery obs in the rules.

With the liaison/obs and points paid, planes turn up d3 rounds after a call is made and will usually stay over the table for only one round unless points have been paid for additional rounds. They only have to break through any defending fighter screen once.

Without dedicated obs use normal plane rules of 4 rounds and a dice roll.

These are made as in the rules though some AA fire may be subject to attack heights. Light AA guns cannot hit bombers at high altitudes, but likewise bomber accuracy is poor. The rules currently assume bombers make an attack from an altitude that all AA guns can reach. High altitude bombers would probably not be used in a normal game because of the increased possibility of hitting friendly troops

Fighter bombers and bombers can ditch their bombs to negate minuses and interceptors at this point can then choose not to engage. Bombers ditching their bombs will head home.

A fighter airscreen will intercept on a roll of 2-6 on a d6. On a 1 interceptors fail to make contact before enemy planes come over the table. In a campaign these planes may be attacked on leaving if a 5-6 is rolled by the group that failed to intercept them on the way in. In either case only one attack can be made on the attacking aircraft.

Attacking bombers and fighter bombers can be given escorts that do not appear over table. Their job is to engage the enemy defensive screen. Escorts and interceptors roll off against each other either driving off or rarely shooting down the opposition. If the Interceptors win they may then attack the bombers. (If bombers lose the subsequent combat they add +2 to their dice because of the time bought by the fighter screen).

As the planes spend only one round over the table they cost only 1/5th the normal points. However the cost of expendables such as bombs, torpedoes and rockets must be paid on top.

A Bf 109F for on table would cost 14pts but a Bf 109G 28pts

A poor pilot subtracts 2 pts an elite pilot adds 2 pts.

Defensive Fighter screens cost 1/5th of the points of plane per round the screen is in place. The type of defensive fighter screens can be changed each round. If rocket armed points must have been prepaid as above. Fighters can effectively rearm having once fired rockets if they have paid extra points.

Any plane used in the normal five rounds over the table shot down represents the full loss of that plane.

For campaign games at least one plane needs to have been prepaid for per 5 rounds of air cover. This plane should cost a minimum of 70pts, (60 in the case of the Italians and Finns and any other power whose main attack aircraft may have been only armed with a pair of Mgs or 1 20mm cannon.). The cost of planes fielded on table in any battle cannot be greater than the cost of this prepaid plane. Bombs and rockets are additions. If a plane is shot down rather than driven off then the points should be paid to replace the loss, but the campaign plane can be upgraded at the same time by paying the difference in cost between the old plane and new.

Some campaigns may make you chose between fighter aircraft and bomber aircraft. To avoid a tendency towards powergaming and always fielding the best a jet aircraft may even need to be bought separately.

After 5 sorties without loss I would upgrade raw pilots to regular. And after 10 successful sorties regular pilots to Elites. Eg survive 1 game become regular survive 3 become elite.

Campaign planes should be allocated an airfield. Enemy planes attacking this airfield may destroy a campaign plane representing several squadrons caught at this location.

Rules ideas taken from

D.Featherstones airwargames, Rapid Fire and Challenger 2000.