Anton's Wargame Blog: More Dangerous Ramblings While Writing Rules; or; Red Stars and Rising Suns, air combat over Khakhin Gol

I blame this whole thing on Covid-19. If I hadn't been locked down I would never have gotten around to building those old 1/72 scale Interwar aircraft models and this would never have happened! But that aside I have long held an interest in the fighter aircraft of the period 1930-40. It was an era of very rapid development with significant improvements coming on an almost daily basis. And, to be honest, I just like the look of aircraft with fixed landing gear.

At first I was simply going to use Check Your 6 which is an excellent set of rules but aimed more toward the high-performance fighters of WW2 proper. So (being a typical wargamer) I started to tinker with it. I continued until I ended up with something entirely different. The rules that you will find below are an admixture of CY6 and Wings of War ideas with a heavy leavening of my aversion to bookkeeping. I think they produce a fun and playable game. The movement system I have already presented here and an idea for altitude-adjustable flight stands here. The rules are presented below with a sample of an aircraft data book so that you get an idea of where I'm heading.

This is very much an "Alpha" set and I have only just begun playtesting so please bear with me. The Aircraft Data Books are still in the gestational process and need a good bit of polishing up. The rules, such as they are, exist mostly as Q.R.S. playsheets and will be expanded with examples and diagrams. I am throwing these out there looking for input.

Rising Suns and Red Stars

Order of play

Update Aircraft/Pilot stats
Select ACTION and STATUS
Move aircraft, starting with lowest PILOT RATING
Conduct SHOOTING
Assess results of shooting

PILOTS GENERALLY

PILOT SKILL TEST

Baseline Pilot Skill test is 2d6 needing a 6+ to pass. This is modified by the Pilot Rating

PILOT RATINGS:

-1 An additional crew-member that has been trained to fly but has not done so recently, or has another function in the aircraft such as a navigator or bombardier

0 A trained pilot that has not seen combat to any significant level

+1 A pilot that has had a good deal experience of air combat but has not scored a kill yet

+2 A pilot with one or more kills against enemy fighters

+3 A very skillful and successful pilot who knows his machine and the enemy's tricks

+4 An absolute beast, Richthofen (or better) level skill, the perfect killing machine

PILOT CHARACTERISTICS

SNIPER This pilot is particularly effective in placing his shots on the enemy aircraft. He gains an extra d4 added to his firing pool. In addition he adds +2 modifier to the “Risk to Pilot” test when he fires on an enemy aircraft.

TOUGH: This pilot is simply a tough guy, he takes no penalties for his first wound. He takes the full penalty for a second wound. He does not ignore “Killed” results, nobody is that tough!

ALERT: “Mr. Head-On-A-Swivel” is always checking his environs and gets a +2 on “Spotting” tests. He also ignores the “Hun in the Sun” rule (yep, he bought Ray-Bans).

ONE WITH THE MACHINE: This pilot has a special sense for his aircraft, he knows just how far he can push his crate before it fails. He gains a +1 on any “Airframe” or “Engine” check.

AIRCRAFT GENERALLY

AIRCRAFT CHARACTERISTICS

DAMAGED: When an aircraft has suffered half its Damage points the aircraft becomes “DAMAGED” and takes all further tests at a -1

RUGGED: An aircraft with the characteristic “Rugged” adds a d4 to the pool of dice that is being fired at it. The player doing the shooting has to take the lowest of the available die rolls. EXAMPLE; a A5M2 Claude is firing 2 x LMG ( i.e. 2 x d4) at an I-16 Rata; the Rata is listed as “RUGGED” and thus adds another d4 to the shooting pool. The shooting player then rolls all of the dice together. Let us assume that he rolls a 1, a 2 and a 4. He must choose the the two lower die scores for a total of three points of damage inflicted on the Rata.

FLAMMABLE; Any aircraft with the “Flammable” trait rolls on the Special Hits Table every time it takes damage. If the Special Hit is a FIRE result the aircraft catches fire. If the result of the Special Hit check is anything else it is ignored and is treated as normal airframe damage. In the event that a Special Hit was scored against the aircraft it must take two tests.

MOVEMENT AND STATUS GENERALLY

MOVEMENT

Players choose the ACTION that they are planning on executing.

They then add any applicable STATUS CARDS to their hand.

Players will execute their moves going from the lowest PILOT RATING to the Highest.

EXTREME MANEUVERS

Aircraft can conduct EM's at any speed allowed, but cannot conduct back-to-back EM's. At no time can an aircraft execute an EM that would cause its airspeed to drop below the minimum required for flight.

This being a rule of course there is an exception; two Ems may be used consecutively but only in the following order; an Immelmann followed by a Split-S, this effectively allows you to loop your aircraft.

TAILING

Pilots that start a MOVEMENT phase in the rear arc of an enemy aircraft are is a position of TAILING. The aircraft being tailed has to state any changes of direction and altitude that it will be executing in the next move, but only in general terms, such as “Climbing and turning right”. The TAILING pilot gains one extra “TWEAK” and get a +1 to his PILOT RATING in relation to the aircraft that he is following.

UNINTENTIONAL STALLING

It may occur that the aircraft's airspeed drops below minimum to sustain flight. In this event the aircraft falls one ALT and pilot must take a Pilot Skill Test to avoid spinning. If he passes he must execute a DIVE +X move; the X representing the minimum speed of the aircraft plus one and this dive must be straight forward while the pilot regaining control of his plane.

USE OF STATUS CARDS DURING OTHER ACTIONS

Players may use STATUS CARDS while executing other normal maneuvers. EX: it is allowed to CLIMB and TURN at the same time.

Executing an Extreme Maneuver prevents the use of any additional cards.

Players may use a STATUS card to alter an effect that is stated on an ACTION card only as follows;

If using a CLIMB+2 the player may use an ACCELERATE+2 card to obviate the -1 SPEED effect listed on the CLIMB card.
If using a Climb +3 the player may use an ACCELERATE +2 card to reduce the -3 SPEED to a -2 SPEED.

TESTS GENERALLY

AIRFRAME TESTS 2d6 needing a 7+ to pass

Airframe tests are taken when the aircraft is pushed to its limits or has suffered damage and may fail if exposed to extreme stresses. If an aircraft must take an Airframe test roll 2d6 needing to score a 7+ to pass. This score is modified by the Pilot Rating. If the test is failed roll 1d6 and add the score to the DAMAGE of the aircraft, this roll is not modified by the Pilot Rating. If the test is failed while executing a Dive -4 one (or more) of your wings have come off and the plane crashes.

ENGINE TESTS 2d6 needing a 6+ to pass

Engines in the mid-late 1930's were temperamental and complex things. If they were pushed too hard or too fast they could easily malfunction. If an aircraft is required to take an ENGINE test roll 2d6 needing to score 6+ to pass. If the test is failed mark off one of the ENGINE DAMAGE boxes; if snake-eyes is scored then mark off two boxes. Once all of the boxes are marked off the engine has ceased to work, good luck gliding home!

SPOTTING TESTS 2d6 needing a 7+ to pass

It is axiomatic that most pilots that were shot down never saw the enemy that got them. Despite endless warnings of “Beware the Hun in the sun” most blokes simply didn't see the other side until it was too late. These tests will be scenario driven as one side will be on a mission while the other side is attempting to stop them. If a test is required roll 2d6 needing a 7+ to spot the enemy before he opens fire. This die roll is modified by the Pilot Rating, and also modified by a -3 if the enemy is up-sun.

PILOT SKILL TEST 2d6 needing a 6+ to pass

Baseline Pilot Skill test is 2d6 needing a 6+ to pass. This is modified by the Pilot Rating

SHOOTING

Once all moves have been completed firing takes place starting with the pilot with the highest Pilot Rating and moving down to the lowest Rating. NOTE, shooting IS NOT SIMULTANEOUS all shooting results are applied at the time they occur. If a pilot with a higher Pilot Rating shoots down a lower rated pilot that lower rated pilot does not get to fire.

Weapon Type	Range	Dice per gun/rocket
LMG	16”	d4
HMG	20”	d6
Cannon	24”	d8
Rocket	40”	4xd6

Firing aircraft must have the target in their forward arc. If the target is in range roll 1d10 modified as follows to score a hit needing a result of 4+, state BEFORE rolling which weapons are being used. Aircraft may shoot up or down one ALT band without penalty, they may shoot up or down two ALT bands but suffer penalties for doing so.

roll 1d10 needing a 4+ to hit

Add X	Current Pilot Rating
Add +1	Tailing
Add +2	From Behind, Above of Below
Add +2	Flexible mount
Minus -1	Shooting up or down more than one ALT band
Minus -2	Extreme Manuever
Minus -1	Over Half Range
Minus -2	Crossing Shot
Minus -2	Own aircraft smoking/on fire

If a hit is scored roll the appropriate die for each gun in range. The damage is the total of the pips scored. If two or more dice score a “1” then check the SPECIAL HITS TABLE.

AMMO Each time a weapon system is fired mark off one of the boxes beneath its description

SPECIAL HITS TABLE roll 1d10

Die Roll	Effect
1	Engine Damage, may not use Accelerate cards for rest of game
2	Oil Leak, vision obscured, -1 to all shooting dice for rest of game
3	Fire! Aircraft takes an additional 1d6 Damage each turn while fire burns
4	Weapons system hit, lose one shooting die for rest of game
5	Control surface damage, aircraft cannot use Extreme Maneuvers for rest of game
6	Camera Wrecked/Bomb-bay damaged; no pictures/drops payload accidentally
7	Landing Gear Wrecked, pilot must bail-out rather than landing
8	Engine Damage
9	Fire! Aircraft takes an additional d8 damage every turn until extinguished
10	Engine Damage, aircraft cannot use Maximum Speed for rest of game

RISK TO PILOT TABLE Roll 1d10

A wounded Pilot suffers a -1 to his Pilot Rating

A second wound causes a -3 to his Pilot Rating

Any further kills him outright

Die roll	Results
1	Pilot and Observer killed outright
2	Pilot killed, Observer wounded, may take over controls with a 7+ on a d10
3	Pilot Killed
4	Pilot wounded
5	Pilot Wounded
6	Pilot/Observer wounded; 1d6 1-3 Pilot, 4-6 Observer, if no Observer then Pilot wounded
7	Pilot severely wounded additional -1 to Pilot Rating
8	Observer wounded, Pilot also with a 6+ on a d10
9	Observer wounded, if none Pilot wounded with a 6+ on a d10
10	Observed wounded, in none no effect

A pilot that is wounded may turn over control of the aircraft to the Observer if he chooses.

FIRES

An aircraft that is on fire can only put it out by diving and hoping to “blow it out”. The aircraft must execute a DIVE -3 or a DIVE -4. On a DIVE -3 roll 2d6 needing a 10 or higher to put out flames. On a DIVE-4 a score of eight plus is needed.

WEAPON RANGES

Weapon Type	Range	Dice per gun/rocket
LMG	16”	d4
HMG	20”	d6
Cannon	24”	d8
Rocket	40”	4xd6

SHOOTING MODIFIERS roll 1d10 needing a 4+ to hit

Add X	Current Pilot Rating
Add +1	Tailing
Add +2	From Behind, Above of Below
Add +2	Flexible mount
Minus -1	Shooting up or down more than one ALT band
Minus -2	Extreme Maneuver
Minus -1	Over Half Range
Minus -2	Crossing Shot
Minus -2	Own aircraft smoking/on fire

SPECIAL HITS TABLE roll 1d10

Die Roll	Effect
1	Engine Damage, may not use Accelerate cards for rest of game
2	Oil Leak, vision obscured, -1 to all shooting dice for rest of game
3	Fire! Aircraft takes an additional 1d6 Damage each turn while fire burns
4	Weapons system hit, lose one shooting die for rest of game
5	Control surface damage, aircraft cannot use Extreme Maneuvers for rest of game
6	Camera Wrecked/Bomb-bay damaged; no pictures/drops payload accidentally
7	Landing Gear Wrecked, pilot must bail-out rather than landing
8	Engine Damage
9	Fire! Aircraft takes an additional d8 damage every turn until extinguished
10	Engine Damage, aircraft cannot use Maximum Speed for rest of game

RISK TO PILOT TABLE roll 1d10

Die roll	Results
1	Pilot and Observer killed outright
2	Pilot killed, Observer wounded, may take over controls with a 7+ on a d10
3	Pilot Killed
4	Pilot wounded
5	Pilot Wounded
6	Pilot/Observer wounded; 1d6 1-3 Pilot, 4-6 Observer, if no Observer then Pilot wounded
7	Pilot severely wounded additional -1 to Pilot Rating
8	Observer wounded, Pilot also with a 6+ on a d10
9	Observer wounded, if none Pilot wounded with a 6+ on a d10
10	Observed wounded, in none no effect

MOVEMENT GENERALLY

The player will lay out movement discs to conform with the Action that was chosen. After movement the player will adjust the stand to accurately reflect the current ALT of the aircraft.

A zero level pilot will conform to that move exactly

A +1 level pilot can make one “tweak” during his move by adjusting one of the movement discs either right or left. He may do this with any of the discs. (See Tweaks, NOT TWERKS!!!!! at the bottom of the page for cl;arificaTion of what this is)

A level +2 pilot may adjust any two discs, a level +3 may adjust three discs and so on...

No disc may be adjusted more than once. If a level +3 pilot is making a two disc move then all further adjustments are lost.

A pilot “tailing” an enemy aircraft gains on extra “tweak”

A player may burn two “tweaks” to gain or lose one ALT, note, this compounds with any planned changes in ALT so be conscious of gains/loss of speed and any limitations on the aircraft (such as DIVE-3 becoming a DIVE-4 and resulting structural issues).

Extreme Maneuvers are not subject to “tweaking”

Loss of Control, Spins

Certain ACTIONS require PILOT SKILL TESTS, some of these have specific outcomes (such as the I-16 Rata “Climb +3” card which dictates that the pilot take a skill test and states that failure will result in engine damage). Absent that sort of condition a Pilot Skill Test that is failed normally will result in a SPIN.

To execute the SPIN roll 1d6 and drop that much ALTITUDE, then roll a scatter die and face the aircraft in that direction.

At the end of the turn the player tests against the Spin Recovery rating of the aircraft, modified by his PILOT RATING; i.e. an aircraft with a Spin Recovery of 8+ flown by a +2 pilot would need a 6+ to escape the spin.

If he passes he may plot his moves for the next turn normally starting at the minimum speed for that aircraft.

If the player fails to recover from the SPIN this procedure is executed again the next turn. This repeats until the player recovers from the spin or ALTITUDE 0 is reached, at which point the aircraft is considered lost.

Engine Failure and Gliding

An aircraft that has suffered sufficient engine damage to kill the engine is must now attempt to glide to the ground. To do this the player must pass a Pilot Test and MUST execute a DIVE -2 and choose the “Gain One Speed” option each turn but does not gain the speed (he is basically trading height for forward movement) no EMs are allowed while gliding. Gliding aircraft must always move first.

Collisions and Ramming (because I now you guys)

Accidental Collisions

At any time when two aircraft are at the same ALT and their final discs overlap such that one covers the center of the other there is a risk of collision. Because most pilots do not wish to die by accident they will do their utmost to avoid such ignominy.

The collision test is conduct by adding both pilot's Pilot Rating together and then rolling 2d6 needing a 6+ to pass.

If a pilot is conducting an EM he does not add to the skill rating total.

Ramming

On rare occasions through history pilots have decided to deliberately ram into another aircraft. This usually took place between a single-seat fighter and an enemy bomber, very much more unlikely event was an attempt to ram another fighter. Still such things DID occur so we will have to deal with the situation.

To attempt ramming the player that has decided to make the attempt must be either in an head-on or tailing position at the start of the move. After all players have chosen their moves but before anyone has placed any movement discs the player announces he is going to try to ram and indicates which enemy aircraft he intends to hit.

All players execute their chosen moves except the rammer. After all discs are placed the player attempting the ram executes his move, using any “tweaks” he is entitled to. If the path of the target and the path of the rammer intersect players will check to see at what point in the move the paths crossed. If this indicates that the aircraft crossed paths contemporaneously the rammer conducts a Pilot Skill Test.

This test is modified by his PILOT RATING and reduced by the PILOT RATING of the target plane's pilot.

Example. An aircraft flown by a +1 pilot attempts to ram an aircraft flown by a +3 pilot. The Pilot Skill Test moves from a 6+ to a 5+ because of the skill of the ramming pilot. It is then modified to an 8+ due to the skill of the pilot of the target plane.

If the ramming aircraft missed it must move in the Forward movement arc during the next turn.

Gliding aircraft cannot make ramming attempts, aircraft that are on fire may do so but take a -2 modifier to their die roll.

Sample Aircraft Data Book

Aircraft Record Sheet

Aircraft Action Cards, these would be printed out and bound into a booklet in the order that they are presented (see attached photo)

The following cards are Status Cards, they change the speed and altitude of the aircraft. They should be printed out onto sturdy card and then cut out to be used as separate items (see attached photos).

additional data books can be found below;

Tweaks, NOT TWERKS!!!!!

Tweaks is the mechanism that we use to allow the pilot to adapt his chosen manuever to what is happening in front of him. Better pilots and pilots in tailing positions get better opportunities and thus get more chances to adjust to the enemy's moves. To represent this in the game we use the "Tweak" which is an incremental adjustment that is made to the deployed move discs,

a minor change in the direction of travel

here we see a SPEED 2 forward move

and the same move with a "Tweak" to the left

let's take a look at how it would impact a move in combat;

a Skill 2 pilot is tailing another aircraft, he is informed that it is going Speed 3-Level Left,

he wants to close with the target and thinks that it won't stray from his arc of fire too much so he chooses a Speed 4, Left Shift .....to his chagrin the target has moved out of his firing arc!

but wait, he has two "Tweaks" for being a Level 2 pilot and gains another for tailing

he applies one Tweak each to the facing of the three discs after his first, the cumulative effect is to change his facing enough that he can keep his guns on the enemy, notice how different the direction of the aircrafts facing at the end of the move as opposed to what it would have been without the Tweaks