Air Combat 1914 – 1918
by Alan Butler and Andrew Finch
These rules cover this subject in more detail; for a simpler set of rules follow this link to
Description
These rules operate in three dimensions while only physically using two, height being indicated beside an aircraft. Different types of machine gun are taken into account, and the skill of your aircrew is paramount. The system also caters for game balance to ensure that no game is a walkover. There are simple rules for ammunition expenditure and players can handle about 4 planes each. An added feature appropriate to the period is the availability of Luck, (assuming you are lucky enough to get any).
The rules are supplemented by data for over 150 aircraft and variants from World War One, for 9 nations and three theatres. The aircraft factors illustrate the differences caused by new designs. The rules incorporate several options to make life even more exciting for the unwary, including obsolescence and unreliability. An optional campaign system is provided.
Product Support
When accessing the files laid out below, the following rules apply:
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Quick Reference Sheets
There are no Quick Reference Sheets for this title at the moment.
Rules Support
Blank Fighter and Bomber Record Sheets for use with these rules, as well as Squadron Campaign Rosters to record aircraft and aircrew, Missions flown and their success are available in the following PDF:
Stringbags Rules Support Package
A set of Templates for use when manoeuvring aircraft has been created. These are calibrated for movement in centimeters or inches with angles of 30 and 60 degrees.
Clarifications
There are no Clarifications at the moment.
Errata
There are no Errata at the moment.
Rules Updates
We have added an optional expansion to Gunnery Rule 6.9, which takes into account the difference between the piloting skills of the pilot of a fighter plane and its target:
New optional addition to Gunnery Rule 6.9 (2004)
New Data
If players wish to expand their horizons and work out game statistics for aircraft not included in the rules, the following file has the Algorithms used in the current edition of the rules.