There are two roles for aircraft in the game ; attack and defence.

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

Attack aircraft : Ground attack, high level bombers, low level bombers, fighters, and dive bombers.

The 'standard' ( as in the main ruleset ) use of an aircraft 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 aircraft can be adapted depending on what players have.

These rules are being written for 'on call' aircraft 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 them 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 observers in the rules.

Making the call

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.

Ground attacks

These are made as in the rules though with regards AA fire there maybe reason to look at this in relation to attack heights. Light AA guns may not be able to hit bombers at high altitudes, but likewise bomber accuracy could be very poor. The rules currently assume bombers make an attack from an altitude that all AA guns can reach.

New air to air combat rules

Air Attack factor Mgs 1pt, Cannon 1pt +1 per gun class, Rockets add 1pt each

Speed 1 pt per 50mph. (If above 25mph round up if below round down.) Typical ranges between 3-12

Height 1 pt per 5000 feet of altitude. Mainly used for interception of very high and high bombers to be looked at with regards bombing and AA fire.

Air combat

Compare speeds, add +1 to the die roll for the faster plane per point of speed difference +1 if pilot elite, -1 if pilot raw

If the number rolled is greater than the opponent then the opponent is driven off. If twice or more than double the opponent then they are shot down.

Bombers can ditch their bombs to add 3 to the dice roll and interceptors at this point can then choose not to engage.

Fighter bombers add 1 if they ditch their bomb load.

Interception

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.

Escorts

Attacking bombers and fighter bombers can be given escorts that do not appear over table. There 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 which have a .+2 to their dice because of the time bought by the fighter screen. Apply results as above but add 1 to the bombers survival dice if they lose and look like they may be shot down. Escorted bombers are being given a better chance of getting home because their attackers would not be as co-ordinated having fought the escorts.

Points for on call planes

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

Cost of pilots

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

Defensive Fighter screens cost 1/5th of the points of an aircraft per round that 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 aircraft 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 aircraft 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 aircraft fielded on table in any battle cannot be greater than the cost of this prepaid plane. Bombs and rockets are additions. If an aircraft 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 aircraft and new.

E.G. An Me110G fighter 22pts is shot down and when replacing losses the German player decides to upgrade to Fw 190-A8 normal value 125pts (including bomb). This would cost the German player 32pts. 22 replacement plus 10 upgrade.

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.

Pilots in Campaigns

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

When buying aircraft you can pay -10 points for raw pilots or +10 points for elite pilots.

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

In working this out it has been assumed that each aircraft represents a squadron. When planes are driven off it may represent only one or two shot down, but when the result is shot down the squadron is effectively destroyed.