AIR FORCE DUANTLESS EXPANDED RULES

updated 031107

From emcnair@strat-sys.bt.co.uk Wed Aug 2 13:50 BST 1995

AIR FORCE DAUNTLESS; Expansion Kit; Expansion Module: Delta-T; Impulse Game

INTRODUCTION

I. Introduction

• This expansion module is intended to be used with Battleline's
  World War II tactical air system, AIR FORCE / DAUNTLESS. As
  such, DELTA-T is of no use to anyone who does not already own
  one or other of these games. For this reason, DELTA-T is by no
  means a complete set of rules, nor is it intended to be. Owners
  of AIR FORCE and/or DAUNTLESS are already familiar with the
  components and mechanics of those games, so all the usual
  introductory and explanatory material is skipped here. DELTA-T
  is intended to supplement and expand those games by presenting
  more rules that can be used with them.
• All sections of this rules booklet can be considered as Optional
  Rules. No new scenarios are presented, as it is felt that buyers
  are experienced enough with the game system to adapt new rules
  to other scenarios, or to make up their own.

II. Components List

• A. Rules Booklet
• B. Log Sheet Templates

SET UP & PREPARATION FOR PLAY

I. Log Sheet Preparation

The Log Sheet has been altered to facilitate impulse based
movement. Simply fill out the fields which are present, in the
normal way.

IMPULSE GAME

I. Introduction

• The Impulse Game rules cover all the information needed to play
  AIR FORCE / DAUNTLESS in the most realistic manner yet devised -
  movement is broken down into impulses.
• This method of play involves significant changes to the way the
  game mechanics work, in order to give the game a much more fluid
  feel, and solve one or two problems that remain with
  simultaneous movement.

II. Impulse Play Flow;

• At the beginning of the first turn, players check the initial
  speeds, banks and turns of their planes. Comparing this with the
  information on the airplane data cards, they evaluate the
  situation and decide what moves should be made. Notations are
  made in each planes's log for one manoeuvre only.
• The notations are plotted the appropriate impulses on the log.
  The impulses to use are found by cross referencing each plane's
  speed on the Impulse Chart. These impulses are the planes'
  active impulses.
• Each Impulse (1-12) is then played through one by one. Not all
  planes move on every impulse.
• As each plane completes the manoeuvre plotted for it, a new one
  is written. If this causes the log to be plotted into the next
  turn, the new initial values are calculated, and the complete
  (i.e. whole) manoeuvre plotted in the appropriate Impulses.
  This cycle is repeated until the game ends.

III. Sequence of Play

• Play begins after all set up and preparation is complete. The
  games is played in "Turns" (each turn representing the passage of
  approximately ten seconds of actual time), with Turn divided
  into twelve "Impulses" to aid play flow.
• The twelve Impulses are played out in simple numerical order.
  Each Impulse is divided into "phases", which must be carried out
  in a specific sequence.
• The sequence of play, which is repeated during every Impulse of
  every turn of the game, is as follow. Note that this includes
  all the Optional Rules. Each Phase is explained more fully in the
  sections which follow.
  • A. Spotting and Starting Phase
  • B. Non-Plotted Movement Execution Phase
  • C. Plotted Movement Execution Phase
  • D. Firing Phase
  • E. Bomb, Rocket and Torpedo Phase
  • F. Bail Out Phase
  • G. Movement Plotting Phase
  • H. Changes Plotting Phase

IV. Spotting and Starting Phase

• Attempts are made to "spot" enemy units which cannot be "seen"
  by consulting the SPOTTING TABLE, and rolling one die. Attempts
  are also made to "start" the engines of planes on the ground
  wishing to take off.
  • 1. Each plane may make one attempt per turn to spot an
    unidentified counter. The procedure is unchanged from the
    regular game. This attempt is made in impulse 7.
  • 2. Each plane may make one engine start attempt per turn, in
    impulse 7.
  • 3. If the engine(s) start, the plane may immediately apply one
    Power Factor. Plot new initials for the following turn to reflect
    this.
  • 4. After the turn when the engine started, planes may apply one
    Power or Brake factor (but not both) per turn until they leave
    the ground in the normal way.
  • 5. During this time, each plane moves in whichever impulses are
    appropriate for its speed.
  • 6. A plane may turn up to three hexsides per turn (i.e. there is
    no need to move any hexes between turns) when on the ground. It
    must be at speed `0', or `1', and the turns have no costs.
  • 7. A plane on the ground is always in Level Bank attitude, and
    can turn in either direction according to choice.
  • 8. Carrier take-offs are handled as per the regular game. Power
    Factors are applied in impulse 7.

V. Non-Plotted Movement Execution Phase;

• In this phase, all counters which can move, and which do not
  have a movement log, are moved. This phase covers tanks, trucks,
  ships, torpedoes and flak guns (both light and heavy).
• A. Trucks
  • 1. In hexes containing a roadway, trucks have 2 movement points
    each turn. Turning 600 costs one mp. Entering a new hex costs
    one mp. The two mp.s are expended one each in impulses 4 and 9. A
    truck may move in only one, or none, of these impulses if
    desired.
  • 2. In a hex with no road, trucks have one mp, expended in
    impulse 7.
• B. Tanks
  • 1. On road hexes, tanks have one movement point per turn,
    expended in impulse 7.
  • 2. In other hexes, tanks have one movement point on even
    numbered turns, expended in impulse 7 of those turns.
  • 3. Tanks may always turn in place one hexside, at no cost,
    irrespective of whether or not they have any mp.s, or have
    already moved. This turning can take place before or after
    forward movement, and takes place in impulse 7.
• C. Ships; Ships speeds and turning rates are found on the Ship
  Characteristics tables in the DAUNTLESS and EXPANSION KIT rules
  booklets.
  • 1. Ships always move on impulse 7l
  • 2. Some ships are able to move and turn in the same game turn.
    When this happens, forward movement must come before the turn.
  • 3. Even when a ship moves and turns, all the movement takes
    place in impulse 7.
• D. Torpedoes
  • 1. Torpedoes automatically move one hex straight forwards, in
    the same direction as the plane is facing, on the impulse when
    they are released.
  • 2. On subsequent turns, torpedoes move forward one hex every
    turn, in the direction they are facing, until either they enter
    a hex with a ship, or move out of the playing area.
  • 3. Apart from the turn when they are dropped, torpedoes always
    move in impulse 7.
  • 4. When a torpedo enters a hex which contains a ship,
    evaluate damage as per the regular game.
  • 5. Torpedo damage becomes effective immediately, i.e. in
    impulse 7.

VI. Plotted Movement Execution Phase:

• As each impulse is played out, planes move on the impulses shown
  on their log sheets.
  • 1. This phase occurs on every impulse, one to twelve.
  • 2. Check which impulse is being played, and cross check the log
    of each plane. Carry out the movement indicated in the log for
    this impulse.
  • 3. The planes move on the mapboard in exactly the same way as
    in the regular game.
  • 4. If a plane has no log entry for this impulse, i.e. it is
    inactive, it simply remains in place.

VII. Firing Phase:

• After the Movement Phase, each plane may elect to fire its guns
  (if it is eligible) at whatever targets it can.
  • 1. This phase occurs on every impulse, one to twelve.
  • 2. Each plane can fire fixed guns (`FH', `FL' or `FF' guns) once
    per turn, in any active impulse.
  • 3. Nose Attitude. Planes which have a lower altitude this
    impulse than the preceeding one have a nose down attitude for
    firing fixed guns. Planes which have a higher altitude this
    impulse than the preceeding one have a nose up attitude for
    firing fixed guns. A plane need only travel one hex forwards
    (one impulse) with no climbing or diving in order to have a nose
    level attitude.
  • 4. Each plane can fire flexible guns (`F' guns) once per turn,
    in any impulse it chooses.
  • 5. A plane is not required to move in order to fire flexible
    (`F' guns). Planes may fire these guns on impulses when they
    made no movement at all.
  • 6. All other firing rules remain the same as for the normal
    game.

VIII. Bomb, Rocket and Torpedo Phase;

• After gunfire, planes may drop bombs, rockets, torpedoes, etc.
  • 1. This phase occurs on every impulse, one to twelve.
  • 2. A plane may only drop or release weapons only in its active
    impulses.
  • 3. A plane may not fire fixed guns (`FF', `FH' or `FL' guns) on
    a turn when it also drops or releases any other ordinance.
  • 4. A plane may fire flexible guns (`F' guns) on any impulse of
    the turn of dropping or release. i.e. flexible gunnery is
    unaffected.
  • 5. Results of all attacks except torpedo attacks become
    effective in the impulse of release.
  • 6. All other rules and evaluation procedures remain the same as
    for the regular game.

IX. Bail Out Phase

• Players attempt to save aircrew of planes shot down on a
  previous impulse.
  • 1. This phase occurs on every impulse, one to twelve.
  • 2. Planes which are shot down are not immediately removed from
    play, but remain on the mapboard.
  • 3. On the next active impulse after being shot down, a bail out
    attempt may be made. No movement or firing is allowed by the
    plane making the bail out attempt.
  • 4. All plotted orders, release notes are ignored for this and
    all future impulses.
  • 5. All other Bail Out rules are unaffected.

X. Movement Plotting Phase

• This phase is where players decide the future moves of their
  planes, and record them on each planes' Log Sheet.
• This is the area of the rules which have seen the greatest
  changes to accommodate the Impulse Game.
• All movement of a plane is based on its Initial Speed, Initial
  Altitude and Initial Bank at the start of the turn. These should
  already be entered in the proper sections of the log on the line
  where the movement plotting will be done. It is suggested that
  players mark the Log's with a pencil, instead of with ink, to
  facilitate erasing.
• A. Basics
  • 1. This phase occurs on every impulse, one to twelve.
  • 2. Orders are written which show a complete manoeuvre for each
    plane. This need not use all the impulses remaining to a plane
    for this turn.
  • 3. If the manoeuvre means that a plot must be made for the turn
    following this one, then the new initial values for next turn
    are worked out immediately, and the plot continued into next
    turns impulses so as to complete the manoeuvre.
• B. Speed Factors; As in the old rules, each plane has a certain capability to enter
  a certain number of hexes during the course of a Turn. The
  number of hexes that can be entered during a Turn represents the
  speed at which the plane is moving, and is expressed as a number
  called the "speed factor".
  • 1. Whereas in the regular game, all movement is carried out
    simultaneously, after all plotting, and all at once, speed
    factors are expended one by one in the Impulse Game. Each speed
    factor will give the plane one active impulse.
  • 2. The impulses when a plane will be active, i.e. able to
    expend its speed factors is found from cross referencing its
    Initial Speed on the Impulse Table.
  • 3. Movement is plotted so that each plane has one complete
    manoeuvre plotted in its log for its next active impulse(s).
    4. The manoeuvre plotted for each plane does not have to expend
    all the speed factors (i.e. impulses) which each plane has for
    the remainder of the turn.
  • 5. When a complete manoeuvre requires a plane to enter more
    hexes (i.e. use more impulses) than remain to it this turn, the
    plot it taken up to the end of the current turn, then the new
    Initial values for next turn are worked out and written on the
    log, then the plot for the manoeuvre is continued until the plot
    for the manoeuvre is completed.
• C. Speed Changes: Changes to a plane's Initial Speed apply only during the
  following turn.
  • 1. Each plane may apply one power factor per undestroyed engine
    on each impulse, up to the limit shown on its MC.
    2. Each plane may apply one brake factor per impulse, up to the
    limit shown on its MC.
  • 3. If power factors are lost during a turn, due to loss of an
    engine, then future impulse plots must be checked to see that
    they remain legal. Excess power factors should be erased from
    the plot.
• D. Altitude Changes; In the regular game, height alterations relate only to a whole
  turn, not to portions of it, as the Impulse Game needs.
  • 1. The maximum amount of altitude a plane may climb or dive on
    each impulse is determined by how many active impulses it has in
    a turn, i.e. its Initial Speed. Take the maximum climb/ dive rate
    from the MC, and divided by the number of impulses. If there is
    any remainder, it must be spread out as evenly as possible
    amongst the impulses, with the controlling player deciding in
    which impulse(s) the surplus is expended.
  • 2. This climb or dive rate per impulse cannot be exceeded. It
    is not legal to expend a number of impulses without climbing or
    diving, and then try to climb or dive a plane's maximum in the
    remaining few impulses, i.e. for each impulse where a plane does
    not climb or dive, its maximum climb or dive for the turn as a
    whole is reduced in direct proportion to its total of impulses
    for the turn.
  • 3. Planes may now climb and dive during the same turn. Planes
    may not both climb and dive during a single impulse.
• E. Manoeuvres; The fundamental requirement to enter a number of hexes
  (shown on the MC) in order to carry out a manoeuvre remains
  unchanged from the regular game. One new manoeuvre is introduced to enable the game
  mechanics to work.
• 1. Forwards Manoeuvre. A plane can enter 1 hex in front of
  itself, and this counts as a completed manoeuvre.
  • a. A plane may perform forward movement while in any bank
    attitude.
  • b. A plane that moves forwards in its movement will shift one
    hex forwards, i.e. in the direction that it is pointing.
  • c. To indicate a forwards manoeuvre, a plane makes the forwards
    notation in its log.
  • d. There is no minimum number of hexes to enter - a plane may
    make this notation at any time, no matter what preceded it.
  • e. A forwards manoeuvre counts as one hex moved, and
    causes no loss of speed.
  • f. If a plane carries out a forwards manoeuvre when in any of
    the bank attitudes `LB', `IL', `RB', `IR', it is plotted to lose
    100' of altitude on that impulse. No climbing may be plotted for
    the impulse. This loss does not affect nose attitude.
• 2. Turn Manoeuvre
  • a. If a plane enters only the minimum number of hexes for a
    turn manoeuvre, and no more, then the turn is considered to be a
    "maximum performance turn", and the plane must be plotted to lose
    100' of altitude in the impulse of the turn itself. No climbing
    may be plotted for the impulse. This loss does not affect nose
    attitude.
• 3. Slip Manoeuvre
  • a. If a plane enters only the minimum number of hexes for a
    slip manoeuvre, and no more, then the turn is considered to be a
    "maximum performance slip", and the plane must be plotted to lose
    100' of altitude in the impulse of the slip itself. No climbing
    may be plotted for the impulse. This loss does not affect nose
    attitude.
  • b. Subsequent turns carried out immediately after the slip are
    not subject to the "maximum performance turn" altitude loss
    described above. They behave as in the regular game.
• 4. Half Loop Manoeuvre
  • a. A plane must be plotted to climb or dive at its maximum rate
    on all the impulses plotted for a half loop.
  • b. A plane need not climb or dive at maximum rate for every
    impulse of the game turn in which the half loop is executed.
  • c. If the hexes needed for the half loop are spread across more
    than one turn, the plane must still climb or dive at maximum
    rate in all those impulses needed.
• F. Log Notations; Two new notations are introduced to support the Impulse Game,
  and some of the regular ones are used in a different way.
• 1. All the manoeuvre notations are made in the impulses section
  of each plane's log. The notations are as follows:
  • a. The notation "`" indicates an impulse that the plane will
    travel in a straight line as part of some other manoeuvre.
  • b. The notation "1" indicates that the plane is making a
    forwards manoeuvre.
  • c. Each impulse when the plane is active may therefore contain
    "`", or "1", or any of the regular movement notations, plus a
    height, and either "P", or "K".
  • d. Normally there is only one manoeuvre notation in each
    impulse box, but there is one exception to this. The Bank
    notations, `B' or `N' should appear in the same impulse as the
    last "`" carried out for the bank.
• 2. All the height altering notations are also made in the
  impulses section of each plane's log.
  • a. When a plane climbs or dives between two impulses,
    record its actual altitude after modification in the following
    impulse box on the log.
  • b. Thus if a plane has to lose height in carrying out a
    manoeuvre, the loss is spread out across the impulses used to
    carry out the manoeuvre, with a new altitude recorded in each
    impulse box of the manoeuvre.
  • c. When a plane makes neither climbs nor dives, it is not
    necessary to record its altitude in the impulse box.

XI. Changes Plotting Phase

• This phase is described separately, but takes place seamlessly
  within the Movement Plotting Phase
  • A. New Initial Speed: This is calculated exactly as per the regular game.
  • B. New Initial Altitude: This is simply equal to whatever was most recently written in the
    planes log, i.e. either last turn's Initial Altitude, or the most
    recent notation in an impulse box.
  • C. New Initial Bank: This is the same as the plane's bank attitude at the end of its
    most recently completed manoeuvre, i.e. if a plane is mid way
    through a manoeuvre, its bank is not yet affected.

XII. Impulse Table

• Initial Speed Impulses when Active