v.20160904 THE AGE OF ACES II Aerial combats of WWI The Age of Aces II is a tactical game featuring the • A two‐sided player aid card with a summary of aerial and naval combats of World War I. It uses the the principal rules, the manoeuvres table, and the same system as the game in VaeVictis #117 and can list of the specific aircrafts with their be played independently or by combining characteristics. We recommend that you cover components of both games. with plastic this page found in the middle of the rulebook. • A map in A3 format that represents the game 1. INTRODUCTION surface, imprinted with the hexagons to regulate The Age of Aces II can be played with one or 2 or the movement of the aircrafts. The edges are cut more players. For the sake of simplicity, these rules into 8 zones used in the scenarios to mark the will use the example of a 2-player game. entry/exit zones for the aircrafts. The white dots represent the objectives; those with an anchor Design notes : the game system limits the markers represent a port. on the counters and does not require any • One six-sided die (1d6) per player (not preliminary writing of movement orders. It favours included). the energy produced by the “speed/altitude” • A small opaque container for drawing Damage coupling to take advantage of one’s adversary. You markers (ex: a cup, not included). will see that, given the cohabitation of different levels on the map, a certain visual distortion occurs according to the mission (ex: size of ships in relation 3. SCALE, STACKING, ETC. to coasts). This distortion is intentional and avoids Scale : A hexagon represents 100 metres and a turn the necessity of an additional map for these attacks. lasts about 1 minute. The aircrafts move on 5 altitude levels. A counter represents 1 aircraft, a Modifications or additions to the original rule are ship, a Zeppelin or a small fleet of ships. indicated by a ➔ for a complete chapter or are written in red. Stacking : There is no stacking limit for counters (aircrafts, markers...). However, if two aircrafts simultaneously share the same hexagon at the same 2. GAME COMPONENTS altitude, they could collide unless they are on the To play, you need the following elements: ground, over the water or on an aircraft carrier. Two ships cannot share the same hexagon at the same • Aircraft, balloon, Zeppelin, ship and Anti- time. Aircraft (AA) counters. • “Ace” pilot counters. Vocabulary: The following list defines the • Various markers : speed (vitesse), altitude, vocabulary used in the rules: damage (dégâts), turn counter (compte-tours). • 1d6: roll a six-sided die • Two flight boards that can be photocopied for • 1d3: roll a 1d6 and read the following result: (1- play with more than two players. You can also 2) = 1, (3-4) = 2, (5-6) = 3. download these tables from the VaeVictis • Die roll modifier (DRM): value to add to the website. result obtained from the die roll. 1 Age of Aces II - v.20160724 • Resource Points (RP) : resource points Very High altitude: the “cloud” symbol indicates represent the energy the aircraft has to that the aircraft can climb to altitude 5 (Very High). manoeuvre. • Manoeuvre: specific move that an aircraft Structure Points: number indicating the minimum makes for a cost given in RP. result necessary to cause substantial damage to an • Flight table: table on which are placed for each aircraft, taking into account the overall quality of its aircraft in flight, its speed marker (vitesse), its construction (materials, solidity...). A low number “Ace” pilot marker (pilote) and any damages indicates an aircraft that is easier to take down. (dégâts). The lines on the table are numbered 1 to 5, so that the information for 5 aircrafts can be Maximum speed: indicates on a dial the maximum displayed simultaneously. The so-called “slow” speed that the aircraft can attain without damaging speeds are noted in blue, and the “high” speeds the motor. are noted in red. Number of the aircraft: associates the aircraft counter with the line of the same number on the Flight Table so that speed, Ace pilot and any particular damage counters can be placed. The aircraft, balloon and Zeppelins counters have two sides: “able to fly” and “damaged” (bullet holes). • Manoeuvre table: table indicating for each Manoeuvrability Class (A, B, C) the cost in RP, the minimum or maximum speed required to carry out a manoeuvre, the effects on the speed, altitude and orientation of the aircraft after the manoeuvre. • In phase player: player whose phase it is for the manoeuvres with his aircrafts. • Adverse aircraft: aircraft that does not belong to the in-phase player. • Hex : hexagon. • MG : machine gun • Hit : damage to a target as a result of bombing, torpedoing or a machine gun fire. ➔ The ship counters have one of two sides. They represent either a small fleet of ships or a single ship 3.1. The aircrafts depending on the scenario. An aircraft counter reads as follows: The list of the aircrafts indicates complementary Manoeuvrability class: letter indicating the overall information: the motor power factor, the “special” agility of an aircraft when it manoeuvres. A is the manoeuvres particular to the aircraft or those that are best class and C is the worst. prohibited, the DRM due to armament to calculate damages or their unique capabilities (ex : risk of a nosedive for a Nieuport 28). Hit value: number indicating the minimum result necessary to hit an aircraft, taking into account its Important : players who have The Age of Aces I wingspan and its agility. A low number indicates an ➔ aircraft that is easier to hit. can replace the counters of the SE 5A with those of Age of Aces II which cancel and replace them. 2 Age of Aces II - v.20160724 3.2. The Ace Pilots The damage (“dégâts”) markers are drawn at random from an opaque container when an aircraft suffers substantial damages (see 8.1 Structure Test). The turn counter (“tour”) marks the number of turns for a scenario. The side of the counter indicates which camp has the Certain scenarios offer the possibility of having initiative. aircrafts piloted by aces, seasoned pilots that boasted an impressive record. The special qualities of these pilots are defined by 4. GAME SEQUENCE two attributes, piloting and firing, in the form of a A game turn follows the sequence below: die roll modifier (generally +/- 1). The quality of the piloting, noted in white, reduces 1 - Determination of the initiative the cost of the special manoeuvres designated by a star on the manoeuvres table (ex: a barrel roll), if 2 - Manœuvres and Fire of the aircrafts of the the player so wishes and affects the control of the “in-phase” player aircraft in the case of difficulty. The quality of the fire, noted in red, increases the result of the fire test 2.1 - Manœuvres necessary to hit the target (ex: An Ace with a Fire +2 adds 2 to the fire test to hit.) 2.2 - Opportunity fire of the adverse aircrafts An Ace is necessarily assigned to the post of Pilot. 2.3 - Fire of the aircrafts that have manoeuvred 3 - Manœuvres and Fire of enemy aircrafts ➔ The abbreviated notation is as follows: Ace -1/+1 (piloting and fire bonus), Ace -/+1 (fire bonus only) 3.1 - Manœuvres or Ace -1/- (piloting bonus only). 3.2 - Opportunity fire of the enemy aircrafts 3.3. Markers 3.3 - Fire of the aircrafts that have manoeuvred Altitude is represented by a recto-verso marker that is placed under the aircraft, on 4 - Recuperation and Pursuit which is noted the value of one of the 5 altitude levels: On the Ground (0), Very 5 - Verification of victory conditions Low (1), Low (2), Medium (3), High (4) and Very High (5). It is not necessary to place an altitude Generality: After determining which camp has the marker for Medium altitude (3) or On the Ground initiative, the “in-phase” player chooses one of his (0). aircrafts and manoeuvres by spending RP. The Important: only aircrafts with a “cloud” symbol next adverse player can react with opportunity fire on the to their Hit value can ascend to altitude 5 (Very aircraft of the in-phase player. High). At the end of his manoeuvres, the aircraft of the in- phase player can fire at a target. Finally, the player The speed markers allow players to note chooses a new aircraft to manoeuvre, to fire and so the speed of the aircrafts on the Flight on. When all the in-phase player's aircrafts have Table. manoeuvred, the adverse player does the same. The latter then becomes the new “in-phase” player. 3 Age of Aces II - v.20160724 5. DETERMINING THE INITIATIVE 6.1.2. Choose the manœuvres Each player rolls 1d6 and adds the Altitude level (1 The cost of a manoeuvre is indicated on the to 5) of the highest aircraft in his camp. The player Manoeuvres Table according to the aircraft's who obtains the higher total decides to take the Manoeuvrability Class (letter indicated on the initiative or to give it to his opponent. The player aircraft's counter). Each manoeuvre also indicates: that takes the initiative becomes the “in-phase” • the minimum or maximum speed required at the player. beginning of the turn (and not mid-manoeuvre. In the case of a tie, the player that had the initiative Not to be confused with RP), the previous turn chooses to keep it or to give it to • the possibility or not to change altitude at the end his opponent.