RULE BOOK Table of Contents 1 Introduction

Living Rules (June 2013)

For my mother, whose support and encouragement throughout the years has been immeasurable. You are missed every day! RULE BOOK Table of Contents 1 Introduction...... 2 16 Anti-Aircraft Artillery...... 25 2 Game Equipment...... 3 17 Air-to-Ground...... 27 3 Sequence of Play...... 4 18 Air-to-Ground Attacks...... 27 4 Scenarios...... 5 19 Ground Target Damage...... 28 5 Air Units...... 7 20 Track Phase...... 28 6 Random Events...... 8 21 Night...... 28 7 Weather...... 8 22 Ground Units...... 29 8 Detection...... 10 23 Campaign Game...... 29 9 Initiative...... 11 24 Solitaire Game...... 29 10 Movement...... 12 25 Designing Bloody April...... 30 11 Aerodrome Operations...... 16 26 Tactical Hints...... 31 12 Task Planning...... 17 27 Appendices...... 32 13 Air-to-Air Combat...... 20 28 Rules Index...... 33 14 Air Unit Damage...... 24 “Time to Climb” Conversion Tables...... 37 15 Post-Combat Procedure...... 24 German Scout Aircraft Availability Matrix...... 40

This is the “Living Rules” document for the game. It includes errata and clarifications to the original rules. To aid read- GMT Games, LLC • P.O. Box 1308, Hanford, CA 93232-1308 ability, errata is indicated in blue text. www.GMTGames.com 2 Bloody April Rules Manual

Aeroplane. British term for aircraft or airplane. 1. Introduction Aggression Value. A value representing pilot training, leader- Bloody April is a game of air warfare over the Arras Sector ship and élan. in France during March through May 1917. This area was the Arcs/Hemispheres. Arcs are 60-degree areas around a flight. scene of some of the most brutal air warfare to occur during The three forward arcs of an aeroplane flight make up the WW1. In Bloody April, the players command the air forces of front hemisphere, and the three rear arcs constitute the rear the British Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and Deutsche Luftstreit- hemisphere. (See the Arcs diagrams on the play aids.) kräfte/German Air Force (DLS). They will also control ground Artillerie Flieger Abteilungen (FA(A)). German artillery units for their respective sides (e.g., Flak and Observation ranging and infantry support units. Balloons). Bouncer. A flight that attacks into an existing dogfight Design Note: The British Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) Campaign Day. A campaign day consists of a number of task- was a separate air force until combining with the RFC to be- ings that take place over one complete day. come the RAF in 1918. For purposes of simplicity, the RNAS Squadrons are considered to be part of the RFC for all game Detected. A detected flight represents one that has been spot- purposes. ted by ground observers and has its location passed on to the aerodromes but is still a tough find for airborne flights. Dogfight. Two or more flights engaged in prolonged aerial 1.1 Players combat. Two players are required; one to play the Royal Flying Corps DRM. Die Roll Modifiers. The DRM is used to alter the results (RFC) side and one to play the Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte (DLS) of a die roll by adding or subtracting to the total rolled. side. Both sides control aeroplanes and defensive forces for Dummy. A fog of war term used to denote any flight that does their side. It is possible to play with multiple players on one or not consist of real aeroplanes. Dummy flights are used to either side by dividing the forces or taskings per player. Success confuse the enemy player on the location of real flights. for the British results from completing their air taskings and successfully recovering their aeroplanes. Enemy/Friendly. Friendly units are all units assigned to the player by the scenario or campaign information. An enemy Success for the Germans results from successfully defending unit is a unit controlled by the other player. targets and preventing the British from accomplishing their taskings. Flaming Onion. An incendiary 37mm anti-aircraft battery used by the Germans to attack Allied aeroplanes attacking 1.2 Rules Observation Balloons or other defended assets. The rules are divided into standard, advanced and optional Flieger Abteilungen (FA). German long range recon units. rules. The advanced rules add detail and make for a more com- Flugmeldedienst. German Ground Observation Posts that were plete simulation. The optional rules add more realism but also instrumental in helping the Germans to maintain an effective increased complexity. Players learning the game may skip the defensive posture. advanced and optional rules until they are familiar with the standard game mechanics. Flight. A unit of 1-6 aeroplanes of the same type in formation. 1.21 Rule Conventions Friendly Territory. Map area that consists of all non-trench hexes that are on a particular side of the map (e.g., British Rules are numbered. Cross-references to other rules are listed Friendly Territory is on the west side of the map that does [in square brackets]. Design notes describe some of the back- not have trench hexes). ground and thought processes behind the rules. Jasta. German term for their scout squadrons, loosely translated 1.22 Learning Bloody April it means Hunting Squadron, condensed from Jagdstaffel. New players might wish to start by following the examples of play in the playbook. This tells you which rules sections to read No Man’s Land. Any hex between the British and German first and summarizes some of the more important combat rules. trench hexes is considered not controlled by either side except where noted by SSR. 1.3 Glossary of Game Terms Patrol. Small scale scenario with a limited number of flights Abort. Flights that are no longer able to conduct their mission per side. will ‘abort’ and run for home. Scenario. A scenario can be on three levels; Patrol, Show or Ack Ack (AA). Anti-aircraft artillery, also termed ‘Archie’. Campaign Day and vary in complexity and amount of activity. Active Aerodrome. Any aerodrome that is listed in the scenario Schutzstaffel. German term for their two-seater units that pro- Order of Battle for a particular date. vided protection for Recon (FA) and Artillery Cooperation (FA(A)) tasked units. Shortened name is Schusta. ADC. Aeroplane Data Card, a play aid that lists the performance and capability data for each aeroplane type. Scout. Term used to describe the single seat fighters used by both sides.

Service Ceiling. Maximum altitude that an aeroplane type can 2.2 Map fly as denoted on its ADC. Design Note: The map shows the area of France where the Show. Medium scale scenario. majority of the air battles were fought during the March SSR. Scenario Special Rule. A scenario special rule is only through May 1917 time frame. applicable to that scenario or campaign. If a regular rule and the SSR conflict, the SSR takes precedence. The game map portrays a portion of France, with Arras, Cam- brai and Lens as the main cities displayed on the map. Tally. Codeword used by the British, meaning that an enemy flight has been visually sighted. The term Visually Sighted 2.21 Hex Grid and Tally have the same meaning for game rule interpretation. A hex grid has been superimposed on the map to regulate the position and movement of the playing pieces. Each hex is Tasking. A particular mission type or “job” that a flight is individually numbered. Where a four-number map reference performing for that scenario. is given, the first two digits (00xx) indicate the hex column on Time to Climb (TtC). A term used as a compilation of an the map, while the last two digits (xx00) indicate the hex row. aeroplane’s rate of climb and the amount of time needed to Distances on the map are counted in hexes. To calculate a climb to a new altitude band. distance, trace the shortest possible path from one map hex to Trench Line. Trench line consists of both British and German another and count the number of hexes the path enters. controlled hexes. Initial British trench depictions are blue and Example: An adjacent hex is one hex distant, the hex beyond German trenches are red. Any hexes and portions of hexes between the trench lines that do not have trench artwork in is two hexes distant, and the one beyond that is at three hexes. them are considered to be No Man’s Land. When counting the distance to a flight occupying a hexside Wind Up. British slang term denoting that a pilot/flight has count to the nearer of the hexside’s two hexes and vice versa become scared and they are avoiding combat or running from (count from the nearer hex when counting distance from a flight it. This is wind as in windy, not winding. on a hexside to another hex.) Half-hexes on map borders are not playable. 1.4 Scale 2.22 Terrain Features Hexes are one nautical mile across. Movement Points are A key describes the features of the map. Land, Forest or Urban multiples of 30 MPH. Game turns are two minutes long. There artwork indicate types of land. Water artwork indicates rivers, are five altitude bands, representing a flight’s height above the lakes, canals and drainage systems. If more than 50% of the hex ground, as follows: Deck (Surface-3,999 feet), Low (4,000- is water (e.g., hex 3717) or enclosed by water (e.g., hex 5301) 9,999 feet), Medium (10,000-15,999 feet), High (16,000-18,999 then it is treated as a water hex and is a hazard to aeroplanes feet) and Very High (19,000+). attempting a forced landing. If players are in dispute as to Altitude within an altitude band is tracked with Time to Climb whether a hex is land or water, flip a coin to settle the matter. markers that vary in value based on aeroplane performance. A hex with at least 50% Urban or Forest artwork is considered an Urban or Forest hex otherwise they are considered Open 1.5 Dates land. Bloody April scenarios represent battles that took place from Example: Hex 2316 is Urban, but hex 2215 is Open, and hex March through May 1917. Dates are usually listed by month and year. 2008 is Forest but hex 1909 is Open land. Example: Apr 17 is April 1917. Any hex that has road artwork run through it is treated as a road hex. The terrain type extends to the hexsides so that flights on hex- 2. Game Equipment sides are ‘in’ that terrain. 2.1 Dice 2.3 Playing Pieces Bloody April uses ten-sided dice. Some die rolls are the sum Punch out the counters from the sheets of die-cut playing pieces. of two dice (thus generating a number from 2 to 20), and some Counters come in four general types: air units, ground units, rolls only require one die (thus generating a number from 1 chits and markers. to 10). Play Aid tables have dice symbols in the table’s upper 2.31 Air Units right corner indicating the number of dice used for that table. Air units represent small groups of 1-6 One die symbol means one die is rolled on that table. aeroplanes also called flights. RFC flights Two dice symbols mean two dice are rolled. are tan in color and DLS flights are blue. 2.11 Die Roll Modifiers Some tables require players to apply die roll modifiers. These are added to or subtracted from the dice result.

2.32 Ground Units 2.81 Data Ground unit types The ADC data includes the include: AA/Flaming number of crew members Onion concentrations, and service ceiling of the Artillery and British aeroplane. The performance and German ground units [22]. Observation Balloons are also area of the ADC lists the considered to be ground units. aeroplane’s Level Speed, 2.33 Chits Manoeuvre rating, Time to Climb and Dive Speed rating Initiative chits are used to order the move- for each altitude band. Fire- ment of flights. power rating and Damage Factor are listed as well as the Ammo Depletion num- 2.34 Markers ber and Endurance. The All other counters are markers, notes area lists any special used for indicating the status of equipment or weapons and/ air or ground units, or to act as a or any limitations of the reminder for the players of the aeroplane. game turn or weather state. 2.9 Flight Logs 2.4 Charts and Tables There are separate flight log sheets for the British and German Various charts and tables are provided for the players as refer- players. These track the status of air units [5] and also have ence and to resolve certain game functions. spaces to keep track of AA/Flaming Onion concentrations, Balloons and Ground Units. 2.5 Scenarios/Campaigns Players have a choice of game scenarios to play. Scenarios are listed in the Playbook and describe the forces, objectives and 3. Sequence of Play special rules for Patrol, Show or Campaign Day scenarios. Solitaire players will find the special rules for solitaire play in A scenario consists of multiple flights attempting to accomplish this rulebook [24]. their taskings and/or stop the other player from accomplishing his taskings. Air units of both sides may start either in the air, 2.6 Order of Battle on an aerodrome, or enter the map and attack ground targets, perform recon or conduct air-to-air combat and return to base Design Note: For the most part, both nations used a multitude or exit the map. The German and/or British player defends with of different aeroplane types to attack and defend their territory. air units and AA defences. The Playbook will list the composition of forces for a given Each tasking must be planned in advance. After setting up the scenario [4.1] and the taskings assigned for that day and time map and components, the scenario/campaign is then played frame. out. Scenarios are divided into game turns. During each turn the players follow a Sequence of Play in which they conduct 2.7 Planning Map various game actions. The Planning Map is a reduced-size copy of the game map The Sequence of Play for a scenario is as follows, (where and is used to plot task locations and other planning before several activities are listed for a phase, perform them in the starting play. order indicated): 2.8 ADC 3.1 Prior to scenario Weather Determination Phase. Players will roll for at-start Design Note: Both sides use many types of aeroplanes. The weather conditions. Players may re-roll weather results by game not only distinguishes between major types of aero- mutual agreement if the rolled conditions would prevent planes, such as the FE2, but the versions of each type. So the scenario from being successfully completed. Place the the FE2b and FE2d are regarded as two separate types of Sun marker on the appropriate time slot for the time of day. aeroplane in the game and have different capabilities. Ground Planning Phase. Both players determine map locations for hidden AA concentrations, Observation Balloons The Aeroplane Data Cards (ADC) list all the performance and or Ground Units. Record these on their log sheets [2.9]. Any combat information for the aeroplane in an easy to read format. dummy unit locations will also be determined and marked Each aeroplane type has a separate unique ADC. on the log sheets. Ground Deployment Phase. Both players set up non-hidden AA [4.41], Ground Units and Balloons[22] on-map.

Scenario Planning Phase. Both players determine their down to the ground and removed from play if not destroyed target(s) and plot the target hex(es) for their tasking(s) as [12.217]. Flights that will takeoff on the next game turn are required. Log sheets are filled out [2.9]. placed on the map at their start aerodrome [11.1]. Air Deployment Phase. Both sides set up flights at readiness After the Admin Phase has finished, begin a new game turn. at aerodromes or in the air if allowed [4.42]. Activation Phase. Both players may activate any AA con- 3.3 Completing the Scenario centrations. The scenario finishes when the last German or British flight has left the map, returned to its aerodrome or is destroyed, or when 3.2 During the Scenario both players agree to quit [4.5]. After completing the scenario, During a scenario, resolve each game turn as follows: conduct the following phases: Random Events Phase. One player rolls a die and if a one Recovery Phase. Roll for recovery of any remaining on- (1) or less is rolled then an additional two dice are rolled for map flights [11.4]. a Random Event [6]. Random Event checks start on game Victory Phase. Players check for victory in the scenario turn two and continue every game turn thereafter. [4.6]. Weather Phase. Every game turn follows this sequence: Weather Event Sub-Phase. First if the game turn is a 4. Scenarios multiple of ten (10) then roll on the Weather Table to see what Weather Event occurs. Design Note: While most of the scenarios try to recreate the Wind Drift Sub-Phase. Check for wind drift every game order of battle and conditions for an historical date, exact turn and adjust Flight, Dogfight, and Defensive Wheel data on flights that may not have been involved in combat markers as appropriate. Drift of a flight (not Dogfight) are not listed. may trigger an Archie attack and placement of a Barrage marker. Each scenario provides the information required to set up and play. Every scenario will be a Patrol or Show but some can be Detection Phase. Conduct a Ground Observer Sub-Phase combined and played as a Campaign [23]. and Visual Detection Sub-Phase. Ground Observer Sub-Phase. Roll to detect undetected 4.1 Patrol or Show Scenario Format flights. The information in the scenario is as follows: Visual Detection Sub-Phase. Flights within range may attempt to Tally enemy flights [8]. Scenario Date. Date of the scenario. Certain aeroplanes, weapons or capabilities may not be available on the given At the end of the phase remove any previously placed Bar- dates. Check the Orders of Battle tables and ADC notes for rage markers from Archie attacks [8.34]. date information. Movement Phase. Flights enter/exit defensive wheels [10.5] Historical Outcome. This section provides background and Spinning Flight effects are resolved [10.31] before ini- information on the scenario. tiative chit draw. Draw initiative chits [9.1]. Flights move in initiative order. During movement, flights may engage Time of Day. This lists at which time the scenario takes place enemy air units [13.2]. During movement, (Advanced Rule) either during the day or at night [21], and the time block and Dogfights may be activated and resolved or Bounced [13.41], number of game turns (using the 24 hour clock). If time of AA/Flaming Onion may fire on moving flights [16.3, 16.33 day is later than 1900 (7 PM) but not designated as night and 16.4]. Bombing attacks may take place [18]. Photo recon then Dusk conditions apply to visual sighting. runs take place [12.216]. Flights that are landing are resolved Weather. Either a specific weather condition will be listed [11.2] and if a crash landing occurs [11.4] it is resolved. or, more likely, players will be directed to roll on the Weather (Advanced Rule) Any flights that are still locked in air-to-air and Wind Tables for the scenario month. combat are removed to the Dogfight play aid and a Dogfight Ground Setup. Listing of British and German ground units marker is placed in their hex [13.41] for that scenario. Track Phase. Some detected or visually identified flights au- Taskings. Taskings for both players will be listed and any tomatically become undetected and some visually identified specific parameters for the taskings. flights may become detected. Flights with a Tally marker on an enemy flight must roll to maintain Tally [20]. Flights may RFC Order of Battle. This lists the order of battle to be used voluntarily drop a Tally on an enemy flight during this phase. for the scenario including the number of dummy air units. The OOB also lists which aerodromes are active for the units. Admin Phase. Recon tasked flights are credited with Pho- tos taken [12.216]. Roll for Artillery Cooperation results DLS Order of Battle. This lists the order of battle to be used [12.212]. Split flights [5.14]. Generate dummy counters for the scenario including the number of dummy air units. [5.13]. Reload Ammo Drums [13.34]. Activate AA [16.2]. The OOB also lists which aerodromes are active for the units. Observation Balloons that were under attack are winched Scenario Special Rules. This lists any SSRs that apply.

Victory Conditions. This lists any changes or alterations All of the individual aeroplanes on the game’s counter sheets to the standard victory conditions [4.6]. are part of the actual rosters of those Squadrons/Jasta units (exception German FA/FA(A) and Schusta units are generic). 4.2 Planning Phases Most will be listed in the Taskings or SSRs for a particular See the Sequence of Play [3.1] for the exact order in which scenario. A consolidated listing of all the British Squadrons and planning functions must be completed. German Jasta units is available as free downloadable product at www.gmtgames.com 4.21 Planning The pilot/crew rosters can be used to populate your flights and Each player plans the required flight route hexes for each task- add a level of role playing to the game. NOTE: Not all pilot ing and the game turn of entry for each flight. Players should ranks are listed, especially for 2-seater crews. 2-seater crews record these locations and timing on the log sheets. are listed Pilot/Observer. Pilots with a rating of 0 or higher are Aces or achieved Ace status during their career. Aircrew with 4.3 Flight Quality Generation a NR rating have to roll on the Flight Quality Table to get their Design Note: Pilot quality is a decisive factor in combat as Aggression Value. reflected in the Aggression Value. It is the product of each air force’s experience and training. Notably Scout pilots may have 4.4 Set Up a higher training level than 2-Seater squadrons. Scenario Setup general rules can be found in more detail on page 9 of the Playbook. The scenario will list pilot training levels for the forces on each side: Trained, Regular, Veteran or Ace. When filling out the 4.41 AA Set Up flight details on the log sheet, roll two dice for each flight on In the Ground Deployment Phase all AA upgrades and all non- the Flight Quality Table, referencing the flight’s pilot training hidden AA concentrations (not AA points) must be set up on level to determine the Aggression Value. Note the value on the the map, either active or inactive as desired [16.2]. 1/5 of the flight log sheet. listed AA concentrations (fractions round down) may setup hidden and inactive at the start of play. 4.31 Delayed Aggression Roll (Optional Rule) Do not roll for a flight’s Aggression Value until the first time AA concentrations must be placed in any land hex. No more the value is needed for air-to-air combat or a Wind-up check. than one concentration can be set up in a hex (so additional AA cannot be stacked in a hex with another AA concentration). 4.32 Individual Flight Members 4.42 Flight Set Up Players are encouraged to use the available unit rosters and pick pilots/crews for each available slot within a flight. These In the RFC Air Deployment Phase and DLS Air Deployment values will then be used if the flight breaks up into individual Phase the players place flights at aerodromes or already posi- aeroplanes. The Aggression Value for these aeroplanes will then tioned in the air. Dummy flights may set up in the air, or at an be the printed value or, if no value, the one rolled for individu- aerodrome. Dummy flights can take off like regular flights. ally on the Flight Quality Table. Flights that start in the air near aerodromes are placed at any 4.33 Highly Skilled Flight Leaders altitude band (limited per the ADC) within three hexes of an active aerodrome (one that is in play for the scenario). Flights that are led by highly skilled flight leaders defined as a pilot or pilot/crew with an Aggression Value equal to or higher Only one flight from each aerodrome can start airborne unless than the highest possible value for the unit’s pilot training level noted by SSR. All other flights from that aerodrome must take will use that pilot or pilot/crew’s value in lieu of rolling on the off on game turn 1 or later. Flight Quality Table. Some flights may have a lower value to All flights begin the scenario undetected. represent a historical situation. Example: If Manfred von Richthofen (+5) is leading a Jasta 11 4.5 Scenario Completion flight (Jasta 11’s training level is Ace with a max +3value ) then The scenario is completed either when the last attacking flight the flight is considered to have a +5value unless von Richthofen has landed, or both players agree to end the raid because it is has been shot down or separated from the flight. unlikely that there will be any more combats. Example: 29 Squadron’s pilot training level is Regular. Its flight 4.6 Victory Conditions leader’s Aggression Value of 0 does not classify him as a highly At the end of a scenario, both the RFC and DLS players total skilled flight leader as the maximum Aggression for Regular pilot their Victory Points. The side with the highest point total is training level is +2. the winner. 4.34 Pilot/Crew Rosters Design Note: These rosters are based on the historical pilots and crews that fought during these battles. Some went on to greater glory but most gave their life for their country in the brutal skies over the Western Front battlefield.

5. Air Units 5.12 Dummies Design Note: Dummy flights allow both sides to add a level of Air units represent flights of between one and six aeroplanes, fog of war to a scenario and provide a means to mask locations all of the same type. The number of aeroplanes in a flight is of real flights and aeroplanes. Without radar detection systems determined by the scenario. both the British and Germans relied on ground observers to report the location of enemy flights to allow some level of 5.1 Flights advanced warning. This is especially helpful for the Germans Flights and Single Aeroplane counters have the characteristics who are at a numerical inferiority and must hold their limited of the aeroplane that makes up that flight, as described on the numbers back until they are needed. ADC [2.8]. Flight/Single Aeroplane counters have a front (or forward) and rear edge. A scenario will allocate the RFC and/or DLS player a number front edge of dummy flights. Dummies use generic counters. Dummies pilot name contain no aeroplanes and only exist to confuse the other aggression player. These will be moved as if they were real units. How- value observer ever, they may not attempt to gain a Tally, engage or attack squadron aeroplane type enemy flights. Detected dummy flights are immediately removed from the map. Dummies can be voluntarily removed rear edge from the map at any time. Removed dummies can reappear through dummy generation. During a turn, neither side is re- Flight counters have a Squadron/Jasta designation and British quired to have its entire allotment of dummies on the map and Squadrons and German Schusta/FA(A) units will also have a may keep unused dummies ‘in reserve’ for later use. Flight Identifier. Single aeroplane counters have an historical pilot/observer or ace name printed on the counter and single 5.13 Dummy Generation aeroplane counters may include a preset Aggression Value. In the Admin Phase, if allowed by the scenario, one or both This should be noted on the log sheet. The flight counter also player(s) may generate a dummy flight by placing it on the indicates the specific type of aeroplane in the flight. map at any scenario listed aerodrome. Dummies may also All flight/single aeroplane non-generic counters have two sides: be generated in the same hex and altitude band and with the the visually identified side and a detected previously visually same heading as an Undetected generic flight counter. Only identified side. Undetected generic flight counters (including other dummy counters) generate dummies. Flights that have been Detected 5.11 Generic Counters [8.2] no longer generate dummies but can do so again if they Design Note: Generic counters are used to conceal the true later become Undetected. Each flight counter may generate one identity of air units. dummy every Admin Phase. Until it is visually identified [8.31], a flight is represented on When a dummy counter is generated by a flight, that flight may the map by a generic Undetected counter or a generic Detected secretly swap its current generic counter ID with that of the counter. Generic counters are identified by a letter (German) dummy. A flight that swaps with a generated dummy loses any or number (British). Players should note the letter/number of Tally it holds. Note the flight’s new counter ID on the log sheet. each flight’s generic counter on the log sheet. Example: A flight using generic counter H generates a dummy. Dummy counter B is placed in the same hex at the same altitude and with the same heading. The player may choose to keep counter H as the flight’s generic counter, or adopt counter B instead. He decides to swap the flight to counter B, making counter H detected undetected the new dummy. No information is listed on a generic counter other than the identifying alpha numeric. When a flight is visually identified, Dummies may be regenerated any number of times, but the replace the generic counter with the actual flight counter. The players may never have more dummies than their starting al- actual flight counter will continue to be used unless the counter lowance in play at any time. is outside both Tally and Ground Observation range in which 5.14 Splitting Flights case it would revert back to a Generic Undetected counter with a new letter/number if desired. Design Note: This rule allows the player to send crippled or dud engine aeroplanes home, freeing the rest of the flight to continue with its mission. A flight of two or more aeroplanes may split into two or more flights in the Admin Phase. This may only be done if one or more aeroplanes in the flight are crippled or have dud engine effects. Add a new single aeroplane flight counter to the map

One flight must comprise all the non-crippled aeroplanes. All Design Note: Random events cover facets of the air war that the crippled aeroplanes must be generated as separate single can be modelled with an event versus a game rule to allow aeroplane counters. All flights have the same ammo, endur- players to focus on the most important rules but still have ance, ordnance, and tasking status as the original. Aggression some thematic effects. Values, if not present on the single aeroplane counter, must be rolled for on the Flight Quality Table cross-referenced with the Squadron/Jasta pilot training level. In the Random Events Phase (starting on the second game turn), initially roll a D10 and if the result is a 1 or less then roll on 5.15 Stacking Flights the Random Events Table. This D10 is modified by the number Two flights of the same nationality may stack together in the of Real/Dummy flights total from both sides that are airborne same hex/hexside and altitude band (time to climb may be at the beginning of the game turn. For every multiple of 10 different) and they can move together as long as both flights flights airborne (fractions round down) for both sides, the DR start and end in the same hex/hexside. Flights may only end in is modified by –2. There is a Flight tracking marker available the same hex/hexside and at the same altitude if they declare to aid players in tracking the total number of flights airborne. stacking and must move together on the next game turn. If the Place it on the game turn track. two flights no longer want to move together after the first game If a random event occurs, roll two dice and look up the result- turn of stacking they must move separately during the Move- ing event on the Random Events Table. Follow the instructions ment Phase and cannot end in the same hex/hexside. This must given there. Some Random Events may be excluded by SSR. be declared prior to moving the flights and cannot consist of partial movement of a flight then separating them. Flights on the hexsides are not considered stacked with flights 7. Weather fully on the hex although they may be attacked by flights in either hex. Design Note: Weather had a profound effect on air combat Stacked flights are not engaged as a single entity but must be in WW1. The pilots and crew were exposed to the elements engaged separately. The attacking flight(s) select which flight in open cockpits with poor or non-existent instruments while in the stack they will attempt to engage. attempting to navigate through atrocious weather and wind In the rare situation where more than two flights of the same conditions. nationality are stacked together, the owning player must move Weather effects in the game include Environmental Conditions, excess flights to nearest hexsides to reduce stacking to two Line of Sight, Weather Change and Wind Drift. flights per hex. 7.1 Environmental Conditions 5.2 Log Sheets Environmental conditions cover the entire map. Each flight has a space on the log sheet noting the flight’s name, 7.11 Clear generic counter, task, Aggression Value and various ordnance and formation states. These states apply to all aeroplanes in No Weather Effects. Clear marker placed in Weather Box the flight. In addition there are check boxes to note air-to-air 7.12 Mostly Sunny weapons depleted and endurance expended in a tasking. Broken Cloud marker placed in Weather Box. Visibility Log sheets should be filled out in the Planning Phases and the restricted between bands. A cloud layer exists between two RFC/DLS Air Deployment Phase. altitude bands which makes visual detection [8.0, 8.3] tougher (–4 DRM) between the bands. The altitude bands on either side 5.21 Aeroplane Boxes of the layer define it. The log sheet has six boxes numbered one to six. Each box represents the status of a single aeroplane in the flight. Example: A broken cloud layer at Deck/Low altitude is considered to be between the Deck and Low altitude Aeroplanes with empty boxes are operational and undamaged. bands. A slash through a box indicates the aeroplane is damaged. A crossed out box indicates the aeroplane has been crippled. A 7.13 Mostly Cloudy crossed out and circled box means it has been shot down. Black Cloudy marker placed in Weather Box. Clouds affect the entire out a box if the aeroplane does not exist in the flight. altitude band and block LOS. Example: If the flight starts with two aeroplanes, black out NOTE: If a Cloudy marker occurs in the Deck band, flights boxes three to six may still carry out their taskings (except Recon and Artillery Cooperation) at Deck+0 and that altitude level is considered Clear [7.11].

7.14 Rain or Snow 7.51 Wind Drift Procedure Cloudy in the band designated and visibility effects in all bands When the wind condition is anything besides calm, every lower (Snow –5 DRM, Rain –3 DRM). Place a Rain or Snow airborne flight will have a drift effect as listed in [7.52]. The marker in the Weather Box. scenario at-start conditions or random wind generation will 7.15 Fog determine from which direction the wind is blowing and at what speed in 15 MPH increments. Visibility effects in the band designated (–7 DRM). Place a Fog marker in the Weather Box. Flights may not conduct Recon, 7.52 How to plot wind drift effects Artillery Cooperation or Bombing taskings while in or above There are 12 possible headings on the map. Five will be with a Fog altitude band. AA may not fire on flights in or above a the wind, five will be against the wind and two will be perpen- Fog altitude band. dicular and drift in the direction of the wind. The three cases are as follows: 7.2 Sun Arc (Optional Rule) a. If heading into the wind direction, a flight will be marked Based on the time of day for the scenario, place the Sun marker with a –.5 marker if the wind is 15 MPH. If the wind speed during daytime scenarios on the proper slot on the sun track is 30 or 60 MPH, the flight will drift one or two hexes re- above the compass rose on the game map. The Sun Arc may spectively 180 degrees opposite to the flight heading. adversely affect visual detection attempts during the Detection b. If heading with the wind direction, a flight will be marked Phase [8.3] and Engagement [13.2]. See Detection Playaid for with a +.5 marker if the wind is 15 MPH. If the wind speed more details. is 30 or 60 MPH, the flight will drift one or two hexes re- If during the scenario the number of game turns would increase spectively in the same direction as the flight heading. the time of day into the next block then move the Sun marker (NOTE: 45MPH winds would cause 1 hex drift and place- to the new time block. ment of a +.5/–.5 marker as appropriate for cases a and b) Example: A scenario starts at 1000am so the Sun marker is c. If the heading is perpendicular to the wind direction, a placed in the “0800am-1059am” block. If the new game turn flight will only drift if the wind speed would produce a full is now turn 30 then 60 mins have elapsed (each game turn is 2 hex shift (1 hex drift per 30 MPH or 2 hexes drift per 60 minutes of real-time) and it is now 1100am. Move the Sun marker MPH). Do not place a +.5/–.5 marker when perpendicular to the “1100am-1259pm” block. to wind direction. 7.3 Line of Sight Many game functions rely on there being an unblocked Line of Sight (LOS) from one unit to another. There is no LOS to, from, within or through an altitude band that is Cloudy. There is LOS between bands marked with a Broken Cloud marker but visibility is restricted requiring application of a –4 DRM to any detection attempts. If the LOS is blocked, then no detection [8.2] or visual sighting [8.3] is possible and no bomb runs are permitted [18.2]. Flights may not attempt to engage in air-to-air combat without a LOS to the enemy. Aeroplanes and/or Observation Balloons do not block LOS traced through them. 7.4 Weather Change Phase In the Weather Change Phase (starting game turn 10 and every Example: The wind direction is from the NW at 15 MPH, if ten (10) game turns thereafter), roll two dice and look up the re- a flight was in a hex heading NW then they have a headwind sulting event on the Weather Change Table. Follow the instruc- drift of –.5. This –.5 marker will negate any +.5 marker tion there and change any weather markers as required on the already on the flight or will reduce speed by .5 this game map. Some Weather Change events may be excluded by SSR. turn. If the flight had been heading South, the flight would have had a tailwind and gain a +.5 marker. If there already 7.5 Wind Drift Phase was a +.5 marker on the flight then they would immediately The Wind Drift Phase occurs every game turn and will affect drift 1 hex south. Finally, if the flight was heading NNE in every airborne flight on the map (exception takeoff [11.1] and one of the three hexes then the flight would not drift as .5 landing [11.2]). drifts are ignored if perpendicular to wind. If heading NNE and the winds are from the NW at 30 MPH, the flight would drift one entire hex to the SE.

7.53 Dogfight and Defensive Wheel Drift Procedure 8.21 Special Detection Cases During the Weather Phase, move a Dogfight and/or Defensive Any undetected flight that is successfully engaged (a hit is Wheel marker one or more hexes based on wind speed and achieved whether causing damage or not) by anti-aircraft (Ar- direction as determined by the scenario setup rules, Weather chie) artillery and/or conducts a ground attack (e.g., Balloon Table or by random event. Dogfightsand Defensive Wheels only Busting, Strafing, Bombing) will automatically have their de- drift if the wind will move them completely one or two hexes. tection status changed to detected. The defending player must Dogfights and Defensive Wheels never gain a +.5/–.5 marker. provide information on the flight as per [8.33] but the flight is Example: If the wind is out of the northwest at 30 MPH then not marked with the actual flight counter unless visually identified by another aeroplane [8.3]. each Dogfight marker on the map is moved 1 hex southeast. If the wind was only 15 MPH then the marker would not drift. 8.3 Visual Sighting

Design Note: Detected flights allow a player to know that there 8. Detection is flight activity in his area but visually sighting them gives him exact information on altitude, numbers and type and makes Design Note: The detection of enemy flights is vital to combat. for the highest probability engagement roll. Detection is the product of many factors, from ground observation to detection in the air. A player may make a visual sighting detection roll for each enemy flight within five hexes (each altitude band difference 8.1 Detection States between flights adds one to the range) and Line of Sight [7.3] of each friendly non-dummy flight (Dummy flights may not Airborne flights will be in one of four states; Undetected, attempt Tallies). Choose an eligible friendly flight to make Detected, Visually Sighted (VID) and Detected Previously the sighting attempt. The owning player must decide in what Visually Sighted. Undetected flights can be real or dummy. order to attempt visually sighting as the first success will be the Detected flights are real flights that have been spotted by ground flight that they visually sight (Tally) (i.e., each flight may have observers or have attacked ground targets and may be engaged only one Tally marker on the map). Roll two dice and apply in air-to-air combat at a reduced probability of engagement. the Visual Sighting Modifiers. If successful, mark the enemy Visually sighted flights have been detected (Tally) by airborne flight with a Tally marker that matches the searching flight. flights and may be engaged in air-to-air combat with the highest probability of engagement. Detected Previously Visually NOTE: The order of visual sighting rolls and their results may Sighted flights are flights that had been visually sighted but influence subsequent attempts by other flights. are no longer under a Tally marker and have been flipped to Example: “10” Flight is a formation from 56 Squadron flying the reverse side of the actual flight counter. SE5s and is within four hexes of an undetected enemy flight. “10” Flight attempts to visually sight the enemy flight and is

successful marking the enemy flight with the Tally “10” marker. Any other attempts on this enemy flight by other flights will no longer have Undetected –3 DRM. Visual ID Detected Do not roll for visual sighting at night [21.12]. If a scenario Previously VID time of day goes beyond 1900 pm but is not designated a night scenario then Dusk conditions apply which will reduce visual 8.2 Detection of Flights sighting to two hexes. Aborting flights may attempt visual sight- Design Note: Detected units have been located and friendly ing and should do so to avoid being attacked easily. Aeroplanes units alerted to their presence. The Germans in particular in spinning flight may not visual search. had a highly dedicated group of ground observer stations that 8.31 Visual Identification reported via telephone to the Jasta units when enemy flights Flights use generic flight counters (Undetected) or flip side of had crossed over the front. generic flight counter (Detected) [5.11] until they are visually Each Detection Phase, both players roll two dice for each un- identified, at which point they are replaced with the actual flight detected enemy flight on the map that is within detection range counter. Flights not visually identified during the detection (consult the Detection Table play aid). Calculate the range and phase become visually identified if the flight enters air-to-air modify the roll by the applicable DRMs. The result will be No combat. Effect (the flight remains undetected), or Detection. Detected Flights cannot be visually identified at night [21.12]. flights have their generic Undetected counter replaced with the Detected side of their flight counter. If the detected flight is a 8.32 Effects of Visual Identification dummy, remove it from the map [5.12]. Flip the flight counter to its visually identified side. In addition to regular detection rolls, players may make visual Identified flights cannot generate dummies [5.12]. The owner sighting (Tally) attempts [8.3] against enemy flights that will allow of the identified flight must give Visual ID information to his them a greater probability to engage that flight in air-to-air combat. opponent [8.33].

8.33 Visual ID Information Flights stacked together that will be moving together count as Players keep the information on their log sheet secret from their one flight for initiative use but count as two flights for overall opponent. However, if a flight is visually identified [8.32], the force size. Play passes back and forth between the players following information must be given: until all flights and Dogfights on the map have moved or been activated. Drawing a “0” chit immediately passes play back to a. The total number of aeroplanes. the other player without moving any friendly units. b. The type of aeroplane. No flight may move or Dogfight activate more than once per c. The actual altitude of the flight in feet. Movement Phase. If all flights on one side have moved or there are no Dogfights to activate, play passes to the other player who d. The number of damaged and crippled aeroplanes. must move all remaining flights or activate Dogfights. (No chit 8.34 Removal of Barrage Markers draws necessary.) Any Archie Barrage markers are removed at the end of the 9.21 Non-Chit Pool Usage Detection Phase. For game turns where flights have not crossed the trench lines [1.3] and are at least 10 hexes or more from an enemy flight there is no chit pull required. The German player will move all 9. Initiative of his flights and the British player will move all of his flights. If at the start of any game turn, any flight has crossed the trench

Design Note: Air battles are fluid and dynamic. The initiative line then a normal chit pull sequence occurs. system models this ‘organized chaos’. 9.22 Large Force and Small Force Chit Pools At the beginning of each Movement Phase, the German player Use the Large Force side for 10 or more flights and Small Force will decide whether to move first or second. Once this decision side for 9 or less flights. Forcesize is calculated separately for has been made the RFC and DLS players alternate movement, each side. All airborne flights (including dummies) count for the number of aeroplane flights moved being determined by the force pool size. All flights that start the turn on the ground the draw of initiative chits. are not considered for the force pool count until they become airborne (e.g., they will count towards your total during the 9.1 The Chit Pool next game turn). The DLS and RFC players maintain a ‘chit pool’ consisting of numbered initiative chits, usually kept in a cup or other opaque Example: The RFC player has 10 flights in play, he willuse the receptacle. Large Force side. The DLS player has 3 flights in play, he will use the Small Force side. The DLS player is the defender and Chits are drawn from the pool during play. The chits are double- decides that the RFC player will go first. The RFC player draws sided with a Large Force side and Small Force side. The player a “3” initiative chit. He moves three RFC flights. Play passes to checks the value on the appropriate side. After a chit has been the DLS player. He draws a “0” chit. The DLS player does not drawn and flights equal to the chit value have moved, it is im- move any flights and play passes back to the RFC player. mediately placed back in the cup. The RFC player now draws a “4” chit. He must move four RFC 9.2 Drawing Initiative Chits flights. (These can’t be flights that have already moved.) The DLS player now draws a “1” chit, which means he must move Design Note: The proximity of the ground observers gives a single DLS flight. the defenders an edge. They get to choose to move first or After the DLS flight has moved, the RFC player draws a “5” chit. second. The RFC doctrine as set forth by their commander in However, he only has three unmoved flights remaining. So the chief Hugh Trenchard was to be on the offensive and take the RFC player moves the three RFC flights and immediately passes fight to the Hun. The German player will be on the defensive. play to the DLS player. Since all the RFC flights have moved, The player for the side that moves first draws an initiative chit the DLS player does not need to draw again. He just moves his from the pool. The chits are double-sided with a large force remaining two flights. side and a small force side [9.22]. The resulting value is the number of flights (real or dummy) the player must move and/ or the number of Dogfights where the player is the attacker or bouncer that he may activate. The player may choose which flights to move or Dogfights to resolve and in which order. Once flights/Dogfights equal to the chit value have moved or been activated, play passes back to the other player who must draw a chit and move the requisite number of flights or activate Dogfights. Chits are returned immediately to the pool after they are used and could be drawn again.

Turning alters facing. Each hex corner or hexside turned is an 10. Movement increment of 30 degrees.

Design Note: When wargaming large-scale air battles, it’s not necessary to portray the physics of flight or three-dimensional movement in the same detail as a tactical level game. However, aeroplanes must keep moving or they will fall out of the sky, while altitude bands show how high above the ground they are and their position within that altitude band. Illustration: From left to right in this sequence, a flight turns 30, 10.1 Counter Placement 60 then 90 degrees clockwise. Flight counters are placed on the map either in the centre of A flight that turns while occupying a hexside moves into the hexes, or on hexsides facing a hex corner. hex in the direction of the turn.

Illustration: A flight on a hexside turns 30 degrees clockwise. It moves into the hex in the direction of the turn, and is now facing 30 degrees away from its original heading. 10.12 Hexsides Illustration: Counter placement on the map. Note the leftmost For the purposes of combat, a flight occupying a hexside oc- flight is on a hexside, facing a hex corner. (In this picture its cupies both hexes sharing that hexside. Attacks against the flight can be made into either hex. When attacking a flight on front edge overlaps the corner it is facing.) The rightmost flight a hexside, designate which hex the attack takes place in. Treat is crossed out because it is not facing a corner. the flight as if it occupies that hex, without changing its loca- 10.11 Flight Facing tion or facing. Flights must face their front sides toward hexsides or hex cor- ners. When moving, move flights into the hex directly ahead, unless they are pointing at a hex corner, in which case move them onto or off the hexside.

Illustration: Major Cherry’s FE2 flight occupies hexes A and B for the purposes of combat. It can be attacked in hex A by the Archie barrage. Illustration: Counters moving. The dashed boxes represent the Air-to-air attacks by a flight on a hexside can be made from hex or hexside they are moving to. either hex. If the attack results in an engagement slide the flight into the hex the attack takes place from. 10.13 Altitude Flights can fly in five altitude bands. From lowest to highest they are: Deck, Low, Medium, High and Very High. Mark the altitude of each flight by placing an Altitude marker on or near it.

10.2 Movement Points Design Note: The number of Movement Points available determines how far a flight moves on the map. 10.14 Time to Climb Flights move in the Movement Phase by expending Movement Within each altitude band, flights will have a designated Time Points (MP). A flight’s total MP for the Movement Phase is to Climb (TtC) value that differentiates how high within a given based on its current speed and any +.5/–.5 marker. A flight’s altitude band the flight is flying. The aeroplane ADC will also speed is determined by its aeroplane type, altitude, and max list the maximum time to climb rate for each altitude band which allowable speed for the movement type selected for that game will most likely be different between different aeroplane types. turn. This is important for tracking how long it takes to climb to the The ADC lists the maximum speed values. Values are listed next altitude band and is also used in combat to determine the for each altitude band. Aeroplanes use the speed value for the altitude advantage [10.15]. Some ADCs may have a split value altitude band in which they begin the game turn. If no value is for an altitude band. The first value denotes the highest level listed for an altitude band, the aeroplane cannot move in that they can climb within that band and the second value denotes band or enter it. the climb rate when looking at the Altitude Conversion Tables. To move a flight, first decide which movement type to select Example: Halberstadt D.II has a TtC value of 7/13M in the and then cross check for max allowable speed. Then announce Medium Band. The highest value TtC marker they can have is the flight’s total MP before it begins to move. This MP total is Med+7 but on the conversion table you would look at TtC Med the flight’s speed for the game turn. The flight must expend all 13 column to find their altitude values which in this case Med+7 its MP when moving. equals 13220ft, the D.IIs service ceiling. 10.21 Speed Setting Flights flying at the lowest level of an altitude band will be For the movement type selected, announce the MPs equal to the marked with Alt Band+0 markers to show they are at the bot- maximum allowable speed, or up to one less than this number. tom of the band. Any subsequent game turns spent climbing A flight’s speed can never be less than one MP (unless affected will increment the Time to Climb value by one. by drift which could reduce speed below one). Speed setting may be listed as a fractional value and if that is the case then NOTE: Common practice is to have the current value always the next game turn’s speed will have a +.5 marker to denote facing to the top or towards North of the map. Players may set potential added movement. A flight may be marked with a +.5 their own preference for this but should come to a standardized or –.5 marker due to wind drift effects [7.52]. agreement to avoid any confusion. Example: If the maximum speed for an altitude band on the ADC 10.15Design Calculating Note: Time to Altitude Climb values Advantage are used for calculating is 3, a speed of 2, 2.5 or 3 MP can be announced. the altitude advantage which is a modifier for air-to-air combat or when a player wants to compare the relative altitude Example: If the speed selected is 2.5 then a +.5 marker will be of two flights. placed on the flight at the end of its movement. On the next game turn if 2.5 is selected again, it will have a total MP allowance To calculate altitude advantage, players will compare the Time of 2.5+.5. to Climb values of the two opposing flights. The flight that is higher within the band has an altitude advantage. There are two For AA attack purposes a flight’s speed is equal to its speed ways to quickly find relative altitude. The first is to compare setting plus/minus any wind drift and if climbing, flight speed fractional values of the relative time to climb and the time to is equal to the reduced MPs. If diving, flight speed is equal to climb rate for that aeroplane and altitude band. The flight that the diving speed. is higher within the band has the altitude advantage. Example 1: A flight selects a speed of 3MP but has a –.5 marker. The other method is to use the conversion charts to find the The flight’s speed is considered 2.5MP for any Archie DRMs. actual relative altitudes. The Time to Climb tables can be found on pages 37-39 of this manual. Example 2: A flight in climbing flight with a speed of 3MP will have only 2MPs available for movement and the flight’s speed Example: A flight of SE5s are at Time to ClimbMedium +5 and is considered 2MP for any Archie DRMs. a flight of Alb DIIIs are at Time to Climb Medium +5. The SE5 have a maximum Time to Climb value of 7 for the Medium band Example 3: A flight in diving flight with a diving speed of 4MP so their fraction is 5/7 while the Alb DIII has a maximum time will have 3MPs if diving to another altitude band or 4MPs if to climb value of 8 at the Medium band for a fractional value of staying within the same band. For Archie DRM purposes it’s 5/8. 5/7 is greater than 5/8 so the SE5 is higher and has altitude speed is considered to be 4MPs in either case. advantage. Using the conversion tables, the SE5s at Medium +5 are at 14250ft and the Alb DIIIs at Medium +5 are at 13750ft. On the game turn that landing begins a flight may announce MP between 1 and its maximum speed [11.2].

10.3 Movement Dangerous Dive Limitation: Some ADCs may list a Dan- 10.31 Movement Types gerous Dive Limitation. If these aeroplane types attempt to dive at their max dive speed they risk structural damage The movement type must be selected at the beginning of the or even structural failure. At the end of each movement turn. Flights cannot mix and match different movement types segment where they dove at max dive speed, roll a D10. and the entire game turn’s movement is executed with the one On a (1-4 no effect), (5-7 damaged), (8-9 crippled), (10 selected movement type: aeroplane destroyed (crew KIA)). Use random selection • Level Flight. Move one hex straight ahead for each MP to determine which aeroplane within a flight is affected by allowed. On entering a hex the flight can make a free turn the result. up to the allowance indicated on the Turn Table [10.32]. A • Gliding Flight. Gliding flight is not a selectable flight may also use one MP to turn up to the flight’s maxi- movement type but can be forced by damage or mum turn value without leaving the hex [10.32]. Flights in the aeroplane type exceeding its endurance. Mark level flight will maintain their current time to climb marker the aeroplane with a Dud Engine marker. Dive (i.e., they do not gain or lose altitude). one altitude band using Dive Speed minus two (Speed is • Climbing Flight. Climb one increment after the expen- considered to be this value plus 1 for AA DRM purposes). diture of any MP during the game turn (i.e., increase the On expending a MP the flight can make a free turn up to Time to Climb marker by one). After each MP expended the allowance indicated on the Turn Table. A flight can the flight can make a free turn minus 30 degrees. If the select any allowable value for its Time to Climb marker flight has completed the required time to climb to the next for the new altitude band that it dived into. If starting in altitude band it can be marked with the next higher altitude the Deck altitude band, the aeroplane will crash land [11.4] band marker (i.e., Low replaced by Medium) otherwise at the end of movement if not finishing its movement at an continue to mark it with the appropriate Time to Climb aerodrome. marker incremented one tick. A flight that selects climb- Exception: BE2 aeroplanes are so inherently stable that ing flight uses the same maximum speed settings as Level they have a minimum Gliding Flight speed of 2. flight but has its total MPs reduced by one to represent the vertical component of its flight movement. Mark the flight NOTE: A flight in Gliding Flight has its Manoeuvre rating with a Climb marker if the possibility exists for the flight reduced to one. to be engaged to denote the reduction in Manoeuvre rat- • Spinning Flight. Spinning flight is not a select- ing. A flight may also use one MP to turn up to the flight’s able movement type but can be forced upon a maximum turn value without leaving the hex [10.32]. single aeroplane due to damage or by a volun- Example: A Sopwith Pup in the Medium band has a Max tary disengagement from a Dogfight (Spin Out Level Speed of 3.0. If it selected Climbing flight its Climb [13.423]). Mark the aeroplane in spinning flight with a Speed would be a value from 1.0-2.0 MPs and only those Spinning Flight marker. Flights in spinning flight are resolved in the Movement Phase prior to drawing initia- reduced MPs would count for movement and turning and tive chits. any Archie DRMs. Roll a D10 and add the pilot’s Aggression Value and a • Diving Flight. Dive to a lower altitude within the cur- damage modifier (–1 DRM Damaged/-2 DRM Crippled) rent altitude band (i.e., lower Time to Climb value) or and/or Spinning Flight Tendency modifier (ADC) to the one complete altitude band lower using Dive Speed MPs. die roll. If the aeroplane has been spinning for more than Altitude change is considered to occur after expenditure one game turn add a +1 DRM to the recovery roll. If the of last MP. On expending a MP the flight may make a free result is greater than or equal to five, the aeroplane is no turn up to the allowance indicated on the Turn Table. If longer in Spinning Flight and may select any allowable the flight dives into a lower altitude band then the flight movement type on the next game turn. Remove the Spin- must subtract one MP from its total MPs to represent the ning Flight marker if the recovery attempt is successful, vertical component of its flight movement, otherwise the place a Manoeuvre marker [10.33] and conduct a Wind Up flight’s MPs are equal to its Dive Speed. check [15.1]. Recovery altitude is Band+0 of the altitude A flight can select any allowable value for its Time to Climb band recovery occurred. marker for the new band that it dived into or a lower value If unsuccessful, the aeroplane in spinning flight will not within the band it started in. A flight can also use one MP to move normally but will stay in its start hex and by rolling turn up to the flight’s maximum turn value without leaving a D10 will change its facing the number of times equal the hex [10.32]. to the die roll, direction picked by the owning player. A For AA attack purposes, the flight’s speed is considered to flight will decrease altitude by one altitude band to the new be the total Dive Speed. altitude band+0 Time to Climb. If at Deck+0 altitude and recovery is not made then the flight crashes and the crew Example: A flight diving one altitude band has a Dive Speed is killed. of 4MP – 1MP for diving an altitude band. Any AA attacks on the flight would use the 4MP DRM as the total speed but Spinning Flight Tendency: Some ADCs may list an addi- the flight is only moving 3MP horizontally. tional positive or negative DRM that will be applied when attempting to recover from Spinning flight. © 2012 GMT Games, LLC Bloody April Rules Manual 15

10.32 Turning 10.34 Dogfight Markers Design Note: Aeroplanes of this era are flying quite slow Design Note: Dogfight markers represent that the combatants compared to those modelled in Downtown and Elusive Vic- are locked in aerial combat and will not manoeuvre out of that tory but are highly manoeuvrable. The manoeuvres shown by hex for the next game turn. Dogfights can last up to 20 minutes turning are the formation turns to change direction outside of (10 game turns). While some dogfights did last longer than the swirling ballet of a dogfight. this it was quite rare and a limit was placed for playability. The Turn Table lists a free turn allowance, based on the flight’s During the Movement Phase, Dogfight markers are placed on an speed that applies whenever a flight moves a hex. On entering engagement where neither flight was shot down or disengaged. a hex, a flight may freely change facing at no MP cost up to its Place the Dogfight marker in the appropriate hex and move the free turn value. MPs used while in Climbing Flight allow a flight counters to the Dogfight play aid with the defending flight free turn minus 30 degrees. in the defender slot and attacking flight in the attacker slot. Initially the bouncing flight slot will be empty on the Dogfight Speed (MP) Free Turn Max Turn play aid but may be filled on subsequent game turns. Place a 1-4 90˚ 180˚ “1” marker in the Dogfight Time Slot on the Dogfight play aid to show that this is the first game turn of a dogfight. 5-6 60˚ 120˚ 10.4 Endurance (Optional Rule) If a flight wants to turn more than its free turn allowance in a Aeroplane types have an Endurance rating in minutes of flight hex it must pay one MP (Turn MP) [10.31]. The Turn Table on their ADC. Endurance used varies based on the flight type lists the maximum amount a flight can turn in a hex based on selected and whether maximum allowable speed is selected. its speed. A flight cannot add this maximum to the free turn allowance; the maximum is the limit for all turning in that hex. • Level Flight: 2 pts for maximum allowable speed, 1 pt for any speed below maximum Example: A Sopwith Triplane using level flight at a speed of 4MPs moves into a hex with its first MP and turns 90 degrees to • Climbing Flight: 2 pts for maximum allowable speed, 1 pt the left (free turn allowance). With its next MP it could stay in for any speed below maximum place and turn up to 90 degrees left for a total of 180 degrees • Diving Flight: 1 pt for all speed regimes (max turn allowance). The Sopwith Triplane has already turned • Gliding Flight/Dud Engine: 0 pts 180 degrees and cannot turn again in the same hex so could move forward one hex and turn 90 degrees left with its third MP and • Takeoff: 2 pts for 2 game turn process use its fourth MP to finish off the 180 degree turn with another 90 • Landing: 1 pt for 2 game turn process degree turn to the left, and would be marked with a Turn marker. • Dogfight: 2 pts per game turn A flight that begins its Movement Phase in a hex it did not use 10.41 Exceeding Endurance a Turn MP on its last MP may use its first MP to turn up to its max turn allowance minus any free turn used on last MP Flights that exceed their Endurance rating or have their engine of previous game turn (this will require some bookkeeping to knocked out by special damage results can only select Gliding track). Mark flights that have used a Turn MP on their last MP Flight as their flight type. Any flight that starts at Deck altitude of previous game turn with a Turn marker and they may not and must select Gliding Flight will land or crash land in the use a Turn MP on first MP of next game turn even if max turn last hex moved into based on the terrain type of that hex. Roll allowance not reached. for crew survival on the Crash Landing Table. Flights cannot make consecutive turns in the same hex once 10.5 Defensive Wheel they have used their maximum turn allowance of a combination of either a free turn and turn MP or a max turn MP. They must Design Note: In the defensive wheel, aeroplanes fly in a circle leave the hex before turning again. so that each aeroplane covers the tail of the one in front. Wheels 10.33 Manoeuvre Markers are used as ‘bait’ to draw in enemy fighters, or to protect less manoeuvrable and vulnerable aeroplanes from attack. This Design Note: Manoeuvre markers represent the consequences was primarily done only by two-seater aeroplanes which is of dogfight combat, where hard turns eat up speed and reduce why the rule is only allowed for that type of aeroplane. movement. Manoeuvre markers are placed on flights after scattering in air- 10.51 Entering Defensive Wheel to-air combat (see [15.2] for exceptions). Do not place markers Only a non-disordered two-seater aeroplane flight may on flights already marked with Manoeuvre markers or flights enter a Defensive Wheel formation at the beginning marked with a Dogfight marker. of the Movement Phase, before any other flights move. A flight that begins movement with a Manoeuvre marker must Place a Defensive Wheel marker on the flight. Only a expend 1 MP from their allowance to remove the marker before flight comprising of two or more of the allowed aeroplane types they expend any other Movement Points. may form a defensive wheel. If a defensive wheel is reduced to a single aeroplane, the Defensive Wheel marker is removed.

Flights in a defensive wheel do not expend MP. The player can- 10.71 Navigational Error (Advanced Rule) not move flights in defensive wheels or count them toward the If an altitude band is completely covered with Clouds, flight number of flights moved for initiative purposes. If stacked flights within that altitude band risks disorientation. At the end of a are eligible to enter a defensive wheel then each flight becomes movement segment that started and ended within a Cloud band, a separate defensive wheel in the hex (keep a sidenote as to which roll a D10. If the flight turned 30 degrees modify this roll by –2 flight applies to each defensive wheel). Flights in a defensive DRM and a turn of 60 degrees or more by –3 DRM. On a modi- wheel are subject to wind drift [7.53]. fied result of 0 to 1 a navigational error has occurred. Conduct Note: Flights tasked with Recon or Artillery Cooperation that a scatter check [15.2] and mark the flight with a Manoeuvre enter a Defensive Wheel cannot perform those taskings during marker. If the modified result is less than 0 then one aeroplane in game turns spent in a Defensive Wheel. the flight has entered a spin. Use random selection to determine 10.52 Defensive Wheel Benefits which aeroplane within the flight has entered a spin and follow the Spinning Flight rules for that aeroplane [10.31]. Flights in a defensive wheel have no heading. All arcs are treated as the forward arc for combat purposes. NOTE: BE2 aeroplanes may only enter a spin by Navigational Error which simulates the aeroplane being flown in an unusual Flights in a defensive wheel never suffer the penalties of dis- attitude causing loss of control. advantage and attackers can never claim surprise against them [13.232]; they do not scatter and cannot be marked with a Manoeuvre marker. They use their Manoeuvre rating as listed on their ADC. 11. Aerodrome Operations 10.53 Exiting Defensive Wheel 11.1 Take off A flight may exit a defensive wheel formation at the beginning Taking off from an aerodrome is a two game turn process. On of any Movement Phase, before any flights on the map move. the first game turn of take off, place the flight on the aerodrome To exit, remove the marker from the flight. The flight may face hex that it is taking off from and mark it with a Deck +0 Altitude in any heading desired. The flight can now move normally in marker. On the second game turn of take off, the flight may that Movement Phase. now move in level flight at Deck Speed –2 or 1MP whichever is greater and is still considered to be at Deck +0 for time to 10.6 Flight Abort climb (Wind Drift does not affect the flight on this game turn). Design Note: Sometimes flights ‘abort’ or get “Wind Up” and During the second game turn of take off the flight may do free break for home and safety. turns but is restricted as if it is climbing (60 degrees max free turn) and may increment its Time to Climb marker [10.14] by 1 Flights abort as a consequence of random events, a wind up if free turning 30 degrees or less for the game turn. On the third check, damage, lack of ordnance or depletion of air-to-air am- game turn, the flight may freely select Level or Climbing Flight munition. The player may choose to abort a flight at any time. type. Endurance used for all flights during take off is 2 Endur- Note the abort state on the flight log sheet. Optionally, use an ance points for the two game turn process (1 per game turn) Abort marker to mark the flight. 11.11 Takeoff Direction (Optional Rule) Any flight that aborts may move freely, unrestricted by the Aeroplanes must take off into the wind. Depending on the flight path rules. Aborted flights cannot initiate air-to-air combat current wind direction, on the turn of take off the flight must or conduct air-to-ground attacks and must jettison all bombs be placed facing opposite the wind direction or any heading if [18.11]. There are no specific restrictions on aborted flight the wind is calm. For aerodromes that are on the map border, behaviour because there are too many variables that would use any legal heading for take off if the wind direction would influence it, but an aborted flight should avoid all combat and cause the take off to go off the map. attempt to land at an aerodrome owned by their side [11.0]. Players should attempt to land at the flight’s home aerodrome 11.12 Takeoff Attrition (Optional Rule) but due to damage or lack of endurance any aerodrome on their Design Note: WW1 era aeroplanes were not the most reliable side of the lines can be used. aeroplanes and many an Ace was lost not to combat but to engine malfunctions or other flight related mishaps. 10.7 Flight Navigation Roll a D10 for every flight taking off at the end of the first game Flights may be required by their tasking to predetermine start turn of take off. On a result of one (1), that flight has suffered and end hexes (Offensive/Line Patrols). Bombing flights must an engine malfunction (apply a –1 DRM if the flight’s size is predetermine their bombing hex. Recon flights must predeter- four or more). Roll a subsequent D10 and on a result of 1-3, mine which hexes they will attempt to photograph. The hexes one aeroplane has crashed. Roll for crew survival. On a result are determined during mission planning and players should of 4-10, the aeroplane has recovered successfully but is out of write them on their log sheets or use another written method the scenario. to prove to their opponent which hexes were used to fulfil their taskings. Other than these hex requirements, flights are not restricted in routing to get to their required tasking’s hex(es).

11.2 Landing 11.5 Off-Map Locations Landing at an aerodrome is a two game turn process. On the first There is one RFC aerodrome that is located off-map. Flights tak- game turn of attempting to land, the flight must end its Move- ing off from this aerodrome will always start the game airborne ment Phase adjacent to and facing an aerodrome at Deck+0 or in the entry hex on the map having expended Endurance equal Deck+1 and declare landing. On the second game turn of land- to their starting Time to Climb marker plus two for takeoff. ing, in lieu of normal movement, the flight is moved 1 hex to Flights roll for any take off attrition (optional rule [11.12]) over the aerodrome and will land. Remove the flight from the prior to the scenario start. Flights landing at this aerodrome map. Endurance used is 1 total for the two game turn process must end their movement in the entry hex on the map and then (i.e., 1 for the first game turn and 0 for the second game turn). calculate their Endurance used to land. 11.21 Landing Direction (Optional Rule) Example: Treizennes legal entry hexes are 0801 and/or 0901 Aeroplanes must land into the wind. Depending on the current unless Scenario SSRs list a different entry hex.. wind direction, on the final game turn of landing the flight must be facing opposite the wind direction or any heading if the wind is calm. Use any heading for aerodromes that are on the map 12. Task Planning border if unable to land into the wind. Design Note: Each flight during a scenario is given a specific 11.3 Manoeuvre Restriction Take off/ tasking. Multiple flights may have the same tasking to accom- Landing (Advanced Rule) plish within the scenario time frame. Flights have their Manoeuvre ratings reduced to one while taking off and landing. The penalty lasts from the moment 12.1 Taskings take off commences and the flight is placed on the map until the end of the second Movement Phase of flight [11.1]. It lasts Each tasking will have specific objectives that a flight has to from the moment landing begins until the aeroplane is on the meet to complete the tasking. Some taskings (e.g., Artillery ground [11.2]. Bomb laden aeroplanes’ maximum Manoeuvre Cooperation) may require the player to complete a matrix of rating is one at all times [18.11]. tasks in order before the tasking is complete. 11.4 Crash Landing and Recovery 12.2 Task Definitions Design Note: Each flight in a scenario has a specific job to Design Note: Damaged and fuel-low aeroplanes didn’t always perform, as reflected by their tasking. make it home. Great efforts were made to nurse cripples back to an aerodrome but more often than not the aeroplane came Flights are assigned tasks that determine their behaviour for the down in a field or no man’s land. While some pilots and crew scenario. Note tasking on the flight log in the Planning Phase. landing in enemy territory possibly could escape it was very Tasks are listed below. The air-to-ground entry lists the ground rare due to the trench system and the majority were captured. targets the flight is allowed to attack. If ‘none’ is listed, the flight may not attack ground targets. If the air-to-air entry lists ‘attack If a flight is unable to land at an active aerodrome then they are and defend’ the flight may freely attack or defend against enemy considered to crash land. In most cases this will be due to Dud flights. If it lists ‘defend’, the flight may not initiate an attack in Engine [14.24] damage or by exceeding the aeroplane’s Endur- air-to-air combat. The altitude restriction entry will list either ance [10.4] that forces the use of Gliding Flight [10.31]. The an entire altitude band or a maximum altitude regime that the terrain type of the hex landed in is used to determine whether tasking must comply with although the flight may attempt the the crash landing is successful or not; roll for Crew Survival task at a lower altitude. on the Crash Landing Table. Crew surviving in enemy territory 12.21 Task Descriptions are automatically captured and taken POW. Each flight’s task may have some unique characteristics or If a flight lands at an aerodrome or the scenario ends while it requirements for that flight to successfully accomplish its task. is still on the map, it must roll for recovery if the flight has Flight size is normally determined by rolling on the appropriate damaged or crippled aeroplanes. chart or as listed by the SSR. Rolls take place in the Movement Phase that the flight lands 12.211 Bombing in or immediately if the flight ends the scenario on the map. Any flight size from two to six aeroplanes may be assigned a Roll two dice for each aeroplane (not flight). If the roll is 2 or Bombing (B) tasking (single aeroplane flights may not except more the aeroplane recovers (lands) safely at a friendly aero- by SSR or if night bombing) and the aeroplane type must be drome, otherwise it is destroyed. Modify the roll as follows: able to carry bombs. Bombing taskings may have a Close Escort –2 the aeroplane is damaged. tasked flight escort them on their tasking. Bombing flights must either meet the Close Escort over their aerodrome, the Close –7 the aeroplane is crippled. Escort flight’s aerodrome or designated rendezvous hex.

12.212 Artillery Cooperation Task Behaviour Bombing Air-to-Ground: Attack targets in the target hex; also Artillery Cooperation (AC) taskings are undertaken by single AA concentrations in or adjacent to the target hex aeroplane flights (exception: the Germans may use two aeroplane flights with one aeroplane fulfilling the Schusta role—the Air-to-Air: Defend German player should note on his log sheet which aeroplane Other Behaviour: None is performing Artillery Cooperation and which is the escort). Altitude Restrictions: Max Altitude 8-10,000ft Artillery Air-to-Ground: None Artillery Cooperation flights must be assigned one or more on- map artillery batteries to complete their tasks. Unless a SSR Cooperation Air-to-Air: Defend states otherwise the max effective range for Artillery is 6 hexes. Other Behaviour: Must follow Artillery Coopera- tion Matrix. May be assigned more than one artil- Eligible targets are enemy artillery batteries, road/railway junc- lery battery to work tasking tions, AA units, ground troops and trench line hexes. Targets Altitude Restrictions: Max Altitude 5-7,000ft may be limited by SSR. The player notes the firing battery and Offensive Air-to-Ground: None its target during the Planning Phase of the mission and reveals it to his opponent when the friendly artillery battery begins Air-to-Air: Attack and Defend Patrol/Line firing. During the Artillery Cooperation tasking the flight must Patrol Other Behaviour: Must abort when all air-to-air maintain LOS between the firing unit and target unit. LOS from weapons are depleted and/or jammed the flight to the target or firing battery is simply calculated as Altitude Restrictions: None altitude/1,000 = range (round down to nearest whole number). Contact Air-to-Ground: None Example: A flight at 4,000ft can spot a target 4 hexes away. If Patrol Air-to-Air: Attack and Defend LOS is lost for any reason (e.g., weather, outside of range) then Other Behaviour: SSR will list the number of ground units that must be contacted for a successful the process is halted until a LOS is re-established. Flights that tasking. Must abort when all air-to-air weapons are break off the Artillery Cooperation tasking due to hostile aero- depleted and/or jammed planes must re-establish Battery Sighting and Battery Contact Altitude Restrictions: Deck band and once completed can continue with the last step completed Close Air-to-Ground: None prior to breaking off the tasking. Flights may not conduct Artil- lery Cooperation taskings if flying in a Fog band. Escort Air-to-Air: Attack and Defend Other Behaviour: Must abort when all air-to-air Artillery Cooperation taskings follow the sequence of the weapons are depleted and/or jammed Reverts to Artillery Cooperation Matrix to resolve (see that playaid for Offensive Patrol if the escorted flight is shot down more details). or aborts Damaged aeroplanes may continue with an Artillery Coop- Altitude Restrictions: None eration Tasking. Recon Only Recon-capable flights may fly this task Air-to-Ground: None Air-to-Air: Defend Other Behaviour: Conducts reconnaissance of target hexes. Altitude Restrictions: Max Altitude 15,000ft* Markers used in conjunction with the Artillery Cooperation Min Altitude Deck+1 or 1,500ft whichever is higher Matrix; BTY CON = Battery Contact, CF = Commence Firing, Balloon Air-to-Ground: None. CFHA = Cease Fire Hostile Aircraft, FFE = Fire for Effect. Attack Air-to-Air: Attack and Defend. 12.213 Offensive Patrol / Line Patrol Other Behaviour: Must abort when all air-to-air Any flight size from one to six aeroplanes may be assigned an weapons are depleted/jammed Offensive Patrol (OP)/Line Patrol (LP) tasking. Offensive Patrol Altitude Restrictions: Deck/Low band taskings take place on the enemy side of the trench lines while Trench Air-to-Ground: Attack targets in the target hex a Line Patrol takes place within two hexes from any “active” trench line hex. Both patrol types require designating a start Strafing with MGs or Bombs; also AA concentrations in or adjacent to the target hex and end hex for the patrol that meets the type requirement and Air-to-Air: Attack and Defend the two hexes must be at least 10 hexes apart. SSR may pre- Other Behaviour: Must abort when all air-to-air determine hexes for the start and end point or add more than weapons and ordnance are depleted or expended two hexes for the patrol. Altitude Restrictions: Deck band An Offensive Patrol or Line Patrol cannot count any hexes Defensive Air-to-Ground: None flown in a weather band (i.e., if flight is flying in the Low band Scrambles Air-to-Air: Attack and Defend and that band has cloud cover) towards the total hexes for the patrol. It must be conducted below or above any solid weather Other Behaviour: Must abort when all air-to-air weapons are depleted/jammed (clouds, fog). Altitude Restrictions: None

12.214 Contact Patrol Legal hexes for Recon are any Enemy Trench line, Road, Rail, Any flight size from one to six aeroplanes may be assigned a Town, Aerodrome or Open (non-wood) hex. Once a Recon Contact Patrol (CP) tasking. A Contact Patrol is flown at the flight has landed they will roll on the Photography Plate Table Deck band and requires the flight to overfly ground units to to see how many VPs they scored based on the number of hexes determine whether they are friendly or hostile. To identify a photographed and whether the flight suffered any damage. ground unit, the flight must spend an additional MP in the hex to Flights assigned a Recon tasking must assign which aeroplanes conduct the spotting. After the MP is expended, the ground unit in the flight are equipped with cameras and mark that info on is flipped over from its generic side to show its type (Infantry, their log sheet (to be revealed to opponent only after the mis- Cavalry or MG). Contact Patrols score VPs by the number of sion). All other aeroplanes in the flight are escorting the camera friendly forces spotted. A flight must return to its home aero- equipped aeroplanes. drome or another friendly aerodrome for VP credit to be scored. Most aeroplanes are limited by the 15,000ft restriction or their 12.215 Close Escort Service Ceiling but some aeroplanes may be able to fly higher Any flight size from one to six aeroplanes may be assigned a for Recon as denoted on their ADC. Close Escort (CE) tasking. A Close Escort tasking will have an German recon flights normally had one aeroplane from the FA associated Bombing tasked flight that they will escort either to or FA(A) units and one aeroplane from a Schusta unit escorting or from the bombing location or some portion of the Bombing it. The German player denotes on his log sheet which aeroplane tasked flights route as listed by SSR. Close Escort flights may is camera equipped and which is an aeroplane assigned to a move when their Bombing flight moves as a single initiative Schusta. Formations with Schusta aeroplanes get a modifier order (i.e., Stacked [5.15]) or move separately but remain within on disengagement. one hex of the Bombing flight by the end of movement phase. Prior to moving, a Close Escort flight can break off from their Example: A flight of 4 FE2bs are on a Trench Recon tasking and escorted flight and attempt to engage an enemy flight but at aeroplanes #3 and #4 have cameras. During air-to-air combat that point they are no longer considered a Close Escort and will aeroplane #3 was shot down but aeroplane #4 made it home move separately on subsequent game turns. Both flights still safely. VPs for Recon would be rolled for only one aeroplane on move on one initiative order for the game turn they split up. the Photography Plate Table. Flights can move together later if they meet stacking criteria again [5.15]. 12.217 Balloon Busting Any flight size from one to six aeroplanes may be assigned a 12.216 Recon Balloon Busting tasking. Balloon Busting can only take place Any flight size from one to six aeroplanes may be assigned a at Deck or Low altitude based on the Balloon height. Balloons Recon tasking (Maximum of two aeroplanes equipped with have an increment of 1,000ft per Time to Climb marker. The cameras). The other non-camera equipped aeroplanes in the owning player can set Balloons at Deck+2 (2,000ft), Deck+3 flight are providing escort to camera equipped aeroplanes. There (3,000ft) or Low+0(4,000ft). This altitude is set at the scenario are two types of Recon—Trench Recon and Long Range Recon. start and will not change other than to lower the balloon due Trench Recon consists of one or more aeroplanes equipped with to engagement. a camera taking photographs of target hexes within three hexes of the current trench line. Long Range Recon consists of one Aeroplanes without Le Prieur or Buckingham ammunition will or more aeroplanes that fly behind enemy lines (beyond three only destroy a Balloon with a shot down result. Aeroplanes hexes of the current trench line) to report on troop concentra- with Le Prieur rockets or Buckingham ammunition can destroy tions and enemy movements or other items of interest to Higher a Balloon on a crippled and/or shot down results. Attacking HQ and will usually have the flight fly to a specific hex versus aeroplanes must have a Tally on the Balloon prior to attempting a range of hexes. to engage it (note: Balloons are never considered Detected— they are either Undetected or Tallied). Aeroplanes can only Each camera equipped aeroplane may attempt to take a maxi- make one attack attempt per Balloon as the Balloon will be mum of 10 hexes worth of photos or as directed by SSR. The pulled down to the ground during the Admin Phase of the turn hexes flown over for photography must be over flown straight an engagement is attempted whether it was successful or not. and level and only MPs used without turning can be used to Balloons are considered to have a Manoeuvre rating of two take a photograph. Hexsides are not valid for photography, for Manoeuvre determination due to their difficulty to hit and only full hexes. an Aggression rating of 0. Balloons are not considered flights Example: A flight may enter a hex without turning on the 1st and do not incur the –3 DRM for being Undetected during the MP, and take a photo then use the 2nd MP to turn within the hex Visual Sighting Phase. up to its turning limit. 12.218 Trench Strafing Recon aeroplanes that are damaged by AA or are engaged in Any flight size from one to six aeroplanes may be assigned a combat do not count any of the hexes flown over for total pho- Trench Strafing tasking. Trench Strafing can only occur at Deck tographed hexes during that game turn. Damaged aeroplanes altitude. Trench Strafing occurs in the target hex and is rolled can continue with the tasking on a subsequent game turn. on the Air-to-Ground Table for determination of hit success. Legal targets are enemy ground units (but not Balloons). Some Determine if hexes flown over were valid during the Admin other targets may be designated by SSR such as road/railway Phase (players may keep a side log of this on their log sheets). intersections.

12.219 Defensive Scrambles 13.2 Engagement Any flight size from two to six aeroplanes may be launched on Design Note: To initiate combat an attacking flight has to spot a Defensive Scramble. This is the primary means of launching an enemy and manoeuvre into an attack position. If a defender German Scout flights. fails to spot the enemy or react in time he may be jumped on by surprise and be in a disadvantaged position. Most air-to-air 13. Air-to-Air Combat kills are the result of surprise. Flights may attempt to attack an enemy flight or enter an existing non-activated Dogfight at any point during their movement. Design Note: Air-to-air combat was still in its infancy in WW1 The moving flight is the attacker and non-moving flight is the but the pilots of both sides quickly developed the tactics and defender or in the case of a Dogfight, the moving flight is the techniques that are still valid today. bouncer. Engagement must be rolled for to determine whether combat can begin [13.23]. Flights can attack enemy flights in air-to-air combat. A flight must first engage an enemy flight. If successful it can then A flight may not attempt to engage the same flight more than manoeuvre for a shot. Shots are resolved to determine damage. once per Movement Phase. However, if the attacking/bouncing flight fails to engage it may try to attack another flight in a 13.1 Air-to-Air Weapons different hex later in that Movement Phase. If there are stacked flights in the hex, the attacker must declare which flight they 13.11 Weapon Classes are attempting to engage. Design Note: Combat during this time frame is up close and If the Dogfight advanced rule is not used then all combat is personal with either forward firing or rear firing machine ended after one game turn. guns. Aces such as Albert Ball typically fired from only 20 yds. 13.21 Prerequisites The ADC lists the types of weapons an aeroplane can carry. A flight may not attack in air-to-air combat unless it has ex- There are two types of guns; Rear firing and Forward firing. pended at least 1MP in the Movement Phase. The following Forward firing guns will be either mounted above the wing to additional conditions must be met: fire above the propeller arc or synchronized to fire through the propeller arc. Rear firing guns are only counted for flights that a. The attacker must have an air-to-air weapon and be al- are considered the defender [13.2]. Exception: Bristol F2a and lowed by their tasking to engage. (Depleted weapons can’t F2b’s can count their Rear guns while attacking if their Ma- be used in combat.) noeuvre rating is less than or equal to the enemy flight. b. The defender must be detected or visually identified [8]. Design Note: The Bristol 2-seater was flown very aggressively NOTE: Flights in a Dogfight are considered detected for after their initial failures in combat which is why as an At- the duration of the Dogfight but may have a Tally attempted tacker they can use their rear guns against more manoeuvrable on them with a Dogfight modifier. enemy, taking into account opportunities for rear gunners to c. The defender must be in the same hex as the attacker and at shoot while attacking and defending. the same altitude or lower within the attacker’s altitude band, or the altitude band immediately below and attacker must 13.12 Multiple Guns not have climbed during the game turn (except per 13.22). Some ADCs list multiple Forward firing guns and those aero- d. Flights may not attack if all aeroplanes in the flight are planes can utilize both or either weapon in combat and some damaged/crippled or out of ammo. may have reloadable weapons [13.34]. A weapon that depletes its ammo cannot be used for the rest of the scenario. The flight 13.22 Engagement Prerequisite Exception no longer has that weapon available. A flight with multiple An attacker who is unable to climb above the altitude of the weapons, Forward and/or Rear, may decide not to use all of defender due to cloud cover may declare Climbing Flight to them in combat in order to conserve ammo. engage a higher flying defender and, if successful in engaging it, 13.13 Special Ammo is considered to be at the defenders altitude but is not considered to have climbed for manoeuvre rating value determination. If Some ammo types have special effects against certain types unsuccessful, the attacking flight is considered to remain at their of targets such as Observation Balloons [12.217]. If a flight is current Time to Climb but is marked with a Climb marker. If listed as having Buckingham ammunition then any crippled attacked by another flight it is considered to have climbed for result in combat is reduced to a damaged result against another Manoeuvre rating value determination. aeroplane. 13.14 Firepower Rating 13.23 Engagement Roll If the prerequisites have been met, the attacker and defender Design Note: The German scout pilots have a significant make separate engagement rolls or in the case of a Dogfight, combat advantage due to their use of dual machine guns while only the bouncer makes an engagement roll to enter the fight. the British pilots normally only had a single machine gun. The engagement value used for the roll is shown on the En- Each weapon has a Firepower Rating from 1 to 6 listed on the gagement Table and is based on the detection status of the ADCs. enemy flight.

Roll two dice on the Engagement Table and modify as indicated. The value obtained from the Manoeuvre Table is the number of If the result is equal to or greater than the engagement value, shot opportunities the flight has. Shot opportunities are resolved the flight engages the enemy. using the shot resolution system [13.32]. 13.231 Engagement Roll Modifiers If a flight has no air-to-air weapons it may not roll for Manoeu- Aggression Value applies to the flight making the roll. “Target” vre or take shots at enemy flights. modifiers are applied to the enemy flight. 13.32 Shot Resolution 13.232 Engagement Results (Non-Dogfight) Design Note: The high manoeuvrability of the aeroplanes and There are four possible results of the engagement roll: limited range of the weapons made shot attempts very hard to a. If the attacker engages but the defender does not, combat come by against an aware opponent. Aeroplanes with multiple commences. The attacker has surprise and the defender is weapons may let fly with everything they have. disadvantaged. To resolve a flight’s shot, select a weapon or weapons to shoot b. If attacker and defender both engage, combat commences with, roll two dice and modify this before consulting the Shot but there is no surprise or disadvantage. Resolution Table. c. If neither attacker nor defender engages no combat takes Shots from both sides are considered to occur simultaneously place (do not resolve combat or post-combat effects) and and are resolved in any order as determined by the players. the attacker/bouncer continues its movement, remaining at Allocate and apply damage [14.1, 14.2] after all shots have its original altitude. been rolled. A player may refuse to roll for a shot if he wishes. d. If the defender engages but the attacker does not, the de- Example: An SE5 flight has two shots. The first succeeds in fender can choose to commence combat. There is no surprise shooting down the last aeroplane in an enemy flight. The second or disadvantage. shot can be refused. The defender cannot commence combat if it has no air-to- 13.321 Rear Gun Equipped Flights Shot Exception air weapons, has aborted or is marked with a Manoeuvre Design Note: Disengaging aircraft have positioned themselves marker, or participated in air-to-air combat earlier in that to attempt to run away from a fight which may allow rear gun- Movement Phase. ners better opportunities to get shots off. If the defender does not begin combat, treat this as result c. above—no combat takes place. In a dogfight, flights equipped with a rear firing gun(s) may roll for shots (if ammo remaining and gun(s) not jammed) equal to NOTE: Once combat begins, remove any Tally markers the one half the attacker’s shots rounded down on combat rounds flights involved have on the map. They are too busy fighting where they failed a disengagement attempt. Shot total cannot to watch for other flights outside of their combat. exceed the number of undamaged aeroplanes in the flight. 13.24 Surprise and Disadvantage 13.33 Ammo Depletion The engagement roll may give the attacker the advantage of Design Note: A shot can represent one burst or all of an surprise and bonuses in combat. The defending flight may start aeroplane’s remaining ammo. Depletion also models weapon the engagement disadvantaged, resulting in penalties to combat jams which cannot be repaired until the aeroplane is back on and wind-up. the ground, a fairly common occurrence in WWI. Defensive Wheels never suffer disadvantage penalties and at- After all shots in a combat have been resolved, roll one die for tackers can never claim surprise against them [13.232]. each flight that resolved a shot. (Roll per flight that took a shot 13.3 Combat and not per shot taken.) Look up the depletion number of each weapon used to shoot. Combat as a result of engagement commences at the defend- If the result is less than its depletion number, that weapon’s ing flight’s altitude and uses up all of the attacking flight’s depletion number is increased by twice the number of shots remaining MPs. All flights involved in a combat are visually taken otherwise the depletion number is increased by the identified [8.31]. number of shots. If a weapon’s modified depletion number is 13.31 Manoeuvre greater than or equal to 10, the weapon is depleted and can no Design Note: To shoot, a flight has to manoeuvre into a good longer be used in combat [13.3]. If it was an Ammo Drum then shooting position, usually right on the enemy aeroplane’s tail. that Drum is depleted and a new Ammo Drum can be loaded This is difficult if the enemy is manoeuvring to avoid the shot. during the Admin Phase for guns manned by an observer or if a single seat aeroplane when it attempts to disengage [13.42]. Each attacking and defending flight in a combat rolls for Ma- Any future depletion rolls will then be subjected to the new noeuvre. Roll two dice, modify as indicated and consult the modified depletion number until the weapon is depleted (value Manoeuvre Table, cross-referencing the roll on the Air-to-Air 10 or higher and/or no Ammo Drums available) unless a new Column with the number of undamaged aeroplanes in the flight. Ammo Drum was loaded which resets the depletion number to Exception: Always use the 1 aeroplane column if rolling for a that of the new Ammo Drum. Defensive Wheel [10.5, 13.44].

13.34 Ammo Drum Reload disengaging flight has a higher total they are successful and Some aeroplanes have guns that are fitted with ammo drums will Disengage from the Dogfight, after the Attacker rolls that can be changed in flight. Ammo drums will be listed as on the Manoeuvre Table. XdY (X is number of drums and Y is the depletion number for Example: A flight of 3xSopwith Pups from 66 Sqn are at- that drum) on the ADC. Once the last ammo drum is depleted tempting to disengage from 5xAlb DIIIs from Jasta Boelcke. that weapon is out of ammo. Ammo drums cannot be reloaded The Pups Aggression and Manoeuvre Ratings are +2/+8 during a Dogfight unless the flight attempts to disengage. and the number of undamaged aeroplanes is 2 (1 Pup is Whether the disengaging flight succeeds in disengaging or damaged) so they have a total DRM of +12. The Albatri not does not matter and the ammo drum would be reloaded. have Aggression and Manoeuvre Ratings of +3/+6 and 5 Otherwise an ammo drum can be reloaded during the Admin undamaged aeroplanes for a total DRM of +14. If the Pup Phase of any game turn. flight rolls a 4 and the Albatros flight rolls a 1 then the Pup Exception: Rear gunners/observers may reload an ammo drum flight has disengaged (Pup total 16/Albatros total 15) and during the Admin Phase even during a Dogfight. the Albatros flight rolls on the Manoeuvre Table with all applicable Dogfight Manoeuvre DRMs including disengaging 13.4 Special Combat Rules success. If the total was higher in favor of the Albatros flight, The following rules cover special combat situations and Ad- then the Pups must remain in the Dogfight and the Albatros vanced and/or Optional rules which should only be used by flight would roll on the Manoeuvre Table with all applicable experienced players as they add complexity and play time. Dogfight Manoeuvre DRMs including disengaging failure. In both cases, the Pups would not roll on the Manoeuvre Table. 13.41 Dogfight (Advanced Rule) Design Note: As the speeds of modern aeroplanes increased d. If the Attacker (only) attempts to Disengage (following the amount of time spent in a dogfight decreased tremendously, the procedure in c. above) and fails, and the Defender did however, in WW1 some dogfights could last 15-20 minutes as not declare disengagement then the roles of Attacker and the aeroplanes manoeuvred violently and had to get very close Defender are switched [13.421]. to their adversary to score hits. e. If the Dogfight continues, both sides roll on the Manoeuvre Table with the following modifiers: (Aggression/Manoeuvre A Dogfight marker is placed on any fight which is not completed Rating/Disengaged Attempt Result (if attempted)/Fatigue). in one game turn. Combat will end in one game turn either by Combat is then resolved normally. Fatigue is calculated both flights running out of ammo or one side shot down or un- with a –1 DRM every 3 game turns in a Dogfight with a able to continue the fight due to damage. If a Dogfight marker is max (–3 DRM) at 10 game turns. Dogfight Fatigue is –1 located in a hex then on subsequent game turns both sides will (Turns 4-6), –2 (Turns 7-9) and –3 (Turn 10). See Dogfight have to decide whether to continue to fight or disengage. The Manoeuvre Table. maximum amount of game turns that the same two flights may be in a dogfight is 10 game turns. If 10 game turns have occurred Special Dogfight rules: Dogfights have no speed but can be both flights are auto-disengaged at the start of the 11th game affected by wind during the Wind Drift Sub-Phase and will drift turn as per Step b. below, otherwise follow the sequence below: as applicable [7.53]. Dogfights lose one Altitude band after every five game turns until the fight is at Deck altitude at which a. Both sides declare whether to continue the Dogfight time no further altitude loss occurs. When dropping a band the or Disengage; Defender declares first, Attacker next then Dogfight will drop to Band+0. Any Dogfight that drops into an Bouncing flight if present. If all the Attacker aeroplanes are Altitude Band with Clouds in that band (not Broken Clouds) damaged then the Defender is automatically disengaged. If or Fog will end. All flights in the Dogfight will then follow the all the Defender aeroplanes are damaged or crippled they Post Combat procedure [15.0]. must attempt to Disengage even if the results would be an automatic failure. 13.42 Disengagement b. If both sides declare Disengage then the Dogfight is over Disengaging flights do not roll for Manoeuvre and take no shots and both flights are placed back on the map in the current whether their attempt to Disengage was successful or not (see location of the Dogfight marker and follow the Post Combat [13.321] for special shot exceptions for flights with rear firing Procedure [15]. guns). Flights attacking a successful disengaging flight apply the disengagement success (–4) modifier to their Manoeuvre c. If only the Defender declares to Disengage then there will roll. Flights attacking an unsuccessful disengaging flight apply be a check made whether they are successful by first compar- the disengaging failure (–2) modifier to their Manoeuvre roll.A ing their Level Speed then Dive Speed for the current Alti- successful disengaging flight does not scatter but is marked with tude band against the Attacking flight. If their Level Speed a Manoeuvre marker after combat [15.2]. However, if both or or Dive Speed is greater than the Attacking flight then the all flights disengage then they all are scattered and marked with disengaging flight will escape after the attacker rolls on the Manoeuvre markers. Disengaging flights also apply a modifier Manoeuvre Table using all applicable Dogfight Manoeuvre to their Wind Up Table roll. Any disengaging flight that does DRMs including Disengagement Success [13.42]. Otherwise not scatter may be placed on the map at a TtC value equal or add the Aggression Level and Manoeuvre Rating and the lower within the band that the combat or dogfight took place number of undamaged aeroplanes in each flight as a DRM. that is a legal value for the aeroplane. Both sides then roll a die and add their total DRM. If the © 2012 GMT Games, LLC Bloody April Rules Manual 23

13.421 Dogfight Role Reversal a. The Defender in the Dogfight must declare whether to If the attacker in a Dogfight attempts to disengage, then the Disengage or stay and fight. defender (if they did not declare disengagement) can allow the b. If the Defender states Disengage then the Attacker must attacker to disengage. If so, the defender would no longer be declare whether he will stay and fight with the Defender threatened and both flights will scatter and have a Manoeuvre or let him automatically disengage. If the Attacker lets the marker placed on them. Otherwise the attacker would have to Defender auto-disengage, then the Attacker does not get a check [if faster, it may not need to roll] for disengagement and shot on the disengaging Defender whether the Bouncer suc- if they failed that roll, the attacker and defender positions on cessfully engages or not. the Dogfight play aid are swapped and a new round of combat is conducted normally. c. The Bouncer then rolls for Engagement using either the Tally or Detected column. If successful and the Defender 13.422 Schusta Special Disengagement Rule (Advanced Rule) did not disengage, continue on to Step e. Otherwise, if the Design Note: The Schusta aeroplanes were tasked with pro- Attacker allowed the Defender to disengage, then the At- tecting the recon and artillery tasked aeroplanes from enemy tacker must attempt to engage the Bouncer on the Detected attack and would do everything possible to tie up the enemy column. If successful they spot the bounce and are not sur- and allow the more valuable aeroplane to get away. prised otherwise they are surprised. In either case slide the Bouncer to the Attacker slot on the Dogfight play aid and German FA or FA(A) units that have a Schusta aeroplane as- the previous Attacker to the Defender slot. The previous signed to the flight may disengage if the Schusta aeroplane is Defender is moved back to the map and conducts a Wind undamaged and a D10 roll of five (5) or higher is made. Up check [15.1]. The Schusta aeroplane may not attempt to Disengage on the d. If the Bouncer failed to engage continue the Dogfight same game turn that this special disengagement is attempted. normally with the Attacker/Defender conducting Dogfight If successful the flight splits and FA/FA(A) aeroplane is scat- activation [13.41]. The bouncing flight has failed to engage tered and a Manoeuvre marker placed on it, otherwise a normal and is not in the Dogfight. If the Attacker let the Defender round of combat is conducted but no modifier is applied for the disengage, the Dogfight is over. unsuccessful disengagement. e. If the Bouncer engaged and the Defender did not Disen- 13.423 Disengagement Spin Out (Optional Rule) gage, the Attacker rolls to engage the Bouncer on the Un- Design Note: Aeroplanes attempting to disengage from a detected column. If the Attacker is successful they spot the Dogfight after suffering damage or being in an unfavourable bounce and are not surprised otherwise they are surprised. situation would enter spinning flight to both expedite an escape A round of Combat [13.3] is then conducted between the or cause the attacker to assume they were shot down and not Bouncer and Attacker. continue to pursue. The Manoeuvre does have inherent risks f. If the Attacker survives the round of Combat with the in that the spinning aeroplane may not be able to recover or Bouncer then the Attacker may now conduct a round of may shed its wings. Combat with the Defender (if the Defender did not disengage earlier). Ammo depletion is not checked until both combat If the disengaging flight consists of only a single aeroplane it rounds have been completed. may disengage by Spinning Flight unless unable to spin (i.e., g. Subsequent Dogfight activations will require the De- BE2 aeroplanes). Declare this during Step a. of the Dogfight fender, Attacker and Bouncer to each declare whether they sequence and disengagement is automatic. The aeroplane must Disengage or not. If the Defender and Attacker do not at- follow the rules for Spinning Flight [10.31]. Aeroplanes that tempt to Disengage then the Bouncer and Attacker conduct disengage by Spin Out do not allow the attacking aeroplane a a round of Combat followed by Attacker/Defender Combat. roll on the Manoeuvre Table. Disengagement Spin Out cannot If the Attacker declared to Disengage then the Defender is be attempted if the flight is at Deck altitude. automatically disengaged whether they declared it or not. 13.43 Bouncing a Dogfight (Optional Rule) Disengagement by the Attacker is then rolled for if the Design Note: Dogfights tended to be lengthy affairs and al- Bouncer did not Disengage. lowed time for another friendly flight to potentially come to NOTE: The bouncing flight in a Dogfight will use a different the rescue of the defending flight. Dogfight turn counter for tracking Dogfight Fatigue [13.41e]. This may allow a Dogfight to continue past 10 game turns but If a Dogfight has not been activated for the current game turn, only for the Bouncer and Attacker. The Defender will disengage it is possible for another flight to pile into the Dogfight as a at 10 game turns and the Bouncer is limited to 10 game turns Bouncing flight. The Bouncing flight must be on the same side in a Dogfight but the original Attacker may be in longer than (German or British) as the Defending flight. Dogfights are 10 game turns but less than 20. The easy way to remember is considered to be Detected for the duration of the Dogfight but the first in will be the first out and the last in will be the last a flight may still attempt to get a Tally on a Dogfight during the out. The maximum fatigue value is –3 DRM. Detection Phase which would increase its chances to bounce the attacker. If a legal flight enters a hex with a Dogfight marker it must attempt to engage. Follow these steps:

13.44 Defensive Wheels and Combat 14.22 Crippled Aeroplane Crippled aeroplanes must split off into their own flights [5.14] Design Note: The Defensive Wheel is not an offensive for- during the Admin Phase only if they are not locked into a Dog- mation, allowing no more than one aeroplane a shot at any fight. If they did not automatically disengage from a Dogfight passing enemy. It is difficult to catch at a disadvantage and is due to the result of a special damage effect, they are considered a way for less Manoeuvrable planes to survive. locked in the Dogfight. All damaged aeroplane effects also Defensive Wheels [10.5] engage and fight as if they were a apply to crippled aeroplanes [14.21]. single aeroplane. If engaged, they automatically engage back 14.23 Spinning Flight and roll on the Manoeuvre Table, using the 1 column [13.31]. Attackers may not claim surprise against Defensive Wheels Damaged/crippled aeroplanes with the Spinning Flight damage [13.24]. Units in a Defensive Wheel do not suffer disadvantage effect must immediately become separated from their flight penalties and do not scatter [15.2]. and are automatically disengaged from combat and follow the Spinning Flight [10.31] rules on the next game turn. A flight in a Defensive Wheel cannot be drawn into a Dogfight. Attacking flights must attempt to engage again on subsequent Exception: BE2 aircraft as noted on their ADC treat this as no game turns. effect. 14.24 Dud Engine Crippled or damaged aeroplanes with the Dud Engine damage 14. Air Unit Damage effect must become separated from their flight. They are automatically disengaged from combat, scattered and get marked 14.1 Damage Allocation with a Dud Engine marker as well as a Manoeuvre marker. They Randomly allocate damaged/crippled/shot down results among must use Gliding Flight [10.31] on the next game turn and all the aeroplanes in a flight by rolling a die on the Damage Al- subsequent game turns. Aeroplanes with a Dud Engine and in location Table, cross-referencing against the total number of Gliding Flight have their Manoeuvre rating reduced to one (1). aeroplanes in the flight. 14.25 Shot Down Aeroplanes The result is the number of aeroplanes affected. If the result is Aeroplanes that are shot down are removed from the flight. If C# and a crippled aeroplane is present, allocate the damage to all the aeroplanes in a flight are shot down the air unit is elimi- any crippled aeroplane (attacking player’s choice). Otherwise nated. There is an optional table that provides chrome results allocate damage to the damage # indicated. Note the damage for a shot down aeroplane. on the flight log [5.21]. If a combat generates multiple damage results, roll to allocate each one separately. Results can be allocated in any order 15. Post-Combat selected by the attacker. If a damaged/crippled aeroplane is damaged or crippled again, its damage is increased by one Following air-to-air combat, flights must perform the following level, from damaged to crippled and crippled to shot down. actions in order: Apply the effects of damage before allocating the next result. (1) Check for Dogfight status (advanced rule [13.41]). If so Example: A flight with two aeroplanes receives a shot down, then mark them with a Dogfight marker and follow these steps: crippled and damaged result against it. The attacking player • Place the Dogfight marker in the hex where the Dogfight decides to allocate the shot down result first and rolls a result started, Active side up; on the #1 aeroplane, which is shot down. This leaves the #2 • Place the Defender on the Dogfight play aid in the Defender aeroplane to which the crippled result is applied first, then the box; damaged result. The aeroplane is shot down too. • Place the Defender’s Time to Climb marker on the Dogfight 14.11 Special Damage Effects play aid in the Alt box; For each damaged or crippled aeroplane roll a D10 on the • Place the Attacker on the Dogfight play aid in the Attacker Special Damage Effects chart to see if any additional effects box; occur as a result of the combat. Damaged/crippled aeroplanes may be forced into Spinning Flight or suffer a Dud Engine. • Place a 1 time marker on the Dogfight play aid in the Time box; 14.2 Damage Effects • The Attacker and Defender remove any Tallies they have 14.21 Damaged Aeroplane on other flights; Damaged aeroplanes are not counted toward the total aeroplanes • Any Tallies on the Attacker and Defender from flights not available to make air-to-air or air-to-ground attacks but may in the Dogfight remain on the map and are placed on top continue other taskings such as Artillery Cooperation or Recon. of the Dogfight marker. Example: A four-aeroplane flight with one damaged aeroplane (2) If no Dogfight occurs or at the conclusion of a Dogfight, rolls on the 3 column of the Manoeuvre Table in air-to-air combat. follow these steps. • Scatter [15.2];

• Place Manoeuvre markers [15.2]; 15.3 Post-Combat Detection • Check for Wind Up [15.1]; Design Note: It would seem that aeroplanes exiting air-to-air • Become undetected [15.3]. Any Tally markers on the flight combat would be able to keep track of the other side but more are removed. times than not they would find the sky clear around them as These procedures take place immediately, before any other the flights have scattered in different directions and altitudes. movement or combat action is performed. Following an air-to-air combat, all participating flights immediately become undetected. Replace the counters with a Generic 15.1 Wind Up Check counter on its Undetected side. Design Note: Wind Up (slang term) affected just about every pilot in the war as battle fatigue and constant combat sapped their morale and will to continue fighting. Most regained their 16. Anti-Aircraft Artillery composure after a period of rest or it was just a temporary loss of nerve. Design Note: Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AA) concentrations rep- All flights in air-to-air combat roll a Wind Up check after com- resent areas of flak barrage called “Archie” by British WW1 bat has been resolved or a Dogfight has ended even if no shots pilots. Flak is a latter day term but is used interchangeably occurred by either side. Flights that roll on the Archie Damage with AA and Archie in the rules. Table [16.31] also roll a Wind Up check even if the result is NE. Some effects such as Spinning Flight also require a Wind Up check. Unless the Wind Up check is due to AA or ground 16.1 AA (Archie) Concentrations fire the Wind Up check will be resolved under the Air-to-Air Design Note: Concentrations of AA reflect the density of over- Combat column. all firepower projected rather than the calibre of weapons used. To make a Wind Up check, roll two dice and consult the Wind AA concentrations are ground Up Table. Modify the roll as indicated. Apply damage/loss units and come in three densities: modifiers only for aeroplanes that were damaged or lost in the Light, Medium and Heavy. just resolved combat or Dogfight. Apply the results. Abort the flight or Abort the flight and de- AA concentrations are available in scenarios and are repre- crease their Aggression Value by 1 (but never below –3). sented on the map by counters. There can be no more than one concentration in a hex [4.41]. 15.2 Scatter and Manoeuvre Markers Observation Balloons have an inherent Medium AA capability Design Note: Flights spit out of a combat in all sorts of and do not have to be marked with an AA counter unless their directions and usually at a lower altitude. The scatter roll capability is upgraded to Heavy. Players may do so by remov- represents this. ing one Medium density concentration and placing a Heavy concentration below the Balloon marker. After air-to-air combat is concluded or due to damage effects, Artillery units have an inherent Light AA capability that is not flights or individual aeroplanes scatter from their hex. For flights upgradable. that were in a Dogfight, they are placed in the current Dogfight marker location in the following order; Defender placed first, NOTE: Every active trench location on the map also has a then the Attacker and then the Bouncing flight (if present). small arms value against flights at Deck altitude. This small Player choice on heading within the hex. arms attack does not create a Barrage Marker and is only effective in its actual trench location and not the surrounding Roll a die for each flight in the combat or aeroplane due to dam- hexes (i.e., only one hex). age effect and follow the instructions in the scatter diagrams. Note: A successful disengaging flight does not scatter unless 16.11 AA Points all flights disengaged. If instructed to descend an Altitude In the Planning Phase each player will receive a number of AA band and the flight is on the Deck, do not descend any further. concentrations listed by type. If scatter requires the drop of an Altitude band, the flight is AA concentrations may be altered by exchanging them for the marked with an Altitude Band +0 marker for the new Altitude following cost in AA points: band. Otherwise place them at Band+0 for the altitude band the Dogfight or Combat ended. Light = 1 Medium/Flaming Onion = 2 Mark all flights/aeroplanes with Manoeuvre markers [10.33]. Heavy = 4 If forced to scatter off map, keep rolling until a legal movement result occurs. Example: A player can exchange two Light AA for one Medium or a player with one Heavy AA can exchange it for two Light AA 15.21 Defensive Wheels and one Medium AA. Flights in Defensive Wheels [10.5] do not roll for scatter.

Each player plots the locations of AA concentrations in the 16.31 Resolving Flak Barrages Planning Phase [4.2]. Some of these AA concentrations are Roll two dice on the AA Table using the column for the density set up on-map in the Ground Deployment Phase [3.1] on their of AA being projected into that hex, cross-referenced with the active or inactive side. The remaining AA concentrations are flight’s altitude. If the flak barrage roll is as a result of a change hidden (i.e., not placed on the map) and are inactive. in altitude, the player may choose to attack either the altitude 16.12 AA as Targets where the flight started or where it ended. AA concentrations are target profile C [18.13]. Example: An RFC flight at Low altitude climbs to Medium. The DLS player may select either the Low or Medium bands as the 16.2 AA Activation flight’s altitude for the barrage attack.

Design Note: AA active state represents the AA being cleared If more than one AA concentration projects its barrage into to shoot at anything that enters their barrage zone. Inactive the hex, the player chooses one concentration (only) to roll AA is lying in wait, ready to spring a ‘flak trap’. the barrage attack. Example: A flight moves into the barrage zone of a Light and Medium concentration. One barrage attack is rolled, using the Medium column. The Light concentration does not attack. activated inactive If the roll is equal to or greater than the AA number listed, the AA concentrations are either active or inactive. The player target flight is hit. If the target is hit, roll for damage on the chooses when to activate AA. Once active, AA cannot become Barrage column of the Flak Damage Table. Roll two dice and inactive. Inactive AA concentrations can be activated only at apply the barrage flak modifiers to obtain the damage result. the following times: Note: No modifiers to this die roll are applied if it was the a. The Admin Phase. result of wind drift or post combat scatter. b. When a flight moves adjacent to the concentration. A ‘D’ result means one aeroplane is damaged; ‘C’ that an aero- c. When a flight expends a MP while adjacent. plane is crippled, and ‘K’ that an aeroplane is shot down [14.2]. d. When a flight is scattered adjacent to a concentration If more than one result is listed, all are applied to the flight. e. When a flight drifts adjacent to the concentration during Once a barrage occurs, mark each hex attacked with a German Weather Phase or British Barrage marker which makes visual detection on that flight easier. Barrage markers are removed at the end of When an AA concentration is activated, flip the AA counter to the Detection Phase. its active side. Hidden AA is revealed and placed on the map. Once revealed, AA cannot become hidden again. 16.311 Flak and Weather (Optional Rule) AA flipped to Active due to cases b. to e. above do not fire. Apply the Rain and Snow DRMs for any AA barrage into alti- Further activity from the flight within the AA’s barrage zone tude band affected by those weather conditions. [16.3] is required. 16.32 Air-to-Ground Modifiers Design Note: One of the chief effects of flak is to disrupt 16.3 Flak Barrage bombing, or strafing attacks by interrupting the pilots’ aim. Design Note: The AA barrage fills an area of sky with shrapnel Flak barrage also applies as a modifier, listed on the AA Table and blast in the hope of hitting an aeroplane flying past. (in parentheses), to those bombing air-to-ground attacks where An active AA concentration projects a flak barrage zone into the bomb run passed through a flak barrage zone [16.3]. Apply its hex and all adjacent hexes. Roll a barrage attack on a flight the modifier even if flak fails to hit the flight. Where more than immediately each time the following applies to it: one barrage zone affects the attack, apply the greatest negative a. It enters a hex in a flak barrage zone via movement, drift modifier. or scatter. (Exception: Flight/AA Deconfliction [16.33].) 16.33 Flight/AA Deconfliction b. It expends a MP turning in a barrage zone. Friendly flights that enter a hex at Deck/Low altitude are not at- c. It attacks an enemy flight in a barrage zone. (Use the de- tacked by a friendly flak barrage. Friendly flights that fly within fending flight’s hex and altitude to resolve combat). barrage range of friendly flak at Medium altitude or higher can d. It declares that it is pressing the attack [18.33] be attacked by those AA units unless they are inactive if flying towards friendly territory (west for British / east for Germans) Flak barrage rolls are made regardless of whether the target and their movement started in enemy territory (i.e. across the is detected or undetected but the AA unit must have a LOS to active trench line). Roll 1D10 (1-5 safe)(6-10 AA fires). the target [7.3]. Design Note: This simulates the use of flares to help identify Exceptions: AA units will not fire into a Dogfight hex and Heavy friend from foe but sometimes mistakes happened. AA may not fire at Deck+0 flights.

16.4 Flaming Onion 18.12 Ordnance Restrictions Flights must have ordnance of the correct type to launch an Flaming Onion is a special German 37mm incendiary weapon. air-to-ground attack. Bombs can be used against any target. If the German player has any Medium AA units they can be Flights with guns but no ordnance may conduct strafing attacks designated as a Flaming Onion unit as long as the AA is co- against any target with a profile of B, C or D. located with an Observation Balloon or at least three hexes away from the active trench line. The German player marks this 18.13 Target Profiles secretly on his log sheet but reveals that the unit is a Flaming Ground targets are rated by their target profile, as described Onion unit when the AA unit makes an attack. Flaming Onion in the scenario. Target profiles are a measure of the target’s units that score damage have it resolved on a separate column vulnerability to attack and range from D (most vulnerable) to on the AA Table. If shot down by Flaming Onion, Shot Down A (least vulnerable). Target profiles modify attack rolls. Chrome [14.25] table has a –2 DRM and Wind Up Check [15.1] has a –4 DRM. 18.2 Bomb Runs To attack, the flight must first complete a bomb run. The flight starts its bomb run at an Initial Point (or IP). Announce the 17. Air-to-Ground bomb run is starting then move directly from the IP toward the target hex without turning. When the flight reaches the target Certain flights carry ordnance to attack ground targets or can hex, and after all AA attacks have been resolved, the attack takes use their guns to strafe ground targets. place. Once the attack has been executed the flight finishes its remaining movement. Free turns are not permitted directly after 17.1 Ordnance an attack (i.e., before another MP is expended). Flights tasked with Bombing will carry bombs. 17.11 Ordnance Type 18.3 Attack Profiles • Bombs – This is the default ordnance type. There are only two attack profiles used by flights. The attack profile specifies the conditions to be met to make the attack. If 17.12 Bomb Ammunition any of these conditions aren’t met no attack is allowed. Design Note: Bombs in WW1 are hardly worth the name 18.31 Level Bombing Profile considering the advances made in WW2 and beyond but a successful attack could still do damage. Use bomb ordnance for a visual bombing attack with an IP that is one hex from the target. Climbing or Diving Flight is not Bomb ordnance loads are expressed as an attack strength, which permitted during the attack. Apply the Level Bombing modifier. is listed on the ADC. When making an attack, the flight must 18.32 Strafing Profile expend all of its attack strength. Design Note: If all else fails aeroplanes can simply shoot at Example: A flight of four FE2ds has total bomb strength of 4, targets with their machine guns. one point per undamaged aeroplane. During a bomb run, it must expend 4 pts of bombs. No ordnance is required, but the flight must have a gun type weapon and carry out a bombing attack. The IP is one hex from 17.13 Strafing Ammunition the target and must be attacked from Deck+0 altitude. Only Flights that are strafing roll for depletion as if the flight had targets with profile B, C or D can be attacked. just been in air-to-air combat (do not modify the roll). Flights 18.33 Press the Attack with rear guns can use them while strafing but must total rear guns as a separate attack and depletion roll. A flight on a bombing or strafing profile may declare that they are pressing the attack to gain a +1 DRM on the Air-to-Ground Attack Table but will be subject to an additional AA or small 18. Air-to-Ground Attacks arms attack prior to resolving the attack if within barrage range. 18.1 Attacks 18.4 Resolving Attacks Resolve attacks as follows. Flights can attack ground targets during the Movement Phase. A flight can attack once per game turn and may not attack more 18.41 Calculate Attack Column than one target. First find the column the flight uses on the Air-To-Ground At- 18.11 Tasking Restrictions tack Table. Flights with Bomb ordnance take the declared bomb strength expended and multiply it by the number of undamaged A flight tasked with Bombing can attack any targets in the target aeroplanes in the flight to find the attack value. Use the highest hex. It can also attack AA situated in or adjacent to the target numbered column that is equal to or less than the attack value. hex. It cannot attack any other targets. Flights with bombs have their Manoeuvre Rating reduced to one while laden with them. Example: A flight of four FE2ds has a single aeroplane damaged. If forced to abort [10.6] or enter a Dogfight [13.41], the flight The flight attacks a ground target. The attack value is 1 (bomb will automatically jettison any remaining bombs in its current strength) multiplied by 3 (number of undamaged aeroplanes) for hex with no damage result. a result of 3. The attack uses the 3 column of the attack table.

Strafing flights calculate the column as for flights with Bomb A flight that has a Tally marker on-map must roll to maintain ordnance. However, the bomb strength for a strafing attack is this Tally using all applicable DRMs to include a +3 Tally 0.5 per aeroplane either forward or rear guns unless the aero- DRM. Failure of this roll results in removal of the Tally marker. plane has dual firing MGs in which case the bomb strength is A flight that is no longer visually tallied by an airborne flight is 1.0 per aeroplane. flipped to their Detected Previously Visually Sighted (Scope) 18.42 Attack Roll side unless they are outside of Ground Observer detection range Roll two dice and modify the roll as indicated. Look up the in which case they would become Undetected. result on the attack column of the Air-to-Ground Attack Table. Flights that have ended air-to-air combat or exited a Dogfight The AA modifier [16.32] applied to the attack is the largest one are flipped from their Visually Identified side and replaced by applied in any hex or Altitude band flown through on the bomb run. a Generic Undetected counter. The result is an attack success value from 0 to 4. If the success Any flight that no longer has LOS to the enemy flight they is 1 or more, place a marker equal to the attack success on the have a Tally on will result in the enemy flight being flipped target hex. If more than one attack is made on the target, place to its Detected Previously Visually Sighted side or Generic a separate marker for each attack. Undetected counter if no ground observation possible. Flights may voluntarily drop a Tally to allow them to attempt to Tally Roll for damage resolution. another flight on the next game turn. Design Note: Success numbers represent the pilots’ perception of how well the attack has gone. A low success means no effects are seen after the attack. A high success means secondary 21. Night explosions or debris are seen. Design Note: Surprisingly night flying did occur during WW1 with some success for the units trained in that environment. Only one squadron (100 Sqn RFC) was night qualified for 19. Ground Target Damage the time frame and area of operations modelled in the game. Night conditions apply where specified by the scenario. Night Resolve damage against ground targets as follows: limits the ability of units to fly and fight. 19.1 Resolving Damage 21.1 Night Taskings To resolve damage roll two dice for each success marker and 21.11 Moon Phase cross-reference with the column of the Damage Table cor- The scenario should specify the moon phase: Full or No Moon. Play- responding to the attack’s success value. The result is listed ers should choose an option for DYO or alternate scenario setups. as follows: 21.12 Visual Sighting and Ground Detection NE: No effect = No effect to target. Visual sighting [8.31] cannot take place at night. Ground De- S: Slight Damage = Target is slightly damaged. AA concen- tection applies a –3 DRM if No Moon and DRM is cumulative trations are unaffected. with other Weather effects. H: Heavy Damage = Target is heavily damaged. Ground 21.13 Visual Identification units in the hex are damaged. AA concentrations are flipped Flights may not be visually identified at night [8.3]. Do not to their inactive side and cannot become active until next reveal visual ID information [8.33] to an opponent until an game turn. engagement or successful AA attack. T: Total Destruction = Target is destroyed. All ground units in the hex are destroyed. 21.2 Night Navigation Damage is not cumulative. The target is affected only by the 21.21 Night Flying highest damage level applied. Only squadrons trained on night navigation may fly at night unless noted by SSR. Regardless of speed, the maximum turn value [10.32] of flights at night is 60 degrees. 20. Track Phase Units not trained for night flying may attempt to fly at night but are limited to 30 degrees maximum turn value and suffer Design Note: A detected target can be lost as a result of fly- an adverse modifier for recovery. ing into cloud, post combat or flying out of range of ground observer posts and Tallys must be maintained.. 21.3 Night Combat In the Track Phase, all visually identified or detected flights 21.31 Air-to-Air Combat that do not meet the criteria for detection become undetected Night combat modifiers apply at night. No Manoeuvre differ- and are replaced by a Generic Undetected counter. ential modifiers are applied to air-to-air combats. Example: A flight at Deck+0 that is five hexes away from an enemy trench line or aerodrome would become undetected.

21.32 AA Attack Restrictions 23.2 Campaign Rules AA barrages must still have a valid “LOS” unblocked by 23.21 Air Units weather but apply the “–4” DRM at night. The campaign scenario will state which units can be used for the campaign day and which time blocks those units may fly in. 22. Ground Units 23.22 Ground Units The players plot and set up ground units as determined by the Design Note: Ground units depict the poor bloody infantry scenario information and those units will stay in place unless on the ground that have to slog through the muck and endure listed otherwise by SSR. endless barrages of artillery, gas attacks, MG fire and straf- 23.23 Persistence of Damage and Destruction ing aeroplanes. At the end of a time block, all damage to or destruction of ground units will carry over throughout the campaign day. 22.1 Ground Unit Types Targets are never repaired within a single day of a campaign. Infantry (Inf), Cavalry (Cav) and Any aerodrome with Total Destruction (T) cannot be used for Machine gun (MG) counters the next time block in a campaign. represent units that are in fixed positions and will not move dur- 23.3 Campaign Victory ing the scenario unless noted by SSR. Infantry and Cavalry After all the campaign days have been played out, the campaign units fire as small arms against enemy aeroplanes once the unit ends. Then players total the Campaign Victory Points (CVP) has been identified. MG units fire as Light AA against enemy they scored over all the time blocks played through. aeroplanes but do not place a Barrage marker. 23.31 Victory Levels Scenarios set with Contact Patrols will have mixed ground units (i.e., German and British ground units) that are randomly placed The victory total is determined by which player has the highest face down on the map. These units will not be identified or fire total number of CVPs. at enemy aeroplanes until a flight has flown over them at Deck altitude and spent 1MP to identify them. 24. Solitaire Rules 22.2 Ground Units as Targets Design Note: Bloody April has been designed primarily as Ground units are target profile D unless noted otherwise by a two player experience but can be played solitaire from the SSR. Railway and Bridge targets are profile B or as noted in British side. SSR. Cavalry units are considered moving ground units (–2 DRM). Ground units in woods/urban terrain are considered to be profile B and profile C if in a trench hex due to the cover 24.1 Solitaire Scout Matrix afforded by those terrain types. German flight actions are governed by the Solitaire Scout Ma- trix. When using the Solitaire Scout Matrix, the solo player will 23. Campaign Day Scenario not utilize any of the German 2-seater aeroplanes. Design Note: Campaign Day Scenarios provide a more long 24.2 Changes to Baseline Scenarios term look at the effect of sustained operations of an entire day. The scenarios can basically be played out as written for solitaire play but realistically only from the British side. All planning The campaign day is a series of consecutive time blocks, for the German side should be completed prior to any planning simulating a day’s worth of taskings. Campaign days can be for the British side. combined with other non-Campaign day scenarios to form an even larger campaign if so desired. Most scenarios can be 24.3 Combat played as a campaign by flying through all blocks in sequence. German aircraft will stay in combat until out of ammo or only 23.1 Campaign Game Concepts one plane is left and if only one plane left and aggression level is 0 or less they will disengage by spin out if allowed or if at Day. A campaign is divided into a number of time blocks Deck will attempt to disengage normally. within a scenario day. To complete a game day the players must play through the number of time blocks as noted on the campaign scenario. Weather. Weather will be rolled for each time block within a campaign day scenario. Roster. Players should use the roster of pilots and allocate them to flights throughout the campaign day.

25.2 Scale The game system foundation that Bloody April is built upon was designed to model post-WW2 jet aircraft with limited BVR (Beyond Visual Range) capability. While the main foundation of the game flow was maintained, the switching from fast jets to relatively slow WW1 aeroplanes required a major overhaul of a few but major game system components. Most particularly, the map scale was reduced from 2.5nm per hex down to 1nm. The time increment for each turn was changed from 1 minute to 2 minutes of real-time and finally each Movement Point (MP) is 30mph vs. 150mph. Players will note that the aeroplanes move almost as fast along the map as their DT/EV jet descendants but it is an optical illusion. As a point of comparison, take an F-4 flying at 450mph and a Sopwith Pup flying at 90mph. The F-4 moving at the scale of Bloody April would have 15MPs to the Pups lowly 3MPs! 25.3 Aeroplanes Ask anyone to name two aeroplanes from WW1 and they probably will tell you the Fokker Triplane and Sopwith Camel. Two very famous aeroplanes that people associate closely with WW1 and made famous by the Red Baron and Snoopy in popular cartoons, however these aeroplanes came to the front later in 1917 than the period depicted in Bloody April. Players will become intimately familiar with their predecessors, aeroplanes such as the Sopwith Pup and Triplane, the SE5 and SPAD VII and workhorses like the BE2s, DH4s and RE8s. The Germans hunt the skies with 25. Designing Bloody April Albratros and Halberstadt Scouts and their own recon aeroplanes such as the Rumpler, Albatros and Roland. With the plethora of Commentary by Terry Simo with additional background informa- aeroplanes in the game, it required a level of detail in performance tion provided by Lead Graphic Designer Ian Wedge: that is a big step above Downtown and Elusive Victory but still allows players to quickly resolve manoeuvres and combats. Players 25.1 Why WWI? won’t be yanking and banking their aeroplanes as in a tactical game but get the same feel that air commanders had of the sweeping My next game design that I had in the works after doing the panorama of the burgeoning air combat that occurred in this sector historical study, Elusive Victory was to be Cactus Air Force, a of the Western Front during the War to end all Wars. solitaire game on the air combat that occurred over Guadalcanal in 1942. While I had done a lot of preliminary research work There are advanced variants of some aircraft such as SE5a for that game, I happened to come across a book by Peter Hart and Bristol F2b that players can use for what-if or continue on called appropriately “Bloody April, Slaughter in the Skies over with scenarios set in June 1917 or later. Arras, 1917”. The book went into fascinating detail describing air combat of that era and really struck a chord with me. It had 25.4 Air Combat all the facets of what makes for an interesting combat situation; Air battles of this era could and normally would be pro- brave recon pilots and crews facing impossible odds, dashing tracted turning combats. The short range of the weapons and defenders and of course the buzzword from Downtown, asym- the lack of any sophisticated gun aiming aids all lead to very metric warfare. The British in 1917 had a dizzying array of dif- limited opportunities to put lead on a target in a decisive man- ferent aeroplanes in different stages of their combat life cycle. ner. This is the primary reason to add the Dogfight rules to the Aeroplanes such as the BE2 were totally obsolete by 1917 but game which portrays the lengthy process that some combats soldiered on with English pluck for many months performing evolved into lasting 15-20 minutes. invaluable Artillery Cooperation and Recon missions which was The Manoeuvre differential is an assessment of relative the main tasking put on the RFC by Higher Headquarters. The aeroplane performance. Manoeuvre ratings account for wing Germans on the other hand had just transitioned within the last loading, top speed and excess power and are an overall rating. few months to their Jasta organization for their scout aeroplanes and their pilots had been presented with a target rich environment Historically, training, tactics and pilot quality were often to ply their trade. The British scout pilots had the unenviable job decisive in securing kills. Adopting the term ‘Aggression value’ of trying to stop the Germans from doing just that. Throw in the for this reflects the extent to which the willingness to close and larger than life personalities of Manfred von Richthofen, Albert fight is a key aspect of these ‘human factors’. The Wind Up Ball, Billy Bishop and many other Aces of the time and you can mechanism is a way to determine whether a pilot or flight is still see what attracted me to this subject. willing to continue in “harm’s way” or head for home.

25.5 Orders of Battle Where possible within the confines of a hex grid the aerodromes are accurately positioned to within a few hundred For Bloody April, there is a lot of data available on the yards of their historical locations. In some cases this has proved individual squadrons of the Royal Flying Corps and German impossible to track down, and a best guess has been arrived at Jagdstaffeln. This data included names of individual pilots based on proximity to railways and how level the ground is. and observers which allowed me to develop a database with a Corbehem for example turned out to be a complete mystery fairly representative listing of these crew members. The one and Douai/La Brayelle was a fascinating research trail with area where there is not a lot of available information is on the the results still being argued on by experts. German Recon units as that data was destroyed during WW2. That is the one weak area in the Orders of Battle but an excel- The various aeroplanes on the counters are all to the lent book on the Schusta units provided much of the missing same scale, with the exception of the FE2 which would be too data and helped close the gap in this area. large to fit, so now you can easily see the difference between the scout machines and the two-seaters. Colour schemes for 25.6 Scenarios and Campaigns aeroplanes were drawn from a variety of sources, but Ian is The scenarios are representative of activity for the three indebted to the late Dan-San Abbott and the work he has done months in 1917 that they the game models. In most cases they on various standard German schemes. Some of the individual depict actual missions as closely as the data provided. A lot of German aeroplanes are conjecture, as Ian used artistic licence data on missions was available and individual combats were in cases where a scheme is known to have been used several detailed especially where losses occurred that can be cross ref- months later in 1917 and so might have applied it to machines erenced to locations on the game map. Numerous sources were flown during the Battle of Arras. And no, it isn’t a mistake—the looked at to cross check information but not everything was evidence we’ve found shows the Red Baron was not flying an available especially for some of the less glamorous missions all red machine at this time! However, an alternative version of such as bombing and recon. The game is designed as best as his machine has been provided for those that prefer him in red. possible within the boardgame medium, to give the players a By contrast, British machines were simple. These were snapshot feel for the challenges and mission taskings that WW1 either clear doped linen, or doped in a colour coded PC10 for air commanders faced for a block of time within a typical day of RFC machines and PC12 for the RNAS. Squadron and Flight battle. On another level the game is also a ‘tool kit’ for players markings are also well documented, and these are reflected in to create their own scenarios and experiment with alternatives. various symbols and coloured engine cowlings. Not as individual as the German machines, but not as drab as is often supposed. 25.7 Scenario Weather The weather during the three months modelled in the game is quite variable. There was a lot of historical data available that 26. Tactical Hints gives a general feel for what weather occurred on a particular date (as noted in Historical Outcome section of each scenario) but 26.1 Tactics not the data needed for the actual wind speed and cloud cover. A lot of research went into modelling the weather effects and a ten Tactics were evolving constantly during WW1 and play- year period of historical weather was used to determine primary ers will quickly discern on their own the tactics that work best wind direction and speed as well as the ratio of how many days for them. One of the things that players will find that is much during a month a certain weather condition occurred. All of this different from Downtown and Elusive Victory is the need to has been distilled into the Scenario Weather Table to allow you stalk your targets carefully in regards to altitude. It takes time the player to face the same variability that had such a key role for a WW1 aeroplane to get up to proper altitude and altitude in how missions played out. It also adds a significant amount of advantage is very much a key to success not only in defence replayability to scenarios, as a scenario flown in Clear Weather but attack. Having altitude advantage as a defender means that is much different than one with Rain, Snow or Fog. any attacker is forced to climb to try and attack and they must be at your altitude or higher to do so. As an attacker having 25.8 Map and Aeroplane Art that altitude advantage allows you to decide when and where a combat takes place as you can avoid it or initiate it at will. The first choice Ian was faced with is what overall style Much time in the game will be spent tackling that issue. For he wanted for the map. The counters are important, but it’s the the British player, the key tactic will be protecting and posi- map that first grabs attention when a game is laid out. As one tioning his recon and artillery cooperation missions to ensure of the main functions of air forces in WWI was to photograph they are able to successfully complete those taskings. Easier the ground for the creation of maps, the obvious inspiration to said than done as the Germans first order of business should draw on was the trench maps of the period. Not only would these always be to strike hard and fast any flights they perceive as provide all the detail required, they also give a look appropriate being recon or artillery cooperation missions. This asymmetric for the period, something Ian was keen to provide. Obviously warfare battle rhythm will dictate many of the campaign days a lot had to be removed to avoid clutter, so you only see major and larger scenarios. roads (and not all of them), but the bulk of the rail network is present, and a proportion of the villages sufficient to represent the building density of an area and to provide the players with appropriate reconnaissance targets.

Guttman, Jon. SPAD VII Aces of World War 1 (Osprey Aero- 27. Appendices plane of the Aces 39, Osprey Publishing, 2001). French aeroplane used by the RFC. 27.1 Credits Hart, Peter. Bloody April, Slaughter in the Skies over Arras, 1917 (Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2005). The namesake for the Lead Design Bloody April: Terry Simo game provides great background on what was going on in the Art Director: Rodger MacGowan air and on the ground. Plenty of pilot anecdotes. Lead Graphic Designer: Ian Wedge Imrie, Alex. German Fighter Units 1914-May 1917 (Osprey Box Art & Package Design: Rodger MacGowan Airwar 13, Osprey Publishing Limited, 2002). 25th anniver- sary edition detailing early German fighter units. Game Manuals: Charles Kibler Lewis, Cecil. Sagittarius Rising (Frontline Books, 2009). One Vassal Module: Torsten Spindler, Al Cannamore of the original members of 56 Sqn, highly entertaining story Lead Playtester: Steve Paul of his wartime service. Editor: Hans Korting McCudden, James(Major). Flying Fury: Five Years in the Producers: Tony Curtis, Rodger MacGowan, Andy Lewis, Royal Flying Corps (Casemate, 2009). Highly recommended Gene Billingsley and Mark Simonitch autobiography of one of Britain’s best WW1 aces who flew Playtesters: Torsten Spindler, Hans Korting, Antero Kuusi, from 1914-18. Mitchell Land, Tom Hilder, Robert Holzer, Steve Paul, Jona- O’Connor, Mike. Airfields & Airmen Cambrai (Pen & Sword than Fellows, Joe Divar Books Limited, 2003). Guide to aerodromes in and around Cambrai. Additional Thanks: Steve Roberts, Ralph Whitehead O’Connor, Mike. Airfields & Airmen Arras (Pen & Sword Books Limited, 2004). Guide to aerodromes in and around 27.2 Select Bibliography Arras. This is a selection of the reading used in researching the game: Reynolds, Quentin. They Fought for the Sky (Bantam Publish- Bennett, Leon. Gunning for the Red Baron (Texas A&M Uni- ing, 1972). General overview of air fighting in WW1. versity Press, 2006). Interesting book detailing the technical Revell, Alex. British Fighter Units Western Front 1917-18 aspects of air fighting in WWI. (Osprey/Airwar 18, 2002). Provides a brief overview of Brit- Duiven, Rick. Schlachtflieger! Germany and the Origins of Air/ ish fighter units covering the period depicted in the game as Ground Support 1916-1918. (Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 2006). well as into 1918. Definitive work on Schusta units. Revell, Alex. British Single-Seater Fighter Squadrons on the Franks, Norman. Albatros Aces of World War 1 (Osprey Western Front in World War I (Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 2006). Aeroplane of the Aces 32, Osprey Publishing, 2000). Good Great source for scenario building. reference for early activity of Albatros Aces. Revell, Alex. No 56 Sqn RAF/RFC (Aviation Elite Units, Franks, Norman. Sopwith Triplane Aces of World War 1 (Os- Osprey Publishing Limited, 2009). History of 56 Sqn which prey Aeroplane of the Aces 62, Osprey Publishing Limited, made its combat debut during Bloody April with the SE5. 2004). As with all the Aces books provides some good detail Rogers, Les. British Aviation Squadron Markings of World War on Triplane activities with RNAS. I (Schiffer Publishing, 2001). Excellent source for aeroplane Franks, Norman. Sopwith Pup Aces of World War 1 (Osprey markings and types flown by RFC, RNAS and RAF units in Aeroplane of the Aces 67, Osprey Publishing Limited, 2005). WWI. Same detailed treatment of one particular aeroplane type in Shores, Christopher & Franks, Norman &Guest, Russell. the game. Above the Trenches (Grub Street, 1990). A complete record Franks, Norman & Bailey, Frank & Duiven, Rick. The Jasta of Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces War Chronology (Grub Street, 1998). A complete listing of from 1915-1920. claims and losses, August 1916 - November 1918. VanWyngarden, Greg. Albatros Aces of World War 1 Part 2 Funderburk, Thomas. The Early Birds of War (Grossett & (Osprey Aeroplane of the Aces 77, Osprey Publishing Lim- Dunlap, 1968). Overview of early air combat. ited, 2007). Continuation of Norman Franks’ book, provides more detail on Albatros Aces. Guttman, Jon. Bristol F 2 Fighter Aces of World War 1 (Osprey Aeroplane of the Aces 79, Osprey Publishing Limited, 2007). Yeates, V.M. Winged Victory (Grub Street, 2004). Fictional Another aeroplane type that made its combat debut during account of WWI flying based on Yeates experience. Great the time period of the game. read to get you in the mood for what it was like to be a pilot in a RFC squadron. Guttman, Jon. The Origin of the Fighter Aeroplane (Westholme Publishing LLC, 2009). Good detail on fighter aeroplane In addition to these works, numerous papers and online refer- development throughout WW1. ences have been used. Support for Bloody April can be found online at the GMT Guttman, Jon. Pusher Aces of World War 1 (Osprey Aeroplane website: http://www.gmtgames.com as well as the following of the Aces 88, Osprey Publishing Limited, 2009). Covers websites http://www.boardgamegeek.com and http://www. FE2, DH2 and RE8 aeroplane in action. consimworld.com. © 2012 GMT Games, LLC Bloody April Rules Manual 33

28. Rules Index B Balloon Attack: 13.2 A Balloon Busting: 8.21, 12.217, 16.32 Balloons: 1, 1.3, 2.32, 2.9, 3.1, 3.2, 12.217, 12.218, 13.13, 16.1 AA: 1.3, 2.32, 2.9, 3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.41, 7.15, 10.21, 10.31, 12.2, 12.212, 12.216, 15.1, 16, 18.11, 18.2, 18.33, 18.42, 19.1, Barrage attack: 16.3, 16.31 21.13, 21.32, 22.1 Battery Contact: 12.212 AA Table: 16.31, 16.32, 16.4 Bombing: 3.2, 7.15, 8.21, 10.7, 12.2, 12.211, 12.215, 16.32, AA concentration: 3.1, 4.41, 12.2, 16, 16.1, 16.11, 16.12, 16.2, 17.1, 18.11, 18.31, 18.32, 18.33 16.3, 16.31, 19.1 Bombs: 10.6, 12.2, 12.211, 17.1, 17.11, 17.12, 18.11, 18.12 Abort: 1.3, 8.3, 10.6, 12.2, 13.232,15.1, 18.11 Bouncer: 1.3, 9.2, 13.2, 13.23, 13.232, 13.43 Abort marker: 10.6 Buckingham ammunition: 12.217, 13.13 Ace: 4.3, 4.33, 4.34, 5.1, 11.12, 13.11 C Ack Ack: 1.3 Camera equipped: 12.216 Activation Phase: 3.1 Campaign Day: 1.3, 2.5, 23, 23.1, 23.11, 23.13, 23.2 ADC: 1.3, 2.8, 2.81, 4.1, 4.42, 5.1, 10.14, 10.2, 10.21, 10.31, 10.4, 12.216, 13.11, 13.12, 13.14, 13.34, 14.23, 17.12 Cavalry: 12.214, 22.1, 22.2 Admin Phase: 3.2, 5.13, 5.14, 12.216, 12.217, 13.33, 13.34, Clear: 7.11, 7.13 14.22, 16.2 Climbing Flight: 10.21, 10.31, 10.32, 10.4, 11.1, 13.22, 18.31 Advanced Rule: 1.2, 3.2, 10.71, 11.3, 13.2, 13.41, 13.422, 15 Close Escort: 12.2, 12.211, 12.215 Active Aerodrome: 1.3, 4.42, 11.4 Contact Patrol: 12.2, 12.214, 22.1 Aeroplane box: 5.21 Crash Landing Table: 10.41, 11.4 Aggression Value: 1.3, 4.3, 4.31, 4.32, 5.14, 5.2, 10.31, 15.1 Crew survival: 10.41, 11.12, 11.4 Aggression Level: 4.33, 5.1, 13.231, 13.41, 24.3 Cripple: 5.14, 5.21, 8.33, 10.31, 11.4, 12.217, 13.13, 13.21, Air Deployment Phase: 3.1, 4.42, 5.2 13.41, 14.1, 14.11, 14.22, 14.23, 14.24, 16.31 Air-to-air combat: 3, 3.2, 4.31, 7.3, 8.1, 8.31, 10.15, 10.33, 10.6, D 12.2, 12.216, 13, 14.21, 15, 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 17.13, 20, 21.31 Air-to-ground: 10.6, 12.2, 12.218, 14.21, 16.32, 17, 18, 18.12, Damage Factor: 2.81 18.33, 18.41, 18.42 Damage modifier: 10.31 Air-to-air weapons: 5.2, 13.1,13.232, 13.31 Damaged: 5.21, 8.33, 10.31, 11.4, 12.212, 12.216, 13.13, 13.21, Air-to-ground attack: 10.6, 12.2, 12.218, 14.21, 16.32, 17, 18, 13.41, 14.1, 14.11, 14.2, 15.1, 16.31, 18.41, 19.1 18.12, 18.33, 18.41, 18.42 Dangerous Dive Limitation: 10.31 Air unit: 2.3, 2.31, 2.9, 3, 3.2, 4.1, 5, 5.11, 14, 14.25, 23.11 Deck: 1.4, 7.12, 7.13, 7.3, 10.13, 10.31, 10.41, 11.1, 11.2, 12.2, Altitude band: 1.4, 2.81, 4.42, 5.13, 5.15, 7.12, 7.13, 7.15, 21.214, 12.217, 12.218, 13.41, 13.423, 15.2, 16.1, 16.3, 16.33, 8.3, 10, 10.13, 13.14, 10.15, 10.2, 10.21, 10.31, 10.71, 12.2, 18.32, 20, 22.1, 24.3 13.21, 13.41, 15.2, 18.42 Defender: 9.22, 10.34, 13.11, 13.2, 13.21, 13.22, 13.23, 13.232, Altitude marker: 10.13, 11.1 13.41, 13.421, 13.43, 15, 15.2 Altitude Restrictions: 12.2 Defending flight: 10.34, 13.24, 13.31, 13.43, 15.22, 16.3 Ammo depletion: 2.81, 13.33, 13.43 Defensive Wheel: 3.2, 7.53, 10.5, 13.24, 13.31, 13.44, 15.21 Ammo drum: 3.2, 13.33, 13.34 Depletion: 2.81, 10.6, 13.33, 13.34, 13.43, 17.13 Anti-Aircraft Artillery: 1.3, 16 Detected: 1.3, 3.2, 4.42, 5.1, 5.11, 5.12, 8.1, 8.2, 8.21, 8.3, 8.31, 12.217, 13.21, 13.43, 16.3, 20 Archie: 1.3, 3.2, 8.21, 8.34, 10.12, 10.21, 10.31, 16, 16.1 Detection Phase: 3.2, 7.16, 8.2, 8.31, 8.34, 13.43, 16.31 Arcs: 1.3, 7.16, 10.52 Detection roll: 8.2, 8.3 Artillery Cooperation: 1.3, 3.2, 7.13, 7.15, 12.1, 12.2, 12.212, 14.21 Detection Table: 8.2 Attack profile: 18.3 Disadvantage: 10.52, 13.2, 13.232, 13.24, 13.44 Attacker: 9.2, 10.34, 10.52, 13.11, 13.2, 13.21, 13.22, 13.23, Disengagement: 10.31, 12.216, 13.321, 13.41, 13.42, 13.421, 13.232, 13.24, 13.321, 13.41, 13.421, 13.43, 13.44, 14.1, 13.422, 13.423, 13.43, 15.22 15, 15.2 Dive Speed: 2.81, 10.31, 13.41 Attacking flight: 4.5, 5.15, 10.34, 13.2, 13.22, 13.3, 13.41, Diving Flight: 10.21, 10.31, 10.4, 18.31 13.44, 15.22 DLS: 1, 1.1, 2.31, 4.1, 4.42, 4.6, 5.12, 5.2, 9, 9.1, 9.22, 16.31 Dogfight marker: 3.2, 7.53, 10.33, 10.34, 13.41, 13.43, 15, 15.2

Dogfight play aid: 3.2, 10.34, 13.421, 13.43, 15 H DRM: 1.3, 7.12, 7.14, 7.15, 7.3, 8.2, 10.21, 10.31, 10.71, 11.12, 13.41, 13.43, 18.33, 20, 21.32, 22.2 Headwind: 7.52 Dud Engine: 5.14, 10.31, 11.4, 14.11, 14.24 Hemisphere: 1.3 Dummy: 1.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.42, 5.12, 5.13, 6, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, Heavy Damage: 19.1 8.32, 9.2, 9.22 Hidden: 3.1, 4.41, 16.11, 16.2 High: 1.4, 10.13 E Endurance: 2.81, 5.14, 5.2, 10.31, 10.4, 10.41, 10.6, 11.1, 11.2, I 11.4, 11.5 nfantry: 12.214, 22.1 Engagement: 13.2 Initial Point: 18.2 Engagement roll: 8.3, 13.23, 13.231, 13.232, 13.24 initiative chits: 2.33, 3.2, 9, 9.1, 9.2, 9.22, 10.31 Engagement value: 13.23 Entry hex: 11.5 J Environment conditions: 7.1 Jasta: 1.3, 4.33, 4.34, 5.1, 5.14, 8.2, 13.41 F L FA: 1.3, 4.34, 12.216, 13.422 Land: 2.22, 4.41 FA(A): 1.3, 4.34, 5.1, 12.216, 13.422 Landing: 2.22, 3.2, 7.5, 10.21, 10.4, 10.41, 11.2, 11.21, 11.3, Facing: 10.1, 10.11, 10.12, 10.14, 10.31, 10.32, 11.11, 11.21 11.4, 11.5 Firepower: 2.81 Large Force pool: 9.1, 9.2, 9.22 Flak barrage: 16, 16.3, 16.31, 16.32, 16.33 Le Prieur: 12.217 Flak Damage Table: 16.31 Level Flight: 10.31, 10.32, 10.4, 11.1 Flaming Onion: 1.3, 2.32, 2.9, 3.2, 16.11, 16.4 Line Patrol: 10.7, 12.2, 12.213 Flight: 1.3, 1.4, 2.21, 2.22, 2.31, 2.33, 3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.21, Log sheet: 2.9, 3.1, 4.21, 4.3, 5.1, 5.11, 5.13, 5.2, 5.21, 8.33, 4.3, 4.42, 4.5, 5, 5.1, 5.2, 6, 7.13, 7.15, 7.3, 7.5, 8, 8.1, 8.2, 10.6, 10.7, 12.212, 12.216, 16.4 8.3, 9, 9.1, 9.2, 10.1, 10.2, 10.6, 10.7, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, Long Range Recon: 1.3, 12.216 11.5, 12, 12.1, 12.2, 13, 13.2, 13.24, 13.3, 13.41, 13.42, 13.43, Line of Sight/LOS: 7, 7.13, 7.3, 8.3, 12.212, 16.3, 20, 21.32 13.44, 14.1, 15, 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 16.1, 16.2, 16.3, 17, 17.1, Low: 1.4, 7.12, 10.13, 10.31, 12.2, 12.213, 12.217, 16.31, 16.33 18.1, 18.2, 18.3, 20, 21.13, 21.21, 22.1, 23.1 Flight leader: 4.33 M Flight log: 2.9, 4.3, 5.14, 10.6, 12.2, 14.1 Machine gun (MG): 12.2, 12.214, 13.11, 13.14, 18.32, 18.41, Flight Quality: 4.3, 4.33, 4.34 22.1 Fog: 7.15, 12.212, 12.213 Manoeuvre: 2.81, 10.31, 10.33, 10.34, 10.52, 10.71, 11.3, Forest: 2.22 12.217, 13, 13.11, 13.2, 13.22, 13.232, 13.31, 13.41, 13.42, Forward firing guns: 13.11, 13.12 13.421, 13.422, 13.423, 13.44, 14.21, 14.24, 15, 15.2, 18.11, 21.31 Free Turn: 10.31, 10.32, 11.1, 18.2 Manoeuvre marker: 10.31, 10.33, 10.52, 10.71, 13.232, 13.42, G 13.421, 13.422, 14.24, 15, 15.2 Manoeuvre Rating: 2.81, 10.31, 11.3, 12.217, 13.11, 13.22, Generic counter: 5.1, 5.11, 5.12 13.41, 14.24, 18.11 Gliding Flight: 10.31, 10.4, 10.41, 11.4, 14.24 Max Altitude: 12.2 Ground Deployment Phase: 3.1, 4.41, 16.11 Max Turn: 10.32 Ground Planning Phase: 3.1 Maximum allowable speed: 10.21, 10.4 Ground Setup: 4.1 Medium: 1.4, 10.13, 10.14, 10.15, 10.31, 16.31, 16.33x Ground unit: 1, 2.3, 2.32, 2.34, 2.9, 3.1, 4.1, 7.3, 12.2, 12.214, Moon phase: 21.11 12.218, 16.1, 19.1, 22, 22.1, 22.2, 23.12, 23.13 Mostly Cloudy: 7.13 Mostly Sunny: 7.12 Movement Phase: 3.2, 5.15, 9, 9.2, 10.2, 10.31, 10.32, 10.34, 10.51, 10.53, 11.2, 11.3, 12.215, 13.2, 13.21, 13.232, 18.1 Movement Points: 1.4, 10.2, 10.33 Movement type: 10.2, 10.21, 10.31 Multiple guns:13.12

N S Navigation: 10.7, 21.2, 21.21 Scatter(ing): 10.33, 10.52, 10.71, 13.42, 13.421, 13.422, 13.44, Navigational error: 10.71 14.24, 15, 15.2, 15.21, 15.22, 15.3, 16.2, 16.3, 16.31 Night: 4.1, 8.3, 8.31, 12.211, 21, 21.1, 21.12, 21.13, 21.2, 21.21, Scenario: 1.3, 2.5, 2.6, 3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4, 4.1, 4.3, 4.34, 4.42, 21.3, 21.31, 21.32 4.5, 4.6, 5, 5.12, 5.13, 7.16, 7.51, 7.53, 8.3, 11.12, 11.4, 11.5, Night combat: 21.3, 21.31 12, 12.2, 12.217, 13.12, 16.1, 18.13, 21, 21.11, 22.1, 23, 23.1, 23.11, 23.12, 24.2 Night navigation: 21.2, 21.21 Scenario Planning Phase: 3.1 No man’s land: 1.3, 11.4 Schusta: 1.3, 4.34, 5.1, 12.212, 12.216, 13.422 O Scout: 1.3, 4.3, 12.219, 13.14, 24.1 Observers: 1.3, 3.2, 4.34, 5.1, 5.12, 8.1, 8.2, 9.2, 13.33, 13.34, Scramble: 12.2, 12.219 16.33, 20 Service Ceiling: 1.3, 2.81, 10.14, 12.216 Offensive Patrol: 12.2, 12.213 Shot down: 4.33, 5.21, 10.34, 12.2, 12.216, 12.217, 13.41, Off-map: 11.5, 15.2 13.423, 14.1, 14.25, 16.31 Optional Rule: 1.2, 4.31, 7.16, 10.4, 11.11, 11.12, 11.21, 11.5, Show: 1.3, 2.5, 4, 4.1 13.4, 13.423, 13.43 Single aeroplane: 5.1, 5.14, 5.21, 10.31, 10.51, 12.211, 12.212, Ordnance: 5.14, 5.2, 10.6, 12.2, 17, 17.1, 17.11, 17.12, 18.12, 13.423, 18.41 18.31, 18.32, 18.41 Slight Damage: 19.1 Other Behavior: 12.2 Small Force pool: 9.1, 9.2, 9.22 Snow: 7.14 P Solitaire: 2.5, 24, 24.1 Partial movement: 5.15 Speed: 2.81, 7.51, 7.52, 10.2, 10.21, 10.31, 10.32, 10.4, 11.1, Patrol: 1.3, 2.5, 4, 4.1, 10.7, 12.2, 12.213, 12.214, 22.1 13.41, 21.21 Photography Plate Table: 12.216 Speed setting: 10.21, 10.31 Photography: 12.216 Spin Out: 10.31, 13.423, 24.3 Photos: 3.2, 12.216 Spinning Flight: 3.2, 10.31, 10.71, 13.423, 14.11, 14.23, 15.1 Pilot: 1.3, 4.3, 4.32, 4.33, 4.34, 5.1, 10.31, 23.1 Squadron: 4.3, 4.34, 5.1, 5.14, 8.3, 21, 21.21 Planning Map: 2.7 SSR: 1.3, 4.1, 4.34, 4.42, 6, 7.4, 12.2, 12.21, 12.211, 12.212, Playbook: 1.22, 2.5, 2.6 12.213, 12.215, 12.216, 12.218, 21.21, 22.1, 22.2, 23.12 Previously Visually Sighted: 8.1, 20 Stack/Stacking: 4.41, 5.15, 9.2, 10.51, 12.215, 13.2 Stacked flights: 5.15, 10.51, 13.2 R Strafing: 8.21, 12.2, 12.218, 16.32, 17.13, 18.12,18.32 , 18.33, Railway: 12.212, 12.218, 22.2 18.41 Rain: 7.14 Sun Arc: 7.2 Random Events: 3.2, 6, 7.53, 10.6 Surprise: 10.52, 13.2, 13.232, 13.24, 13.43, 13.44 Random Events Phase: 3.2, 6 T Rear firing guns: 13.11, 13.42 Take off: 4.42, 11.1, 11.11, 11.12, 11.3, 11.5 Rear gunners: 13.11, 13.321, 13.34 Take off attrition: 11.5, 11.12 Recon: 1.3, 3, 3.2, 7.13, 7.15, 10.7, 12.2, 12.216, 13.422, 14.21 Tally: 1.3, 3.2, 5.11, 5.12, 5.13, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 12.217, 13.21, Recovery: 3.3, 10.31, 11.4, 21.21 13.23, 13.43, 15, 20 Recovery Phase: 3.3, 11.4 Tally marker: 3.2, 8.1, 8.3, 13.23, 15, 20 Regular: 4.3 Target hex: 3.1, 12.2, 12.216, 12.218, 18.11, 18.2, 18.42 Reload: 3.2, 13.12, 13.34 Target profile: 16.12, 18.13, 22.2 RFC: 1, 1.1, 2.31, 4.1, 4.42, 4.6, 5.12, 5.2, 9, 9.1, 9.2, 9.22, Tasking: 1.1, 1.3, 2.6, 3, 3.1, 4.1, 4.21, 4.34, 5.14, 5.2, 7.13, 11.5, 16.31, 21 7.15, 8.21, 10.7, 12, 12.1, 12.2, 13.21, 14.21, 18.11, 21.1, 23 Road: 2.22, 12.212, 12.216, 12.218 Time of Day: 3.1, 4.1, 7.16, 8.3 Time to Climb: 1.4, 2.81, 5.15, 10.14, 10.15, 10.31, 11.1, 11.5, 12.217, 13.22, 15 Time to Climb marker: 1.4, 10.31, 11.1, 11.5, 12.217, 15 Total Destruction: 19.1, 23.13 Track Phase: 3.2, 20 © 2012 GMT Games, LLC 36 Bloody April Rules Manual

Training: 1.3, 4.3, 4.33, 21, 21.21 W Trench Line: 1.3, 9.21, 12.212, 12.213, 12.216, 16.4, 20 Water: 2.22 Trench Recon: 12.216 Weather: 2.34, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 7, 7.11, 7.12, 7.13, 7.14, 7.15, 7.4, Trench Strafing: 12.2, 12.218 7.53, 12.212, 12.213, 16.2, 21.32, 23.1 Turning: 10.11, 10.31, 10.32, 11.1, 12.216, 16.3, 18.2 Weather Change Table: 7.4 Turn Table: 10.31, 10.32 Weather Determination Phase: 3.1 U Weather Phase: 3.2, 7.53 Undetected: 3.2, 4.42, 5.11, 5.13, 8.1, 8.2, 8.21, 8.31, 12.217, Wind direction: 7.52, 11.11, 11.21 13.43, 15, 15.3, 16.3, 20 Wind Drift: 3.2, 7, 7.5, 7.51, 7.52, 10.21, 10.51, 11.1, 16.31 Urban: 2.22, 22.2 Wind Up: 1.3, 4.31, 10.31, 10.6, 13.24, 13.42, 13.43, 15, 15.1 V Very High: 1.4, 10.13 Veteran: 4.3 Visual Identification: 8.31, 8.32, 8.33, 21.13 Visual sighting: 4.1, 7.3, 8.2, 8.3, 21.12 Visual Phase: 3.3 Victory Points (VPs): 4.6, 12.214, 12.216, 23.2, 23.21

“Time To Climb” Conversion Tables

DECK 0 to 3.99k TtC 2D TtC 3D TtC 4D TtC 5D TtC 6D TtC 7D Time to Climb DECK+1 2000ft 1333ft 1000ft 800ft 666ft 575ft Time to Climb DECK+2 2666ft 2000ft 1600ft 1330ft 1050ft Time to Climb DECK+3 3000ft 2400ft 2000ft 1625ft Time to Climb DECK+4 3200ft 2666ft 2300ft Time to Climb DECK+5 3330ft 2875ft Time to Climb DECK+6 3550ft

LOW 4.00 to 9.99k TtC 3L TtC 4L TtC 5L TtC 6L TtC 7L TtC 8L TtC 9L Time to Climb LOW+1 6000ft 5500ft 5200ft 5000ft 4850ft 4750ft 4666ft Time to Climb LOW+2 8000ft 7000ft 6400ft 6000ft 5700ft 5500ft 5330ft Time to Climb LOW+3 8500ft 7600ft 7000ft 6550ft 6250ft 6000ft Time to Climb LOW+4 8800ft 8000ft 7400ft 7000ft 6666ft Time to Climb LOW+5 9000ft 8250ft 7750ft 7330ft Time to Climb LOW+6 9100ft 8500ft 8000ft Time to Climb LOW+7 9250ft 8666ft Time to Climb LOW+8 9333ft

LOW 4.00 to 9.99k TtC 11L TtC 12L TtC 17L TtC 21L TtC 24L Time to Climb LOW+1 4545ft 4500ft 4350ft 4285ft 4250ft Time to Climb LOW+2 5090ft 5000ft 4700ft 4570ft 4500ft Time to Climb LOW+3 5635ft 5500ft 5050ft 4855ft 4750ft Time to Climb LOW+4 6180ft 6000ft 5400ft 5140ft 5000ft Time to Climb LOW+5 6725ft 6500ft 5750ft 5425ft 5250ft Time to Climb LOW+6 7270ft 7000ft 6100ft 5710ft 5500ft Time to Climb LOW+7 7815ft 7500ft 6450ft 5995ft 5750ft Time to Climb LOW+8 8360ft 8000ft 6800ft 6280ft 6000ft Time to Climb LOW+9 8905ft 8500ft 7150ft 6565ft 6250ft Time to Climb LOW+10 9450ft 9000ft 7400ft 6850ft 6500ft Time to Climb LOW+11 9500ft 7750ft 7135ft 6750ft Time to Climb LOW+12 8100ft 7420ft 7000ft Time to Climb LOW+13 8450ft 7705ft 7250ft Time to Climb LOW+14 8800ft 7990ft 7500ft Time to Climb LOW+15 9150ft 8275ft 7750ft Time to Climb LOW+16 9500ft 8560ft 8000ft Time to Climb LOW+17 8845ft 8250ft Time to Climb LOW+18 9130ft 8500ft Time to Climb LOW+19 9415ft 8750ft Time to Climb LOW+20 9700ft 9000ft Time to Climb LOW+21 9250ft Time to Climb LOW+22 9500ft Time to Climb LOW+23 9750ft

MED 10.00 to 15.99k TtC 4M TtC 6M TtC 7M TtC 8M TtC 9M TtC 10M TtC 13M Time to Climb MED+1 11500ft 11000ft 10850ft 10750ft 10666ft 10600ft 10460ft Time to Climb MED+2 13000ft 12000ft 11700ft 11500ft 11230ft 11200ft 10920ft Time to Climb MED+3 14500ft 13000ft 12550ft 12250ft 12000ft 11800ft 11380ft Time to Climb MED+4 14000ft 13400ft 13000ft 12666ft 12400ft 11840ft Time to Climb MED+5 15000ft 14250ft 13750ft 13230ft 13000ft 12300ft Time to Climb MED+6 15100ft 14500ft 14000ft 13600ft 12760ft Time to Climb MED+7 15250ft 14666ft 14200ft 13220ft Time to Climb MED+8 15230ft 14800ft 13680ft Time to Climb MED+9 15400ft 14140ft Time to Climb MED+10 14600ft Time to Climb MED+11 15060ft Time to Climb MED+12 15520ft

MED 10.00 to 15.99k TtC 15M TtC 16M TtC 18M TtC 20M TtC 30M Time to Climb MED+1 10400ft 10375ft 10333ft 10300ft 10200ft Time to Climb MED+2 10800ft 10750ft 10666ft 10600ft 10400ft Time to Climb MED+3 11200ft 11125ft 11000ft 10900ft 10600ft Time to Climb MED+4 11600ft 11500ft 11333ft 11200ft 10800ft Time to Climb MED+5 12000ft 11875ft 11666ft 11500ft 11000ft Time to Climb MED+6 12400ft 12250ft 12000ft 11800ft 11200ft Time to Climb MED+7 12800ft 12625ft 12333ft 12100ft 11400ft Time to Climb MED+8 13200ft 13000ft 12666ft 12400ft 11600ft Time to Climb MED+9 13600ft 13375ft 13000ft 12700ft 11800ft Time to Climb MED+10 14000ft 13750ft 13333ft 13000ft 12000ft Time to Climb MED+11 14400ft 14125ft 13666ft 13300ft 12200ft Time to Climb MED+12 14800ft 14500ft 14000ft 13600ft 12400ft Time to Climb MED+13 15200ft 14875ft 14333ft 13900ft 12600ft Time to Climb MED+14 15600ft 15250ft 14666ft 14200ft 12800ft Time to Climb MED+15 15625ft 15000ft 14500ft 13000ft Time to Climb MED+16 15333ft 14800ft 13200ft Time to Climb MED+17 15666ft 15100ft 13400ft Time to Climb MED+18 15400ft 13600ft Time to Climb MED+19 15700ft 13800ft Time to Climb MED+20 14000ft Time to Climb MED+21 14200ft Time to Climb MED+22 14400ft Time to Climb MED+23 14600ft Time to Climb MED+24 14800ft Time to Climb MED+25 15000ft Time to Climb MED+26 15200ft Time to Climb MED+27 15400ft Time to Climb MED+28 15600ft Time to Climb MED+29 15800ft

HIGH 16.00 to 18.99k TtC 4H TtC 5H TtC 6H TtC 10H TtC 15H TtC 20H Time to Climb HIGH+1 16750ft 16600ft 16500ft 16300ft 16200ft 16150ft Time to Climb HIGH+2 17500ft 17200ft 17000ft 16600ft 16400ft 16300ft Time to Climb HIGH+3 18250ft 17800ft 17500ft 16900ft 16600ft 16450ft Time to Climb HIGH+4 18400ft 18000ft 17200ft 16800ft 16600ft Time to Climb HIGH+5 18500ft 17500ft 17000ft 16750ft Time to Climb HIGH+6 17800ft 17200ft 16900ft Time to Climb HIGH+7 18100ft 17400ft 17050ft Time to Climb HIGH+8 18400ft 17600ft 17200ft Time to Climb HIGH+9 18700ft 17800ft 17350ft Time to Climb HIGH+10 18000ft 17500ft Time to Climb HIGH+11 18200ft 17650ft Time to Climb HIGH+12 18400ft 17800ft Time to Climb HIGH+13 18600ft 17950ft Time to Climb HIGH+14 18800ft 18100ft Time to Climb HIGH+15 18250ft Time to Climb HIGH+16 18400ft Time to Climb HIGH+17 18550ft Time to Climb HIGH+18 18700ft Time to Climb HIGH+19 18850ft

VH 19.00 to 22.0k TtC 4VH TtC 5VH TtC 15VH TtC 20VH Time to Climb VH+1 19250ft 19200ft 19200ft 19100ft Time to Climb VH+2 19500ft 19400ft 19400ft 19200ft Time to Climb VH+3 19750ft 19600ft 19600ft 19300ft Time to Climb VH+4 19800ft 19800ft 19400ft Time to Climb VH+5 20000ft 19500ft Time to Climb VH+6 20200ft 19600ft Time to Climb VH+7 20400ft 19700ft Time to Climb VH+8 20600ft 19800ft Time to Climb VH+9 20800ft 19900ft Time to Climb VH+10 21000ft 20000ft Time to Climb VH+11 21200ft 20100ft Time to Climb VH+12 21400ft 20200ft Time to Climb VH+13 21600ft 20300ft Time to Climb VH+14 21800ft 20400ft Time to Climb VH+15 20500ft Time to Climb VH+16 20600ft Time to Climb VH+17 20700ft Time to Climb VH+18 20800ft Time to Climb VH+19 20900ft

German Scout Aircraft Availability Matrix Jasta Month Halb D.II Alb D.II Alb D.III Alb D.V 1, 3, 4, 5, 12 March 1-2 3-7 8-10 – B March – 1-6 7-10 – 11, 30 March 1-7 8-10 – – B, 33 April – 1-5 7-10 – All other Jasta April 1 2-5 6-10 – All Jasta May – 1-2 3-8 9-10

Roll 1D10 for flight type

Jasta Flight Size D10 Result: 1 2-3 4-5 6-7 8-9 10 # of Aircraft: 1* 2 3 4 5 6 * = Single aircraft will use individual ace pilot from unit (Rating 0 to +5)

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