BLUE MAX WWII Variant Rules A. Fuel and Endurance 1. Fuel usage is not recorded. Each game ends after a specified number of turns, usually 24 or 36. 2. Aircraft which loose fuel due to damage must mark the final turns of the game (a number equal to the fuel points lost). During these turns maximum speed may not be used. This rule applies only to single engined fighters. B. Ammunition 1. Do not roll for gun jamming, instead record ammunition use for those guns with a limited supply (all fixed mountings). Mark 1 unit for short bursts, 2 for medium and 3 for long. C. Bailing Out 1. Aircraft may not glide. Once all power is lost or the aircraft is fatally damaged the crew must bail out or attempt to crash land. Roll 1D6 for each crewman and consult the following table. Table 1: Crew Bail Out Roll Result 1,2 Crash and burn! 3 Wounded during bail out or crash landing 4,5,6 Bail out OK or land unhurt Die Modifier:- If already wounded -1 D. Gunnery 1. Unless otherwise indicated all aircraft have stability A. 2. Some aircraft have modifiers to their gun factors, e.g. 2F+2, F-1. These should be added to the combat value of any attack they make. 3. Some aircraft have a size modifier which is added to the combat value of any attack against them. 4. The "Attackers Speed" modifier applies to BOTH attacker and target if speed is 4 or 5 (not 3 or 4). 5. Ignore the modifiers for altitude difference, add one hex to the range instead. E. Defensive Weapons 1. Unless otherwise stated observer guns and other defensive weapons always fire short bursts as single guns and have unlimited ammo. 2. Weapons on flexible mounts have stability C, those in turrets have stability B. F. Same Hex Tailing/Combat 1. These two rules are changed so that the FASTER aircraft is deemed to be behind the SLOWER, therefore aircraft with forward firing guns may only fire at slower targets. If both aircraft have the same speed roll a die. 2. This procedure is also used to determine which of a bombers guns can bear on a target in the same hex. 3. If a firer has deflection shooting he may fire at a target whose facing differs by up to 60 degrees from his own, however, a deflection penalty of -3 is applied. G. Damage 1. The roll to extinguish a fire is 6 (5,6 if side slipping). A roll of 1 results in a fuel tank explosion. 2. Roll for a spin due to partial wing or tail damage only if the damage chit is RED. 3. On multi-engined aircraft all damage from a single burst hits the same engine. 4. For damage chits with "No speed 3 or 4 manoeuvres" read instead "No speed 4 or 5 manoeuvres". 5. Players make a saving throw if any "Pilot Killed" chit is drawn. Roll 1D6 and consult the following table. Table 2: Pilot Killed Saving Throw Roll Result 1,2 Killed 3 Wounded fatally (dies after game ends) 4,5 Wounded 6 Grazed, straight manoeuvre next turn 6. A pilot who is wounded is treated as a novice for the rest of the game but retains all special abilities. Any pilot who receives a second wound is treated as killed (and is not allowed to save again). H. Special Abilities 1. The "Stability" and "Jamming" special abilities are not applicable. 2. The "Manoeuvre" ability is changed; a restricted manoeuvre must be preceded by any non-restricted "S" manoeuvre. 3. The "Range" ability is split into two; "Long Range", which reduces range 3 to 2, and "Short Range", which reduces range 2 to 1. 4. The new ability "Quick Reactions" allows a pilot (or gunner) to fire first in any situation where fire is normally simultaneous. Damage to the target is applied before it fires back. 5. The new ability "Miraculous Escape" allows a pilot (or gunner) to cheat death, escape capture by the enemy, survive being lost at sea and generally negate the effects of any event which would permanently remove him from a campaign. A wound is received instead. If the aircraft is shot down at the same time he is assumed to have bailed out successfully. This ability may be used ONLY ONCE per game. I. Miscellaneous Special Rules 1. DIVE BONUS. Some aircraft are allowed a one hex dive bonus. Move the aircraft directly forward one hex before the plotted manoeuvre. The bonus may be declined but this fact must be noted on the plot sheet. 2. ZOOM CLIMB. In the turn before a zoom climb the aircraft must dive at maximum speed. In the next turn it may climb at maximum speed and if it does so may regain maximum altitude, although this would normally be prohibited. An aircraft may not zoom climb if it is prohibited from using maximum speed. 3. SPINNING AIRCRAFT. A spinning aircraft is a difficult target. Same hex combat is not allowed and all fire is considered deflection shooting. 4. LOADED AIRCRAFT. Aircraft loaded with ordnance may not perform restricted manoeuvres and require two turns to accelerate one speed factor. Note the fact that the aircraft is accelerating on the plot sheet on the first turn and increase speed on the next. 5. TWIN ENGINED AIRCRAFT. Apply the following penalties to any twin engined aircraft which loses one engine; maximum speed may not be used, no restricted manoeuvres may be performed, maximum altitude is reduced one level, "L" or "R" manoeuvres to the side with the working engine are prohibited. Ian Clarence (11/4/92)