World in Flames - Air Combat

Air Combat

Air combats are fought between fighter units from each side or between fighter units and other units, like strategic, naval or tactical bombers. The non-fighter unit types are generally easily destroyed in air-to-air combat, and air-combats are usually fought to hinder the opposing player's non-fighter aircraft in performing a bombing, resupply or paradrop mission. Each side organizes its aircraft units in a sequence of units numbered from first to last. The first unit is called the 'front fighter', even if it is not actually a fighter-type unit. Each air unit has an air-to-air combat factor. If the front fighter is a fighter type-unit, it can increase its combat factor by having other fighter-type air units behind it. At the beginning of each round of air-to-air combat, each side can opt to abort its remaining aircraft and return them to an eligible hex. If there are no fighters present on one side, all remaining non-fighters belonging to the other side are "cleared through" to their targets, that is, are able to reach their targets unhindered. A round of air-to-air combat consists of both sides determining odds by subtracting the opposing side's modified air-to-air combat factor from their own value and summing the rolls of two ten-sided dice. The appropriate odds-column in the air-combat results table is consulted and results implemented. Results include the "clearing through" of enemy aircraft, aborting enemy front fighters or bombers (which are then forced to land on eligible hexes and turn face down), and destroying enemy front fighters or bombers.