Official Aircraft Rework Discussion

[DarkHand]

This thread is meant to exclusively discuss modifying Aerial Units rules and stats to create the closest thing to an an update patch that we can get.

I believe that reworking aircraft will be an effective way to re-balance the game and make the units more useful and exciting. By implementing the WW1 ideas and shifting the power scale, we can see more use for Tactical Bombers while not eliminating Fighters or Strategical Bombers. Hopefully this will see widespread use and implementation.

Modification discussions often become mixed with other ideas and lose their effectiveness, so keep the focus to discussing this new rule set. Please make any suggestions, experience and rewording phrases would be much appreciated. (Mainly intended for G40).

Eventually, I’d love to see the polished version go into an alternate Setup/Rule-book for G40 and other scenarios.

Lets work with these ideas, they seem to be the best.

As stated before in earlier posts:

Unit Stats

• Strategical Bombers can only do SBRs, Cost 10, (act like OOB AAA when attacked)
• Fighters A2/D2, Cost 7
• Tactical Bombers A3/D3, Cost 10
• AAA, cost 4, Involved in Aerial Combat. Roles 1@1 (removed old ability), Hits must be taken by enemy aerial units only. Hits taken to aircraft do not negate their attack. (no more surprise strike like ability) Only roles on defense.

Strategical Bombers are broken and misused. The proper cost needs more analysis.

Fighters and Strategic Bombers play off of each-other more with this configuration. Fighters act as cannon fodder to defend the Strategic bombers. Strategic bombers are the more deadly and effective of the two against other units. Costs also need more analysis. Perhaps fighters cost 6, as much as a tank, and Strategic Bombers cost 9? can we reasonably argue for more air-units appearing in the game because of both the price and power reduction? Are Fighters and Strategic Bombers appropriate in their pricing?

This gives AAA more usability, If a defending player loses all of their aerial units, (or cant afford any) and is suffering from Aerial Superiority, they can still take out enemy aircraft. I would argue that existing AAA would see more use and it takes on a competitive niche to balance the odds against aircraft heavy strategies. low cost and low hit rate seems most balanced.

Aerial Superiority
Fighters and Tactical Bombers gain +1A/1D if the enemy has no Fighters or Tactical Bombers left in the battle. Aircraft and defending AAA join regular ground combat.

“Dogfight”
All Aerial Units roll @1 and the enemy removes the same amount of aircraft. happens before every combat round.

OR

“Aerial Combat Phase”
The battle sequence goes as follows

1. Surprise Strike or Bombardment
2. Aerial Combat Phase/Dogfight
3. Ground or Sea Combat Phase
4. Attacker orders retreat, or repeats from step 1.

At the beginning of every combat round, attacking and defending aerial units engage in their own phase of combat. All attacker and defender aerial units (including defending AAA) roll for hits, attacker first, with the defender removing units, then the defender with their retaliating roll. All hits scored must be taken by opposing aerial units. Continue with this phase for each round of combat until retreat or either side loses all aircraft.

The defender may retreat aircraft, but all units may only move to an adjacent available landing landing space.

Hopefully this all makes sense. I have yet to play test this (or even play regularly really :white_frowning_face: ). This obviously messes up Germany Round 1, and probably hurts Japan, but that’s a good thing, the Axis do need a nerf. I don’t mind desecrating the holy turn 1 if we get a more enjoyable scenario. Call me a heretic :yum:

[DarkHand]

Official problem list:

• Air to air combat is not represented OOB
• Using Strategical Bombers on Naval units is wrong
• Fighters are OP
• Tactical Bombers don’t have room to shine
• AAA are under used

[vodot]

Welcome to the forums, DarkHand! I think you’re on the right track with some of these ideas- have you done a few searches for the existing A/C and other re-balance threads? There are a bunch of them, some absolutely massive, many still active, so calling yours “official” might be a bit of an overreach, but who knows? For example, here’s a thread with literally 1500+ posts that might steady you a bit or give you some inspiration: https://www.axisandallies.org/forums/topic/26089/g40-redesign-currently-taking-suggestions

As for making your own suggestions, playtesting with a dedicated group (enough to figure out the ‘meta’ of a particular HR) is key, so this right here:

@DarkHand said in Official Aircraft Rework Discussion:

I have yet to play test this (or even play regularly really :white_frowning_face: ).

is probably going to be the only limit on what you’re able to come up with. Good luck!