4 Generals: Multi engine fighter home rules for Blood Red Skies

wtorek, 21 listopada 2023

Multi engine fighter home rules for Blood Red Skies

Though the main air combat rules for single engine fighters in Blood Red Skies I'm finding simple and straightforward, the multiengine ones are rather complicated for me. Additionally, playing with different types of multiengine fighters I found some hooks in the original rules, that could be exploited by the players giving average or poor fighters (as Beaufighter) real super powers (see below).

The optional heavy fighter optional rule looks quite interesting and was in fact a good starting point while thinking about new home rules. Unfortunately I found them not optimal as the heavy fighter are too tough (being operated with single engine working) what is a bit strange to me.

That's why I'd like to share a bit different approach which was tested in our local gaming club for a couple of weeks. The way of thinking was based on heavy fighter rules but a bit ... polished ;). The idea was to make them tougher to break compare to a single engine fighters but not able to operate while damaged.

So the proposition is to treat multiengine fighters exactly in the same way as single fighters (including shot down: after single undodged hit while disadvantaged) with one excetion: for the breaking rule we use the number of engines not the planes.

To make new multiengine fighters more comparable to single fighters in terms of values we'd like to propose some point value corrections. Fortunately in the Masterlist of planes each ability including Agile (that correspond to the original multiengine rules) is priced. So deducting 10pts (for Agile rule) from the main aircraft cost we receive the value of optional multiengine fighter home rules.

To fix the issues with the non Agile multiengine fighter according to the (in original rules those are immune to the Outmaneouvering) we decided to add Sluggish negative trait to all non agile multiengine fighters.

Does it work?

I would say: yes. We tested all main models as: Mosquito, Bf110C, P38 Lighting, Beaufighter Ic, and Whirlwind. The rules give a play balance. The more maneouvering fighters as Lighting or Mosquito are able to to engage at the same conditions as single engine fighters but a bit tougher, while less maneouvering ones need to be boosted by some doctrines (Vertical Separation, Low Altitude Performance) to keep fighting against single fighters. The number of engines as a reference to the breaking point is good enough to simulate toughness of the multiengine fighters.

Polish Multiengine fighter home rules (summary):

Multiengine fighters are treated in the same way as single engine fighters
Breaking point for the multiengine fighter squadron referes to the number fo engines not planes
Non Agile multiengine fighters gain Sluggish negative permanent trait
Cost for Agile multiengine fighters is lower by 10pts compare to original
Cost for non Agile multiengine fighters i lower by 14pts compare to original