FOKKER FODDER: Rules for dogfights with World War One model aeroplanes. Original rules created by Les Ward, developed by Chris Nicole, demonstrated and played by Humberside Wargames Society. When we wrote these rules we wanted to produce a simple World War One air combat game to use as a participation game at conventions, and to run as a campaign game at the club. So the rules had to be simple to explain and play, but also give the feel of Western Front dogfights. As this was going to be a participation game we had already decided to use 1/72 scale aircraft on an 8 foot by 6 foot board. The game has ended up being very playable. The rules are a bit deadly, as we intended that a participation game shouldn t go on too long. With four to six players it is possible to set up, play the game and clear away in a hour. We recommend the game to any wargames club as an easy one to introduce to new players, something to interest the members who have modelling skills, and a popular game to play at the start of a wargames session, while club members are waiting for others to turn up. We also suggest how you can run a campaign. Feel free to experiment with these rules, ignore bits that you don't like, add extra rules and options. But remember, we've spent a lot of time getting the balance right with long sessions of playtesting. So have fun, and here's hoping that your ace pilot never spins into the ground! Sequence Of Play For Each Round: 1 Initiative Each player adds together their plane s height band, current speed and the score of 1D6. Aces add +1 to the dice score, superaces add +2. If two or more players have the same total score, they each dice again to determine order of movement between them, lowest score going first. Note that a plane s acceleration for the round is added after initiative has been determined during that plane's movement phase. 2 Spinning aircraft move first These stay in the same square and lose 4 height bands. If they fall to height band 0 (or below!) then they have spun into the ground and are destroyed. A spinning aircraft may not fire at any other aircraft (the crew have other things to worry about.) After you have made your spin move, you can attempt to recover from the spin. Throw 1D6 and if you score 4+ (aces 3+, superaces 2+) you have recovered from the spin. If you recover from a spin, your plane can face any direction you choose. If you fail to recover from a spin, your plane continues spinning next turn. 3 Gliding aircraft move Gliding planes have 5 mp and turn C (or worse). They must lose at least 1 height band each round (this gives them a minimum of 6 mp.) If there are two or more gliders, then they dice between themselves to determine order of movement. 4 Other aircraft move All remaining planes move and manoeuvre, in the order of their initiative total, lowest scores moving first. Exception; If one aircraft is tailing another, then the tailing aircraft moves immediately after the aircraft being tailed. See tailing. 5 Shooting After all aircraft have moved, planes with a valid target in their arc of fire may attempt to fire any available guns at the target. See shooting. The effects of shooting are simultaneous. So, even if you destroy an enemy aircraft, he may still have fired back at you! 6 Control panel Surviving planes record any changes in height, adjust their current speed and note damage status and ammunition used on their 'control panel'. 7 Start the next round.

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