Dogfights- RAF Aircraft

The following attributes break down an Aircraft’s abilities into game statistic useful for dogfights:

-Length and Wingspan are simply self-explanatory descriptors of an Aircraft’s size.

-Crew describes how many persons the Aircraft requires to function at peak efficiency. Any crew position listing two different jobs divided by a slash (such as Bombardier/Rear Gunner) designates the position performs two vital jobs both of which are performed at their assigned station within the aircraft.

-Movement, given as both miles and kilometers per hour, is the absolute top speed of the aircraft. If movement needs to be represented by a dice pool for a chase between aircraft, simply divide the Movement by 10 and round down to generate the dice pool.

-Handling measures an aircraft’s performance in speed, maneuverability, and ease of piloting. The Handling attribute contributes to most actions undertaken by an aircraft’s pilot, and black dice pools of enemy gunners targeting the aircraft.

-Health represents how much punishment an aircraft can take before it loses its ability to remain in the sky or dissolves into a fireball of metal. Its Armor Value declares the aircraft’s ability to shrug off incoming enemy fire, whether from thick armor, redundant systems, or self-sealing fuel tanks.

-Armament lists the weaponry available for fending off or attacking enemy aircraft. Each weapon’s descriptions starts with the crew position operating it, followed by the number of identical weapons linked to fire during a single attack, the weapons’ name, the weapon’s location, and finally, the damage dice for all the linked weapons combined. A successful attack with a spitfire’s 8x .303 Browning machine guns (20) does not roll 20 dice 8 times for damage. The damage dice already factor the linked weapons in their total.

The explosive shells fired by cannons devastate even the hardiest of aircraft armors. The “AP” following the number of a cannon’s damage dice stands for Armor Piercing. For every point of Armor Piercing a Weapon possesses, it bypasses a point of an aircraft’s Armor Value.

For the sake of clarity and simplicity, limits of range and ammunition have been ignored in Aircraft’s Armaments due to the tremendous speeds, distances, and constant repositioning inherent to aerial combat. The Gamemaster may rule an aircraft runs out of ammunition or flies beyond their range at their discretion.

-Ordinance numbers the payloads carried by bombers. Obviously, each bomb may be dropped only once. 

For each 500lbs worth of bomb weight (rounded down) dropped during a Drop Bomb action, the bombardier adds 2 dice to their pool.  For large or particularly well-entrenched targets, the Gamemaster may require multiple successful hits for complete destruction. Some fighters may be fitted with bombs at a penalty to their Handling. These fighters have an Optional Ordinance listed followed by their Handling penalty.

Boulton Paul Defiant

Length: 35 ft

Wingspan: 39 ft

Crew: 2 (Pilot, Rear Gunner)

Movement: 304 mph (489 km/h)

Handling: +1

Health: 18

Armor Value: 3

Armament:

Rear Gunner- 4x .303 Browning machine guns in dorsal turret (12)

Bristol Blenheim (RAF fighter/ light bomber)

Length: 42 ft

Wingspan: 56 ft

Crew: 3 (Pilot, Wireless Operator, Navigator/Bombardier)

Speed: 265 mph (428 km/h)

Handling: +1

Health: 24

Armor: 4

Armament:

Pilot- 1x .303 Browning machine gun in Port Wing (6)

Bombardier- 2x .303 Browning machine guns rear (8)

Wireless Operator- 2x .303 in Browning machine guns in dorsal turret (8)

Ordinance:

4x 250 lb bombs

Hurricane Mk II (RAF Fighter)

Length: 32 ft

Wingspan: 40 ft

Crew: 1 (Pilot/Bombardier)

Movement: 330 Mph (531 km/h)

Handling: +3

Health: 18

Armor Value: 3

Armament:

Pilot- 4 x Hispano Mk II cannon (15 AP5)

Optional Ordinance:

2x 500 lb bombs (-2 Handling)

Spitfire Mk I (RAF Fighter)

Length: 29 ft

Wingspan: 36 ft

Crew:  1 (Pilot)

Movement: 360 Mph (579 km/h)

Handling: +5

Health: 12

Armor Value: 1

Armament:

Pilot- 8x .303 Browning machine guns in wings (20)

That’s the RAF sorted. Next week, it's the opposition