Aircraft rule clarification

Hello all,

I am really confused about how aircraft rules work. When a player draws an aircraft chit, the aircraft comes on his next turn on a 5+. I was thinking this was a one-time attack, the aircraft leaving the table after having performed its attack.

But when I read the rules, it seems the opponent can try to shoot down the plane during his turn, what would imply that the plane did not fly away... Do I have to conclude that the plane stays around the battlefield? I think I am missing something...

Thanks in advance.

Louis

The plane stays on the battlefield until it has dropped it's bombs/fired it's rockets, AND completed three successful strafing runs. Failed spotting rolls do not count as a run, of course. The plane can indeed be pinned, and if damaged can fail a Morale roll and leave the table.

Thanks! Could you tell me where I can fine this in the rulebook? Not that I don't believe you but I looked for it a few times....

The one time presence only applies to a timed airstrike.

If you get an aircraft chit and roll high enough, you get a aircraft unit to command that you can give orders to like any other unit. They leave when they are out of munitions, driven off, or shot down.

Rulebook page 58: "An aircraft can be given orders just like any other unit"

And the specific place for the number of times you can shoot is under "Aircraft Weaponry" on page 58 in the hardback main rules. "An aircraft can only fire it's machine guns three times per game, after which out is out of ammo and they cannot be used again." Damaging, shooting down, and running off planes is on page 61.

Just in case, in the softback mini rulebook these rules are on page 50 and 52.

Thanks! This is becoming clearer to me. Two questions though:

- How many bombs does an aircraft use for one attack? Is this to the player to chose? E.g. a P47 with 4 small bombs. Can he chose to make 4 runs with one bomb or 1 run dropping 4?

- regarding AA fire. It is stated that AA fire is always performed at max range. Does it mean that a weapon can fire beyond its listed range? (as an aircraft is flying around and its position on the table is not important)

Thanks in advance.

Louis

Aircraft can drop as many bombs as you wish from its payload. So either is fine.

No range in AA, the aircraft is moving, the crew shoot when/as they can. If an aircraft is on the table (ie has arrived) it can be shot at, as suppressing fire.

Thanks all, now it's all clear!

One very last: if both sides have an aircraft at the same moment on the table, should aircraft be able to shoot at each other with MGs?