Crimson Skies (WizKids)

Crimson Skies (WizKids) Rulebook

Table of Contents

Introduction

Crimson Skies: Air Action is a fast-paced game of tabletop aerial combat played with collectable Crimson Skies figures. Each figure is painted, assembled, and ready to play! All the game information you need is contained on the base of the figure and within its unique combat dial.

Some terms in these rules are printed in italics. These terms are described in the "Crimson Skies: Air Action Glossary" (at the end of this document).

Pilot and Plane

Take a look at the pilot and his or her plane. Although the plane is important, it's the pilot who makes the difference. Figures are uniquely identified by their pilots. In addition to the plane figure, you'll notice all the game information on the base of the playing piece. You won't need any charts or tables to play the Crimson Skies: Air Action game. All the information you need is right on the base. Notice how the base moves. Click the base and you'll see that the numbers in the L-shaped slot change. As your plane takes damage during the game, you'll turn, or click, the combat dial clockwise to show damage. The new numbers are used to determine the success or failure of your maneuvers and attacks.

See how some of the numbers appear in colored blocks? Those are skills of the pilot and equipment of the plane. Skills and equipment are the little things that give your pilots an edge over the competition or make one plane better than another in a certain category. Check out the Crimson Skies: Air Action Skills and Equipment Card to see what the colors mean.

All skills and equipment are in effect as long as they appear in the stat slot. If a skill or equipment is marked as optional, it is in effect unless it is canceled. You may cancel one of your figure's skills or equipment at any time, in which case it remains canceled until the end of the turn. At the beginning of the next turn, whether yours or your opponent's, this optional effect "reactivates."

You'll also notice a spindle next to the L-shaped window. This is the speed dial. It tells you how fast your plane is going. It also provides other information, which will be described later. Just like the combat dial, the speed dial has colored squares on it indicating speed effects that limit the pilot's abilities. The individual speed effects are described in detail on the Skills and Equipment Card.

There are also other pieces of information on the base (point value, collector's number, squadron symbol, pilot name, current speed on the speed dial, and front and rear gunnery effects shown on the speed dial).

The base has seven combat values on it. Four of these values (the ones on the combat dial) can change during the game: maximum speed, front gunnery, rear gunnery, and piloting. The fifth, sixth, and seventh values are silhouette, front gunnery range, and rear gunnery range, which never change and are printed on the base. Each value appears next to its symbol.

Take a look at the spindle, or speed dial. There are times when a pilot needs to speed up or slow down to make the plane execute a maneuver. To increase a plane's speed, click the speed dial counterclockwise; this is called throttling up. To decrease a plane's speed, click the dial clockwise; this is called throttling down. The speed dial tells you how far your plane must move each turn and the effect the current speed will have on the pilot's gunnery skills.

Pilot Checks

During the game, your success or failure rests in the capable hands of your planes' pilots. A pilot check is used to see if your pilot is skilled or lucky enough to perform an assigned task.

To make a pilot check, roll 2 six-sided dice, add them together, and compare the result to the piloting value shown on your plane's combat dial. If the result is greater than or equal to the piloting value, the pilot check is successful. If the result is less than the plane's piloting value, the pilot check is unsuccessful. The consequences of failing a pilot check range from minor to catastrophic. The reason for performing the check will dictate the consequences in each case.

Create a Squadron

All players in the game should agree on a build total for each player's squadron. Build totals are always in multiples of 100 points. A standard Crimson Skies game is played with a build total of 200 points, so each player will have a 200-point squadron. Select planes that add up to, but do not exceed, the agreed-upon build total. You may not have two or more planes flown by the same pilot in your squadron. It is okay if one of your figures also appears in opposing squadrons during a game.

Hit the Skies!

Clear a 3' x 3' area to represent the wild blue yonder that you and your opponent will use for the engagement. Turn the combat dial of each of your planes until a green triangle shows between the rear gunnery value and the piloting value. This green triangle is your plane's starting position. Each player rolls 2 six-sided dice. Reroll ties. The player with the highest roll is the first player. The first player places each of his or her planes on a movement marker no more than 3" away from his or her edge of the play area. After the first player is finished placing all of his or her planes, the player to his or her left does the same thing. Continue placing planes around the play area until all players have placed their planes.

Place all your navigation cards and movement markers in a pile to one side. You'll use these to plan and execute your moves during the game. Crimson Skies is played in a series of turns. On each of your turns, you'll get to do several things. Most of the time, you and your opponent will alternate actions, but sometimes you'll both act at the same time. In this way, you're never far from the action!

Determine Initiative

The player with initiative is the aggressor for the turn. The aggressor sets the speeds of his or her planes first, places navigation cards next to his or her planes first, and shoots first. At the beginning of each turn, determine initiative by having each player roll 2 six-sided dice and add the results. Reroll ties. The player with the highest total has won initiative and is the aggressor.

Set Throttle

Now set your speed. Speed determines which planes move first and which maneuvers your pilot can perform.

At the start of the game, set the speed of each of your planes to any value on their speed dials. Rotate the speed dial until the speed you want is showing. This is the plane's current speed. Once you start playing, you can safely throttle up or throttle down only one click each turn, so you'll need to plan ahead. Managing your speed is one of the keys to victory! You may not turn the speed dial past the red line on the dial.

You may make a pilot check to see if your pilot can throttle up or throttle down two clicks in a turn. If the pilot check succeeds, you may change the speed dial by two clicks. If the pilot check fails, the speed cannot be changed this turn, and give the plane 1 click of damage by turning the combat dial clockwise once.

After all speeds have been set, resolve which planes move first by determining which planes are moving the fastest. To do this, start counting down from ten—one number at a time—until a player announces that he or she has a plane set at the announced speed. Planes at the announced speed are active planes. All other planes are inactive planes. Players with one or more active planes then prepare to move those planes.

Now you need to plan your move. Take a look at your deck of navigation cards. Each player has his or her own deck. The twelve cards in the basic deck are two Cruises, two Glides, two Turns, two Tight Turns, one Snap Roll, one Side-Slip, one Wingover, and one Half Loop. If you are using one or more Ace planes with their own navigation cards (for example, Loyle Crawford or Charlotte Steele from Ace Pack 1), you may add to your basic deck two additional navigation cards corresponding to each of the Aces used in your squadron.

Navigation cards show one or more flight paths, and represent maneuvers a plane can perform. Each increment of the flight path is represented by an octagon-shaped movement marker. When you move a plane, place movement markers on the play area in the sequence shown on the navigation card to complete your maneuver.

The card you select for each turn is based on your pilot's current speed. Your speed must equal or exceed the speed rating on the navigation card you select. The speed rating is shown on the navigation card beneath the speed symbol. Plan your move by selecting a navigation card and placing it pointing directly toward your plane, face down. For a card with multiple flight paths, place the card pointing to the left, right, or directly toward your plane to indicate the path you have chosen.

If you have more than one plane moving at the announced speed, select a navigation card for each plane. Each active plane must have its own navigation card. When a new speed is announced, reconstruct your deck by adding to it the navigation cards used for the previously announced speed.

Movement

Once all players have selected navigation cards for their active planes, it's time to resolve the movement.

Starting with the aggressor, each player reveals his or her navigation cards and states the maneuvers his or her active pilots will perform. Before each active pilot may execute a maneuver, however, players must check the speed dials of their active planes to determine if there are any speed effects present or if the pilot is redlining the engine.

If a speed effect occurs in the maximum speed location on the speed dial, resolve this effect as indicated in the speed effect description on the Skills and Equipment Card. Modify the active plane's speed and take any necessary clicks of damage as indicated by the speed effect.

Check an active plane's current speed on the speed dial against the maximum speed on its combat dial. If a plane's current speed exceeds its maximum speed, the pilot is redlining the engine. Make a pilot check for each pilot who is redlining the engine. If the check is successful, your pilot manages to maintain his or her current speed. If the pilot check is unsuccessful, give the plane 1 click of damage by turning the combat dial clockwise once, and turn the speed dial until the plane's speed matches its maximum speed as listed on the plane's combat dial.

Once speeds have been checked, players move their active planes at the same time. Using movement markers, lay out your plane's movement based on the flight path shown on its navigation card. Your plane will proceed to the point on the maneuver equal to its current speed. If your plane's current speed is faster than the highest number shown on the flight path, your plane ends its movement on the highest number on the flight path. Place your plane on the final movement marker of its flight path and pick up the rest of the markers.

During a move, if any part of one of your plane's movement markers overhangs the boundary of the play area, the plane is considered to have left the engagement. Remove this plane from the game; it cannot reenter the game.

Collisions with Other Planes

While completing a maneuver, the movement markers of opposing planes are permitted to overlap. If two or more planes end their maneuvers with their final movement markers overlapping, however, a collision is possible. A plane can collide with other planes only once during a single maneuver. Planes in your squadron that share the same squadron symbol cannot collide with each other.

If your plane completes its maneuver overlapping the final movement marker of an opposing plane, players make pilot checks for the overlapping planes. If a pilot's check fails, give that plane 1 click of damage.

If any pilot check is a critical failure (a roll with a total of 2), a serious collision has occurred. Give each plane involved in the collision 1 click of damage and see if any plane has been destroyed. If so, remove the destroyed plane from play. If not, give each plane another 1 click of damage, and check again to see if any are destroyed. Repeat this process until only one plane involved in the collision remains in play, or all planes involved in the collision are simultaneously destroyed with the same 1 click of damage.

Once any collisions resolve, combat occurs.

Combat

Each plane may take a shot once during a turn. After moving, check to see if an opposing plane is within range. If so, your pilot may take a shot.

Firing Arcs

To determine if a target is within range of the front firing arc of your plane, check its range value. The range value is the number of movement markers at which your pilot can shoot an opposing target. Place a number of movement markers equal to the range of the plane within the firer's weapon arc. If the markers overlap an opposing plane's final movement marker, you may shoot at the target. If the markers overlap the movement marker of another plane besides the target, the shot is not blocked.

A plane with a non-0 rear gunnery value has a rear gunner and weapons that can fire through the rear arc of the plane. An active plane with both non-0 front and non-0 rear gunnery values can take a shot with both weapons each turn. The player must choose which weapon to use for a shot at a single target. When it is the player's turn to take another shot, he or she may choose to take a shot with the weapon not already used this turn.

The rear firing arc of a target plane is also used to determine if another plane gets a bonus to fire at it. If a plane is attacking a target plane from behind, and the entire movement marker of the firing plane is within the rear arc pattern of the target plane, add one attack die to the attack roll.

Resolving a Shot

Once all active planes have moved, the aggressor selects one of his or her active planes to take a shot at a single target. First, determine whether the active plane has any gunnery speed effects at the current speed. If it does, resolve this speed effect as indicated in the speed effect description on the Skills and Equipment Card. Modify your gunnery value and the target's silhouette value if necessary, as indicated in the speed effect.

To resolve a shot, roll a number of attack dice equal to your pilot's gunnery skill modified by his or her gunnery effects on the speed dial. If your target is within one movement marker of the firing plane, reduce the target's silhouette value by 1. If your target's modified silhouette value is greater than 6, its silhouette is considered to be 6. If an attack die result is greater than or equal to the modified silhouette value of the target plane, you got a hit! Your opponent must click the target's combat dial clockwise once for each hit.

When three bullet hole symbols appear on a plane's combat dial, stop applying hits to it. This plane has been shot down. Remove it from the game.

Some planes have special weapons and ammo. Check the Crimson Skies Skills and Equipment Card for these additional special effects.

Continue resolving attacks one plane at a time clockwise among players until every active plane has fired or passed the opportunity to fire.

Once combat is resolved for the active planes, continue play by announcing the next lowest speed value. Reconstruct your deck, place navigation cards, move active planes, resolve any collisions, and take shots for these active planes before proceeding to the next speed value. Once all planes have had the chance to move and fire, the turn is over. Determine initiative, and all players set their pilots' speeds for the next turn as previously described under "Set Throttle."

Obstacles

In Crimson Skies, planes can battle each other high above the clouds or get down and dirty close to the deck! Wherever you choose to conduct your dogfights, there may be large objects you must avoid running into, called obstacles. Some examples of obstacles are buildings, mountains, and zeppelins.

The use of obstacles is optional and must be agreed upon by all players. Obstacles block a plane from taking a shot at a target. If a movement marker overlaps an obstacle when determining range to a target, then the shot is blocked and may not be made.

A collision with an obstacle means destruction for all but the most talented pilots. A plane has collided with an obstacle when one of its movement markers overlaps an obstacle at any time during a maneuver. If a collision occurs with an obstacle, stop the maneuver and resolve the collision. To resolve the collision, make a pilot check for the colliding plane. If the pilot check is successful, the plane takes 1 click of damage. If the pilot check is unsuccessful, the plane takes clicks of damage equal to its current speed.

If the plane is not destroyed, rotate its last movement marker 180 degrees and slide the marker forward such that it is no longer overlapping the obstacle. Reduce the plane's current speed by 1, and its maneuver is over.

Ending the Game

The game ends when any of the following conditions is met:

Only one player still has pilots on the play area. Pilots with the Shaken skill showing do not count for this purpose; OR
A predetermined time limit for the game is reached; OR
All remaining players agree to end the game.

Victory!

At the end of the game, all players tally their victory points. Whoever scores the most victory points wins the game. Here is how you score victory points.

Each opposing plane that is shot down by a shot from one of your pilots is worth a number of victory points to you equal to twice the opposing plane's point value. These points are scored as soon as a plane is shot down.
Each opposing plane that is removed from the play area by another means (moving off of the play area, collisions, failed speed effects, for instance) is worth a number of victory points to you equal to the plane's point value.
Each of your friendly planes that remains on the play area at the end of the game is worth a number of victory points to you equal to the planes' point values. If all of your figures are Shaken, however, add no points.

To summarize, your victory point total = (shot down opposing plane points times 2) + (enemy planes removed from play) + (remaining friendly plane points).

If the victory point totals of two or more players tie, the winner is the player who shot down the most planes. If this total is tied as well, the winner is the player who built his or her squadron with the fewest build points. If this total is also tied, roll a six-sided die to determine who wins.

After the game, all players retrieve their planes.

Disengaging

During your turn, before the game ends, you may flee the sky. Some call this disengaging. Real pilots use less-friendly words.

You must announce that you are disengaging. When disengaging, all your remaining planes must fly off the play area. None of your pilots may take a shot when disengaging. When moving your planes, you may choose only Cruise or Glide navigation cards. Once all your planes have left the play area, the game ends.

Score victory points as normal for a game in which you disengage. Remember, you score no points for friendly planes remaining in the play area if you end the game by disengaging.

Using Crimson Skies: Aces Characters in the Crimson Skies: Air Action Game

The Aces from the Crimson Skies: Aces game can be used when playing Crimson Skies—Air Action. A plane flown by an Ace is even more powerful than before!

If using Aces in a game, the build total for each player's squadron should be at least 300 points. If your squadron contains a plane that has a corresponding Ace figure, you may use the Ace as a pilot of his or her plane. When selecting your squadron, count the point value of the Ace figure in addition to the point value of his or her plane.

During the game, keep your Ace figure off the play area but close by in order to refer to its combat dial. In Crimson Skies: Air Action, only the attack value and fate value on the combat dial of the Ace is used. Talents and abilities listed on the Ace combat dial do not apply.

Fate

Your character is destined for greatness. The fate value of your Ace indicates how important he or she is or just how lucky he or she is. Using fate can save your Ace's skin, but it's not free.

Fate may be used either offensively or defensively. At the end of an action in which you use fate, click the combat dial of your Ace clockwise once. Each Ace can use fate only once per turn.

To use fate offensively, declare that you are using fate prior to taking a shot. Add a number of attack dice to the roll equal to your Ace's fate value.

For example, Loyle Crawford takes a shot against a plane with a silhouette value of 5. Loyle decides that it's very important that he hits, and hits well. His attack value is 3 and his fate value is 3, so he rolls six dice and counts his hits normally. After resolving the shot, click Loyle's Ace combat dial clockwise one click for using fate.

To use fate defensively, declare that you're using fate after the shot on your Ace's plane has been rolled. Your Ace's fate value must be greater than 0 to use fate defensively. Fate prevents all hits unless the hit rolled is a natural six. Using fate cannot prevent taking a natural six hit. At the end of the action in which fate is used, click the combat dial of your Ace clockwise once.

For example, "Charlie" Steele's plane has a silhouette value of 4. Her opponent takes a shot at her, rolling 4, 4, 5, and 6 for a total of four hits! Instead of taking all these hits, Charlie uses her fate value of 2 defensively to prevent three of the hits; the 6 hit cannot be prevented by fate. Charlie clicks her plane's combat dial clockwise one click. After the action is resolved, Charlie's Ace combat dial is clicked clockwise once for using fate.

Fate can also be used defensively to allow an Ace to avoid a serious collision. If your Ace is involved in a collision in which any pilot rolls a critical failure on his or her pilot check, you can use fate to have the Ace avoid all collision damage to his or her plane. If only two planes were involved in the collision, the collision is completely avoided. Otherwise, determine damage to the other planes as normal.

If an Ace has a fate value of 0, he or she may still use fate offensively. Doing so will have no effect on the number of dice rolled, but you still give the Ace's combat dial a clockwise click. In this manner, you can get your Ace to a point on the dial where his or her fate value is greater than 0.

Performing a Daring Feat

An Ace figure may have an opportunity to perform a daring feat. Daring feats range from the mundane (pulling a handgun from a flight jacket and taking a shot at a nearby plane) to the extraordinary (wing walking and throwing an enemy pilot from his or her plane).

After making a move, if an Ace's final movement marker is overlapping the final movement marker of an opposing plane and there is no collision, the Ace can attempt a daring feat. To attempt a daring feat, roll 2 six-sided dice and add the Ace's attack value. Compare the total result to the Daring Feat table below to determine the outcome.

Daring Feat Table

Modified Dice Roll	Result
2-8	Missed Opportunity: No effect.
9-12	Winged 'Em: Small arms fire deals 1 click of damage to target plane.
13-14	Timely Distraction: The enemy plane's next navigation card must be chosen at random. Alternatively, treat this result as Winged 'Em feat, instead.
15+	Enjoy the Ride: If your Ace has a rear gunnery value of 0, or chooses not to perform this feat, treat this result as a Timely Distraction. Otherwise, he or she may choose to wing walk across to the enemy plane, throw the enemy pilot from his or her plane (bail out value of 6; see "Bailing Out," below), and gain control of the enemy plane. Use the current combat values of the enemy plane. The Ace figure now exists in the commandeered plane. Enemy planes with associated Aces are not affected by Enjoy the Ride; treat this result as a Timely Distraction, instead.

Playing a Crimson Skies: Air Action Campaign

Crimson Skies can be played in a Campaign setting that allows pilots to gain experience and increase in skill. Even when their planes are shot down, pilots can attempt to bail out and survive to fly another day! Check out our website at www.wizkidsgames.com for exciting scenarios depicting Campaign play.

All Crimson Skies planes can be played at multiple experience levels. To start a Campaign, begin with a squadron of planes, with each pilot at the Rookie experience level.

Gaining Experience

In addition to the normal victory conditions in Crimson Skies: Air Action, pilots in a Campaign game gain experience for their heroic activities in the game.

Pilots collect experience for shooting down enemy planes, surviving serious collisions, performing daring feats, and successfully bailing out. Gaining experience allows pilots to acquire new skills and better equipment for their planes. These features are depicted on the combat dials of the planes.

For a pilot to advance to the next level, he or she must accumulate experience equal to one hundred times the value of the pilot's experience multiplier. For example, a Veteran needs to accumulate 400 experience points (experience multiplier of 4 times 100) to advance to Ace. Record and accumulate experience for each game the pilot participates in.

Pilots gain experience points as follows:

Each enemy plane that is shot down by the pilot's shot earns 100 experience points.
Successfully bailing out earns 25 experience points.
Remaining on the play area at the end of a game and winning the game earns 25 experience points.
Performing a Winged 'Em daring feat earns 10 experience points.
Performing a Timely Distraction daring feat earns 15 experience points.
Performing an Enjoy the Ride daring feat earns 50 experience points, plus 100 points as if the commandeered plane were shot down.

Bailing Out

Even when his or her plane has taken a beating, a Crimson Skies pilot can still attempt to bail out in order survive and continue participating in future Campaign games.

When a plane is shot down in a Campaign game, the extent of the plane's destruction dictates how difficult it is to successfully bail out. Every click of the combat dial that shows three bullet holes has a corresponding bail out value.

If three bullet holes appear in the stat slot of a plane in a Campaign game, continue assigning clockwise clicks to the target plane until all hits have been assigned or until the black structural limit line appears on the combat dial of the plane.

The pilot of the plane that is shot down gets a chance to bail out. To bail out, roll 2 six-sided dice and compare the total to the pilot's bail out value. If the result is greater than or equal to the bail out value, the pilot has successfully bailed out of his or her plane and survives the battle. Otherwise, the pilot perishes in a burning wreck. Do not continue accumulating experience for this pilot.

The pilot's experience level will affect his or her chance of successfully bailing out. Apply the following modifiers to bail out rolls made by pilots at the following levels:

Veteran and Ace pilots: add 1
Double Ace pilot: add 2
Legend pilot: add 3

Heroic Acts

You may choose to have your pilot perform a final heroic act as he or she bails out. These acts make bailing out more difficult, but gain experience points for the pilot if the bail out is successful.

Before making a bail out roll, a pilot may choose any one of the following heroic acts to perform:

Grabbing one memento: add 1 to the bail out value and gain 25 experience points if successful.
Grabbing two mementos: add 2 to the bail out value and gain 50 experience points if successful.
Piloting the plane to a safe crash site: add 3 to the bail out value and gain 100 experience points if successful.

Crimson Skies Etiquette

Miniatures games lack the restricted environments of board games and card games. This is good because you can use your imagination to develop unique strategies and formations. On the other hand, situations may arise that are not covered by these rules. While we have attempted to write explicit rules, players will eventually disagree about who can do what. To avoid or resolve arguments, we suggest the following points of etiquette.

Players should never spin combat or speed dials during the game unless planes take clicks of damage or are throttled up or down or fate is used. At those times, players should click the dials only the required number of times in the proper direction. In other words, don't click through dials just to see what's coming up. Players should spin only their own units' combat or speed dials—never someone else's, unless asked to do so.
A plane's movement marker serves to note the plane's location on the play area at all times. You will constantly be picking up your planes during a game to adjust their combat dials and execute moves. Be diligent in avoiding nudging movement markers when returning planes to their correct locations.
When planning a move, do not lay out movement markers to determine if a particular maneuver is possible. After all, real pilots must make snap decisions in combat. In the spirit of the game, judge the best maneuver based solely on the diagram on the navigation card and give it a go!
Ambiguous situations will arise. For example, a shot may or may not nick a target plane's movement marker. Players will reasonably disagree in situations like these. In all such instances, roll one six-sided die. On a 1, 2, or 3, the order is not allowed; on a 4, 5, or 6, the order is allowed.

Crimson Skies: Air Action Glossary

active plane: a plane with a current speed equal to the announced speed.
aggressor: the player who sets his or her current speed first, places his or her navigation cards next to his or her planes first, and who shoots first.
bail out: a pilot's attempt to survive when his or her plane is shot down in a Campaign game.
basic deck: the twelve navigation cards required for each player in a Crimson Skies: Air Action game, namely two Cruises, two Glides, two Turns, two Tight Turns, one Snap Roll, one Side-Slip, one Wingover, and one Half Loop.
build total: the limit of the point value of a squadron. This limit can be equaled but not exceeded.
click: a clockwise spin of the combat dial or speed dial resulting in a single audible sound.
combat dial: the rotating disc under a unit's base containing variable combat values.
current speed: the speed value of a plane used for moving this turn.
daring feat: an action performed by an Ace when the movement marker of his or her plane is overlapping the movement marker of an opposing plane.
experience multiplier: the value used to determine the amount of experience a pilot needs to accumulate to advance to the next level.
heroic act: a final deed performed by a pilot after his or her plane is shot down.