Down in Flames: Locked-On
Down in Flames: Locked-On Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
Locked-On contains the following components:
Campaign Sheets
Details all the information you need to play historical Dogfights!
The Action Cards
You play Action cards from your hand to perform air combat maneuvers with your Aircraft card.
The Aircraft Cards
Your Aircraft card represents your Aircraft in the battle.
Country and Service Year – The flag notes the Aircraft's nation, and the year that the Aircraft entered service. These are used to set-up historical battles.
Aircraft Designation – The Aircraft's military designation.
Speed rating – Having a higher Speed rating than the enemy Aircraft's Speed rating gives you an advantage in combat.
Performance rating - The number of cards in your hand may not exceed your Performance rating when you draw cards during either the Pre-Turn or Post-Turn Draw Cards step.
Pre-Turn Thrust/Afterburners Rating – Draw this number of cards at the start of your turn. Some Aircraft are equipped with Afterburners. Aircraft with Afterburners have a second Thrust number in the top-right corner of each of their boxes. If your Aircraft's Afterburners are On, draw this number of cards instead of your normal Thrust number. If an Aircraft does not have Afterburners, it will have a "-" instead.
Post-Turn Thrust/Afterburners Rating – Draw this number of cards at the end of your turn.
Gun Rating – Reduces the number of Action cards you must discard when performing a Gun attack. Aircraft with a "-" for their Gun rating cannot perform Gun attacks.
EW rating (Electronic Warfare) Rating - Reduces the number of Action cards enemy Missiles draw when targeting your Aircraft.
Countermeasures Rating - The number of Countermeasures counters your Aircraft starts with.
Standard Missile Load - The Missile types and quantities your Aircraft begins with.
Victory Points – Used for balancing missions. Aircraft have 2 Victory Point values and a Victory Point modifier. The top-most value is for the Aircraft without Missiles. The value below the Standard Missile Load is the Aircraft's value when armed with the listed Missiles. Subtract the modifier from the Aircraft's values if none of the opposing Aircraft are equipped with Missiles.
Example: The F-15 is worth 62 VPs without Missiles. When it is carrying a Standard Load of Missiles, it is worth 92 VPs. If none of the enemy Aircraft are equipped with Missiles, reduce the F-15's VP value (with or without Missiles) by 14 VPs. Aircraft's VPs are added up at the beginning of a Dogfight.
Missile Counters
You will use Missile counters to track the type and number of Missiles carried by your Aircraft.
Missile counters are double-sided. One side shows 2 Missiles and indicates that you have 2 Missiles of that type. The other side has only a single Missile, and shows that you only have 1 Missile of that type.
Missile Designation - The military designation for the Missile.
Missile Type - The color band indicates if the Missile is Heat Seeking (Red band), Radar Homing (Black band), or Active Homing (Green band).
Missile Cards (when Neutral) - The number of cards the Missile draws when launched from a Neutral Position.
Missile Cards (when Advantaged) - The number of cards the Missile draws when launched from an Advantaged Position.
Missile Cards (when Tailing) - The number of cards the Missile draws when launched from a Tailing Position.
Missile Value - The Missile value if you are creating a custom Missile loadout for an Aircraft.
Altitude Counters
Use these counters if you are not using the Aircraft Display sheets.
Used to track each Aircraft's Altitude. In order from left to right, they are: High, Medium, and Low.
Use this counter if you are using an Aircraft Display sheet.
Range Counters
Use these counters if you are not using the Aircraft Display sheets.
Used to track each Aircraft's relative Range to other Aircraft. In order from left to right, they are: Gun, Heat Seeking, Radar Homing, and Active Homing.
Countermeasures Counters
Use this counter if you are not using the Aircraft Display sheets.
Afterburner Counters
Used to track an Aircraft's use of its Afterburners. They are double-sided.
Skill Counters
Used to add special combat abilities to your Aircraft cards.
Range
Locked-On uses a relative range system. This measures how far an Aircraft is from the center of the combat air space. When determing the Range between two Aircraft, use the Range of the Aircraft at the longest Range, then add 1 to the Range for each level of Altitude separation.
Any Range beyond Active Homing is considered to be Active Homing.
The Range chart shows, for each Altitude band (High, Medium, Low), where each aircraft sits relative to the four Range bands: Active Homing (AH), Radar Homing (RH), Heat Seeking (HS), and Gun (G).
Range of the F-14 and: A-4 — Active Homing; MiG-21 — Active Homing; Gnat — Active Homing; MiG-25 — Active Homing.
Range of the F-15 and: A-4 — Radar Homing; MiG-21 — Radar Homing; Gnat — Radar Homing; MiG-25 — Active Homing.
Range of the F-4 and: A-4 — Radar Homing; MiG-21 — Radar Homing; Gnat — Active Homing; MiG-25 — Active Homing.
Range of the F-8 and: A-4 — Gun; MiG-21 — Heat Seeking; Gnat — Radar Homing; MiG-25 — Active Homing.
Range of the A-4 and: F-14 — Active Homing; F-15 — Radar Homing; F-4 — Radar Homing; F-8 — Gun.
Range of the MiG-21 and: F-14 — Active Homing; F-15 — Radar Homing; F-4 — Radar Homing; F-8 — Heat Seeking.
Range of the Gnat and: F-14 — Active Homing; F-15 — Radar Homing; F-4 — Active Homing; F-8 — Radar Homing.
Range of the MiG-25 and: F-14 — Active Homing; F-15 — Active Homing; F-4 — Active Homing; F-8 — Active Homing.
Set-Up
Locked-On can easily be played with more than two players and two Aircraft in a dogfight. These rules are written from the point of view of only having two Aircraft for simplicity. To fly a dogfight with more than two Aircraft, see the Optional Rules.
Aircraft Display Sheets
You may use an Aircraft Display sheet to help organize your Aircraft card and counters. Game play is not affected whether Aircraft Display sheets are used or not.
If you use a Display Sheet, place your Aircraft card and counters on this sheet.
Instead of swapping your Altitude and Range counters, you'll instead slide them along their tracks.
Place your Missile, Countermeasures, and Afterburner counters in the designated positions on the Sheet.
Preparing the Cards
Shuffle the Action cards to form a draw deck and place it facedown in the middle of the table.
You and your opponent must agree on a Victory Point (VP) total and year for your battle.
Example: A good introductory battle is between an Argentinian Dagger-A and a United Kingdom Sea Harrier. The Sea Harrier has an advantage in the battle, but this is a good example of how the game plays.
You and your opponent each secretly choose 1 Aircraft card with a VP value and year that does not exceed the agreed upon point value or year. Both of you then simultaneously reveal your Aircraft cards.
Example: If you agree to a 45-point battle, taking place during or after 1970, you could choose the Kfir. Place your Aircraft card on the table in front of you, and then draw Action cards equal to your Aircraft's Performance rating.
If your Aircraft has Afterburners, place 2 Afterburner counters on your Aircraft card with their "Off" sides up.
Starting Position
All Aircraft start in a Neutral Position.
Starting Altitude
Secretly choose your starting Altitude. It can be: Low, Medium, or High. Reveal once all players have selected their starting Altitudes.
Place your revealed starting Altitude counter next to your Aircraft card.
Starting Range
There are 4 Ranges in the game. From closest to farthest, they are: Gun, Heat Seeking, Radar Homing, and Active Homing.
All Aircraft begin at Active Homing Range.
Place your Active Homing Range counter next to your Aircraft card.
Aircraft Display Sheets
If you are using an Aircraft Display Sheet, here is an example of how it might look at the start of the Dogfight.
Player Order
The Aircraft with the higher EW rating can choose whether to go first or second. If both Aircraft have the same EW rating, randomly determine which Aircraft goes first. Play then alternates back and forth for the remainder of the game until one Aircraft is shot down or both players have completed 6 turns.
Once both players have completed a turn, a round of play has been completed.
Ready to Play
Using the example of the Dagger-A and Sea Harrier, here is what the table would look like at the start of the battle. In addition to the cards and counters shown, each player begins with 6 Action cards.
How to Win
Shoot down the enemy Aircraft to immediately win the game. If neither Aircraft is shot down after 6 rounds of play, the game ends in a draw.
Sequence of Play
Perform the following steps during your turn:
- Afterburners
- Pre-Turn Discard/Draw Cards
- Adjust Altitude
- Speed Maneuvering
- Play Cards
- Post-Turn Discard/Draw Cards
Afterburners
If you choose to turn on your Aircraft's Afterburners, flip one of your Afterburner counters to its "On" side.
Use the A/B numbers in the upper right corner of the Thrust areas on your Aircraft card for card draws during the Pre-Turn and Post-Turn Discard and Draw Cards steps.
Your Afterburners remain "On" until the start of your next turn. Discard the counter at the start of your next turn.
If your Aircraft's Afterburners are "On", and a Heat Seeking Missile is fired at your Aircraft, the Missile draws 2 extra cards. Missiles with a "-" at the current firing Position do not gain this bonus and cannot launch.
Pre-Turn Discard/Draw Cards
You may discard as many cards as you like from your hand.
After discarding, draw cards equal to your Aircraft's Thrust/Afterburner rating. You cannot draw more cards than allowed by your Aircraft's Performance rating, regardless of the number of cards indicated by the Thrust/Afterburner rating.
Example: The Kfir has a Performance of 7, so you can hold up to 7 cards. It has a Pre-Turn Thrust of 2 and Afterburner of 3. If you already hold 6 Action cards, you can only draw 1 card.
Adjust Altitude
You can choose to stay at the same Altitude, Climb one Altitude level, or Dive one Altitude level.
Speed Maneuvering
Compare your Aircraft's Speed with that of the enemy Aircraft. If your Speed is higher, you get 1 free Speed Maneuvering for each point your Speed is greater than the opponent's Aircraft.
Declare your Speed Maneuvering points one at a time and treat them as if you had just played an Action card to Maneuver to adjust Position or Range. Declare if each point is being used to adjust your Position, your Range, or the opponent's Range. Each point starts a normal reaction cycle.
Play Cards
If you encounter more than one enemy Aircraft, declare which enemy Aircraft you are playing your cards against. The card play cycle of action and reaction is used for each card played. Continue playing cards as many times as desired.
You can choose to give up your Advantaged or Tailing Position on an enemy Aircraft during your turn, and return to Neutral.
You can play cards against more than one enemy Aircraft during this step.
Post-Turn Discard/Draw Cards
You may discard as many cards as you like from your hand.
After discarding, draw cards equal to your Aircraft's Post-Turn Thrust/Afterburners. You cannot draw more cards than allowed by your Aircraft's Performance rating, regardless of the number of cards indicated by the Thrust/Afterburner rating.
Positions
Here are the 5 different Positions your Aircraft can have in relation to an enemy Aircraft.
Neutral - All Aircraft start the game in a Neutral Position. Your Aircraft's nose is pointed at an enemy Aircraft's nose.
Example: Your Sea Harrier is Neutral to the Dagger-A.
Advantaged - Your Aircraft's nose is pointed at an enemy Aircraft's side.
Example: Your Sea Harrier is Advantaged on the Dagger-A.
Tailing - Your Aircraft's nose is pointed at an enemy Aircraft's tail.
Example: Your Sea Harrier is Tailing the Dagger-A.
Disadvantaged - An enemy Aircraft's nose is pointed at your Aircraft's side.
Example: Your Sea Harrier is Disadvantaged by the Dagger-A.
Tailed - An enemy Aircraft's nose is pointed at your Aircraft's Tail.
Example: Your Sea Harrier is being Tailed by the Dagger-A.
Action Card Play
You initiate an action during your turn by playing an Action card. The opposing player can respond by playing an Action card in Reaction to yours, if the title of your Action card appears in their Action card's "React To:" area.
Examples: You play a Guns card. He can play a Barrel Roll in Reaction because "Guns" is listed in a Barrel Roll's React To: area. He could not play a Scissors card in reaction, because "Guns" is not listed in a Scissors' React To: area.
If the opposing player plays an Action card, you can counter the other card by playing a card as a Reaction. This Action/Reaction cycle continues back and forth until one player is unable to or chooses not to play a card.
If you initiated the Action and play the final card, your initial Action is successful. If the defending player plays the final card, the initial action is cancelled.
Discard all the cards played once the action is resolved. You can then initiate a new action by playing another Action card.
Example: You play a Guns card on an enemy Aircraft. The enemy player does not play a card in reaction. You Destroy the enemy Aircraft.
Example: You are Disadvantaged and play a Barrel Roll against the Advantaged Aircraft in an attempt to become Neutral. The enemy player plays a Yo-Yo in reaction to your Barrel Roll. You do not play a card in reaction to the Yo-Yo. Your Barrel Roll is cancelled.
Example: You are Neutral to an enemy Aircraft and play an Ace Pilot as a Maneuvering for Position card. The card has a Positioning value of 4, but you only need 2 Position adjustments to be Tailing, so you declare Maneuvering for Position 2. The enemy player reacts with a Barrel Roll to your Maneuvering. The enemy is trying to cancel a Maneuvering action, so the card needs to have Maneuvering in the React To: area rather than Ace Pilot. You react to the Barrel Roll with a Scissors. The enemy player reacts to your Scissors with a Scissors. You react to his Scissors with a Barrel Roll. The enemy player does not react to the Barrel Roll. Your Maneuvering 2 is successful and you rotate the Aircraft cards to show your Aircraft is now Tailing the enemy Aircraft.
The Action Cards
Each Action card can be used in one of several ways:
- Perform an attack or other action (An Action)
- React to a card played against you (In Reaction)
- Adjust your Aircraft's Position (Maneuvering to Adjust Position)
- Adjust Range of one enemy Aircraft and/or your own (Maneuvering to Adjust Range)
Declare how you are using an Action card at the time you play it.
An Action - You play an Action card as an Action during your turn to initiate an Attack or Altitude change.
In Reaction - You play an Action card in Reaction either during your turn or the enemy player's turn when the opposing player has played an Action card.
Maneuvering to Adjust Position - Most Action cards can be played to adjust your Position relative to the opposing Aircraft during your turn.
The maximum number of Positions the card can adjust your Aircraft's Position is noted in its "Positioning" area in the top-left corner. State how many Positions you want to adjust when you play the card. You may choose to adjust your Position by fewer Positions than the maximum stated on the card.
Examples: An Ace Pilot card with "Positioning 4" can be used to adjust your Aircraft by up to 4 Positions. A Guns card with a "Positioning 1" can be used to adjust your Aircraft's Position by 1 Position.
Reaction - When you play a card as a Position adjusting card, your opponent can react by playing a card that reacts to a Maneuvering card.
Example: You play an Ace Pilot as a Maneuvering for Position card. The other player can play a Tight Turn in reaction because Tight Turn cards can react to Maneuvering cards.
Maneuvering to Adjust Range - Most Action cards can be played to adjust Range during your turn. This is used to adjust your Aircraft's Range, or the Range of another Aircraft, or both.
The Range of two Aircraft is determined by the farthest Range counter of the two Aircraft.
Example: If one Aircraft is at Heat Seeking Range, and the other Aircraft is at Radar Homing Range, the two Aircraft are at Radar Homing Range from each other.
The maximum number of Range adjustments the Action card can perform is noted in its Adjust Range area in the top-left corner. State how many Ranges you are adjusting, and which Aircraft you are adjusting for, when you play the card. You may choose to adjust your Range by any value, up to the maximum value stated on the card.
Examples: A Redline card with "Range 3" can be used to adjust your Aircraft's Range by 2 and the enemy Aircraft's Range by 1. A Barrel Roll card with a "Range 1" can be used to adjust your Aircraft's Range by 1, or the enemy Aircraft's Range by 1, but not both.
Reaction - When you play a card as a Range adjusting card, your opponent can react by playing a card that reacts to a Maneuvering card.
Example: You play an Ace Pilot as a Range adjusting card. The other player can play a Tight Turn in reaction because Tight Turn cards can react to Maneuvering cards.
Tactic Cards
Some Action cards have the word "Tactic" in their Attack or React To: areas on the cards. A Tactic card is played on your own Aircraft. The other players cannot play cards in reaction to it.
Example: During your turn, you play a Yo-Yo card on your Aircraft to give your next Missile attack (this turn) 1 extra card. The opposing player cannot react to this card.
There are different subtitled variations of this card. Ignore the subtitle when playing cards in reaction to this card.
Example: A Barrel Roll will react to a Guns, Guns (Good Angle), and Guns (Great Angle).
Detailed Action Card Rules
Ace Pilot – Can be played in Reaction to any card played against your Aircraft, including other Ace Pilot cards. This card cannot be played by a Missile and is a wasted draw for the Missile.
Barrel Roll – As an action, this card will change your Disadvantaged or Tailed Aircraft to being Neutral.
Break - As an action, play this card on yourself to draw 1 extra card for your next Missile attack this turn.
Guns – As an action, this card can be played to Destroy an enemy Aircraft. In order to initiate a Gun attack, you must be at Gun Range to the enemy Aircraft.
Guns cards may require you to discard 1 or more Action cards to play. Discard the required number of cards when you play the Guns card.
Redline – You can play this card in reaction to Guns, Tone, Missile, and Redline cards.
Scissors – As an action, this card will change your Disadvantaged Aircraft to being Advantaged.
Split-S – You may only play this card when it is an opposing player's turn. To be able to play this card, the opposing player must target your Aircraft (or another friendly Aircraft) with an Action card (from an Aircraft or Missile), and you must play the last card in the Action/Reaction cycle.
When you do so, immediately end the acting player's turn, and draw 1 Action card.
Tone – As an action, this card can be played to launch a Missile. If the Missile is not successfully Reacted to by the enemy Aircraft, it will Destroy the enemy Aircraft. There are different subtitled variations of this card. In order to initiate a Missile attack, you must be in the proper Position and Range for the Missile.
Tone / Guns - This card can be used to initiate a Gun or Missile attack. In order to initiate a Gun attack, you must be at Gun Range to the enemy Aircraft. In order to initiate a Missile attack, you must be in the proper Position and Range for the Missile. Draw 1 fewer card for the Missile's mini-hand of Action cards.
Vertical Roll – As an action, play this card on yourself to change your Aircraft's Altitude to the next higher or lower Altitude.
Remember to draw or discard a card when Diving or Climbing.
Yo-Yo - As an action, play this card on yourself to draw 1 extra card for your next Missile attack this turn.
Countermeasures counters - Countermeasures can be used to cancel Tone and Missile cards. Treat these counters as if they are an Action card played from your hand. They react to Missile and Tone cards.
Missile "Cards" - When you launch a Missile by declaring 'Missile', the opposing player can React to your action as if you had played an Action card.
Example: You have played a Tone card as an action. The opposing player can play cards in Reaction to negate your action. If he cannot or chooses not to, you can now take an action to launch a Missile. Declare your Missile launch and draw Action cards for the Missile as indicated, and the opposing player can play Reaction cards to evade the Missile.
Range Rules
Your Aircraft will always be at one of the following Ranges: Active Homing, Radar Homing, Heat Seeking, Gun.
You may only launch the respective Missile type at each Range.
Exception: Active Homing Missiles may launch at Active Homing or Radar Homing Ranges.
The Range between two Aircraft is the attacker's Range or the target's Range, whichever is farther.
Example: The attacker is at Gun Range and the target is at Heat Seeking Range. The two Aircraft are at Heat Seeking Range from each other.
When determining Range, add 1 to the Range for each Altitude difference of the attacker and target.
Example: The attacker is at Radar Homing Range and the target is at Heat Seeking Range. The two Aircraft are at Radar Homing Range from each other.
If, however, the attacker is at Low Altitude and the target is at Medium Altitude. This increases the effective Range from Radar Homing to Active Homing.
Positioning
Positioning refers to the Position your Aircraft holds in relation to an enemy Aircraft.
Unlike the World War II Down In Flames games, in Locked-On, you can gain and maintain a Position on an enemy Aircraft even at different Altitudes.
An Aircraft can adjust to or maintain its Position when Advantaged or Tailing only when the opposing Aircraft is within range of its longest Ranged weapon. If the Range increases beyond its maximum attack Range, it immediately changes its Position to Neutral.
Example: An Aircraft equipped with Heat Seeking Missiles is Advantaged on the enemy Aircraft. The enemy Aircraft successfully increases the Range from Heat Seeking to Radar Homing. The Aircraft immediately changes to Neutral.
As you adjust Positions, rotate the two Aircrafts' noses toward or away from each other to show their new relative Position.
Neutral - An Aircraft that is not Engaged with another Aircraft is Neutral.
Engaged - When your Aircraft is Advantaged, Tailing, Disadvantaged, or Tailed, it is Engaged against the other Aircraft. Your Aircraft can only be Advantaged or Tailing one enemy Aircraft at a time.
An Aircraft can only be Advantaged by 2 enemy Aircraft at the same time. Also, an Aircraft can only be Tailed by 1 enemy Aircraft at a time. Before a Neutral Aircraft attempts to Advantage or Tail an enemy Aircraft, the enemy Aircraft must have that Position unoccupied.
Example: Two Dagger-As are Advantaged against a Harrier. A third Dagger-A wants to join the fight. It must either attack from a Neutral Position or play a Maneuvering 2 or higher card to get onto the Harrier's tail since both Advantaged Positions are filled.
If your Aircraft is Advantaged on or Tailing an enemy Aircraft, you must give up your Position before you can target another Aircraft with an Attack, Position adjustment, or Range adjustment.
Altitude
Altitude affects several of your Aircraft's ratings.
High Altitude - When your Aircraft is at High Altitude, adjust the Aircraft ratings as follows:
- Thrust/Afterburner ratings are 1 lower than normal
- Performance rating is 1 higher than normal
- EW rating is 1 lower than normal
Medium Altitude – No adjustments.
Low Altitude - When your Aircraft is at Low Altitude, adjust the Aircraft ratings as follows:
- Thrust/Afterburner ratings are 1 higher than normal
- Performance rating is 1 lower if its Performance is normally 7 or higher
- EW rating is 1 higher than normal
Altitude modifies an Aircraft's EW rating, even if the Aircraft has a "-" Electronic Warfare rating.
Changing Altitude
During each of your Aircraft's Adjust Altitude steps you can choose to either stay at your current Altitude, Climb to the next higher Altitude, or Dive to the next lower Altitude.
Exchange the Altitude counters as needed.
Every time you Climb one Altitude level, you must discard one of your Aircraft's Action cards. This represents the loss of energy an Aircraft experiences when Climbing. If you do not hold any Action cards, your Aircraft will not be able to Climb.
Example: You're holding 5 cards and you declare that your Aircraft is Climbing during your Adjust Altitude step. You must discard 1 card. If you were holding 0 cards, you would not be able to Climb.
Every time you Dive one Altitude level, your Aircraft draws 1 card. This represents the energy an Aircraft gains when Diving.
Always draw a card for Diving, even if it would put you in excess of your Performance rating.
Example: Your Aircraft has a Performance of 6 and you are holding 6 cards. You declare that your Aircraft will Dive during your Adjust Altitude step. You get to draw 1 card even though you will be holding 7 cards, which is in excess of your Aircraft's Performance rating.
Stalling
If your Aircraft has a 0 Thrust and it is reduced to -1 Thrust due to High Altitude, you must discard 1 Action card. If you do not have any Action cards, your Aircraft must immediately Dive to Medium Altitude, and draw 1 card.
If you perform an action that requires Action cards to be discarded (such as Climbing), and you do not hold enough cards to pay the discard cost, you cannot perform the action.
Reacting to an Altitude Change
If your Aircraft is Advantaged or Tailing another Aircraft and the enemy changes his Altitude, you can react to his Altitude change by changing your Altitude to follow him.
If you are Advantaged, you must discard one card. If you are Tailing, you do not need to discard a card.
In addition, if you Climb, discard one card. If you Dive, draw one card.
Examples: A Disadvantaged Aircraft decides to Climb during his turn (either during his Adjust Altitude step or by playing a Vertical Roll card). The Aircraft Advantaged on him can choose to follow. The Advantaged Aircraft must discard 1 card to follow. This represents the difficulty of staying with the enemy Aircraft's movements when Advantaged. Both Aircraft then also need to discard 1 card to represent the loss of energy experienced while Climbing.
A Tailed Aircraft decides to Dive during its turn. The Aircraft Tailing him can choose to follow. The Tailing Aircraft does not need to discard a card to follow. Both Aircraft draw 1 card to represent the energy gained while Diving.
Engaged Chains of Aircraft
Aircraft can Position on each other to form a chain. Starting at the front of the chain, Aircraft decide in order from front to back if they are going to follow an Altitude change.
Example: If the Sea Harrier changes Altitude, the Dagger-A must decide whether to follow to the new Altitude. If the Dagger-A changes Altitude, then the Kfir must decide whether to follow the Dagger-A to the new Altitude as well.
Adjusting Position in a Chain
You can only adjust the Position of an Aircraft directly Engaged with you in the chain.
Launching a Missile
You must play a Tone card to initiate a Missile attack. In addition, you must be in the proper Position and Range to the enemy Aircraft, based on the Missile you are firing.
Example: To launch an AIM-7E-2, you must be Neutral or Tailing the enemy Aircraft, and you must be at Radar Homing Range to the enemy Aircraft.
Tone
To initiate a Missile attack, you begin by playing a Tone card and declaring the Missile to launch.
Example: Your Aircraft is Tailing an enemy Aircraft at Heat Seeking Range. You play a Tone card and declare that you have Tone for an AIM-9E Missile.
The targeted player may play a card in Reaction as normal, and both players commence playing cards in the Action/Reaction cycle, until one player cannot or chooses not to play a card.
Example: The targeted player plays a Break card in reaction to your Tone card. You play a Scissors in reaction to his Break card. He does not play a card in reaction.
If the targeted player plays the last card, your Tone card has been defeated. Discard all the cards played. Nothing further happens.
If you played the last card, you may launch a Missile. If you choose not to Launch, continue to play other cards as normal.
Missile Launch
When you launch a Missile, put down your Aircraft Action cards. You cannot use them during the Missile attack. Also, flip or discard the Missile counter to show 1 Missile has been launched, and draw a separate set of Action cards for the Missile attack.
Draw the number of Action cards indicated on the Missile counter, based on your Position to the enemy Aircraft.
Example: If you launch an AIM-7E-2 from a Neutral Position, you draw 2 cards for the Missile hand.
The number of Action cards drawn in the Missile Mini hand is modified as follows:
- Draw 1 less card for each point of the enemy Aircraft's EW rating.
- Draw 1 extra card for each Altitude Level the enemy Aircraft is below your Aircraft.
- Draw 1 less card for each Altitude Level the enemy Aircraft is above your Aircraft.
- Draw 2 extra cards if you are launching a Heat Seeking Missile and the enemy Aircraft has its Afterburners turned On.
If the number of Action cards drawn for the Missile is modified to zero or less, then no cards are drawn.
Missile Attack
To resolve the Missile attack, treat the attack as similar to an Action/Reaction cycle.
The target Aircraft plays Action cards that can react to a Missile.
The attacker can React to the target's cards by playing Action cards from the cards drawn for the Missile, but not from the Aircraft hand.
The target Aircraft can also expend a Countermeasure counter, which the Missile would need to react to the countermeasure, then Action/Reaction cycle continues as normal.
If you play the last card, the enemy Aircraft is Destroyed. If the enemy Aircraft plays the last card, your Missile shot has been defeated, and you continue with your turn.
Example: You draw 2 cards for your Missile's hand, and declare "Missile" as your first action. The other player reacts by playing a Break. You play a Break from the Missile's hand. He Reacts with a Barrel Roll. You play a Yo-Yo from your Missile's hand. He does not play a card in reaction, and his Aircraft is Destroyed.
Countermeasures Counters
Most Aircraft begin the game with 1 or more Countermeasures counters. You can play and React to these counters as if they are normal Action cards.
These counters are expended when played.
Playing a Campaign
Campaigns allow you to link a series of air battles during a war. You and your opponent select which side each of you will play during the Campaign.
Duration
Each Campaign has one or more Missions. Play the Missions in their numbered order.
Each Mission has a duration of 6 turns, unless noted otherwise in the Mission information.
Example: In the 1973 Yom Kippur War Campaign, you begin by playing the "#1 SA-7 Site" Mission.
Campaign Notes
Some Campaigns have notes that apply to one or more Missions.
The Missions
Each Mission circle provides you with all the information needed to fly the Mission.
The information for both Nations is provided for each Mission. The Nation shown at the top is referred to as Nation #1, and the Nation shown at the bottom is referred to as Nation #2.
A Mission circle is laid out as follows:
- Mission Number - Play the Missions in this order.
- Mission Title - Does not affect game play.
- Nation #1 - Nation Name and VPs - Lists the Nation's name and the number of Victory Points you gain if you win the Mission.
- Nation #1 - Aircraft Graphics - Does not affect game play.
- Nation #1 - Aircraft - The Aircraft types and the numbers of each you receive for the mission.
- Nation #1 - Skills - Secretly select 1 of these Options before the start of the Mission.
- Nation #1 - Special Condition - Any special advantages or disadvantages affecting your Mission.
- Nation #2 - Nation Name and VPs - Lists the Nation's name and the number of Victory Points you gain if you win the Mission.
- Nation #2 - Aircraft Graphics - Does not affect game play.
- Nation #2 - Aircraft - The Aircraft types and the numbers of each you receive for the mission.
- Nation #2 - Skills - Secretly select 1 of these Options before the start of the Mission.
- Nation #2 - Special Condition - Any special advantages or disadvantages affecting your Mission.
- Nation #2 - Site - The Site types you receive for the Mission.
Special Condition Sites
Some Special Conditions are Surface-to-Air-Missile (SAM) sites or Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA) sites.
The Mission lists the military designation for the site, as well as the Ranges and Altitudes at which it will target enemy Aircraft.
Check at the start of each enemy Aircraft's Play Cards step to see if each enemy Aircraft is within the site's attackable Range and Altitude. If an enemy Aircraft is within its attack Range and Altitude, draw the specified number of cards and check to see if any are Guns or Tone cards, as listed for the site.
If you draw one or more Tone or Guns cards, the acting Aircraft must react to a Tone or Guns to defeat the attack. The targeted Aircraft must only react once, even if multiple Tone or Guns cards were drawn.
If the targeted Aircraft does not react, it is Destroyed. To determine an Aircraft's Range to a site, refer to its actual Range counter. Do not take into account the Range counters of other Aircraft.
Example: In the 1973 Yom Kippur Campaign Mission #1, the Egyptians receive an SA-7 Site that draws 5 cards in search of Tone cards each turn. If the Israeli Mirage IIICJ is at Gun Range and at Low or Medium Altitude, or if the Mirage is at Heat Seeking Range at Low or Medium Altitude, draw 5 cards.
Determine Turn Order
Determine the Aircraft turn order for each Mission based on EW as normal.
Flying Multiple Aircraft
You will occasionally pilot multiple Aircraft. See the Optional Rules section for Flying Multiple Aircraft.
Resolve Mission
Play the Mission using the normal rules.
If you Destroy all the enemy Aircraft, gain the stated number of Victory points for your Nation. If you Destroy fewer Aircraft than the total number, apportion the Victory points proportionately, rounding up. For example, if you Destroy half the enemy Aircraft, you gain half the amount of Victory points.
Victory points stated on the Campaign Sheet supersede Aircraft's Victory Points.
Example: In Mission #1 of the 1973 Yom Kippur Campaign, the Israeli player Destroys 1 MiG-17 and the Egyptian player Destroys 1 Mirage IIICJ. The Israeli player earns 24 VP (1/2 of 47 VPs, rounding up) and the Egyptian player earns 46 VP.
Special Condition
Some Special Conditions are Skills. Gain all of the Special Conditions for all of your Aircraft(s).
Determine Campaign Victory
Once you fly the last Mission of the Campaign, add up the VPs scored on each Mission and compare the overall result to the Campaign sheet's Victory Point chart.
Example: After playing the 1973 Yom Kippur Campaign, Israel scored the following VPs for each Mission: 24, 82, 0, 39, 16, and 63, for a total of 224. This gives Israel a Tactical Victory. Egypt scored: 0, 39, 66, 76, 24, and 57, for a total of 262. This gives Egypt an Operational Victory.
Skills
Skills affect your Aircraft in many ways. Some increase or decrease your Aircraft's Ratings, others give you a one time bonus, and some give you a small increase throughout the dogfight.
Example: Green Skill. I must Decrease any 1 Rating on my Aircraft by 1. I can Decrease: Speed, Electronic Warfare, Gun, Counter Measures, Thrust (both beginning and end of turn), Afterburner (both beginning and end of turn), or Performance by 1.
Example: Jink Skill. With this Skill, once during the Dogfight, I can play any Action card as an Ace Pilot in reaction to a Gun Attack.
Example: In My Sights! Skill. Throughout the Dogfight, I Discard 0 cards when performing Gun Attacks.
Skill Costs (VP)
The cost of a Skill is on the back of its counter. This cost ranges from -10 to +15. For dogfights, factor in Skill VP costs for both teams and then total up VPs for both teams.
Example: The "Guided Intercept 2" Skill costs 1 VP. The "Edge of Envelope" Skill costs 15 VP.
Example: I have a US A-7D Corsair II worth 26 VP. I give him the Nugget skill (-5), and the Eagle Eyes skill (+2). My Corsair II is now worth 23 VP.
Campaigns
When selecting Skills in Campaign games, secretly choose one of the two Skills for your Aircraft. Do not adjust your Aircraft's VPs based on the cost of the Skill, that math has already been done for you.
Dogfights
You may select one or more Skills for Dogfights. Add the Skill's cost to your Aircraft's point value. You may use one Skill counter for multiple Aircraft. Add the VP cost for each Aircraft to the total.
List of Skills
Cost -10 Skills
Newbie: Reduce up to 2 Aircraft Ratings by a total of 2.
Nugget: Discard all Vertical Roll, Tone (Strong), and Ace Pilot Action cards when drawn. Do not Re-Draw.
Cost -5 Skills
Green: Reduce 1 Aircraft Rating by 1.
Plumber: Discard all Ace Pilot Action cards when drawn. Do not Re-Draw.
Drift Factor: Cannot give or receive Teamwork cards. (There must be 2 or more Aircraft on your Team at the beginning of the Dogfight)
Cost 1 Skills
Guided Intercept 2: Start with +2 cards in your hand after drawing cards at the beginning of the Dogfight.
Edge: Add a Redline Action card to your hand after drawing cards at the beginning of the game.
Gun Fighter: Once per game, discard 2 fewer cards when discarding for a Gun attack.
Cost 2 Skills
Guided Intercept 3: Start with +3 cards in your hand after drawing cards at the beginning of the Dogfight.
Locked: Add a Tone (Strong) Action card to your hand after drawing cards at the beginning of the Dogfight.
90° Angle: Begin the Dogfight at any Range. Adjust 1 enemy Aircraft's Range to match yours. After Range adjustments, if you are within Range of any of your Weapons, adjust your Position to being Advantaged on that Aircraft. (Cannot be used outside of Campaigns).
Alert: Once per game immediately after a Missile is fired at you, reduce that Missile's mini hand to 0.
Cocky: When firing 2 Missiles from a single Tone type Action card, gain +1 card to the Missile mini hand.
Eagle Eyes: Start the game with Initiative.
Fighter Pilot: Increase your Gun Rating by 1. (Cannot be used if plane has Gun rating "-".)
Focused: Draw 1 card when an enemy adjusts their own Range.
Grit: -1 Performance. +1 Thrust. +1 A/B.
Lucky: Once per game, you may expend a Counter Measure as an Ace Pilot Action card.
Relief: Every time an enemy Tone is cancelled or stopped, draw 1 card.
Jink: Once per game, when reacting to a Gun Attack, you may discard any card as an Ace Pilot Action card.
Cost 5 Skills
Skilled: Increase 1 Aircraft Rating by 1.
Up the Sleeve: Start the game with an Ace Pilot Action card in your hand after drawing cards at the beginning of the Dogfight.
0° Angle: Begin the Dogfight at any Range. Adjust 1 enemy Aircraft's Range to match yours. After Range adjustments, if you are within Range of any of your Weapons, adjust your Position to being Tailing on that Aircraft. Your Team begins with Initiative. (Cannot be used outside of Campaigns).
Agile: Once per game, play any card as an Ace Pilot Action card.
Brave: When an enemy plays a Tone type Action card to launch a Missile, draw 1 card.
Diligent: When playing a Vertical Roll Action card, draw 1 card.
Quick Hands: For every Missile fired against you, immediately draw 1 card.
Test Pilot: Your beginning and end of turn Thrust and A/B card draws may exceed your Performance Rating.
Timely: Once per game, at any time, you may discard any Action cards, and draw the same number of Action cards back in your hand.
Better Envelope: Treat all Tone type Action cards as giving you one extra card in your Missile's mini hand.
NFOD: At the start of the Dogfight, gain Campaign points equal to the difference in point totals between sides. (Cannot be used outside of Campaigns)
Cost 10 Skills
Veteran: Increase up to 2 Aircraft Ratings by a total of 2.
In my Sights!: Discard 0 cards when performing a Gun Attack.
Tiger: Start with Ace Pilot and Tone (Strong) in your hand after drawing cards at the beginning of the Dogfight.
Bat-Turn: You may freely return to Neutral at the beginning of each Aircraft's turn.
Cost 15 Skills
Ace: Increase up to 3 Aircraft Ratings by a total of 3.
Edge of Envelope: Draw Action cards equal to your Performance rating during your Aircraft's Discard/Draw Steps. Discard down to your Performance rating as normal.
Aircraft Expertise: At the beginning of the game, draw Action cards equal to your Performance rating. Place them to the side. These cards do not count against your Performance. During every Aircraft's turn, you may play 1 of these cards as if it were from your hand.
Optional Rules
Missile Loads
The Missiles listed on each Aircraft card represent their standard loadout. Aircraft can carry a wide variety of Missile types and quantities.
If you would like to create your own Missile loadout for an Aircraft, remove all Missiles from the Aircraft and use the Aircraft's non-Missile Victory Point value.
Add the Missiles you would like it to carry and add their point values to the Aircraft's point value.
You can add 1 pair or 2 pairs of each Missile type to your Aircraft. Increase your side's Victory points by the amount stated on the chart for each pair of Missiles selected.
Missile VPs
| Pairs | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Pair | 7 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 |
| 2 Pairs | 10 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 22 | 24 | 28 |
Example: Buying 1 pair of 6 VP Missiles costs 11 VPs. Buying 2 pairs of 6 VP Missiles costs a total of 16 VPs.
2nd Missile
When you declare a Missile launch, you may declare that you are launching a second Missile of the same type. If you do so, draw an extra Action card for the set of cards for the Missile attack. Expend 2 Missiles if you do this.
Team Games
More than 2 players can play the game. Play as two teams that are divided equally by Victory Points.
Teams alternate taking turns in Player Order. Players are free to choose which player on a team, acts during each of their player order steps.
Example: A dogfight involves 2 USSR players and 3 USA players. A USSR Aircraft has the highest EW rating and goes first. The USSR team selects one USSR player to take his turn. The USA team then selects one USA player to take his turn. The remaining USSR player then takes his turn. The USA team then selects one of the two remaining USA players to take his turn. The last USA player then takes his turn.
When the last player finishes their turn each game turn, begin the next game turn with a player from the other team.
Players do not have to keep the same player order each round.
Example: During the next round, the USSR takes the first turn because a USA player took the last turn, but the order in which the players take their turns for each team can be changed.
Flying Multiple Aircraft
Each player may pilot multiple Aircraft. Treat each Aircraft with its own slot in the playing order, and with its own hand of cards.
There are counters to keep track of Aircraft turn order.
When there are multiple enemy Aircraft engaged with yours, you must declare which one enemy Aircraft is being targeted by each of your Action cards.
Example: There are 2 enemy Aircraft Advantaged on your Aircraft when you play a Scissors card. You must declare which of the 2 Aircraft you are playing the card against. Your Scissors will not affect the Positioning of the other Aircraft.
Teamwork
If one side has more Aircraft than the other side, the side with the most Aircraft can use this rule.
Once during each enemy player's Action, in addition to the targeted Aircraft playing cards in reaction, one Aircraft on the friendly side can play one card in reaction.
Example: Side #1 has 1 Aircraft. Side #2 has 2 Aircraft. When side #1 is taking its turn, it plays a Maneuvering card to adjust Position on an Aircraft on side #2. The targeted Aircraft can play cards in reaction as normal. Once during this Action, the other Aircraft on side #2 can play one card in reaction. Once this Action is resolved, the Aircraft on side #1 then plays a Guns card to attack an Aircraft on side #2. Once again, the targeted Aircraft can play cards as normal, and once during this Action, the other Aircraft on side #2 can play one card in reaction.
You can only play cards in reaction for your other Aircraft when it is the opposing player's turn, not during your turns.
Free-for-All
These games are like Team Games, except they pit all players against each other. There are no Friendly Aircraft in these games.
Adjusting Range with Multiple Aircraft
When there are more than 2 Aircraft in a dogfight, use these rules to determine which Aircraft you can target for Range adjustment.
You may always attempt to adjust your own Range counter.
You may not adjust the Range counter of a friendly Aircraft.
You may only attempt to adjust the Range counter of an enemy Aircraft if it is Neutral to all other Aircraft, or only Engaged with your Aircraft.
If you are attempting to adjust Range, and the adjustment involves the Range counter of an enemy Aircraft, only that Aircraft can play cards in reaction.
If you are attempting to adjust Range and the adjustment does not affect any enemy Aircraft, one enemy Aircraft that is Neutral or Engaged with you can play cards in reaction.
Multiple Action Card Decks
If you have more than one set of Action cards, you can combine them into a larger deck.
Campaign Scaling
If you want to play larger campaigns, everything involving a campaign can be scaled upwards. At the start of a campaign, you can choose to double or triple its size. Apply this multiplier to the number of Aircraft and Options received for each Mission. You may select an Option more than once.
Example: You are playing the 1973 Yom Kippur Campaign and decide to make it 3 times larger than normal. For the first Mission, the Israeli player receives 3 Mirages and the Egyptian player receives 6 MiG-17s. Each side receives 3 Options.
Credits
Game Design: Dan Verssen
Game Development: Kevin & Holly Verssen
Campaign Creation: Kevin Verssen
Skill Creation: Kevin Verssen
Aircraft Art: Dan Verssen
Game Box Art: William Arance
Research: James W. Crate, Chris Fawcett, Dave Schueler
Playtesting: Cameron Guadagnino, Michael Granneman, Kira Verssen
Rulebook Editing: Benjamin Chee, Holly Verssen