Top Gun: The Game of Modern Fighter Combat
Top Gun: The Game of Modern Fighter Combat Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Set-Up
Components
Top Gun contains the following components, which are all that is needed to play the game:
- One 22" x 17" two-sided map
- 40 miniature plastic planes
- One 24-page rulebook
- Two white six-sided dice and two red six-sided dice
Top Gun Mapsheet
The map is divided into a grid of hexagons (also called hexes) that are used to regulate movement and combat. Hex maps help make movement more realistic because they provide six possible movement directions instead of the four possible with square grids. Planes will always face one of these six hexsides during the game.
Jet Models
Included in Top Gun are 40 miniature plastic models of jet aircraft. These models represent the F-14 Tomcat, the F-18 Hornet, the A-6 Intruder, and the A-7 Corsair II, the four basic planes deployed on U.S. Navy aircraft carriers. These models can also be used to represent any of the Navy, Air Force, or Soviet planes mentioned in Top Gun.
The jet model icons in the rulebook are labeled as follows:
- A-6
- A-7, MiG-23, SU-22, MiG-21
- F-18, MiG-28, MiG-25
- F-14, MiG-23
To use the models, remove them from their plastic trees. It is easiest to simply cut them from the trees with a hobby knife, or twist them off with your hands, BUT BE CAREFUL. The thin plastic of the wings is fairly fragile and will break easily. Players should probably remove only the number of planes that will be used in the current game. It is also recommended that players mark the planes with paint or felt-tip markers so that the models are easier to identify.
Each model represents one airplane. Each player is the pilot of one or more planes. Using these playing pieces, players decide which direction the plane will move and when it will fire its weapons.
Flight School: Pensacola
The U.S. Navy Flight School, located in Pensacola, Florida, is where aspiring pilots learn to fly the Navy's planes. Flight School is also the most basic version of Top Gun maneuver and combat rules.
Preparing for Play
Before play begins, the players must decide on a scenario. A scenario presents the game situation, lists the planes taking part in the encounter, and sets forth the victory conditions. Players may use the scenarios provided at the end of this book or may invent their own.
After choosing a scenario, the players choose sides. Each side reads the victory conditions for the scenario, then sets up their planes according to the instructions.
Each player must have one pair of six-sided dice for each plane. If there are not enough dice available for each plane, use the Turn Record Sheets included with the game.
Play can now begin. Unless otherwise specified by the scenario, planes can start play at any speed.
Sequence of Play
The basic sequence of play for Top Gun includes maneuver selection, movement, combat, and resolution.
Maneuver Selection Phase: Each player secretly selects the desired maneuver for each plane he controls, using two six-sided dice to indicate his choice.
Movement Phase: Players reveal their maneuvers, and move their planes.
Combat Phase: If weapons fire is possible, pilots do so, then apply any damage.
End Phase: Play continues until one side or the other meets the scenario's victory conditions.
Movement Phase
In Top Gun, planes move by choosing maneuvers from the Maneuver Chart. Each maneuver illustration shows where the plane starts and its end location and facing. Each maneuver has its own two-number code. The first number simply designates the maneuver. The second number denotes the maneuver's difficulty and the speed necessary to perform it.
In Flight School, all planes may move at speeds from 1 to 6. Pilots may choose from all maneuvers except those beginning with a 6. On the Maneuver Chart, the solid silhouette shows the plane's beginning location. The shape of the illustration shows the path of travel, and the shaded silhouette shows the plane's final hex and facing. When playing Flight School, ignore the 'R' and 'W' letter indications.
Players use one red and one white six-sided die to show which maneuver they have chosen for their plane in the current turn. With the dice hidden, use the red die to represent the first number of the maneuver and the white die to represent the second number. At the end of the Maneuver Selection Phase, all players simultaneously reveal their plane's moves for that turn, and move accordingly.
For example, if Player A wanted to move his plane forward four hexes, then his maneuver selection would be red die 5 and white die 4. If Player B wanted to to move forward one hex, and then move one hex to the right, with his plane facing to the right, his red die would show a 3 and his white die would show a 2.
In Flight School planes may move at any speed from turn to turn, with no restrictions on acceleration and braking. Any number of planes may end their movement in the same hex. There are no other movement restrictions in Flight School.
Turn Record Sheet
If controlling more than two planes, a player should use the Turn Record Sheet. First, fill in the name of the plane on the Aircraft Type line. If the plane is painted or has some other identifying mark, write down a brief description of the markings on the Identifier line. Ignore all other aircraft data, as it is not used in Flight School.
The bottom two-thirds of each aircraft column is illustrated with drawings of blank dice. When playing Flight School, use only the first illustration on each line, the one showing the dice placed side by side. Simply write the number of the red die in the shaded box and the number of the white die in the white box. There are enough illustrations for a game lasting 20 turns. It will be a rare dogfight that lasts longer.
Combat
During the combat phase of Flight School, each plane may fire at one other plane if the enemy plane is within the attacker's field, or arc, of fire. See the Firing Arc Diagram on the Maneuver Chart for the fields of fire for all planes. A pilot may fire upon any plane in this area. However, no weapons fire is permitted at targets in the same hex. Flight School pilots should ignore the numbers found in the Firing Arc Diagram.
To hit a target that is within the field of fire, simply roll two dice (2D6) and add together the results. If the number is 6 or more, the enemy plane has been hit.
After all hits have been resolved, roll 2D6 again to find the damage result. Then consult the Flight School Damage Results Table.
Flight School Damage Results Table
| Die Roll | Damage Result |
|---|---|
| 2 | Engine Explodes; plane destroyed. |
| 3 | -3 from Top End |
| 4 | -2 from Top End |
| 5 | -2 from Top End |
| 6 | -1 from Top End |
| 7 | No Effect |
| 8 | -1 from Top End |
| 9 | -2 from Top End |
| 10 | -2 from Top End |
| 11 | -3 from Top End |
| 12 | Pilot Killed; plane crashes and is destroyed. |
Top End refers to the top speed of a plane. In Flight School, undamaged planes have a Top End of 6, and may select maneuvers with a speed/difficulty rating (the white die, or second number, of a maneuver) of 6. If a plane is damaged by a reduction to the Top End, it may not do maneuvers with a speed/difficulty rating higher than its current Top End.
For example, an F-14 is hit by a MiG-28. The damage result is 5. This reduces the Top End of the F-14 from 6 to 4. The Tomcat may no longer carry out maneuvers ending with 5 or 6.
When a plane's Top End is reduced to 0, it is destroyed and removed from play.
You have now completed Flight School, the first section of Top Gun. Before reading any further, play the first few scenarios to gain the experience needed before advancing to Top Gun School: Miramar.
Top Gun School: Miramar
Once pilots have graduated from Flight School, the Navy will assign them to the various squadrons it deploys. After gaining some experience, the best pilots are then selected to attend the Navy Fighter Weapons School in Miramar, California. At this school, which is better known as Top Gun, pilot-instructors teach advanced combat techniques. After completing their five weeks of training, the Top Gun pilots will return to their own units and pass on what they have learned to their squadron mates.
At Top Gun School, sophisticated computers keep track of mock dogfights and recreate encounters and maneuvers. They show where the pilots may have made mistakes and how they could have performed more successfully. But the thing Top Gun does best is to pit the Navy's current best pilots against their even more elite instructors. If the students can hold their own against the instructors, they should be able to defeat any enemy pilot.
Top Gun School is the second level of play in this game. The following rules are ADDITIONS to those given in Flight School. Players will now incorporate these expansions into their scenarios.
Movement
In Flight School, planes could change speeds without limit. However, at Top Gun School, they may only accelerate or brake by 2 increments of speed per turn. No plane may go below speed 1. Each jet still has a Top End of 6.
At the end of a maneuver, a pilot may choose to face his plane toward one of three hexsides: the one toward which the shaded silhouette points, or toward either the R or W hexside. The R and W markings do not mean that the plane will face the right or left hexside. The W means that the plane will face the outside of the turn during a maneuver, making it a shallower, easier turn to do. The R marking always means that the plane will face toward the inside of the turn, making it a tighter, more difficult turn. When performing straight maneuvers, the R or W indicate a turn made at the end of the move.
To plot an R turn, stack the red die on top of the white die. The number that faces up on both dice should be the number of the maneuver that is being plotted. If the maneuver is a W turn, stack the white die on top of the red, as with an R turn. Remember that the second, or white, die is the speed/difficulty and Top End rating of the maneuver. Also, remember to hide the dice when stacking these movement choices.
For example, if a plane was performing a 5-6 straight maneuver, and the player wanted it to face the R hexside, he would stack the red 5 on top of the white 6.
In Top Gun School, planes may perform all the maneuvers found on the Maneuver Chart. This includes the six special maneuvers not allowed during Flight School. The first is the Brake. This maneuver will slow a plane to a speed of 1, no matter what its speed was during the previous turn. The speed at which the Brake is performed will be the speed for the turn. A plane may not Brake and accelerate in the same turn. The Brake is the maneuver that Maverick used to such good effect in the movie TOP GUN.
The second maneuver is called an Immelman. It was originally developed as a climbing maneuver for WWI planes. In game terms, the Immelman will turn a plane around after it moves one hex forward. An Immelman may be performed at speed 2 or higher.
The third maneuver is the Lateral Rudder Roll. It moves a plane in a total lateral (sideways) direction, and may be performed at speed 3 or more.
The last maneuver is the Scissors, which is a very tight turn. Scissors may be performed at any speed of 2 or higher.
After any special maneuvers except the Brake, a plane's speed remains constant. However, planes may not perform two special maneuvers or any turning maneuver with a speed/difficulty rating of 6, or any combination of special maneuvers and speed/difficulty rating 6 turns in consecutive turns. The 5-6 straight maneuver is the only exception to this rule.
A plane cannot perform a Brake or an Immelman if it has lost to 50 or more percent to its original Top End.
Combat
There are, of course, a wide variety of weapon systems carried on Navy aircraft. In Flight School, weapons were totally simplified to speed up the flow of play. In Top Gun School, there are two main types of weapons: Guns and Missiles. Each plane carries two missiles and an unlimited number of gun shots. The Field of Fire Diagram shows the possible arcs of fire for guns (shaded hexes marked with the letter G) and for missiles (marked with the letter M). The numerals indicate To-Hit Numbers. Pilots may fire either guns or missiles during one turn, but they may not do both.
Each type of weapon causes different types of damage. Below the Maneuver Chart are the damage tables for each weapon type. Because a plane has a limited number of missiles, pilots must remember to keep track of the number of missiles fired. Once he has fired them all, that plane may [only] use guns for the rest of the game.
The success or failure of an attack depends largely on the angle of the target plane. Head-on attacks are much more difficult than tailing attacks. The Target Angle Indicator (below the Firing Arc Diagram) shows target angles and To-Hit Modifiers. These modifiers may make some shots impossible.
[Diagram: a MiG-28 and an F-14 on a row of five hexes, the MiG-28 directly ahead of the F-14 and four hexes away.]
For example, an F-14 has a MiG-28 directly ahead and four hexes away. The To-Hit Number for a missile attack is 2; the base To-Hit Number for a gun attack is 10. Because the MiG is coming head-on, the base To-Hit Numbers are modified by +5, as shown by the Target Angle Indicator. This modifies the missile shot to a 7 or better and the gun attack to 15 or better. As the gun attack needs more than 12 to succeed, it is an impossible shot.
[Diagram: a MiG-28 and an F-14 with the MiG-28 three hexes away and one hex to the F-14's right, the MiG-28 facing away from the F-14.]
In this example, the F-14 has the MiG-28 three hexes away and one hex to the F-14's right. The MiG-28 is facing almost completely away from the F-14. The missile attack has a base To-Hit Number of 5 and a gun attack has a base To-Hit number of 9. Because the MiG-28 is facing away from the F-14, the base To-Hit Numbers are modified by +3, as shown on the Target Angle Indicator. This modifies the missile shot to an 8 or better, and the gun attack to a 12 or better.
Tailing
Victorious dogfight pilots are those able to sustain weapons fire at a single target until it is destroyed. The easiest way to do this is by getting behind the enemy, or tailing, a target. When tailing, a pilot can often see or guess what type of maneuver his target is going to make.
In order to tail an enemy plane, the attacker must have the target in his Forward Vision Arc, and be within the enemy's Tailing Zone. The Arc of Vision Diagram shows the vision arcs and zones necessary for tailing.
When being tailed, a target must reveal the general type of maneuver he will perform during the next turn. This is done BEFORE the tailing plane chooses a maneuver. The general types of maneuver are Left, Right, or Straight. This information is given ONLY to the tailing plane. If the pilot controlling the tailing plane also controls others, he must choose maneuvers for his other planes BEFORE receiving the tailing information from the target plane.
If a player has more than one plane on the board, it becomes more complicated to determine who is tailing whom. In Example 1, Plane A is being tailed by Plane B. Plane B is being tailed by Plane C. In the current game turn, Plane A would plot his movement first, and inform Plane B of his general direction. Plane B would then plot his movement for that turn, and inform Plane C of his direction. Plane C would plot his movement for that turn in the normal manner.
Example 1 [diagram: planes A, B and C in a tailing chain.]
In Example 2, Plane B is once again tailing Plane A, but this time, Plane C is not tailing Plane B. Planes A and C would plot first, but only Plane A would inform Plane B of his movement direction. Plane B would then plot normally.
Example 2 [diagram: planes A, B and C.]
In Example 3, Plane B is tailing Plane A again. Plane C is tailing Plane B, and Plane D is also tailing Plane B, while Plane E is not tailing anyone. Planes E and A would plot first. Plane B would plot after Plane A told him his general movement direction. After plotting, Plane B would inform both Planes D and C of his movement direction. Planes D and C would then plot for that turn.
A player may only tail one plane at a time.
Example 3 [diagram: planes A through E.]
You have now completed Top Gun School, the middle level of this game. You are now ready to try the more advanced scenarios. Play them to familiarize yourself with these rules before accepting orders for deployment to a carrier.
Off the Flight Deck
Off The Flight Deck is the most advanced section of the Top Gun game system. The following rules expand or add on to the preceding sections to create the most challenging, realistic simulation of modern fighter combat allowed by this game system. Though other air combat games may be more technically accurate, they are much more complicated to play. Top Gun is a compromise between complete accuracy and playability.
As with Top Gun School, this section will assume the player's familiarity with all the preceding rules.
Top Gun Control Sheet
There are detailed statistics for the planes in Off The Flight Deck, which have not been used in the previous two sections. These stats are provided on the Top Gun Control Sheet.
The first column indicates the aircraft type. The names used are those of actual planes flown by the armed forces of the U.S. and the Soviet Union.
The second column indicates the Top End of each type of plane. The pilot may not choose maneuvers whose speed/difficulty rating (the second number in the maneuver code) is higher than his craft's Top End.
The third column shows the plane's maximum acceleration and braking ability per turn. This number is used instead of the braking and acceleration factor of 2 used in the Top Gun School rules. The acceleration indicates how many speed levels the plane may increase in one turn, and the braking ability is the number of speed levels that may be reduced in one turn.
The fourth column tells whether or not the plane can perform R, or Red, maneuvers. In Top Gun School, all planes could perform Red maneuvers. In Off the Flight Deck, some planes are simply not capable of these tight turns. The exception to this rule is that planes moving straight may perform R turns, and planes that performed a Brake or an Immelman may make an R turn. The next column also notes any other movement restriction. For example, an A-7 may make no turns at speed 5, and an F-14 may not perform R maneuvers at speeds 5 or 6.
The sixth column lists whether the plane carries Infra-Red (IR) or Radar-Guided (RG) missiles and the numbers of each. These missiles are further described in the Combat section (see below).
The last column lists the types of missile defense the plane carries. These defenses are flares, which confuse an IR missile's ability to track, and chaff, strips of aluminum foil that interfere with the RG missile's tracking system. See the Combat section for rules concerning the use of missile defenses.
American Aircraft Table
| Type | Top End | Maximum Acc/Brake | R Turns | Maneuver Restrictions | Missiles | Defense | Climb | Dive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-6 Intruder | 5 | 2/2 | N | No speed 5 turns | NONE | 1 each | 1 | 2 |
| A-7 Corsair II | 5 | 2/2 | N | No speed 5 turns | 2IR | 1 each | 1 | 2 |
| F-5 Tiger II / A-4 Skyhawk | 6 | 2/2 | Y |
Soviet Aircraft Table
| Type | Top End | Maximum Acc/Brake | R Turns | Maneuver Restrictions | Missiles | Defense | Climb | Dive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MiG-28 Fantasy | 6 | 3/3 | Y | — | 2IR/2RG | 3 each | 3 | 3 |
| MiG-25 Foxbat | 6 | 2/1 | N | No 5 or 6 Turns | 4IR/4RG | 2 each | 1 | 3 |
| MiG-23 Flogger | 6 | 3/3 | Y |
Key to the Control Sheet:
- No 5 or 6 R: Plane may not do R, or Red, maneuvers at speeds of 5 or 6, but may also perform them at lesser speeds. As always, straight (those starting with 5) maneuvers are not affected.
- N: No R or Red maneuvers allowed.
- Y: R or Red maneuvers allowed at any speed.
- No speed 5 Turns: Plane may not perform any speed 5 maneuvers except 5-5.
- No 5 or 6 Turns: Plane may not execute any speed 5 or 6 maneuvers except 5-6 and 5-5.
- All planes may perform all special maneuvers.
Extended Use of the Turn Record Sheet
There are several information entries on the Turn Record Sheet that are only used in the most advanced version of Top Gun. These entries give the specific characteristics and performance abilities of individual planes. See the Top Gun Control Sheet to get the specifics for each type of plane.
To fill in the Maximum Acceleration and Braking entries on the Turn Record Sheet, find the information on the Top Gun Control Sheet. If your plane can do Red maneuvers, fill in the [R] box of the chart. If the plane has Infra-Red (IR) missiles, Radar-Guided (RG) missiles, chaff, or flares, write down how many [items the plane carries] on the appropriate heading line. Every time a player uses a missile or counter measure, he will fill in one box. When the number of filled-in boxes equals the number written in, the player has run out of the item and can no longer use it.
The information listing for Combat Fuel is found in each advanced scenario where a specific time limit is important. Note this number in the Combat Fuel (Turns) section of the sheet. At the beginning of every turn, fill in one box. When the number of filled-in boxes exceeds the number of turns, the player's chance of landing safely on his carrier decreases (as explained in Landing on the Deck).
Movement: Jet Wash
When jet aircraft maneuver at near-supersonic speeds they create an area of turbulence directly behind, which is known as jet wash. Any aircraft passing through this turbulence runs the risk of losing control or even of having its engines flame out. The possibilities are described below and also illustrated on the Maneuver Chart.
If a plane enters the Jet Wash hex (directly behind another plane, as shown on the Arc of Vision Diagram) and is facing within two hexsides of the leading plane (as shown on the Maneuver Chart), the pilot must check to see if he can maintain control of his plane. To do so, simply roll two dice and add the results together. If the result is 3 or greater, the roll succeeds, and the pilot maintains control. If the result is less than 3, the roll fails, and the plane goes into a spin.
A spinning plane may not move, fire weapons, or lock-on to another target. It may do nothing during the next turn except to try and recover. To regain control of a spinning plane, the player must again roll 2D6, adding the results together. With a successful roll of 3 or more, the pilot regains control of his craft and may resume normal flight. Planes that come out of a spin have a movement speed of 1 to 3, at the pilot's option. If the roll fails, the pilot has not been able to recover, and his plane will crash.
Whenever two planes end their movement in the same hex, or the front three hexes of the planes overlap, both must successfully roll a 4 or more on 2D6 to avoid spinning.
To determine the final facing of a spinning plane, roll one die and consult the Direction Diagram found on the mapsheet.
No attacks may be made against a spinning plane because the deflection angles and wild radar images that are created will effectively stop all attacks from hostile aircraft.
Combat (Off the Flight Deck)
[Photograph of an F-14 Tomcat carrying its missile load.]
Guns
For advanced play, there is only one modification to the Top Gun School Combat rules for guns. If a pilot can hold a target in his gun firing arc from turn to turn, he will receive favorable To-Hit modifications. For every consecutive turn after the first that the target remains within the gun firing arc, the base To-Hit Number is halved (round normally).
For example on turn 3, an F-14 manages to get a MiG-21 in his gun firing arc. The MiG is four hexes away and the base To-Hit Number is 10. If the F-14 is able to keep the MiG-21 in the gun firing arc after movement in turn 4, the base To-Hit Number will be 5. In each turn, the base To-Hit number may be modified by the MiG's angle.
Missiles
Off The Flight Deck pilots may use two types of missiles: Infra-Red (heat-seeking missiles) and Radar-Guided missiles.
IR Missiles: Infra-Red (IR) guided missiles track a target plane's engine exhaust. In order to fire an IR missile, the attacking plane must be able to see the target's engine exhaust. To accomplish this, the target plane must be within the attacker's missile-firing arc, and the attacking plane within the target's IR zone. This zone is shown in the diagram below and is an extension of the tailing zone.
[Diagram: IR zone, an extension of the tailing zone.]
If the target plane performed a maneuver with a speed/difficulty rating of 6 during the current turn, IR missiles receive a -1 To-Hit modifier, that is, the missile To-Hit number is reduced by 1. This is the result of the target's use of afterburners and the greater heat signature that they generate.
RG Missiles: Radar-Guided missiles require a radar lock-on in order to fire. Lock-on occurs when the firing plane tracks the target with radar, whose signal then allows the RG missile to track its target. To achieve radar lock-on, the target plane must be within the attacking plane's missile-firing arc. The attacking pilot declares lock-on. If the target is still within the attacking plane's missile firing arc during the next turn, the attacker may fire his missile. Because of the lock-on, the RG missile's base To-Hit Number is one-half that given in the Firing Arc Diagram.
On the turn spent obtaining a lock-on, the attacking plane cannot fire missiles, but can fire guns. A pilot may also fire guns at one plane and obtain a lock-on on another as long as both are within the appropriate firing arcs.
Lock-on is maintained as long as the target is kept in the missile-firing arc. This may last for several turns, until the target either escapes or is shot down.
Lock-on can only be obtained on one plane at a time. The F-14 Tomcat is an exception to this rule. It may lock-on to two different planes at a time, but may only fire one missile per turn.
Missile Defenses
There are two types of missile defenses: chaff and flares, one for each type of missile. Planes only carry a limited number of each (if any at all). Chaff is used against RG missiles, and flares are used against IR missiles. If the attacker fires an missile at his target and the target dropped a flare, there is a To-Hit modifier (the missile To-Hit number is raised by 2). The same modification applies if chaff is ejected and an RG missile is fired.
Target planes in the missile firing arc of an enemy must decide to use chaff or flares before the Combat Phase, but after the Movement Phase. The player uses one die to make his choice, and covers it with his hand. A 1 on the die means that chaff will be ejected, a 2 means that a flare will be dropped, and a 3 means that both will be used. Any other number means that no missile defense will be used. The target must make this decision before the enemy announces which type of missile it will fire. After the attacker announces his intentions, the target reveals his choice.
Pilots must keep track of the number of flares and chaff used, as all planes carry only a limited amount.
[Photograph of missiles being fired.]
Fuel
The limiting factor in most air combat engagements is fuel. In scenarios where time is an important factor, Combat Fuel amounts will be given. For every turn over this number that the scenario continues, subtract 1 from the plane's Landing Roll.
Top Gun Maneuver Chart
The Maneuver Chart shows every maneuver as a hex-path illustration, labeled with its two-number code (first number the maneuver, second number its speed/difficulty). The path illustrations themselves are diagrams and cannot be reproduced as text; the printed chart governs. The notes printed on the chart are:
- The Brake (6-5): From any speed to one hex.
- The Immelman (6-6): Any speed.
- Lateral Rudder Roll (6-1 and 6-2): Speed 3 or higher.
- The Scissors (6-3 and 6-4): Speed 2 or higher. Scissors difficulty rating is 4.
Gun Damage Table
| Die Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 2 | Engine Explodes |
| 3 | Lose 3 Top End |
| 4 | Lose 2 Top End |
| 5 | Lose 1 Top End and No "R" Stacks (except on straights) or lose 2 Top End |
| 6 | Lose 1 Top End |
| 7 | No Damage |
| 8 | Lose 1 Top End |
| 9 | Lose 1 Top End and No "R" Stacks (except on straights) or lose 2 Top End |
| 10 | Lose 2 Top End |
| 11 | Lose 3 Top End |
| 12 | Pilot Killed |
Missile Damage Table
| Die Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 2 | Missile Avoided |
| 3 | Missile Avoided |
| 4 | Lose 2 Top End |
| 5 | Lose 4 Top End |
| 6 | Plane Explodes |
| 7 | Plane Explodes |
| 8 | Plane Explodes |
| 9 | Lose 4 Top End |
| 10 | Lose 2 Top End |
| 11 | Missile Avoided |
| 12 | Missile Avoided |
Firing Arc Diagram and To-Hit Numbers
The Firing Arc Diagram is a grid of hexes ahead of the firing plane, numbered 1 to 6 by distance. Each hex shows a gun To-Hit Number (G) or missile To-Hit Number (M) for targets in that position. The printed diagram governs; the To-Hit Numbers are not reproduced here in full.
Target Angle Indicator
The Target Angle Indicator gives the To-Hit modifier for the target's facing relative to the attacker. The modifiers printed are +0, +1, +3, and +5 (head-on is +5; a target facing almost completely away is +3).
Arc of Vision Diagram
The Arc of Vision Diagram shows the Jet Wash and Tailing Zone (the hex directly behind the plane, where jet wash applies, and the tailing zone), the Forward Vision Arc (the shaded hexes ahead of the plane), and the Tailing Zone.
Infra-Red Zone
The Infra-Red Zone diagram shows the zone from which an IR missile may be fired, as described in the Missiles section above.
Jet Wash Diagrams
The printed Jet Wash diagrams show the following cases:
- No jet wash effect.
- Jet wash effect for both planes.
- No jet wash effect.
- Jet wash effect for trailing planes.
Top Gun Records Chart
The Top Gun Records Chart is the printed record sheet used to track each plane through play. Each record sheet has the following entries:
- Aircraft Type and Identifier (the painted or marked identity of the plane).
- Top End (with a row of boxes to track damage).
- Max Acc/Brake, Max Climb and Max Dive.
- "R" Stacks, marked Y or N.
- Turn Restriction.
- Missiles, with boxes for Infra-Red and Radar Guided missiles, and boxes for Chaff and Flares.
- Combat Fuel (Turns), with one box per turn.
- A large block of boxes, one per turn, for recording each turn's maneuver (the red die above the white die).
Box-filling is described in the Extended Use of the Turn Record Sheet section above.
Optional Rules
Elevation
There are six elevation levels used in Off The Flight Deck. A pilot uses a third die to indicate on which level his plane ends a turn. Planes can climb or dive while performing any maneuver except the Brake. To find the speed for climbing movement, add the number of levels climbed to the normal speed/difficulty number for the maneuver.
There is no speed cost for diving. The Top Gun Control Sheet indicates the maximum climb and maximum dive rating per turn for each type of plane, and these numbers cannot be exceeded. Most aircraft will not be able to do the difficult or fast maneuvers and climb at the same time.
The only maneuver that differs is the Immelman, which automatically changes elevation. When performing an Immelman, the number of levels a plane can climb is equal to the plane's maximum climb rate, but must be at least one. The Split S is the opposite of the Immelman, as the plane dives instead of climbs. The same rules and restrictions apply.
A plane being tailed must reveal both its horizontal and vertical direction of movement to the tailing plane, i.e., whether left, right, or straight and up, down, or level.
Planes may not exceed the level 6 ceiling. If a plane does go over the ceiling, the plane is automatically considered to be at level 6. A plane that goes below level 1 crashes and is destroyed.
Firing Arcs
With the addition of elevation levels, the playing area increases six times. Aircraft firing arcs will also increase slightly. It will now take much more skill, luck, and time to be able to fire at any target.
The firing arcs always look the same. They do not angle across the levels, as a plane dives or climbs. When a plane is flying level, there are no modifiers to the To-Hit Number for a target on the same level. There is a +1 modifier to the To-Hit Number for shots taken at targets one level above and one level below, however.
If a plane dives, it can shoot at targets one level below with no modifier. There is a +1 modifier to the To-Hit Number for shots at targets on the same level or two levels below.
If a plane climbs, it can shoot at targets one level above with no modifier, and at targets on the same level or two levels above with a +1 modifier to the To-Hit Number.
In level flight, Lock-Ons are still maintained if the target is one level away. If the attacking plane is in a dive or climb, the target plane may be two levels away.
IR missiles may be fired if the target plane is no more than one elevation level away. If the plane is in a dive or climb, the target plane may be two levels away.
A spinning plane will drop two levels per turn. This means that the plane will not necessarily be destroyed on the second turn in a spin.
Terrain Features
The brown side of the mapsheet has several terrain features high enough for planes to fly around and through. When playing with the elevation rules and these terrain features, players must take extreme care to avoid ending up in the same hex as a mountaintop. Any plane ending movement or plotting a move that passes through, at the same elevation, or lower than a terrain feature, is destroyed. Flying over a terrain feature at a higher elevation level, has no damage effect.
Peaks and hilltops will also block fire. If any part of a terrain feature hex passes through an imaginary line drawn from the center of an attacking plane's hex to the center of the target plane's hex, no weapons fire or lock-on is possible.
Piloting Skill
Piloting Skill represents a pilot's experience and ability in combat. All beginning pilots begin play with a Piloting Skill level of 0. A pilot increases his skill level by shooting down enemy planes while staying alive himself. As Piloting Skill increases, so do the pilot's flying and combat abilities.
Every Piloting Skill Level decreases all gun and missile To-Hit Numbers by 1. Every skill level also allows a pilot to use maneuvers that are rated 1 higher than his plane's current Top End (if a plane is reduced to 0 Top End or less, it is still destroyed).
Level 2 pilots can perform two special maneuvers in a row. At Level 3, pilots may do R maneuvers even if their plane could not, either through design or damage. When Level 4 pilots are the target of gun or missile shots, there is an additional +1 modifier to the To-Hit Number.
In order to increase Piloting Skill, pilots must either leave the board after being damaged by enemy planes, or destroy enemy planes. If a pilot manages to leave the board with a damaged plane, he receives 1 skill point. For every enemy plane shot down, a pilot receives 3 skill points. The following table shows the skill points needed to achieve new levels of Piloting Skill.
Increasing Piloting Skill
| Skill Points | Piloting Skill Level |
|---|---|
| 10 | 1 |
| 20 | 2 |
| 30 | 3 |
| 45 | 4 |
| 60 | 5 |
Landing on the Deck
Landing on the deck of an aircraft carrier is never easy. If the landing plane is damaged, the maneuver becomes almost impossible. At the end of all scenarios in Off The Flight Deck, American pilots must attempt to land on their base carrier. To land successfully, roll 2D6. If the result is a 2, the plane has landed in the ocean. Any other result lands the plane successfully.
There are several possible situational modifiers to the Landing Roll. The most common is aircraft damage. Others include night landings and severe weather landings. The following table shows these landing modifiers.
Landing Modifiers Table
| Situation | Effect |
|---|---|
| Plane damage | |
| -1 Top End | -1 to die roll |
| -2 Top End | -1 to die roll |
| -3 Top End | -3 to die roll |
| -4 Top End | -5 to die roll |
| -5 Top End | -7 to die roll |
| Weather Effects | |
| Weather class | -Weather class from the die roll |
| Class 0 | Calm seas and clear sky |
| Class 1 -1 | Moderate seas, deck moving |
| Class 2 -2 | Rough seas, deck moving substantially |
In all cases, a roll of 2 results in a splash landing. All modifiers are cumulative.
For example, a skill level 3 pilot attempts to land under conditions of moderate seas and rain with a plane that has lost 3 off its Top End. Following are the modifications to the Landing Roll: -3 for Top End loss, -1 for moderate seas, -1 for rain, and +3 for Piloting Skill level. This totals -2.
[Photograph of a jet landing on an aircraft carrier deck.]
Top Gun Rules for Call Signs and Campaigns
After the players get a feel for the way Top Gun plays, they will probably want to play a campaign, which is a series of related missions. Each mission in a campaign is a lead-in to the next mission. For example, World War II could be viewed as a series of missions, with each battle leading to another battle.
At the start of a campaign, the players assign their pilot characters a Piloting Skill Level and a call sign. A Call Sign identifies that pilot to all others in the combat area. Examples from the Top Gun movie are: Maverick, Iceman, Goose, Jester, and Viper. The best way to create similar names is to find a descriptive term for something the player likes to do, or for a way the player likes to act. For example, Maverick was so named because he did things alone and his own way. Iceman never lost control of a situation, made a mistake, or gave anyone that made a mistake a chance to recover. If a player likes the Old West, he might name his pilot Cowboy. If a player likes music, he might name his pilot Rock N' Roll. The possibilities are endless.
During the course of the campaign, pilots will gain experience through combat. Players should keep track of the experience levels his character gains. In the next mission, the pilot will use his new experience level for combat.
Bailing Out
Every pilot at some time in his career will need to make a quick escape from an unfueled, spinning, damaged, or destroyed plane. This is called ejecting, or more commonly, bailing out.
A pilot can successfully eject from a spinning or damaged plane if the controlling player can roll 4+ on 2D6. A pilot can successfully eject from a destroyed plane on an 8+ roll. A pilot may not eject if his plane is destroyed because of a Pilot Killed or Engine Explodes combat result. Pilots also have the option to eject from their planes if they feel that landing will be too difficult. The success roll for bailing out of a plane without fuel is 4+.
When a pilot successfully bails out of a plane, he may come back in a later mission.
Scenarios and Campaigns
Flight School Scenarios
Mission 1
This is a simple mission that pits two planes of equal ability against one another.
Set-up: Each player places his plane anywhere on his own side of the mapsheet. Any craft may be used, as all have the same flight capabilities.
Special Rules: None.
Victory Conditions: The winner is the first to shoot down the other plane.
Mission 2
This Flight School mission will begin to show the importance of wingmen. These are planes assigned to protect the attacking plane's rear. In this scenario, the winning side is usually the one whose planes make best use of combined fields of fire.
Set-up: Each player places two planes on opposite sides of the mapsheet. Any craft may be used for this mission, and all have the same flight characteristics.
Special Rules: None.
Victory Conditions: The winner is the first to shoot down both enemy planes. It is possible for one side to win a marginal victory by shooting down both enemy planes while losing only one of their own.
Top Gun School Scenarios
Mission 3
In this Top Gun School mission, two F-14s, piloted by Maverick and Iceman, come up behind three MiG-21s. The MiGs split up, and the fight is on.
Set-up: The three MiGs set up in the center of the mapsheet, all flying in the same direction. The F-14s may be set up no less than six hexes behind any one of the MiGs. The F-14s must be within three hexes of each other at the beginning of combat.
Special Rules: Fifteen turns of combat fuel remain.
Optional Rules: Piloting Skill Levels are as follows:
- Maverick - 4
- Iceman - 4
- MiG #1 - 4
- MiG #2 - 4
- MiG #3 - 4
Victory Conditions: The F-14s must survive and down at least two MiGs to win. The MiGs win by downing at least one F-14 and suffering no losses.
Mission 4
In this Top Gun School mission, two pilots, Maverick and Hollywood, come upon the school's two leading instructors during a patrol. The instructors split up as soon as they realize they have been spotted. The students should have stayed on one enemy plane, but instead they also split up. This resulted in both students being shot down.
Set-up: The instructors' MiG-21s are placed in the center of the mapsheet five hexes away from each other, facing in opposite directions. The students' F-14s are in adjacent hexes, five hexes away from each instructor MiG, but placed between and heading toward them.
Special Rules: To recreate the movie situation, Maverick will chase Viper, and Hollywood will chase Jester.
Optional Rules: Piloting Skill Levels:
- Maverick - 4
- Hollywood - 4
- Jester - 4
- Viper - 5
Victory Conditions: The victory conditions are the same for each side in this mission. Each must down both enemy planes without losing any of its own. Any other outcome is a draw. The F-14 team may claim a moral victory if they can down Viper.
Off the Flight Deck Scenarios
Mission 5
The movie TOP GUN opens with two F-14s flown by Cougar and Maverick off the USS Kitty Hawk. They are sent to intercept two MiG-28s that are getting too close to the carrier. Unknown to Cougar and Maverick, a third MiG remains unspotted and ready to pounce.
This is a classic harassment scenario where the MiGs are acting the part of aggressor to see how the defending forces react to an apparent attack. The defending F-14s must obey their standing orders to thwart infiltration by enemy aircraft, but not to fire until fired upon.
Set-up: The F-14s set up within three hexes of each other on one of the short sides of the mapsheet. Their starting speed is 5.
Two MiG-28s are set up on the opposite side of the mapsheet. The third remains hidden, at the MiG player's discretion.
Special Rules: At any time, the MiG-28 player may place his third plane on the mapsheet within the tailing zone of one of his own aircraft. If possible, this will put the third MiG within the tailing zone of one of the F-14s.
If the pilot tailing a plane has a Piloting Skill Level of 4, he must be told both the target plane's ending speed and the general direction of the next move.
Optional Rules: Maverick and Cougar have Piloting Skill Levels of 4. The two initial MiG-28 pilots have Piloting Skill Levels of 2. The third MiG pilot has a Piloting Skill Level of 4.
The F-14s will have to land at night under weather condition 2 with heavy rain.
Victory Conditions: Victory is won by forcing the enemy planes to withdraw. This is done by obtaining radar lock-on for three consecutive turns. A plane that has been locked-on for three turns must exit the board at top speed.
The F-14s win if they are able to drive off all three MiGs. The MiGs win if they are able to lock-on to both F-14s.
Mission 6
This is the climactic mission of the movie TOP GUN. Two F-14s are patrolling a sector where a rescue mission is in progress. The F-14s are intercepted by what appear to be two MiG-28s. In reality, there are five MiGs. One is hidden, as in Mission 5. The F-14s also have one reserve plane, Alert-5, waiting to be launched. The object for each side during this mission is to destroy all enemy aircraft.
Set-up: Two F-14 Tomcats set up within three hexes of each other on the short side of the mapsheet. Four MiG-28s set up on the opposite side. They must be placed in two stacks of two planes each within three hexes of each other. The fifth MiG-28 remains hidden, at the MiG player's discretion.
Special Rules: The F-14s may not fire until they witness a hostile act, i.e., weapons fire against a Navy plane. Once a MiG has fired, Alert-5 will be launched, taking two turns to reach the edge of the mapsheet where the other Tomcats started the game.
At any time, the MiG-28 player may place his fifth plane on the board within the tailing zone of one of his own aircraft. If possible, this will put the fifth plane within the tailing zone of one of the F-14s.
Optional Rules: F-14 Piloting skill levels are as follows:
- Iceman - 4
- Hollywood - 4
- Maverick (Alert-5) - 4
MiG-28 Piloting Skill Levels are as follows:
- Hidden MiG - 3
- All other MiGs - 1
Victory Conditions: The MiGs win if they can down two of the three F-14s, while losing only two of their own. This will create a weak spot in the carrier's defense screen, and make the rescue mission vulnerable.
The F-14s win if they can down three or more MiGs, while losing only one F-14. The MiGs will attempt to disengage after the loss of three planes.
The movie ends with one Tomcat down and one damaged. Maverick downed three MiGs and Iceman got one. The remaining MiG escaped.
Mission 7
On 19 August 1981 at 1:20 a.m., two F-14 Tomcats from the USS Nimitz were on patrol over the Gulf of Sidra. Libya, which claimed the Gulf as territorial waters, sent two SU-22 fighters to intercept the Tomcats. Each SU-22 fired missiles at the F-14s. The Top Gun graduate pilots evaded the missiles and promptly shot down the Libyan aircraft.
Set-up: The two F-14s set up near the center of the mapsheet. They must be within three hexes of each other. Starting speed is 4.
The two SU-22s set-up five hexes away from the F-14s, and should be tailing them. They may start at any speed.
Special Rules: The F-14s may not fire until fired upon.
Optional Rules: Each F-14 pilot has a Piloting Skill Level of 4. The SU-22 pilots have a Piloting Skill Level of 1.
Victory Conditions: The Tomcats win if they shoot down both Libyan craft, and then land successfully back on the Nimitz. The Libyans win if they down one Tomcat or if both planes successfully leave the mapsheet after firing on the Tomcats. After firing, the SU-22s must spend at least four turns on the mapsheet to qualify for this victory.
This mission has been included to show the effectiveness of superior planes and pilots in a situation where numbers are evenly matched.
Top Gun Campaign
This series of missions was designed to be played in the order presented. Players will role play a personal pilot character, for whom they will keep track of skill points scored and so on. Each player usually controls additional planes piloted by non-player characters. When all missions are completed, the team with the most VP wins.
Cowboys in the Indian Ocean
This campaign takes place in the Indian Ocean. During a series of routine manuevers, several American ships are attacked by what is believed to be Soviet aircraft. Though the Soviet government denies any knowledge of the attacks, the situation continues.
The American team will be using F-14 Tomcats, based aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Enterprise. The Soviet team will be flying MiG-28 Fantasies. During the game, both sides will have to control extra aircraft.
Scoring Victory Points (VP)
Depending on how many enemy planes they shoot down, players will score Victory Points during each mission. For every enemy plane shot down, the attacking team will receive the number of VP listed under Victory Conditions.
For example, if the listing for the Soviet team is: F-14 #1: 6 and F-14 #2: 15, players would get 6 VP for shooting down the first F-14, and an additional 15 VP for shooting down the second F-14, for a total of 21 VP.
Each player will take part in each scenario with his personal pilot. All player's pilots begin at Piloting Skill Level 1.
If a player loses his pilot during a mission, he will get a new Level 1 pilot at the start of the next mission.
Acceptable Losses
Teams have the option of leaving the mapsheet if they feel their losses are too high. However, planes may only leave the mapsheet from the side by which they first entered.
Planes leave the mapsheet by moving completely beyond the last row of hexes. Any plane still in a hex of the last row remains a potential target for the other players. Once a plane has moved beyond the last row of hexes, however, it is completely out of the game for the rest of the mission, and may not re-enter.
Most of the following scenarios give a specific number for Acceptable Losses. If a team's total number of lost planes exceeds this number, all of that team's damaged aircraft must immediately try to leave the mapsheet from the same side by which they entered. However, if the mission conditions state that their opponent's planes must exit from that side, then the first team's damaged planes must leave from the opposite edge of the mapsheet.
Cowboys Mission 1: Bushwacked
After the third attack on American ships, the Navy decided it was time to set up a line of defense to prevent further assaults. Despite this, another carrier in the Indian Ocean sustained heavy damage from an attack, and so aircraft from the damaged carrier were to be transferred to the Enterprise. At that point, a fourth attack took place.
Set-up: The American side gets two F-14 Tomcats and four A-6 Intruders. These are set up at one of the short edges of the mapsheet, in any arrangement the American players choose. The Soviet players get four MiG-28 Fantasies. These are set up at the other edge of the mapsheet in any arrangement the Soviet players choose.
Special Rules: The American Intruders have only 15 turns of combat fuel remaining. The F-14 Tomcats and MiG-28 Fantasys have 20 turns of fuel.
Acceptable Losses: The Americans must try to exit the opposite edge of the mapsheet. They have no Acceptable Losses restriction.
The Soviet team's Acceptable Losses are two planes.
Skill Levels: All planes not controlled by personal player pilots are Level 0 pilots.
Victory Conditions: The American team receives 4 VP for every A-6 that leaves the opposite edge of the mapsheet, and 2 VP for every damaged plane that leaves the mapsheet.
| Team | Points per Plane |
|---|---|
| Soviet | F-14 #1: 6 |
| Soviet | F-14 #2: 15 |
| Soviet | A-6 #1: 2 |
| Soviet | A-6 #2: 6 |
| Soviet | A-6 #3: 18 |
| Soviet | A-6 #4: 30 |
| American | MiG-28 #1: 6 |
| American | MiG-28 #2: 9 |
| American | MiG-28 #3: 15 |
| American | MiG-28 #4: 25 |
Cowboys Mission 2: Head 'Em Off at the Pass
After the fourth attack on American aircraft and ships in the Indian Ocean, the United States Navy decides to send out a "reconnaissance in force." This force consists of the Enterprise as well as several other ships. During one of these reconnaissance missions, the Americans spot and intercept a group of enemy aircraft.
Set-up: The American team gets four F-14 Tomcats and four F-18 Hornets. These set up at one end of the short edges of the mapsheet in any arrangement the American team chooses.
The Soviet team gets four MiG-28 Fantasys and four MiG-23 Floggers. These set up at the opposite edge of the mapsheet in any arrangement the Soviet players choose.
Special Rules: The Soviet planes only have ten turns of combat fuel left, and must exit the opposite side of the mapsheet. The American planes have 20 turns of fuel.
Acceptable Losses: Acceptable Losses for both teams are three planes each.
Skill Levels: All planes not controlled by player personal pilots are Level 0 pilots.
Victory Conditions:
| Team | Points per Plane |
|---|---|
| American | MiG-28 #1: 6 |
| American | MiG-28 #2: 12 |
| American | MiG-28 #3: 20 |
| American | MiG-28 #4: 30 |
| American | MiG-23 #1: 4 |
| American | MiG-23 #2: 8 |
| American | MiG-23 #3: 15 |
| American | MiG-23 #4: 22 |
| Soviet | F-14 #1: 6 |
| Soviet | F-14 #2: 12 |
| Soviet | F-14 #3: 20 |
| Soviet | F-14 #4: 30 |
Cowboys Mission 3: Riding Off into the Sunset
Following the relative success of the "reconnaissance in force" missions, the Navy became more and more daring in its attempts to stop attacks upon its ships. During one of these missions, a rare opportunity presented itself when they caught a flight of MiG-28 Fantasies escorting two MiG-25 Foxbats.
Set-up: The Soviet players get four MiG-28 Fantasies and two MiG-25 Foxbats. The planes are set up at one of the short edges of the mapsheet. The MiG-25 Foxbats may not be more than two hexes apart at the start of the game. The rest of the planes can set up any way the Soviet team chooses.
The American team gets four F-14 Tomcats and two F-18 Hornets. The F-18 Hornets are hidden according to the rules in Mission 5 (Off The Flight Deck). The F-14 Tomcats set up at the opposite edge of the mapsheet in any way the American players decide.
Special Rules: All planes have 20 turns of fuel remaining. The F-18 Hornets check off fuel, even if they are hidden.
Acceptable Losses: Acceptable Losses for the Soviet team would be having both MiG-25 Foxbats shot down, or three planes total, whichever comes first.
Acceptable Losses for the American team are four planes.
Skill Levels: All planes on the board not controlled by personal player pilots are Level 1 pilots.
Victory Conditions: The Soviet team gets 6 VP for every MiG-25 Foxbat that leaves the opposite edge of the mapsheet, and 3 VP for every damaged plane that leaves the mapsheet.
| Team | Points per Plane |
|---|---|
| American | MiG-28 #1: 4 |
| American | MiG-28 #2: 8 |
| American | MiG-28 #3: 15 |
| American | MiG-28 #4: 25 |
| American | MiG-25 #1: 2 |
| American | MiG-25 #2: 5 |
| Soviet | F-14 #1: 6 |
| Soviet | F-14 #2: 12 |
| Soviet | F-14 #3: 20 |
| Soviet | F-14 #4: 30 |
| Soviet | F-18 #1: 5 |
| Soviet | F-18 #2: 15 |
Cowboys Mission 4: Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Word of the fighting in the Indian Ocean eventually leaks out to the American public, who demand decisive action from the Navy. In the last Battle of the Unknown Raiders, both sides pay a heavy toll.
Set-up: The American team gets six F-14 Tomcats and four F-18 Hornets. These are set up at one of the short edges of the mapsheet in any way the American players choose.
The Soviet team gets six MiG-28 Fantasys and four MiG-23 Floggers. These are set up at the opposite edge of the mapsheet.
Special Rules: The fuel rules are not used in this mission.
Acceptable Losses: Acceptable Losses for both teams are five planes each.
Optional Rules: The player's pilots are automatically raised to Level 2, if not there already.
Victory Conditions:
| Team | Points per Plane |
|---|---|
| American | MiG-28 #1: 6 |
| American | MiG-28 #2: 12 |
| American | MiG-28 #3: 16 |
| American | MiG-28 #4: 28 |
| American | MiG-28 #5: 35 |
| American | MiG-28 #6: 50 |
| American | MiG-23 #1: 4 |
| American | MiG-23 #2: 12 |
| American | MiG-23 #3: 16 |
| American | MiG-23 #4: 25 |
| Soviet | F-14 #1: 6 |
| Soviet | F-14 #2: 12 |
Ending the Campaign
At the end of the campaign, the team with the most points wins.
Top Gun in BattleTech
The Top Gun movement and combat system can be used to represent traditional aircraft in the BattleTech universe. AeroTech gives the rules on how to fight in space and in the atmosphere with the large interplanetary AeroSpace Fighters. AeroTech also included rules for bombing and strafing ground targets.
Many of the planets of the Successor States complete their air defense with conventional aircraft, which are much less expensive. In fact, some planets cannot afford anything BUT conventional fighters for their airborne defense.
Movement
When combining Aerospace Fighters with Top Gun planes, the AeroSpace Fighters will use the AeroTech system of movement and maneuver, while the Top Gun planes will use the Top Gun system of movement and maneuver.
Both types of fighters use the AeroTech Initiative rules. The Top Gun planes will, therefore, choose their maneuvers at the time they move, instead of plotting before movement.
Firing Top Gun Weapons
The weapons that Top Gun planes carry will not do much damage to the armored AeroSpace Fighters. Treat these weapons as follows:
| Weapon | Damage |
|---|---|
| Guns | 2 points damage |
| Missiles | 8 points damage |
Roll all damage locations using the normal AeroTech rules. IR Missiles can still only be fired in the normal IR tracking zone.
The normal AeroTech rules are used when Top Gun planes strafe with their guns. Bombs may be mounted in place of Missiles on Top Gun planes. Each bomb has an Attack Strength of 10. Bombs carried by a Top Gun plane may only be dropped in the same hex as its target. These bombs do not affect adjacent hexes as do AeroSpace fighter bombs.
Some of the planes described in Top Gun are not designed to carry bombs (such as the F-14 Tomcat). As the BattleTech universe is 1039 years in the future, players should assume that this problem has been solved.
Firing AeroTech Weapons
The AeroSpace Fighter weapons are much more powerful than those carried by Top Gun planes. The ranges and firing arcs for AeroSpace fighters are the same as in AeroTech.
AeroTech weapons are broken down into two categories for damage purposes: weapons that act like guns, and weapons that act like missiles. Weapons that act like guns are the small laser, machine guns, flamers, SRM-2 Pack, LRM-5 Packs, and the AC/2.
All other weapons are treated as missiles (especially for damage purposes).