Advanced Level RICHTHOFEN'S WAR Again
By Kenneth Erbey
from The General, 18, #5, pp 32-34.


     Since its introduction in 1973, RICHTHOFEN'S WAR has stood the test of time quite well. Its quick action and uncomplicated format have made it one of the most popular wargames. Small wonder that other companies have been quick to duplicate RICHTHOFEN'S WAR. Although they can claim originality by using a different time period, they still can't seem to capture the simple grace of the predecessor. Yet it is still not without its faults. It suffers from the age old dilemma of all wargames--a trade of realism for simple game mechanics. Fortunately it worked out well.

     There have been several proposals for added realism for the game--the RICHTHOFEN'S MANEUVER CARDS being the most notable-but there are still a few rules which detract from the potential realism of the simulation. For example, the German player in his Fokker d7 spies a lone SPAD 13 making its way back towards friendly lines. With superior skill, the German maneuvers his Fokker behind the tail of the SPAD and fires a burst. The SPAD is in trouble. But then making a maneuver that Richthofen himself would be envious of, the SPAD spins 180 "with its guns blazing! (See Diagram 1).


Diagram 1: "Miracle Maneuver"


     The German player fires defensively, moves directly behind the SPAD and unloads another burst. The SPAD, once again utilizes his 'miracle maneuver' to position the Fokker within his gunsights and fires away, critically damaging the German's controls. The German fires defensively one last time, but it is not enough. He tries to flee, but the SPAD flies behind the Fokker and fires a killing spray of bullets.

     The above example was not only very unrealistic--(witness the 'miracle' maneuver), but was also basically a disguised crap game. The players merely moved the playing pieces in between rolls of the die. The German player moved within a range of one hex and rolled the die. The Allied player in his turn moved within one hex and then it was his turn to roll the die. So on and so forth, each player firing at a range of one until the die chose a winner. Some may call this realistic, but to the hard core purist who scoffs at the abstract, it's closer to sacrilege. To those so afflicted I propose an Advanced Level version of this classic Avalon Hill game (Advanced Level being synonymous with added realism at the cost of added playing time, and intended for experienced players only).

     Under the present Intermediate Level format, RICHTHOFEN'S WAR is played on a map with hexes equaling 50 meters. In the Advanced Level version this will be reduced to approximately 17 meters. There is no other change in the Game Equipment.

     The advanced game is an extension of the Basic and Tournament games that includes rules charts and tables for more realism and complexity. All Basic and Tournament Game rules apply unless otherwise stated.

MANEUVER:
     In the Basic and Tournament Games the aircraft were allowed to turn up to 180º within the fifty meter hex. In the Advanced game, however, each hex has been reduced to approximately 17 meters. Each aircraft may not turn more than one hexside per hex. The use of the individual aircraft's Maneuver Schedule becomes very important.

MOVEMENT:
     Before a player moves his aircraft, he must first mark his direction of travel with a dummy marker. The player is then obligated to move into the first hex directly forward. After thus moving, the player may elect to move once again directly forward, or turn in place one hex-side at the cost of movement points indicated on the maneuver schedule. If the player elected to turn, he must then move one space directly forward (he may not turn more than one hexside per hex). After he has moved to this obligated space, if he elects to turn once again in the same direction he must use the next number on the Maneuver Schedule (In relation to the direction that the dummy direction counter is facing).

     For example: A Fokker d7 starts his turn facing North. The German player places a dummy counter facing North. The Fokker moves his first space directly forward and turns one hexside to the right. Looking at the Maneuver Schedule for the Fokker d7, this turning maneuver cost O MPs. The Fokker moves one space directly forward and turns again to the right. He is now facing Southwest compared to the dummy direction counter which is still facing North. Looking at the 'Southwest' direction on the Maneuver Schedule shows that such a turn would cost two MPs.

     Any time an aircraft moves two or more hexes directly forward, without changing the hexside direction, the dummy direction counter is reset to this new direction. For example: If the above Fokker were to fly two spaces directly forward in a Southwest direction, its dummy direction counter would be reset to face in a Southwest direction. See Diagram 2.


COMBAT
     In order to keep RICHTHOFEN'S WAR from becoming too complex, and due to the limitations of a two-dimensional hexagonal board, there are only six avenues of approach' for forward firing machine guns to use when attacking. (See Diagram 3). In order to fire at a target, a forward firing aircraft must be in that target's avenue of approach and have that target within a twelve hex range field of fire. Rear firing machine guns may fire at any targets within their twelve hex range field of fire. The players place a dummy counter to mark the first hex that their aircraft is able to meet these conditions. The aircraft then flies toward the target until it expends all of its movement points or it is point blank over the target (in the same hex).

     In order to fire defensively, the attacking target aircraft must have attacked from an avenue of approach within the field of fire of the aircraft firing in the defensive phase.
     To avoid confusion, players should announce "sighted" when attacking aircraft or target aircraft satisfy the requirements.
     The players may then resolve their attacks by locating the column of the firing aircraft-type on the Advanced Level Target Damage Table. Determine the Effective Fire Number by counting the number of Movement Points that the target aircraft was in the field of fire, (the dummy counter is used to aid the players), and then cross referencing this number with the movement allowance of the attacking aircraft on the Effective Fire Number Table. This will yield the Effective Fire Number. Locate that Effective Fire Number within the firing aircraft's column. Roll two dice and modify the outcome according to the Die Roll Modification Chart. Cross index this number with the Effective Fire Number to determine the number of hits scored.
     If the attacking aircraft has any movement points left (i.e. it stopped movement directly over the target to resolve combat at point blank range), it must now expend those remaining movement points. It is allowed to resolve as many combat encounters as it can initiate, but it can only attack each target once (unless it fired defensively). The firing aircraft then marks off one box on the appropriate (forward or rear) Ammunition Section of the Aircraft Status Pad. Each firing aircraft marks off only one box per turn regardless of the number of targets fired at.

EFFECTIVE FIRE NUMBER TABLE
NUMBER OF MOVEMENT POINTS "SIGHTED"

M 100%
O11
V 2 1 2
E 3 1 2 3
M 4 1 2 3 4
E 5 1 2 3 4 5
N 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
T 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
L 9 1 2 3 4,5 6 7 8 9
L 10 1 2,3 4 5 6 7,8 9 10
O 11 1,2 3 4 5,6 7 8,9 10 11
W 12 1,2 3 4,5 6 7,8 9 10,11 12
A 12 3 4 56 7 7+1*
N
C EFFECTIVE FIRE NUMBER
E

DIE ROLL Modification CHART

* +1 100% Effective Firing
+1 Point Blank Firing
+1 Slot Fire1
-1 Angle Fire2

Dice roll modification is cumulative. Example: An aircraft with 100% Effective Fire at point blank range attacking from the slot would have a +3 Die Roll Modification.

1Slot Fire is an attack from directly behind the target at a range of one or less (point blank).
2Angle Fire is any attack from the Number 2 or Number 6 Avenue of Approach.


Diagram 3: Six "Avenues of Approach"


     An example of Advanced Level Combat is shown in Diagram 4.


     A SPAD 13 moving at 11 spaces moves in to attack a German Fokker d7. He moves three spaces straight ahead in order to enter the German's avenue of approach. At this time the German announces that he has sighted the SPAD. The SPAD turns to face the Fokker, expending one MP for the maneuver. He now announces "sighted". He places a dummy counter to mark that hex, and then starts his attack. He moves directly towards the Fokker until he is in the same hex as his target (point blank). He then counts the number of movement points expended during his 'attack' and comes up with six (remember to count the movement points for turning to face the German as well as the one for moving Point Blank). Cross referencing this number with the movement allowance for that turn (11 MPs) he gets an Effective Fire Number of four. Rolling the die and Modifying +1 for point blank fire, the Spad gets a ten. Cross referencing this with the Effective Fire Number of four, he does four points of damage plus a critical hit. He has two Movement Points remaining, and elects to fly straight ahead for that remainder.

     The German elects to fire defensively (the SPAD attacked in the Fokker's field of fire). Counting the MPs that the SPAD spent in the Fokker's field of fire, he comes up with seven (counting the MP the SPAD used to move into the Fokker's avenue of approach before turning). Using the SPAD's movement allowance of 11 (the Spad did the moving), the German cross references these numbers on the Effective Fire Number Table to get an Effective Fire Number of 5. He rolls the die, Modifying it +1 for point blank fire (He receives this benefit also because he is firing at the same time as the SPAD) for a total of 11. Finding the Effective Fire Number (five) under the Fokker d7 column, and cross referencing it with the modified die roll (11), he finds that he did eight points of damage to the SPAD.
     In the Basic and Tournament Level versions of RICHTHOFEN'S WAR, range is the most crucial factor in determining combat, when actually a bullet fired at 500 yards would do just as much damage as one fired at fifty. The only advantage of closer range would be greater accuracy. In the Advanced Level Game the length of time that the attacking pilot actually sees and fires at the target determines the effectiveness of the fire. The longer the burst, the more time the pilot has to "aim" his fire, thus increasing the effectiveness.
     Maneuvering becomes very important to the game. In the Basic and Tournament versions, both aircraft could be in high performance turns and still do unbelievable damage to one another because they were only fifty yards apart. In the Advanced Game players will find that the tighter they get to the enemy the harder it will be to inflict damage. Much more meaning will come to the Maneuver Schedule. In the Tournament Game, using the Maneuver Schedule and sighting rules added greatly to the realism, but "miracle maneuvers" were still possible. The Advanced Game adds greatly to the playing time of RICHTHOFEN'S WAR, but the realism that is achieved is truly exciting and well worth the effort. Players will know what it is like to sweat when they have an enemy Sopwith Camel on their tail; it's not that easy to shake loose. Players will also find that once a player gets an advantage, the contest will pretty much be decided (as it was in real life). The maneuvering abilities of the individual aircraft becomes much more enhanced and realistically important. The Rotary engined Fokkers with their natural tendency to pull to the right will appreciate that fact when trying to close in on a kill or escape a Nieuport that has gotten too close for comfort. The Fokker d7 will enjoy the ability to make wide turns at no cost in movement points. In short, players will in fact become World War I pilots instead of just moving a small piece of cardboard around on a map and rolling the die.

     What better way to become haunted by the Chivalrous Knights of the air?




Updated 14 Jan 08.

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