1. Introduction

Wessex Games' new "Aeronef" rules are perfectly suited to large scale or "fleet" actions in the age of Victorian aerial science fiction. However, they are somewhat less useful when it comes to smaller actions between single ships of squadrons. What follows are a suggested set of additional rules to cover these smaller actions. Actually there is no reason why you shouldn't use them for larger actions but bear in mind that the added detail will tend to slow down the speed of play. I have also written a set of naval rules entitled "Warlords of the Oceans" which can be used to bring surface ships into play in the Aeronef universe (they also work OK as a set of pre-dreadnought naval rules in their own right too!)

2. Altitude

Despite the comments in the Designers Notes I prefer to include an element of 3 D manoeuvring in my Aeronef games. I use the following simple system.

There are 5 altitude levels, Very Low, Low, Medium, High and Very High.

Aerial craft (including fixed wing) can shoot at targets which are up to 2 altitude levels above them (e.g. a Nef at Very Low could shoot at a target at Low or Medium). Craft can also fire at targets which are at lower altitudes provided the range exceeds the altitude difference x10 (e.g. a Nef at Medium could shoot at a target at Very Low as long as the range was 20cm or more). Note that some Nefs and digs may carry guns in specialised mounts which specifically allow downwards fire, but these are very rare.

Nefs and Digs can change altitude by the following amounts

Fixed wing craft count as Class 5

As far as taking off or landing is concerned, when a Nef or Dig has spent the requisite number of turns "taking off" as described on page 18 of the rules it reaches Very Low altitude. Conversely a Nef or Dig must be at Very Low before it can begin the sequence of turns required to land.

3. Gun Dice

What do all those gun dice represent? I've used the following method of allocating gun dice to different sized guns, with some success. I have assumed 4 classes of gun, from Light to Very Heavy. The numbers of guns are converted to Gun Dice as follows:

(As an aside I would also use inches as the unit of measurement rather than centimetres for small actions.)

The reason for allocating dice to guns will become apparent shortly.

Guns are mounted facing a particular direction (forward, port, starboard or aft) and may only fire into the relevant arc (e.g. guns mounted forward can shoot into the Front arc as shown on page 13). Later designs may carry their guns in turrets. Turrets may be end mounted or corner mounted. End mounted turrets can shoot into the Front or Rear arc (depending on which side of the craft they are fitted) plus both of the side arcs. Corner mounted turrets can shoot into the appropriate end arc plus the broadside arc of the side on which they are carried. For example, a gun on the front port corner of a Nef can shoot into the front and port arc.

4. Damage

The basic damage system is quite abstract. For smaller actions a system with more fidelity is needed. Each hit scores 1 hull point of damage, but then instead of using the "25% damage =25% speed loss" damage system roll an additional d6 per hit:

Notes: If a Dig is flying at an altutude higher than it is allowed to do as a result of damage it descends one level per turn until it reaches its new maximum altitude. If its maximu altitude is reduced to below Very Low it will crash the turn after it reaches Very Low (or on the next turn if already at that height)

5. Damage Control

Having devised a more complex damage system it seems only right to allow the gallant crews of the skies a chance to make repairs to their craft. Each turn roll a d6. If the die roll is greater than the Class one repair can be made. The effect of a hit can be removed (e.g one knocked out gun can be restored to working order) or one hull point may be repaired. Note that hull damage can only be repaired to 50% of the original level unless repaired at a dockyard 9which is outside the scope of a normal game). So, for every 2 hits scored, one hull point is lost permanently, the other may be repaired.

6. Aerial Torpedoes

Finally, a new weapon to try out on your unsuspecting enemies. Aerial torpedoes are a new invention and like their seagoing equivalents are seen with some scepticism by senior officers. As such they are rarely, if ever deployed on major warships, but are often carried by purpose built smaller torpedo craft (Class 4 or 5). They are also used with varying degrees of success by developing navies, occasionally on class 3 or larger vessels.

Torpedo chutes are quite bulky - each chute embarked reduced the number of gun dice for the craft by 1. Note also that only one torpedo is carried per chute - once a torpedo has been fired the chute is empty and must be reloaded back at base.

Aerial Torpedoes have a range of 10cm up to 1880, up to 15cm to 1890 and 30cm thereafter. Unguided torpedoes need a 6 to hit. The Ley Patent Wire Guided Torpedo is also available; the firer, as its name suggests, has some degree of control over the weapon, so it hits on a roll of 5 or 6. Torpedoes which hit the target cause 1d6-1 hits. Aerial Torpedoes can be shot at by Light Guns mounted on the target vessel only. As usual a 6 is required to score a hit, which will destroy the torpedo.

Torpedo carrying craft are quite vulnerable to the effects of their own weapons if they are damaged. If a torpedo armed craft is hit and a Gun hit is scored this may affect a Torpedo instead of a gun (torpedo chutes are treated as guns when determining randomly which weapon is hit). If a loaded chute is hit roll a d6. On a score of 1-4 the torpedo is disabled and may not be fired. On a 5 or 6 the torpedo explodes, causing 1d6 hits to the craft. This explosion may well set off other torpedoes on board.