Air Facilities - 36.1 and 36.5
Oct 25, 2014 16:09:51 GMT
Post by Michael Miller on Oct 25, 2014 16:09:51 GMT
While doing moderation the past two days, and attempting to disentangle posts from the giant "Proposed changes and queries" thread, I came back to this, which I see in need of a clarification. See below.
This first is minor. In Airfields under 36.1: Case [36.12] "Each Airfield has a capacity level of six (maximum). This means that it may handle a max¬imum of six squadrons (regardless of squadron size) at any one time. There may never be more than six in a given airfield hex. However, see Case 36.5."
This whole thing seems redundant, and perhaps ambiguous as a result. It could even be read as allowing six Airfields in a hex. Recommendation would be:
"[36.12] Each Airfield has a maximum capacity of six squadrons, regardless of the size of such squadrons in terms of number of aircraft. Off-map Air Facilities are covered in 36.5."
Which brings us to 36.5:
"[36.5] OFF-MAP AIR FACILITIES
There are several off-map air facilities: e.g., the Tunisia boxes, the Commonwealth facilities such as Deversoir, on map E, et cetera. These are treated the same as other, on-map facilities with three exceptions:
a) There are unlimited supplies for airplane maintenance and repair;
b) They may exceed the SGSU limit up to the limit listed on the field;
c) They may never be destroyed by bombing (although they may be reduced to zero), and may be rebuilt using the Malta Air Facility Construc¬tion Table (one roll gives total levels for all CW air facilities each game-turn).
Axis Mediterranean bases are also different in one other way: they may not be bombed."
I do not see any air facilities printed in Tripoli and Tunisia. Only the CW and Sicily/Italy/Crete for the Axis. The map does have printed Anti-Aircraft strength points shown for each box. The scenario setup rules state that there are Airfields in each of "The four Tripoli/Tunisia boxes (off-map)". It seems clear that the Tripoli/Tunisia bases were a late addition to the game, and lack full rules support.
The rules therefore imply a single, six squadron Airfield in each of the four boxes. Left unsaid is whether these Airfields require SGSUs or not, whether these are considered to have the same unlimited supplies for refit and repair, and whether they can be bombed and then repaired (using the Malta chart as well??). A final, very minor question is whether these Airfields are considered to have their one point of on intrinsic AA in addition to the printed values. It seems clear that the Tripoli/Tunisia Airfields were a late addition to the game, and lack full rules support.
As my preference is for rules written as cases rather than lengthy paragraphs, I present the below. The parenthetical in clause "c" still greatly confuses me, and I would like to hear your interpretations. It becomes even more important to resolve that if the Axis are to use it similarly. I left it worded as is in my interpretation suggestion below:
"[36.5] OFF-MAP AIR FACILITIES
There are several off-map air facilities represented by boxes on the edges of the map: the four Axis Tripoli and Tunisia boxes on Map A, Axis Mediterranean bases in Sicily, Italy and Crete, and the Commonwealth facilities such as Deversoir, on map E. These are treated the same as other, on-map facilities except as follows:
[36.51] There are considered to be unlimited supplies for aircraft maintenance and repair.
[36.52] Such facilities may exceed the normal SGSU limit, up to the limit, if any, printed on the map for that airfield.
[36.53] Commonwealth off-map facilities, and the Axis Airfields in the Tripoli/Tunisia boxes, are never considered completely destroyed by bombing (although their effectiveness may be reduced to zero by bombing). If degraded by bombing, these may be rebuilt using the Malta Air Facility Construction Table (one roll gives total levels for all CW air facilities each game-turn).
[36.54] Axis Airfields in the Tripoli/Tunisia boxes have higher, intrinsic AA strength points as printed in the map boxes.
[36.55] The Axis Mediterranean bases in Sicily, Italy and Crete cannot be bombed within the context of the game."
This first is minor. In Airfields under 36.1: Case [36.12] "Each Airfield has a capacity level of six (maximum). This means that it may handle a max¬imum of six squadrons (regardless of squadron size) at any one time. There may never be more than six in a given airfield hex. However, see Case 36.5."
This whole thing seems redundant, and perhaps ambiguous as a result. It could even be read as allowing six Airfields in a hex. Recommendation would be:
"[36.12] Each Airfield has a maximum capacity of six squadrons, regardless of the size of such squadrons in terms of number of aircraft. Off-map Air Facilities are covered in 36.5."
Which brings us to 36.5:
"[36.5] OFF-MAP AIR FACILITIES
There are several off-map air facilities: e.g., the Tunisia boxes, the Commonwealth facilities such as Deversoir, on map E, et cetera. These are treated the same as other, on-map facilities with three exceptions:
a) There are unlimited supplies for airplane maintenance and repair;
b) They may exceed the SGSU limit up to the limit listed on the field;
c) They may never be destroyed by bombing (although they may be reduced to zero), and may be rebuilt using the Malta Air Facility Construc¬tion Table (one roll gives total levels for all CW air facilities each game-turn).
Axis Mediterranean bases are also different in one other way: they may not be bombed."
I do not see any air facilities printed in Tripoli and Tunisia. Only the CW and Sicily/Italy/Crete for the Axis. The map does have printed Anti-Aircraft strength points shown for each box. The scenario setup rules state that there are Airfields in each of "The four Tripoli/Tunisia boxes (off-map)". It seems clear that the Tripoli/Tunisia bases were a late addition to the game, and lack full rules support.
The rules therefore imply a single, six squadron Airfield in each of the four boxes. Left unsaid is whether these Airfields require SGSUs or not, whether these are considered to have the same unlimited supplies for refit and repair, and whether they can be bombed and then repaired (using the Malta chart as well??). A final, very minor question is whether these Airfields are considered to have their one point of on intrinsic AA in addition to the printed values. It seems clear that the Tripoli/Tunisia Airfields were a late addition to the game, and lack full rules support.
As my preference is for rules written as cases rather than lengthy paragraphs, I present the below. The parenthetical in clause "c" still greatly confuses me, and I would like to hear your interpretations. It becomes even more important to resolve that if the Axis are to use it similarly. I left it worded as is in my interpretation suggestion below:
"[36.5] OFF-MAP AIR FACILITIES
There are several off-map air facilities represented by boxes on the edges of the map: the four Axis Tripoli and Tunisia boxes on Map A, Axis Mediterranean bases in Sicily, Italy and Crete, and the Commonwealth facilities such as Deversoir, on map E. These are treated the same as other, on-map facilities except as follows:
[36.51] There are considered to be unlimited supplies for aircraft maintenance and repair.
[36.52] Such facilities may exceed the normal SGSU limit, up to the limit, if any, printed on the map for that airfield.
[36.53] Commonwealth off-map facilities, and the Axis Airfields in the Tripoli/Tunisia boxes, are never considered completely destroyed by bombing (although their effectiveness may be reduced to zero by bombing). If degraded by bombing, these may be rebuilt using the Malta Air Facility Construction Table (one roll gives total levels for all CW air facilities each game-turn).
[36.54] Axis Airfields in the Tripoli/Tunisia boxes have higher, intrinsic AA strength points as printed in the map boxes.
[36.55] The Axis Mediterranean bases in Sicily, Italy and Crete cannot be bombed within the context of the game."
