Optional Air Rules

XI. Aircraft: The following air rules are added for chrome, and may be dropped as wished. Aircraft are controlled by the High Command of respective sides who will issue all orders for their aircraft at the start of each "day". The actual use of the aircraft, unless a FAC is present, will be handled by the Tactical Referees running the table per the CD rules.

XI.1: Availability: Each side has a pool of aircraft that can be used during the course of the game once the side in question has captured an airfield at which they can be based. All weather airfields can hold up to five squadrons, fair weather airfields can hold up to two squadrons. The following aircraft are available off board at the start of the game to their respective sides:

XI.11: Allied Aircraft: The following air units are available at the start of the game for the allied players:

Allied Aircraft Pool

May fly from any Airfield

British

72 Squadron (3) Spitfire IX

81 Squadron (3) Spitfire IX

93 Squadron (3) Spitfire IX

225 Squadron (3) Hurricane IIC

241 Squadron (3) Hurricane IIC

American

95th Fighter Squadron (3) P-38F

96th Fighter Squadron (3) P-38F

May fly from any All Weather Airfield

American

34th Squadron (3) B-26A (D)

379th Squadron (3) B-25C (D)

380th Squadron (3) B-25C (D)

All Allied pilots are considered as Experienced, Morale 10

XI.12: Axis Aircraft: The following air units are available at the start of the game for the Axis players:

Axis Aircraft Pool

May fly from any Airfield

German

Squadron (3) FW-190F

Squadron (3) FW-190F

Squadron (3) Me-109G

Squadron (3) Me-109G

Squadron (3) Me-109G

Squadron (3) Ju-87D

Squadron (3) Ju-87D

Squadron (3) Ju-87D

Italian

Squadron (3) MC-202

Squadron (3) Re-2002

May fly from any All Weather Airfield

German

Squadron (3) Ju-88S (D)

Italian

Squadron (3) Ju-88S (D)

Squadron (3) BR.20M (D)

All Axis pilots are considered as Veteran, Morale 9

XI.2: Airfields: Airfields are considered captured when the box in question has been captured and held by a military unit. If airfields are present in a box, they will be located on any table fought in that box, and can be denied to the enemy if brought under direct fire.

As squares containing airfields are captured, players can move aircraft forward to occupy the airfields located there. All weather airfields can hold up to five squadrons, fair weather airfields can hold up to two squadrons. Aircraft marked with a D are considered as two squadrons for the purposes of airfield occupation.

XI.3: Missions: Aircraft are allowed to fly a maximum of one mission a day. Only aircraft based on the strategic map may fly combat missions during the campaign. Aircraft based off the board may only fly ferry missions to an on board airfield:

XI.3.1 Ferry Missions: All aircraft can fly ferry missions. The aircraft is moved to a friendly airfield on the strategic map. Once based on the strategic map, missions can be flown as needed on following days. If a square containing an airfield is lost to enemy action or is rendered unusable due to weather, the aircraft based there must do a Ferry mission on the following day to move to another airfield before they can fly any combat missions. Ferry missions are flown at the end of each day after all battles have been fought and boxes captured. Thus neither side will have access to aircraft during the first "day" of the campaign.

XI.3.2. CAP Mission: CAP missions are limited to fighter aircraft only. The aircraft will fly to a strategic box at a predetermined actual time and remain there on on Combat Air Patrol for four game terms. Aircraft on CAP may only attack enemy aircraft, and can not be used for other purposes. A squadron of 3 aircraft could be sortied for a CAP missions based on a two hour day as follows:

1st aircraft - shows up at the start of the "day":

2nd aircraft - shows up 40 minutes after the start of the "day"

3rd aircraft - shows up one hour and twenty minutes into the "day"

XI.3.3. Fighter Escort Mission: Fighter Escort missions are limited to fighter aircraft only. The aircraft will fly to a strategic box at a predetermined actual time and spend fours turns flying air cover for Direct Support and General Support Missions.

XI.3.4. Direct Support Mission: Direct Support Missions can be flown by fighters, dive bombers or medium bombers. The aircraft will fly to a strategic box at a predetermined actual time and report to the FAC stationed there. The FAC must be of the nationality of the aircraft - so only German FAC’s can control German aircraft, etc.

If no FAC is present, then the mission is converted to one of General Support, so an alternative geographic target should be indicated.

XI.3.5. General Support Mission: Direct Support Missions can be flown by fighters, dive bombers or medium bombers. The aircraft will fly to a strategic box at a predetermined actual time and attack the specified geographical target - ie the village of Souk el Arba, the long ridge to the west of the town, etc. Medium bombers will always attempt to attack their geographical target point. Dive bombers and fighters will follow the priorities listed in CD Rule 15.212 and CD 15.214.