B17 Convention Game Rules
The following is a simple set of instructions and modifications that can be used for a pleseant
convention game where people are first introduced to Blue Sky - White Star Rules. On a map
board of 70 hexes in length it lasts about two hours. You will need a large flight of bombers (16
or so), plus two fighters for every player. Six players would make a good game. The moderator
runs the bombers.
The bombers are deployed close to one edge of the board. The should be placed at three or four
altitude levels (High 2, 3, 4, and 5 works well), with one bomber box at each level. The fighters
can start anywhere 20 hexes or more away from the bombers.
Each turn begins with the bombers moving. For each flight of bombers roll 1d10. If possible (ie,
not cause a collision) the bomber box will do the following:
- Dive
- Climb - if 3 climbs, go up one level
- Slip (1 - 5 = port, 6 - 10 = starboard)
- Brake 1
- or more - Fly straight ahead
In the convention you shouldn't worry about crew hits or other minor bookkeeping problems.
You should make up a sheet with the flight characteristics of the plane and a series of "hit boxes"
for each bomber for record keeping purposes. Players should be provided with information about
their planes as well.
Players should keep track of points gained and lost by their flights based on the following:
- For every hit on a B-17, + 1 point
- For every B-17 you shoot down, + 10 points (or share of 10 points)
- For every hit your plane takes - 1 point
- For every plane you lose - 5 additional points
If two or more fighters are shooting at the same plane, roll 1d10 for priority. Highest die goes
first. If bomber is destroyed in the attack, ALL planes that caused at least one hit on it share
points for a kill. If the bomber is destroyed before a later fighter fires, it must still fire at that
plane.
You should also used a simplified "Special Hit" table that reduces some of the complexity found
in the regular table"
Convention B-17Special Hit Table
Roll on 1d20
- Miss.
- 2 hits.
- 3 hits.
- 4 hits.
- Abort - Ignore for bombers. For fighters plane must leave the board as fast as possible.
- Elevator hit - Plane may not dive or climb for the rest of the game.
- Aileron/rudder hit - Plane may not turn or slip for rest of game.
- Engine hit - If one engine, loose one from all speeds per turn. At zero, plane crashes. If
two engines, all speeds cut in half. If three engines, first loss cuts all speeds by one third, second
by two thirds. If four engines, first loss cuts all speeds by one quarter. Two lost cuts all speeds in
half. Three hits reduce all speeds by three quarters.
- Cockpit hit - Plane goes out of control. Each turn afterward, after all other planes have
moved, roll for plane movement. Roll 1d6. Result is direction the plane turns (based on altitude
dial). Roll another d6. If 1 or 2, the plane dives. If 3 or 4 the plane flies level. If 5 or 6 the plane
climbs. If action cannot be preformed, plane crashes.Any guns that pilot would fire cannot fire.
(Note that B-17s have two pilots.)
- Fuel line/bombay hit - Plane explodes. Leave altitude stand in place but replace the
plane with a cotton puff. This blocks visibility and any plane that flies through the hex takes a
critical hit. Effect lasts only for the turn following the hit.
- 5 Hits
- Off target - Cause two hits to the nearest plane in range other than the target, including
friendly planes. If no other planes in range, a miss.
- Guns Jam - Firing plane may not fire next turn
- Guns Jam - Firing plane may not fire next turn
- Miss.
- Elevator hit - see #6
- Aileron/rudder hit - see #7
- Engine hit - see #8
- Cockpit hit - see #9
- On Target - Reroll all hit dice keeping all previous damage.