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DOGFIGHT 40,000: REVISED by George Spiggott

Introduction

These Rules allow players of Warhammer 40,000 have Air to Air combat between Flyers (either those produced by Forgeworld or created themselves using the Vehicle Design Rules or Tyranid Design Rules) in their games; these rules are compatible with and require the Flyer rules already printed by Games Workshop in Chapter Approved (and other publications). These rules are intended to be used where both players have at least one Flyer each as part of their army.

Orders

From turn two onwards at the start of each turn both players secretly give each of their Flyers one of the following orders.

Intercept : The Flyer must declare a Dogfight with an enemy Flyer.

Ground support: The Flyer may not declare a Dogfight though it may defend, may act as normal on the battlefield.

Escort: The Flyer chooses an allied Flyer on Ground support orders to Escort, the first Intercept order declared against the Escorted Flyer must instead be declared against the Escorting Flyer instead.

Disengage: The Flyer takes no action, it cannot intercept or be intercepted this turn, nor may it attack or be attacked by models on the tabletop this turn.

Resolution

Starting with the player whose turn it is, both players then reveal their orders and take the actions described below.

Intercept: Choose an opposing Flyer to Dogfight with, (see below) Dogfight, defend against additional enemy Intercepts (if any) then disengage. The flyer takes additional actions this turn.

Ground support : Defend against any dogfights declared against you then prepare the plane for an attack run as described in the Flyer rules.

Escort: Dogfight against the first enemy Flyer to declare a Dogfight against the Flyer you have chosen to defend.

Disengage: Wimp! Note: A Flyer that is given the Disengage orders every turn counts as destroyed after the battle.

Dogfight

A Dogfight is fought using each Flyers DogFighting skill (DF).

Dogfight Skill (DF) = Ballistic Skill + Initiative +/- Modifiers (see below).

Both the attacker and defender roll 1d6 and add their modified DF, the player with the highest result wins the Dogfight. If the players tie the Dogfight is a draw and no further action is taken.

Victory

• If the winner is on Intercept orders: each point the Dogfight was won by allows one front facing weapon to fire (using the normal shooting rules and using the Flyers BS, all weapons count as being in range and each weapon may be used only once per turn.) Roll to penetrate against rear armour counting all hits as glancing, resolve on the damage tables as normal. If the winner was on Ground support orders the result of the Dogfight counts as a draw and no further action is taken.

• If the Flyer that lost the Dogfight survives (and can still shoot) it may immediately retaliate with one rear mounted weapon against the winners’ front armour.

• If a Flyer is attacked by further flyers in the same turn the attacker rolls an additional d6 (choosing the highest die) and +1 modifier to the dice roll (this is cumulative so a third attacker will roll 3d6 choosing the highest and add +2 to its DF).

• When all Flyers on Intercept orders have declared and fought a Dogfight the game continues as normal, surviving Flyers on Ground support orders that did not receive Crew shaken, Crew stunned or Pilot stunned results enter play as per the Warhammer 40,000 Flyer rules as if they had passed their reserve roll. Flyers that received Crew shaken, Crew stunned or Pilot stunned results may not select Intercept orders next turn.

• A Flyer on Disengage orders may eject any bombs or rockets (of all types) in order to lose weight. The owning player simply declares which weapons are being ejected. The Flyer will not be subject to the negative modifiers for carrying the bombs or rockets ejected next turn, just as if it had launched them in the shooting phase.  

• Ramming. A flyer on Intercept orders may choose to ram his opponent when he declares his orders. Both Flyers will dogfight as normal. If the ramming Flyer wins the Dogfight it may not shoot (the other aircraft may defend as normal with one rear mounted weapon). After the defender has shot the ramming Flyer rolls the scatter dice, if a Hit is rolled both Flyers take one Penetrating hit on any other result the ramming Flyer misses and the game continues.

Racial Bonuses

• Waargh. Ork Flyers double their initiative on Intercept or Escort orders.

• Gargoyles. Large Tyranid Flyers are often escorted by broods of Gargoyles for defence. In game terms any Gargoyle broods that are not yet committed to the battlefield (i.e. has not yet arrived from reserve) may be assumed to be escorting the Flyer. If the Flyer loses a Dogfight the Tyranid player may allocate any number of his Gargoyles to intercept the incoming fire, roll a d6 for each Gargoyle on a 4+ the result of the Dogfight is moved by one point in favour of the Tyranid player, this may result in the Tyranid player winning the Dogfight. Gargoyles committed this way are removed from play regardless of the die roll.

Example Dogfight

This is an example Dogfight between an Imperial player with two ‘Imperial fighters’ (see above) and an Ork player with one Ork fighter and an Ork heavy bomber (see above).

As the battle rages on the battlefield below two pairs of aircraft prepare to attack, both players give orders…

Preparation

• The Imperial Player puts both of his aircraft on Intercept orders hoping to destroy both of the enemy aircraft before they can strafe and bomb his ground forces. Meanwhile the Ork player selects Ground assault orders for his heavy bomber hoping to break through the Imperial air cover and bomb the Imperial troops; he gives his fighter Escort orders to cover his bombers approach.

• The players declare their orders and attack.

• The Imperial player (whose turn it is) sends both of his fighters against the Ork heavy bomber. The Ork player intercepts one of the Imperial fighters with his fighter.

First Blood

• The Imperial player has a DF of 6 (3 (BS) + 3 (Initiative) + 1 (Intercept orders) – 1 (Rockets)) he rolls his dice and gets a 3 for a total of 9. The Ork players Fighter has a DF of 7 (2 (BS) + 2 x 2 (Initiative times 2) + 1 (Escort orders)) he rolls his dice and gets a 4 for a total of 11. The Ork player wins by 2. He fires two of his Big shooters, hitting twice(thanks to the twin-link) and manages a glancing hit destroying one of the Imperial fighter’s lascannons. Both Fighters peel off to fight again later.

Endgame

• Meanwhile the second Imperial fighter sweeps in on the Ork heavy bomber. The Ork heavy bomber has a DF of 2 (BS + Initiative - Big bombs), the Ork player rolls a 5 on his Dice for a total of 7. The Imperial player has a DF of 6 (BS + Initiative + Intercept orders – Rockets), he rolls his dice getting a 4, giving him value of 10. The Imperial fighter opens up with his two lascannons and a rocket scoring two hits with the lascannons, glancing twice against the Ork heavy bomber one hitting the crew compartment severely shaking the crew the other more tellingly hitting the engine. The Ork heavy bomber crashes into the ground and is destroyed while the Imperial fighter joins his wingman for another strike.