Flight Leader A VASSAL Module See the Flight Leader module wiki at www.vassalengine.org for version/update history. Overview This is a module to play Avalon Hill's Flight Leader wargame using the VASSAL engine (http://www.vassalengine.org). Flight Leader depicts fighter combat during the jet age, beginning from the Korean War through the mid 1980s. The module has many additional aircraft counters and other enhancements afforded by the flexibility of the VASSAL engine that (hopefully) will improve game play and enjoyment. General Notes: - The game was created prior to the breakup of the USSR, the re-unification of Germany and the fall of the Iron Curtain. While this has no effect on game play, it does present a minor problem in that some countries previously a part of the Warsaw Pact are now neutral or even part of NATO. In fact, several countries in the National Information Lists (22.0) no longer exist! For simplicity, the module assumes the world as it was when the game was originally published. - The original game had many variant versions of aircraft listed in tables in the manual, requiring players to note small changes in the printed attributes of aircraft counters (no doubt to reduce manufacturing costs). Most of these variants have been given counters of their own in this module. Generally speaking, each line of the Aircraft Lists (21.0) was given its own counter with the appropriate changes made. Even so, each line could represent several marks (e.g. the A-4A line represents 6 different marks of the A-4 Skyhawk). Typically, though not always, a counter was created for the FIRST mark on each line and should be used to represent all marks on that line. - Some aircraft were widely used, but created in only one color on the counter sheet (again, to reduce printing costs). For example, the F-4 Phantom counter was part of the U.S. Navy counter set (light blue), but the F-4 also was flown by the USAF, Germany and Israel among others. Other aircraft such as the F-5 and F-104 were manufactured and flown by several countries. In such situations, counters have been created in the appropriate colors. - U.S. "Aggressor" aircraft (F-5E and F-16N) have been purposefully created with the Soviet background color even though the aircraft image retains the USN or USAF colors to make them more visually distinct (NOTE: the squadron history of VFC-13 states that other aircraft such as the A-4, F-8 and the F/A-18 have been used as aggressors in the past. In like manner, the USAF has used the F-16 and F-15 as aggressors. Counters for these may be added in the future). - The Turn Record Card mapboard - not a part of the original game - is a multi-purpose mapboard. It has tracks for keeping track of the current turn and an alititude track for use with 23.3 (Scenario Terrain Altitude), 23.6.2 (Cloud setup) and 23.6.3 (Haze layer setup). New counters have been created to track terrain heights for the various colors. There is also an area for arranging Initiative Markers. - The A and B cloud units gave me fits trying to add them, being vary large, non-rectangular pieces. Rather than delay release any longer, I decided to go ahead without them. If I ever figure them out, they'll get added as an Updater or Extension. Notes keyed to rule sections: 1.2.1.6 Identity Number This is a text label which should be modified by the players as appropriate for the number of aircraft in play. The menu item is "Change ID" with a hotkey of Ctrl+I. It is up to player discretion whether to use the IDs as assigned in the Aircraft Information Lists (21.0) or not. Players should, however, number units sequentially for purposes of rule 10.2.1, Element and Flight Definition and Movement. 1.2.2 Status Units All aircraft have a text label which has an initial value of "Alpha 1A". As with Aircraft IDs, these can and should be changed to "Alpha 2A", "Bravo 1B", etc. as needed. These are changed using the "Change Callsign" menu item or Ctrl+S. In addition, aircraft status unit sets also have player-configurable text label which should be configured to match the callsigns of the owning player's aircraft. 1.5 Aircrew Aid Card The various charts making up the Aircrew Aid Card have been separated and grouped by the pertinent part of the rules folders (Basic Game, Advanced Game, Optional Rules and Scenario Charts) in an an effort to make finding a specific chart a little easier. 2.3 Aircraft Status Card Setup Aircraft Status Cards are created as mapboards, one for Alpha Force and one for Bravo. Three copies of the card have been created with the different flight numbers located just above the Maneuver Matrix as an aid to keeping track of which card represents which flight. Players should select the appropriate number of status cards when the game begins. NOTE: VASSAL requires ALL mapboard(s) to be selected when the first player joins the game, so the first player to join will have to set up the correct number of status cards for BOTH Alpha and Bravo forces. Status Card markers have the "Free Rotation" property enabled to allow players to align counters with the status tracks, if desired. 7.1.4 Turning Maneuvers Movement Trails are enabled on all aircraft to assist in determining hexes traversed for the purposes of 7.1.4.1 (Turning Ability) and 7.1.4.3 (Speed Loss due to Turns). It should also prove useful for OR17.4, Accumulated Movement. 7.1.6 Using Bogey Units to Trace Movement Although players are free to use this rule if desired, the Movement Trail property accomplishes the same thing. It is probably a better idea to use this rule in conjunction with OR17.4 (Accumulated Movement) so players can clear the "Moved" status between turns. 9.0 Advanced Game Setup There is a Notes window for such things as written planned routes (9.4.1.1.2) and delayed entry (9.4.1.2). 16.1 Bogey Units Counters have been created for use as bogeys. As with regular aircraft counters, players should manually change the callsigns as needed and use the Notes window for purposes of 16.1.1. 16.2 The Umpired Game Yes, a "double-blind" version of this module is on the drawing board. Stay tuned. 17.6 Impulse Movement The Impulse chart is created as a separate mapboard for purposes of this rule. A special counter has been created to help players keep track of the current impulse. It has a menu item/hotkey to automatically return it to impulse #1. 18.3 Active Missiles Counters have been created to represent active radar (AL/AM) missiles. The number is a text label which can be changed as needed by players.