Engine

Multiple Engines (+1)

	Points		Engines		Range		Max Accel
	0		1		±0		3
	+1		2		+1		3
	+1		3		+2		2
	+1		4+		+3		1

Multiple engines working together are more fuel efficient than one large engine, so this is a way to increase the range of the plane. But several engines never generate quite the thrust of a single, more powerful engine, so there is a maximum possible acceleration for each design.

The range bonus is a number of free points of Increased Range.

Superior/Inferior Engine (-1 to +2)

	Points		Quality		Failed redline
	-1		Inferior		0SA
	±0		Normal		1SA
	+1		High		2SA (must have speed 2)
	+2		Superior		3SA (must have speed 3)

When failing a redline roll, the engine stutters. A superior engine will still generate some power and propel the plane forwards. You can never move further this way than your current maximum speed. An inferior engine may fail completely and stall. This may cause a crash if you stalled last turn as well.

Superior/Inferior Range (-4 to +6)

	Points		Kilometers		Miles
	-4		40		25
	-3		120		75
	-2		240		150
	-1		400		250
	0		640		400
	+1		960		600
	+2		1200		750
	+3		1600		1000
	+4		2000		1250
	+5		2400		1500
	+6		2800		1750

Different aircraft have different fuel tank capacity and fuel consumption. This characteristic has a great degree of variation, and is very important for the operational tactical versatility.

Multiple Engines gives free points of extra range.

Autogyros automatically have -3 points of range, without getting any points for it. You can modify this still further if you wish.

Poor Throttle (-1 or -2)

The effect is that you must either use all on no acceleration in a turn. You need never accelerate past your maximum speed because of this limitation.

This is a one-point flaw with an acceleration of 2 and a two-point flaw with an acceleration of 3.

High Torque Engine (+1)

The torque of the plane gives it a strong tendency to turn left. Increase the G-rating of the left wing by 1, and reduce the G-rating of the right wing by 1. This flaw is uncommon, but still occurs in aircraft with a single huge engine. This is generally considered a flaw, but still increases the complexity of the design. In rare cases, engines rotating counterclockwise instead gives a plane a tendency to turn right. Because such engines are non-standard, this is a +2 modifier.

Note that the directions are reversed for pusher-planes. This flaw occurs in high-speed, high-acceleration, low-G planes.

Nitro Injection (+1)

The plane is fitted with a nitro injection system; see Beyond the Crimson Veil, p 54. Don't bother with the weight and cost of recharges.

It is quite common for a Nitro-boosted plane to suffer from Poor High-Speed Handling while exceeding the normal maximum speed. If this flaw is included, nitro injection gives a design modifier of ±0. This can be retrofitted to most planes with ease.

Autogyro (+1)

An autogyro is designed as any other aircraft under the rules and limitations given in Wings over Manhattan. In our games, Autogyros lose two points from their maximum speed; those with a speed of 0 or -1 do not suffer fractures when the pilot tries to redline the engine to a speed on 1 and fails. All autogyros also suffer from a -3 Reduced Range modifier , from -1 Low Service Ceiling, and have only Half Hardpoints.

Rocket Engines (+6)

Rocket engines are still very experimental in the time frame of Crimson Skies, but will be developed before jet engines are. Rocket engines have a maximum speed two points higher than those of regular craft, and an acceleration one point higher, but their range is severely limited. For every two minutes cruising (out of combat at half speed or less), cross out one box in an onboard fuel tank. For each turn of combat, do the same. A ground takeoff costs four boxes.

Poor Throttle is a very common flaw in rocket craft, and reduces the design complexity by two in addition to the normal modifier. Multiple Engines and Superior/Inferior Range is not applicable to Rocket Engines at all.

Weapons

Superior Weapon (+calibre /100)

Superior weapons only jam if both the attack rolls in a double-down salvo miss their target. All identical weapons on the craft must have this bonus if any have it.

The design modifier is the sum of the calibres of the superior weapons, divided by 100 (round all fractions up)

Inferior Weapons (-1/-2)

The guns jam even when nor doubling down if the attack roll is a 1. All identical weapons must have this penalty if any have it. If you have it on half your payload (in pounds of guns), the design modifier is -1; having it on the full payload gives a -2.

Linked Ammo Bins (-1)

All the weapons of each type must use the same type of ammo. This must apply to at least four guns to give a complexity reduction.

Dual Feed Guns (+1/pair)

Guns load from a magazine; commonly a belt, hopper or drum. It is possible to link a single gun to two different magazines, thus allowing the pilot to switch ammo types during combat.

Dual feed guns allows the gun to have two types of ammunition, that the pilot can switch between at will during battle.

Because the dual ammo feed system is over-complex, it is harder to unjam. When it jams, the type of ammunition currently fired is the only one that can be fired for the rest of the battle.

Fire-Linked Weapons (-1)

All the non-turret weapons of the plane must fire together and double down together. In some cases, this means you must fire weapons that cannot hit due to range. If you double down with such weapons, roll to hit normally, but the only effect is to see if you jam.

Turret (+1)

Even tough you use payload to include a turret, it still increases the complexity ofthe design.

Front Turret (+2)

A front turret works just like a normal turret, only it fires into the front arc of the aircraft. It takes up gun position 1 to 4 on the aircraft. Position 1 and 2 is for the guns; position 3 and 4 become Turret Controls. Consider the pilot to be the gunner for hits, stun and so on. This is no more implausible than having a single pilot location for multi-pilot cockpits.

360° Turret (+3)

A 360° turret can rotate full circle and point in every direction. Use the normal turret template and rules, but instead of adding 50% of the weight of the guns for the turret, add 100%.

Pintle-Mount Gun (+1 each)

Some Heavy Fighters have pintle-mounted guns in the rear of the canopy. This is usually one or two magazine-loaded guns, like the ancient Lewis Gun of the Great War. These guns fire just like turret guns, but it does only a single box of damage and cannot double down or use special ammunition. They have a range of three hexes. All must fire together at the same target.

Accurate Bomber (+1)

The plane counts as dive bombing even when flying at speed 1. Uncommon in single-engine tractors.

Fixed Ordnance (-1)

This regulates how easy it is to change the ordnance payload of your plane. Fixed Ordnance is hard to change, the plane is designed for a particular load, and changing the load requires lot's of man-hours.

No Hardpoints (-2)

Certain planes lack hardpoints; this allows them to save 500 lbs of interior space. It also simplifies construction.

Half Hardpoints (-1)

Other planes have only 4 hardpoints. All Autogiros fall in this category. This saves 200 lbs.

Multiple Hardpoints (+1/multiple)

A plane can have hardpoints with greater or lesser capacity. Normal hardpoints are said to have normal capacity; they can take one hardpoint's worth of ordnance in each rocket position. Double hardpoints can take twice as much, that is two hardpoint's worth of ordnance. Triple hardpoints can take three times as much, and so on.

Bomb Bay (+2)

Heavy fighters can be built as bombers. A bomber has a bomb bay instead of the usual wing-mounted hardpoints. Bomb bays are very efficient and carry a lot of bombs. The general practice is to overload the bomb bay; this adds loads of extra bombs, but makes the plane fly like a lame duck. Consider the pilot of a plane to be stunned as long as the bomb bay is loaded.

A plane with a bomb bay forfeits the normal rocket hardpoints. These are included in the displacement of the bay. A bomb bay has a capacity in pounds of bombs equal to [9 - plane Base Target Number] x 500 lbs. Any remaining cargo space can be used as well.

Bomb bays cannot be used to dive bomb. They are generally used for wildly inaccurate high-level bomb runs.

Transport (+1)

A transport plane is built like a bomber, but has a transport capacity instead of a bomb capacity.

Maneuver

Light/Heavy Stick (±1)

Reduce/increase the range at which you can be tailed by one hex. Cockpit Visibility and Light/Heavy stick modifiers are cumulative.

High Stall Speed (-1)

At speed zero, the pilot must roll as if he was pushing the envelope. If he fails, the plane turns at the end of the (zero-hex) move, just like after a random move.

This occurs in fast planes.

Low Stall Speed (+2)

The plane can fly very slowly and still not stall. This has no effect in the tactical game, but makes landing in poor terrain and zeppelin hookups easier. You need a shorter landing field. The plane is also a good choice for zeppelin boarders. You may reroll a failed landing roll.

A slow plane with long, straight, narrow wings is the best candidate for this.

Poor High-Speed Handling (-1)

If the pilot does anything but straight maneuvers while at maximum speed (or above), he must roll to push the envelope. If your maximum speed is reduced due to engine damage, it is still the original value that sets the limit.

High Dive Speed (+1)

The plane is aerodynamically capable of flying faster than the engine is capable of moving it. Normally, planes that have overspeeded over their maximum allowed speed lose this speed in the next turn. In this case the plane can continue at the same speed next turn without having to redline the engine.

Poor Maneuverability (-3)

The plane is cumbersome in the air; it cannot quickly change banking to turn as it wishes. If you did a right maneuver last turn, you can only do a straight or right maneuvers this turn. The same applies to left maneuvers.

This flaw is common in heavy planes, especially those with a large wingspan or a lot of weight at the end of the wings, like the Warhawk.

Wooden Airframe (-1)

The airframe is of wood, and thus breaks more easily. The plane cannot be designed with a G-rating of more than 3. When it takes wing fractures due to Stalling or Pushing the Envelope, apply an extra wing fracture. One becomes two, two becomes three and so on.

This does not really a matter of design complexity; it is more a matter of strategic resources. A nation without access to aluminum will have to build it's aircraft with a wooden airframe. Wooden Airframe most often means you have a Bargain Price plane.

Service Ceiling High/Low (±1)

	-1		17.000' ±1.000'
	0		21.000' ±2.000'
	+1		27.000' ±3.000'
	+2		37.000'

Most planes have a service ceiling of about 22.000 feet, but certain planes climb as high as 37.000 feet or as low as 16.000 feet.

Once the flight ceiling has been bought, you may randomly add variance to find the final ceiling. If you want to reroll this dice, it counts as a revamping of the design.

Note that zeppelins lose buoyancy with the lessening air pressure at high altitude, and most stay as low as 3.000 feet. Really high-altitude zeppelins can go to 6.000 or even 10.000 feet. Any aeroplane can go higher. This means that flight ceiling is not really very important.

Landing

Poor Landing Gear (-1)

You must always make a landing roll, even when your plane is undamaged and your Natural Touch skill is 4 or more. This applies to all landings, on water, zeppelins or airfields. Relatively common in pushers, who need longer landing struts.

No Landing Gear (-1)

The plane cannot land on the ground. It must use it's zeppelin hook or Flotation Gear (if it has one) in order to land. A plane with flotation gear and no landing gear is a flying boat.

No Zeppelin Hook (-1)

The plane cannot hook up to a zeppelin.

Flotation Gear (+2)

Your plane can land on water. Water landings always suffer from the Long Airstrip flaw. If the plane also has No Landing Gear, it is actually a flying boat.

Long Airstrip (-1)

This does not affect landing rolls directly, but it decides what bases the plane can use. An extra hex of airstrip is required for landing the craft.

Ground Agile / Clumsy (±1)

This is a measure of how your plane performs on the ground. A clumsy plane should preferably be towed into position; an agile plane can actually drive around like a ground car. This might seem unimportant, but when bullets are raining down on you, getting to the runway on time might be a matter of life and death.

This affects the way the plane can taxi if it must do so during game time. A normal plane can either turn or move one hex while taxying. An agile plane can do both. A clumsy plane cannot taxi effectively during scenario time.

A nose gear can make a plane agile; especially if it has several engines or is a pusher. Tail draggers are often clumsy.

Cockpit

No Radio (-1)

The aircraft lacks a radio and interior communications equipment (if it has more than one crew member). It also lacks radio navigation devices.

Improved/Reduced Cockpit Visibility (±1)

Reduce/Increase the range at which you can be tailed by one hex. Cockpit Visibility and Light/Heavy stick modifiers are cumulative. It also makes the plane more or less suitable as a recon craft.

Cramped Cockpit (-1)

Large pilots (Body 8+ or Constitution 5+) find this cockpit to have both Poor Comfort and to be Difficult to Bail from.

G-efficent/Inefficent Cockpit (-1 or +2)

A G-efficent cockpit and aircraft is built to withstand high Gs. Increase the limit on what is a restricted maneuver from 3 G to 4 G. This means 3 G maneuvers are no longer restricted. A G-inefficient cockpit instead makes 2G maneouvers restricted. Only 1 G and 0 G maneouvres are unrestricted.

Dog Basket (±0)

The dog (or other sensitive pet) will warn you of beeper rockets. It will also holler and yell during the high-G maneouvers required to dodge the seekers.

Difficult to Bail (-1)

The aircraft is outright dangerous to bail from; increase the difficulty of bailing attempts by two. This is hard to avoid in pusher planes.

Ejector Seat (+2)

The plane is unusually easy to bail from; this is usually due to an early model ejector seat, but some craft just have an easy-to-exit cockpit. Reduce all bailout target numbers by two.

Comfortable / Uncomfortable Cockpit (±1)

Like the Brigand, many planes have steering problems caused by peculiarities in their engines or fuselage. This rarely affects combat, but is an annoyance to the pilot, and the cause of many late-night curses from tired pilots. Other common problems include extraordinary engine noise, vibrations, just plain uncomfortable seats and lack of ergonomic controls.

A comfortable cockpit allows the pilot to adjust his position, move around a bit, manipulate the stick with ease and so on. Some exceptional designs can even reduce engine noise. This is most important for passenger aircraft.

Normally, a pilot can stay in the cockpit for a number of hours equal to his Constitution. For each multiple of this time, reduce all skills by -1. An uncomfortable cockpit halves this time; a comfortable cockpit doubles it.

Economy

Cheap/Expensive (-2 to +2))

A cheap aircraft is designed using cheap materials and simple production techniques. Final price is modified by -10% (+1) -25% (+2). State-of the art production facilities and materials makes the aircraft more expensive. Increase final price by +25%(-1) or +50% (-2). Such aircraft needs a prestigious name or a good reputation in order to sell well. Some designers, such as Howard Hughes, design their aircraft this way on principle.

Maintenance Easy/Heavy (±1)

Certain planes require more or less maintenance, parts and general time. Despite the best of maintenance, certain planes just break down more often than others. Some planes seem jinxed, unlucky or simply crappy, while others just roar on for hundreds of hours. A low-maintenance plane can fly again and again, while an hi-maintenance plane needs to spend a lot of time in it's hangar. A high-G plane is likely to demand much maintenance, a low-G plane less. Experimental or highly complex designs are also likely to require more maintenance.

Slow Traveler (-1)

Most machines have a cruising speed close of their maximum speed. Others do not. These planes can only manage speeds one less than maximum speed for extended periods. Overheating and prodigious fuel consumption at constant full speed is a problem for such craft.

Self-Sealing Fuel Tanks (+1)

Do not empty the fuel tank when it is hit. While this reduces the likelihood that you will run out of fuel, it also increases the chance of fireballing from magnesium rounds.

Folding Wings (+2)

Certain planes seem to fit into narrow spaces, small hangars and just hang perfectly under zeppelin carriers. They usually manage this by folding their wings while in storage.

This modifies the effective Base Target Number of the plane when it is put aboard a zeppelin, naval carrier or in other cramped hanger by +2.

Fuel Variable/Rare (±1)

Most planes run on gasoline, and this is the most common fuel all over the world. Some planes can only run on experimental high-octane fuels. Others run on unusual or downright weird things, such as alcohol, kerosene, diesel or even butane gas. Such fuels can be stockpiled at your own bases, but are not available in just any gas station. Others can seemingly run on any of the above, as well as detergents, cologne, and window-polish. You go figure.

Ceramic Fuel Tank Lining (+1)

A ceramic sheathing which when applied to your fuel tanks keeps the flames away from your gas. The protection provided applies only to the 'burn' damage of a magnesium round -- 'impact' damage of any caliber or type is unaffected. If your next hit in that column would go into your fuel tank and a magnesium round hits it, it's 'Bye Bye, Bucko'.

Ceramic armor also does not flex during maneuvering; as the airframe flexes the armor develops cracks which may allow a 'burn through'. When a magnesium round would burn into a fuel tank protected by ceramic armor, roll a d10 against a target number of the highest maneuver G rating attempted so far; as always, a '1' is an automatic failure. Success means the burn effect in that column is stopped completely -- ignore any remaining burn time for that particular hit in that column. Failure means... well, we don't like to dwell on thoughts of failure.