- [19.0]? AIRPOWER
- Airpower is handled by the use of Air Points (APs?) that are allocated to both sides. APs? may be used to attack enemy units during a friendly Combat Phase or when they move. APs? can protect friendly ground units from enemy air attack. The US player can also use his APs? to attack the German logistical transport system.
- [19.1.0]? Air Point Available
- The scenario rules will list the number of APs? each side receives during the Air Allocation phase of every AM and PM GT. This number is historically based, but the actual APs? received is weather dependent (see Atmospheric Conditions; 18.3.0). At the end of each GT, any leftover APs? are lost and the AP markers are reset to zero. Air Points are not available during Night GTs?.
- [19.1.1]? Allocating APs?
- At the start of the Air Allocation Phase both players must allocate all APs? received this turn to specific sectors of the map (see 19.1.2 below). Record the number of APs? assigned to a specific sector by placing a Sector Air Point marker on the corresponding Army Track.
- [19.1.2]? Map Sectors
- For the US player the map is divided into four sectors, each corresponding to a map section: NE, NW, SE and SW. For the German player the map is divided in two, simply North (NE and NW maps) and South (SE and SW maps).
- [19.2.0]? Using Air Points
An AP may only be used once per GT, and as it is used, the corresponding Sector AP marker is moved to the left to show the reduced number of APs? remaining. (Notice the AP marker has a 10+ value on one side to account for AP values higher than 10.) An AP that has been assigned to a sector may not be used in a different sector.
APs? can be used for four types of missions: Ground Support, Ground Interdiction, Air Patrol, and Supply Interdiction.
- [19.3.0]? Ground Support
- Enemy units that are observed may be attacked by Air Points during the friendly Barrage Segment. This is a Ground Support mission (GS).
- [19.3.1]? How to Conduct Ground Support
- To conduct a GS mission, a player picks an enemy-occupied hex and states how many APs? he is using (see limits below). The attacking player resolves it exactly like an artillery barrage, with each AP equaling one Barrage factor. A hex may only be hit by GS once per Combat Phase. In addition a hex hit by GS may not have an artillery barrage conducted against it in the same Combat Phase.
- [19.3.2]? Ground Support Limits
The maximum number of AP that may be allocated to a GS mission is dependent upon the form of observation:
- If the observing unit is in PA Mode = eight.
- All other forms of observation = four.
- [19.3.3]? Defensive Ground Support
- If a GS mission occurs during the other side's player-turn, it is considered a defensive GS mission. In this case, each AP participating in the mission is halved (round down, but not below one).
- [19.4.0]? Ground Interdiction
- During Clear weather turns, if an enemy unit moves four or more consecutive hexes while being observed, the moving enemy unit may be attacked by Air Points. This is a Ground Interdiction mission (GI). GI missions are resolved like an artillery barrage, with each AP equaling one-half Barrage factor (round down, but not below one). A moving unit may only be hit by one GI per Movement or Exploitation phase.
- [19.5.0]? Supply Interdiction
- During the German Transport phase, before the German player uses the Transport Table, the US side may conduct a Supply Interdiction mission to reduce the number of Truck Points available to the German Player. The US play can allocate APs? from any sector.
- [19.5.1]? How to Conduct Supply Interdiction
- For every two APs? allocated, the US player may attack one German Truck Point. If a modified 2 or less is rolled, the TP is unavailable to use that day. Each additional AP assigned to the mission subtracts one from the die-roll. No more than Five APs? can attack any one TP.
- [19.6.0]? Air Superiority
- Friendly Air Points can intercept enemy APs? that are conducting a mission against friendly units. Likewise, a player conducting a mission can send additional APs? for protection from enemy APs?. APs? used in either manner are conducting Air Superiority.
- [19.6.1]? When to Conduct Air Superiority
- After an enemy player announces the intent to conduct an air mission, he must declare how many APs?, if any, are escorting the mission using Air Superiority (AS). The opposing side may now allocate APs? to fly AS and intercept that mission. These APs? must be available in the same sector as the enemy mission.
- [19.6.2]? How to Conduct Air Superiority
- For each intercepting AP, one enemy AP on the mission is driven off without contributing to that mission. For each escorting AP, one intercepting AP is engaged before driving off mission APs?. The mission is then conducted by remaining APs? that were not assigned to escort AS for that mission.
