Nightfighter (boardgame) - forum game thread

Games
61

Hmm, so the only advantage of maintaining the searchlight fix is that one of my two fellow nightfighters might, in some later turn, tally the fixed bomber from 3 hexes away. But that outcome seems unlikely: I’m far away from my fellow airmen, and one of them is already tailing a different bomber. Declining to hand-off the searchlight fix at least gives us a (somewhat remote) chance to locate a second bomber.

For those reasons, I’m now inclined not to try to hand-off the searchlight fix. Heh, do my fellow nightfighters get a say in this? If not, I’d like to decline to attempt the hand-off.

62

You make the decision, although your fellows can offer advice. In general, I will avoid “voting” and simply let the closest nightfighter player make decisions in these cases (and anything where the “player” needs to make a decision).

63

Or you, if you break off.

64

Fair enough. OK, in the interest of moving things along, I decide I won’t attempt the hand-off of the searchlight fix.

65

I had never watched that documentary series — nor had I been ever familiar with much of WW2 for that matter.
It’s quite fascinating to read about the mechanics of the game, which are echoing some of the explanations provided by the documentary.
That thread was already great, but now this is thrusting it on a whole other level.
And such laudation is only impeding its greatness, so I’ll show myself out! Still, wonderful threa… VLAM!

66

Even the Thames TV pop up gives me nostalgia flashbacks.

Somewhere in England I have a box with this whole series on VHS. I recorded it “live” hitting pause to cut out the commercial breaks.

67

So nice, I bought it twice!

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39E5107A-A1D2-425F-9AD6-83D112D32588.jpeg2851×2138 1.38 MB

Actually the one on the right is a replacement for the one on the left ten years on when a couple of the DVDs in the first one started skipping.

68

Cool!

69

Checking back in. My guy slowly trolls around, hoping for a catch!

0204:3 -> 0205:2 -> 0306:1 -> 0405:2 -> 0506:3

70

Keep in mind, per rule 16.0 if we lose the fix, the bomber displaces. We won’t quite be sure what hexrow he’s in

If a searchlight fix, AI radar fix and/or tally on a non-corkscrewing bomber is lost or not maintained, the umpire immediately displaces that bomber as if it had performed a corkscrew [17.4.3]. Only displace the bomber if no other fixes or tallies remain on it.

71

A great point that I had forgotten!

72

I will post a new turn in the evening Pacific Time. @Spock, I will attempt searchlight handoff unless you say nay.

73

Whoops, I hadn’t noticed that rule. In that case, I definitely want to attempt the searchlight handoff.

74

GAME TURN 4 CONTINUED

Zone H attempts to take searchlight hand-off from Zone E (hex 1011): 1,5,1,5
Hand-off to Zone H is successful.

German nightfighters of JG300.
@Tom_Mc moves to 1706:4
@AleccMG moves to 0506:3
@Spock moves to 1011:3

Flak Phase:
All three Wilde Sau nightfighters are in a searchlight zone.
Flak roll 6,3
Nightfighters avoid flak.

Radar Search Phase: Skipped per scenario rule.

AI Search Phase: Skipped per scenario rule.

Searchlight Phase:
Searchlights in Zones A, B, D, F, and I report the presence of Allied bombers. Visibility is Moderate (2 dice). No moon modifier.

Zone A roll: 3,1
Searchlights in this zone are unable to fix any bombers.

Zone B roll: 1,5
Searchlights in this zone obtain a fix on a bomber in hex 1203.

Zone C maintains searchlight fix on bomber in hex 1606.

Zone D roll: 6,3
Searchlights in this zone are unable to fix any bombers.

Zone F roll: 5,6
Searchlights in this zone are unable to fix any bombers.

Zone H has fix on bomber in 1011 due to successful hand-off from Zone E.

Zone I roll: 4,5
Searchlights in this zone obtain a fix on a bomber in hex 1611.

Tally Phase
No fighters have a tally as of yet so there are no tallies to maintain. Visibility is Moderate (2 dice). No moon modifier.
Tally Roll is 1,2
The director frequencies are getting heavy traffic. The single-seat fighter pilots scan the darkness. There are no clear silhouetted bombers. No tallies this phase.

Combat Phase:
There are no Tallies so no combat is possible.

End of Turn
Searchlight markers are removed from Zones A, B, D, F, and I.
It is now Game Turn 5.

GAME TURN 5
Move Bombers Phase: All bombers move 3MP. Move completed on umpire’s map. The two bombers with Searchlight Fixes move on the map and retain these fixes.

I will just roll for Zone F handoff from Zone C right now. I don’t see a reason @Tom_Mc would not want to hand off.

die rolls: 3,3,3,6 Zone F fails to pick up the hand-off from Zone C. Bomber marker is secretly displaced per 16.0.

Enter Bombers Phase: Three bombers enter as per scenario rules. These can move 1, 2, or 3 hexes on the first turn. Move completed on umpire’s map.

Move Fighters Phase:
Players to move

In the mapboard post, I have included the map right after all searchlight rolls were completed in Game Turn 4 (showing nightfighter movement in red), and then a second map after bomber movement in Game Turn 5, including the results of the unsuccessful hand-off in Zone F. I kept the fighter movement tracks here as a reminder of last turn.

75

It’s very dark up here. I know there’s a bomber in front of me, but I can’t see it! I just keep flying straight and level.

Move forward three hexes from 1011:3 to 1014:3.

76

HMU guy starts a loop ending in 0402:2. Should be fine MP.

Starting holiday travels/shenanigans. If I’m taking to long, I trust @Tom_Mc to make an intelligent love for me!

77

Move all 5 mp to hex 1610 facing 3.

Tom Mc

78

GAME TURN 5 CONTINUED

The nightfighters swim deeper into the bomber stream…

German nightfighters of JG300.
@Tom_Mc moves to 1610:3
@AleccMG moves to 0405:2 (said “loop ending in 0402 facing 2” but this is impossible with 5 MP (would take 8 MP from start position of 0506:3) so I assume it was just a typo and meant 0405)
@Spock moves to 1014:3

Flak Phase:
All three Wilde Sau nightfighters are in a searchlight zone.
Flak roll 4,6
Nightfighters avoid flak.

Radar Search Phase: Skipped per scenario rule.

AI Search Phase: Skipped per scenario rule.

Searchlight Phase:
Searchlights in Zones A, C, D, F, and I report the presence of Allied bombers. Visibility is Moderate (2 dice). No moon modifier.

Zone A roll: 4,3
Searchlights in this zone obtain a fix on a bomber in hex 0605.

Zone B maintains searchlight fix on bomber in hex 1206.

Zone C roll: 5,3
Searchlights in this zone obtain a fix on a bomber in hex 1503.

Zone D roll: 1,1
Searchlights in this zone are unable to fix any bombers.

Zone F roll: 6,5
Searchlights in this zone obtain a fix on a bomber in hex 1609.

Zone H maintains searchlight fix on bomber in hex 1014.

Zone I maintains searchlight fix on bomber in hex 1614.

Tally Phase
No fighters have a tally as of yet so there are no tallies to maintain. Visibility is Moderate (2 dice). No moon modifier.
Tally Roll is 4,2
The fighter directors are talking over one another on the channel. @Spock searches desperately around him as his director is shouting that he is right on top of a bomber, but the flak bursts are blinding and he can’t tally anyone. @Tom_Mc cranes his head around to try and spot a bomber he is told is behind him. @AleccMG thinks he sees something to port. No tallies, though. The night sky stays frustratingly opaque.

Combat Phase:
There are no Tallies so no combat is possible.

End of Turn
Searchlight markers are removed from Zones A, C, D, and F.
It is now Game Turn 6.

GAME TURN 6

Move Bombers Phase: All bombers move 3MP. Move completed on umpire’s map. After 1 MP expended, there are three handoff situations:

Zone B->E in hexes 1206->1207: die rolls are 5,6,2,2
Fix is lost. Bomber marker secretly displaced as per 16.0

Zone H->K in hexes 1014->1015: die rolls are 3,6,2,2
Fix is lost. Bomber marker secretly displaced as per 16.0

Zone I->L in hexes 1614->1615: die rolls are 3,2,1,4
Searchlight fix is maintained.

After the second MP is expended, there are two more handoff attempts:

Zone A->D in hexes 0606->0607: die rolls are 5,1,6,2
Fix is lost. Bomber marker secretly displaced as per 16.0

Zone F->I in hexes 0610->0611: die rolls are 3,2,2,5
Searchlight fix is maintained.

Bombers now move one more MP and no more handoff attempts occur.

Enter Bombers Phase: Three bombers enter as per scenario rules. These can move 1, 2, or 3 hexes on the first turn. Move completed on umpire’s map.

Move Fighters Phase:
Players to move

In the mapboard post, I have included the map right after all searchlight rolls were completed in Game Turn 5 (showing nightfighter movement in red), and then a second map after bomber movement in Game Turn 6, including the results of the handoffs. I kept the fighter movement tracks here as a reminder of last turn.

79

Two ahead to 1612 facing 3. We’ll get a tally yet!

Tom Mc

80

0607:3 for me! We’ll find this sucker!