"I asked permission to fire on the tank column, but HQ flatly refused my request. They were in a safe zone, all those Panzers were just 200 yards from a field designated as a free fire zone. These rules are doing more hurt than help." The Rules
2) Fighters are only to be engaged for your own protection. Bombers are priority targets, fighters are NOT on this priority list. Engaging fighters should be done ONLY in self defense. With rules like that, you're prohibited from tackling anything but bombers. Punishment can range from simple things, like KP duty, to training the tin horns in your squad. Most fighters have no such restriction, and are free to attack any targets of opportunity as they are encountered. Individual fighter squadron commanders typically set the ROE so bombers are on the priority list, with enemy fighters a close second and ground vehicles a distant third. In Aces High this can be problematic, since ground vehicles can level any target nearly as fast as a bomber strike. R.O.E: Fighters 1) All enemy fighters are valid targets and may be engaged at any time with a go-ahead from the local GIC [ground intercept controller]. If this clearence is not issued, you are prohibited from engaging. Fighter-bombers are classified at this time as priority targets, and clearence is NOT needed to engage them.
2) Enemy bombers are classified as high priority targets. Clearence is NOT needed to engage them, so all pilots may engage freely. If fighters are present escorting the bomber stream, bombers take higher priority. One half [½] of friendly fighter aircraft MUST engage these escort fighters so the other half may attack the bombers unmolested.
3) All contacts must be reported to the local GIC before contact is initiated with the enemy aircraft. If the enemy initiates contact, you are free to engage. Notify the GIC of your position and reinforcements will be sent with a max E.T.A. of 10 minutes.
4) Ground contacts [tanks, Flakpanzers, half-tracks, ships, etc...] are to be called in to the local GIC for vectoring of fighter-bombers to the area. Fighter aircraft may NOT engage Flakpanzers without fighter-bomber support. If sufficient friendly ground units are in position to attack, they will be notified.
5) Enemy airmen shot down over friendly territory are to be CAPTURED. Deliberately killing an enemy officer while a) on the ground or b) in his parachute are grounds for a General Courts Martial. Excluded from this are enemy pilots acting as spies near friendly installations. You may attack these spies freely at any time.
6) Enemy aircraft, vehicles, airfields, and all associated equipment is to be captured if possible. If necessary, orders will be issued to fighter-bomber units to destroy this equipment. If an enemy airfield is found, call the local GIC with a bomber strike request and give the location of the structure(s) to be hit. Ground units will be tasked with capture, fighter aircraft are to provide air cover.
7) Friendly aircraft have a higher priority than ALL targets. If ANY friendly aircraft calls for help, you must assist if possible. If not possible, due to a) damage to your aircraft, b) fuel status, c) pre-occupation with another enemy aircraft, put out a general distress call for the pilot in need and request emergency back-up. Max allowed E.T.A. for back-up of this nature is 10 minutes. Any longer and you should put in a
complaint to your CO about the un-necessary delay.
8) If any more than 60% casualties are taken, in a single operation or within one month, fighter operations will be suspended until sufficient replacement pilots and aircraft have been procured. R.O.E: Fighter-bombers 1) Flakpanzer units are HIGH priority targets. Notify the local GIC of their location and request back-up to assist in their destruction. If more than 40% casualties are taken, fall back and return to base at once. Ground units will be tasked with the attack of the Flakpanzer unit(s).
2) Enemy fighters are to be AVOIDED if possible. You do NOT have authorization to engage enemy fighter aircraft. When enemy fighters are spotted, call the local GIC immedately and request friendly fighter units be sent to the area. If avoidance is not possible, you are authorized to drop ordinance and engage as a LAST RESORT. Ditching your ord to engage enemy fighters on a regular basis will lead to a General Courts Martial.
3) If any enemy tank units are spotted, you are free to engage them. Call the local GIC for fighter escort if desired, or back-up if necessary.
4) If enemy bombers are seen in your AO [area of operations] call the local GIC immeadately for a fighter sweep. Keep an eye out for enemy fighters roaming the area or escorting the bombers.
5) No more than 60% casualties will be accepted. If this number is exceeded all operations will be suspended until sufficient replacement pilots and aircraft have been procured. Rules of the Game Remember, everything I showed above is only a reference for what Rules of Engagement are. I can and will plan out a set of RoE for any special events provided full information about the units are given to me. This way I can figure out which planes will do what best, and how to restrict them in the combat area. Use the Feedback Form link, or the e-mail address on my main page to get in touch.
Aces High pilot complaining about the ROE
Each theater of war has rules, and each unit is bound by these rules. Generally they tell pilots what they can and can't shoot or what lines they're bound by. An example of this could be seeing a flight of fighters below you as you're going after a bomber stream. But your ROE sheet states:
1) Bombers are your primary targets. Ignore all other targets that present themselves. See #2 for rules on engaging enemy fighters
ROE for vehicles is simple: anything is fair game. M3s usually aid in capturing a base with Panzers and Ostwinds providing cover fire. Fighter pukes usually think hitting an Ostwind or M-16 MGC is nothing but an easy kill. The Ostwind mounts a single 37mm cannon, while the M-16 MGC has quad .50 caliber machine guns. A single hit from that 37mm will kill or cripple you, and a long burst from quad .50s will do some serious damage. In short, think twice before trying to kill one without help.
Typical sweep mission ROE:
Typical ground attack ROE:
These examples above are just that; examples. Only in special events, scenarios, or Tours of Duty are Rules of Engagement issued to every one participating. Normally you're free to do what you want, whether it's shooting up hangars or dogfighting. In special events the rules are tailored to create an atmosphere which is similar to the original historical battle. Most often each group is issued a custom-tailored ROE set to give everyone set tasks. If fighters are going to be intercepting bombers, that fighter group's ROE would be different than if it was just doing a sweep.
I could setup an example of the ROE for a multi-squadron special event, but I don't think it would help you any. Rules, as I said above, are custom made for each squadron based on an assigned task. Anyone can write them up, but the challenge is committing them to memory. I cheat when it comes to memorizing the ROE; I print them out. With the ROE in front of you there's a less likely chance of you screwing up by breaking the rules.
Now depending on the assignment, the ROE might just be a few points or several pages in length. If you love detailed mission assignments (nod your head here) then the best set of ROE is going to be a single page long. This should cover the basics, such as what a pilot might encounter or do to destroy your plans. If you don't want pilots to shoot men in parachutes then say so in the ROE. The same goes for other things, such as preventing the bombing of a given city, setting engagement limits [altitude, location, etc...] maybe even stopping them from attacking anti-aircraft units.
Smart people will setup procedures in the ROE for several things. Calling the local GIC for fighter-bombers when tanks are spotted is one procedure I set. What this does is allows pilots who are good at a specific job to do that job without endangering others. A typical fighter aircraft can't kill a tank, so you call the local GIC and request fighter-bombers to do it. This lets the fighter-bombers get some action, and lets you provide air cover. It also stops excessive casualties from piling up.
Most people in flight sims don't worry about casualties. After all, in 15 seconds you'll just be up with another plane anyway. Special events rarely give each pilot more than ONE life. In short, if you die you're dead and can't do anything but wait for the event to end. On some occasions the event will let fighter pilots that have been killed drive a C-47 or M3 to capture a base. Another thing I've seen done is give the CO of a squad 10+4 aircraft. No this doesn't mean 14 aircraft total, it means the CO has 10 planes and 4 reserve planes. If he needs reinforcements, or has lost several pilots, he can call 4 of those dead pilots up in the replacement aircraft.
Another thing I've seen that works quite well, for planning a special event, is assigning 3 pilots per aircraft. If one pilot can't make that Ju-88 mission another guy is right there to take his place without disrupting things. You can set the ROE to account for this by placing a limit on the number of aircraft that can be in the air at any given time. By doing this you'll be able to balance sides yet still give everyone a fighting chance. The last thing you need is one side complaining loudly about unfair numbers on the other.