FIGHTER DUEL

by Phil Sabin
 2 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel

INTRODUCTION
This booklet contains 2 complete illustrated
sample games of the final version of my Fighter
Duel total conversion based on the Aircraft Data
Cards (ADCs) from Lee Brimmicombe-Wood’s
Wing Leader series from GMT. It is intended to
help you to understand the rules and to get a feel
for how the game plays and what tactics to adopt.
Please read the booklet in conjunction with the
game rules and design notes.
Unlike Wing Leader itself, Fighter Duel uses a
more traditional top-down perspective to allow
greater diffentiation of aircraft headings and 3D
position than in Lee’s novel side-scrolling
system. As shown in the top picture, I have
cannibalised the beautiful 35x59 hexgrid from the
old Avalon Hill game Flight Leader, but you may
use any roughly similar blank hexgrid if desired.
I use the hexrows on all 4 board edges as record
tracks to avoid the need for off-board tracks, and
you will need to convert Flight Leader’s lettered
hex columns (A to GGG) into equivalent numbers
if using a different board.
As shown in the bottom picture, I use the colour-
coded counter sets from the even older SPI game
Spitfire to record the position, heading and
altitude of fighters and to track their airspeed,
ammo and damage on the board edge tracks.
There is a counter scan on Boardgame Geek, or
you may create your own bespoke counters. For
convenience, I have glued counters 1 to 18 onto
the sides of three 10mm dice for each fighter, but
you may use the original counter swapping
system if you prefer. You will need to provide
one tiny die per aircraft to show airspeed and
bank attitude. The Wing Leader ADCs display
the performance characteristics of each fighter
type, but you should check the full updated ADC
data at http://www.airbattle.co.uk/.
Fighter Duel offers a much more tactical
perspective than Wing Leader itself, with
counters representing individual aircraft rather
than flights or squadrons and with turns
representing just 3 seconds each instead of around
45 seconds. For an intermediate side-scrolling
system with 15 second turns and a significant 3D
element, see my more grand tactical Dogfight
and Dogfight Lite conversions for Wing Leader.
See also my similar Canvas Aces conversion for
WWI air battles, which you may find along with
several sample games on the BGG site for Carlo
Ammadeo’s Winged Victory.

©Phil Sabin 2020

 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel 3

GAME 1: MONGOLIA 1939

This first sample game is set during the ‘Nomonhan
Incident’ in the summer of 1939 when Japanese and
Soviet forces clashed over the steppelands of
Mongolia. Each side fields a vic of 3 of their
principal fighters of the time – the Nakajima Ki-27b
and the Polikarpov I-16 Type 10. As shown on the
ADCs, these fighters are evenly matched for speed
and altitude performance above level 4 (7,000 feet).
The agile Ki-27s have far better turning ability, and
the ‘b’ version also benefits from a rear view
canopy. The I-16s have slightly greater resilience,
but in Fighter Duel both types have a damage rating
of 3 rather than 4. Not shown on the front of the
ADCs are two offsetting advantages of the I-16s –
their Firepower rating of 1 since the Type 10 had 4
MGs as against just 2 for the Type 5 and Ki-27, and
the better roll rate of the stubby Soviet fighter at low
airspeeds, as laid down in the Fighter Duel rules
themselves. In technical terms, the opposing fighters
were fairly evenly matched overall. What gave the
Japanese such an edge historically was their superior
pilot quality. This is reflected by classing the
Japanese flight leader as veteran and his wingmen as
experienced, while the Soviet leader is only
experienced and his wingmen count as green.
It is agreed that the board will span altitude levels 6
to 8, since both fighter types reach their peak
performance at level 7 (steps 7 to 12 in this case) –
above the thicker air below 10,000 feet but before
the speed and climb rate of these early planes falls
away at greater heights. The scenario uses the
standard deployment rules for a meeting
engagement, with the flights converging head-on. If
their speed or climb ratings differed, this would be
reflected in different initial heights or speeds, but in
this case both flights begin with 6 altitude steps
(putting them at the top of level 6) and with their
airspeed markers in column P (just barely reaching
an airspeed of 4, which represents 272 mph).
Fighters using vics rather than the superior pair
formations start only 1 rather than 2 hexes apart.
Dicing for sun direction produces a rising sun
shining down from the NE, which the Japanese take
as a good omen. Without a numerical advantage, the
Soviets clearly need a handicap bonus to compensate
for their inferior pilot quality, and bidding for sides
produces a fractional victory point handicap of 1.5.
This rules out a draw and means that one side or the
other is bound to prevail, as in my Dogfight games.

© Phil Sabin 2020

 4 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel

The photos show the position at the end of

each 3 second turn. The Ki-27s move first,
and combat is resolved at the end of each
aircraft’s activation, so the I-16s are engaged
in their starting locations rather than where
they end the turn. For better visibility of the
energy state of the fighters, I have added
numbers next to each aircraft showing its
altitude steps and its current airspeed in hexes.
My commentary does not always follow the
actual activation sequence of the planes.
TURN 1
Each pilot must test his situational awareness
(SA) before his own move. This gives a 0% to
30% chance of being forced to fly straight and
level, depending on pilot quality and on the
visibility of enemy planes and of their own
leader for wingmen. The Japanese pilots
retain SA despite the enemy currently being
more than 20 hexes away, and they all opt to
climb, thereby swapping to the middle cubes
at level (and coincidentally step) 7 and
escaping the thicker air at lower levels. This
allows them to gain 0.5 speed points despite
starting at airspeed 4, offsetting some of the 3
point loss for the climb. They move only 3
hexes due to the climb, and their airspeed falls
to 3 for next turn. The leader and wingman B
weave right while wingman C weaves left to
prepare a standard bracketing manoeuvre. I-
16 wingman F makes a similar climb and right
weave, losing 2.5 speed points, but the other
two Soviet pilots fail their SA checks and must
fly straight forward at airspeed 4, gaining no
speed points because they are still at level 6.
TURN 2
The Japanese again pass their SA checks.
This allows the leader and wingman B to
continue climbing 2 hexes to step 8 at a net
cost of another 2.5 speed points, while
wingman C continues to diverge and remains
at step 7, regaining 0.5 speed points. (If the
planes climbed to step 13, they would be at
level 8, so their ADC climb rating would be 3,
bringing a turn penalty and no 0.5 speed point
gains at airspeed 3.) The Soviet leader passes
his SA check this turn and weaves 4 hexes left,
but both his wingmen fail their own SA checks
and must fly straight forward. Only wingman
F, falling behind due to his lower airspeed of
3, gains 0.5 speed points as he slowly
accelerates back towards an airspeed of 4.

©Phil Sabin 2020

 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel 5

TURN 3
The Ki-27 leader climbs again to step
9, losing a further 2.5 net speed
points. His wingmen hold their
existing altitudes, while continuing to
diverge to bracket the enemy. They
regain 0.5 speed points each. Now
that the Japanese are within 20 hexes,
the Soviet pilots for the first time
avoid losing SA, and they take the
opportunity to weave left and right to
mirror the divergence of their
opponents. Wingman F to the south
holds altitude and regains 0.5 speed
points, while wingman G climbs one
step and loses 2.5 points. The I-16
leader climbs 2 steps and attempts a
gentle left turn to outflank the Ki-27s,
but the D10 roll he needs to turn rises
from 2 (at airspeed 4) to 7 because of
his gentle turn decision and the need
to bank first. He fails his roll and so
continues heading east, losing an extra
speed point because of his 2 step
climb and dropping to airspeed 3 with
a total net loss of 6.5 speed points.
TURN 4
All 3 Japanese fighters maintain
altitude, weave 3 hexes right and
regain 0.5 speed points as they decide
to concentrate on bracketing I-16s E
and G. This also allows wingman C
to avoid risking his SA by moving
more than 12 hexes from his leader.
(Since the leader moves first, he is
still in front of his wingmen when
they make their SA checks.) Both
Soviet wingmen pass their own SA
checks, and they weave 3 hexes right
while their leader weaves 3 hexes left,
diverging to create an extended
echeloned line as they approach the
merge. It is now far too risky for the
Soviet leader to persist with his
attempted left turn, so he returns to a
level bank. All 3 I-16s regain 0.5
speed points as did the Ki-27s, with
wingmen C and F in the south ending
just 1 speed point short of accelerating
back to airspeed 4.

© Phil Sabin 2020

 6 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel

TURN 5
The Japanese fighters decide to turn inwards to try to
bracket I-16 G in the centre of the Soviet line. The
veteran Ki-27 leader climbs 2 hexes to step 10 to stay
above any threat from the lead I-16, and he
successfully risks a gentle turn even though the initial
roll penalty boosts the score required to 5 or more.
However, he still loses another 3.5 speed points,
cutting his airspeed to 2. Wingmen B and C maintain
height, and they both succeed in rolling the 4 or more
needed to turn normally after a half weave and bank,
with both paying a net cost of 1.5 speed points. The
Soviet leader seizes the chance for a front quarter pass
on Ki-27 B. He gains another 0.5 speed points, but the
net -2 modifier for the poor attack angle means that a
D10 hit roll of 10 is required, and he scores only 4.
Wingman F has a 20% chance of losing SA because
his leader ends his move just beyond the 12 hex
threshold, but he retains awareness and makes a half
weave left to engage Ki-27 C. His D10 score of 5 is
just enough to turn because his I-16’s fast roll rate
partially offsets its inferior turning performance, but
he loses 2.5 speed points, and the Ki-27s’ superior
agility and his own inexperience mean that his burst
has no chance yet of scoring a hit. Wingman G retains
his own SA in this perilous situation, and he dives left
2 steps to escape the Japanese fighters above, while
relying on his comrade to distract Ki-27 C. The 5.5
speed point gain brings his airspeed back to 4.
TURN 6
The Japanese leader dives back to step 9, with the
higher acceleration at airspeed 2 contributing to a net
gain of 4 speed points to bring him back to airspeed 3.
Wingman B cannot quite reach I-16 G 3 steps below,
but he dives 2 steps and successfully rolls the 2 or
more needed to continue his left turn round behind the
I-16s while gaining 4.5 speed points. Wingman C
could dive to engage I-16 G, but given the threat from
plane F, combat modifiers make this unprofitable and
dangerous. He weaves left instead to try to evade F,
but he decides that reversing his bank and turning west
would take him out of the action for too long, so he
levels out, gains 0.5 speed points and relies on his
approaching leader to clear his tail. The Soviet leader
enters a climbing right turn in pursuit of the enemy
leader, successfully rolling the 4 or more required but
losing 5.5 speed points and falling to airspeed 2. Both
Soviet wingmen retain SA, with I-16 F rolling the 3 or
more needed to continue his left turn while climbing to
stay above and behind Ki-27 C at a similar cost of 5.5
speed points. I-16 G weaves left past the other enemy
planes while climbing 2 steps back to step 7 and losing
6.5 speed points to return to airspeed 3.

©Phil Sabin 2020

 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel 7

TURN 7
The lead Ki-27 dives 1 more step, weaves half right and rolls
the 3 or more needed to bank and turn to the aid of wingman
C, gaining 1.5 speed points overall. Ki-27 C passes the SA
test required now that his leader is just outside his forward
arc, and he weaves right and rolls the 3 or more needed to
bank and turn right, losing 1.5 speed points and daring I-16 F
to attack him and be sandwiched. Wingman B meanwhile
climbs 1 step and automatically succeeds in continuing his
left turn behind the other I-16s, losing 4.5 speed points in the
process. The Soviet leader dives back to step 8 and is lucky
to roll the 6 or more needed at his low speed to continue his
right turn in pursuit of the Japanese leader. The higher
acceleration and lower turn drag at airspeed 2 mean that he
regains 2.5 speed points, returning him to an airspeed of 3.
Wingman F retains SA and dives into position for a
deflection attack on Ki-27 C, but he also reverses his bank
and attempts a right turn which will stop the Japanese leader
dropping directly onto his tail. His I-16’s superior roll rate
allows him to score the 5 or more needed to make the turn, at
the expense of gaining just 0.5 speed points and being unable
to engage plane C this turn. Wingman G has lost sight of the
others and has a 30% chance of continuing directly east, but
instead he retains SA and rolls the 4 or more needed to bank
and turn right at the cost of 2.5 speed points.
TURN 8
The Japanese leader seizes the chance of diving to engage I-
16 F, even though this necessitates throttling back so as to
stop 1 hex short. He takes the risk of turning gently to cut
his speed point loss to 0.5, and succeeds in rolling the 3 or
more required to continue his turn and launch a 60 degree
deflection attack. With a net combat modifier of +1, his D10
roll of 8 rises to 9 and allows a D6 damage roll which scores
4 and so just inflicts a damage point on plane F despite the
Ki-27’s weak firepower. While I-16 F is distracted, Ki-27 C
cuts across its front to try to escape, successfully rolling the
2 or more needed for a continued right turn costing 1.5 speed
points overall. Wingman B is poised to launch his own
deflection attack on I-16 G, but with his leader now behind
him, he loses SA on a roll of 1 and cannot attack this turn.
The Soviet leader dives down and tries to continue his own
right turn for a deflection attack to get revenge on his
Japanese counterpart, but he fails to roll the 3 or more
needed to change heading, and regaining 3.5 speed points is
scant compensation for the missed opportunity. Wingman F
retains SA and levels out for a deflection shot on Ki-27 C
regardless, but the penalties for his inexperience and for
being attacked by plane A mean that his D10 roll of 8 falls 2
short of the 10 now required. Having not yet been engaged,
wingman G still has a 30% chance of SA failure, and he
succumbs as did his would-be attacker. Planes B, F and G
all gain the usual 0.5 speed points from engine thrust.

© Phil Sabin 2020

 8 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel

TURN 9
I-16 F is just outside the movement arc of the Ki-27 leader, so
the Japanese veteran weaves as close as he can and gambles
successfully on rolling the 3 or more needed to turn gently into
the same heading, thereby limiting his speed loss to 0.5 points.
Wingman C meanwhile gratefully leaves the I-16’s gunsights
in a climbing right turn which succeeds automatically at a net
cost of 4.5 speed points, reducing C’s airspeed to 2. Ki-27 B
regains SA this turn and succeeds in scoring the 3 or more
needed to bank and turn for a medium range tail attack on I-16
C, losing 1.5 speed points in the process. There are no net
modifiers, so on a D10 roll of 6 his first burst misses. The I-
16 leader passes his own SA check for having no enemies in
his arc of vision, and decides that it is hopeless to keep circling
after the faster-turning Japanese leader, so instead he uses his
superior roll rate to reverse his bank and turn left to help
wingman G instead. He successfully rolls the 5 or more
needed for the turn, at a net cost of 2.5 speed points.
Wingman G, alerted by the fire from Ki-27 B, now has only a
20% chance of not regaining SA, but this happens nonetheless
and the green pilot continues SE, gaining 0.5 speed points but
offering an inviting target. I-16 F also has a 20% chance of
losing SA and exposing his unguarded tail, but he avoids this
and dives steeply left across the front of the Japanese leader,
hoping to limit the danger to a single passing burst. He
successfully rolls the 4 or more needed to bank and turn, and
gains 3.5 speed points due to the 2 step altitude loss.
TURN 10
The Japanese leader dives steeply himself to take the
deflection shot on I-16 F, gaining only 4.5 speed points due to
the 2 point cost of the radical pitch changes when not
accompanied by a turn. He enjoys a +2 combat modifier, but
on a dismal D10 roll of 2 his burst still goes astray. Both
Japanese wingmen avoid the 10% chance of losing SA now
their leader is not ahead of them. Ki-27 B gains 0.5 speed
points and makes another mid-range tail attack on I-16 G. His
modifier is +1 now that he has not needed to change heading,
but his score of 1 means his burst is even further off the mark.
Wingman C dives back to step 7, gaining 4 speed points which
bring his airspeed back to 3. He weaves right to try to deter
the Soviet leader from crossing east to save his beleaguered
comrade wingman G. The lead I-16 pilot is undeterred and
continues to circle left while turning gently to save energy. He
successfully rolls the 6 or more required and loses just 1.5
speed points, thereby narrowly avoiding deceleration to an
airspeed of 2. This is lucky because wingman G (clearly
panicking and trying to outrun his tormenter) loses SA for a
third successive turn, while his measly 0.5 speed point gain
leaves him well short of airspeed 4. Wingman F avoids his
own 20% chance of losing SA, and succeeds in rolling the 6 or
more needed for a gentle climbing left turn to escape the
Japanese leader at a cost of 4.5 speed points which again
leaves him just short of dropping to airspeed 2.

©Phil Sabin 2020

 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel 9

TURN 11
Now that I-16 F is heading west and will be out of the action for
several turns, the Japanese leader decides to turn east to help his
wingmen engage the other 2 Soviet planes. He dives to step 4
and turns gently to conserve energy, but he still manages to roll
the 5 or more needed to bank and turn. The 2.5 speed points
gained increase his airspeed to 4. Both Japanese wingmen
again avoid losing SA while their leader is away. Ki-27 B
weaves left, gains 0.5 speed points, and engages I-16 G for the
third successive turn. His D10 roll of 8 increases to 9 thanks to
the +1 modifier, but his weak firepower proves his undoing
when his D6 roll is 1 rather than the 4, 5 or 6 he needs to inflict
a damage point. Wingman C also gains 0.5 speed points and
makes his own deflection attack on the enemy leader. There are
no modifiers, and the D10 roll of 4 is well short of the 8 needed.
The lead I-16 dives 1 step and weaves left out of his attacker’s
movement arc. He tries to continue his left turn but fails to roll
the 3 or more mandated by his plane’s mediocre turning ability
– instead, he gains 3.5 speed points thanks to his altitude loss.
With no other planes in sight, wingman F succumbs to his 30%
chance of losing SA, gaining 0.5 speed points but flying even
further from the action. Wingman G at last recovers his wits
after B’s prolonged attack and dives 2 steps while succeeding in
rolling the 5 or more needed to bank and turn left after a half
weave. He gains 3.5 speed points.
TURN 12
The Ki-27 leader tries to continue his gentle right turn to
support his wingmen, but by limiting the g he is pulling at his
increased airspeed of 4 he fails to roll the 4 or more needed to
turn again, and he also forfeits further acceleration because of
the thicker air at level 6. Fortunately, his wingmen again
maintain their SA in his absence. Ki-27 B foregoes a final
deflection attack on G in favour of diving down and rolling the
4 or more needed to bank and turn into the same heading in
hopes of reviving his prolonged tail attack at even closer range
in the turns to come. He gains 4.5 speed points in his 2 step
dive. Wingman C dives 1 step and tries to make a similar move
alongside the enemy leader, but his poorer roll rate means that
he fails to roll the 3 or more he needs to bank and turn. At least
he gains 3.5 speed points from his dive. The relieved Soviet
leader finally succeeds in rolling the 3 or more needed to
continue his own left turn towards his approaching counterpart,
at a cost of 2.5 speed points in turn drag. Wingman F recovers
SA, dives 2 steps to step 4, and rolls the 4 or more needed to
bank and turn left as he struggles to rejoin the fight. His net
speed point gain is 3.5. Wingman G also retains SA and tries
to climb left across the front of Ki-27 B as I-16 F did on turn 9
to escape the Japanese leader. Unfortunately, his inferior turn
rate means that he fails to roll the 3 or more needed to complete
the turn, leaving him only 2.5 speed points poorer but
disastrously exposed to B’s renewed attack.

© Phil Sabin 2020

 10 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel

TURN 13
The Japanese leader continues his gentle right turn but
climbs 2 steps back up to step 6 to match the altitude of
the approaching enemy leader. He rolls the 4 or more
needed to make his turn, but loses a swingeing 8 speed
points because of his height gain and the increased turn
drag, returning him definitively to an airspeed of 3. His
wingmen again retain SA even without his guiding
presence. Pilot B cannot believe his luck, and climbs
straight ahead to slip neatly onto I-16 G’s tail at close
range, at a cost of 2.5 speed points. His fire modifier is
+2, and on a D10 score of 5 he only just misses being
able to roll for damage. He is now ideally placed to
pursue G for turn after turn, and his main concern is that
he can fire only 4 more bursts without exhausting his own
ammo. Wingman C continues his left turn and succeeds
automatically at a cost of 1.5 speed points now that he
has already rolled into a left bank. The Soviet leader,
frustrated at the lack of firing opportunities for his own
planes compared to the enemy in recent turns, weaves left
for the long shot of a front quarter attack on the
approaching enemy leader. He gains 0.5 speed points,
but the poor angle combined with the evasive
manoeuvres of his wily veteran opponent removes any
chance of success. The I-16 wingmen retain SA this turn,
and pilot F rolls the 3 or more needed to continue his left
turn back towards the fight, at a cost of 2.5 speed points.
Pilot G is desperate to shake off his pursuer, and he rolls
the 3 or more needed for a climbing turn into the sun to
try to throw off B’s aim. He also throttles back slightly
so that he loses 6.5 speed points and decelerates to an
airspeed of 2, in the slim hope that B will overshoot.
TURN 14
The lead Ki-27 flies forward and begins to reunite with
his wingmen at long last. However, his absence finally
comes home to roost as wingman B rolls a 1 and loses the
SA needed to stay on G’s tail, perhaps through losing
track of his target for a crucial instant as it climbed into
the sun. Wingman C weaves left to take over the chase
with his greater ammo reserve, but he is too far away to
engage soon. After his abortive attack on Ki-27 A, the I-
16 leader retains SA and weaves right to lead wingman G
out of his protracted ordeal, but because lower aircraft
like his are harder to spot against the background of the
ground, he remains just too far away to improve G’s SA
this turn. Pilot G does indeed lose SA yet again, which
could have been disastrous had Ki-27 B still been on his
tail. Wingman F also loses SA into the bargain, and so
cannot turn fully back to re-engage. With no altitude or
heading changes this turn, all the fighters gain the usual
0.5 speed points from engine thrust, except for I-16 G
whose initial airspeed of 2 means that it gains 1 speed
point and so returns to an airspeed of 3.

©Phil Sabin 2020

 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel 11

TURN 15
The Japanese leader weaves left and attempts a
normal turn, but having to bank first means that
he must roll 2 or more, and he fails with a score of
1, gaining 0.5 speed points instead. Wingman B
passes his SA test and starts a climbing left turn in
pursuit of I-16 G, succeeding in rolling the 3 or
more needed and losing 4.5 speed points.
Wingman C no longer needs to check his SA now
his leader is back in front, and he weaves left to
prepare a deflection attack on I-16 G, gaining 0.5
speed points. The Soviet leader passes his SA
check for having no enemies in front, weaves left
and climbs 1 step now that wingman G is back in
touch. He attempts a gentle left turn, but fails to
roll the 7 or more required. He still loses 2.5
speed points, cutting his airspeed to 2. Wingman
G regains SA and follows his leader north, diving
2 steps and successfully rolling the 4 or more
needed to bank and turn, cutting his speed gain to
3.5 points. Wingman F meanwhile also regains
SA and weaves left towards the action, but fails to
roll the 7 or more needed to complete a gentle turn
to face east, gaining 0.5 speed points instead.
TURN 16
The lead Ki-27 turns left automatically now that it
is already in a left bank, losing 1.5 speed points
for the manoeuvre. Wingman B loses SA yet
again since his leader is still not quite in his
forward arc, and he gains 0.5 speed points as he
flies NE. Wingman C carries out his planned
deflection attack on I-16 G as it crosses his front.
He dives 1 step, rolls the 3 or more needed to
bank and turn, and gains 1.5 speed points. He
suffers a -1 fire modifier due to his heading
change, and on a D10 roll of 6 his burst fails to
connect. All three I-16 pilots again pass their SA
checks this turn. The leader dives back to step 6
and rolls the 6 or more needed to continue his left
turn at his airspeed of 2. He gains 2.5 speed
points and accelerates back to airspeed 3.
Wingman F and G both succeed in rolling the 3 or
more needed for a normal left turn, at a cost to
each of 2.5 speed points. It is now clear to the
Soviets that they have little chance of inflicting
their own hits on the more agile and better piloted
Japanese planes, so they opt to focus on the
alternative strategy of exploiting the limited
firepower of the Ki-27s by avoiding further hits
for the remaining 19 turns, thereby creating a
stalemate and winning through their handicap
bonus.

© Phil Sabin 2020

 12 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel

TURN 17
The Japanese leader dives 1 step and
automatically continues his left turn, gaining
1.5 speed points overall. His wingmen still
need to take SA checks because he is not in
front, and pilot B fails and must continue NE,
gaining 0.5 speed points. Wingman C climbs
1 step to reduce his move and automatically
continues his left turn, losing 4.5 speed points.
All of the Soviet pilots pass their SA checks.
The leader dives 1 step and successfully rolls
the 6 or more needed for a gentle left turn,
thereby gaining 1.5 speed points overall.
Wingman G is already heading west, and dives
2 steps while weaving left to complete his
escape from his pursuers. He gains 5.5 speed
points. Wingman F dives 1 step and tries to
continue his left turn to circle back behind his
leader, but his I-16’s inferior turn performance
means that he needs to roll 3 or more and he
fails to do so, instead gaining 3.5 speed points.
TURN 18
The lead Ki-27 dives steeply to reduce his turn
radius, and automatically continues his left
turn. Ki-27 B regains SA, and he also dives
steeply and rolls the 3 or more required to
bank and turn left. Both planes gain a further
4.5 speed points. Wingman C is best
positioned to lead the pursuit, but it is now his
turn to fall foul of the 10% chance of losing
SA while his leader remains behind, so he
gains 0.5 speed points and ends facing NW
like his comrades, well regrouped but a long
way behind the escaping I-16s. The Soviet
leader and wingman G pass their SA checks
for having no enemies in front, and they
continue diving west to play for time. I-16 E
dives 2 steps and gains 5.5 speed points, while
I-16 G dives 1 step and gains 3.5 speed points.
Both fighters hence accelerate to airspeed 4 so
as to increase their separation from the enemy
in the hope of turning back unmolested when
they reach the west board edge. Wingman F
meanwhile passes his own SA check and faces
a difficult choice between continuing his left
turn to remain close to his leader or reversing
his bank and turning south instead to stay as
far as possible from the Ki-27s. He opts to
follow his leader to maximise his SA, and is
rewarded by rolling the 3 or more needed to
turn NE while diving 1 step and gaining 0.5
speed points.

©Phil Sabin 2020

 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel 13

TURN 19
The Japanese leader and wingman B both dive 1
step and attempt continued left turns in hot
pursuit of the Soviet planes. Ki-27 A turns
automatically and gains 1.5 speed points, while
Ki-27 B rolls the 4 or more needed to turn gently
and thereby gains 2.5 speed points instead. Both
aircraft accelerate to airspeed 4 so that the
distance to the I-16s will not widen further.
Wingman C again fails his SA check because his
leader is not in front, and he continues NW while
gaining 0.5 speed points. The Soviet leader
passes his SA check for having no enemies in
sight, while wingman G fails his check due to his
inexperience. However, both aircraft make
similar westward moves regardless, gaining no
speed points because of the thicker air at level 6.
More crucial is wingman F, who passes his SA
check because he has his leader and enemies in
sight, but who suffers yet again from his I-16’s
inferior turn performance when he fails to roll the
3 or more needed to turn NW. He gains 3.5
speed points thanks to a 1 step dive, but his
ability to turn away in time to escape the
approaching Ki-27s is now in serious doubt.
TURN 20
Scenting blood, the Japanese leader levels out
and flies 4 hexes forward with no speed point
change towards the floundering I-16. Wingman
B follows in support, diving 1 step and gaining 3
speed points. Wingman C at last regains SA,
dives 2 steps, and rolls the 3 or more needed to
bank and turn left to add to the formidable
collective threat posed by the Japanese flight. He
gains 4.5 speed points and so accelerates to
airspeed 4 like his comrades. I-16s E and G
continue 4 hexes west as they did last turn, with
no speed change, and with pilot G again losing
SA without much adverse impact. The real focus
is on I-16 F. He avoids the 20% chance of losing
SA now that his leader is out of sight to his right,
and he decides that continuing his left turn would
be suicidal. Instead he reverses his bank and
follows basic tactical wisdom by seeking to turn
towards the threat. However, he fails to roll the 5
or more required, and ends up just 0.5 speed
points faster with the enemy leader closing fast
from 2 o’clock. After one minute of action, the
dogfight has dropped over 1,000 feet to the
lower half of level 6 as the combatants’ energy
inexorably bleeds away in sharp turns.

© Phil Sabin 2020

 14 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel

TURN 21
Through a steep diving turn, Ki-27 C could just
about circle left to attack I-16 F head-on from out of
the sun, but considering the enemy’s superior
firepower the player decides it is preferable for the
lead Ki-27 simply to fly straight ahead for a front
quarter pass on plane F with no speed point change.
Despite the veteran bonus, the net modifier is -1 due
to the unfavourable angle, and on a D10 roll of 3 the
burst misses. Wingman B weaves left and dives 1
step, gaining 3 more speed points as the Japanese
race forward in pursuit of the other I-16s. Wingman
C weaves right and stays well out of reach 2 steps
above I-16 F, with no speed point change. The
Soviet leader fails his own SA check this turn, but he
and wingman G continue to fly 4 hexes west with no
speed change as they enter the western half of the
board. Wingman F, relieved at surviving the enemy
firing pass, retains SA and could circle east to stay
well out of the way of the enemy flight. However,
he decides instead to start curving round behind them
to disrupt their pursuit of his comrades. He reverses
his bank and attempts a gentle turn left, needing a
roll of 8 or more to succeed. Normally this attempt
would leave him still facing NE but banked left and
ready to turn properly next turn. However, his D10
roll of 10 means that he turns NW this turn instead,
losing 1.5 speed points due to turn drag.
TURN 22
Sensing renewed opportunity, the Japanese leader
banks for a climbing right turn to break off his
pursuit of the other I-16s and re-engage I-16 F after
all. He rolls the 3 or more needed to turn, and pays
the stiff cost of 6 speed points, cutting his airspeed
from 4 to 3. Wingman B also rolls the 4 or more
needed to bank and turn right to support his leader’s
attack, maintaining his airspeed of 4 despite losing 3
speed points. Wingman C continues west with no
speed change, to maintain pressure on the other I-16s
should they turn back to rescue their comrade. The
Soviet leader regains SA and does indeed try to turn
back, even though he still has some way to run
before reaching the western board edge. He banks
for a gentle climbing left turn and successfully scores
the 7 or more required (his roll rate being poorer at
airspeed 4). He loses only 5.5 speed points instead
of the 7 he would have lost if turning normally, but
he still decelerates to airspeed 3. Both Soviet
wingmen have a 20% chance of losing SA this turn,
and by ill fortune both do so. I-16 G simply
continues west with no speed point change, but I-16
F (which gains 0.5 speed points) loses the ability to
react effectively to what is not yet a mortal threat.

©Phil Sabin 2020

 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel 15

TURN 23
The lead Ki-27 could turn right and launch a one-off deflection
attack on I-16 F, but the wily veteran leader decides instead to
be patient and to weave closer in the same heading in hopes of
an even better opportunity next turn. He dives to the same
altitude and gains 3.5 speed points. Wingman B weaves right
in support while wingman C passes his SA check for operating
independently and continues west, with neither plane gaining or
losing speed points at airspeed 4. I-16s E and G pass their SA
checks, with the leader rolling 6 or more to make another
successful gentle turn at a cost of 1.5 speed points while his
wingman rolls the 4 or more needed for a normal climbing
bank and turn, losing 7 speed points and decelerating to
airspeed 3. All eyes are on pilot F, who has the maximum 30%
chance of failing to regain SA since he has no aircraft in front
and has not yet been alerted by enemy fire. He does indeed
lose SA again this turn, gaining the usual 0.5 speed points but
offering a sitting target to the veteran enemy leader.
TURN 24
The Japanese leader gratefully weaves into the perfect close
range tailing position on I-16 F, from which he cannot be
dislodged by SA failure as his wingman was on turn 14. His
fire modifier is a terrifying +3, and on a D10 score of 9 he gets
to add 1 to his D6 roll for effect. A roll of 1 or 2 would still
mean frustrating failure due to the Ki-27’s limited firepower,
and even a single hit (in combination with the leader’s earlier
hit on this same I-16) would only leave it damaged and give the
Japanese a single victory point. Pilot F is now likely to dive off
the board at the earliest opportunity, forcing the Japanese to
race to hit the remaining Soviets to offset the rest of their
handicap bonus in the 11 turns remaining. However, the actual
D6 roll is 6, which increases to 7 and so removes the last 2
damage points of I-16 F, shooting it down outright. The Soviet
flight loses combat effectiveness after suffering as many hits as
it has planes, and since no other fighters can reach a firing
position before the end of the turn, the contest ends with the
Japanese scoring 2 points for downing a green pilot and 1 point
each for the other I-16s becoming spent, clearly surpassing the
Soviets’ 1.5 point handicap which is all they receive.
This sample game shows the centrality of the SA rules in
reflecting the asymmetries in skill which shaped the real
dogfights over Nomonhan. It also demonstrates the famous
‘ace factor’ in air combat, with the veteran Japanese leader
increasing his kill tally at the expense of yet another short-lived
green pilot. The outclassed Soviets fired only 4 of their 24
available ammo bursts, and had only a 20% total chance of
scoring a single hit. The Japanese fired 10 of their 27 bursts,
and had a 250% hit chance overall because the Ki-27’s lower
firepower was outweighed by better attack angles. Dogfights
in Fighter Duel produce lower and more realistic damage than
in computer games, as the next sample game clearly shows.

© Phil Sabin 2020

 16 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel

GAME 2: GERMANY 1944

This second sample game shows the utility of the Fighter Duel
model as an experimental tool. In May 2019, I gave a conference
talk at the Royal Aeronautical Society about the capabilities and
limitations of the Me 262. This was underpinned by a tailored
Fighter Duel scenario exploring whether the jet could translate its
energy superiority into the defeat of manoeuvring opponents as
distinct from lumbering heavy bombers, thereby regaining air
superiority as some claim it could have done if introduced earlier.

The classic fighter opponent of the Me 262 was the P-51D

Mustang, which came into service at around the same time in mid-
1944. As Lee’s ADCs show, the fighters had similar resilience, and
both benefited from bubble canopies. The 262 was obviously much
faster and had heavier firepower in the shape of four 30mm cannon
compared to six .50 calibre machine guns. In Fighter Duel the
machine guns have more ammo (7 bursts compared to 5) and are
more likely to hit (although gyro gunsights were fitted by the
USAAF only later in 1944), but if the heavy cannon hit at all, they
are much more likely to inflict catastrophic damage. Where the
262 falls down is in agility. It could not turn as well as the
Mustang, though Lee’s turn ratings reflect speed as well as agility
and so give the same overall score. I rate the 262’s roll rate as
poor, compared to fair for the P-51 at lower airspeeds and good at
airspeeds of 5 to 7 (where it could roll as quickly as the Fw 190).

To keep things simple, I focus on a duel between a pair of aircraft

on each side. Both lead pilots are veterans, but whereas the
American wingman is experienced, the German wingman is classed
as green to reflect the high turnover and low training hours of many
German pilots by 1944. The Mustangs are patrolling at around
23,000 feet at a fast cruising speed of around 340mph (airspeed 5).
The scenario takes place at altitude levels 15-17, where the turn and
climb ratings of the antagonists are identical. The veteran German
leader is assumed to have spotted the Mustangs ahead and tried to
sneak up behind them at a closing speed of around 140 mph, but I
assume that when the 262s get within around 1,000 yards, the wary
P-51 pilots spot the danger and begin to react. At this point the
scenario begins. The jets could easily ‘bug out’ and seek other hit
and run opportunities elsewhere, but I want to explore whether the
262s could exploit their significant initial positional and energy
advantage to win air superiority in this area in a classic dogfight, so
I give the P-51s a handicap award of 1, meaning that the German
jets will lose unless they manage to damage or drive off the
Mustangs despite losing the advantage of surprise. I start the
planes with just 4 altitude steps each, thereby giving the faster 262s
plenty of headroom to out-zoom the P-51s and leaving the
Mustangs little option but to dive off the board if their energy state
becomes critical, allowing the Germans to fulfil their objective of
winning air superiority at this altitude. On a random die roll,
rejecting results directly ahead of or behind the Mustangs, the sun
is shining down from their front right.

©Phil Sabin 2020

 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel 17

As in the previous sample game, the photos display the

position after each 3 second turn, with the numbers
showing each aircraft’s altitude steps and airspeed in
hexes. The Me 262s move first, so the P-51s are
engaged in their initial rather than final locations.
TURN 1
The 262s spread out to try to bracket the Mustangs,
while closing as fast as possible and remaining within
the 60 degree rear arc of the U.S. wingman in hopes
that this will delay his reaction. The P-51s attempt the
standard defensive split manoeuvre when threatened
from behind. The basic D10 score needed to turn at
their airspeed of 5 is 4 or more, and because P-51s have
a good roll rating at high speed, this increases only to 5
due to the need to bank beforehand. The Mustang
wingman passes his SA check and succeeds in turning,
but his leader fails to turn despite his veteran bonus.
TURN 2
The Me 262s continue to spread out and close the range
while threatening both Mustangs equally. The U.S.
wingman climbs 1 step and continues his right turn,
succeeding again in rolling the 4 or more now required.
The Mustang leader decides to try something clever,
and exploits his aircraft’s good roll rating to reverse his
bank and try turning in the opposite direction so as to
evade the German veteran while staying in touch with
his own wingman. The score required to turn increases
only to 5 after the various modifiers, but again the P-51
leader is unlucky and has to continue east while the jets
draw inexorably closer.
TURN 3
The German wingman could try a front quarter shot on
his U.S. counterpart, but his -1 green pilot penalty
combines with the -2 modifier for the highly
unfavourable angle to make it impossible to roll the 8 or
more required. He therefore saves his ammo and
climbs 3 steps while banking left ready to circle back
towards his leader. At this high speed, the basic D10
score needed to turn is 6 due to the heavy g forces, and
the +3 penalty for the 262’s slow roll rating plus the
extra +1 penalty for moving partially right means that
the aircraft would turn only on a score of 10. The
German leader does not even try to turn, but pursues the
U.S. leader as fast as he can, getting within 2 hexes of
firing range and needing just one more turn to close the
range sufficiently to engage. The Mustang leader
climbs to reduce speed and make future turns easier,
while succeeding at last in rolling the 3 or more needed
to turn now that he is established in a right bank. His
wingman completes his 180 degree turn, with his own
airspeed also falling to 4 because of the turn drag.

© Phil Sabin 2020

 18 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel

TURN 4
The German leader now gets his best firing chance
before the Mustangs can escape their initial positional
disadvantage. He closes within 2 hexes of the U.S.
leader and tries to turn into the same heading, but his
high speed and poor roll capability mean that he needs
to score 8 or more despite his veteran bonus, and he
fails to do so. He is therefore left with a 60 degree
deflection shot, in which the modifiers for the two
veteran pilots cancel out, leaving only the -1 modifier
for neither of the target’s frontal hexes being within the
6 hex fire arc. This proves decisive, since he rolls an 8
and so narrowly misses the chance to roll for effect with
a 50% chance of one of his cannon rounds hitting home
with devastating consequences. (Had he succeeded in
turning, he would actually have had less chance of
immediate effect because of the penalties for turning
and for climbing into the sun, but he would have had the
chance to continue the attack at closer range next turn.)
The German wingman climbs 3 more altitude steps to
reduce future g forces as he begins his left turn. The
relieved Mustang leader continues his own climbing
right turn, with no chance of failure at this optimum
airspeed of 4 thanks to his veteran bonus. His wingman
tries to reduce drag by turning more gently now that the
immediate danger is past, but the associated +3 penalty
increases the score required to 5 or more and he fails to
change heading this turn.
TURN 5
The 262 leader climbs 3 steps and turns right while
staying as far north as possible to try to cut inside the
lead Mustang’s turn. His wingman, already with 10
altitude steps, makes a similar manoeuvre in his left
turn. The P-51 leader continues his guaranteed right
turn, but the cumulative drag reduces his airspeed to 3.
On a D10 roll of 1, the Mustang wingman loses SA
because his leader is not in his front hemisphere, and he
levels out and flies west while he reorients himself.
TURN 6
The 262s continue their turns in opposite directions as
they prepare to pursue and bracket the slower Mustangs
below. At their airspeed of 5 (around 340mph), g forces
are still the limiting factor on their turning ability,
though the constraint is much less than when they
started out at an airspeed of 7. The P-51s both turn right
to avoid finding themselves in the same disadvantaged
tail chase position as when the engagement began. With
their airspeed now down to 3, the basic score needed to
change heading is now 3 rather than 2 due to the
Mustang’s equal turn and speed ratings, though at least
turn drag is less than it was at higher speeds.

©Phil Sabin 2020

 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel 19

TURN 7
The German leader maintains his turn, but his
green wingman succumbs to the 20% chance of
losing SA and flies straight west. The two
Mustangs continue their matching circle
manoeuvres a mile apart.

TURN 8
The lead 262 dives steeply back down to reduce his
turn radius so as to cut inside the lead P-51’s turn.
His wingman also makes a steep dive, but he
continues west in the hope of setting up a frontal
attack on the other Mustang. The U.S. leader
continues his low speed horizontal turn, weaving a
little to increase his separation from the
approaching 262. The other P-51 levels his wings
and dives steeply in hopes of leaving the 262
wingman no attack option except another fleeting
and hopeless front quarter pass.
TURN 9
The German leader surges forward for another
deflection shot on the lead Mustang, but the luck
he has had so far in maintaining his high g yo-yo
manoeuvre deserts him at the last minute as he fails
to make the roll of 4 required to set up a 60 degree
deflection attack which would have given him as
much chance of a hit as in his initial pass on turn 4.
He is still eligible to launch a front quarter attack,
but this is actually a bad thing, since the net -3
modifier leaves him no chance of success but the
rules force him to fire anyway and waste the
second of his precious 5 bursts of cannon ammo.
His wingman sees beforehand that an attack at the
same angle would be similarly fruitless, so he
avoids wasting ammo and pulls away in a climbing
left turn instead, succeeding in changing heading
despite the +3 penalty for having to bank
beforehand. The U.S. leader has bad luck of his
own as he rolls a 1 and fails to score the 2 required
to continue his right turn, whereas his wingman
(now back at airspeed 4) succeeds in turning past
the other 262 despite having to bank first.

© Phil Sabin 2020

 20 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel

TURN 10
The German leader decides to give up on pursuing
the lead Mustang, and instead to roll all the way
into a left bank to focus on engaging the other P-51
instead. Given the swingeing +6 roll penalty which
Me 262s suffer during such a turn reversal, it is not
surprising that he fails to change heading this turn.
His green wingman now suffers all three SA
penalties and so has a 30% chance of becoming
disoriented, which happens again this turn. The
Mustang leader finally succeeds in turning back
towards the action, while his wingman levels out
again and flies back towards his leader while
weaving as far right as possible to evade the threat
from the lead 262 ahead and above.

TURN 11
The 262 leader makes a climbing left turn, while
the P-51 wingman banks and turns left, passing
directly underneath the German jet nearly 2,000
feet above. His leader continues his slow right turn
to re-engage, while the German wingman loses SA
for a second turn running and (at his high airspeed
of 5) comes perilously close to flying off the
southern board edge and losing touch with the
action altogether.

TURN 12
The German leader decides to prioritise corralling
his wayward wingman back into the action, lest he
be left alone and so forced to disengage as well.
He levels out and accelerates back to speed 5 to
catch up with his partner, who finally reorients
himself but decides to circle right rather than trying
to squeeze in a left turn with the board edge so
close. To make up for his disorientation, he
succeeds in scoring the 7 or more required to bank
and begin a climbing turn away from the edge of
the playing area. With both enemy jets flying away
for the moment, the Mustangs, still a mile apart,
take the opportunity to make gentle turns back
towards the enemy to avoid losing more precious
energy.

©Phil Sabin 2020

 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel 21

TURN 13
The German wingman continues to be successful in
turning back towards his fast approaching leader.
The U.S. leader levels out and accelerates forward,
but his wingman fails his heading change roll to turn
back towards the action.

TURN 14
The Me 262s rejoin formation and both attempt
gentle right turns to limit drag and maintain their
energy dominance, but both fail to reach the scores
required. The Mustang leader continues slowly to
close the range, but his wingman fails once more to
change heading, leaving him increasingly isolated to
the north.

TURN 15
The Me 262s act decisively to exploit the separation
of the P-51s, by making steep diving turns towards
the isolated Mustang wingman with the aim of
catching and bracketing him before his leader can
come to his aid. The German leader stays firmly in
front of his inexperienced partner, to minimise the
risk of him becoming disoriented again. The U.S.
wingman succeeds at last in turning towards the
approaching jets, while his leader closes the distance
to him with painful slowness thanks to his limited
airspeed.

© Phil Sabin 2020

 22 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel

TURN 16
The lead 262 surges forward but is let down yet again
by missing his heading change roll of only 3. His
trailing wingman levels his wings and climbs slightly to
time his attack correctly for 2 turns hence. The Mustang
wingman dives steeply to try to regain precious speed,
and continues his right turn so as to avoid the enemy
leader, even though this puts him on a direct collision
course with the other German jet. The P-51 leader
makes a successful gentle turn as he heads straight for
his wingman, but he still has over a mile to cover.
TURN 17
The 262 leader tries to recover from his failed turn by
climbing to dump speed as he turns into the enemy as
quickly as possible. His wingman meanwhile dives
steeply forward to a position directly ahead of the
approaching Mustang. If the slower U.S. fighter turns
either way to avoid the head-on clash, there is a risk
(albeit mitigated by the German pilot’s inexperience and
his jet’s slow roll rate) that the 262 will also succeed in
turning and thereby gain a 60 degree deflection shot.
The American pilot hence grits his teeth and dives
straight ahead ready for a head-on pass in which he will
at least get to bring his own guns to bear in opposition
to the fearsome 30mm cannon shells. His leader
continues his approach and watches nervously as the
antagonists ahead of him approach the merge.
TURN 18
The 262s get their first real chance of a kill since turn 4
just after their attempted ‘bounce’ of the Mustangs. The
German wingman dives steeply down to his opponent’s
height of just 2 altitude steps and conducts a head-on
pass at a closing speed of around 680mph. Both aircraft
have a -1 modifier for the fleeting nature of the pass, but
the 262 pilot has a further -1 penalty for his
inexperience, so he will get to roll for effect only on a
score of 10 compared to 9 or 10 for the P-51. Combined
with the greater likelihood of the .50 calibres hitting at
all, this gives the American pilot over 3 times the
chance of inflicting some damage (albeit probably far
less than the German cannon if they hit home). On a
common combat roll of 8, the likeliest outcome actually
occurs, namely that both planes fire a burst without
either scoring a hit as they flash past one another. The
German leader meanwhile dives steeply back down and
around to reduce his turn radius and get back into the
action, while the U.S. leader flies nearer at full throttle
while gradually regaining lost energy thanks to his
welcome respite from g loading. The relieved Mustang
wingman (who is prohibited from engaging again this
turn) turns sharp right to evade the threat from the lead
262 turning towards his tail.

©Phil Sabin 2020

 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel 23

TURN 19
The 262 leader continues his successful turn in the hope
of setting up a similar high stakes head-on attack on the
approaching Mustang leader. His wingman zooms 3
steps back up, but fails to score the 8 required to bank
right and turn at his high speed of over 400mph. The
veteran U.S. leader weaves cautiously left looking for
ways to avoid a potentially devastating head-on clash
with the equally capable German leader, while his
wingman succeeds in continuing his turn, albeit leaving
him ever more strapped for speed and altitude due to the
drag penalty.
TURN 20
The lead Me 262 dives steeply and tries to make a final
heading change to line up for an attack on the P-51
leader, but luck deserts him at the last minute and he
fails to roll the 3 required. His wingman has even
worse luck and loses SA again now that his leader is no
longer ahead of him. The Mustang leader, having been
braced to evade attack, climbs and turns right in the
hope of being able to turn the tables and cut inside the
enemy leader. His wingman makes a successful gentle
turn towards the enemy to minimise further energy
losses.
TURN 21
The German leader faces a difficult choice. He could
continue his right turn to circle in pursuit of the
Mustangs, but there is little chance of catching them
given their angles advantage, and such a manoeuvre
would abandon his disoriented wingman who would
become even further separated from him. He therefore
decides (as on turn 10) to reverse his turn and rely on
his energy advantage to outdistance the P-51 leader,
before reuniting with his wingman and circling back for
a final attempt to bracket the vulnerable Mustang
wingman in the 14 turns remaining. Rolling from the
opposite bank takes almost the entire turn due to the
jet’s slow roll rate, and the 262 fails to score the 9
required to change heading. The German wingman is
also handicapped by needing to bank again before
turning, and he too fails to score the 7 he needs, though
at least he is able to climb to reduce speed and so
mitigate the g constraint. The lead P-51 makes only a
gentle turn so as to maintain his airspeed, and ends up
just 1 hex away from firing range on the lead jet, hoping
that its manoeuvres will allow him to catch up and get
in a shot despite its airspeed advantage. It is now the
U.S. wingman’s turn to lose SA, even though there is
only a 10% chance of this happening since the only
applicable penalty is for his leader being just outside his
forward hemisphere.

© Phil Sabin 2020

 24 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel

TURN 22
The 262 leader manoeuvres cautiously, weaving
marginally left and succeeding in scoring the 7
required for a left turn made gently so as to
maintain his slim airspeed advantage over the
pursuing Mustang. His wingman continues to
climb to reduce his forward progress, but he
fails again to roll the 4 now required to change
heading, leaving him only 3 hexes before he
flies off the north edge of the board. The U.S.
wingman dives to the lowest altitude step to
increase his airspeed for the pursuit, but he also
fails to score the 5 needed to bank and turn after
his recent disorientation.

TURN 23
On this turn, the tense contest is finally decided.
The German leader tries another gentle left turn
to cut across the pursuing P-51 leader and
reunite with his straying wingman, but this time
he fails to score the 7 needed. Everything now
hinges on the 262 wingman being able to climb
further and roll the 3 or more needed to turn
back into play in the very last board edge hex
within his forward arc. Unfortunately, the
inexperienced German pilot now suffers all 3
SA penalties, since both Mustangs are outside
his arc of vision when banked. (They are also
so much lower that they count as well over 20
hexes away, since each step lower increases the
effective distance by 2 hexes because of the way
that lower aircraft merge into ground clutter).
The disorientated novice loses SA one last time
and flies straight off the board edge. The U.S.
wingman finally succeeds in turning to avoid a
similar fate, while his leader continues to snap
at the heels of the lead 262. There will now be
no need for the German leader to risk a
deflection shot by turning north to reach his
wingman, because he is now alone on the board
and so he will lose combat effectiveness and
automatically ‘bug out’ after his activation on
turn 24, leaving the Mustangs in clear command
of the airspace. The Americans add to their 1
point handicap a score of 1 for each German
fighter which has become spent, giving them a
clear victory by 3 points to 0.

©Phil Sabin 2020

 Phil Sabin’s Fighter Duel 25

● the key strength of the Me 262 in fighter combat is that its

superior speed gives it the chance to sneak up behind enemy
fighters and catch them unawares, while protecting it from
similar ‘bounces’ by the enemy. Even if the enemy pilots spot
the attackers before it is too late, they still face grave risks from
an early deflection attack as they turn to escape their positional
disadvantage.
● Me 262s can use an energy advantage to stay out of reach of
enemy fighters during a dogfight by out-distancing or out-
zooming them, but they find it much harder to use this energy
advantage to launch effective attacks on aware enemies except
through fleeting front quarter passes or mutually dangerous
head-on attacks.
● the longer that Me 262s stay in a manoeuvring contest with
enemy fighters, the more that their energy advantage tends to
Fighter Duel allows detailed after action analysis
erode as they suffer higher relative drag penalties due to their
of engagements, and the above graph shows how
higher airspeeds and weaker turn performance.
the total energy (kinetic plus potential) of each of
the 4 fighters in the scenario changed relative to ● the key limit on the turn radius of Me 262s is the g force
one another over the 23 turns (69 seconds) of the which pilot and airframe can stand at high airspeed, rather than
game. As one would expect, the energy of all the the theoretical turn rate of the aircraft.
fighters declined over time due to the high g
● a more important aerodynamic constraint than the Me 262’s
manoeuvring. At first the Mustangs lost energy as
limited turn rate is its poor roll rate, which creates crucial delays
fast as the Me 262s as they strove to escape their
in transient manoeuvres and turn entry, making the 262 far
initial positional disadvantage, but thereafter two
clumsier than its partner the Fw 190 with its excellent roll rate.
interesting changes occurred. First, the rate of U.S.
energy loss fell as the P-51s decelerated to speeds ● the Me 262’s heavy cannon are not ideal for combat against
where the turn drag was lower. Second, real manoeuvring fighter targets. Although opponents run a
differences emerged between the energy of the two constant risk of suffering a devastating cannon strike (around
fighters on each side, as one manoeuvred harder 15% overall in the scenario just played), it is likelier that the
than the other. This is why the hard-pressed limited cannon ammo will be expended fruitlessly in fleeting
Mustang wingman lost so much energy that he was high angle passes, forcing the jets to return to base and risk
near the point of having to dive away from the ambush by Allied fighters as they slow down to land (as is
battle had he been attacked again, while his leader modelled in my companion grand tactical game Dogfight).
suffered no further net energy losses between turns ● perhaps the greatest single limitation of the Me 262 in fighter
8 and 23 and so by the end was able to pose a real combat is that, by 1944, most German pilots were increasingly
threat to the German leader whose own energy inexperienced compared to their well-trained Allied
continued to drain away in manoeuvres during this counterparts. As the scenario showed, green wingmen lack the
period. marksmanship and situational awareness to operate
independently to bracket opponents or to apply energy tactics
The Fighter Duel system obviously relies heavily effectively (far harder than simply pulling back on the stick to
on random variation to model simply the fine turn onto the tail of less agile opponents).
differences between aircraft performance and the
even more crucial variation in human performance ● overall, the Me 262 works much better as a hit and run
in this fast changing high stress and high g interceptor against bombers or unaware fighters than as a
environment. The game could have gone very general air superiority fighter. It is telling that 262 units
differently had certain crucial die rolls gone the generally ditched the rotte (pair) formations which the Germans
other way. That said, this game yields several had pioneered during the Spanish Civil War in favour of the
useful experimental insights into the potential of older kette (vic) formations which gave more scope for scarce
the Me 262 as an air superiority fighter as opposed veteran leaders to lead less experienced wingmen into
to a bomber interceptor, as listed opposite. favourable tail attack positions where they could use their heavy
armament to better effect.

© Phil Sabin 2020