Choose a Maneuver from those listed on your plane's maneuver sheet.
Shoot your Enemy if you can get them into the three hexes directly ahead.
Repeat until one side falls out of the sky.
You can create a new game for you and your friends by clicking the link at the bottom of your game list.
Instructions for creating a new game can be found on that page.
Once you have created a game or recieved an invitation the game will appear in the invitation section of your game list. Joining the game will take you to game screen where you can choose your plane.
The number of tabs under the game board will indicate the number of planes in the game. If a tab is labelled 'available' you can click it to choose a plane to fly in the game. On the plane selection tab first choose a plane to fly from the list of those that were historically available in the month the game is set.
Each player in the game must choose at least one plane. At least one Allied and one German plane must be selected in each game. A player can sellect more than one one plane to fly, as long as there are more available planes than players. If a player chooses more then one plane all their planes must belong to the side of their first selection.
When you select a plane you will be given a choice of colour schemes for that plane. (Note: Try and avoid using a colour scheme already in use in the game).
Finally choose a starting position for the plane on the board. Depending on whether you chose an Allied or German plane you will start in a hex on the left or right of the board. Start hexes will be indicated with an Allied rondel or German cross.
Finally lock in your selection. At this point you may see an alert saying you cannot have your current selection due to selections made by other players. Follow the information in the alerts to make a new selection.
How to Play
Special note on this online version
This online version of Blue Max does not strictly follow the rules of the game as published. The main consideration in deviating from the rules is to streamline play by ensuring there is only one decision point per turn - the selecting of a maneuver. All other aspects of the game turn are handled automatically.
Object of the Game
The object of Blue Max is to shoot down the opposing planes while avoiding being shot down yourself.
Overview
The game is played over a number of turns. Each turn all players simultaneously and secretly choose maneuvers for their planes. The maneuvers that can be selected each round are limited by the planes speed, remaining fuel and the maneuver chosen last round.
When all the maneuvers are locked in the planes move.
If planes can then shoot each other they do. Each plane can shoot into the three hexes directly ahead of it. Various factors such as distance, plane stability and number of guns will determine a combat value for each target. If several targets are available the one with the best combat value will be shot at.
Damage is assigned by the drawing of chits. This allows the damage to be randomly distributed and can assign effects such as smoke and fire. There are two colours of chits: blue and red, with red chits generally assigning more damage.
If the damage boxes on a plane's wings, fuselage or tail are filled with damage the plane goes down. When the last plane on one side goes down or retires the game is over.
The Game Turn
Select a Maneuver
Select a maneuver from your plane's maneuver sheet. Maneuvers are named in a format 14R2 where 14 is the maneuver number, R is the maneuver direction, and 2 is the speed/fuel required.
In the maneuver diagram the initial position and facing of the plane is represented by the arrow in the bold hex. The position and facing of the plane after the maneuver is shown as a plane silhouette. When a maneuver is selected the game board will be updated to show plane's position after the maneuver.
There are various restrictions on maneuvers that can be choosen. A maneuver that is not available in the current turn will be greyed out and not able to be selected.
There are no restrictions on the maneuver that can be selected in the openning turn of the game.
The rules for maneuvers are as follows:
Speed: A plane can only choose a maneuver that differs from the previous turn's maneuver speed by at most one. That is the maneuver must have the same speed/fuel number or a number that is one higher or lower.
Restricted: Some maneuvers are restricted. These maneuvers can be found in their own section of the plane's maneuver sheet. Restricted maneuvers can only be chosen if the last maneuver was straight and level flight (maneuver numbers 2 to 6).
Non-repeatable: Some maneuvers cannot be repeated. The names of these maneuvers appear in square brackets. These maneuvers cannot be selected if they were done in the previous turn.
Once all planes have selected and locked in a maneuver all the planes move. Any number of planes can occupy the same hex.
Leaving the game board
If you choose a maneuver for your plane that takes it outside board or into one of the partial hexes at the edge of the board, then that plane will be retired. Allied planes flying off the left side of the board, and German planes flying off the right are considered to have retired to friendly territory.
Tailing
When a pilot can see the tail of the plane in front he is able to watch it for changes that signal a coming maneuver.
In the game a plane can tail another when the tailed plane is in the front arc of the tailing plane, and the tailing plane is in the rear arc of the tailed plane.
If you are in a position to tail you will be given the option when choosing a maneuver. You can only tail one enemy plane at a time.
When tailing you will see the direction letter (i.e. S, L or R) of your opponent's maneuver after they have locked it in. You can then choose an appropriate maneuver in response.
If you are given the option to tail you do not have to take it, or wait for your opponent to lock in a turn, you can just lock in your own maneuver.
Shooting
This section of the turn is processed automatically after all planes have moved.
Planes shoot into three hexes directly ahead.
A plane can shoot at an opponent in the same hex in the following circumstances:
- Both planes are facing the same direction; and
- The shooting plane chose a lower speed/fuel maneuver than the target this turn.
Various factors are considered in coming up with a combat value for each possible target. The main consideration is the distance between the attacker and the target. The table below lists all the combat value modifiers. If there are multiple targets the one with a highest combat value is targeted.
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Range in Hexes |
| 3 | 4 | 7 | 9 | Base Combat Value |
| +1 | +1 | +2 | +3 | Attacker is Stability A |
| - | - | +1 | +2 | Attacker is Stability B |
| -1 | - | - | +1 | Attacker is Stability C |
| +2 | +2 | +3 | - | Target stalled |
| -3 | -2 | -1 | - | Attacker's speed 3 or 4 |
| -3 | -2 | -2 | -2 | Attacker has a single gun |
| -3 | -2 | -1 | - | Firing with deflection* |
| - | +1 | +1 | +2 | Fired at this target last turn |
| +1 | +1 | +2 | +2 | Tailing target |
*Deflection occurs when the attacker and target are not facing parallel to each other.
Once the target is set the combat value is combined with the roll of a six sided die to determine the number and type of damage chits to be applied to the target.
| Die Roll |
Combat value | ||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | |
| 1 | - | - | - | B | B | B | B | 2B | R | R | BR | 2R | 3R | B3R | 4R |
| 2 | - | - | B | B | B | B | 2B | R | R | BR | 2R | 3R | B3R | 4R | 5R |
| 3 | - | B | B | B | B | 2B | R | R | BR | 2R | 3R | B3R | 4R | 5R | 6R |
| 4 | B | B | B | B | 2B | R | R | BR | 2R | 3R | B3R | 4R | 5R | 6R | 7R |
| 5 | B | B | B | 2B | R | R | BR | 2R | 3R | B3R | 4R | 5R | 6R | 7R | 8R |
| 6 | B | B | 2B | R | R | BR | 2R | 3R | B3R | 4R | 5R | 6R | 7R | 8R | 9R |
B = Blue chit; R = Red chit; thus a B3R combat result is a blue chit plus three red chits. A dash (-) indicate no hits. A combat result grater than 9R is treated as 9R.
The damage chits designate the amount and location of damage. Generally speaking Red chits carry twice as much damage as Blue.
Damage chits can also impart special effects on planes including smoke, fire, extra fuel loss and killing the pilot.
Observers Shooting
This section of the turn is processed automatically after all planes have moved.
Two planes in the game have an armed observer. Unlike the pilot the observer can fire in an arc across the rear of the plane. This arc is the same as the rear arc of of the plane. The observer cannot shoot enemies in the same hex or the hex directly behind the plane.
The observer fires using all the same rules as the pilot, except the observer never gets the tailing bonus.
Fire and Smoke
This section of the turn is processed automatically after damage from the turn has been applied.
If a plane is on fire, including if it was set on fire this turn, it is dealt one Blue damage chit.
Each plane on fire or smoking then has a chance to extinguish the fire or stop smoking.
Planes on fire or smoking cannot tail other planes.
All players can see if a plane is on fire or smoking.
Damage
All the damage acquired by the plane in the turn is applied. The damage acquired in a turn is shown as brighter red boxes on the plane status chart.
If the engine is full of damage, or the plane has run out of fuel, it is forced to glide, greatly reducing the maneuvers it can choose in coming rounds.
If the wings, fuselage or tail of the plane are full of damage the plane crashes and is destroyed.
Some damage chits kill the pilot or cause the plane to explode. These effects destroy the plane immediately.
During the game you can only see the damage affecting your own plane(s). When the game is over you will be able to rewind the game to see the damage applied to all planes.
Turn End
This section of the turn is processed automatically.
The game continues until all the planes of one side have been shot down or retired.
If the game has not ended this turn a new turn is started with the selection of maneuvers.