ZEPPELIN BATTLES of the GREAT WAR

INTRODUCTION

The first trial flights of zeppelins were made in 1900. During WWI the Germans used them to bomb London and Paris. World War I began on July 28, 1914 and lasted until November 11, 1918. By the end of the war, the zeppelins were easy targets for the faster, more agile, smaller, and less fragile fighter biplanes. However, what if Orville and Wilbur Wright did not successfully fly their powered airplane in 1903, but instead ten years later. In this alternate history there are no effective combat airplanes. Commitments in military research and industrial production would have instead focused on the zeppelin as a weapon carrier. This microgame provides a tactical simulation of zeppelin warfare as it once might have been.

SETUP
This game requires a hexmap, dice, and chits to represent units. Units will
vary according to the scenario.

TURN SEQUENCE
1. Determine Initiative: Roll High. 
2. Initiative looser Moves
3. Initiative winner Moves
4. Roll wind direction and speed seperately for each zep
5. All units fire weapons and deal damage simultaneously
6. Roll for damage caused by fires
7. Patch crews repair damage

ZEPPELIN UNIT TYPES TABLE
Airship		Cargo		Bonus		Base 		Hydrogen			
Class		Slots		Speed		Speed		Gas		
Scout		1		+2		1		3
Escort		2		+2		1		6
Destroyer	3		+1		1		9
Frigate		4		+1		1		12		
Cruiser		5		0		1		15		
Battleship	6		0		1		18
Dreadnaught	7+		0		1		+3

WEAPONS TABLE	
Weapons		Slots		Range		Ammo		To hit on 1D6		
Large Cannon	2		7		3		1-3			
Small Cannon	1		3		5		1-4			
Machine Gun	1		1		Unlimited	1-5	
Flame Thrower	1		0		3		1-3		
Small Arms	0(1 per zep)	1		Unlimited	1-3

OTHER CARGO TABLE
Other Cargo		Slots		Notes
Engine			1		Increase Base Speed +1
Ammo			1		3 Large or 10 Small Cannon Shots. If destroyed Zep suffers Blowout
Patch Crew		1		Repair Punctures
Gas Tanks		1		+6 Gas. If destroyed Zep suffers Blowout
Passnegers		1		May function as ‘Small Arms' weapon
Bulk Cargo		1		May apply to scenario victory conditions

DAMAGE TABLE
Damage Result		Flamethrwr	Small		Machine Gun						
1D20			L.Cannon	Cannon		Small Arms	Notes				
Cargo Hit		1		1		1		1 random cargo destroyed	
Steering Hit		2		2		2		Zep cannot turn
Engines Hit		3		3		3		Base Speed -1		
Cabin Hit		4		4		4		Spark- Zep catches on fire
Minor Puncture		5-7		5-14		5-20		-1 Gas	per turn until patched	
Major Puncture		8-12		15-19		-		-2 Gas	per turn until patched	
Critical Puncture	13-18		20		-		-3 Gas	per turn until patched	
Blowout			19-20		-		-		Zeppelin Destroyed
Damage: A zeppelin hit by a flamethrower is considered to be ‘in flames' 
and must roll on the flamethrower damage column once per turn until a 
patch crew puts the flames out.

PATCH CREW REPAIR TABLE					
1d6	Repair						
1-2	No repairs made					
3-5	1 Leak (-1 Gas per turn) or 1 Fire		
6	2 Leaks or 1 Critical Puncture or 1 Fire	
 
HEX MAP WIND DIRECTION & SPEED
1D6	Direction of Wind	1D6	Wind Speed
1		NW		1		0
2		N		2		0
3		NE		3		1
4		SE		4		1
5		S		5		2
6		SW		6		2

Beginning Scenario: Patrol Skirmish over Enemy Lines
Victory Conditions: Destruction of the enemy. Major victory if both your 
zeps survive. Victory if only your bigger zep survives. Minor victory if
only your smaller zep survives.

AIRSHIPS OF THE GERMAN IMPERIAL ZEPPELIN AIR SUPREMACY DIVISION
Size 3:	"The Blitzkrieger" SC/Ft/MG		
Size 7: "The Bismark" 2SC/LC/Ft/PC/Engine	

AIRSHIPS OF THE ROYAL BRITISH ZEPPELIN AIR FORCE
Size 6:	"The Victoria": LC/LCAmmo/PC/MG/SC 
Size 4: "The Liverpool": 2SC/MG/Engine

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