Game: Foxbat & Phantom

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them — 2007-03-03T07:06:28+00:00

North Korean bomber squadron (marked with a Soviet "Bear") lumbers along as a South Korean F-14 (Tomcat stand-in) knocks one more out w/cannon, before falling prey to a Fishbed's missile. Intruder's have a tactical advantage, especially in the Korean scen

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them — 2007-03-03T07:01:45+00:00

Fishbed about to shoot down a Tomcat w/cannon fire (nonstandard, custom bits)

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them — 2007-03-03T06:59:24+00:00

Tomcat firing a heat-seeking missile at Mig 21 at extreme range (nonstandard, custom bits)

Thread: Precombat conditions: Movement allowance fractions

them — 2007-02-26T04:16:31+00:00

In order to make an attack, the rules say you must fly a portion of your movement allowance in a certain way (e.g., at least 1/3 in a straight line towards the rear of your target, in the case of a Heat Seeking missile).

AFAICT, the rules do not specify any rounding procedures - so in the case above, if one's movement allowance happened to be eight, then I'd think a strict reading would mean you would have to fly at least 3 hexes in the prescribed manner (3 being the first whole number ≥ 1/3rd of 8).

Of course, since 2 2/3rds if rounded, would go up to 3, a case might be made for doing things that way. This, in fact, is what we did - under the theory that it's already so hard to get into position to fire anything but a Radar Homing missile (especially using Glenn Robinson's more realistic missile modifications), that we might never even get to fire a Heat Seeker otherwise!

If the rules hadn't used the words "at least the last third" of your movement allowance, I'd feel better about what we did. What d'yall think? Round it, or treat it as a literal threshold that must be crossed?

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2007-02-03T17:21:52+00:00

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Rince — 2006-09-23T14:09:04+00:00

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Rince — 2006-09-23T13:42:54+00:00

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Rince — 2006-09-23T13:16:34+00:00

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tathui — 2004-04-09T21:42:39+00:00

A more well-known cover

Thread: User Review

The Maverick — 2003-07-25T16:18:32+00:00

Foxbat & Phantom, Tactical Aerial Combat in the 1970's
SPI (1973, flat box edition $9, Designer's Edition $14)
Designed by James F. Dunnigan

Players: 2 to 8
Playing Time: 30 minutes to 1-1/2 hours
Period: Modern
Scale: Tactical
. Turn: 30 seconds
. Map: 1000 meters
. Unit: individual aircraft

FLAT BOX EDITION

Box: SPI flat box with cover sheet.

Components: 22x34" unmounted mapsheet, 255 die-cut counters, rules folder, 8 pink perforated aircraft control charts, 8 blue perforated aircraft control charts, "no dice" letter, SPI advertising pamphlet with gummed and perforated reply card.

DESIGNER'S EDITION

Box: 11.5x9" bookcase box.

Components: Same as above except mapsheet replaced by 2 22x17" mounted mapboards. Also includes "Important Note" sheet, black plastic counter tray, 3/8" six-sided die.

BOTH EDITIONS

Counter Manifest: 8 different colored sets of 30 counters (24 aircraft numbered 1-24, speed, climb, RH missiles, HS missiles, acceleration, and trial), 2 sets of 3 different colored counters (ECM, inexperienced pilot, and missile), 6 bomber formation counters, 1 game turn counter, 2 blanks.

SPI says: "Foxbat & Phantom provides a variety of radar intercept missions, in which intruder and interceptor aircraft engage in combat. Any two different aircraft types may be introduced into this basic situation, providing the Players with an opportunity to compare the abilities and characteristics of [the] aircraft."

The contemporary reviewer says: "In an admittedly limited way, the game vividly depicts some of the elements of modern air combat . . . restrictions of the design and some inaccurate assessments distort the capabilities of various aircraft . . . Nonetheless, the game is fun and far more playable that its 'successor', Air War." The Complete Book of Wargames (Simon and Schuster, 1980.)

Comments: Until someone modifies GDW's Blue Max system for the jet era, Foxbat and Phantom deserves the title of beer and pretzel king of jet combat games. While such a description may have been taken as an insult at the time the game was released, that very attitude is what lead to the monstrosity that was Air War (SPI.)

The stripped down approach of Foxbat and Phantom makes for a quick playing game that still conveys basic air combat tactics. Be prepared to accept large doses of speculation and abstraction. If you are looking for a bit more realism, pass this one up and go directly to MiG Killers (Gamescience) or any of J.D. Webster's jet games: Speed of Heat (Clash of Arms), Air Strike, or Air Superiority (both GDW.)

The game uses a "control panel" system where each aircraft has a different game panel that reflects different capabilities of the aircraft. Foxbat & Phantom has its roots in the earlier SPI air games Flying Circus and Spitfire.

Collector's Notes: This one doesn't rise to the price peaks of more popular SPI titles. Boone's Internet Wargames Catalog (3rd) lists low/high/average prices of $3/$25/$10.50 at auction and $3/$50/$18.54 for sale.

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fuzzyfife — 2002-12-14T15:28:16+00:00

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fuzzyfife — 2002-12-14T15:28:12+00:00