S3#89 – Kokoda Trail; New Guinea - Summer 1942

Game Settings

  • Axis Players(red) - 57 est
  • Allied Players(green) - 50 est
  • Icons – d24 friendly, d12 range, d6 enemy plane.
  • Clouds - no clouds
  • Radar – 20 mile radius, coloured dots, inflight arrow. Minimum alt is 500 ft.
  • Flak - AAA limited to 25,000ft in height.
  • Axis Airfields(red) - Northern and Eastern New Guinea
  • Allied Airfields(green) - Southern and Western New Guinea, all coastwatcher locations.
  • Fuel Multipler - set at 0.75 for all planes.
  • Rebuild Time - 300 mins
  • Game Length – 180 mins
  • Lives – 1 life per frame
  • Game Scale - 1 squad = 1 historical unit and 1 frame = 1 set of operations.

Basic Rules

Initial Format - changes after in bold italics.

1. Start Times - each frame uses the following schedule;

  • T+0 - Dawn(04:30), Flight enabled for all forces.
  • T+30 - Full light(07:00)
  • T+160 - Dusk(21:00), last surface attacks completed all a/c must disengage ASAP.
  • T+180 - Dark(01:00), all squads must be in tower or land in the dark.

2. Operational Restrictions - each side may only conduct operations in the area outlined in the game map.

3. CM radar & reports - with the use of coloured dots in radar CM "donkey" reports are not as common but they will happen so plan operations realistically. Sending in unescorted bombers at high alt hoping for the best is not realistic. It is up to commanders to scout for moving targets and plan operations to locate said targets rather than just asking for "donkey" reports.

4. Weapons, Planes & Damage Files - the weapons, planes and object files are very similar to the MA arena so any testing or results there will be mirrored in S3 events. This makes practice and comparison easier between events and as updates are released. Issues with AI a/c may be addressed with correction to the plane files so they can be tougher than the MA settings. The object structures are slightly different than the MA due to the terrains being used in S3 play. A general listing of types, OT Classes and damage can be downloaded from the main S3 page at the bottom. As well S3 buff-tuff and otto is higher than MA settings to reflect the more realistic use of these a/c types.

5. Strike/Bomber AI - each pilot flying a strike or bomber a/c may also take 1 AI. Please try and use these AI as realistically as possible, consider them your wingman and not suicide bombers. Player bomber and strike a/c will have the S3 buff-tuff, AI bombers are not effected by buff-tuff so may be easier to shoot down. AI wingman are often not very effective in the attack but do help out with defensive otto so having them riding piggy back is to your disadvantage.

6. Squad Basing - each airfield type has a limited number of squad steps it may base during a frame. Squads may rebase to an open field that can support their steps during the night. An open field is one that has no other squads based there, this includes squads done for the night. Steps are based upon the A/C table and not a fluid number depending on who shows for a night. A squad's step number applies for the entire series and is based upon turnout projections before an event begins. Any pilots stuck in the tower are done for the night, there is no teleporting.

  • small fields = 1 steps
  • medium fields = 2 steps
  • large fields = 3 steps

7. AI Targets - there will be several AI targets in this series. Shipping for both sides will be moving back and forth between the main bases on New Guinea. Flights of Japanese a/c will be flying against Allied targets and where possible coordinated with the general Japanese attack plan in each frame. Allied C47s will be moving in and out of their bases during the frame flying from Australia to the SW. All AI vehicles are important targets for points and need to be engaged when possible. Most targets will shoot at you so conduct yourselves accordingly.

8. Closed Fields - field locations(anything with an icon and a number)closed during play will remain so for one additional frame and then reopen. Airfields are relatively small targets in this terrain and should be fairly easy to close.

10. Penalty Planes - players that commit errors in basic rules and do not attempt to correct the error during play will have a penalty plane assigned to them. Examples include flying different a/c during a frame, teleporting fields when not allowed by special rules, gunning from ships or flak positions or not flying the proper amount of assigned a/c types. It is up to each squad to make sure the penalty planes are flown. These transport planes need to complete one designated supply mission provided by the CM and the pilot can resume normal operations if they land their a/c successful at the end field.

  • Axis Penalty Planes - Ju52
  • Allied Penalty Plane - C47

11. Victory Points - victory points are awarded for e/a losses(from all causes), enemy pilots KIA or POW, AI shipping sunk and a/c shotdown as well as fields closed during play. A full list is provided in the summary.

12. Victory Conditions - The side with the most VPs at the end of the series wins.

S3 Clarifications - the S3 staff reserves the right to make a ruling on questions or game situations not answered completely or missed by the rules. For further clarification please post on the S3 forum or email Jabo.

[ Aircraft - Series Map - Player Rules ]