An aircraft is assigned to aerial reconnaissance with a Staff Order or Special Air Mission Dice.
A recon aircraft:
- Can conduct spotting attempts
- Can act as an artillery Forward Observer for off-table batteries
- Remains until the end of the turn
- Cannot be fired at
Air Recon Arrival
A recon aircraft arrives at the start of the Friendly Logistics Phase
- The aircraft may be used to adjust artillery fire before any artillery fires for effect.
- It costs one Staff Order per firing battery to adjust fire.
Adjusting Artillery Fire
- Fire may be adjusted up to 1D+3 inches instead of 1D6”.
Spotting Hidden Units
Because the recon aircraft has LOS to everywhere on the table Blinds are placed to show the location of any hidden units in the open.
- Units in woods or buildings remain hidden.
Spotting a Blind
- A recon aircraft has 4D for spotting with a 5+ TN at all ranges.
- It has LOS to anywhere on the table.
- A recon aircraft gains the -1 TN bonus when spotting moving Blinds.
Spotting Non-Moving Blinds (Activation Required)
- The aircraft must be activated to spot a non-moving Blind.
- It gets one spotting attempt when assigned its aerial reconnaissance.
- It may then be activated again at the cost of one Staff Order and may attempt to spot a Blind.If the spotting roll is successful, the Blind’s units are deployed.
Spotting a Moving Blind (No Activation Required)
- Any time an enemy Blind moves it may be spotted.
- Aerial reconnaissance occurs as soon as the Blind starts to move.
- If the Blind is spotted, it only gets to move D6” before its units must be deployed.
Artillery Forward Observer
- An aerial reconnaissance flight can act as a Forward Observer for off-table artillery batteries.
- It cannot act as a Forward Observer for on-table mortars and close support units.
- A recon aircraft adds +1D to a battle group’s Artillery Response Dice.
The Germans are using an aerial reconnaissance aircraft to act as Forward Observer for an off-table battery. The Artillery Response Dice are increased by +1D to 5D.
