Command land and air units in a hypothetical Warsaw Pact invasion of West Germany.
Designer: Bruce S. Maxwell
Artist: Stephen Crane, Richard A. Johnson, Kevin Wilkins
Publisher: West End Games
Air & Armor is a simulation of near future combat in a Warsaw Pact invasion of West Germany, taking place on 50 miles of the Inter-German border near Wurzburg and Schweinfurt in the US VII Corps sector. Units represent companies, battalions and regiments supported by a wide range of helicopters and attack aircraft.
Instead of granting NATO units combat strengths far higher than the Soviet strengths to compensate for inferior numbers, the game emphasizes the doctrinal and command differences between the opposing armies that provide NATO with the force multiplier it needs to survive. Players operate asymmetric command systems, and each is challenged to get the most out of his system. The game system also creates a true "fog of war" environment in which deception, outguessing your opponent and tactical surprise can pay off handsomely.
Game Scale:
1 hex = 1 mile
1 turn = 2 hours (day), 6 hours (night)
Each unit step = 1 company or Warsaw Pact artillery battalion, 3-4 aircraft
Turn Sequence:
1. Warsaw Pact Planning Phase
2. Initiative Phase
3. Mission Phase (players alternate Major Formations or pass)
3a. Activation Segment
3b. Maneuver Jamming Segment (Advanced)
3c. Air/Artillery Strike Segment (Advanced)
3d. Maneuver Segment (includes the standard Move-React-Fire sequences; adds Advanced Combat Jamming)
4. Reserve Phase
5. Engineering Phase (Advanced)
6. Bookkeeping Phase