Help with crew management

[Grey Wolf]

My son and I are trying to teach ourselves the WW2 rules and are confused by the crew management system. We have the B-17F. The special rules pamphlet that came with the aircraft says that the B-17F had "9/10" crew members depending on whether or not you're using the ventral ball turret. But the crew management card only has spaces for two pilots and five gunners (six if you're using the ventral ball turret) for a total of seven or eight crew members. Can anyone please explain the discrepancy to me?

[flash]

WW2 is not my game, Daniel, and I'm not familiar with the management card but the gun positions and pilots have a direct bearing on the game play in the air to air combat aspect and need to be tracked, where men had secondary jobs as gunners these are what's taken into account rather than their primary role.

Maybe some of the WGS chaps will be along to the full story but that's my take on it. That being said Ares are not always renowned for their accuracy !

 

1. Bombardier

2. Navigator

3. Pilot

4. Co-Pilot

5. Top Turret Gunner/Engineer

6. Radio Operator/Gunner

7. Ball Turret Gunner

8. Right Waist Gunner

9. Left Waist Gunner

10. Tail Gunner

[Diamondback]

 

1. Bombardier

2. Navigator

3. Pilot

4. Co-Pilot

5. Top Turret Gunner/Engineer

6. Radio Operator/Gunner

7. Ball Turret Gunner

8. Right Waist Gunner

9. Left Waist Gunner

10. Tail Gunner

 

This list is correct. If you really want accuracy you cannot have the bombardier on gun duty once he's crossed Initial Point and on the bombing run. The Norden sight and chin turret controls for the G-model are in the same area, so you can't have nav working the turret while the bombardier bombs. Also, no maneuvering once you've reached IP, straight line to the target other than minimal tweaks for collision avoidance or lining up on target in the final approach.

 

I suspect this was another part of the reason for massed formations and "drop when the leader drops"--that way evrybody else in the group just dumps on Lead's call and other than punching the button the following crews' bombardiers can keep their attention on the guns fighting off those incoming fighters with Wall O' Lead.