AIRCRAFT ADVICE

Aircraft are an optional extra in Panzer Marsch!
Some armies will fair better against their opponents if realistically supported by effective air cover. This section covers aircaft in more depth than the rulebook, and is aimed at the absolute raw beginner.
See Oddball's Page for questions on aircraft and anti aircraft.

Remember the following when using aircraft:

There can be more than 1 fighter in the dedicated fighter cover, but they must all must arrive together.
Each ALO has the exclusive use of aircraft assigned to him, aircraft cannot be shared by more than one ALO - just like Artillery observers and gun batteries.
Aircraft height, speed, flight path & target must be declared before they arrive on the table.

A general purpose aircraft communication radio net.

This Net has been found to be the most playable for average games where aircraft are optionally used, and the most realistic chance of getting air support during a normal game.
Note that cab rank (marked with red links) only applies to forces that can use them, and the command levels able to call aircraft have been adjusted for gaming purposes.
To make a communications link between boxes on the diagram requires a game turn and the correct dice roll for success. For example the ALO calling the aircraft asigned to him will roll dice, if successful the aircraft will arrive this turn. A Company commander requesting air support will dice to contact the ALO. If successful the ALO will attempt to call aircraft next turn.
Other points to note:
The Battlefield commander can request fighter cover without the need of an ALO.
The ALO cannot contact the cab rank aircraft.

Using cab rank:

A cab rank is a list of flights of aircraft (GA only) that can be called by any Company commander who has access to the cab rank net.
Aircraft are available on a queue basis, the caller gets the next aircraft in the queue. There is no choice or multiple selections, you get the next set of aircraft available in that queue. There is only one list, only one queue.

Example of how the cab rank works:

Officer 1 calls for an airstrike on the cab rank net - he is successful on the dice & gets the first flight of aircraft on the cab rank list.
Officer 2 calls for an airstrike on the cab rank net - he too is successful and gets the first available flight, which is the second on the list.
Officer 3 calls an airstrike but is unsuccessful on the dice. No further attempts can be made for cab rank aircraft this turn by him or anybody else.
In other words if Officer 1 had failed - nobody else can attempt to call cab rank aircraft, this turn.