Here's a set of ideas to introduce a naval air unit to the game. Playing the U.S. in the Pacific at Origins got me thinking...
Naval Air Units
The American Dauntless, Helldiver and Avenger, the Japanese Aichi and Nakajima, the Italian Sparviero, the British Swordfish and Beaufighter are some examples of WWII naval aircraft. Their primary role is to attack enemy shipping of all types, including submarines.
Naval Air units would cost 8 production points to build, the same as fighters. They hit in air to air combat on a 2 or less, hit surface naval units on a 3 or less and have a ground support value of a 1. They may conduct strategic attacks against convoys centers doing 1d6 damage, but they have no strategic attack capability against enemy production centers. They may operate off carriers as well as land bases. During a strategic naval battle against enemy submarines, naval air attack on a 1 or less and defend on a 2 or less.
If naval air units are to be added to the game, the following additional changes are recommended to current set of rules:
1. Naval air are the only units capable of landing and taking off from aircraft carriers.
2. Fighters have no attack capability against naval units, including submarines.
3. Bombers, including Stukas and Sturmoviks, only hit naval units, including submarines on a 1, instead of a 2 or less.
4. The British Swordfish and initial Italian fighter units become naval air units.
5. The American and Japanese fighter units that start the game based on carriers become naval air units.
