Headwind RPG Core Rulebook

BASIC EDITION v0.5

Disclaimer: This game is still in development, and by using
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There is a lot of additional content that we have decided not

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Headwind Core Rulebook
Introduction
Blue skies above, sparkling sea below, and on the horizon
– ominous dark spots rapidly approach.
Welcome to Headwind – the free-spirited
aviation RPG.
Headwind places you in the cockpit of your very
own airplane: typically small, single engine aircraft
uniquely adapted to life around the Aspermerian
Sea. Modelled after the real-life Adriatic but set in
an alternate 1920s - 1940s Earth, the short distances
between neighbouring countries, cities and har-
bours have made these practical planes ubiquitous
to the region. Pilots use them for everything from
basic travel and shipping to sport and sometimes
more nefarious activities like piracy and smuggling.
Much faster than a boat, and requiring far more
skill to operate, the life of an Aspermarian pilot is
not for the faint of heart. Many pilots are hardened
veterans of the last Great War, which pushed
aviation technology to what it is today.
Some veterans, finding few prospects after the War,
turned to piracy. Small harbours, luxury cruise liners,
even other pilots aren’t safe from their numbers or
specialized planes– often cargo craft retrofitted with
weaponry and supported by groups of fighters.
Pirates are as likely to fight with one another as
they are to prey on civilian planes. They slip
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through international borders and across rarely
patrolled open sea with such speed that authorities
are seldom able track them to their hidden inlets
and islands.
Yet they are still within the reach of justice. Where
pirates go, bounty hunters follow. These fearless pilots,
frequently veterans of the Great War themselves,
make their living shooting down marauders. Bounty
hunters are no heroes. Most are self-serving priva-
teers at best and ruthless mercenaries at worst. Indeed,
their vocation is outlawed in most of the region.
Over the Aspermerian Sea, pilot’s law is the only
one that matters.
Times are changing. War is brewing between one
of the coastal nations, Vitalia, and their historical
enemies inland. The entire region is being pulled
into conflict whether they have a stake in it or not.
Rapid weapons production, conscription, annexation
and martial law are the new way. None are safe.
Life goes on in the Aspermerian amidst the ten-
sions. You find yourself in the powder keg to seek
your fortune among the clouds.
So put on your flight suit, strap in, and get those
propellers turning. It’s time to go against the
Headwind.
Headwind Core Rulebook

Section 1: The Game System

Headwind is an RPG played with one Game Master (The GM), and 1-4+ Players

Headwind uses a 3d6 rolling mechanic. Players will roll dice to determine the outcome of most actions.
Table 1 will tell you the number you need to roll higher than to successfully complete a given Task Roll
(called the Difficulty Rating or DR), and is decided by the GM. The Difficulty Rating may be kept secret
or made known at the GM’s discretion. Your total result is what is used to determine if you have beaten
that number.

The Task Roll is 3d6 + the value of one or more Traits.

The GM may also add bonuses or penalties depending on the situation.

If an 18 is rolled without any modifiers (all three d6’s are a 6), that is called a “natural” 18 and special
rules may apply.

Some rolls are written as “d6H” or “d6L”. This means to roll 2d6 and only use either the highest or lowest
roll, respectively.

Remember: some everyday actions are trivial and don’t require a roll.

Difficulty Rating (DR) Description Examples

3-8 Easy (Pilot in Training) Flying in clear skies

9-12 Medium (Pilot) Flying in high wind

13-16 Risky (Seasoned Pilot) Flying near a storm

17-20 Legendary (Legendary Pilot) Flying in a tornado

Table 1: Difficulty Rating

When appropriate, the GM may ask a Player to do
an Opposed Roll instead of choosing a DR num-
ber. This happens in situations where the Player is
trying to beat another character at the same task,
such as trying to outrun them.
To make an Opposed Roll, they roll 3d6 and add
an appropriate modifier. The result is compared to
the result of the exact same roll made by whatever
character they are trying to best, instead of using a
DR number. The higher number wins.
If rolling doesn’t make a situation clear, or there are
other factors that can’t be rolled for, then the GM is
the final arbiter of how actions resolve. The GM
may decide to follow the rules as written, ignore
some of them, or even create their own. They may
make minor changes to the outcomes of their rolls
or situations, but should only do so if it will make
the game more fun for the players.

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Headwind Core Rulebook
Section 2: The Setting
This section will provide an overview of the game
world, restricted in the Basic Edition to the region
surrounding the Aspermarian Sea. Each country
found within will be discussed briefly to give you an
idea of what to expect if you travel there, and help
inspire you when creating a character.
Vitalia
Rich in culture and bolstered by their imperial
history, Vitalia is on the cusp of a new military
campaign to conquer their ancient rivals, Ionia.
They are a monarchy, led by a wizened and fragile
Emperor bent on making his final years glorious.
Though he has a thirst for war, most of his time is
spent on his hobbies, leaving most military matters
to his competent and cunning daughter.
Vitalia is home to some of the most high class
mechanics and engineers in the Aspermarian,
however competition is incredibly saturated and
fierce and you will almost always end up overpay-
ing. One of the driving forces in aviation technolo-
gy for the region, young engineers from all over the
world wish to study in Vitalia. Vitalia has instituted
martial law around large portions of their border,
enforced by their military police. They also conduct
aggressive acts of espionage on their neighbours,
particularly on the already vulnerable Pyeshke.
Vitali value propriety, class, and art.
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Pyeshke
Hermetic, nationalistic, developing, and corrupt,
Pyeshke has its share of historical issues. Current
land agreements with Vitalia are the result of
incredibly flimsy but technically legitimate negotia-
tions between governments – a major factor in the
impeachment of the former Pyeshkan Prime
Minister. Since then, the head office of Pyeshke is
almost a revolving door, rapidly going from dicta-
torship to dictatorship.
This instability has lead to two internal problems.
The first is a growing mafia presence and the
second, a revolutionary movement seeking to oust
both those in power and any Vitalian presence
from their country. Many citizens seem to believe
that the only real government in Pyeshke comes
from the mafia.
Weapons can be found relatively easily here, as well
as more “economic” repairs. Though most me-
chanics are honest, hardworking, and value cus-
tomer service, beware the ripoff artist that makes
sure you need their services again in a few weeks.
Pyeshke’s capital city, Trondafel, lies on a coastal
beach. It is overlooked by a massive cliff, atop which
the mafia operates a large casino, The Rose Hotel.
Pyeshkans value loyalty, culture and justice.
Headwind Core Rulebook
Helvetsgrund
A mountainous nation, Helvetsgrund is the product
of the slow integration of kingdoms, duchies and
free states over a span of centuries. Today, it is well
known as the neutral meeting ground of the
continent. It has no formal allies or enemies, signs
few if any treaties and has not been involved in a
war for over five hundred years.
That is not to say that Helvetsgrund is entirely
isolationist. Indeed, it engages in regular trade with
any interested party and is known for producing
exceedingly high quality goods. Helvetten engineers
are a close second to Vitalia’s and in some fields
even surpass them. They have made leaps and
bounds in the aeronautical industry as of late. The
city Zern in Eastern Helvetsgrund is one of the
largest manufacturing centres in the Aspermarian.
Though a peacable nation, the Helvetten are free
to hire themselves as mercenaries so long as they do
not claim to represent their country. Those merce-
naries tend to be skilled pilots, as Helvetsgrund
holds annual air races in a particularly treacherous
mountain valley. The winners are showered with
national praise, and the losers more often than not
are scraped off of cliff faces.
Helvetten place value on wealth, quality and
isolation.
Athena
The Kingdom of Athena is a naval power con-
trolling most of the western edge of the Aspermeri-
an. Formerly a part of the Ionian Empire, Athena
won its independence a half century ago.
Athena is heavily involved in shipbuilding and
international trade. Its ports are robust and mod-
ernized and it’s said an Athene sailor can be found
on nearly any ship in the world. It is also an export-
er of some specialty agricultural products.
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Athena has adopted a hardline territorial defense
policy and is known to fire at any Ionian ship too
close to its waters. Athene navy vessels regularly
sink pirates and poachers within their boundaries.
The country is a major tourist destination - nearly a
quarter of Athenes work in the tourism industry at
the high season. A number of successful leisure
cruise companies operate there.
Athene aircraft are nearly entirely foreign as the
nation has been slow to adopt the new technology.
It has very few domestic manufacturers. Mechanics,
though, are common near ports as pilots frequently
stop in Athena.
Athenes value hard work, integrity, industry,
and recreation.
Ionia
Ionia is the bitter rival of Vitalia. They will appear
off-map and will be more heavily featured and
described in the Complete Edition. Suffice to say
that most player characters will not be Ionian
because of their intense historic troubles with the
other Aspermarian nations.
Nation-less Aspermarians
Some of the tiny, anonymous islands in the Asper-
marian Sea are home to a host of pirates and
outlaws, many of them foreign to the region. These
gangs prefer to live entirely unnoticed until they
emerge to steal from tourists, travellers, the military,
and other pirates.
Headwind Core Rulebook

Section 3: Creating a Character

Pilot Traits
In Headwind, your character is represented by four basic Traits. They are:

Reflexes
Your Reflex score adds a bonus to your Approach
Roll, Manoeuvres, and in any situation in which
quick, decisive action is crucial to your survival,
such as dodging gunfire or avoiding obstacles. It
will also modify your Out-of-Vehicle combat
Initiative Roll.
Wits
Your Wits will allow you to read your enemies in
social or combat situations, and give bonuses to
navigating, recalling information, reading weather
patterns, searching for objects in the sky, sea or
land, and determining what Manoeuvres will be
useful in any given situation.

Skill Grit
Your Skill score will allow you to attempt certain Your Grit determines your pilot’s general strength
Manoeuvres without taking a penalty, and even and toughness. If you get shot down, you will take
gives you a bonus to the roll. You may also have to damage and need to make a roll to survive the
roll a Skill check against enemy pilots, or for flying crash. Out-of-Vehicle, Grit will add a bonus to
in adverse conditions like bad weather or moun- when you fight with your fists or improvised
tainous terrain. Your Skill will also modify the use weapons, as well as your overall athletic capability.
of firearms when you are Out-of-Vehicle.
Your character’s four Traits represent how well they handle themselves in the game world. A
higher number is better, and will add bonuses to die rolls. The Player gets 6 points to spend on
Traits. All Traits start at 0, and may not exceed 4.

Score Level Description

0 Average Same capabilities as the average person on the street

1 Glider Still in-training, you have a ways to go yet

2 Pilot The new average for all of those worthy of calling themselves a pilot

3 Dogfighter More comfortable in your plane than on land, you have the edge

4 Ace A living legend, there are none better in the Aspermerian

Table 2: Trait Scores

Vitality
Your Pilot’s Vitality is equal to their Grit multiplied
by 2. Their Vitality represents the amount of
damage they can take before becoming too wound-
ed to fight, or dying. A character dies at 0 Vitality.
Victories
A character’s Victories are recorded on their
character sheet. Victories represent your character’s
reputation, or that of the group they fly in. As their
number of Victories increases, they’ll start receiving
benefits from their renown as determined by the GM.

Victories are counted by disabling planes, destroy-

ing them, or forcing the pilots to flee.

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Headwind Core Rulebook
Backstory
Before getting down to gameplay, you must decide
who your character is. Whatever you decide, a
strong backstory creates ties to the setting and is
integral for any character you might play. Other-
wise, what reason would you have for ever leaving
your hangar? You don’t need to know now, but at
some point before you begin play you should know
where your character was born, who their friends
and enemies are, and what gets them out of bed
and into the cockpit every day.
Are they a grizzled veteran disillusioned with war,
yet continuing the violence as a bounty hunter?
Maybe they want nothing more than to earn their
peaceful rest, but dogfighting is all they know.
Maybe they still love the smell of blood and engine
oil over the salty sea.
Perhaps they’re a young hotshot racer on the run
from their seaplane gang sponsors after a devastating
loss. Alternatively, they belong to a different pirate
gang trying to squeeze out a living off the fat tourists
who care nothing for the impoverished locals.
They could be part of the Vitalian military, charged
with enforcing order onto the lawless bounds of the
sea. Or you might choose to have them be part of
the resistance movement. If you think it would be
more compelling, you could choose for your
character to start on one side and switch to the
other for their own reason.
Creating your character with your fellow players
not only makes the process more enjoyable, but
allows you to establish relationships and decide how
they know one another when the game begins.
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Most characters know a little of each language
found around the Aspermarian, enough to get by as
a tourist. It isn’t uncommon for characters to be
multilingual. It is rarely very important, but you
should briefly decide which languages your Pilot
are proficient in.
Consider the following questions. They will help flesh
out your character, give the GM ideas for plot devel-
opments, and in general, make your experience more
interesting. Record these before gameplay begins.
Goal: Does your character have a personal dream
they wish to fulfill? What is it?
Ex. Opening their own restaurant, finding their brother’s
killer, etc.
Talent: Pick any one non-aviation related activity
that your character might be very good at. The
GM can choose to allow a +1 Bonus Modifier to
these tasks.
Ex. fishing, driving cars, Chess, music, cooking, etc.
Flaws: What are your character’s weaknesses?
Everybody has something holding them back or
getting them into trouble.
Ex. addiction, dishonesty, short-tempered, stubborn, greedy,
rude, etc.
Values: What is most important to your character?
Ex. Their wife and child, their loyalty to their homeland,
religion etc.
Headwind Core Rulebook

Equipment
Headwind is not a game where your characters are meant to be completely prepared for any situation.
Indeed, a lot of the challenge and reward may come from overcoming obstacles through clever thinking,
social interactions or other means. Besides, when you spend most of your day in an airplane, how often is
that spare bird cage going to be needed?

Clothing A can of your favourite smoked oysters or pomade,

It’s a good idea to have an idea of how your
character dresses. Shabby, functional, opulent,
tacky, help your fellow players visualize your Pilot
through their clothes.
Personal Effects
On character creation, you may decide on some
specific objects that your character might have on
hand-during a typical day. These items are things
that you can reasonably carry on your person
unobtrusively, and can justify having to your GM.
They aren’t useful, but they help define your
character.
Examples of Personal Effects might include:
a family photograph, inherited jewelry, a pack of
cigarettes or cards or a journal.
Tools
These are functional items that your character may
carry with them as part of their occupation. You
should keep the number of these low, choosing only
up to two. These may also be consumable items
that, since they offer practical use, should deplete
over time.
Examples of Tools may include:
Basic repair kit, first aid kit, tourist’s guides, binocu-
lars, a compass, rope, or woodworking tools.

Weapon AR Damage Capacity

Timpani Revolver 1 1 + Skill 5
Merklause Karabin 55 “Die Nadel” 3 2 + Skill 6

Paturnocke N/A 2 + Grit N/A

Table 3: Handheld Weapons

Timpani Revolver Merklause Karabin 55 Paturnocke

Though the revolver’s frame is
heavily reinforced to dampen
recoil, it is still difficult to fire
accurately even for professionals.
Best used up close.
The rifle that ended the Great
War. A robust bolt-action rifle
issued to every Helvetsgrundian
by law, it is sold in every reach of
the continent either as surplus or
new from the factory.
A favourite of Pyeshkan mafia
enforcers, the glint of these brass
knuckles are the last thing many
a hapless debtor sees - before
their doctor rouses them.

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Headwind Core Rulebook

Airplane Specs
The quality of your personal aircraft is represented by these four Specs:

Pace Armour
Your plane’s Pace rating determines its top speed The Armour rating determines your aircraft’s
and acceleration. It also modifies the Approach Integrity, and is subtracted from any damage done
Roll, certain Manoeuvres, or may be rolled against to the plane (this is called Damage Reduction).
another plane to determine who reaches a destina-
tion faster. It also helps calculate the travel time for Blitz
long distance flights. The Blitz rating gives a bonus to all Attack Rolls.
Additionally, this number tells you how many
Handling Weapon Fittings you may have on the aircraft.
The Handling rating of a plane measures its ability
navigate in adverse conditions or terrain. It also
grants a modifier to Manoeuvres, evading gunfire,
or any situation in which your craft needs to be
under tight control.

Building your Airplane

This section will outline everything you will need to design your airplane from scratch.

To build your plane, you may choose any fuselage you want, remembering to add any Spec bonuses it might
give. You may want to look ahead to the fittings section first, so you can be sure to choose a compatible fuselage.

Fuselage Description Specs

Aerobatic A sleek profile gives it the edge 2 Pace — 2 Handling —1 Armour —1 Blitz
on speed and handling.
Military A bulky monster designed for 1 Pace —1 Handling — 2 Armour — 2 Blitz
“us” over “them.” Metal Comes with a second seat
cladding and structure gives it
improved armour and the
stability to add more firepower.
Nomad A hulking plane that supports a 1 Pace — 1 Handling — 4 Armour — 4 Blitz
crew up to 5. Meant for long Has two gunnery seats. Requires minimum four engines,
distance travel, or military use. Requires 2 Pilots, 1 Engineer, 2 Gunners, 1 Navigator.
Large cargo space
Table 4: Fuselages

After choosing a fuselage, decide on which fittings you would like. For the Basic Edition of this game, players
will be allowed three Basic Fittings, two Quality Fittings, and one Specialty Fitting.

Note: Multi—engine planes must use only one model of engine

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Headwind Core Rulebook

Fittings Catalogue
Basic Verey Flares / Skylights:
Coloured smoke bombs or flares deployed from a handheld
Fittings found on most planes. Your airplane must gun for highly visible but crude communication
have at least one engine, one set of wings, and some
kind of landing gear. Red - Danger / Enemy Spotted

Yellow - Help Me / Flee

Engine
Bertuci Rondini: +1 Pace, +2 Flight Hours Green - I’m Here / All Clear
The engine that made Bertuci a household name, optimized

Quality
for fuel efficiency on light aircraft.

SIK DDN.100: +2 Pace Improved versions of basic fittings, or ones that aren’t found
Commonly referred to as the “deeden” engine, this is the on the average plane.
cornerstone of the Schnekt Industriell Konglomerat’s engineer-
ing empire. Engine
Bertuci Astore: +3 Pace, +3 Flight Hours
Wings The logical next-step from the Rondini, an improvement in
(Players may choose to have both high and low) every way.
Low:+1 Pace, +2 Handling
Wings set under the fuselage SIK DDF.200: +3 Pace, +1 Blitz
The “deeduff” is an over-engineered, rugged workhorse
Middle:+2 Pace, +1 Handling capable of carrying heavier loads without breaking a sweat
Wings set in the middle of the fuselage
Wings
High:+1 Pace, +1 Handling, -1 for Spot Checks Landing Flaps: +2 during landings
Wings set on top of the fuselage Deployable flaps to allow for easier landings.

Fuselage Dihedral Wings (single wing only): +2 Handling

Landing Gear (Players get one for free, and may have both) V-shaped wings (pointing up) to increase stability

• Wheels: Allow for ground takeoff and landing Fuselage

Metal Cladding: +2 Armor, -1 Pace
• Floats: Allow for water takeoff and landing Added Reinforcement and Armor to increase the Integrity
Secondary Seat: -1 Pace of your aircraft.
if in use A second seat for a passenger or small cargo, can be
covered with a tarp when not in use
Secondary Controls:
Closed Cockpit: +1 Armor Equips your Secondary Seat with its own set of Pilot’s
Thick glass shielding to cover the cockpit, adding some controls. Not applicable to Gunnery Seats.
protection to plane and pilot
Luggage Hold:
Other A duffel bag sized cavity in the side of the Fuselage, with a lock.
Signal Lamp All-terrain Wheels:
A handheld light with a button-operated shutter for visually No penalty for soft-field landings
communicating in Morse Code

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Headwind Core Rulebook

Other can lead to stalls if going too slow.

Morse-code Transponder:
A radio with a button wired into the steering controls for
sending and receiving signals to properly equipped planes,
ships or buildings.
Weather Instrumentation: +2 for Wits check on
weather.
A simple array of weather-reading instruments built-in to the
dashboard.
Airbrakes: Cuts Pace to 1/3 when deployed,
allows for VIFF. Takes 2 turns to be reset
Small flaps that can be deployed to drastically reduce speed,
helps with short-field landings.
Fuselage
Bomb Rack: -1 Armor
A rack outside the fuselage that can deploy ordnance at a
button-push. Holds 3 bombs.

Specialty Camouflage Paint: (top or bottom): -4 Penalty to

These will become your signatures and make your aircraft a
character in and of itself.
Engine
Bertuci Colibri: +3 Pace, +1 Handling. Allows
VIFF Manoeuvre
The Colibri is a subtle marvel of innovation. The Controlled
Pitch Propeller (CPP) system allows for in-flight reverse-thrust-
ing, effectively allowing the airplane to fly backwards (at
1/3rd its normal Pace and Handling), and to even fly in a
nose-up hover (DR17 TR+Skill+Handling, single person,
single engine Aerobatic planes only).
SIK XT.12: +3 Pace, Overspeed Mode
An experimental engine still in early development, its anything
but subtle. The method by which this engine achieves its
massive power output are a closely guarded secret (can only be
repaired by SIK in Helvetsgrund).
enemies trying to spot you in specified conditions
Retractable Landing Gear: (Wheels only): +1
Pace when Retracted
Motors and pulleys that allow wheeled-landing gear to be
pulled closer to the fuselage to decrease drag.
Gunnery Seat (Requires Second Engine):
A second seat for a single passenger, with a swivel-mounted
Machine Gun. Uses 1 weapon fitting. When manned, allows
plane to attack while in Disadvantage. Not available to
Aerobatic fuselages.
Hidden Cargo Hold:
A seamlessly integrated cargo hold designed to blend into
any part of the aircraft (player’s choice), requires a DR 14
check and 20 minutes to find if actively looking for it. Big
enough for a shoebox.

Wings
Modified Profile: +3 Handling, DR 15 check
when landing (Task Roll + Skill + Handling, -2
Penalty)
A higher angle of incidence increases handling at-speed, but

Overspeed Rules

Each turn, the aircraft gains +2 Pace per per turn, and takes damage equal to 1/2 its
current Pace score, rounded up. Overspeeding can be stopped manually at any time.

Each turn, roll 3d6. If the result is lower than the current Pace, Overspeed Mode
cannot be reset manually unless the pilot restarts the engine, leaving them unable to
do any Manoeuvres or movements for 3 turns.

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Weapons Catalogue
Note: Some weapons are marked with an (SE), meaning that only one such weapon may be equipped on a
Single Engine aircraft, regardless of its Blitz score.

Basic
Machine Gun: AR 2 – d6L damage – Ammo 20 – 1 Fitting – jam limit 25

Gatling Gun (SE): AR 1 – d6+2 damage – Ammo 40 – 1 Fitting – jam limit 20

Quality
Rocket Pod: AR 0 – 2d6 damage – 1 Fitting per Missile

Stabilized Rifle (SE): AR 3 – d6H damage – 10 Ammo – 1 Fitting – jam limit 20

Specialty
Variable Gun: AR 2 – d6L damage – Ammo 80 – 1 Fitting – jam limit 15
A machine gun modified to work with a special ammo belt, allowing tracer rounds to be loaded in every fourth spot. This
allows each attack made to have the added benefit of using Tracer Rounds, regardless of what Ammo is loaded.

Radio Tracker: AR 2 – Ammo 4 – 1 Fitting

Shoots a magnetic beacon that emits a signal trackable by transponder. Has a battery life of two hours.

Weapon Linking System: Allows two weapons to be fired at once

Ordnance
Ordnance can be held in the pilot’s lap (only one object at a time) or attached to a bomb rack for easier
deployment of multiple objects.

Bombs (4d6 damage):

• Impact Bomb A bomb set to explode upon hitting another object at-speed

• Timed Bomb a bomb set to explode after a certain amount of time (up to 2 minutes)

• Altitude Bomb (A bomb set to explode at a certain altitude

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Ammuniton and Ammo Types
Ammo must be loaded or changed on the ground,
and never while in flight. Any gun can be loaded
with its own individual Ammo. For example, if
your aircraft has two machine guns, one may be
loaded with Standard Ammo, while the other may
have Tracer Ammo.
For each attack made, the Ammo count for that
weapon reduces by 1.
Any weapon, unless stated otherwise, can only be
loaded with one Ammo Type at a time.
Secondary Stats
When you have finished choosing your fuselage and fittings, add up the totals for each of your Specs. Now
using these numbers, we will determine the last two stats.
Aircraft Integrity
A number representing how many points of
damage your aircraft can take.
The Integrity starts at 10 points, and goes up by 10
more for each point you have in Armour.
Finishing Touches
Try to think about what your plane will look like.
Paint job, detailing, accessories, symbols and crests
all make your aircraft more recognizable. In time,
the sight of your plane may become famous in the
Aspermarian. Or infamous, if you prefer.
The player should decide with the GM whether
their aircraft is fully owned by them or not. Think
about how they got it. If they own the plane, how
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Standard – Deals damage according to the
weapon’s damage die
Armour Piercing – Ignores 2 points of Damage
Reduction
Tracer Round – -3 Damage. Roll 3d6 with a DR
of 15 to start a fire on wooden planes, doing 2
Damage per round. Also gives a +2 bonus to hit on
the next round if no manoeuvres are performed by
either plane, no matter what gun is used next.
Ammo is priced per Ammo Point.
Flight Hours
Flight Hours determine how far across the map
your plane can fly when travelling long distances, or
how long it can stay in the air at a time.
Hours of Flight = 11 – Pace
did they buy or build it? If they don’t own it, are
they renting it, is it being loaned to them, or are
they paying it off in installments? Is it stolen?
In the Aspermarian, a huge community of home-
builders, backyard engineers and after-market
salesmen has grown, leaving the airplanes as
diverse and individual as the pilots who fly them.
Headwind Core Rulebook
Section 4: Flight Rules
The Basic Edition of this game, having no maps,
will include only basic flight rules to give you some
guidelines while playing, and to show you what you
can expect in the Complete Edition.
Altitude
In Headwind, altitudes aren’t measured precisely
for most of the time. Instead, relative, general, and
arbitrary heights are described based on what will
be important to the players at that time.
Sea-level: The water level of the Aspermarian
Sea. Heights on the topographical map will be
measured with this as the zero point.
Low Altitude (up to 4000 feet): This is where you
skim tree-tops, compete in races, and do
ground-searches.
Mid-Altitude (up to 8000 feet): Here, people
become less visible, and the overall geography of
the region becomes clearer. Used for most travel
within the Aspermarian, aerobatics and reconnais-
sance flights.
High-Altitude (up to 12,000 feet): This is about the
upper limit pilots can fly without a supply of
oxygen. Used for long-distance flights or when
wishing to avoid visual detection.
Weather and Conditions
You will find many types of weather across the
Aspermarian region. From clear skies and breezy
winds, to sudden cyclones, hail and thunderstorms.
Page 13
Pilots may perform a Wits Task Roll at any time to
try and determine the current and future weather
(within 1 or 2 hours). The GM can provide them
information on how to avoid the weather systems,
or even give bonuses for flying through them if
properly assessed.
In the Basic Edition, the GM will decide the
weather day-to-day, as well as any Difficulty Rating
increases for flying near thunderstorms, landing in
high winds, or being pelted by hailstones (which
may even cause minimal damage).
Takeoff & Landing
To a pilot, taking off and landing their plane is a
simple task. It doesn’t always need to be rolled for,
such as in clear conditions using a properly main-
tained runway. However, external conditions can
change this drastically.
As seen in the Fittings section, there are a few
different ways to land a plane.
Ground (DR 7) Flat and paved surfaces, dirt
Soft-field (DR 10) Sand, grass
Water (DR 10)
Short-field (DR 14) Any length shorter than
300 metres
Headwind Core Rulebook
Section 5: Combat
Combat in Headwind is intended to be fast paced,
tactical, and to feel unique every time. In this
section you’ll learn how to begin and resolve a
combat encounter from start to finish.
There are no rules for movement using a battlemap
for combat in Headwind at this time. Instead, the
planes positioning and movement is all relative to
one another. Of course, if the players begin an
encounter near a mountainous region at extremely
low altitudes or in the middle of an air-parade, or
choose to remain on a travelling course, then the
GM may add in appropriate Skill Rolls or notices
of border crossings.
The GM will decide the turn order of all the
Players however they like (best Reflex score, clock-
wise from GM, etc.).
On their turn, the Players declare their action. The
GM will then declare their opponents’ action. Both
actions resolve simultaneously before moving on to
the next player.
Spotting a Bogie
Every combat scenario begins with one party
spotting another that they wish to engage. Pilots
can roll 3d6 + Wits to make a Spot Check at any
time. The Difficulty Rating for the Spot Check will
change to reflect the current conditions.
Players may be asked to make Spot checks in
situations where there is something of interest
nearby that they are NOT actively looking for, but
which the GM wants to give them a chance to see
by accident.
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In the game world, the combat encounter is
assumed to happen simultaneously between all
parties. Players take turns out of character purely
for organization’s sake.
Players that share Advantage take their turn together.
Advantage and Disadvantage
Advantage is the name for a plane that is in position
behind an enemy plane. Since most aircraft weap-
ons are forward-facing, being in Advantage means
you are able to perform attacks.
If you are in Disadvantage, then you can manoeuvre
to try and gain Advantage so you can attack, or to
try and get out of your enemy’s sights.
A single plane may be at Disadvantage to multiple
bogies, but any one plane may only be at Advan-
tage to one target at a time.
Whether a group succeeds or fails a Spot check
should not be revealed by the GM. They should
simply be told what it is they notice, if anything.
They should not be told what they are failing to see.
Whoever sees their target first has a chance to make
combat preparations, such as gaining better posi-
tioning, splitting into smaller groups, getting a free
attack in before the Approach Roll, or attempting
to avoid combat entirely.
Once the PC’s make their move, or find themselves
being acted upon, Combat officially begins.
Headwind Core Rulebook
Combat Phase 1 -The Approach
Roll & Gaining Position
The Approach Roll determines who has Advantage
and who has Disadvantage.
The Approach Roll is 3d6 + Reflexes + Handling.
The pilot with the higher number gains Advantage,
leaving the other player in Disadvantage.
If they tie, they do not lock in to combat and may
attempt another Approach Roll, or Roll an Op-
posed Roll of 3d6 + Skill + Handling to disengage
from combat entirely. Disengaging allows them to
choose new targets or retry the Approach roll with
the same target.
The Approach Roll is rolled again when either of
the following conditions are met:
• A Manoeuvre specifies that there is a Special - Insane, last-ditch and likely lethal Ma-
change in Advantage or Disadvantage
• A target plane is defeated and the character
chooses a new target
If a player chooses a new target and makes an
Approach Roll, and the target is already engaged
with a different pilot, then the player may end up
sharing advantage with the existing pilot. In this
case, they both act as one.
If a pilot ends up sharing Disadvantage with
another plane, then plane with Advantage must
decide who to pursue. Remember, a plane may
only be at Advantage to one target at a time.
While “locked in” to combat, both planes act simul-
taneously. Each player may make an Attack Roll (if The plane rotates onto one side and rapidly loses
able) or attempt a Manoeuvre.
Some Manoeuvres happen in multiple stages.
Certain Manoeuvres may also force the plane in
Advantage to perform counter manoeuvres.
Page 15
Combat Phase 2 - Manoeuvres
Manoeuvres are special actions you can use during
air-to-air combat. To perform a Manoeuvre, the
Pilot rolls 3d6 + Skill + Handling.
There are four kinds of Manoeuvres:
Dodging – Manoeuvres that give your opponent a
penalty to hit you
Evasive – a Manoeuvre that an opponent must
match before rolling to Attack, or else you disen-
gage and can retry the Approach Roll. To Match
this Manoeuvre, the opponent must succeed at the
DR for the Manoeuvre and match or exceed the
number you rolled to stay locked-in.
Advantageous – Manoeuvres that give you
Advantage
noeuvres that while technically possible, are not
recommended.
Tactful use of Manoeuvres are key to surviving
aerial combat.
Dodging
Dodge: 3d6 + Skill + Handling (The DR is the
enemy Attack Roll result)
Chandelle: DR 5
A climbing, 180 degree turn
-1 to Enemy Attack Roll
Slip: DR 5
altitude, dropping far below the attacker
-1 to Enemy Attack Roll
Canopy Roll: DR 9
A full rotation which places your plane either to the
left or right of the attacker, still facing the same
direction.
-3 to enemy attack roll
Headwind Core Rulebook
Evasive
Split S: DR 10
A half roll, and then a half loop downward. Puts
you underneath the enemy plane, now travelling in
the opposite direction
-5 to enemy attack roll
Immelmann Turn: DR 12
A half roll, and then a half loop upwards. Puts you
above the enemy plane, now travelling in the
opposite direction
-5 to enemy attack roll
Advantageous
VIFF (Vectoring in Forward Flight): DR 9
Using a CPP Engine or equipping Airbrakes, you
may quickly decelerate your plane in an effort to
cause the plane in Advantage to overshoot you.
This allows you to make a new Approach Roll,
either ending with you in Advantage if you win the
roll, or disengaging you if they win
-5 to enemy attack roll
Special
Ramming – DR 17, Does damage equal to your
Armour Rating x10, and damage to you equal to
their Armour Rating x2. If failed, you take damage
equal to both your Armour ratings combined x3.
Page 16
Combat Phase 2 - Attacking
When you have Advantage, you may initiate an
attack against the enemy plane. You can use any
forward facing weapons. You may also try to
position yourself to use any alternate weapons you
may be carrying, such as above the enemy when
dropping ordnance. Only one Attack may be made
per turn, using only one weapon.
Note: Rotating Gunnery Seats and their Gunner act
independently. They may swivel to attack planes
behind or beside them, and make a separate Attack
Roll on their Pilot’s turn.
Once you decide to attack, you must make an Attack
Roll. The Attack Roll is 3d6 + Weapon AR + Blitz.
If your target attempts a Manoeuvre and succeeds,
apply any listed penalties to your Attack Roll. The
result of their Task Roll (3d6 + Skill + Handling) is
the number you have to match or exceed to hit
them.
If you land a hit, roll the appropriate damage for
whatever weapon you were using, keeping in mind the
currently installed ammo for that particular weapon.
Each gun has a jam-limit listed in the Weapon’s
Catalogue. This number decreases by 1 on each
consecutive turn that weapon is fired. It resets to
the original jam-limit on any turn it is not fired.
If the result of an Attack Roll matches or exceeds
the current jam-limit, the gun becomes jammed.
The Pilot must make an Attack Roll that matches
or exceed the current jam-limit once again for the
gun to become unjammed. It then resets to the
original jam-limit.
If the Attacker rolls a natural 18 they have per-
formed a Critical Attack. They apply the full
damage of their weapon instead of rolling (the
target’s damage reduction still applies), and then
roll on the Crit Table for extra effects.
Headwind Core Rulebook
Critical Attack Rules:
Roll 3d6 to see where you hit their plane, adding no modifiers. Depending on the area you hit, different
effects will take place.
Result (3d6) Part Hit
3, 18 Pilot
7,8,9,10,14 Fuselage
11,12,13 Wings
4,5,6 Weapons
15,16,17 Engine
Critted parts are considered inoperable after landing
and must be repaired before being used again.
A critted engine may produce heavy smoke, giving
the Advantage plane a -1 penalty to hit, but it will also
make the damaged plane easier to track and follow.
When your plane reaches 5 Integrity or lower, it
will begin losing altitude and is considered unsafe to
fly. At this time, your plane cannot perform Attacks
or Manoeuvres. You must disengage with your
target (Opposed Roll of 3d6 + Handling + Skill)
and make an immediate emergency landing. The
plane is still recoverable.
Out of Vehicle Fighting
Sometimes, a pilot must defend themselves while
grounded. If you do end up in a brawl, note that
Out of Vehicle combat has its own rules.
Combat turns work the same as they do in dog-
fights. Each fighter chooses to either Attack or
Defend. Roll an Opposed Roll of 3d6 + Reflexes.
The winner gets their action.
The damage a pilot does unarmed is equal to his
Grit. Any such damage is considered nonlethal, and
the target simply passes out when their HP reaches 0.
Page 17
Effect
Damage pilot directly, forcing them to land if not killed
Add Blitz to Damage
-2 to Handling
-1 to AR
-2 to Pace. Each turn the Pilot rolls 1d6, with a result
of 1 or 2 meaning that the engine dies
Table 5: Crit Table
If the plane reaches 0 Integrity or below, it is falling
apart in the sky and the Pilot can choose to either
abandon the plane, making a Reflex Task Roll to
escape the cockpit and deploy their parachute (DR
10), or a DR18 Skill Task Roll to make an emer-
gency landing. The plane is scrap at this point.
If the pilot is in the plane when it crashes, they
must make a Grit Task roll to remain conscious.
They also take damage to their Vitality equal to
1d6 +2.
The cost of repairing a plane is determined based
on number of points of damage taken.
An improvised weapon is any hard, blunt object the
Pilot can grab with one or two hands. This can be
lethal or nonlethal at the GM’s discretion.
If shooting a handheld gun, the Pilot’s Skill is
added to the Damage.
Pilots immediately recover a quarter (rounded
down) of their lost HP after the fight if allowed to
rest. They continue to recover 1 point per day after
that unless tended to by a doctor, who will help
them recover at 3 points per day.
Headwind Core Rulebook

Coming in the Complete Edition:

Money and Lifestyle
Systems for earning and spending money, the cost of fittings, weapons, equipment, NPC’s, lodgings, etc.

Weather Forecasting
The Complete Edition will include a system for determining a monthly weather map and forecast, and
more specific details on how the weather affects pilots directly.

Detailed Setting Information

Capital cities, specific NPCs (such as mechanics or politicians), more in-depth descriptions of the nations,
political and topographical maps of the Aspermarian, interesting locations, rules for Long distance travel,
a world map and morl

Expanded Catalogues
A larger variety of Fittings and Weapons

Expanded Combat Rules

More manoeuvres, formation flying, improved out-of-vehicle combat

Re-balancing
Based on private playtesting and your feedback, all rules will be re-balanced for a more enjoyable
experience

Random Generation Tables

For NPCs, Aircraft, Names and more

Page 18
Headwind Core Rulebook

Condensed Rules Cheat Sheet

Task Roll = 3d6 + Trait

Approach Roll = 3d6 + Reflexes + Handling

Attack Roll = 3d6 + Weapon AR + Blitz

Out of Vehicle Combat Roll = 3d6 + Reflexes

Spot Check = 3d6 + Wits

Page 19
Headwind Core Rulebook

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