Ramblings Over the Front

Originally Posted by predhead

Due to some last minute issues we moved this month's gaming session to Smitch's place (thanks for that flexibility, Smitch!). We wanted to use some early war planes just to give them a try and because they look pretty cool. Four of us (including Adler64) were present, so I took Buddecke's Fokker E.III, Adler had Immelman's E.III, which Smitch had a Morane, and Bob (not a forum member) choose the super DH.2. We had two mats and came in from one side each, with Adler and I moving north/south, Smitch coming in the the east, and Bob flying his kite from the west. No rhyme no reason, other than that is how we were sitting around the table!

What is that strange looking aircraft? Certainly it cannot be one of ours as I or even that hack Immelman would have been informed by command of any new designs on the front. Very strange, looks like a flying washtub.

I turned towards the DH.2, thinking that I would try to inflict as much damage as I could before it ended the Fokker scourge that was Adler and I. I was able to start putting hits onto Bob's aircraft, even causing a fire. Bob was in a state of shock, not from my expert flying and sharpshooting ability, but from the lack of sleep from having made a sixteen hour drive home from vacation the day before. To that end he at times did not always choose the wisest maneuver. Not my concern, I am focused on gettin a kill as I am tired of drawing the dreaded explosion card without having knocked someone else s kite from the sky. A few more turns, a few more machinegun bursts, and fire damage, and I have knocked Bob from the sky!






Adler and Smitch were doing some circles and a lot of Immelman's (Adler kept saying "I'm doing one of me"...receiving snickers from me in return). Finally I started calling my own Immelman's "Ataturks" seeing how I was flying for the Turkish Air Force. Regardless, I started to close in on Smitch's Morane as well, with a final result of a shared kill (that is how I see it anyway), with Adler (I think that is correct...I have a tendency to only focus on what is going on in my world, so both my memroy and pictures oftentimes reflect that tunnel vision).



The "washtub" seemed robust, but most have been flown by a novice. I was able to easily cut in and fire several deflections, causing fire and watching the pilot frantically look about. After seeing it spin into the ground, I set my sights on the Frenchman that Immelman was dueling with. A few more bursts and the Frenchman was no more. My first double!

The second game was the Wings Over Flanders scenario. I was more than a little perplexed to see the Halberstadt D.III in the listing of CP planes, as it stood no chance against the faster and far more nimble Hanriot and Camel. I still believe this had to be a typo, and perhaps the scenario was supposed to have a Pfalz D.III instead? Regardless, Bob and I played the CP side, with Smitch, Adler, and newly arrived G Dog (not a forum member) taking on the Entente forces. Adler had the DH.4 that he brought for the expressed purpose of using, Smitch had the Coppens' Hanriot, and G Dog took the Camel. Bob piloted the Albatros D.Va, while I took the Fokker Dr.I and the out of place Halberstadt. I did not expect to win this scenario, but things can be a bit deceiving at times.

I weaved the Fokker back and forth to maintain an equal distance with the Halberstadt. Strangely, as I saw the Camel close in for what should have been an easy kill, the D.III's meager single gun was able to set the Camel on fire as it pushed through the Allied line. Meanwhile the Fokker put the DH.4 on fire as well! Today was some of my best shooting! The Dh.4 kept pushing towards its target, taking fire damage, and having to draw another A card from performing an incorrect maneuver. BAM! The big bird goes down after taking a pair of 5 point cards in one phase! Game over as the Allies cannot bomb their target. We decided to push on. The Fokker was targeted by the recovered Camel and BAM, my "lucky" explosion card comes up. Always seem to have one of these each time I play. Now the odds are looking much better for the Allies, even if they cannot win the scenario. I keep putting points on the Camel, the Halberstadt taking no damage for several turns. Meanwhile Bob and Smitch are doing a dance of death, circling and performing more Immelmans than I think anyone has ever seen. Finally a clear shot from Smitch's gun, and BAM, explosion card and down goes Bob (frustrated as he had taken little damage to that point). Now I know that both explosion cards (one from the A Deck and one from the B) have been played, so I decide to fight on, knowing that the G Dog's Camel has to be close to falling from the skies. Fighting against two faster kites, I use more turns and sideslips as I notice our group uses Immelman's A LOT. Knowing this, I keep plugging away at the Camel, and it still will not go down. After a few more turns of this, I am finally taking damage and decide that I need to get off the board, which I do after suffering an engine hit. I come to find that G Dog had pulled a lot of 0 cards from the fire as well as my machinegun fire. Frustrating, but I feel successful as the Halberstadt lives to fight another day, put a lot of damage on the Camel, and had a hand in the DH.4's demise.






We used the Tailing and Aim rules for both rounds...when we could remember to. In all actuality tailing did not occur often, and when it did the rule did not result in any reshuffling of cards by the tailing aircraft. The Aim rule was used to good effect and I think we can keep both of these rules in play for future sessions!

Overall, another excellent time with Wings of War/Glory!