Just been checking out the Advanced Solo Charts we will be using for the campaign and noted some deficiencies - No T, V (J*), G*, R or U deck charts & the A/B/S chart doesn't cater for a B deck (it has 3 side slips). However, having gone over them this morning they can be covered by existing charts that have the same manoeuvres:
A/B/S chart can be used for T/V (J*) decks;
the D chart can be used for the U deck;
The K+H chart can be used for G* and
the J chart can be used for R and the B deck too (Rather than A/B/S).
There is no advanced X chart but as they are ponderous beasties the original Richard Bradley chart will suffice.
Links are also posted in the OTT ED Rules sticky
Last edited by flash; 04-15-2014 at 01:36.
Thanks for the legwork, Dave!
No problem old chap !
As the header suggests I'm finalising the campaign rules for OTT Early Doors so please go to the sticky and re-read them.
I have been tweaking and paring bits away - like the optional morale rules - if you have any issues then please let me know asap
"He is wise who watches"
Dave, have you tried using the advanced B-alb-dv deck from tyneside? I found it worked really well.
On another note can anyone tell me why the fe2b base from MA rear arc is the way it is, is it for above and behind rear fire?
Forgot to add.
Read the updates sir.
With fast.git on this. I believe a beverage will be winging it's way via salute to you for all your legwork.
Last edited by Twisted_terrain; 03-31-2014 at 03:23.
Rules look good... thanks for the time!
Warning Order
Gentlemen - look to the skies - there have been reports of impending enemy activity ....
Some emanating from down under !
Now excuse me as I may be off line for a few days.
I am impressed with those rules Dave. They actually address a lot of the quibbles that I have had with altitude and te angle of dangle when firing at targets above or below. There are a couple of things I don't care for but nothing that it is worth opening Pandora's box over, so I'm right behind your amendments.
Thanks for all your effort.
Rob.
"Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."
Thanks Dave.
"We do not stop playing when we get old, but we get old when we stop playing."
Rules are good for me Dave . Thanks for putting them up.
I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings
Coming down is the hardest thing
Notes about the Bristol Scout C
The Bristol Scout at this time had no standard gun placement. The following table reflects this:
1. Single gun mounted on left side of fuselage at a 30-45 degree angle to avoid shooting through propeller arc.
2. Single gun mounted on right side of fuselage at a 30-45 degree angle to avoid shooting through propeller arc.
3. Single gun mounted on top of fuselage shooting through propeller arc; propeller covered with metal deflectors to avoid damage. This configuration was on RNAS planes only.
4. Single gun mounted in the center of top wing angled slightly upward to avoid propeller arc.
5. Two guns with one mounted on each side of fuselage at 30-45 degree angle to avoid shooting through propeller arc. Only one gun would be able to fire at any one target.
6. Two guns mounted in center of top wing angled slightly upward to avoid propeller arc.
Player may pick or roll a d6 for configuration used by plane(s) being flown. In the case of 3 if an RFC pilot substitute a gun mounted on the left of the fuselage at a 30-45 degree angle to avoid shooting through propeller arc AND a wing mounted gun. Only one gun would be able to fire at any one target.
Also note that when using configurations 1, 2 or 5 each gun only has half the normal firing arc (also 3 for the gun on the fuselage in the case of RFC planes). So a gun mounted on the left would only be able to fire at enemy planes left of center and guns mounted on the right only right of center. Wing mounted guns have no restriction.
In my research of early war aces I have found a wealth of information that could help narrow the windows on what planes are available when. For example I found a Bristol Scout C being flown by a South African Pilot scoring a kill against Fokker E-type in August 1916. Cool stuff!
Yes please Chuck.
The more information we get the better.
Rob.
"Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."
Okay Sure, but I only have one entry to begin with...
Here are some changes to the beginning service dates based on my research:
In Service
ADD:
Morane Parasol N
Nieuport 10 (RNAS)
Ago C.I
March 1916
DELETE:
Morane Parasol N
August 1916
ADD:
Albatros D.I
September 1916
DELETE:
Albatros D.I
Details in "Early War aircraft active dates" Thread
Last edited by WWIflyingace; 04-10-2014 at 17:33.
The gunner must have been quite nervous with that pointing at his back! (or his crotch!!!)
The Alb D.I is in September as it arrived in the very last days of August (according to my research), it also gives the Halberstadts their moment in the sun; there is no Morane parasol N in March 16 to delete (that's the MS type N mono plane ! Was there a parasol N ?). I have added the other 'in service' aircraft if you have any service end dates that would help complete the entry, esp for the AGO on which there is very little info.
Last edited by flash; 04-13-2014 at 09:07.
"He is wise who watches"
The trouble is it is so long AGO - seriously, I have an AGO C.II I will be using in the campaign, but have not been able to find anything much beyond info that the production figures were only 15!, that the C.I was introduced into service in June '15 and the C.II in "1915" (so presumably post June as it was a refinement of the C.I), and that "The C.II only served in the German air force for about one year before being replaced by more conventional and modernized aircraft."
So up to now I have worked on it being in service for the start of the campaign, and falling out of service by September 1916 (always assuming that our campaign doesn't have all 15 examples - or 13 if you discount the seaplane variant apparently - shot down before then )
That's more than I could find Brian - I will make it so until more info appears !
"He is wise who watches"
The listing of aces I found shows lt eustace Osborne grenfell scoring six victories in a moraine parasol n between 13 September 1915 and 17 January 1916. He shot down three albatros c-types and three fokkers during that period. It was a one seat aircraft. Could be a misprint and maybe they meant the L. It does however list the aircraft type six times...
Well, it's one or the other not both !
Searching on his name I came across this on Wiki - the source being the aerodrome forum:
"Grenfell scored his first aerial victory on 13 September 1915, flying a Morane-Saulnier and driving down an Albatros reconnaissance plane. He used the Morane-Saulnier L, which was the world's first airplane built with a gun firing forward through the propeller. Grenfell used this same crude early fighter to shoot down a second Albatros recce plane on 7 December 1915.
By January 1916, Grenfell had upgraded to a Morane "Bullet", which he used in a quadruple victory on the 17th. On that day, in a forty minute dogfight over the Houthoulst Forest, he drove down a Fokker Eindekker, forced another to land, put another one out of control, and drove down an Albatros two-seater."
Yet when I looked at the forum they listed the aircraft flown as a Morane parasol N for all those kills ! Something is amiss here. Interesting too that the only ref is the aerodrome forum.
Having drilled down through the aerodrome forum links I think there is sufficient evidence to move the MS type N to Jan16 (where I had it originally !!) this will also extend the life of the models in play for those who have them.
Last edited by flash; 04-15-2014 at 01:40.
A MS Parasol verification would be nice as I just got two of them. Probably not going to make this campaign but they will get used.
As best I can tell Pete - the main parasol types (those with wings above the fuselage) we need be concerned with are types L, LA, P and maybe the AR.
Shapeways makes the 'L' and 'P', I have a couple of the 'P' type. I'll put in a search or two and see if I find anything.
Last edited by Teaticket; 04-15-2014 at 09:58.
A couple of days to go until engines start Gentleman, thanks to those who have responded to the pm. Two chaps, one from each side, have opted out so far due to real life commitments, I hope they both get back in the cockpit soon. I take it the rest of us are in !
Dave (flash) Entente - YES
Rob (Kyte) Entente - YES
Trev (Brambo) Central Powers - NO
Neil (Skafloc) Central Powers - YES
John (Johnbiggles) Entente - ?
Rob (Moonsylver) Central Powers - NO
Shawn (diceslinger) Entente - YES
Brian (Archidamus) Entente - YES
Ryan (rkwright) Central Powers - YES
Paul (Tikkifriend) Entente - YES
Chris (Fast.git) Central Powers - YES
Pete (Teaticket) Central Powers - YES
Eric (7eat51) Entente - NO
Si (Twisted_terrain) Central Powers - YES
Chuck (WW1flyingace) Entente - YES
Anthony (Tusekine) Central Powers - YES
Barry (Gullyraker) Entente - YES
Andrzej (Nightbomber) Central Powers - YES
John (jbmacek) Central Powers - NO
Last edited by flash; 04-29-2014 at 21:38.
It is with great regret that I do this, but I'm going to have to step out.
A little over three weeks ago my dad had a mild heart attack. At first they thought they could repair the blockage with stents, then they discovered he had blockage in three arteries. To add insult to injury, out of nowhere the doctors found he was suffering from stage four kidney disease, too. This makes doing stents even more complicated (due to the contrast fluid needing to be filtered by the kidneys, possibly causing kidney failure). They thought they would go for a triple bypass, then changed their minds and tried a stent instead, but ripped the artery. After recovering from a blood clot after that surgery, they sent him up to Johns Hopkins' main hospital. Last week he was finally going to have the bypass, but his blood test showed his kidneys still too weak, so it was canceled. Some kidney specialists were brought in, and their idea was "we can do a stent for your kidney." Sure enough, they could. His kidneys went from 54% blockage to 0% blockage. Now that they think they have the kidney condition straightened out, he is back on the list for the triple bypass, maybe this Thursday, maybe Friday.
Long story short, my free time lately has been severely limited, and I have no idea what may come in the weeks ahead.
So, my profuse apologies.
Someone shoot down some Entente for me!
I'm sorry to hear about your father, John! Best of luck to him , and here's hoping you'll be able to return to the campaign at some point in the near future.
John no need to apologise. Family first is the way it has to be. Good luck to your father in the coming weeks and hope to see you in the next few months.
Paul
I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings
Coming down is the hardest thing
Sorry to hear about your dad John - here's wishing him a speedy recovery
Hey John, wish your old man well, really glad they could sort the kidney issue out and hope the big one goes well when it happens. Best regards to you & the family and if you get some tome later down the line mosey in to the mess and join in the fun.
If everyone else plays we are now at eight a side (not that it's that important !)
'Two fat Ladies'............
See you on the Dark Side......
Seven v eight today - then there were 15 !
Ready to go. Here we enjoy a prolonged weekend off, so I am away on a seaside with the family, but eager to start this month.
"We do not stop playing when we get old, but we get old when we stop playing."
I thought this might be helpful for scenario design.
JASTAS
In August 1916 the first Jastas were forming to consist of as many as 14 aircraft. The focus of attention was on the Somme front of mid-1916 against which the Allies had concentrated troops, artillery, and aircraft. The available fighters that could be distributed among the 20 Jastas along the front are shown below:
AIRCRAFT TYPE ----- AT THE FRONT
Albatros D.I ---------------1
Albatros D.II ---------------1
Halberstadt D Series--------25
Fokker D Series ------------35
Eindecker Series -----------124
TOTAL AT THE FRONT------186 Fighters
Also, according to what I have found the first Halberstadt D.III reached the front in February 1916, but there were only two in the inventory by June.
G'day Flash & others.
Just had a query on the Vickers Gunbus which uses an XD* deck.
However this aircraft being the first fighter aircraft purpose designed would surely be able to do an Immleman but I am sure the XD deck does not have one.
What are other Gunbus uses doing?
As for the suggestion it also comes with a query.
I have not participated in a Solo Campaign before so am asking & suggesting from a position of ignorance.
The normal solo rules say no special damage applies to AI controlled Aircraft except Explosions.
Now this seems to give the AI plane a big advantage especially with the advanced charts.
So why not let the AI planes suffer gun jambs, Pilot/Observer wounded, smoke & fire damage?
I can understand not invoking rudder damage & engine damage but I reckon they should suffer the other ones.
What do you all think?
Hi Barry,
I have played the Gunbus without Immelmann - I don't have any hard evidence, but I reasoned that it was so slow and stable that Immelmanns and similar manoeuvres might have been difficult. Besides, it's wide arc of fire and slow speed makes it quite difficult for faster planes like the EIII to avoid slipping into its arc of fire.
On special damage, I have played both the prequel and this first scenario with all special damage counting on the AI planes - when the EIIIs took rudder damage in Fish in a barrel for instance, I played it that the AI choices for the next turn excluded any that turned in the affected direction.
I thought the Gunbus was the XB deck? Thats what I have been using and as a spoiler, scenario 2 will have them!
I play all special damage for AI planes except rudder jams.
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