"Before there were Fighters"---An Early Doors WW1 Prequel Scenario #1

**gully_raker** · 03-31-2014 04:33

OVERVIEW
A British 2 seat reconnaissance Aircraft is approaching the Front Lines on a standard recon mission when the crew observes a German 2 seater near our lines directing artillery fire on our trenches by the simple but cunning method of flying in the direction they wish the shells to be redirected & decide to intervene & stop this activity. (no Morse or radio available at this time of the war!)

Both Aircraft are fitted with a "B" firing machine gun operated by the Observer on a swivel mount.
The British pilot tries to manoeuvre his Aircraft so his Observer can shoot down the Enemy machine or kill the crew. Naturally the German crew decide to do the same so they can continue their mission.

The winner of the duel will go on to complete their mission provided they still have 20% of their damage points (rounded down) remaining. The game will be a draw if the Victor cannot complete the mission unless the opposing Aircraft has been shot down.

Set Up:

The Aircraft will meet over the trenches in the middle of the gaming mat 4 Ruler lengths apart.

Play will end when one machine has been shot down or driven off.

Should the Observer of either machine be killed then that machine must immediately try to return to their home base.

If an Observer is wounded then the "Wounded Observer" Optional rule will be applied as follows:

1) He is knocked down for the remainder of the turn in which he is hit

2) He remains down for the whole of the next turn

3) He returns to action on the next turn with the following penalties:
4 moves required to unjamb his gun, can only shoot at short range & not after a steep manoeuvre.
If he receives a second wound he is killed

All the normal WoG & OTT rules will apply & Altitude is optional!

Good Luck.

**fast.git** · 03-31-2014 05:12

Excellent opening salvo! Did you have a specific date range in mind?

**Nightbomber** · 03-31-2014 06:47

Barry, do you mean the CP players may reverse the situation? Which flight is AI driven? The pair of planes or the single one?

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 03-31-2014 07:24

Originally Posted by Nightbomber

Barry, do you mean the CP players may reverse the situation? Which flight is AI driven? The pair of planes or the single one?

I don't understand Andy. Which pair of planes do you mean?
Rob.

**Nightbomber** · 03-31-2014 07:50

My mistake, Rob! Reading "A British 2 seat reconnaissance Aircraft is" led me to think there are 2 planes (My Goodness!). Sometimes lack of plural of some English nouns is misleading [fish, fruit, aircraft] but of course it should not have happened in this description ("A" and "is"!).

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 03-31-2014 09:04

Don't worry old chum, wait until we start a turning fight and you get the radius of one planes turning circle, and the radii of several.
I sometimes curse Dr. Johnson and his cronies, to say nothing of the Romans, Celts, Angles, Jutes, Saxons, Danes, and Normans. Did I mention Chaucer, King James II, the Huguenots, and anyone else who had anything to do with the development of our language.
Rob.

**fast.git** · 03-31-2014 12:12

Originally Posted by Flying Officer Kyte

...and anyone else who had anything to do with the development of our language.

A language, it seems, with more exceptions than rules...

**gully_raker** · 03-31-2014 14:34

Originally Posted by fast.git

Excellent opening salvo! Did you have a specific date range in mind?

Hi Chris!
Anytime from early 1915 through to end of 1916 but you could make it later if you want.

**gully_raker** · 03-31-2014 14:38

Originally Posted by fast.git

A language, it seems, with more exceptions than rules...

And then there is American English, Australian English (strine LoL!) & of course English English!

**gully_raker** · 03-31-2014 14:44

Originally Posted by Nightbomber

Barry, do you mean the CP players may reverse the situation? Which flight is AI driven? The pair of planes or the single one?

You may play the game with either Countries Aircraft (only one for each side) as the AI.
If you fly for Germany the British Aircraft is AI & of course you can reverse the scenario by having the German plane attack an Allied one (French, Belgian or British) doing the Artillery job.

I understand your confusion re Singular Vs Plural. They say English is the hardest language to get your head around.

Cant imagine how I would go trying to read one in Polish!

**fast.git** · 03-31-2014 17:05

Originally Posted by gully_raker

And then there is American English, Australian English (strine LoL!) & of course English English!

And it's worse than that... grew up learning "California" English, then moved to New England... a whole different form of "English" is spoken here...

**brucewallace** · 03-31-2014 17:30

Well, thank God I grew up in New York City, where only proper English is spoken, if you don't count the Brooklynese that is the lingua franca of the good folk across the East River! But getting back to the point of the thread, I like it. Once Shapeways models became available, we started out with the earliest planes, even including a Taube in one of our scenarios, but the extra details you've added to what would otherwise be merely a vulgar brawl means it will be worthwhile revisiting the early days - in our campaign game we're up to August of 1916.

**Lt. S.Kafloc** · 04-01-2014 02:02

not forgetting the Queens English too.

Originally Posted by gully_raker

And then there is American English, Australian English (strine LoL!) & of course English English!

**Nightbomber** · 04-01-2014 03:02

Once I attended a court hearing in a criminal case in Liverpool. Could easily understand the Judge and the Public Prosecutor speaking, but hardly understood a word of what the young defendant was saying. It was probably some Urban-English I have never heard before

**tikkifriend** · 04-01-2014 08:41

That Urban lingo from Liverpool is termed Scouse. Its a bit of a speech impediment like Brummie.

**tikkifriend** · 04-01-2014 08:42

Oh and don't forget Glaswegian.

:

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 04-01-2014 09:09

Originally Posted by tikkifriend

That Urban lingo from Liverpool is termed Scouse. Its a bit of a speech impediment like Brummie.

Not if you have a cold Paul.
Rob.

**tikkifriend** · 04-01-2014 09:50

So how do you explain the Rab Nesbitt accent eh Jimmie, Keep all answers clean and non Celtic stereotypes please.

**Nightbomber** · 04-01-2014 15:39

Mission flown tonight. There are some very interesting issues to share with the group

. I like it very much. Not too many planes to fly with and you must fly wisely to outmaneuver the enemy. Please note there are solo decks for X-ABCD available. Some luck recommended as usual

**Biggles downunder** · 04-01-2014 20:53

Originally Posted by brucewallace

Snip... Once Shapeways models became available, we started out with the earliest planes, even including a Taube in one of our scenarios, but the extra details you've added to what would otherwise be merely a vulgar brawl means it will be worthwhile revisiting the early days - in our campaign game we're up to August of 1916.

I found this on the Shapeways site: http://www.shapeways.com/model/51629...s&materialId=6

**gully_raker** · 04-01-2014 20:59

Originally Posted by Biggles downunder

I found this on the Shapeways site: http://www.shapeways.com/model/51629...s&materialId=6

Good link Wayne!
I know at least some of the Lads & ladies have grabbed one of those & maybe we will see one pop up in an AAR soon.

**gully_raker** · 04-01-2014 21:02

Originally Posted by Nightbomber

Mission flown tonight. There are some very interesting issues to share with the group

. I like it very much. Not too many planes to fly with and you must fly wisely to outmaneuver the enemy. Please note there are solo decks for X-ABCD available. Some luck recommended as usual

Looking forward to your AAR Andy!
One of the things I am interested in particularly when I get a chance to play it myself is how the Solo rules will effect the game as I presume they are mainly based on single seaters attacking front on.
I am not sure if there are Solo card decks for 2 seaters but they may work better for this scenario.

**Nightbomber** · 04-01-2014 23:52

The solo decks' orientation is one of my concerns as well, Barry...We may be in need to revise that .

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 04-02-2014 00:51

I will see if I can get it flown on Friday, before we go down to Bristol for the weekend.
Rob.

**flash** · 04-02-2014 02:14

Originally Posted by fast.git

Excellent opening salvo! Did you have a specific date range in mind?

The date is supposed to be in December 1915 - ie just before we commence operations with the campaign in January - for those of you sans two-seaters I will be posting a prequel involving scouts in due course. You can fly them both, one of them, or, neither though it will provide you with an opportunity to study the rules & performance of your aircraft & practice your AAR for those who haven't played before. If you want to select pilots / crews or create new ones their stats/results will be recorded on the spreadsheets & carry over into the campaign.
I should be back on full ops from tomorrow all being well.