OTT Early Doors Mission 2 - Change of Tactics - Early February 1916
OTT Early Doors Mission 2 - Change of Tactics - Early February 1916
The days of German domination of the air are waining. The Fokker Scourge is not yet over, but the Entente have tactics that are evolving to challenge the skies.
The Germans had been racking up the score of Entente planes trying to slip across the lines but the hunters are no longer having easy kills as the Entente begin to escort their missions with fighting scouts.
At the moment the Fokkers were still the best aircraft aloft but better Allied aircraft were in the works. Not many had reached the front yet so some of the older planes would have to do the work until the new models arrived.
The Situation:
A British photographic mission is returning from behind the German lines. Just after taking photographs of a German rail yard and strategically important rail bridge the flight was attacked by a pair of Fokkers. The Germans did not press home the attack but in the running battle a good part of the ammunition was used. The German duo broke off and the flight continued towards home.
With the lines just coming into sight another pair of Fokker monoplanes approached, getting in between the flight and home.
The Mission:
Germans: Stop the two seater from crossing back over the lines. (getting off the west board edge)
Taking out any of the escort will be frosting on the cake if the two seater is downed.
British: Get the two seater back across the lines safely.
The Ground Below:
A two mat playing surface will do, ~ 130cm x 100 cm or whatever you have close to these dimensions.
The Forces:
Germans: 2 x Fokker EIII
British: 1 x BE2C two seater with one camera and one forward machine gun
2 x Vickers F.B.5 Gunbus
Setup:
When playing the German side,
Place the BE2c one range stick in from the center of the east (short) edge. The BE2c rear base edge touching the ruler.
To the rear and on each side, plane one Gunbus. The Gunbus front base edge even with the BE2c rear base edge, one base width to the side.
The German Eindekers will be placed two rulers down from the BE2c from the front corner, one ruler over to the center of the firse Eindeker base, another half ruler to the 2nd Eindeker front corner.
When playing the British side,
Place the British planes as above in relation to each other and to the center of the short edge, but have the Gunbus rear base edges along the east mat edge.
The Germans are placed in relation to the British as above.
In either setup, the Germans can come in from north or south. Your choice or make it random.
Execution:
Whichever side you play, fly one fighter scout, all other aircraft are AI flown.
AI Gunbus will aim to attack the German most threatening to the BE2c. If the Eindekers are not near the BE2c the Gunbus will move toward the BE2c. If the BE2c is shot down, remaining Gunbus will fly for home if either crew are wounded or the plane has any damage.
AI Eindekers will attack the BE2c until it is shot down. Turn 1 AI Eindekers will use nose or 12/1 heading depending on which AI charts you use.
AI BE2c will move as follows:
From it's XC deck remove climb, dive, one stall, one turn in each direction, leaving 8 cards. Place the two removed turn cards nearby for possible use. Shuffle the remaining 8 cards. When it is time for the BE2c to move, draw the top card from the deck. After 6 movement cards are drawn, reshuffle the original 8 cards back together.
The BE2c will never turn more than one turn card off of a west heading. Any 2nd turn card drawn away from west will be plotted using the set aside turn card in the opposite direction so to head back west.
Example: turn 1, 1st card drawn is a right turn, plot it. The BE2c will be heading NW. 2nd card drawn is a straight, plot it. 3rd card drawn is a right turn, use the removed left turn to plot the BE2c back to a west heading. Place the left turn back to the side, place the right turn card not used in the BE2c used pile.
Do not shuffle the removed turn cards in the movement deck, keep them aside and use as necessary.
When playing the German side,
When playing the German side the BE2c will only shoot at close range due to ammo shortage. F.B.5s and Eindekers will fire normally.
When playing the British side,
When playing the British side, all British planes will only fire at close range due to ammo shortage, Eindekers fire normally.
Special rules:
Wounded gunner optional rule in effect.
BE2c has 3 firing arcs, right forward, left forward and rear. the gun will start in the forward position facing the Germans. To change the firing arc, choose the position you will move the gun to, place 3 jam markers and remove them as a jam. If you change your mind as to where to place the gun in the middle of a change, reset the jam markers to 3.
Gunbus has a firing arc that is quite wide. Use a 2 seater base with a normal rear arc. (not the Roland CII) Use the front side of the arc, roughly 200*.
Consider the Gunbus' 2 climb markers above the BE2c.
The planes:
If you don't have a BE2c use any 2 seater you have, but use the XC deck for its movement as described above and use the BE2c stats below.
If you don't have 2 Gunbus', (a DH2 looks close!) use any scout you want but use the XB deck for movement and the Gunbus stats below.
I have scanned the XB, XC and T (Eindeker) movement decks. So if you need them please email me and I'll send them to you.
Plane, Maneuver deck, Damage type, Damage points, Max altitude, Climb rate, crew
BE2c XC B* 10 8 6 2
F.B.5 XB B 11 7 6 2
Fokker EIII T B 11 9 6 1
Victory:
German, Shoot down the BE2c
British, get the BE2c off the board over friendly lines (west edge)
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Originally Posted by Skafloc
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