Running the gauntlet - a solo AAR
First AAR!
This was originally meant to be a 2 vs AI game, but my copilot pulled out at the last minute. Instead I controlled both of the Entente planes and still ran the Central Powers AI. I'm not using all of the advanced rules in this game (I don't have the rules and accessories pack,) and I made an error or two with the AI in the first few turns but decided to stick with them when I realised, call it pilot error. This turned into one of the most dramatic games I've played, and I'd love to hear some feedback from you guys. Enjoy!
The briefing for the two-man patrol had been ominously to-the-point: locate the German observation balloon, negotiate their defences, bring it down, and get home again. They were to expect anti-aircraft defences around the balloon and be aware of the blast of an exploding balloon. With the weather looking favourable and their maps referenced they took off, and it wasn't long until they were over the front line, the balloon in site and the black silhouette of a plane close to it.
After some quick gestures to one another the SPAD pilot opened his throttle and sped away, hoping to catch the defences off-guard. The Camel pilot banked to the right, also at full speed, to try and force the German plane to pick a target. It worked, and the German, who could now be recognised to be flying a Schuckert, aimed to intercept the Camel. Though his line was off the Camel quickly found himself under some innefectual machine gun fire from the ground, enough to shake his nerve but little more.
With his partner taking the heat the SPAD raced on to fire on the observation balloon. He lined up his shots well and bursts of machine gun fire leave their mark, not only on the baloon but on his plane. He hadn't noticed until this point that a machine gun crew on the ground were tasked specifically with protecting the baloon, and had managed to put a few holes in the SPAD whilst he was on his attack run. His only course of action is to evade, but isn't able to do so nimbly enough to avoid the gun completely and the crew manage to hit the pilot in the leg. It's becoming clear that 'negotiate their defences' was a deliberate understatement.
The Camel's movement meant he was never under any real threat from the machine gun, and a few slick moves threw the Schuckert off. Looking to his front-left he can see the SPAD turning to make another pass on the balloon. This is the ideal moment for an attack; if he lines his move correctly he'll be able to strike at the same time as the SPAD, only from a different direction, overwhelming the German defences. Both pilots hold their fire until they're as close as possible, then tear into the balloon with everything they have. The combination of a 2-direction attack and sheer volume of fire puts the balloon under undue stress, so much that the balloon ignites, exploding in a ball of fire. Balloon explosions had been mentioned in their briefing, but nothing could have prepared them for this. The Camel's fuselage is badly burnt and the pilots jacket blackened, but looking across to the SPAD the he realises he's been the lucky one. The French plane has been engulfed from nose to tail in the fireball, and as the plane topples out of the sky it's obvious the SPAD pilot fared no better than his aircraft. No time for emotions now, though; machine gun fire from the ground still angrily chattering upward into his fuselage, a bullet striking his shoulder, and the black outline of the Schuckert rapidly closing in.
The sheer quantity of punishment the Camel has taken from the explosion and machine gun fire means that trying to take the Schuckert on in a fight is hopeless, a hasty escape is his only course of action. No time for fancy tricks, he banks his plane left and points his plane towards friendly territory. The Schuckert tries to match his move, but over-commits, and somehow ends up in front of the Camel and wide-open to fire!
Hardly believing his luck the pilot takes a shot or two, managing to concentrate his fire well on the plane, but the Camel can't help ending up in the sights of anti-aircraft fire yet again, a lucky bullet striking his engine block and starting a fire. He's not far from no-man's land, if he can just keep his plane together a little longer he can make a crash landing on safe territory.
Whether through bad piloting or sheer arrogance the Schuckert has ended up completely exposed and under fire from a Camel that is very badly damaged and a pilot that is feeling more than a little cornered. The British plane is only heading in one direction - straight ahead - and before he can do anything to get out of its way the German plane succumbs to even more gunfire from the Camel, which is still taking fire from the machine gun. The fire rages on but doesn't seem to be causing enough damage to be an immediate concern. He's done it, he can bring his plane down behind friendly lines and live to fight another day, a trail of blood and machinery behind him. The gauntlet has been ran, and beaten, but when will the next balloon rise up?
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I hope you make more of these!
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