International Skype Game - Paul vs Mike
I can't believe this is the first game in the new competition. However, Paul had a bit of a problem with his internet connection. It took six weeks to get it sorted out, but the bandwidth must have improved, as his image on my end was very clear.
That being said, we tried to arrange this game much earlier (as in October), and I considered this a rematch for the InCONceivable match in August. Paul didn't fair well in that game, but this time, there wouldn't be any distractions.
I posted my proposed sortie of two Sopwith Triplanes (B guns) and a Bullet Checker Ace for 140 points, but Paul wasn't that prepared. He chose to fly the same sortie, and as we were playing points, not necessarily sides, we went with that. Paul suggested the random start position chart for the opening setup, and as the host, I got to play target. He rolled for his planes as a flight, and ended up in the position shown:
Game Set-up:
My planes (Alexander [Bullet Checker Ace] and Nash) in the center, Paul`s (Collishaw [Bullet Checker Ace] and Reid) attacking from the right.
Overhead Start positions:
Things went badly for Paul on the first turn:
Alexander does two wide right turns and hits Collishaw with a close ranged shot. Collishaw couldn't return fire, being out of arc.
I couldn`t believe my eyes! Collishaw takes the Boom Card and a pilot wound:
Alexander continues his slow right turns, and tags Reid's tail. Nash didn't get close to anything but burning wreckage.
Time to bug out for Reid, but Paul is made of sterner stuff than that. He Immelmann's and catches Alexander at short range, with Alexander just out of arc and unable to return the shots. Nash does get a piece of Reid, though.
No other firing in the turn, and the planes are heading away from each other.
Everyone Immelmann's to get back in the fight, and on the second maneuver of the turn, Alexander and Reid trade long shots. Reid lights up Alexander's plane (Thanks for the markers, Peter. I think...)!
NOTE: I am out of practice with the Skype gaming thing. I missed a change in the turn record, so the rest of the shots are a turn behind.
Alexander overshoots the turn, and is out of arc, with Reid being just able to tag his behind. Nash pumps a bunch of rounds into Reid.
Alexander can't get out of the line of fire, and wears more shots from Reid. Following fire with +1 to the cards, while on fire. Gack! And Nash overtakes Reid, and is unable to fire.
Scattered planes at the end of the fourth turn.
End of Turn 5 (despite what the Turn Indicators say), and there was no shooting.
All the way to the end of Turn 6, when Alexander and Reid trade shots again, with Reid starting to smoke. Nash is off by himself, misreading Reid's intentions.
Alexander Immelmann's and is too close to Reid to shoot! Brow wiping and cursing ensued.
Next maneuver, Reid and Nash trade shots, with Nash getting smoked.
Everyone overshoots or is out of arc at the end of Turn 7.
Alexander and Nash form up for some very close formation flying, and Reid circles in for a desperate attempt to do some damage.
The formation flying didn't quite work out to a combined fusillade of firing, as both Alexander and Nash were out of arc, again. Reid takes aim and fills Alexander's burnt and shot-up crate with hot lead! Alexander falls from the sky a smoking bail of charred fabric and perforated wood. Reid's guns jam up, and he isn't the Bullet Checker Ace, so it counts (it was a green one, so that might have saved Alexander or Collishaw).
NOTE: The fire damage was pretty bad, inflicting 7 points over three turns. Reid's shooting wasn't too good, but it accumulated to take down Alexander, nonetheless.
It was now a bit more even, if you consider a shot up Reid against an nearly untouched Nash going against each other.
End of Turn 10, Reid has cleared his jam. Reid and Nash attempt to circle into each other, and Reid gets a tiny bit of Nash's tail.
Into Turn 11, Reid Immelmann's into Nash's sharp right turns. Guns blaze away, and both planes are hit for lots of damage. They fall from the sky together, twisted wrecks tumbling to the ground.
Butcher's Bill:
Host - Mike [OldGuy59]:
Both Sopwith Triplanes are destroyed, and pilots lost.
Two enemy planes shot down: 4 Points
Tie game: 1 Point.
Visitor - Paul [tikkifriend]:
Both Sopwith Triplanes are destroyed, and pilots lost.
Two enemy planes shot down: 4 Points
Tie game: 1 Point.
So, not a bad finish for Paul, when things looked to be very bad at the end of Turn 1. It just goes to show that you need to keep focused on the mission. It was almost a win a few times for Paul, if not for the double "0" or "1/0" damage draws I did. A few really close "out of arc" situations or over-runs saved Paul's bacon a few times, too.
A good game, and an even outcome for two sides that should have been evenly matched, being we used the same planes and aces. Note that the ace skills were never used, as they were shot down before they could use them. Only one jam showed up, with maneuvers actually negating that jam, for the most part.
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