Bombing Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand - Again !
This last weekend we got together on at the Tunbridge Wells Wargames Society meeting for another epic game of WoG re-playing a previous club scenario - bombing the pre-dreadnought Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand in its dry dock.... but mostly as an excuse to play with float planes and AH stuff !
Having been gifted of some Caproni Ca3 bombers by their Italian allies and the training to the use them it of course fell to the members of 109 squadron to make good use of them which meant they were given the honour to lead the next attack on the Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand previously damaged in a raid by the Italians.
Spies working for the Italians have reported that the ship has now been repaired and will soon be leaving its dry dock to wreak havoc on the shipping lanes. This has to be prevented and to that end High Command has decided to launch an aerial attack on the ship to deliver a crippling blow to the enemy fleet.
pic
The first pair lined up and were escorted by a pair of Italian Maachi 5
Ranged against them was a mix of Albatros D.III, Maachi 5, Aviatik and Ufag types - target ship is top right of picture.
Brian roars into the attack and I rise to the challenge - we sail past each other just out of arc !!
The pilots after the first exchanges already concentrating on the fray
L-R Rodney; John; Paul (von Paulus); Mark (Chequers); Ivor; Brian (Archidamus) - Terry arrived later
Much to his consternation my opening shot on Ivor's suddenly retreating Ufag set it on fire - something it later succumbed too along with several long and short range +1 bursts ! Fortunately for me Brian had already jammed but I was pretty well chewed up when he cleared it !
The Caproni were flown using the random AI method which meant they flew in a very strange and unpredictable manner...
but the CP pilots soon got to grips with them - but they didn't have it all their own way !
John's Alb smoking, Marks taking hits from the front !
Terry's Aviatik smoking & Brians getting shot from the nose !
Ivor returned to the fight sporting another Ufag and set off after the No2 Caproni - took a hammering as he made his head on approach but got his wish when he turned as his gunner put the Caproni down... Boom !
We'll never hear the end of it now !
At this point the camera died which is just as well but fun was had by all !
I lost my Maachi bravely trying to put off all the enemy scouts - just shot to pieces.
Caproni 1 had some success against the enemy - shot down Brian (I think?) and handed out plenty of damage but was downed when on final approach to target by Terry's Aviatik - surrounded by 4 enemy kites it dropped its bombs but they fell just short - in the ensuing chaos the CP chaps had trouble avoiding each other and one went down to a collision (or two?) ! I claimed it as part of my 'cunning plan'
Caproni 2 respawned and had quite a run - Brian, also respawned in his Aviatik rushed in swearing to rain destruction upon the foe ... BOOM ! He doubted my parentage and went to respawn again !
This Caproni downed three more scouts with boom cards before picking up one itself before it got anywhere near the target.
Caproni 1 respawned but the skies had been cleared so we called it there and the chaps subsequently settled down to a dog-fight blooding certain new toys in the process.
Lessons learned: Fly the Caproni rather than AI and use more of them ! Next time...
Hope you enjoyed it as much as we did - Thanks to all involved !
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(of course, any rumours that I forgot my camera and sabotaged yours so that there was no pictorial proof of my "booms" is baseless)
Originally Posted by Archidamus
Yeah I really like those mew Macchi's but I lust for a Filexstowe & then I could really go down the Seaplane route!
Lovely little lane Rob but I want a BIG one! Felixstowe! Felixstowe! Felixstowe!
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