Bloody April Is Coming - Another Game For A rainy Day !

[flash]

Having replayed OTT mission 14 and having the models on the table when it rained all day a couple of days later I decided to play a scratch game using the same German AI characters.
I flew as 2Lt Robert Howe in this mission - The Germans had to drive off or kill the RE8 providing Arty spotting, Howe & his wingman had to render assistance if they could. It went wrong from the beginning, as you will see, I diced for the RE8 to circle left or right - it went right which was good as the Huns were coming from the left, I diced a D6 1-4 keep circling 5,6 run for it. Rolled a 5 - bad news, they tried to run for it ! Then rolled for turn the cavalry arrived..Rolled 5 again. Oh dear...!
This is how it went down - literally !

Ltn Johannes Haber, Ltn Karl Gussmann, Ltn Siegfried Gildemeister, in their Albatrros D.III swoop in on a luckless RE8 piloted by 2Lt George Brown and crewed by Sgt Allan Cox who are spotting for artillery over the railway at Ham


Ltn Karl Gussmann, flight leader, gets in first but to no obvious effect; Brown breaks to run for the lines - an error he won't live to regret - then Ltn Johannes Haber opens fire next as Gussmann clears the rear of the RE8 - again no obvious damage but Cox shows he's pretty handy with a Lewis gun and stitches a line of holes through Haber's top plane.


Haber has better luck with his next burst and his rounds crash through the RE8's tail - Cox seizes the opportunity to get a close range shot in on the Hun leader as Gussmann pulls close alongside. Gildemeister can't seem to get on target.


Gussmann gets to fire back but again he hits nothing vital - Cox, meanwhile, does with his next shots damaging the flight leader's controls


As Gildemeister overshoots Haber lets fly again and is rewarded with a lick of flame from his target !


As Gussmann slides behind their tail Cox puts a raking burst into Gildemeister's belly - the damage is slight and his Lewis gun jams


Now defenceless Gussmann now sat squarely on their tail lets rip at close range - his rounds smashing through the RE8's airframe, the aircraft staggers but keeps going


Haber squeaks in a shot past his leader's wing tip and they strike home...Belching flame and smoke the RE8 rolls and falls toward the ground out of control


Having seen the fight start the 2Lt Percy Hall (green N.17) and 2Lt Robert Howe (Silver N.17) arrive too late to change the outcome.


The Huns are taken by surprise by their sudden arrival and the Nieuports bust through the Hun formation but without getting a decent shot despite an effort by Hall and Gussmann bumping Haber in the confusion as they turned


Howe pulls off a Split R's getting a shot into Haber but not causing any notable damage.


Haber starts to pull a loop - Howe, climbing, gets another unremarkable shot into the Albatros


Haber loops down behind Howe as he exchanges lead with Gildermeister and comes off second best !


Howe gets through onto Gussmann and peppers his fuselage


Gussmann hauls round and puts an ineffective burst into Hall as he gets a quick shot into Gildermeister


Gussmann stays on Hall and gets a close range burst in from his rear quarter but his guns jam in the process.


Hall immels to escape the onslaught and Gussmann overshoots his prey but Gildermeister has immelled too and catches Hall as he turns with a burst through the cockpit - a round smashing into him


As Hall's aircraft staggers away Howe noses up and catches Gildermeister as he immels after Hall - the shot is deadly and the Albatros breaks up in mid air.


As Gildermeister falls his comrades are turning back in, Howe pulls another Split R but is caught by Haber as he pulls out but no damage done, Howe gets back into the fight and gets a shot on Gussmann as he turns damaging his tail


Haber gets on Halls' quarter his first rounds feathering his tail - His following burst smashes through the Nieuport and it staggers under the blow as it turns - His final burst utterly destroys it !


Howe sees the demise of Hall and now outnumbered determines to head for home shooting up the Huns as he passes


He misses his chance but slips between the two Huns and escapes unscathed back across the lines.
Shame he didn't get the shot on, the next card was the boom card !

2Lt Robert Howe RTB 1 Kill (Gildermeister)


2Lt Percy Hall SD ET 0 Kills


2Lt George Brown and Sgt Allan Cox SD Et 0 Kills


Ltn Siegfried Gildemeister SD exp FT - 0 kills


Ltn Karl Gussmann, RTB 0 Kills


Ltn Johannes Haber RTB 2 Kills

[Stumptonian]

So did this game "count" for your aircrews ? or was it just a "friendly" ?

I have been meaning to ask - are the rulers you use in your photos specially cut narrow ones for the photos ?

Interesting read, as usual, Dave.

[flash]

So did this game "count" for your aircrews ? or was it just a "friendly" ?
I have been meaning to ask - are the rulers you use in your photos specially cut narrow ones for the photos ?..

If posted here it's just a friendly extra Pete - on rare occasion it has been known for successful pilots to be drafted into OTT. The rulers are slim ones cut from the punch out card the originals came in. I always measure peg to peg myself; if in range I use the skinny rulers from model to model in the photos as they are lighter and easier to place.

[Stumptonian]

Thanks - that's what I figured. Might have to try your post-to-post method sometime.

Trying to think of a way to keep track of everything and then re-stage for photos.
Is that doable ? I am afraid my 2-3 hour battles will take all day if I stop to photograph.

[Dan-Sam]

I really enjoyed this AAR. I like the final graphic summary, especially with number tokens!

[flash]

Thanks - that's what I figured. Might have to try your post-to-post method sometime.
Trying to think of a way to keep track of everything and then re-stage for photos.
Is that doable ? I am afraid my 2-3 hour battles will take all day if I stop to photograph.

Peg to peg can be a little frustrating Pete - it's harder to get hits but then it's easier to escape a kicking - swings and roundabouts as we say !
I don't re-stage anything for photos, what you see is what happened as it happened (which I think is the way to do it) so you'll have to experiment with that and see what works for you !

[Flying Officer Kyte]

You get much faster at the photos with a little experience Pete.
It hardly slows down play in the end.
I think your chaps did pretty well with B guns vs A and outnumbered 3 to two.
Nice scenario account too Dave.
Rob.

[gully_raker]

Thanks - that's what I figured. Might have to try your post-to-post method sometime.

Trying to think of a way to keep track of everything and then re-stage for photos.
Is that doable ? I am afraid my 2-3 hour battles will take all day if I stop to photograph.

Pete, I always take the photos for my AAR's "as it happens"! That way you get the damage cards & rulers so readers can see exactly how it went. Far too difficult to try to recreate. You will be surprised how little time it takes to take a quick shot with a digital camera.
I really recommend you give it a try.

[gully_raker]

Great little scenario there Dave.
The Dice Gods did you no favours but at least you got one Hun.

[flash]

You're not wrong there Baz but that's the price you pay when you throw a game open to the will of the war game Gods ! I thought the Harry Tate was having a bit of a charmed life for a while with the zeroes it was pulling but that quickly changed !