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Thread: July 1916 - British intercept of German recon flight (Solo Game)

  1. #1

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    Default July 1916 - British intercept of German recon flight (Solo Game)

    Recon location is West 06 (Allied Trench Line)

    DH2 Pilots: Lt Colin Stewart (1) and Captain Geoffery White (2) @ ALT 05

    Halberstadt D.II Pilots: OStv Wilhelm Fronkel (1) and Unteroffizer Ernst Thom (2) @ ALT 05

    LFG Roland C.III Pilot and Observer: Lt Oswald Dossenbach and Fw Bruno Loerzer @ ALT 04


    “Welcome back, Fronkel. I trust your vacation at our army hospital was to your liking. The combat you had with the English DH2 scout was witnessed by one of our army’s forward observation posts, congratulations on your first kill. As such you have been awarded your Combat Badge for your actions. Personally if it were up to me you would be repaying the cost of your lost Eindecker from your pay, but command has seen fit to reward you with promotion to Offizierstellvertreter. Oberst Lange has reassigned you to one of the new Halberstadts, don’t lose this one either. If you do, don’t bother returning to the airfield, I have a nice dry and warm trench on the front lines picked out for you if you do. Your next assignment is to lead a flight of two Halberstadts and escort a LFG Roland on its photo reconnaissance mission over the British trenches. There are no clouds reported in this sector and currently experiencing a calm front.”

    Wilhelm nodded his understanding and with a salute to the Executive Officer headed to the airfield to brief the other two flight crews.

    “… And that should be the flight plan for this mission. Thom and I will fly above you, Dossenbach, to provide protection from any harassing Englanders that might show up uninvited to our little party. Thom, stay close to me and keep your eyes open. That’s it gentlemen, let’s get into the air.”

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ID:	171970 German flight approaches British trench-lines from the east

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ID:	171971 Close formation flying while keeping a close watch on the Roland

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ID:	171972 Hidden from view, from behind the observation balloon lurk two British DH2 scouts

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ID:	171973 Seeing what he thinks is a vulnerable target, Fw Thom breaks ways to attack the balloon. Fronkel attempts to wave him back into position while the Roland dives to line up on the first of three photo recon targets

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ID:	171975 Matching the Roland's starboard turn, Fronkel stays with his objective. Meanwhile, too late does Thom see the advancing DH2s rounding the balloon with him square in their sights

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ID:	171976 Both DH2s lewis guns blaze at the same time as Thom returns his own attack on the closest DH2. While Capt. White's gun jams after the first round, Lt Stewart's few rounds strike true and sets the hun machine alight while taking minor damage in exchange.

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ID:	171977 Thom turns hard to port in an attempt to keep the growing flames at bay. Capt. White side-slips toward the balloon to try and give himself space to begin clearing the lewis gun's jam. The Roland's first attempt produces a poor photograph and Loerzer requests another pass at the target and Fronkel closes in on the remaining DH2

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ID:	171978 Thom's spandau hammers White's DH2 hard, while Fronkel and Stewart exchange attacks

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ID:	171979 Fronkel and Stewart barely avoid a collision while Thom presses forward in attacking the balloon. Dossenbach lines up on the second target while Loerzer readies the camera

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ID:	171980 Thom fires a long burst into the balloon and sees his tracers stitch upward, striking the observer as he attempts to climb out of the basket and knocking him backwards. The last rounds ignite the balloon in a single place above the observer

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ID:	171981 Fronkel starts to circle to starboard, Loerzer says that was a good photo and to head to the next target. Capt. White continues to clear the bend cartridge from the ejection port

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ID:	171982 Stewart doubles back on Fronkel and causes minor damage, while below the Roland is struck by the AAMG near the balloon and begins smoking

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ID:	171983 Thom banks hard over, barely misses the nose of the burning balloon by a hand breath and begins diving in an attempt to extinguish the flames eating at his plane

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ID:	171995 With the dive successfully putting out the flames, Thom finds the oily smoke difficult to breath. Capt. White clears the jam and flips around to seek his next target. Loerzer announces that even with the smoking engine he was able to get a great photo, just as an AAMG round catches him in the left side.

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ID:	171993 Stewart and Fronkel's second head on pass results in clean misses for both

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ID:	171992 White speeds toward the smoking Roland, while Thom begins and left-hand climbing turn toward the DH2

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ID:	171991 Seeing his friend being wounded, Dossenbach decides that two good photos are enough and turns to head back to the airfield. Fronkel starts a diving right-hand turn into Capt. White's DH2

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ID:	171990 Firing through the thick smoke, Thom completely misses the DH2 in front of him. But the rounds from Fronkel sets him on fire and shatters the spar of the lower right-hand wing of Captain White's aircraft. Lt Stewart dives on the Roland and actually hits with his burst, wounding the pilot

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ID:	171989 Fronkel turns into the last DH2 and the flaming wreckage of its squadron mate makes its way to earth. Seeing the Roland wobbling on a homeward path, Thom figures it is best to follow along behind him

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ID:	171988 The final thoughts of Captain Geoffery White are lost to history as his aircraft impacts in a fireball and creates a new divot in No Man's Land

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ID:	171987 While passing wingtip to wingtip, Lt Stewart makes a rude hand gesture at Fronkel and Thom and the Roland continue to head to home

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ID:	171986 Reversing back, Fronkel damages the remaining DH2 seriously while the long range shots from Stewart reignites the engine of Fw Thom

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ID:	171985 The close range attack by Fronkel shredded the wings of Stewart's DH2 and sends him downward in a hail of falling aircraft parts

    Wilhelm is helpless to do anything but watch as Thom attempts another dive to extinguish his burning aircraft. When that fails to work, Thom attempts to land as close to his own front lines as possible but the rough terrain causes him to lose control and the Halberstadt cartwheels into a pile to ripped fabric and broken spars. A group of Pioneers recover his burned and broken body after sun-set. With the loss of the other Halberstadt, Fronkel keeps a close watch over the Roland. But even while wounded himself, Lt Dossenbach manages to bring the crippled aircraft to the landing field. After landing his own plane, Wilhlem watches as the ambulance crew removes the two wounded men from the Roland and the camera is recovered.

    Fronkel mutters to himself, "I wonder if this one will be marked as a win, loss or draw..."
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    Last edited by Horse4261; 07-28-2015 at 10:16.

  2. #2

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    That was a very exciting AAR!
    Well done!

  3. #3

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    Great AAR Troy - well done - loads of action and lead slinging ! Those Tommy's were really up against it trying to take on three Huns but what a good effort.

    "He is wise who watches"

  4. #4

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    Very exciting from start to finish.
    A lot of convoluted action there Troy.
    it was very hard to guess who was going to come out of it at the end.
    Well told story.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  5. #5

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    My thanks to all that have enjoyed. I apologize for the poor photos, seems the Nintendo 3ds camera doesn't take the best of pics. This was a follow up from the first AAR I did several years ago.

    I used this mission to play test a few new ideas, mainly the use of four flight pegs to represent a single altitude level (four scout pegs are almost equal in length to one of the tall balloon/bomber pegs). Will need to increase the mass of the bases to compensate for the additional height in the future.

    And also wanted to see what an increase in the length of the targeting range stick would produce (increased the length from 8 inches [20cm] to 12 inches [30cm] to bring it more in line with the 50 yard [50m] maximum range for effective combat reported in historical sources - also divided the longer range stick to three sections of 4 inches [10cm] each for Close range dealing three damage cards, Medium range dealing two damage cards and Long range with one damage card). Lifted this idea from my X-wing games. Makes for a faster and bloodier game which I really liked.
    Last edited by Horse4261; 07-30-2015 at 05:54.

  6. #6

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    I kinda liked the photo quality. In fact, I wondered if turning the photos black and white wouldn't create an excellent historical photograph look.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Horse4261 View Post
    I used this mission to play test a few new ideas, mainly the use of four flight pegs to represent a single altitude level (four scout pegs are almost equal in length to one of the tall balloon/bomber pegs). Will need to increase the mass of the bases to compensate for the additional height in the future.
    I use three pegs per altitude level Troy, which seems to be the sweet spot for stability with the stock bases.

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by diceslinger View Post
    I kinda liked the photo quality. In fact, I wondered if turning the photos black and white wouldn't create an excellent historical photograph look.
    I thought the same - give it a sepia effect and you're there !
    Some interesting ideas put into play there Troy, I was wondering about the extra cards

    "He is wise who watches"

  9. #9

  10. #10

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    Interesting read. I like your modifications - always been one for tweaking things myself.



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