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Thread: There and back --- if you can.

  1. #1

    Default There and back --- if you can.

    RULES/SET-UP
    Gotha was on automatic play, i.e. turning over one manoeuvre card at a time, and shuffling them back in when there is one right and one left turn.

    SCENARIO
    Gotha had to fly full length of countryside (3 mats) and back to succeed. Fokker is his escort. Entente forces, a Sopwith Camel and a Spad XIII, have to prevent that outcome.

    THE ACTION
    The Gotha had been heading left gradually, but the Spad had been keeping aligned. Eventually they were front on and exchanged fire. The Gotha’s shot was off the mark, but the Spad’s was damaging with smoke billowing from the Gotha.
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    As they passed, the Gotha’s rear gunner got off a close range shot at the Spad, damaging its rudder.
    The Gotha continued veering to its left, such that we had to choose the opposite turn to the manoeuvre card turned up to keep the plane on the table.
    The Camel, getting closer all the time to the group of three planes, engaged the Fokker from behind, setting it on fire.
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    A little later the Fokker was able to shoot at the Camel, but did no damage.
    Getting closer to its point of turn, the Gotha, Fokker and Camel were flying in formation. The Spad attacked the Gotha from the side, but the exchange of shots resulted in no damage to either plane.
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    But then the Spad got into the Gotha’s rear blind spot and got off another shot, but still no damage. However on turning, the Gotha could shoot at the Spad, and set it on fire.
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    Then they traded shots manoeuvre after manoeuvre, with the Gotha pilot being injured, damage being done to the aircraft, and the Spad’s guns jamming.
    In the midst of all this, the Camel attacked the Fokker from long range, but did no damage.
    The Camel and the Spad were now on the Gotha’s tail, but with the Spad’s guns jammed there was only a threat from the Camel. However, the Gotha hit the Spad hard and the damage from the fire was mounting. Down went the Spad.
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    However there was no respite for the Gotha, because the Camel was right there, doing significant damage and injuring the front gunner. At the same time the Camel pilot was injured when struck by a shot from the Fokker. The Camel gained ground on the Gotha and shot from close range. The damage was enough to bring the Gotha down. However, it was a bitter victory, for the Gotha rear gunner got a direct hit on the Camel, causing it to explode.
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    While the Fokker was free to fly home unchallenged, the mission had been unsuccessful.
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  2. #2

    Default

    Interesting game Doug, close but no cigar ! That Fokker got off lightly, so did the Camel until the dreaded boom card came out. Tough break.

    "He is wise who watches"

  3. #3

    Smile

    Well that was a "deadly" encounter.
    I think if you fly the Gotha plus an escort you need to give the Allies a third aircraft to even the odds a bit more.

  4. #4

    Default

    I think that with the Gotha on auto pilot the balance was not so bad. It was a good game and a good AAR thanks for posting.

  5. #5

    Default

    Nicely done AAR! Thanks for posting!!

  6. #6

    Default

    Two questions on your ruleset please.

    1. "Full length (3 mats)" -- does this mean three widths of a mat, or three lengths of a mat? Three lengths of a mat is a long long way! I don't have a table big enough for that.

    2. Your Gotha autopilot. Could you explain a bit more please on how the cards work. I don't have the deck in my hand, but I'm trying to decide how it stays more or less on-course.


    I may press this one into service on my monthly session December 26th. I'm not expecting a big crowd.

  7. #7

    Default

    Nice gameplay Doug.
    Have you looked at the solo charts for scouts and bombers in the files section ? It can really improve the game as the charts are somewhat proactive in their choice of cards.
    Keep them flying


    I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings
    Coming down is the hardest thing

  8. #8

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Sagrilarus View Post
    Two questions on your ruleset please.

    1. "Full length (3 mats)" -- does this mean three widths of a mat, or three lengths of a mat? Three lengths of a mat is a long long way! I don't have a table big enough for that.

    2. Your Gotha autopilot. Could you explain a bit more please on how the cards work. I don't have the deck in my hand, but I'm trying to decide how it stays more or less on-course.


    I may press this one into service on my monthly session December 26th. I'm not expecting a big crowd.
    Sorry if my description of the set-up was a bit confusing. We have the three mats with their long edges joined. They fit just nicely on Baxter's dining table. Thus the Gotha was travelling across each mat.

    With regards to the manoeuvre deck for the Gotha, we used the information given for automatic movement of the Zeppelin Staaken R.VI. To quote, "remove the following cards: climb, dive, one stall, one turn to the left, and one turn to the right. ... Only the remaining eight manoeuvre cards are used: three straights, one stall, and two turns to each side. ... Each time it has to execute a manoeuvre, take the top card from its deck. Used manoeuvre cards are put in a discard pile. ... Each time the discard pile contains one turn to the right and one to the left, shuffle them back into the manoeuvre deck, together with any straights or stalls. If there is a third turn in the discard pile, leave it in the discard pile."
    In our game we forgot the last part about the extra turn card and shuffled all cards back in when there was a turn to left and to right. I'm not sure whether that would have had a lot of influence on the game.
    With the automatic movement the flight path is a bit unpredictable, which is a way of saying we can work out our human opponents a bit better! Also you will have noticed that through the AAR we had to over-ride the automatic movement at one point to keep the Gotha on the table.

  9. #9

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by tikkifriend View Post
    Nice gameplay Doug.
    Have you looked at the solo charts for scouts and bombers in the files section ? It can really improve the game as the charts are somewhat proactive in their choice of cards.
    Keep them flying
    Thanks for the suggestion.
    I have used solo charts when I have been playing at home, but we've not tried them when flying with others.

  10. #10

  11. #11

    Setarius's Avatar May you forever fly in blue skies
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    Name
    Dale
    Location
    Kentucky
    Sorties Flown
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    Join Date
    Sep 2009

    Default

    Nicely done. You got the big bird but lost 2 little ones.
    It seems the Fokker wasn't much of a factor in the game.
    Once again nicely done.

  12. #12

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    It's interesting you comment on the Fokker. As I was looking at the AAR again I realised that while the Fokker escorted the Gotha it was rarely in a position to be of any assistance, such as shooting at the Camel and Spad. With only a forward gun, travelling with the Gotha in front of the other planes was of little help.
    That's a lesson for future games. As an escort, stick with your plane, but do something useful!!!

  13. #13

    Default

    It's interesting you comment on the Fokker. As I was looking at the AAR again I realised that while the Fokker escorted the Gotha it was rarely in a position to be of any assistance, such as shooting at the Camel and Spad. With only a forward gun, travelling with the Gotha in front of the other planes was of little help.
    That's a lesson for future games. As an escort, stick with your plane, but do something useful!!!

  14. #14

    Setarius's Avatar May you forever fly in blue skies
    Users Country Flag


    Name
    Dale
    Location
    Kentucky
    Sorties Flown
    1,685
    Join Date
    Sep 2009

    Default

    While I don't have a Gotha to escort, I've ran a few scenarios using B17s and a pair of P40s against 3 Zeros.
    What I've done in those situations is let the escorts trail or fly wingtip to wingtip until the enemy is a turn away and then pour on the speed to make a quick frontal pass followed by an Immelman to get on their tails and use my turning abilities to my best effect.
    Yes, I know your Gotha was using some solo rules, while my B17 was flying straight and steady.
    I did force one of the Zeros off the board and shot down a second one before the guy i was going against decided to quit.
    Keep up the good work and keep trying, with experience you will figure out how best to escort a big bird.
    I will post my next escort mission when we get airborne after the first of the year. My friend wants to try to protect a B17 with a pair of P47s against a pair of 109K4s, I'm also going to add a 109E3 in the mix.

  15. #15

    Default

    Thanks for the comments, Dale. With WoG I am certainly learning as I go along.

  16. #16

    Default

    Certainly a good result for the Allies. The odds were stacked against two aircraft taking down a Gotha which had an escort.
    Well flown Doug.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."



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