The Nunawading Wargames Association hosted a most sizeable game this Saturday been. This was one day shy of 100 years since the beginning of the Bloody April aerial campaign, part of the Battle of Arras.
Forum member Roger Wilco spent great efforts organising a detailed sequence of missions. He also provided all period-appropriate planes (almost all bloody-well unavailable otherwise) and we used his exquisite terrain. He tells me it is the world's largest 3D gaming terrain made solely for Wings of Glory, and while I haven't broken into the home of every WoG player on Earth to verify this claim, I find it to be feasible. So, if you like this report and feel kindly inclined to gift some reputation, please send some his way also.
The battlefield as viewed from the west. The river parellel to no-man's land marks the no-fly zone for German aircraft.
And viewed from the east. The railway east of the river marks the no-fly boundry for the British.
Detail of no-man's land. Entente zig-zag trenches in the foreground (west), and Central Powers cog-tooth trenches in the background (east).
Detail of river and railway:
Detail of the French town deep in German occupied territory:
Rogue's gallery. This was, as I recall, an eight player game, with each player piloting two or three planes at a time. Forum member Xen was also in attendance.
As with all battles, the individual combatant knows only his part. My role in the first stage was to down the two German observation balloons, using two rocket-armed Nieuport 16 scouts. This was my briefing:
This was the starting position of the British planes. The two-seaters were taking observation photographs over or slightly beyond no-man's land, and the other scouts were escorting them. Lost planes were not replaced. The British out-numbered the Germans, but being focussed on objectives other than combat, each British plane lost was a serious setback.
Ze German first wave, in D.II Albatri.
Long shot of the approach:
Battle is joined. The camo-pattern D.II moves to intercept the Nieuports, while the others turn south to attack the DH.2 pair and all other followers.
The brown Nieuport and D.II fire on each other. The Nieuport takes 5 damage and the pilot is wounded...
... but the D.II explodes! The Nieuports approach the northern balloon unopposed. The occupants of both balloons parachute, and the balloons begin to descend.
The Sopwiths that had shadowed the Nieuports in case of trouble turn south, and the brown Nieuport fires both its rockets.
The balloon starts to burn.
Meanwhile, vicious conflict has broken out over no-man's land, and an attempt is made to destroy the southern balloon.
Back in the north, the lead Nieuport performs an Immelmann turn, the balloon burns, and the green Nieuport fires its rockets. The balloon explodes!
The successful Nieuports begin the long flight home, careful to stay north of the dog-fighting swarm. To score victory points for any mission completed (and repair damage), the planes had to safely return to their base.
The smoking D.II makes no attempt to engage, and we instead salute. With pistols.
The southern balloon has grounded itself. The British reconnaissance missions have succeeded, with a few planes lost on both sides.
Aerial photographs returned to British HQ, the artillery bombardment commences!
Part 2 coming soon.
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