OTTTBE Mission 13, Unlucky for Somme - May 5th 1918 - by Tikkifriend

**tikkifriend** · 06-28-2017 07:18

Early May and the newest addition to the Fokker family arrived at the Adlers airfield.

Lange took a slow walk round the D.VII . Its purple and yellow livery was his idea and the ground crew had worked all night to get the new Hauptmann's plane as he wanted it.

The Jasta had already flown short patrols over NML without encountering any RAF planes. Now it was time to see what this new wonder could do in combat against the best the Entente could muster.

Set Up.

Bulldogs

You have 6 aircraft of your choice

Se5as

Camels

Or a combo of the 2 types

Adlers

You have 6 of the best ,or a mix of D.VII and Phönix D.1. If using the Phönix assume that all the pilots have ape length arms and can unjam the guns

2 mats of your choice The RAF will set up on the join of the 2 facing East.

4 planes will be at Alt 4 & 2 at Alt5

The Central powers are placed 1.5 rulers from the outermost plane using the random placement diagram found here

http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/dow...do=file&id=197

4 planes will be at Alt 5 & 2 at Alt 6

Special rules

The game will last 15 turns.

Each side must play its Ace pilot or the pilot with the highest number of kills.

You can play any 2 planes as PC, the Ace and 1 other, the rest being AI controlled.

Lewis Gun Restrictions must be applied:
In the game that's 6 rounds of shooting for the Lewis before you have to reload. (At close range that's 12 cards of damage with +1s where appropriate). For over-wing models with Foster mounts (ie SE5a's) it takes 3 moves (1 GT) to reload the Lewis Gun but they are restricted to non steep moves to do so. Same for clearing a jam.

May the best Jasta/Squadron win

**flash** · 06-28-2017 10:07

Uh-oh.. It's gonna be a gunfight !

Slightly mazy as to why the Phönix is in the mix Paul, it being an A-H kite ?
I will roll with a couple of D.VII's, maybe my Roland D.VI & make up the numbers with the Albatros' - and I take it the ammo rules mentioned are the Lewis Gun Restrictions ?

Lewis Gun Restrictions: In the game that's 6 rounds of shooting for the Lewis before you have to reload. (At close range that's 12 cards of damage with +1s where appropriate). For over-wing models with Foster mounts (ie SE5a's) it takes 3 moves (1 GT) to reload the Lewis Gun but they are restricted to non steep moves to do so. Same for clearing a jam.

**tikkifriend** · 06-28-2017 10:58

Originally Posted by flash

Uh-oh.. It's gonna be a gunfight !

Slightly mazy as to why the Phönix is in the mix Paul, it being an A-H kite ?
I will roll with a couple of D.VII's, maybe my Roland D.VI & make up the numbers with the Albatros' - and I take it the ammo rules mentioned are the Lewis Gun Restrictions ?

Lewis Gun Restrictions: In the game that's 6 rounds of shooting for the Lewis before you have to reload. (At close range that's 12 cards of damage with +1s where appropriate). For over-wing models with Foster mounts (ie SE5a's) it takes 3 moves (1 GT) to reload the Lewis Gun but they are restricted to non steep moves to do so. Same for clearing a jam.

Phonix is there for a change of aircraft but feel free to use Aviatiks or whatever you want .

Ammo rules are as you said 9 rounds of fire for the Central powers and 6 for the Entente plus time to change the drums .

**Setarius** · 06-28-2017 13:43

Had to see if I had 6 Camels and 6 DVIIs. I'm in lucky I have both.
I'll have to wait until I can run 11 and 12 to see what pilots are available.

This one looks like it will be a blast.

**Teaticket** · 06-28-2017 15:07

I don't have 6 Camels but have SE5as and Dolphins to fill in the ranks. Should be a real furball!

**Carl_Brisgamer** · 06-28-2017 19:22

Great 1918 mission Paul. That year saw a dramatic increase in the size of aerial battles, reflected by the 'maximum effort' required here.

**Stumptonian** · 06-28-2017 21:22

I think I have 6 D.VII and will probably use 3 each of the SE.5a and Camel

Really looking forward to this one (once I get the MvR one behind me, hopefully this weekend).

Depending how Mission 12 goes, I should have just enough pilots for both sides.

**gully_raker** · 06-28-2017 21:45

This should be a real Furball Paul!
I will have to fly 2 x D.VII's as that is all I have plus 3 Albatross D.Va's & a Pfalz against 2 SE's, a Dolphin & 3 Camels.

That should make for an interesting dogfight!

**flash** · 06-28-2017 22:28

Nice mix and match up there Baz it will be great to see how that goes

**flash** · 06-28-2017 22:44

Originally Posted by tikkifriend

Phonix is there for a change of aircraft but feel free to use Aviatiks or whatever you want .

Ammo rules are as you said 9 rounds of fire for the Central powers and 6 for the Entente plus time to change the drums .

The 9 rounds only applies to the parabellum mg used in the back of a German two-seater so won't apply here unless you want a specific ammo limit for the Eagles ?

Some of you will be short of pilots so PM me if you need opposition or names for your roster.

**Carl_Brisgamer** · 06-28-2017 23:10

Click image for larger version.

Name: IMG_0791.jpg
Views: 96
Size: 213.3 KB
ID: 226771

See Adlers are ready for battle!

**tikkifriend** · 06-29-2017 00:15

Originally Posted by flash

The 9 rounds only applies to the parabellum mg used in the back of a German two-seater so won't apply here unless you want a specific ammo limit for the Eagles ?

Some of you will be short of pilots so PM me if you need opposition or names for your roster.

Pilot request in the post Dave . Re ammo no thing special to add for the Adlers. I had intended to have a couple of 2 seaters in the fray but decided against it , hence the rule reference but decided against it in the end

**flash** · 06-29-2017 11:34

Roger that Paul, I've stuck the Lewis gun restrictions into the BRF - are you sure you don't want to limit the Adlers ammo....

**tikkifriend** · 06-29-2017 23:23

Originally Posted by flash

Roger that Paul, I've stuck the Lewis gun restrictions into the BRF - are you sure you don't want to limit the Adlers ammo....

I was going to add that to be brief yesterday but swimbo stopped me playing on the computer and made me pack for our jolly. Could you please do the honours

**flash** · 07-04-2017 00:04

Back from the wars at Bovi with a few treasures; have a WW2 skirmish to play then my table is cleared for this romp !
A dozen models will take some time to play through so if you are pressed for time you might want to scale this back some, or if model availability is an issue and you fancy going full bore make up a mechanism to feed respawns into the fight.

**Stumptonian** · 07-04-2017 09:07

Originally Posted by flash

... make up a mechanism to feed respawns into the fight.

That might be something to keep in mind when designing future missions.

As it turns out I do have enough D.VII (without using more than one Goering purchased for repaints)

**tikkifriend** · 07-06-2017 09:26

It shouldnt be too bad flying 8 planes AI and 2 as non AI

but if you feel the need you can use a respawn system.

The idea was to depict the desperation the Central Powers had to win in the air, and the dominance of the Entende with their increased number of available planes and pilots.

**flash** · 07-06-2017 22:42

Originally Posted by tikkifriend

It shouldnt be too bad flying 8 planes AI and 2 as non AI

but if you feel the need you can use a respawn system.
The idea was to depict the desperation the Central Powers had to win in the air, and the dominance of the Entende with their increased number of available planes and pilots.

It's 12 planes in total Paul - a respawn system was a mechanism suggested for those who don't have the requisite dozen planes but want to play the full game. Without the 12 models it's less about 'feeling the need' more about necessity !
It should be a cracker, commits all available pilots so I can't wait to see the first AAR - que Carl !

**Stumptonian** · 07-08-2017 13:56

Question for you more experienced types :

How do you track the limited ammo for the Lewis?

Do you pre-allocate 6 "B" damage cards to each pilot and then draw a second card from a shared pile if at close range?

I have printed off some numbered chits for each aircraft and will give that a go (unless it becomes too finicky)

Click image for larger version.

Name: Limited Ammo.JPG
Views: 73
Size: 38.5 KB
ID: 227656

**Carl_Brisgamer** · 07-08-2017 16:04

Poker chips go alright. Bottle caps. Coins. Some people use M&Ms or similar and eat them when used!!

**Stumptonian** · 07-08-2017 17:08

Originally Posted by Carl_Brisgamer

... Bottle caps...

Hmmm .... 3 SE.5a x 6 chits each ...
I had better get drinking ...

**gully_raker** · 07-08-2017 19:15

Originally Posted by Stumptonian

Question for you more experienced types :

How do you track the limited ammo for the Lewis?

Do you pre-allocate 6 "B" damage cards to each pilot and then draw a second card from a shared pile if at close range?

I have printed off some numbered chits for each aircraft and will give that a go (unless it becomes too finicky)

I just use a very small D6 on the Aircraft base & turn after each shot until I reload.

**flash** · 07-08-2017 23:18

I have bullet tokens now but used to use tokens from the game, I used the MG ones from one of the boxes & Balloon Busters.
Here are the bullet tokens:
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sho...Ammo-Counters-!

**gully_raker** · 07-11-2017 22:40

G'day Paul & Dave (flash) aka Uncle.
I set up today to play this one over the next two days.
Now "the" questions.
1) I only have 2 Fokker D VII's & enough control boards to handle 10 Aircraft & this includes 4 Cockpits from Keith plus I ran out of room on my 6 x 4 games table to try to handle the extra two anyway.

So would you Gentlemen have any objection if I just field 10 Aircraft?
3 Albatross D.Va's & 2 Fok D.VII's Vs 3 Camels, 1 Dolphin & 1 SE 5a.

Look forward to your approval.

**flash** · 07-12-2017 01:05

Baz, I have no problem with this at all - not everyone has the full numbers of models.
I did suggest in posts #15 & #18 above that you could use some random re-spawn mechanism if you wanted to play the full dozen but I'll leave it up to you mate, sure you'll have a heck of a scrap whichever way you go.

Waiting to play out a WW2 ground game tomorrow before I clear the table for this one, hopefully over the weekend I can get into it.

**tikkifriend** · 07-12-2017 01:18

I don't have a problem with that Baz. . I see the brief as an outline to which you can adapt to whatever models you have so play 10 if thats all you have or respawn upto 6 for each side.
I just put the Dr VII into the brief so I could fly some of mine

**gully_raker** · 07-12-2017 04:47

Thanks Chaps! I will just go with the 10 Aircraft.
I think that will be enough "fun" for me.
Its still getting down to below Zero most nights & the days have been max 16C or so although they are promising 16 tomorrow & 17 Friday so one does not want to make an early start not having Fugg boots in the kit!

**gully_raker** · 07-13-2017 00:50

Played it today & what a fun marathon!
Got to turn 14 before a result obtained.
Hope to post the AAR before I head off to Wintercon very early Sunday morning.

**tikkifriend** · 07-13-2017 01:04

14 turns without a result Baz

**flash** · 07-13-2017 08:11

Brutal - hope it kept you warm Baz !!

**Stumptonian** · 07-13-2017 08:48

I plan on playing this one on Friday.
Taking a day off to get it done.

Because I am going to use 3 Camels and 3 SE.5a I am going to start 3 at higher altitude instead of 2.
Hope that's okay.

**flash** · 07-13-2017 10:16

WW2 ground games played today - table cleared & set up for this game.

Timely reminder gents:
Please remember to use the Butchers Tally format at the end of your AAR as it makes the admin much easier:

Pilots name / what happened to them & where / injuries / Victories
eg: Lt Stan Deasey / SD-ET / WIA / 1 Kill

Use this to help calculate what happens to them & write it out eg:
Crash: Rolled 9 -1SD -1WIA = 7 Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 3 = Skip 2
E&E: Rolled 12 -1BEL -1WIA -1WIC = 9 Didn't even see me! Total Skips 2

Doing this will help me out greatly as the calculation can be quickly checked and corrected if required

**gully_raker** · 07-13-2017 19:28

Originally Posted by tikkifriend

14 turns without a result Baz

No I meant "A final Result"!
All will be revealed in the AAR Paul.

**gully_raker** · 07-13-2017 19:31

Originally Posted by flash

Brutal - hope it kept you warm Baz !!

Sure kept me busy Dave jumping around the Games Table.
That kept me warm plus a couple of Flamers!

**flash** · 07-13-2017 22:40

Originally Posted by gully_raker

Sure kept me busy Dave jumping around the Games Table.
That kept me warm plus a couple of Flamers!

Just the job, I did it with hot lead and burnin' Sherman's yesterday - may get onto this game today

**flash** · 07-18-2017 04:24

Nearly done - I think I might be calling my rendering "Adler tag" !!

**Carl_Brisgamer** · 07-18-2017 15:28

I have a lull in the battle for my WW2 campaign over the next couple of days, I will try and get this mission done and reported before the weekend.

**Carl_Brisgamer** · 07-26-2017 20:40

Finally I have the table set up ready to go - four D.VIIs and two Albatros D.Vas vs a mixed RAF and Belgian formation of five Camels and a Hanriot HD.1.

Can't wait to get stuck in tonight.

**Teaticket** · 07-27-2017 05:36

Finished up the flying of this last night...whew! 6 DVIIs vs 4 Camels and 2 SE5as. First turn didn't waste any time to get the first BOOM out of the way...
Should get this written up by the weekend.