Demolitiion Derby

[Baxter]

A pre-game spoiler. Tonight my three friends and I are going to fly two seaters on a smallish 85 x 85 cm mat. Four B firing two seaters starting from each corner and the last man standing wins. To guard against early retirement there is one respawn allowed per player into an Eindecker or Morane depending on whether the pilot is choosing Allied or German planes. Boom cards are instant death, dead players cards are shuffled back into the damage decks, and no altitude or blindspot rules are used.

My thoughts are that everyone will pick a German plane, probably the Hannover or possibly a Roland (because of that 270 degree rear gun arc). I will be very surprised if any Bristol or DH4 planes make an appearance because high speed is going to be difficult to manage given the small mat.

Will I be right? A full post game round will follow.

[Baron Rolf]

Now that sounds like a fun game Gary. I look forward to seeing the photographs of the AAR. And by playing on that smaller mat will get the old grey matter working when planning your manoeuvres.

[flash]

...My thoughts are that everyone will pick a German plane, probably the Hannover or possibly a Roland (because of that 270 degree rear gun arc). I will be very surprised if any Bristol or DH4 planes make an appearance because high speed is going to be difficult to manage given the small mat...

probably too late this time but ..
You could use the extended rear arcs for Halberstadt CL.II; Hannover CL.III; Bristol fighter that are similar to the Roland C.II as provided by Andrea:-
These planes have higher rear machine gun with a wider arc at targets on the same level similar to that of the Roland C.II ie anywhere but their machines front firing arc. If playing altitude rear machine guns can be turned 360° at targets flying at higher altitude.

Also worth remembering the Hannover CL.IIIa has a reduced rear blind spot due to its special tail design: the blind spot is effective only against targets at lower altitude, while the sight to target at the same altitude is not blocked.

We've tried it and it can make for a busy game !

[Jager]

Caged match shark pit!
Sounds like my kind of game
Karl

[Teaticket]

Four fly in, one flies out!

[Baxter]

The Combatants:-



Biggles Downunder flying a Bristol
Note he is out of uniform for an Entente pilot.



Mark is flying a Hannover. No surprise there then.



Windy Jack chose a Hannover too.

I chose the Roland because I love the rear gun arc of fire and even though it has less damage points
no Immelmann or sharp turns. No picture of me fortunately for you.

[Baxter]

The game starts with only me heading for the centre of the map. The other three elected to fly around the perimeter probably to safeguard at least one side of their planes and also to await the opportunity to rush in and take a bite out of the careless.



At the top end of the mat Mark and I start hammering the Bristol and getting a serve back!





It finally falls to Mark. Biggles Downunder is up for a respawn into his Morane.



Windy Jack arrives on the scene and with his eagle eye he quickly downs Mark in passing as he shoots at my burning Roland.



The reincarnated Biggles Downunder joins the fray and alas poor Roland is no more.



Mark arrives in his Fokker and received a long range shot from the surviving two seater.
(then promptly flies off of the edge of the map).



The game degenerates into a sniping match with the fragile single seaters getting a bit of a hiding from Windy's Hannover.

That does not stop Biggles Downunder from shooting at my Turkish Delight as well.



Aaaaarrrrgghhhh! He got me. I is deaded.



Next minute the dreaded collision takes both Windy and Biggles out.



Windy Jack quickly respawns in his Fokker and comes to inspect the field of battle.



Victory belongs to the last man standing - Well done Windy Jack.

Was this a quick game? Yes it was. All over in an hour but a lot of fun I think.

[Biggles downunder]

And I was sure of victory in my Bristol!!

What did someone say about pride coming before something???

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Don't know about that Wayne, but looking out of my window, the leaves in my garden are telling me something. We are certainly in the Fall here, but in Australia it must be Spring.

Rob.

[zenlizard]

Demo Derbys are always a lot of fun; this looks to be no exception.

And that map looks oddly familiar...

(Spoiler: It's from Dawn patrol or the immediate predecessor, I forget the name. There's been a couple of recent threads about it)