The Great War Anniversary Campaign – by WWIflyingace

[WWIflyingace]

Hello all.

I am starting a new campaign covering the entire war; actually I've already been playing it with some of my friends. We are using the Wings of Glory rules with some home rules in the next post.

I plan to run this in a progressive campaign. That is the only aircraft you can use are those that were available at any given time.

So for example if we were playing in January 2015 the aircraft available would be those available in January 1915 like the Bristol Scout B and the Aviatik C.I. Armaments would be similarly allocated; if the weapon type or mounting wasn't available you can't use it. So for example you could have a Lewis Machine Gun in November 1915, but the Foster Mount wasn't available until February 1916.

Advancement would be by scoring victories with every 5 giving you an ACE CARD, which should make it easier for you to survive the next scenario.

Keep in mind that the different sides had advantages (sometimes huge) during different times in the war and that will be reflected in the scenarios.

Staying alive! By the rules if you get shot down you have to start over with a new pilot. The last campaign I ran I managed to score 27 victories and was the only Ace as everyone else kept getting shot down. By the rules if you get shot down you are assumed killed in action. captured or wounded such that you cannot return to duty.

During the last campaign I was close to being shot down three times. Here is what I did to stay alive:

The first time my aircraft was on fire. I flew back over to the allied side and landed on a road. As it turned out I did not get enough fire damage to cause me to crash, but I didn't know that at the time. Being forced down counted as a victory for the guy who last shot me.

The second time I took an engine hit and retreated back over my side of the board. This didn't count as a victory for anyone, but I was out of the game.

The third time I also took fire, and made a forced landing on a road. This was a real scary situation as I almost missed the road which would have resulted in the plane crashing. After landing my plane took an additional fire damage which destroyed the aircraft. This of course counted as a victory for the guy who shot me.

You can see by these examples that it is possible to survive being shot down.

So the campaign will start basically now with each month corresponding to the same month in 1914 through 1918.

Players will be either British, French, Americans flying for the British or French (or later flying for the USA), or Germans. I plan to run this campaign on the western front.

Also, if anyone wants to post a scenario or more feel free; it can only add variety and enjoyment for all. Just keep in mind that earlier engagements were for the most part small and get larger as the war progressed. Generally speaking 1-on-1 in 1914/15, transitioning to basically 4 plane groups in late 1915 to mid-1916 and then squadrons or more later.

Zeppelins and balloon busting missions will also occur. Don't worry about missing a month, your pilot will just be on leave or suffering from the flu or an ear infection or something like that.

Thank you.

[WWIflyingace]

Optional Rules:
The optional rules below are to aid in simulating the unique form of air-to-air combat that took place early in the war when combatants were using anything they could think of to bring down an enemy aircraft.

1.0 Damage
1.1 Damage results for two-seat aircraft
Draw two damage cards when one is called for; only the damage from the first card occurs if and only if it is verified by the second card. So if the first card has a number greater than zero and the second card has a number greater than zero the results of the first card are applied. If the result of the second card is zero or the boom card the result is zero damage inflicted. For special damage other than jam the second card has to have a number greater than zero and a special damage indicated. Jams drawn on the first card always apply.

Examples below:

a. First card does 1 smoke and the second card does 0 jam the result is 0. If the second card is 4 fire then the result is 1 smoke.
b. First card does 4 fire and second 1 then the result is 4. If the second card is say the explosion card no damage is taken.
c. First card is the explosion card and second is 0 jam the result is zero damage taken. If the second card is 1 jam then the explosion result is applied.

1.2 Damage from Rifles, Pistols and Semi-Automatic Rifles
1.2.1 Rifles use the trench rules from the manual.

1.2.2 Pistols are treated just like Rifles except they can only fire at targets within half a range stick.

1.2.3 Semi-Automatic Rifles are treated just like machine guns drawing cards as if they were machine guns. However in order to score damage the card drawn must be two or more; in other words when a card causes 2 or more 1 damage point is applied. Any pluses add to to the value of the card, but do not add damage; so, for example:

if you were say at close range and drew a 0 and 1 you would cause no damage
if you drew a 2 and 1 you would cause 1 damage
if you drew a 3 and 4 you would cause 2 damage

On the second round and get a +1 the results would be as follows:

0+1 = 0; 1+1 = 1 or 1 total
2+1 = 1; 1+1 = 1 or 2 total
3+1 = 1; 4+1 = 1 or 2 total

1.3 Damage from Grenades and other thrown or dropped objects
Bricks, hooks, etc. and grenades are treated like bombs. First the attacking plane must make a successful bomb run. If successful two ‘C’ damage cards are drawn; only the damage from the first card occurs if and only if it is verified by the second card. So if the first card has a number greater than zero and the second card has a number greater than zero the results of the first card are applied. If the result of the second card is zero or the boom card the result is zero damage inflicted. For special damage the second card has to have a number greater than zero and a special damage indicated.

2.0 Jams and reloading
2.1 Gun Jams
2.1.1 The Lewis machine gun was a very reliable weapon. To simulate this, the Lewis gun only jams on RED jam cards, not GREEN. Bullet checker Ace card nullifies the first RED jam drawn.

2.1.2 In the early part of the war when the German machine guns jammed there was often no fixing it during flight and they had to leave the battle for safety. To simulate this German aircraft may not clear RED jams in scenarios that take place in 1914 through first quarter of 1916. Bullet checker Ace card nullifies the RED jam penalty; in other words treat jams normally if Bullet Checker Ace Card is in play.

2.2 Reloading
2.2.1 Lewis Machine Gun (47 round drum) may fire 5 movement phases before reloading. It takes 1 full turn (3 movement phases) to reload.

2.2.2 Hotchkiss Automatic Rifle (50 round belt) may fire 6 movement phases before reloading. It only takes 2 movement phases to reload, but after reloading the gun may only fire 3 movement phases, due to 30 round clip, before needing to be reloaded again.

2.2.3 Mondragon Automatic Rifle (30 round drum) may fire once before reloading. It takes 1 full turn (3 movement phases) to reload.

2.2.4 Semi-automatic rifles may fire three times per turn (once every movement phase) for two turns (six movement phases). It only takes 2 movement phases to reload.

2.2.5 Single-shot rifles, due to their slow rate of fire, may be fired only once per turn (once every three movement rounds). Reloading is assumed to take place between shots.

2.2.6 Pistols are treated just like Semi-automatic and single-shot rifles and are reloaded the same way.

3.0 Availability of weaponry
3.1 For the Entente all weaponry described above save the Automatic Rifles and Machine Guns are available at the start of the game. Automatic Rifles and Machine Guns come into play in September 1914.

3.2 For the Central Powers all weaponry described above save the Automatic Rifles and Machine Guns are available at the start of the game. Automatic Rifles and Machine Guns become available in April 1915.

4.0 Ramming and forcing an enemy aircraft to land
4.1 Ramming an enemy aircraft is treated like a collision.
4.2 To force an enemy down you must be above him (bases must overlap); treat same level with higher percentage of climb counters as being above. For example, aircraft A is at altitude 2 and has 2 of 8 climb counter on it while aircraft B also at altitude 2 has 1 of 3 climb counters on it – in this case B would be above A. Instead of drawing damage the lower plane loses an altitude level. This continues until one aircraft reaches altitude level zero or a collision occurs. If at any time there is more than one altitude level separating the aircraft involved you may not attempt to force your opponent down.

[WWIflyingace]

The first scenario we played is called THE GREAT RETREAT; I'll post it once I get it rewritten. I hope you guys enjoy it.

[WWIflyingace]

The first two scenarios are posted.