Yet another Aero Idea!

[Aero825]

Hi everyone!

I think you can guess what this thread is about. Now, my idea is about a dogfight during a lightning storm. Now I know the following idea is probably not historically accurate, but bear with me here. Okay, the playing surface is divided up into a grid, but the grid itself has nothing to do with the maneuverability of the planes. It's about a 4-on-4 dogfight, any fighters that are a fair match. Now here's the bizzare, unhistorically accurate part of the idea. You still there? Good. About every 1 or 2 turns, (opinion time!) lighting strikes the battlesky. That's what the grid is for. Choose a way to determine the grid coordinates, either by rolling of dice, (that was an example, I know you guys hate dice!), or some other way (Opinion time again!). Any plane that has any part of the base or card touching that coordinate is blown to smitherines!!! BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Oops, sorry. Lost control there for a second. And, if you're playng altitude, which your are very much welcome too, the lightning can hit any and all planes on any level. Oh, and it just so happens that the storm clouds are at the cieling of the battlefield, wahwahwaaaaahhh.

Opinions encouraged!!!
Hunter

[Aero825]

Here's an example: At the end of a turn, two 6 sided dice are rolled. They add up to 7. They're rolled again. This comes out to 4. On the point (7,4), there is an RAF S.E.5a at altitude 5. Also on that point is a fokker Dr.I, at an altitude of 3. Both planes are eliminated from the game immediatley.

[tuladin]

If you use 2 six sided dice added together (2d6 in gamerese), you are more likely to get a result of seven than any other number. The odds of getting each possible result:

result odds
2 1/36
3 2/36
4 3/36
5 4/36
6 5/36
7 6/36
8 5/36
9 4/36
10 3/36
11 2/36
12 1/36

So you see, the center of the board would be much more dangerous than the edges. I would use a single d10 or d12 to avoid the bell curve.

[Goering Ace]

Good point, Larry. You could use either one based on how large of a battle area you want.

[Aero825]

If you use 2 six sided dice added together (2d6 in gamerese), you are more likely to get a result of seven than any other number. The odds of getting each possible result:

result odds
2 1/36
3 2/36
4 3/36
5 4/36
6 5/36
7 6/36
8 5/36
9 4/36
10 3/36
11 2/36
12 1/36

So you see, the center of the board would be much more dangerous than the edges. I would use a single d10 or d12 to avoid the bell curve.

It was just an example, thanks for checking that out Larry!

[MayorJim]

We have a similiar set-up in our games...only instead of lightning, the "ultimate weapon" randomly shows up, destroying everything in its path...it's our cat!

[tuladin]

Here's an account of flying through a thunderstorm from Manfred von Richthofen:

OUR activity before Verdun was disturbed in the summer of 1916 by frequent thunderstorms. Nothing is more disagreeable for flying men than to have to go through a thunderstorm. In the Battle of the Somme a whole English flying squadron came down behind our lines and became prisoners of war because they had been surprised by a thunderstorm.

I had never yet made an attempt to get through thunder clouds but I could not suppress my desire to make the experiment. During the whole day thunder was in the air. From my base at Mont I had flown over to the fortress of Metz, nearby, in order to look after various things. During my return journey I had an adventure.

I was at the aerodrome of Metz and intended to return to my own quarters. When I pulled my machine out of the hangar the first signs of an approaching thunderstorm became noticeable. Clouds which looked like a gigantic pitch-black wall approached from the north. Old experienced pilots urged me not to fly. However, I had promised to return and I should have considered myself a coward if I had failed to come back because of a silly thunderstorm. Therefore I meant to try.

When I started the rain began falling. I had to throw away my goggles, otherwise I should not have seen anything. The trouble was that I had to travel over the mountains of the Moselle where the thunderstorm was just raging. I said to myself that probably I should be lucky and get through and rapidly approached the black cloud which reached down to the earth. I flew at the lowest possible altitude. I was compelled absolutely to leap over houses and trees with my machine. Very soon I knew no longer where I was. The gale seized my machine as if it were a piece of paper and drove it along. My heart sank within me. I could not land among the hills. I was compelled to go on.

I was surrounded by an inky blackness. Beneath me the trees bent down in the gale. Suddenly I saw right in front of me a wooded height. I could not avoid it. My Albatros managed to take it. I was able to fly only in a straight line. Therefore I had to take every obstacle that I encountered. My flight became a jumping competition purely and simply. I had to jump over trees, villages, spires and steeples, for I had to keep within a few yards of the ground, otherwise I should have seen nothing at all. The lightning was playing around me. At that time I did not yet know that lightning cannot touch flying machines. I felt certain of my death for it seemed to me inevitable that the gale would throw me at any moment into a village or a forest. Had the motor stopped working I should have been done for.

Suddenly I saw that on the horizon the darkness had become less thick. Over there the thunderstorm had passed. I would be saved if I were able to get so far. Concentrating all my energy I steered towards the light. Suddenly I got out of the thunder-cloud. The rain was still falling in torrents. Still, I felt saved. In pouring rain I landed at my aerodrome. Everyone was waiting for me, for Metz had reported my start and had told them that I had been swallowed up by a thunder cloud. I shall never again fly through a thunderstorm unless the Fatherland should demand this.

Now, when I look back, I realize that it was all very beautiful. Nothwithstanding the danger during my flight, I experienced glorious moments which I would not care to have missed.


From The Red Fighter Pilot by Manfred von Richthofen

[The Cowman]

Hi everyone!

I think you can guess what this thread is about. Now, my idea is about a dogfight during a lightning storm. Now I know the following idea is probably not historically accurate, but bear with me here. Okay, the playing surface is divided up into a grid, but the grid itself has nothing to do with the maneuverability of the planes. It's about a 4-on-4 dogfight, any fighters that are a fair match. Now here's the bizzare, unhistorically accurate part of the idea. You still there? Good. About every 1 or 2 turns, (opinion time!) lighting strikes the battlesky. That's what the grid is for. Choose a way to determine the grid coordinates, either by rolling of dice, (that was an example, I know you guys hate dice!), or some other way (Opinion time again!). Any plane that has any part of the base or card touching that coordinate is blown to smitherines!!! BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Oops, sorry. Lost control there for a second. And, if you're playng altitude, which your are very much welcome too, the lightning can hit any and all planes on any level. Oh, and it just so happens that the storm clouds are at the cieling of the battlefield, wahwahwaaaaahhh.


Opinions encouraged!!!
Hunter
Now if you really wanted to have some fun with it and raise the stakes, you could also rule that any player controlling an aircraft that is struck by lightning must immediately don one of those dog training shock collars and trigger it on a high setting... might not be much fun for the player in question, but would make for some amusement and interesting video...