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jbmacek
03-05-2011, 04:49
Alas, no flamerinoes for Johnny last night. Three games, and I was the flamerino in all three. Though technically none of my losses could be attributed to drawing a flame card.

First Sortie. We drew randomly from the cup for sides. Lisa and Paul were RFC. Mike and I were German. Since I now have a Kempf, my choide of planes was easy. I hadn't flown a triplane; now was the time. Mike went with MVR's red tripe, and I have to admit two tripes sitting next to each other on the board looks really cool! (Yes, this was our first time with two tripes.)

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07684.JPG



But wait! It's not two tripes, it's three! Lisa went with her newly finished Sopwith Tripe. And Paul rode the Camel.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07680.JPG



Having played nearly once a week since the beginning of the year, it was time to mix things up a bit, so we went with random placement of planes, using a d8 for board position and a d12 for facing. Mike's end of the table was 1, and then so on around the board. Lisa rolled 7 for board position and 11 for facing. I rolled 6 for position and 10 for facing. Paul came up with a 3 and a 10 (or 11). And, seemingly with Lady Luck on our side, Mike's roll was exactly the same as mine!

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07677.JPG



Lisa made a run for it with Mike and I doing an amazing job at pursuing in formation.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07686.JPG



Then, the Camel approacheth!

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07688.JPG



And Lisa, not surprisingly, plays an Immelman. The RFC machines concentrated their fire on the red triplane, and soon it became a case of now you see him...

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07690.JPG



... now you don't.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07691.JPG



As yet undamaged, and with two damaged opponents, I decided I'd stick with it. I was able to flame the missus' Tripe.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07692.JPG



However, she flipped around, and the Camel turned on me. She and I double-killed each other, thus ending the sortie.

Short tales of sorties 2 and 3 to follow.

Oberst Hajj
03-05-2011, 05:06
Can't wait to read the rest! Those two Tripes do look good next to each other.

Gladius
03-05-2011, 07:22
Great AAR. I love the Sopwith Triplane! Where did you get it? Of course, I am in love with the DR 1 (don't tell my wife).

PKHansma
03-05-2011, 09:20
Go to www.tin-soldier.com. I have three, along with one Airco DH-2, one Aviatik D-1, one Bristol Fighter f-2B, one Albatros DV, one Berguet 14B2, one Fokker D-VII, one Fokker E-II, three Hanriot HD-1s, one Nieuport 11, two Rumpler C-IVs, four Siemens-Schucket D-IIIs, Four Sopwith Camels (For the Col.s decal set.), two Sopwith Snipes, and a SPAD S-7. I would have gotten more, but I ran out of birthday money (Bummer!!!). I just finished my wish list for another 44 aircraft and decal sets they carry. Happy hunting.

MayorJim
03-05-2011, 12:49
Nice AAR...thanks for the pics too. You seem to have a pretty big playing area...what are it's dimensions?

richard m schwab
03-05-2011, 12:59
John!

It`s not who gets shot down, but the fun you had! It sounds like a great evening! My luck has left me for over a year now. One day i will fly a plane get a kill and survive. I am only 58 i have lots of time!!!

Rich

jbmacek
03-05-2011, 14:29
Can't wait to read the rest! Those two Tripes do look good next to each other.

Hopefully my wife will finish painting the Reviresco Dr.I soon, because if two look good, three should look great. As for the rest, I'm waiting for paint to dry on the Caudron and the Siemens-Schuckert D.III, so I'll rattle of the story of sortie two real quick.


Great AAR. I love the Sopwith Triplane! Where did you get it? Of course, I am in love with the DR 1 (don't tell my wife).

Thanks! And you secret is safe with me. As for where...


Go to www.tin-soldier.com.

Yep! They are fun, aren't they. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about building the little buggers, but now that I've done a few I'm hooked.


Nice AAR...thanks for the pics too. You seem to have a pretty big playing area...what are it's dimensions?

Thanks. The play area is 6'x4'. That gives us plenty of space to move in, with space for the control boards. It even worked for the 10 player game.


John!

It`s not who gets shot down, but the fun you had! It sounds like a great evening! My luck has left me for over a year now. One day i will fly a plane get a kill and survive. I am only 58 i have lots of time!!!

Rich

Well said, well said. Frustration on one hand, but lots of fun in the other. Getting shot down only makes me want to play again. So it isn't really frustration as in wanting to give up, but frustration from not being able to get a re-match quick enough.

jbmacek
03-05-2011, 15:01
Sortie Number 2, also known as "Bad fish! Bad!"

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07707.JPG



After finishing up dogfight one, we threw the chits back in the old enameled tin cup and did another random selection. Sides for round two were Mike and Lisa as German, Paul and I as Entente. Mike's newest acquisition was the bad fish pictured above, so he wanted to try it out. Since he took a two-seater, I went with the newly painted Brisfit. Lisa chose to take the Halberstadt D.III. Trying to find something nearly equal, Paul went with the silver Nieuport 17. We hemmed and hawed a few minutes about placement, finally deciding on a "lets just start where we are sitting" setup.

In this picture is Paul's hand, and the bottom of a glass of kriek. And yes, things really were that blurry. (I had given blood earlier that day.)

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07696.JPG



The Roland slipped behind the Halberstadt, chasing the Nieuport. I made a run for the Halb.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07697.JPG



I don't remember who took the shot, I think it was the Roland's rear gunner, but either way one of them hit me for minimal damage, and smoke. The Nieuport is coming up, and my Brisfit appears to be in a good position to deal with the Halb.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07698.JPG



However, the Halb pulls an Immelman. And as the Nieuport is coming around towards the two of us, the Roland is plugging away at him from long range, doing some damage and drawing some smoke. My Brisfit and the Halb begin wheeling, and while I get off a shot or two, more often than not she was just outside of my arcs.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07704.JPG



As the Halb pulled away with the Nieuport in pursuit, I found my Brisfit facing the Roland. Feeling cocky, I had a B and an A to his two Bs, I pressed on with the attack. Our first pass... and Blammo! I draw the explosion card. (Ironically, we decided to shuffle the explosions in the A deck into the lower half, but for some reason we hadn't gotten around to doing it with the B deck.)

The Halb and the Roland then finished off the little Nieuport. But to Paul's credit, he was able to bring the Halb down with him.

And now, I'm going to go check the Caudron's paint. The final sortie to follow soon - a D.VII and a D.Va versus an S.E.5a and a Snipe.

PRS
03-05-2011, 23:22
For sortie 2, as I remember, at the beginning, I hadn't take much damage from the Roland before you came up and Mike set his sights on you. Lisa and I then jinked around a bit, trading a few shots while your Biff went down. Then I managed to get a good position following Lisa and throwing lots of lead her way. Mike was still coming across the field when she finally went down. Feeling that I was still in good shape with only 3 points of damage and thinking 'Oh, he's taken damage as well', I turned toward the Roland. What I didn't know was that he only had one damage card and it was a 1. Mike got a few shots into me raising my damage up to 10 (out of 12) and setting me on fire. At that point, I was going to run, but the fire consumed me.

jbmacek
03-06-2011, 06:12
So fire played quite a roll in both sorties 1 and 2.

While Paul and Mike were working on ending sortie 2, I threw the chits back in the old enameled tin cup for the third and final sortie. Lisa called the D.VII, so I took a German counter out of the cup, and since the battle was still raging, I figured I'd go ahead and draw my nationality now, giving me some time to choose my plane. I picked the Brit counter, so I began looking through my collection. By the time Mike and Paul had finished and drawn their chits, I still hadn't figured out which plane I wanted to use. Knowing Lisa was taking the D.VII, I wanted something with a good maneuver deck. I was tempted to take the Camel, but instead I went with the Snipe, for no other reason than I wanted that one extra hp. Mike went with the S.E.5a, and Paul a D.Va.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07712.JPG



Random placement with the d8 and d12 put Lisa and Mike practically within shooting distance of each other in one corner of the board. Paul and I formed opposite corners of a rough triangle. Right off the bat, the SE5 was able to get in a good position, firing at the D.VII. With the shot, his guns jammed, but he was following right behind the Fokker.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07714.JPG



And, as can be seen from my control board in the photo above, the Snipe had taken a shot at the D.Va, and my guns too are jammed.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07715.JPG



While the Snip and the D.Va circled each other, Lisa, using superior maneuvering of the D.VII, did a short stall, a short straight, and a short stall turn to the left, bringing the SE5 directly in her sights.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07716.JPG



The SE5 then pulled away, and all four planes were now within striking distance of one another.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07717.JPG



The SE5 pulled left, which brought him under the guns of both German machines. I, in my Snipe, Immelmanned, hoping to get back into the fray.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07718.JPG



The D.VII wheeled towards me, and the D.Va peeled off in pursuit of the SE5. At this point, most everyone except yours truly has taken damage.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07719.JPG



Evidently, the SE5 had taken more damage than I expected. Because the next thing I know, he's gone, and the D.Va is heading towards me. Still, I figured my chances are good. My machine had either no damage, or a point or two at most.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07720.JPG



Then, I made the game ending mistake. I neglected to heed the wise words of those who came before me. Instead of turning into them and getting off at least one shot, I thought maybe I could make some distance and swing around behind them. Wrong! The D.Va was right on my tail for the next three moves.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/DSC07721.JPG


The first burst did seven, as I recall, with smoke. Then next burst was at +1, but was an easily survivable pick with a 0 and another low card. The third burst, however, again at +1, was a very nasty combination of 5 Pilot Wounded and a 2 or 3. Easily enough to put me down.

Lesson learned. Lots of fun, and I'm looking forward to revenge. :)

Archidamus
03-06-2011, 11:13
Nice AARs - and the photos really make a difference

Flying Officer Kyte
03-06-2011, 12:37
Very crisp action reports, with a very clear set of pictures. I enjoyed it . Thanks.
Rob.

Aero825
03-06-2011, 13:11
Very nice pics! I also loved the no-WOW planes, nice builds. Was the D.VII a non-WOW too? Or was it just repainted? Anywho, it was still a great AAR!!! But one thing though, on the 3rd mission I noticed that you were flying an uneven match. No offense, but the Allies had the 2 best allied planes, and the Germans only had 1 plane to match those planes.. The D.VII. The D.Va isn't as powerful as the rest of them.

Flying Officer Kyte
03-06-2011, 14:22
Hey Hunter. It is often the way with skirmishes in the real world. Pit yourself against tougher opposition. The victory, if it comes is all the sweeter.
Rob.

jbmacek
03-06-2011, 14:32
Nice AARs - and the photos really make a difference


Very crisp action reports, with a very clear set of pictures. I enjoyed it . Thanks.
Rob.

Thanks. There are three things I look for when I buy a camera: it must fit in my 18thC justacorps pocket, it must have a good telephoto lens, and it must have a good macro.

jbmacek
03-06-2011, 14:37
Very nice pics! I also loved the no-WOW planes, nice builds. Was the D.VII a non-WOW too? Or was it just repainted? Anywho, it was still a great AAR!!! But one thing though, on the 3rd mission I noticed that you were flying an uneven match. No offense, but the Allies had the 2 best allied planes, and the Germans only had 1 plane to match those planes.. The D.VII. The D.Va isn't as powerful as the rest of them.

Thanks, and yes, I agree I love having the non-Nexus planes on the table. I love the official WoW planes, but its fun to see other stuff out there too. The D.VII is a Reviresco kit that I built for my wife. She did the paint, and then I finished it off with some decals. Fun to build it, and I didn't have to spend $100+/- for a plane on ebay.

I'm not sure why Paul picked the D.Va. It may have been he wanted to try something different. Or maybe that was the best available plane to choose. Either way, Rob is right, going in at a disadvantage can be fun, especially if you can manage a win.

Flying Officer Kyte
03-07-2011, 00:37
Thanks. There are three things I look for when I buy a camera: it must fit in my 18thC justacorps pocket, it must have a good telephoto lens, and it must have a good macro.

That is quite amusing. When i had my 18thC. watch coat made, I had pocket put in it to hold my horse pistol. By pure chance it also will just take my camera, if I don't try and push it too far down.
Rob.

Goering Ace
03-07-2011, 11:17
I flew those same two Dr.I's in a dogfight against Hunter a few weeks ago!! I also had to marvel at how nice they looked together on the table!!

Great AAR's, John. Excellent pictures!!

MayorJim
03-08-2011, 14:40
Nice report, great planes, and a good learning experience...I too like mis-matches...er, occasionally :D