ARTILLERY SPOTTING August 1916-March 1917

[Windy Jack]

This scenario uses the Artillery Spotting rules developed by Surfimp and published on the WoW/WoG Forum in 2014. The time period is given in the title because all four chosen planes were flying at that time.

Set-up
Tablecloth type playmat.
A circle of one ruler length radius will be placed around the target to make it easier to determine if firing conditions are being met.

Aircraft
Central Powers: Spotter – Roland C.II [B/B, 15], with escort Halberstadt D.III [B 14]
Entente: defenders – Nieuport 17 [A 12] & SPAD VII [B 15]
Target is 10 points.

Rules
Normal rules, plus when a plane is on fire it must not play a straight manoeuvre. If it is forced to play a straight because of rudder damage, then the player takes an A damage card.

Victory conditions: See the Artillery Spotting rules.

Starting positions: The aircraft are at either end facing each other. The target is in the centre of the table. The white circle with the target at the centre. (You will see it does tend to dominate most of the photographs, so it would have been better to use something else as an aid.)
AAR 181211_1.jpg  Views: 59  Size: 162.9 KB  ID: 259218" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />[Photo 1]
[What follows is a selection of the 22 photographs I took during the game!]

While the other planes headed for the target area, the spotter plane didn’t!!
AAR 181211_3.jpg  Views: 60  Size: 163.0 KB  ID: 259219" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />[Photo 3]

After exchanges of fire …
AAR 181211_4.jpg  Views: 59  Size: 173.9 KB  ID: 259220" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />[Photo 4]

… the spotter approaches the target.
AAR 181211_6.jpg  Views: 59  Size: 160.5 KB  ID: 259221" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />[Photo 6]

His first run is spoilt by the Nieuport firing at him.
AAR 181211_07.jpg  Views: 59  Size: 161.0 KB  ID: 259222" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" /> AAR 181211_08.jpg  Views: 59  Size: 167.2 KB  ID: 259224" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />[Photos 7 & 8]

However the Roland can do some damage when you are in sights of both its guns!
AAR 181211_09.jpg  Views: 59  Size: 171.1 KB  ID: 259223" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />[Photo 9]

The Roland is making a successful spotting run, even inflicting damage on the Nieuport on the way.
AAR 181211_12.jpg  Views: 59  Size: 177.0 KB  ID: 259225" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />[Photo 12]

However, that is spoilt when the smoking SPAD is just within range! However, the Halberstadt inflicts maximum damage to the Nieuport bringing it crashing down.
AAR 181211_13.jpg  Views: 59  Size: 168.6 KB  ID: 259226" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />[Photo 13]

The SPAD pursues the Roland, maybe unwisely, because it keeps getting shot at without always being able to return fire.
AAR 181211_16.jpg  Views: 59  Size: 160.6 KB  ID: 259227" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />[Photo 16]

After some time, the SPAD encounters the Halberstadt and brings it down, although it receives fire from the Roland.
AAR 181211_21.jpg  Views: 59  Size: 175.1 KB  ID: 259228" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />[Photo 21]

The Roland rear gunner eventually disposes of the pesky SPAD, who must be the luckiest pilot going around (22 damage cards, with the last two being 4 & 3 at +1).
AAR 181211_22.jpg  Views: 59  Size: 175.8 KB  ID: 259229" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />[Photo 22]

By this stage there had been no successful spotting by the Roland! The target had taken no damage! However, with no opposition now it would be a simple matter to fly in circles to inflict the damage required.
We stopped the game as pictured above, though.

In reflecting on the game as I was preparing this AAR, I wondered if we should have done something differently. We found “Artillery Spotting Mission” by Freebird-52, which has just one defender rather than the two we used, for what it calls ‘Basic Level’. However that Mission has different aims and victory conditions.

[flash]

Nice one Doug
We had a spotting game in OTTFM:
https://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sh...lt-and-Battery

[Baxter]

I flew German that night and found it impossible to fly 3 movements wiyhout collecting fire from a defender! Kudos to Windy for his flying skills (not to mention luck with 13 zero damage cards) !

The ring was a good idea too and really set out the playing area for the spotter plane.

[Windy Jack]

Nice one Doug
We had a spotting game in OTTFM:
https://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sh...lt-and-Battery

Thanks for the link. There is a lot to read there and then digest, but I'm going to do it - maybe after Christmas!!!

[flash]

No worries Doug, if you're a real glutton for punishment then take a look at mission 8 here & you can link to all the AAR of those that played it !
if you look at mine you will see I tweaked things a little:
I made it two spotters v 3 Scouts: I wanted to change the odds in the favour of the Hun but rather than fly more aircraft I flew less. I also decided that rather than automatic destruction the batteries would be destroyed on a 1-5 on the third and subsequent turns.

[mikeemagnus]

Thanks for sharing this one Doug. The SPAD certainly had a great run for its money 13 zeros Don't think I've seen that before!