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Thread: The Balloon Busters: Game 2 - Hammerhead 2nd March 2019.

  1. #1

    Default The Balloon Busters: Game 2 - Hammerhead 2nd March 2019.

    As in game 1 the Germans had two observation balloons protected by two Albatros D.III'a and two Roland C.II's. The Entente pilots flying two Nieuport 16's armed with rockets and two Sopwith Camels would try to shoot down the balloons.

    The Entente pilots minus the photographer, who would be flying the brown Nieuport again.
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    One of the German defenders.
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    After three moves the hearts Camel was able to exchange shots with the blue Roland. Having learned from the previous encouter, the Germans did not leave a gap on the edge nearest the camera that the Entente pilots could exploit.
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    The yellow Albatros and brown Nieuport both flew straight ahead and exchanged shots.
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    The hearts Camel and blue Roland flew towards each other and collided. The red Albatros and green Nieuport both flew straight ahead.
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    The purple Roland and striped Camel also flew straight ahead and nearly collided. Their bases overlapped and the model of the Roland had to be temporarily removed because of the lack of space.
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    Last edited by Naharaht; 03-12-2019 at 07:49.

  2. #2

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    All four planes at the top of the mat flew straight ahead. The red Albatros narrowly missed a shot at the green Nieuport now heading for the balloon.
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    The brown Nieuport flew past the yellow Albatros as it headed towards the other balloon. The purple Roland turned right towards the Nieuport but its observer fired some shots at the striped Camel as it flew away and doing damage because the Camel began belching thick black smoke.
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    The brown Nieuport and smoking Camel flew straight towards the balloon. The yellow Albatros Immelmann turned and the purple Roland turned right so that the were both behind the Nieuport and fired at it.
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    The hearts Camel and green Nieuport flew on towards the brown balloon and fired at it. The red Albatros with its guns jammed flew straight ahead and the blue Roland turned right.
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    Last edited by Naharaht; 03-12-2019 at 22:33.

  3. #3

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    The brown Nieuport moved into perfect position to fire its rockets but the pilot could not fire them as the pursuing German planes were firing at him from behind. However, he managde to squeeze the trigger of his Lewis gun. The smoking Camel closed in to point blank range to shoot at the yellow balloon.
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    The hearts Camel turned hard right to avoid the brown ballon but this manoeuvre blocked the attack run of the green Nieuport.
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    The red Albatros with its jammed guns and the blue Roland both turned right to return to defend the balloon.
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    Of course the brown Nieuport's gun jammed again! Fortunately, so had the yellow Albatros' guns as it closed in from behind. However the purple Roland's observer could still fire at it and he shot it down. The smoking Camel turned left to avoid the yellow balloon.
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    The Green Nieuport flew straight ahead and looked like it would collide with the brown balloon. The hearts Camel turned right and was able to shoot at the oncoming red Albatros whose guns were still jammed. Off screen the blue Roland was still turning to the right.
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    Last edited by Naharaht; 03-15-2019 at 17:37.

  4. #4

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    The smoking Camel turned left, narrowly missing a collision with the yellow Albatros, which had turned right. The purple Roland turned left in pursuit of the Camel.

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    The German forces were too strong for the Entente planes as things stood, so JohnBiggles allowed the brown Nieuport pilot to 'respawn' and fly an S.E.5a.

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    The hearts Camel turned left and collided with the oncoming red Albatros. The blue Roland had turned right into a good position for a shot but could not shoot for fear of hitting the Albatros. The green Nieuport flew past the balloon.

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    Meanwhile the smoking Camel and yellow Albatros both flew straight ahead whilst the purple Roland turned left and got into a firing positionto the rear of the Camel. The S.E.5a hurried forward to assist.

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    As a result of the purple Roland's shots the striped Camel's smoking engine developed a full blown fire.

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    As the green Nieuport flew straight ahead away from the balloon, the red Albatros turned left and the hearts Camel made one of its signature tight right hand turns to meet the oncoming blue Roland head on. They exchanged fire at close range and the blue Roland blew up!

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    Last edited by Naharaht; 03-15-2019 at 18:07.

  5. #5

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    More collisions and near collisions. Perhaps that air traffic controller should be pressed into service as an observer, learn a lesson.

  6. #6

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    Air Traffic controller? This is World War 1 we are talking about. If you were lucky, there was a guy with a pair of binoculars and a flare gun back at your home airfield.

    Back to the action.

    The red Albatros flew straight ahead whilst the hearts Camel made another tight right hand turn to attack it. The green Nieuport Immelmann turned to attack the balloon again.

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    The yellow Albatros flew straight ahead to assist his red companion whilst the burning Camel and purple Roland both turned left. The Roland's observer shot at the Camel. Assistance in the form of the S.E.5a was not far away now.

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    The burning Camel and the purple Roland both turned left. The Roland's observer's gun was jammed. The S.E.5a made a wide right sideslip and the yellow turned back by performing an Immelmann turn.

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    The hearts Camel turned right behind the red Albatros, which flew straight on. The Green Nieuport closed to point blank range of the balloon. A respawned blue Roland re-entered play. Both the Camel and the Nieuport shot at the balloon.

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    Last edited by Naharaht; 03-16-2019 at 11:53.

  7. #7

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    The combined fire from the Nieuport and Camel shot the brown balloon down.

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    Meanwhile, the yellow Albatros flew straight ahead, the S.E.5a turned right to meet it and they exchanged shots. The burning Camel turned left, as did the purple Roland but its rear gun was still jammed so that it could not shoot at the S.E.5a.

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    At the other end of the table, the red Albatros Immelmann turned, the hearts Camel turned left, the Nieuport flew straight on and the blue Roland turned right to get behind the Nieuport and fire at it.

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  8. #8

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    The yellow Albatros and S.E.5a both turned left, avoiding each other and enabling the S.E.5a to shoot at the remaining balloon. The burning Camel and purple Roland both flew straight ahead.

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    The hearts Camel performed a hard right turn almost colliding with the Nieuport, which flew straight ahead. The blue Roland pursued the Nieuport firing at it. The red Albatros also flew straight ahead but could not grt the Nieuport into its field of fire.

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    That did not matter because the shots from the blue Roland were enough to blast the Nieuport from the sky.

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    The S.E.5a flew in front of the yellow balloon whilst the burning Camel turned slightly away to the right. The yellow Albatros flew towards the purple Roland, which was turning backtowards the enemy now that its rear gun was no longer jammed.

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    The hearts Camel turned hard right to meet the red Albatros and exchange shots. The blue Roland turned left towards the Camel.

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  9. #9

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    The yellow Albatros Immelmann turned to formate with the purple Roland, which turned left.

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    Meanwhile the S.E.5a flew straight on with a view positioning itself for another attack run whilst the burning Camel turned left to shoot at the balloon.

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    At the other side of the map The blue Roland turned right and the red Albatros turned left almost resulting in a collision. The hearts Camel made another hard right turn enabling it to shoot at the Roland.

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    The purple Roland and yellow Albatros headed back towards the balloon.

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    The S.E.5a Immelmann turned but was unable to shoot at the balloon because the burning Camel flying parallel to the balloon blocked its aim.

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    Last edited by Naharaht; 03-19-2019 at 22:02.

  10. #10

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    Nice pictures and report. Always good to see these things.

  11. #11

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    Meanwhile, the blue Roland and red Albatros both flew straight ahead in opposite directions, whilst the hearts Camel turned right, squeezed in a burst at the Albatros and managed to shoot it down. The Roland's observer shot at the Camel.

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    The burning Camel finally succumbed to the flames and went down. The other planes converged on the balloon.

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    The German planes both flew straight on whilst the S.E.5a turned right to attack the Albatros although the Roland's observer fired at it.

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    The blue Roland turned right whilst the Camel Immelmann turned to get onto its tail.

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    The S.E.5a turned to the right whilst the German machines flew straight on. Ironically the yellow Albatros collided with the balloon, damaging it enough to send it down. There would be a court martial waiting for the pilot, if he made it back to base.

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  12. #12

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    "Own goals" As if the balloon observers didn't have enough to worry about.

  13. #13

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    The blue Roland turned right whilst the hearts Camel flew straight ahead. They exchanged shots. (The Roland was having trouble with its ball bearing mount.)

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    The S.E.5a turned left away from the balloon site. The yellow Albatros and purple Roland also turned left in pursuit.

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    The blue Roland headed towards the other German planes. The Camel turned slightly to the right to pursue it.

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    The S.E.5a continued to turn left. The purple Roland continued to pursue but the Albatros turned away.

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    The blue Roland flew straight on whilst the Camel turned right. The observer in the Roland fired at the Camel.

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    The observer's gun jammed but that did not matter because the Camel had finally taken enough damage to bring it down.

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    The S.E.5a pilot was now outnumbered three to one. He realised that H.Q. would want a report on the destruction of the balloons and, if he left now, he could make it back to the Mess in time for lunch. So, discretion became the better part of valour and the S.E.5a withdrew, ending the combat.

    The Entente had lost two Nieuport 16's and two Sopwith Camels. The Germans had lost an Albatros D.III, a Roland C.II and the two observation balloons. So, it was considered a costly victory for the Entente.

    The End.
    Last edited by Naharaht; 03-21-2019 at 11:09.

  14. #14

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    Another epic game and report. Thanks, David!



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