I played my first game with the basic rules before moving onto the standard / optional rules. It was the First Contact scenario - 1 Mk I Locust (wins by destroying 3 objectives & exiting or destroying airplanes) versus 2 Albatros DVa (destroy the Martian). I don't have pictures as I wasn't intending to document the game, but here's a photo of the 2 Albatros airplanes - their first game too. One Jasta 5 green tail (von Hippel) and one Jasta 18 (Raben's Ravens)

Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Albatros DV Jastas 5 and 18 v1.jpg 
Views:	23 
Size:	215.1 KB 
ID:	273275

There are Martian solo rules but I wanted to get a handle on playing them before trying out the solo rules in the Invasion stuff, so I played the airplanes with Dave's D8 AI charts. It worked okay but if using AI for planes versus Martians one will need to add more 'intelligence' to modify the manoeuvres as the AI charts were designed for planes dogfighting planes.

The Locust won but just barely and likely would have lost if I had played the standard rules as one airplane shot at close range got 2 special damage results including wounded pilot. As it was the Locust took about 14 (or 15) points out of 18.

The Jasta 5 plane pfaffed about mostly and got a couple of shots for only a couple of points. The Jasta 18 plane did most of the damage but was rewarded with a heat-ray explosion card - just realized that the explosion card should only have done 8 points on the Albatros according to the T&T rules (half the initial resistance rounded up), so Jasta 18 plane should have survived and if it did it's very possible the Martian would have been destroyed.

Observations which basically repeat what others have written:

1) Martian's main worry is energy management which makes the Martian's movement more deliberate.

2) It's pointless to chase the airplanes around - just take opportunistic shots at the airplanes. Given the planes will move forward it should be fairly obvious when the Martian will get a shot - IF it has the energy.

3) Martians can move forward, backward, stand still and change facing on the spot, so slower moving / more manoeuvrable airplanes will do better - as well as more robust ones.

4) Martian shields can be overcome and even if not eliminated will slow the Martian down. The Jasta 18 airplane successively drew two 4-damage cards (damage ignored) with 2 energy points lost each time (shown in the top corner of the damage card) for 4 points in total. While it's only temporary 'damage' to the shield the Martian will need to stop and recharge giving the planes time for more shots.

All in all it seemed a well balanced scenario that could have gone either way.