Played my 2nd game - the 'First Contact' scenario - using the standard rules (i.e., with smoke and the damage cards).
Instead of Albatros DV I went with Fokker Dr 1 (Jasta 11 - Lothar von Richthofen and Werner Steinhauser) since it seemed to me that slower and more manoeuvrable planes would do better. Damage points don't seem to me to matter as much as the heat-ray will either do little or a lot.
I played the Martian Locust tripod using the Dave's D8 AI charts - with substitutions of cards when it made sense with respect to all possible Martian manoeuvre options.
The Martian headed straight towards one objective with a 2nd just past it. After destroying those 2 objectives the Martian turned back to take out the 3rd objective - but never reached it. Werner Steinhauser set up directly across from the Martian; flew straight at the Martian inflicting heavy damage (fire and damage of the smoke launchers) through the front side; circled around for another shot; flew past the Martian and had Immelmanned for a 2nd run when LvR took out the Martian. LvR came in wide to the left flank of the Martian, circled in behind and took out the Martian through ablating the electro-magnetic protection and finally a close in shot wounding the Martian pilot and destroying the tripod.
The picture shows the positions at the game's end. The Martian got only two heat-ray shots off - both at Werner Steinhauser. The damage cards for the Martian - top row (2-1-5) are fire damage, the bottom row left are at +1 (LvR's last shot) and the othes are damage cards from Werner Steinhauser.
A resounding victory for the Earthlings and once again Dave's D8 charts do me (the Martian) in.
The next game I will fly an Earthling's plane and try out the Martian solo rules.
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