...doesn't stay at TCEP. It gets posted to the 'drome.
During the most recently-concluded convention, I got four players: Michael (CptWillard here on the 'drome), Paul, Alon & Dave. Dave and Michael have played some before: Alon and Paul were new to the game. I went with the Vimy Ridge scenario enabled by the repaints from Mike (Old Guy); Michael flew Brauneck’s Albatros D-III; Paul flew Allmenröder’s Albatros D-III; Alon flew Bishop’s Nieuport N. XVII; Dave flew Bell-Irving’s Nieuport N. XVII. I was going to use altitude rules, but we got started a bit late, and Michael pointed out that with new pilots, the game was likely to go quicker if we didn't. But we did use ace abilities, the optional collision rule, tailing and aim rules.
The game started with the usual head-on approach, but Dave turned away as the Germans get near.
Then Alon follows, allowing Paul the first burst of the game-2 damage becomes 3 with the Perfect Aim skill, and there is also rudder damage.
Dave and Alon nearly collided, but then Dave turned right to pursue Michael, while Alon performed an Immelmann (following the strictures of the rudder damage), and went after Paul, while Michael pulled an Immelmann, then turned left.
Both British pilots were able to get their shots in: Alon using his Sharp Eye on Paul to inflict a pilot wound, while Michael got a rudder jam from Dave; however, both British guns jammed, as well. The German pilots were able to quick fly out of range. This was especially frustrating for Alon, as after Paul performed yet another Immelmann, he (Alon) was set up for a perfect close-range shot; and Paul, being wounded, couldn’t have returned fire. Dave was in for his own frustration, as he almost had a close-range shot on Michael.
Alon then set out on a tail chase of Paul, the end result of which was, a furball wherein both Alon and Dave got shots in at Michael; Alon was just out of Michael’s arc, though. However, Paul did get a shot at Dave, inflicting 4 damage (counting Paul’s Perfect Aim skill again), and Alon applying his Sharp Eye skill, which once again, resulted in Michael’s rudder jamming. Dave’s damage to Michael was a “mere” 2 damage.
Both German pilots then went for separation; Paul because his pilot wound was causing him a dilemma to stay in the fight or run for home, and Michael because his rudder jam made him decide to do the Immelmann thing. It looked like Dave had Michael in a bad position...
When Paul had flown off the German side of the board; he had intended to just skirt the edge, and turn back into the fight, and asked me as Gamemaster to make a ruling about whether or not he could, or if I were going to enforce the flying off the board rule. I decided to check the time; as it turned out, we had only a few minutes left in our allotted time slot, so I decided to enforce the rule; Paul was considered to be running for home. However Michael had turned into Dave’s attack, and in that same phase, had an opportunity for a shot…
Yep, you guessed it. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending to the scenario:
Michael walked off with the prize for the scenario, a duplicate I had of Manfred von Richthofen’s Albatros D-III.
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