Formation Flying

[Windy Jack]

For our game we decided to base it on Vagabond’s OTT proposal for formation flying.
I chose and prepared the formation for the four bombers, Albatros C.IIIs, which they are to maintain for the game. The bombers were moved using the same card, which was chosen by shuffling two straights and a short for each planning phase.
The attackers were four Nieuport 17s with A guns.
In Vagabond’s proposal he talked about moving mats down. Although our mats were table length, we found that it didn’t take long for the bombers to reach the other end of the table. Thus we slid the top cloth (trenches) down exposing the other cloth (countryside), and then repeated it. Hence the strange change of backgrounds in the AAR pictures. We probably flew the equivalent of two table lengths by the end.

(With a few exceptions the report shows photographs of when planes engaged with one another. To keep the length of the AAR down, I’ve left out general flying and manoeuvring although there wasn’t a lot of it.)

AAR 201006 001 T (1024x576).jpg  Views: 54  Size: 82.8 KB  ID: 293208" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />Photo 01T – bombers set up

AAR 201006 002 T (1024x576).jpg  Views: 55  Size: 75.2 KB  ID: 293209" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />Photo 02 T – Nieuports ready

AAR 201006 003 T (1024x576).jpg  Views: 55  Size: 76.8 KB  ID: 293210" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />Photo 03 T – open way

AAR 201006 004 T (1024x576).jpg  Views: 56  Size: 70.8 KB  ID: 293211" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />Photo 04 T – sweet spot

AAR 201006 005 T (1024x576).jpg  Views: 54  Size: 69.6 KB  ID: 293212" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />Photo 05 T – come closer

AAR 201006 006 (1024x576).jpg  Views: 54  Size: 72.7 KB  ID: 293213" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />
AAR 201006 007 T (1024x576).jpg  Views: 55  Size: 77.3 KB  ID: 293214" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />Photos 06-07 T

AAR 201006 008 T (1024x576).jpg  Views: 55  Size: 79.1 KB  ID: 293215" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />Photos 08 T - 15
AAR 201006 009 (1024x576).jpg  Views: 54  Size: 74.3 KB  ID: 293216" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />
AAR 201006 010 (1024x576).jpg  Views: 54  Size: 69.6 KB  ID: 293217" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />
AAR 201006 011 (1024x576).jpg  Views: 54  Size: 66.3 KB  ID: 293218" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />
AAR 201006 012 (1024x576).jpg  Views: 54  Size: 67.9 KB  ID: 293219" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />
AAR 201006 013 (1024x576).jpg  Views: 55  Size: 68.3 KB  ID: 293220" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />
AAR 201006 014 (1024x576).jpg  Views: 54  Size: 68.2 KB  ID: 293221" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />
AAR 201006 015 (1024x576).jpg  Views: 54  Size: 74.2 KB  ID: 293222" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />

AAR 201006 016 T (1024x576).jpg  Views: 54  Size: 71.3 KB  ID: 293223" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />Photo 16 T – Nieuport down

AAR 201006 017 T (1024x576).jpg  Views: 54  Size: 75.6 KB  ID: 293224" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />Photo 17 T - 19 - Harassing.
AAR 201006 018 (1024x576).jpg  Views: 53  Size: 78.9 KB  ID: 293225" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />
AAR 201006 019 (1024x576).jpg  Views: 53  Size: 74.6 KB  ID: 293226" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />

AAR 201006 020 T (1024x576).jpg  Views: 53  Size: 72.1 KB  ID: 293227" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />Photo 20 T – Bomber down

AAR 201006 025 T (1024x576).jpg  Views: 53  Size: 70.9 KB  ID: 293228" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />Photo 25 T – Nieuport down

AAR 201006 026 T (1024x576).jpg  Views: 53  Size: 70.5 KB  ID: 293229" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />Photo 26 T - 27 – switches attention
AAR 201006 027 (1024x576).jpg  Views: 53  Size: 75.7 KB  ID: 293230" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />

AAR 201006 028 T (1024x576).jpg  Views: 53  Size: 76.7 KB  ID: 293231" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />Photo 28 T – final scores

After playing for about an hour and three-quarters, we decided to stop because the remaining two bombers had not received any hits, and so no damage in the whole game. Therefore the remaining two Nieuports, which were carrying damage, were unlikely to bring them down.

[Flying Helmut]

Nice photos, thanks for posting!

This shows once again the difficulty of attacking bombers which have a similar speed to the interceptors; the lead bombers are never engaged until it is too late (usually, I have found, after they have hit their targets and are returning home).

The key is to turn inward early, attacking the lead bombers en masse, to mitigate the combination of rear fire from the leaders and the forward fire from the followers.

It is REALLY difficult to get it right - I have only managed it a couple of times out of numerous attempts!

[Baxter]

Yes it was very hard. I ended up too far behind having misjudged relative speeds and both my Nieuports were destroyed. My wingman Mark destroyed both rear bombers though.

[Stumptonian]

Thanks for posting. Tough to take down bombers from behind (assuming you can keep pace)
I'll be attempting this one on Friday with Halberstadt D.IIIs vs Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutters.
Wish me luck.

[OldGuy59]

I did up a rig for a moving map for a Mannesmann Triplane bombing scenario. I have since acquired 11" paper rolls to allow for a three plane formation (or a four plane diamond, I suppose, too), just haven't built the stands to put the bombers on.

SND- International Skype Game - Slay the Leviathan - 8/9 June 2013








Note: would need one each of these per bomber.

[camelbeagle]

Nice mission. Thanks!

[flash]

Nice one Doug & Co, it seems you had a little more luck than I did - but not much !

[Windy Jack]

I'll be attempting this one on Friday with Halberstadt D.IIIs vs Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutters.
Wish me luck.

Good luck, Pete!

[Vagabond]

You stole my plan I played this out originally to test the scenario and attacked head on and got shot down. So for my game in the campaign I did pretty much what you tried, sweep in from behind and take out the last man first and then work my way forward. I got 2 things wrong, I turned in too late with 2 of my planes and they never caught up because although I gave the bombers 1 short each move it didn't really slow them down enough. The other thing resulted from not turning in early enough, I had 2 planes attacking on their own.

I'm sure that it is possible with some clever flying to be able to bring enough firepower on the rear planes to take them out before working forward to the rest of the formation. Of course the emphasis is on clever flying and I've never been known for that.

Thanks for trying this out and a great looking set of photos. I was going to say it was a great looking game but I might be a little biased.

Cheers anyway.

[Naharaht]

Thank you for the good A.A.R., Doug.

[Windy Jack]

You stole my plan.

Thanks for trying this out and a great looking set of photos. I was going to say it was a great looking game but I might be a little biased.

Cheers anyway.

I hope you don't feel bad about me using your plan. I did acknowledge that I was making use of your idea.

In our game I moved the bombers, so I had no input into the strategy used by the fighters. Interestingly there was just enough difference between the speed of the Albatros C.III and the Nieuport 17 that the Nieuports could catch up to the bombers. Sometimes they dropped behind, but then were able to make up the ground. As I said in the introduction to the AAR I tend not to include photographs of planes flying at a distance from one another, so there are no photographs of the Nieuports away from the Albatri although it did happen.

You may have noticed someone has already suggested a strategy of the fighters flying en masse at the leading bombers to do as much damage to them before passing the formation.
Using the A firing Nieuports we used that could mean one front bomber taking 4 or more A damage cards while only being able to inflict damage on one of the four fighters.

Thanks again for your idea, which we enjoyed trying out.

[Biggles downunder]

Gee guys you sure had fun with that one. I’m looking forward to getting back on the table with you all! Our daughter is half way though her quarantine (already had 2 police visits) so it will be a little while yet!

[Vagabond]

I hope you don't feel bad about me using your plan. I did acknowledge that I was making use of your idea.
Thanks again for your idea, which we enjoyed trying out.

Sorry Doug, I hope it didn't sound like I was complaining, I was joking about the plan of attack which worked as well for your guys as it did for me, as in - not very well.. I'm really pleased that you thought the scenario was worth a try.

I played it again last night with a different plan of attack, having learned from my previous 2 defeats and did much better, (relatively speaking) shooting down 3 of the bombers and forcing the other to return home. The down side is that I lost 3 of my Nieuport 11's doing it, including the one I was flying which exploded with no other damage. K

I think I would have got the last bomber if it hadn't been for my abysmal flying when I took over the last Nieport from the AI.
Mind you the only certainty about the game is the lack of certainty
All the best and I wish I had agroup like yours to enjoy the game with, I'm very envious.
Cheers

[gully_raker]

Almost impossible to win this on with a tail chase especially if the attacker is only as fast as the bombers.
Definitely needs for the attackers to enter on the flank of the leading 2 seaters to have a chance.

[Stumptonian]

Definitely needs for the attackers to enter on the flank of the leading 2 seaters to have a chance.

That was my tactic.

[Vagabond]

That was my tactic.

Mine too, eventually