Bouncing Otto & Lothar - The Worm Turns.

[flash]

Having received comments on their previous outings I was reminded I should make an effort to finish the testing of my Fr Deck solo chart with a final solo game of 2v2, Albatros D.III v RAF SE.5 and finishing the Otto & Lothar trilogy with Billy & Frank on the offensive.

Using the lesson's learnt from the previous games I used the scenario mechanics from the last game with little further tweaking.
https://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sh...-Lothar-Again-!
This time the SE's got to bounce the D.III's. Coming in from 4 o'clock high, starting them just out of gun range as they were against slower opponents and expecting them to quickly catch up quickly.


I selected straights and sideslips for the D.III's first manoeuvre then shuffled them up and selected one card blind so I wouldn't know their exact first moves. For the next two cards of their first game turn I used the first two cards of the selection from the AI chart for Otto from the relevant zone on his dice roll.
I used my own altitude rules for this game again & applied some OTT solo rules.
All but one machine were AI.



So here are Billy & Frank about to dive on Otto & Lothar - Happy at last that the boot is on the other foot !


They dive in, Frank gets in his first shot and his Vickers stops almost instantly


The experienced Germans instantly both pull into a right hand turn, Billy compensates and lifts his nose, busy with his jam Frank sideslips and cannot.


Still climbing Billy shoots over his partner's head and finds his mark on Lothar's machine as he breaks left.


Despite his best efforts to slip the enemy attack Lothar is sprayed by both as his partner Otto keeps the turn on


Lothar finally shakes Frank but Billy takes up the slack and hoses the Albatros...


Whipping his machine round determined to exact some revenge Lothar walks smack into a heavy accurate burst from Frank...


It's too much for the Albatros - controls damaged, a gun jammed, belching smoke it falls from the combat...

Well that's me out who wrote these **** charts ?!


Still turning Otto sees his wingman fall - Frank Immels, Billy looks to curve in behind the remaining Hun..


Seeing Billy turning after him Otto turns into Frank's attack and a sharp exchange follows, Frank seemingly getting the upper hand.


Having Immelled again Frank chases after Otto as the 'round the mulberry bush' chase begins


The slower D.III can turn inside the faster SE and he soon gets in a close range burst on Billy but he's lucky this day and no serious damage is done


He and Frank are both lucky seconds later as they briefly touch


Maybe Frank was too target focussed at the time of the collision, maybe the nudge put off his aim but it should have been wake up call


Seeing the near miss Otto takes advantage and throws an Immel catching Frank flat footed - a gun jams but his aim is good and his rounds crash through Frank and his cockpit


Otto blows through and sets his mind to the other SE as Frank is forced to dive away from the fight


Swinging in on Billy's SE Otto uses his remaining gun until that jams too


Both machines continue to circle, Otto clears his guns before Billy with his superior manoeuvrability cuts sharply in - something he may regret later as he gets a stiff punch on the nose


Otto reverses his turn and follows round as Billy Immels, with the Hun behind him Billy makes a sharp turn but Otto has him again - round clatter through the SE and his engine blows smoke as a result - this Hun is one tough cookie.

(In the excitement I forgot to add the smoke)

Once past they circle once again - culminating in another exchange when Billy cuts in - this Hun is really very good...


A miscalculation on their part leads to a collision....


Billy's undercart having wreaked havoc with Otto's top wing sends him spinning earthward ... Billy breathes a sigh of relief, counts his blessings and sets course for home .... think I'll claim that one he says to himself


Butcher's Tally:

The Victors:


The runners up:


I flew Lothar again and was owned by the Fr deck so it seems to work. I think I should have broken further left but hey, burn and learn !!
From that point on it was all AI driven.

The mechanics used in the game start can be messed with further, you can randomly decide the reaction speed of the target planes to determine how many moves they do before they react. eg On a D6; 5,6 = 1 move, 3,4 = 2 moves; 2,1 = 3 moves, or, you could base it on pilot quality ie Veteran, experienced, rookie.

I hope you enjoyed these efforts and they give you some ideas for setting up bounce games for both solo and shared play.
Cheers Dave

[Stumptonian]

Nicely done, Dave.
Yours always look so realistic.


P.S. This could be seen as a 'trailer' for Mission 9

[flash]

.. This could be seen as a 'trailer' for Mission 9..

But with slower, more vulnerable British planes... I look forward to that !

[gully_raker]

I enjoyed that Dave.
Interesting game & rules.

[flash]

Thanks Baz - I do like to avoid the 'charging knights' kind of games where and when I can.