Gunning for a Gotha

[Biggles downunder]

Last Tuesday night (January 5) we were down to three pilots (Baxter, Windy Jack and myself) and so I proposed a Gotha hunt by three Hanriots with the Gotha using the 'automatic pilot' rules and flying on 3 mats:





All three Hanriots were to fly as 'B' guns with one flying a standing patrol and the other two becoming airborne as soon as the patrolling Hanriot made contact with the Gotha that was returning from a raid over England.

We had also agreed to use the 3-stage altitude rules that we had previously designed to use in our aircraft vs Zeppelin games - see this thread. This rules set essentially has the aircraft that is the subject of repeated attacks maintaining a constant altitude and the attacking aircraft being at one of 3 altitude bands - below (green marker), at the same level (red marker) or higher (blue marker) with the altitude being indicated by markers placed on the base of the aircraft:



The patrolling Hanriot quickly climbed to the same altitude of the Gotha which, even this early and under automatic pilot, was proving a slippery customer to intercept:



But Baxter soon closed the range and a mutual exchange of unpleasantries occurred:



Which resulted in gun jams all round and so Baxter pulled clear to clear the jam:



Meanwhile the other two Hanriots (Windy Jack and myself) joined the fray and got in some telling shots:





But first blood went to the Gotha:



More to follow...

[gully_raker]

We wait with "Baited Breath"!

[tikkifriend]

Its too big Captain I canna doo it

[RJG173]

We wait with "Baited Breath"!

The expression is "bated breath."

[gully_raker]

The expression is "bated breath."

Thank you but I "baited" mine in the hope of getting a bite. (aka as 2nd installment)

[Biggles downunder]

Not wishing to rise to the bait (or even the bate) here goes...

The remaining two Hanriots press on:



Uh Oh, the Gotha crew have managed to smother the smoke but have inflicted just a bit of pain on the attackers...



Not just fire but a jammed gun as well!



The Hanriot swings in to exact revenge...



But the return fire from the Gotha gunner is just too accurate and another one bites the dust...



Meanwhile the last man standing (flying) succumbs to fire...



Leaving the Gotha to make it home although not entirely in one piece!



As always, we sat around and chewed the fat regarding the outcome and (inevitably) what would we do next time.

We agreed that the altitude markers hadn't really played a big part and also that the auto pilot was a difficult opponent as it was entirely unpredicatable.

One of us (Baxter I think) suggested that the best way to tackle a Gotha would be from directly in front (seems to me I have read that before ).

As always, we had a great time swapping anecdotes, banter and the odd pun - that's what this is all about isn't it?

[Stumptonian]

Good to see someone is able to play in person during these dark times.
Thanks for a bit of light.


Played a similar game with one of my grandsons back in the 'good old days' of 2019.
We managed to take the big bird down.

[flash]

Nicely done Wayne & gang, the beast picked up a lot of zeroes; maybe using A guns might have turned the game your way. Good to see though.

[gully_raker]

Well played chaps.
Always a good game Vs Gothas.
Better Luck next time.

[Flying Helmut]

Enjoyable AAR!

Thanks for posting.

[Baron Rolf]

Thank you for posting this enjoyable AAR Wayne

[Herkybird]

Gothas are hard opponents, I have only ever had any success with Sopwith Camels against them!!!

[Baxter]

The Gotha made a couple of unexpected turns that put the fighters in a poor position. He was a good pilot who steered away from the predictable. Well done Herr Auto pilot.