Tanks on Tuesday

[Biggles downunder]

Last night our usual quartet (myself, Baxter, Windy Jack & Mark) gathered around my WW1 landscape (AKA my dining room table) for a tank-based scenario.

First the back story:

"The Allied High Command has heard rumours of a possible counter attack by German Infantry that will be supported by tanks - captured Mk IVs that have been restored to working order.



There are three possible locations for the tanks and so a pair of Bristol Fighters have been dispatched to locate the tank park.

As soon as they cross the trench line their presence is reported and two Fokker D.VIIs are sent aloft to try to prevent any information being conveyed back to the Allied authorities.

We will use 3 mats - trench, country and city. The 3 possible locations will be marked by three face down cards. A card will be turned over if a Bristol flies within a half ruler length and once the tank card is turned over, the Bristols can turn back for home.

An Allied victory will be achieved if at least one of the Bristols makes it and a German victory will be achieved if both Bristols are shot down."

Here is our mat layout:



I downloaded files for card backs and tanks from the Files section and laminated them in preparation for the evening's fun:





These would be placed, face-down, on the mat by the German players prior to the start of flying.

[Biggles downunder]

Opening moves - the Bristols begin their flight by attempting to fly in a loose formation while the D.VIIs race toward them, engines screaming:



And the opening shots are exchanged...





With an outcome that surprised everyone!



The pummeling continues and Udet is now in a world of hurt...



Which only gets worse:



But it's not that one-sided afterall as Saschsenberg roars in to make his presence felt:



But all this attention on one Bristol has left the other free to carry out the mission. But, unfortunately, the first suspected target area shows no tank park.



But the yellow-peril continues to hammer the other Bristol Fighter:



Which turns, with it's fellow machine to fly towards the second suspected target area whilst taking continual fire from Saschenberg (those plus 1s are mounting up!).





But the maneuvering has allowed both rear gunners to concentrate on the lone D.VII.



The D.VII succumbs to the combined fire power but the Bristol Fighter also plunges to earth as a result of the accumulated damage from earlier encounters.



And somewhere in the middle of this - I was so engrossed I forgot to take any photos of Udet's tussle with the remaining Bristol Fighter that lead to his untimely end (sorry guys)



So, with one Bristol Fighter remaining aloft, the British were declared the winners, the tank park was located



and the artillery did their job of severely disrupting the preparations for the German counter attack.

[Windy Jack]

You have to have fun playing the game. If you just concentrate on getting the perfect AAR, you might miss the fun.
Thanks for the actions shots bracketed by scene setting photographs.

[Baxter]

Udet did attack the remaining Bristol but the third fire damage card did him in. Very bad luck with the damage card draws for him in that game which illustrates the sometimes random fortunes of war. When he was set on fire and jammed it was during the 2nd movement of his 3. His 3rd movement perfectly placed him behind the Bristol, but unable to fire he copped 2 more B's with plus 1 on each of them!

[flash]

Udet did attack the remaining Bristol but the third fire damage card did him in. Very bad luck with the damage card draws for him in that game which illustrates the sometimes random fortunes of war. When he was set on fire and jammed it was during the 2nd movement of his 3. His 3rd movement perfectly placed him behind the Bristol, but unable to fire he copped 2 more B's with plus 1 on each of them!

Did Udet borrow Hugo Schäfer's D.VII then ? He won't be too happy !
I thought he'd dropped into the Bristol's blindspot beautifully but you don't seem to play that so a suicidal move !
Great scenario, tough fight.

[Flying Helmut]

Exciting game!

Thanks for posting.

[Sam Urai]

...and the artillery did their job of severely disrupting the preparations for the German counter attack.

Artillery! The KING of battle!

[Biggles downunder]

Did Udet borrow Hugo Schäfer's D.VII then ? He won't be too happy !
I thought he'd dropped into the Bristol's blindspot beautifully but you don't seem to play that so a suicidal move !
Great scenario, tough fight.

Oops, very red face here! Of course it is Schafer!!