HANDLEY-PAGE BOMBER : FAILED MISSION

[monse]

Mission to bomb a teddy bear factory (to lower the morale of German families) for a Handley-Page piloted by Monse, facing a pack of German fighters Fokker E.V (Wildcat), Siemens Schuckert D.III (Loïk), Phönix D.I (Philou) and a Bolshevik Sopwith Snipe renegade (Math), without forgetting 2 flak pits (planned by Philou).

The shortest game of the WOG history :
After a few actions of the HP gunners on the fighters, the Handley-Page maneuvers to avoid the flak in order to go around the target from the rear, which does not prevent the overlapping of a flak counter (damage 0).










Wildcat's Fokker E.V takes the only shot aimed at the bomber, depriving it of right maneuvers as it skirts the left edge of the carpet and ending the game: exiting the game 3 moves later with an intact cargo of bombs. Boom ...
Monse’s morale is lowered …






Very relevant end-of-mission tactical analysis from Loïk:
- with 30 structure points, the bomber does not worry about flak and focuses on the trajectory to the target.
- With 4 fighters equipped with twin machine guns facing the 2 single machine guns of the HP, let’s rush into the pile avoiding collisions and without moving away from the opponent.

[Windy Jack]

The Handley-Page is a big beast, but not well armed compared with some of the other big bombers. However, Ross Smith, an Australian pilot in the Middle East, was very impressed with the one he flew. He also flew it to India.
Four fighter planes and flak is a solid opposition for a lightly gunned bomber, as Loik observed.

[flash]

Might have been worth taking the up gun option and having A firing out the back

[monse]

The Handley-Page is indeed lightly gun equipped but its 30 points structure makes it a difficult target to shoot down.
Its best defence comes from its structure points rather than the 2 machine guns.

In this game, there was just a single shoot from the fighters, but successful and deadly thanks to the rudder special damage.
Anyway, it was a short game but the ending makes a ot of laugh !

[Hedeby]

Did a scenario with several HPs in formation, flew one as a gunship with A’s all round... gave the scouts a right surprise when they swooped in.. very successful (had no bombs though, lol)

[chee911sc]

Very interesting scenario and nice pictures

[Vagabond]

Simon, I imagine you considered that was a strategic withdrawal and the game was a draw.

[milcoll73]

reminds me of the 1st time i had my zeppelin staaken out of the shed. very 1st hostile shot dealt me a ......................................wait for it................................WAIT FOR IT......................................CURSED BOOM CARD ( i know, what else?). and this before id heard of the "boom card = half starting hitpoints" option so that was that lol.

[Spad VII]

Also an original " Bomber "scenario one sees more Zeppelin Staaken and Gotha than Handley-Page to my taste on the gaming tables , isnt it ?
Good choice Simon !

[flash]

... and this before id heard of the "boom card = half starting hitpoints" option so that was that lol.

That shows it pays to read the rules before you start Phil ! With your boom magnet it must be a godsend