RECONNAISSANCE

**Windy Jack** · 04-12-2022 18:19

We played a reconnaissance scenario last night. No targets were placed for photographing. The reconnaissance plane could choose what it photographed.
This was to simulate a mission into unknown territory where the recon plane was going to look to discover what was there.
However, there was a bit of unhappiness during the game about not having set targets for the reconnaissance plane to photograph.

This got me thinking about reconnaissance missions. As well as the finding what is in the unknown out there, some missions would have been to gather specific information in a specific place. The new photographs would be compared with previous ones to find changes, e.g. in troop placements. These latter type of reconnaissance missions would fit the placing of target cards for the recon plane to aim for.

A solution that I have thought of to try to simulate the mission into unknown territory as well as dealing with the unhappiness of players was this. Place six numbered targets on the playing surface. Before play starts, from 6 chits numbered 1-6 the reconnaissance pilot draws two, which he keeps hidden. These are the two targets he has to photograph. If he successfully photographs a target, he can reveal the corresponding chit to confirm it.

I would value feedback on 1) types of reconnaissance mission flown during WWI, and 2) on my attempt at a solution to keeping targets secret, without making defenders unhappy.

**Stumptonian** · 04-12-2022 18:29

Sounds reasonable to me.
If my memory serves* we may have used something similar in OTT years back.

* if not I will blame it on old age

**camelbeagle** · 04-12-2022 19:23

I have used targets with a blank back. Put them blank side up and they can see what they recon as they play. There are files here of trucks, artillery, tanks, etc. I used those. Some of the cards are blank on both sides. A successful mission being they get back to base with a useful item. Another variant is that they have to find a certain item and get back to base. Has worked pretty good.

**Spoonfrog** · 04-12-2022 20:33

A historical example would be U boat patrols, where aircraft were used to "sweep" an area of sea to check for U-boats.

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 04-13-2022 00:21

I have used both my seaplanes and Naval Airship for such operations in the past. They make for an interesting scenario.
Rob.

**Spoonfrog** · 04-13-2022 01:02

What about the "mosaic" aerial photos of the trenches? Would they have had to fly straight and take photos at specified intervals? That could make a more challenging scenario than just photographing a single object.

**Flying Helmut** · 04-13-2022 01:52

I've done something similar a few times before.

I downloaded and printed out six WW1 aerial photographs, making at least two of each.
The six different photographs were placed on the game map, then the recon player drew (or was given) one duplicate photo, which was to be his objective, and which he kept hidden from his opponent.

The recon plane could overfly as many of the photos as he wished, turning for home once he had his target photo acquired.
He could "prove" this to his opponent by revealing his duplicate.

Then it was a race to his own baseline!

**Flying Helmut** · 04-13-2022 01:56

Originally Posted by Spoonfrog

What about the "mosaic" aerial photos of the trenches? Would they have had to fly straight and take photos at specified intervals? That could make a more challenging scenario than just photographing a single object.

I tried this, and it was murder.

The recon plane was so predictable in its flightpath that the interceptors swatted it every time.

Historically, it's spot on, but for a "fun" game it was a bit too one-sided.

Perhaps lay out a series of mosaic "targets", and declare one of them as "missing" to the recon pilot - only he will know which of the targets is the "missing bit"?

**flash** · 04-13-2022 08:17

Originally Posted by Windy Jack

I would value feedback on 1) types of reconnaissance mission flown during WWI, and 2) on my attempt at a solution to keeping targets secret, without making defenders unhappy.

We've had the same issue - you wouldn't necessarily know what the recon is trying to spot but your solution is as good as any for the game. If you wanted to change it up you could have sets of cards - one for the table, one for the pilot - showing different targets being sought - gun positions, trenches, airfields, roads, bridges, rail stations/junctions, convoys, fuel dumps, ammo dumps, HQ's, workshops, stores and so on.