Röth's Record part 2
My first attempt at taking down 4 balloons with a single Albatros D.Va (as Friedrich Röth did in April 1918) ended in dismal failure. For my second attempt the setup was much the same but I made the following changes:
- I chose the "good at evading" ace ability, so I could discard one damage card. I knew from my first attempt that the AA would inevitably score a number of hits, so I wanted to be able to escape the dreaded 10 card if I drew it.
- I ignored gun jam cards (although in retrospect I do not think this would have changed the outcome)
- I introduced a rudimentary sun blindness rule. Röth's attack was made in the late afternoon, when the sun would have been in the west. I used another fighter card placed on top of the AA card to check if an AA gun would be aiming into the sun. If the Albatros was within the firing arc, the AA gun could not fire.
Good start, 0 damage from the AA:
First balloon hit but not on fire...
Passing the first balloon I scored a 0 on the AA machine gun but took engine damage from the AA. One stall per turn from now on...
The second balloon is on fire!
I got the third balloon, but no fire. On the right is my sun rule in action. Since the Albatros is within the firing arc of the SPAD card I have placed on top of the AA card, the AA is considered blinded by the sun and cannot fire.
However the AA machine gun could fire at me, and it did so to good effect!
With the fourth balloon just in range, I hit the observer, assuming he hadn't already jumped.
Another hit on the fourth balloon, still no fire. I got caught between 3 AA guns, but thankfully only lost 2 hit points.
Finally the fourth balloon is in flames thanks to a short range burst.
I did an immelmann turn after passing the fourth balloon. Two balloons are now on fire, I have to pass all the way along the balloon line again in an attempt to ignite the remaining two. From memory I had taken 13 damage at this point...
I got caught in the open between the fourth and third balloons, picking up a 6 from the AA. I used the ace ability to discard this card and stay in the air. At the same time I managed to hit the third balloon again, but it stubborny refused to burst into flames.
Trading shots with the AA machine gun at short range, I am now down to 1 hit point remaining....
Passing on the sunny side of an AA gun I skirted the burning remains of balloon 2 and headed back towards balloon 1, scoring a 0 on the AA machine gun in the process.
Balloon 1 is finally on fire, the AA machine gun missed me. Now it was time to head home.
I just escaped from the AA gun and managed to limp away having set three balloons on fire and incapacitating one observer. Not quite equalling Röth's achievement, but not a bad result!
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