Playing Zoe's Baltic Historical Free for All - Vilna 1920

[CrashCraig]

After having played our own post-WW1 Baltic scenario, “Baltic Brawl 1920”, I recently discovered Zoe’s February 2012 description of a similar Baltic scenario. It had more specific goals in mind with points allocated for various objectives. So since Baltic Bob had the aircraft for the various nationalities, we tried it with the same three pilots and modest changes.

The three pilots were Baltic Bob in his beloved Martinsyde F.4 Buzzard, Wrong Way in a Polish Albatross D.III and I in a Bolshevik Sopwith Snipe. Each pilot had an airfield to defend from attack. Points were allocated as follows:
+2 points for attacking enemy airfield which required your aircraft’s center peg anywhere on the airfield card at the end of that maneuver phase
+2 points for shooting down an enemy plane
-2 points for having your own airfield attacked

Other factors included Boom card damage equal to half of the original plane’s damage value; no altitude rules; and planes nearing the edge of the terrain board were “course corrected” without penalty, a Lastner Meadows house rule.

Starting off, the Buzzard is on the left side (9 o’clock position), the Albatross is at the top right corner and I am at the bottom.


As everyone closes, the Albatross gets off a shot at the Buzzard.


Then on the second maneuver phase, all heck breaks loose! Everyone has a close range shot. The Albatross and Snipe exchange fire while the Buzzard avenges himself on the Albatross. The Albatross suffers engine damage and his guns are jammed.


The Albatross breaks off to unjam his guns but the Buzzard is unrelenting in his pursuit with more close range fire. Meanwhile the Snipe heads for the Polish airfield.


The Snipe is too far left of the Polish airfield so has circled back around only to meet up with the recovered Albatross and the lurking Buzzard. More close range fire by all pilots with the Bolshevik taking hits from the Buzzard and the Albatross resulting in a wounded pilot and rudder damage. The Buzzard takes fire from the Snipe resulting in rudder damage as well but more significantly a Boom card resulting in 8 points of damage alone. The Lithuanian now has 13 total damage points.


As pilots scrambled for a target, the Snipe overlaps the Albatross for no shot but the sneaky Buzzard gets a telling long range hit on the Bolshevik who suffers another wounded pilot hit plus more damage exceeding its 16 damage points and goes down.



The Buzzard circles around and successfully attacks the Polish airfield while the Albatross comes around.


The Albatross gets a flank shot on the Buzzard as it leaves the Polish airfield in ruins but suffers another gun jam.


After clearing his guns, the Albatross deals minimal damage as it continues its pursuit of the Buzzard.


The Albatross closes in for a short range burst on the Buzzard with telling effect.


The Buzzard goes down.


After the Buzzard met its demise, we called the game giving Wrong Way the additional points for attacking the Lithuanian and Bolshevik airfields since he no longer faced opposition.

So the final tally was:
+4 points for Wrong Way: +2 points for downing the Buzzard, -2 points for attack on own airfield and +4 points for ultimately attacking the Lithuanian and Bolshevik airfields,
+2 points for Baltic Bob: 2 points for attacking the Polish airfield, 2 points for downing the Bolshevik Snipe but -2 points for his airfield being attacked and
-2 points for CrashCraig: Wrong Way attacking the undefended Bolshevik airfield

It’s a win for Wrong Way’s Poles but a good showing by the Lithuanians.

I like to thank Zoe for a great scenario and also wish her a speedy recovery.