Tripods Scenario 4 - The Hunters and the Hunted 15th April 1918
A standard rulebook scenario using the T&T rules supplemented by Flash’s House rules caller ‘TnT with Altitude’ and Dave’s solo charts for the plane AI. Random peg height (2-12) was used for the plane starting position and I managed both Tripods.
Due to uneasy alliance I used a Fokker D.VII (yellow) piloted by Vfw. Paul Esch, a Fokker D.VII (pink) piloted by Uffz. Alfred Klugel and a Sopwith Snipe piloted by Lt Bertie Balfour. Facing them were two Mk1 ‘Locust’ tripods and there were 4 objective templates.
Winning conditions: Earthling wins if both tripods destroyed. Martian wins if 3 airplanes are destroyed.
The prospect of meeting the Martian fighting machines on the battlefield of Alsace was initially met with optimism by pilots of all nationalities. The tripods were reported to be ‘slow-moving’, and the airmen could not wait to open fire with their machine guns upon such ‘sitting-ducks’. Unfortunately for them, the tripods rapidly demonstrated that they were neither slow-moving, nor ‘sitting’, and the skies of Europe were soon lit by the deadly beams of the Martian’s heat-rays and by the burning arcs of airplanes spiralling towards the ground. But the spirit of the knights of the air was not to be broken easily.
The alliance lines up with Balfour flanked by Esch and Klugel over the French countryside.
…facing them the two tripods
The combatants set off, the pilots eager so show their skills against the alien invaders.
The alliance keep in close formation as the enemies approach each other, the planes dropping in altitude to get within striking distance of the tripods.
Esch manages to get off a long range shot despite his high altitude causing minor damage and cursing as his guns jam. Klugel attacks the other tripod on the other flank, and seems to drain energy from a shielded flank. Balfour is out of range of either tripod due to his height but gives thanks for this as he flies above the acrid black smoke cloud launched by one of the tripods which catches Klugel inflicting heavy damage. The other Tripod’s heat-ray catches Esch unawares and causes major damage to his machine in this first engagement. (Boom - 1/2 damage).
Esch (gun jam) overlaps a tripod and Balfour loses height while Klugel attacks from short range inflicting more energy damage on the tripod on a shielded side. The first tripod flails out with his claws and tentacles at the damaged Esch machine causing more damage and engine trouble, more or less taking him out of the fight. The other tripod stands and recovers maximum energy from a factory, Red weed immediately encompassing the ruined building.
Klugel flies past the first tripod and gets caught in another Black smoke attack from the other tripod. Balfour luckily is still too high to suffer damage (peg 5) and Esch Immelmann’s, gaining height and unblocking his gun jam.
Finally, Esch is able to clear his guns but overlaps the tripod who flails its claws and tentacles again, but this time missing. The other tripod stands and sends another black smoke canister towards Klugel inflicting more minor damage.
Balfour finally gets into long range on a shielded side but does no damage, whilst Klugel does the same on the other tripod, reducing its energy. The tripod lets out a second devastating heat ray at short range against Esch which sees his engine blow to bits and destroys the plane at high altitude. The other tripod moves towards another objective.
..the end for Esch, a combination of heat ray and tentacles proving too much.
Balfour tries again against a shielded side but for no damage.
Meanwhile both tripods recover their weapons systems.
Balfour overlaps the tripod but is lucky it is recharging energy from a building, whilst Klugel takes more damage from a black smoke attack.
Klugel attacks at close range and is heartened to see the shields fade around the tripod as it’s energy banks are drained. Meanwhile Balfour collides with the other Tripod, neither suffering any damage.
Balfour still overlaps the tripod, whilst Klugel is fired upon with a heat-ray attack at short range, but suffering no ill-effects.
Klugel attacks at short range, the tripod with no energy, to score minor damage but disabling the black smoke weapon.
The other tripod fires it’s heat ray at close range on Balfour who is hit for major damage and catches fire.
Balfour Immelmanns gaining altitude and firing on long range at the tripod’s unprotected front, causing minor damage but jamming his guns. Klugel collides with the other tripod but again, neither suffer any damage. Klugel fires at long range on the shielded side of the other tripod but doesn’t do any damage.
Balfour overlaps the tripod and Klugel whilst unjamming his gun (ignore long range 0 shot as jammed), Klugel fires again at short range on the shielded side doing no damage, whilst the other tripod has a maximum energy recharge on a building template to replenish faded stores.
The fire takes hold on the snipe and inflicts major damage.
Balfour dives to lose altitude whilst performing a wide side slip, while Klugel overlaps a tripod which fires a black smoke canister missing both planes, leaving it hanging in the air. The other tripod fires it’s heat-ray at Klugel at long range, but inflicts no damage.
Balfour overlaps a tripod (which is recharging energy) and has cleared his gun jam. Klugel collides with the other tripod, both not receiving any damage again.
Whilst the tripods recover weapons and recharge the planes try to get in position to attack.
Balfour again takes major fire damage as the flames take hold, not sure how much more the plane can take.
All the combatants manoeuvre for position, the tripod showing a running pace.
The Snipe takes a long range shot inflicting damage on the tripod shell, with Klugel fairing better on the other tripod, setting it on fire too. The tripods respond by sending another heat-ray into the flaming snipe, adding minor damage, and a heat ray on Klugel also only causing minor damage, were the weapons fully recharged or has the tide of the battle changed?
The tripods stand and recharge, and Klugel takes major advantage getting in a short range burst with aim(+1) against the unprotected shell of the tripod causing major damage and seems to wound the alien pilot with green ooze seeping from the cockpit shell, but it still standing, albeit on fire. Balfour seems to be heading towards the black smoke cloud on a collision course.
However, in the next instant, Klugel is on his own as the fire on Balfour’s snipe hits something critical and it explodes in the air. The fire on the tripod seems unable to catch onto the alien metal and spread.
The tripods are reversing and recharging as Klugel tries to get in position.
The tripod fires at the Fokker as it flies past but misses by inches.
The tripod fire finally gets to the stored black smoke canisters and explodes on the gaseous content on impact causing the tripod to topple and fragment, instantly killing it’s occupant.
The surviving tripod lets out a loud “UUUULLLAAAA” as his companion falls and fires it’s deadly heat ray at short range at Klugel but not inflicting any damage.
The tripod stands and recharges whilst Klugel flies to get at it’s unprotected side, but is close to the lingering black smoke cloud. Too close, and as his cockpit fills with acrid black smoke the plane takes it’s final damage and spirals down to earth, half-hidden by the cloud. Klugel put up a valiant effort but just took too much damage in the end.
The surviving tripod had little damage at the end.
The result, a marginal victory for the Martians in a battle that could have gone either way.
Hope you enjoyed it.
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Originally Posted by flash
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