Gritty Goblin Games Wings of War/Glory, 11 April 2024

[CrashCraig]

Gritty Goblin Games Wings of War/Glory, 11 April 2024

This month we had three pilots, Todd aka Pseudotheist, Robert aka RJG173 and myself. So we flew a scaled down version of Stumptonian’s Bloody April Campaign mission, three times. Two RFC recon two-seaters, a BE2c and a FE2b, are tasked to take photos of a German target site being defended by an Albatros D.III. Taking photos require a RFC aircraft to get within half a ruler distance of the target card, then fly a stall card within that range and then return to base (RTB) off the their mat’s starting edge. If the observer is KIA before taking photos that aircraft does not count towards a RFC victory even if it RTB. At least one RFC recon plane needs to RTB with photos to win.

Special rules
Boom cards count as half damage rounded down.
Since we don’t use altitude rules, the RFC FE2b observer can fire to the front or to the rear but not both in the same phase. If shooting to the rear, roll a die to determine if the target is within line of sight (4,5,6). Otherwise no FE2b shooting that phase.

Bloody April Trio AAR#1:

For the first game, along the RFC back edge, Todd flew the green pre-painted FE2b and I had the linen BE2c.


Robert in the blue Albatros defending the target area complete with tent hanger.


The FE2b banked to the right while the BE2c went left attracting the Albatros’ attention. Fortunately for me, no damage was inflicted.


The Albatros goes after the FE only to receive a warm welcome.


Escaping further contact with the Albatros, both RFC planes converge on the target.



And start taking photos as the Albatros closes in.


The FE is targeted in turn and catches fire.


Subsequent damage to its rudder, causes the FE to fly off mat but we agreed to ignore the mat boundary since we were playing on a shorter table area this evening. The FE returns fire having rolled a 4 to make the shot.


The FE puts more lead into the Albatros while it turns its attention to the BE.


The BE tries to evade its blue tormentor to no avail. The BE’s observer is hit but the photos are still secure.


For once the BE’s slow speed is a bonus as the Albatros catches up too well and overlaps it.


The Albatros breaks off the BE pursuit to catch the FE before it can get off the mat.


Realizing it can’t catch the FE, the Albatros turns back to the BE to exact some revenge. The BE starts trailing smoke.


Next phase the blue menace hits home and the BE goes down.


But the battered and scorched FE makes it off mat with photos intact with a win for the RFC.


The Albatros had moderate damage with a wounded pilot.

[CrashCraig]

Bloody April Trio AAR#2:

For the second game, Todd flew the blue Albatros, Robert was in the green FE2b and I stayed with the linen BE2c.

All sides charged ahead with the Albatros suffering a Boom card (fortunately rounded down) on the first shot.


All sides close in for a real donnybrook. My BE gets the worst of it. Marshmallows anyone?


At least the Albatros’ guns get jammed. Unfortunately so does the FE’s gun.


Both sides unjam and Todd’s Albatros goes after the FE which rolls a 6 for its rear shot and scores a hit.


The dual continues as the FE rolls a 5 for its rear gun and closes in on the target site. The BE is slowly able to make its way to the target as well.


The FE takes its photos and can’t return fire on the Albatros while doing so. Meanwhile the BE finally gets a shot on the Albatros.


And it’s enough to take that blue devil down.


But the BE soon shares its fate as the onboard fire consumes all.


So another victory for the RFC as the FE returns home with the necessary photos.

[CrashCraig]

Bloody April Trio AAR#3:

For the third and last game of the night, I slid into the cockpit of the blue Albatros, Todd was in the green FE2b and Robert in the linen BE2c.

Again in this game, all pilots charged ahead with the Albatros firing on the FE.


The BE gets in the action as the FE overlaps the Albatros.


As the FE comes out of the overlap it gets another high die roll of 5 and causes rudder damage to the Albatros. The FE rear shooting is spot on tonight!


The FE and BE close in on the target site as the Albatros tries to catch up.


The FE takes its photos while the BE takes some lead.


I realized that my maneuvers this turn were in violation of my rudder damage. So I took an “A” damage card and did a straight move rather than turning to pursue the FE. As a result the BE became the sole beneficiary of my guns!


And down goes the BE!


Another “A” damage card causes the Albatros to fill with smoke while the FE and its photos are well on its way home.


So another victory for the RFC which makes it a clean sweep of all three games.

[camelbeagle]

Awesome! Love to see some of the early birds! Thanks for sharing!

[Stumptonian]

Great trio of games.
Nice to see a trimmed down version of my scenario.


I went the opposite direction and played in with 14 aircraft total.

[CrashCraig]

Pete - thanks for all the information you provided on aircraft types and objectives. It really helped in tailoring the scenario. If we had a couple more pilots, I had a Sopwith Strutter in the wings for the RFC and another Albatros for the Germans.

[Windy Jack]

Three good AARs. Thanks for posting them.

[flash]

A great trio of games, Craig, that poor BE bore the brunt and doesn't appear to even have any rear arcs at all !?

[CrashCraig]

A great trio of games, Craig, that poor BE bore the brunt and doesn't appear to even have any rear arcs at all !?

Dave - so true. I went with Peter/Teaticket's card I found on the BE2c painting showcase thread. There is another with similar arcs fore and aft but I didn't want my BE2c to get delusions of fighter prowess!

[Teaticket]

Sweet trio of battles. A tough job handed to the lone Albatros to take down the pair of tandems. Poor BE took it on the chin all day!