Thursday, April 29, 2021

Bomb a Hun supply depot

This is a game that uses the Wings of Glory rules on a hex mat. We use hexes in order to simplify play over the Internet while staying isolated at home. Each aircraft has a number of different manoeuvres it can perform, but instead of being represented by arrows they are represented by hexes traversed.

The squadron has been tasked with attacking a German supply dump. Aerial reconnaissance has identified the target, but it is not within range of the artillery, so Army HQ has decided to order an aerial bombing mission. 

The bombing will be carried out by an Airco DH.4 which will be escorted by two Sopwith Camel scouts. The DH.4 will be flown using my two-seater autopilot rules.

As the RFC aircraft approached the target, they spotted two German Fokker D.VII scouts patrolling.

Turns 1 - 4:
The DH.4 flew steadily towards the target, turning left to line up better with the supply dump. 

The Sopwith Camels moved in front of the bomber to protect it. 

Both Fokker D.VII scouts closed up and manoeuvred so as to attack the bomber head on.

Turn 5:
The Camels split into a pincer movement as the Fokkers moved straight ahead.

A lucky shot from the blue Fokker wounded the pilot of the grey-nosed Camel.

Turn 6:
All five aircraft moved slowly straight ahead.

Both Fokkers opened fire at close range on the DH.4.
[Note that aircraft using the autopilot rules ignore special damage]

The grey-nosed Camel and the DH.4 both fired close range bursts into the blue Fokker, wounding its pilot.

Turn 7:
The DH.4 turned away, trying to evade the Fokkers. The red Fokker performed an Immelmann turn to come face to face with the red-nosed Camel.

The blue Fokker opened fire on the grey-nosed Camel killing its pilot. [The second wound kills the pilot]. The red Fokker fired a close range burst into the red-nosed Camel, but did very little damage.

The two Camels and the DH.4's observer all firer into the red Fokker at close range.

With its pilot KIA, the grey-nosed Camel spiralled into the ground. 

Turn 8:
The DH.4 turned back towards the target, and both Fokkers turned after the DH.4.

The red Fokker opened fire on the DH.4 without doing any serious damage. The rear-gunner of the DH.4 returned fire causing the Fokker's engine to burst into flame.

Turn 9:
The DH.4 headed towards its target while Camel performed an Immelmann,

The red Fokker slipped left to reduce the effect of the flames and the blue Fokker continued to chase the bomber.

The flames did little damage to the red Fokker.

The blue Fokker exchanged fire with the DH.4's rear-gunner. The rear-gunner was a lucky shot, and smoke started pouring out from the Fokker's engine.

Turn 10:
The Camel turned back chasing the blue Fokker. The DH.4 continued towards the target with the blue Fokker on its tail, however because of the smoke pouring out of the engine couldn't gain any advantage of its position. The red Fokker slipped left to reduce the effect of the flames.

The Camel fired a long range shot into the blue Fokker hitting its engine. Even the rear-gunner in the DH.4 opened fire, even he hit the Fokker's engine. 

The Fokker engine seized because of the damage, and it tumbled earthwards.

Turn 11:
The red Fokker continued to slip left in order to reduce the effect of the flames. The Camel chased after it.

The flames from the burning engine and the burst of machine gun fir from the Camel hit the Fokker.

The Fokker could take no more damage, and tumbled in flames earthwards!

Turn 12:
The DH.4 flew over the target dropping its bombload.

As the DH.4 turned for home, smoke was seen rising from the supply dump.


Saturday, April 24, 2021

Camel vs Albatros on the Western Front

This is an attempt to use Wings of Glory on a hex mat. We use hexes in order to simplify play over the Internet while staying isolated at home. Each aircraft has a number of different manoeuvres it can perform, but instead of being represented by arrows they are represented by hexes traversed.

Captain Jack "Casanova" Yates and Lieutenant William "Billy the Bishop" Tempest were given a mission of patrolling over the trenches. 

Captain Jack "Casanova" Yates would fly his grey-nosed Sopwith Camel. Lieutenant William "Billy the Bishop" Tempest had a red-nosed Camel onto the top wings of which he had persuaded his erks to paint two red hearts. The erks have been trying very hard to find out the reason behind these two hearts, but all they have come up with so far is that he is a superb chess player (hence his nickname) and a copious beer drinker,

They took off from the aerodrome and headed towards the front lines. Once over the trenches, they spotted two Albatros D.Va scouts heading straight towards them.

Turn 2:
Both sides closed without any manoeuvring.

Turn 3:
Neither side wanted to turn away from the oncoming enemy.

Turn 4:
Yates slipped his grey-nosed Camel to the right, while the other three aircraft continued straight ahead.

Turn 5:
The Hun pilots decided to gang up on one of the Camels, they picked the red-nosed Camel flown by "Billy the Bishop" Tempest. Yates in the grey-nosed Camel attempted to come to his wingman's aid, but misjudged the turn.

Both Huns open fire on Tempest at long range. Tempest returned fire at the yellow-bodied Albatros; smoke started pouring out of its engine. 

Turn 6:
Tempest and yellow-bodied Albatros flew straight at each other while the black-bodied Albatros slipped right. Yates turned in too gently towards the fight.

Both Huns fired at Tempest who returned fire at the yellow-bodied Albatros. [This was close range, it looks like we forgot to draw two damage cards per aircraft firing, although we did remember to give aimed fire!]

Turn 7:
Both Tempest and the yellow-bodied Albatros performed Immelmann turns.

Tempest and the yellow-bodied Albatros opened fire on each other at point blank range. The black-bodied Albatros tried to get in a shot at Tempest, but his comrade flew in front of him blocking his aim.

Tempest's Camel could take no more damage.

Turn 8:
The yellow-bodied Albatros flew straight ahead while trying to unjam his Spandau's. Yates turned in onto yellow-body's tail.

Yates decided to fire at the already damaged yellow-bodied Albatros.

Turn 9:
Yellow-body performed an Immelmann turn as Yates chased after him.

Yates already had his aim in and yellow-body's engine now started making strange and worrying noises.

Turn 10:
Even Yates performed an Immelmann hoping to get on the tail of yellow-body, but he had slipped left so Yates came face-to-face with black-body instead.

They exchanged fire and now it was the turn of the engine in the Camel to start making weird noises.

Turn 11:
Yates turned towards the yellow-bodied Camel while black-body tried to follow him.

Turn 12:
Yates slipped to his left as the yellow-bodied Albatros flew into his gun sight.

Yates opened fire at close range.

and the Albatros could take no more punishment.

Turn 13:
Yates and the remaining Hun flew past each other without either getting in a good shot.

Turn 14:
The Hun flew straight ahead. Yates got onto his tail.

A short range burst shot holes in the black fuselage.

Turn 15:
The Albatros performed an Immelmann turn to face Yates.

They opened fire on each other at close range, wounding Yates.

Turn 16:
Yet again, Yates and the Hun flew past each other without either getting in a good shot.

Turn 17:
And yet again, Yates managed to get his more manoeuvrable Camel onto the tail of the Albatros.

Even though the burst was a long range, it did major damage to the Hun.

The Albatros could fly no more.

Captain Jack "Casanova" Yates returned home to the aerodrome, he performed a victory-roll above the hangers before landing to a hero's welcome.

Lieutenant William "Billy the Bishop" Tempest crash landed on his own side of the lines. He spent the afternoon up to his knees in mud before returning to the aerodrome on the back of a dispatch rider's motorcycle late that night. Already the next morning, he was on the hunt for red paint, so the erks could paint two hearts on another Camel.