1916, over the Somme

Setup for my first 1916 game...

A cold January morning in 1916 over the Somme.  The British have sent up a BE2b spotter plane to monitor German activity.  The Fokker Menace is very much still ongoing, but has been checked by the French use of the Nieuport, a plane that matches the dreaded Eindecker in use of a mechanism to shoot through the propeller. 

The BE2 crew are the unpromising (many would say false promising) Smythe twins, Ian and Duncan, who are purported to have once held high rank but are now embittered, and except for Duncan's shotgun, unarmed.  

The portly Hun, the Blue Baron, Manfred Von Pumphosen, newly appointed to a Reconnaissancee Jasta has taken up his new aeroplane, a nice blue Roland two seater where pilot and gunner are seated over the wings.  This gives a poor view below, but like the Eindecker has an excellent view above.

It means that Manfred can store his picnic hamper between his knees and throw chicken bones into the trenches below.

The Baron jumps on the unsuspecting BE2.  in my Algy games I allow shooting between one level of heights to reflect the dogfighting of the time as I see it.  Here the Baron ambushes from above.

The Baron shoots down the Smythe brothers BE2

Into the mix flies the FE2b of Sprog Lieutenants Kenny Clarke and Joey Johnson.  This well armed two seater  is much more of a match for the Hun, pity about the idiot newbies flying it.

The FE2B.

The Baron tries his ambush tactics again, but the FE2B fights back.

They get a couple of Lewis drums off

The Baron comes around again and has an excellent hit ratio from his spandaus.

The British plane is down on flames

Lastly this morning the Nieuport 11 of Capitaine Maurice Le Coq is prowling around.  Some people call him the Space Cowboy, some call him the Hamster of Love, some people call him Maurice, because he speaks the pompitious of Love...  Ooh la la, he's  French...

For the meaning of the word pompitious I refer you to the Steve Miller band circa 1973, if you find out please let me know.

Some people call him Maurice

Maurice circles the Baron.  His Nieuport is a far better aircraft than the Roland. 

But the baron is quick on the turn and gives him a good burst from the spandau.

They even go head on.

The Nieuport is damaged.  It's engine shot up.

Coaxing his engine Maurice goes into the turn.

Maurice gets a good burst into the Roland

The Roland is crippled and spins down

The Baron recovers the spin and runs for it.  His gunner has been killed.

But n his crippled plane the Hamster of love can`t give chase.  It's game over.

Whilst acknowledging his superior pilot skills Capitaine Le Coq's fitness report in 1916 showed that, in his Commanding Officer's opinion, Maurice was "Lovey Dovey, Lovely Dovey all the time," and only sought to enjoy a "good time..."

The Baron has two kills to his name already and will have his revenge on this Frenchman.