Epic Black Powder Waterloo Club Multiplayer Game

It was the Battle of Waterloo using the Epic Black Powder rules today, involving ten players and a massive 18' x 6' table for the whole day. I was in command of the French far right flank and, very much to my surprise, did a pretty good job of it, even after the Prussians turned up. It was a resounding victory for the French in the end too. A cracking day of wargaming, despite not really knowing what I was doing! Vive La France!

Algernon Pulls It Off! Facebook Group

Here's a link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1389643458696575/?ref=share

'Biggles and the Black Ravens' Scenario

 

I have just finished writing the penultimate scenario for the Algernon Pulls It Off! Jasta 18 project, which is one I initially rejected as being too similar to an earlier scenario. This one features the crew of No.55 Squadron, Independent Air Force, battling the pilots of  Jasta 18 amongst others, on a return flight from a bombing raid on Thionville in August 1918. There are a number of differences to the earlier scenario in the set up, most notably the lack of a formation and randomised battle damage for the Airco DH4 bombers, which make it a challenging game for the British but equally, far from a push over for the Germans. 

The scenario title comes from the interesting side note that 2nd Lt.W.E.Johns, author of the famous 'Biggles' stories, was not on the raid but might well have been, had he been assigned to the mission:

"The previous evening I was one of a poker school of six. By lunch time the next day I was the only survivor, and that because I wasn't on the show. 

Bell took a formation of six machines over and came back alone after fighting twenty-seven EA for the best part of an hour. Dowswell brought his machine back over the lines, but force-landed at Pont St Vincent. Gompertz was his gunner. He got two EA, but what a mess he was in when the tender brought him home! 

This was due to the fact that Dowswell had an aileron shot off and could only fly dead straight. Gompertz's Sidcot hung on him in ribbons; it had literally been shot off his back....one bullet only hit him in the shoulder. He didn't seem in the least upset. He just sat in the door of his hut, with the rags still hanging on him, and laughed." 

When Bell climbed from his solitary and shattered DH4 back at Azelot, he faced Major Gray. It was a grim exchange between two 'men of few words'. "Where are the others?" "They are all gone." Bell had a bullet score across the top of his flying helmet. The little top button had vanished''

Algernon Pulls It Off! Facebook Group

I feel like I'm sort of stepping on the toes of other Facebook groups, especially Bag the Hun, with the stuff I'm writing for Algernon Pulls It Off! I was wondering if there would be enough interest in a separate FB group for Algy? 

The idea would be to get more people to try out the rules, contribute game reports and general posts of interest in terms of modelling, painting, scenarios etc. Other groups exist for aerial wargaming and WW1 wargaming, but this would be a specific group. 

Also potential development of a new version of the rules bringing in elements of Bag the Hun 2 and a campaign system of some sort, as well as related TFL rules that might be connected to WW1 air wargaming. I've put out some feelers and will wait and see.

Bombs Away Biggles!

I was doing some online research for the next Jasta 18 scenario when I found an article originally written by Captain W.E.Johns, the author of the Biggles series of stories, based on a sortie that he had flown in the Summer of 1918 as a pilot in No.55 Squadron. The illustrations caught my eye, especially the one with the rear gunner chucking empty ammo drums at the enemy Fokkers! I really should try to include that in the scenario....?

'Flaming Sausages' Play Test Turn Cards

I've been a bit under the weather over the last couple of days, so not a lot has been done for the Algy Jasta 18 scenario project, apart from the play test cards for 'Flaming Sausages'. As you can see this is a pretty minimalist deck, consisting of only six cards, but that's all that's needed for the game, given that there's only one aircraft and the observation balloon 'Archie' gunners to think about. In fact, I was wondering about inventing some special cards to supplement these six, or possibly incorporating some blinds into the game, but I don't want to over complicate things as it's a solo set up. I've also found a copy of Cross and Cockade that I bought years ago, featuring several articles, photos and plans of observation balloons, that will be really useful when I get round to assembling the Tumbling Dice 1/600th scale model and if I can track down a model in 1/300th scale.

'Flaming Sausages!' Solo Scenario

 

I've just finished drafting the latest scenario for the Algernon Pulls It Off! Jasta 18 themed 'Raben's Raven's project, aptly titled 'Flaming Sausages!' This is a solo scenario designed to be played several times in order to achieve the highest overall victory point total, the ultimate goal being to 'flame' the observation balloon without being shot down. It's a simple set up so only a 'Sprog' difficulty rating but it really needs to be play tested to see if it works. That's the plan for the holidays in a few weeks time but, as this is a straightforward single player game, I may try to play it out over a weekend sooner rather than later. Raben Raus!

Archibald, Certainly Not!

I discovered yet another set of rules to use with my 1/600th scale WW1 aircraft today, with the added bonus of no hexes, a sensible initiative system and comprehensive lists of performance data for pretty much any aircraft you might want to deploy. It's an interesting system which bears some relation to Algernon Pulls It Off! including pilot ratings, for example, but also has some unique twists of its own. I'll print off a copy for a closer look but it does have some promise and would be ideal for solo player games.

'Balloon Buster' Scenario Research

 

Offz.Stv.Wilhelm Kühne

It's been another typical weekend so far, with lots of stuff getting the way of my wargaming pursuits. I have had a little time to mull over the next scenario for the Jasta 18 'Raben's Ravens' project, which is based on a solo balloon busting attack in late August 1918. The pilot who managed to 'flame' an American Caquot Type R observation balloon of the 6th Balloon Company, was Offizierstellvertreter Wilhelm Kühne, a highly experienced and aggressive veteran, who had already destroyed three other balloons and several enemy aircraft, winning the Iron Cross both first and second class. 

He most certainly can be considered a Junior Ace in game terms, as well as being an expert in balloon busting, for which I might invent a special character card or bonus. It's also of note that the AA gunners defending the balloon claimed to have damaged a Fokker DrI triplane rather than a Fokker DVII, which suggest that he was flying the triplane of the Jasta 18 commander, Ltn.August Raben, for some reason. Anyway, the idea is to write this up as a solo friendly scenario, with special rules to handle the defensive 'Archie' on the run in to the target, for which I already have some potential ideas. Tally Ho!

1/4800th Coronel and the Falklands

I was browsing through the Ark Royal Miniatures section of the League of Augsburg webshop today, after reading some of Barry Hilton's Dread Nought! game reports, when I discovered that he dies three packs of 1/4800th scale models for the the Battles of Coronel and the Falklands. Now, I already have virtually all of the ships for these two battles in 1/2400th scale from Tumbling Dice, but I am sorely tempted to have a look at doing the project in 1/4800th scale too, This would give me the option of trying out Dread Nought! Essentials, the introductory version of the yet to be published rules, and would speed up the process of getting the models painted, based and on to the table. Worth a closer look I think?