Tripods Scenario 2 - A Spark of Hope April 1st 1918

My second attempt at a TnT game and first using rockets and pilot skills with planes. Set up as per the scenario notes with the N16 (1) starting at altitude 4, assuming Tripods are altitude 1. The only difference was that I introduced a second N16 (2) at altitude 2 from the centre of the earthling side at the end of the 5th turn. Otherwise all other rules used including Black Smoke. N16 (1) pilot was Lt Jacques Cousteau who had the Itchy Trigger skill and the second N16 (2) piloted by Capitaine Henri Leconte had the Sniper skill. Both planes were loaded with two sets of rockets which could be fired independently or together.

Having established that the Martians did exist and what weaponry they had, French Lieutenant Yves Le Prieur had developed a new form of his rockets to combat the Tripods which incorporated a sealed glass capsule of petrol. The rockets, already had proven unstable against Balloons so this addition was a bit unknown and a little feared by the pilots who were tasked with using them for the first time. Individual planes had been sent up to scour the countryside for the giant stalkers, with the intention that should reports of destruction come in, then more could rush to the relevant zones to take them on, as it was clear in a straight 1-1 the Martians would win every time with their superior weaponry.
So it was that Lt Cousteau found himself in the air at high altitude when he saw a Tripod closing in the distance, seemingly intent on destroying a number of significant buildings between them.
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The two combatants close, Lt Clouseau unaware if the Martian had actually seen him, or bothered that he was there. They had already disposed of a number of his colleagues on photo recon missions. Clouseau nervously looked across at the rocket racks attached to his wings and eyed up the firing trigger in the cockpit. He was glad he had them but was unsure whether they would work against these metal monstrosities.
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The two continued to close and although out of range, the Tripod laid down and acrid Smoke Screen behind it. Cousteau took the opportunity to fly high overhead and have a close look at the enemy.
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Clouseau put his plane into a dive to close the gap and turned towards the machine’s front, meanwhile the Tripod moved over a wooden hangar, luckily not being used at this time. The Martian watched the plane approach, too high to do any damage recharged it’s energy before totally destroying the target in one fell swoop.
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Lt Clouseau continued to manoeuvre to try to face the machine’s unprotected side to make the most of the rocket power, meanwhile the Tripod moved onto a nearby church and laid down some more smoke cover.
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There was much confusion and shouting from the people who had sort refuge in the holy building as the Tripod stood astride the main roof. Then without warning the hiss of the Martian heat ray lanced forth from the front of the machine, the target however, was not the plane which was still too high, but the people assembled below in the sanctuary, deathly silence followed the ray as it powered down and Clouseau could clearly see the destruction below.
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Clouseau used his height to fly above the dark cloud to come back round while the Martian showed a new trick and seemed to sap the very energy from the church and its surroundings. A strange red weed was left once this recharge had taken place.
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Ominously, the Tripod then slowly destroyed what was left of the church ruins before moving on.
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At this point, Capitaine Leconte joined the fight having had some reports of fighting and destruction in the area and seeing the large Black Smoke clouds that filled the sky. This was his first sight of the Martian machines and initially he was stunned into inaction.
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Appalled by what he had just witnessed and with tears in his eyes, Clouseau put his plane into a dive to come within range to use his guns at long range and blasted away at a protected side of the machine, glad to see a flicker in the tripod defence as it lost energy. Meanwhile the ungainly legs has moved onto a third target, the local factory. Seemingly confused by the two targets now, a canister of black smoke winged it’s way towards LeConte, completely enveloping his plane.
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Leconte stunned by the acrid smoke had sustained minor damage so put his plane into a dive to come out the other side. Meanwhile Clouseau pleased with his success strove to avoid the massive machine whilst again, it seemed to drain energy from the factory surroundings leaving the eerie red weed in its place.
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The Martian enemy then nonchalantly destroyed the ruined factory, it’s third target, before moving away towards the last remaining, confident with only minor damage sustained up to now. Clouseau was trying to get into position to fire his rockets, performing an Immelmann over a local school, full of frightened school children and teachers.Leconte also was trying to get the perfect run in to use his rockets to their full effect.
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Once turned, Clouseau let loose with one set of rockets, watching them wind closer to their target. Unfortunately for him, the Tripod had also move directly towards him so he was directly over the tripod as the rockets fired, avoiding the collision only because of his higher altitude.
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Watching the rockets spin harmlessly off into the distance, Clouseau turned back towards his enemy and fired the second volley of rockets using all his Itchy Finger skill he could muster. Leconte was trying to line his machine up to run from distance, meanwhile the Tripod had turned away from the school to head away. However, it decided to face the flyers to be able to use it’s heat ray to good effect, thus exposing it’s unprotected front.
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The school inhabitants had a close view and let out a loud cheer as the N16 of Clouseau closed on the Tripod with the rockets finding their target into the heart of the machine, flames starting to envelop the legs. Meanwhile Leconte had moved directly in front of the Tripod too and let fire with both sets of rockets using his sniper skill. As expected however, the Martian fired its devastating heat ray, unable to hit the overlapping Clouseau but hoping to damage the oncoming Leconte.
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The heat ray surprisingly had no effect on the N16 of Leconte as the Martian tried despairingly to reverse out of the position it found itself in, whilst Clouseau moved out of the way seeing the smoke trails of the incoming rocket salvo making their way to the Tripod.
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The rockets all hit home at the same time hitting something vital on the main body of the Tripod causing it to explode and end its destruction for that day.
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Overall, a victory for the French forces but at the cost of three target buildings and loss of human life, the battle continues. Perhaps now, with the tested use of the new rockets, we have a weapon to fight back with!
Hooray!

Butchers Bill

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