AMERICAN SUMMER campaign

[monse]

An American summer

A friendly confrontation based on a Wings of War West section mat and a 4-run scenario pitting Americans (pilot Monse) against Germans (pilot Tiopepe) in the summer of 1918 (German aircraft with nationality markings and right crosses post-April 1918).
This campaign is linked to the desire to use American aircraft in a relatively coherent way historically (the Nieuport 28 began to be removed from the front in August 1918, while the Fokker E.V arrived in the German squadrons).

Planes, balloon and ground targets involved in the campaign :




- Round 1 "Balloon drop": an Allied balloon is tasked with spotting five German entrenched infantry and artillery positions (including 2 machine guns and an anti-aircraft gun). Suggested post-game modification: replace a Trench card with a second AA gun). Two American fighters Spad XIII (Rickenbaker) and Nieuport 28 (Hartney) are tasked with protecting it from attack by a Fokker Dr.I (Rahn) and a Pfalz D.III (Holtzem).
One of the German fighters is equipped with incendiary bullets, but the Americans don't know which one: it will be identified when the balloon or aircraft suffers special damage (excluding flame) or a value of 5 points (WOG rules p35).
The anti-aircraft gun can take aim without having been discovered by the balloon's observers, but will be revealed when the gun is fired (antiaircraft gun rules, pages 32 to 34 WOG Rules and Accessories booklet).
At the end of each game turn (three programmed maneuver cards), the balloon loses one climb counter (or one altitude level if no climb counter) and one ground target card is revealed.
The balloon is defended by two anti-aircraft machine guns, which can only target aircraft at altitudes 1 and 2.
At the start of the game, the aircraft start at altitude 4, and the balloon also at altitude 4 and two climb counters.

- Round 2 "Two-seaters on the horizon": two American two-seaters Airco DH4 (50th Squadron AEF) and Bréguet 14 (Browning/Duke), each with a bomb load, are tasked with neutralizing the anti-aircraft gun first, then possibly 4 trench positions, two of which have anti-aircraft machine guns. The German sector is protected by a Fokker E.V (Lowenhardt) recently arrived on the front and an Albatros D.Va (Jentsch).

- Round 3 "Heavy in action": a French Caproni Ca.3 bomber (CEP 115), escorted by a US SPAD XIII (Luke), lends a hand to their allies by destroying the enemy positions resisting the first offensive with three bomb loads. Two highly maneuverable German fighters Fokker D.VII (Starck) and Siemens Schuckert D.III (Lange) will try to prevent this.

- Round 4 "Soldiers, let’s attack!" American ground troops will have to cross the width of the map to seize enemy positions, with air support from a RAF SE5a (Boudwin) and a Spad VII (Soubiran). Two German two-seater assault aircraft Halberstadt CL.II (Schwartze/Schumm) and Hannover CL.IIIa (Luftstreikrafte) will harass the US infantry (represented by two cards that will advance one card's width at the end of each game turn).
At the start of this round, American soldiers are positioned in two waves, with cards A and B placed one behind the other (Troop cards from a WW2 box). Both cards are advanced by one card at the end of each round (round = three phases of movement card programming).
The two German two-seater assault aircraft each carry 3 charges of anti-personnel grenades: it is decided that the bomb card must cover the central red dot on the infantryman card to eliminate it (partial coverage of the infantryman card without the covered red dot will have no effect).
It was also agreed that US infantrymen in the open cannot fire on aircraft, unlike entrenched troops (trench card able to fire infantry).

For practical purposes, each player controls two different aircraft, with a pack of Wings of War maneuvers for one miniature and Wings of Glory maneuvers for the other, to facilitate card retrieval and sorting after each game phase.
Maneuver cards are sorted by movement type (straight line, turn, swooping maneuvers, etc.) on the card holders.
Each side has its own A and B damage decks: WoW A and WoG B for the Germans, and WoG A and WoW B for the Americans, to make it easier to sort the A and B cards at the end of the game, and to distribute the damage evenly between the two players.
The C damage pack for anti-aircraft guns and aircraft collisions is common to both sides.

Set up report is now closed.
In the heat of the summer, engines are heating up.
Let’s take off !

Views of the battlefield :

[monse]

Round 1 "Balloon drop"
see first report for set up.


1-2. The German fighters split up to attack the balloon in two different sectors, with the Fokker DrI coming under fire from the Spad XIII.
3. However, the triplane is rewarded for its daring approach with a long-range shot at the balloon.
4. Unperturbed by the American fighters, the Pfalz is able to carry out two successive strafing attacks on the balloon. The damage sustained is not yet indicative of the use of incendiary ammunition.



5. The Fokker maneuvers skilfully and flies over the balloon without, then with, a climbing counter to avoid collision, the balloon in the meantime being without a climbing counter.
6. The Spad finally manages to intercept the Pfalz. After an Immelman, the Nieuport misses the Fokker by a few millimeters.
7. He makes up for it on the next move, thanks to a wide right-hand slide that avoids a collision and allows a short-range shot at the Fokker, which lets out a plume of smoke.
8. The Nieuport takes its first damage from the Pfalz, which rises above the balloon and jams its machine guns. Still no sign of incendiary bullets.



9. The Spad and Fokker are reunited, with the American's guns jammed. Three German positions have already been identified by the observers in the balloon.
10. Taking advantage of the withdrawal of the jamming and smoke counters, the two black-crossed fighters return to their lines, cleverly luring the Americans into the firing path of the newly-armed cannon, thus having no effect on the Spad covering the artillery counter (the counter only bursts on the 2nd move after arming).
11. The two American planes fire on the Pfalz, which is destroyed with only five high-value damage cards. Before falling, the German has time to retaliate, choosing as target the Nieuport, which has already drawn many damage cards. The Fokker takes advantage of its wingman's ambush to return to the aerostat.
12. The Fokker fires two consecutive shots at the balloon, which bursts into flames (flame damage card, still no trace of incendiary ammunition).



13. Despite their higher speed, the US fighters struggle to catch up with the Fokker. All enemy positions have now been identified, and the balloon is only halfway down.
14. Absorbed in its maneuver programming and guilty of carelessness, the Spad flies over the artillery counter, which bursts, miraculously causing no damage (damage card C zero).
15. It's the Nieuport's turn to score victorious shots at the Fokker.
16. The triplane bravely faces up to its adversaries and takes aim at the Nieuport.



17. Then the Fokker fires on the balloon (eventhough the Spad was also in the angle of fire).
18. A 90° right turn saves the Nieuport from going out of bounds.
19. For the next seven moves, the agile Fokker maneuvers with subtlety and eludes its opponents.
The balloon has been brought to altitude 1 (with two counters up). The triplane fires again at the balloon, but without any visible consequence, and the anti-aircraft machine gun takes advantage of the Fokker's descent to altitude 2 to shoot it down.


Conclusion
20. The balloon will have to undergo major repairs before it can be used again. The flame damage did not accelerate its destruction. Half the damage is 0.
The Spad is intact, while the Nieuport narrowly escapes elimination with 12 points of damage (for a resistance of 14).
It was the Pfalz DIII that was equipped with incendiary ammunition, but it had no effect, as the damage sustained by the Nieuport 28 and the balloon was not affected.
Please note: no collisions between aircraft or balloons occurred during this game (players gain experience!!).


Victory point calculation
2 points for each enemy fighter downed
1 point for each enemy fighter removed from the mat / -1 point for the side of the removed fighter
10 points for enemy balloon destroyed
5 points for enemy balloons with less than half their resistance points in play at the end of the game
1 point for each enemy ground position identified
1 point for each fighter still in play
2 points for balloons still in play

Total
Americans: 13 points
(5 points for 5 identified ground positions)
(4 points for 2 enemy fighters shot down)
(4 points for 2 planes and the balloon still in play at the end of the game)
Germans: 5 points
(balloon has lost more than half its resistance points)

No sooner had the balloon landed than the engines of the American two-seaters roared to life, their pilots knowing exactly which targets to drop their bombs on.
Follow the story of their mission in Round 2 "Two-seaters on the horizon".

[camelbeagle]

Nice! Glad to see the Americans in action! Looks like a great game!

[monse]

Second round "Two-seaters on the horizon”
see first report for set up.

All aircraft start at altitude 3 and all two-seaters and bombers fire single machine guns (B damage), even if the corresponding aircraft cards specify A damage.
Explosion cards do not count towards damage.


1. The American two-seaters fly along the mat, alternating between a straight line and a stall, to approach the axis of their main target, the anti-aircraft gun.
2. Concentrating on their approach, they ignored the opposing fighters, and the Albatros fired the first long-range rounds of the day at the DH.4, which had no angle from which to return fire.
The Bréguet and Fokker EV take a climb counter thanks to a climb card to avoid possible fratricidal collisions.
3. The artillery counter of the air cannon is positioned and will only explode after the 2nd aircraft maneuver. It's the Albatros and DH.4 that inaugurate C damage following a collision at the same altitude without a climb counter.
4. The two-seaters both dived down to altitude 2, and the Bréguet crew announced the start of the bombardment, happy to have escaped the cannon fire whose artillery counter was not covered by the aircraft.
Tiopepe decides to adjust the shot (optional rule on page 34) by positioning the artillery counter at a distance ruler on the supposed trajectory of the DH4.
The Breguet can't fire on the Albatros at altitude 3, as their bases overlap.



5. A shot on target for the Bréguet. The cannon is pulverized and won't have the chance to fire on the DH.4.
6. The DH.4 makes a right slip and a hard left turn, skimming dangerously close to the edge of the mat and lightening itself with a few explosive projectiles on one of the anti-aircraft guns.
Mission accomplished for the American two-seaters. German fighters rush to claim their revenge.
7. An exchange of fire between a trench and the Bréguet, as well as between the DH.4 and the Albatros, both at long range, one altitude level apart.
Faced with such an outburst of violence, the Fokker regained altitude and bided its time to pounce on its prey.
8. Consecutive shots follow on the next move, and it's bloody:
The Albatros dives to the same altitude as the DH.4 and takes engine damage, while the two-seater's rear gunner is wounded at point-blank range.
The Bréguet flies over the trench and can't retaliate: an infantry fire inflicts a right-side rudder damage that is not very penalizing given its position near the right edge of the mat.



9. Determined to weaken the ground targets to facilitate the Caproni bomber's next mission, the 2 two-seaters make another pass and come under heavy anti-aircraft machine-gun and infantry crossfire from the trenches: limited effects for the Bréguet (which can turn right again) with a rudder blocked to the left and an engine damage (one stall card to be programmed per turn for the rest of the game).
Like a savage hyena, the Fokker stays at a safe distance in search of a wreck to finish off.
10. However, the result of the ground fire is likely to be fatal for the DH.4: 4 points of machine-gun damage, coupled with flame damage, the rudder blocked left and right and the edge of the mat looming on the horizon...
The Albatros struggles to get back into the action, handicapped by its engine damage.
11. The DH.4 comes under further fire from the anti-aircraft machine gun and the trench. It tries to delay the fatal outcome by programming a stall to slow down.
The Fokker dives, firing at a higher altitude and causing more damage to the Breguet, which can nevertheless return fire.
12. A right turn marked the DH.4's last attempt to survive, as it regained its ability to move too late, and ended up tragically off the mat.
The Albatros' efforts to get back on the Breguet are rewarded with a long-range shot.



13. The Fokker loses altitude again, ending in a collision with the Bréguet: the C-damage pickaxe is back in action.
In the distance, the wreckage of the DH.4 marks the first airborne loss of the day.
14-15-16. Thanks to the stall imposed by the engine damage, the sequence of the next 6 maneuvers enabled the Bréguet to benefit from the unexpected escort of the two German fighters, without the latter being in firing position.



17-18-19. Generous in the distribution of its cartridges, the two-seater was not above aiming at its guardian angels.
A final strafing run over the trench failed to eliminate it, while the Bréguet preferred to fire at ground targets rather than enemy aircraft when the choice presented itself.
20. Vaccinated by the American's front and rear syringes, the Fokker preferred to avoid contamination and took to fly away suffering smoke damage.
Imagining it could add the Albatros to its list of honours, the presumptuous Bréguet delayed its exit from the field by making a turn, but thus offered itself to the vengeful fire of the German at short range.



21-22. The rear machine gun is called into action again on the last two moves, with a consecutive shot at the Albatros, which, failing to disintegrate, makes a programming error and leaves the field.

Conclusion
23. A plane lost for each side.
The Fokker finishes this round almost intact, the collision having had no effect on it, and more than 80% of B damage received was 0 (for the Albatros, 50% of B damage was 0).
Two-seaters are very effective for bombing (with the help of bombing charts) and ground attack, thanks to their left and right glide maneuvers to position themselves on the target.
But strafing on the ground is risky, as infantry fire aimed at 180° can cause serious damage.


Victory point calculation
2 points per enemy fighter shot down
1 point for each enemy fighter taken off the game area / -1 point for the side of the eliminated fighter
5 points for each enemy two-seater shot down
2 points for each enemy two-seater taken off the game area / -1 point for the side of the two-seater taken off the game area
2 points for each ground position destroyed
1 point for each fighter and two-seater still in play

Total 2nd round
Americans: 5 points
(4 points for a machine-gun and cannon destroyed)
(1 point for the Albatros out)
(-1 point for the DH.4 out)
(1 point for a two-seater still in play)
Germans: 2 points
(2 points for DH.4 out)
(-1 point for the Albatros out)
(1 point for a fighter still in play)

Cumulative total for rounds 1 and 2
Americans: 13+5 = 18
Germans: 5+2 = 7

The Caproni bomber painfully takes off to finish shelling the remaining positions.
Will his mission be successful?
Find out soon in Round 3 of "Heavy in Action".

[CrashCraig]

Great action & pics Simon. Enjoyable read.

[camelbeagle]

Nice Two Seater game! Awesome!

[Teaticket]

I love the Breguet. Good to see it survived and did a lot of damage to the Hun on the ground. Good luck to the Caproin next round.

[Biggles downunder]

What a great series of encounters!

[monse]

Third round "Heavy in action”
see first report for set up

All planes start at altitude 3.
Explosion cards do not count towards damage.


1. After following the edge of the mat, the Caproni makes a turn towards the ground positions, while the Siemens and the Spad (which has gained a climb counter) exchange the first shots, with engine damage for the American: the imposed programming of one stall per game turn will prove to be an asset for getting into favorable shooting positions in the following phases of the game.
2. The two opposing fighters pass each other without colliding, thanks to the Spad's climbing counter (Siemens aircraft card under the Spad base). The Siemens and Caproni strafe each other.
3. As a visible consequence, the bomber lets out a plume of smoke and collides with the two German aircraft.
4. Three left and right turns don’t help the Caproni pilots to align with the trenches, but the front machine gun fired on the infantry, who retaliated by neutralizing the rear defender.
The Spad followed up with a split-S and found itself facing the Fokker for a long-range exchange of fire.



5. The Caproni unconvincingly drops its first load of bombs, causing no damage to the second trench.
6. On the next move, it was targeted by three German positions.
The Fokker recklessly performs an Immelmann in front of the Spad (airplane card under the Fokker base in the first photo), which scores a hit on the German but jams its guns.
7. Leaving the Spad exposed to Siemens fire, the Fokker dashes towards the bomber, which is once again the target of the trenches.
8. An exchange of fire ensues with the bomber's front gunner.



9. The Fokker continues its straight trajectory towards the edge of the mat. During this phase, only one trench fires on the Caproni.
10. The Spad, at altitude 3, flies over the Caproni and fires at long range at the Fokker, which has slowed down and stalled, but is still heading for the exit...
11. The German recovers thanks to a 90° left turn that saves him from elimination, but he remains caught under fire from the Spad, which causes a fire.
The Siemens aims opportunely at the American fighter.
12. The Fokker has begun to accumulate A damage from the removal of the flame tokens, and comes to remind the Spad with tracer bullets.
The latter prepares the ground for the Caproni, which has managed to position itself correctly in line with the anti-aircraft gun to trigger the bombardment.



13. The two fighters are out of range of each other by one altitude level.
The bombs landed right on the entrenched machine gun, but infantry fire deprived the Caproni of its left and right movements close to the edge of the mat. Will the French crew suffer the same fate as their American counterparts in the DH.4 during round 2?
14. Irresistibly attracted by the big wounded bird, the Fokker tried to finish off the Caproni, but found itself targeted by the Spad, which had performed a split-S and an Immelmann to get behind the German fighter.
15. The destruction of two emblematic figures of the playground:
Despite a last-ditch attempt to slow down, the Caproni ended its career off the mat with a final bomb load in its hold and half its structural points intact.
Thanks to a consecutive shot, the Spad administers the fatal salvo to the Fokker, whose 16 points of resistance are exceeded.
16. With the two remaining trenches in danger of jeopardizing the ground assault in round 4, the Spad was obliged to eliminate them despite an enemy fighter on its tail.



17-18. Only once did the Siemens manage to open fire on the American fighter, which maneuvered with difficulty in search of the right attack trajectory on the ground targets.
19. Thanks to some acrobatic evolutions, the Spad escaped the Siemens, and its perseverance was rewarded as the two aircraft overlapped at different altitudes: one of the trenches was finally destroyed.
20. The two fighters crossed each other's paths on several occasions, but stayed out of each other's range.



21. The Spad made two offensive passes over the trench, which was still holding out.
22. Losing all lucidity about his aircraft's very wide manoeuvres, the American pilot tried to link a series of left turns to bring him back on target, and then performed a right slip which took the aircraft off the field.

Results
23. Two Allied aircraft destroyed by leaving the playfield and one German fighter shot down. The Siemens took only 2 damage 0 (A and B) and 4 damage C (from the collision with the Caproni), while the Spad had only 4 points of structure left. Here are the number of damage points sustained by the remaining trench.

Bombing at minimum altitude (2) exposes aircraft to infantry and anti-aircraft machine-gun damage, which proved fatal to two bombers in the last two rounds. In future, it will be necessary to master bombing at higher altitudes to stay out of range of ground defenses (excluding anti-aircraft guns).


Calculation of victory points
2 points per enemy fighter shot down
1 point for each enemy fighter removed from the playing field / -1 point for the side of the removed fighter
10 points for enemy bomber shot down
5 points for the enemy bomber taken off the playing field / -2 points for the camp of the bomber taken off the playing field
2 points for each ground position destroyed
1 point for each fighter and 2 points for the bomber still in play

Total 3rd round
Americans: 3 points
(4 points for two trenches destroyed)
(2 points for the destroyed Fokker)
(-3 points for the fighter and bomber out)
Germans: 7 points
(6 points for the fighter and bomber out)
(1 point for a fighter still in play)

Cumulative total 1st, 2nd and 3rd rounds
Americans: 13+5+3 = 21
Germans: 5+2+7 = 14

En route to round 4
Anxiety grips the American infantrymen as they attack the last German trench.
Will the fighters of the American Expeditionary Force succeed in neutralizing this point of resistance, while protecting the soldiers exposed to the dreaded German two-seater assault aircraft?
The rest is up to the whistle of the sergeant in charge in the fourth round: "Soldiers, we attack!"

[Hu Rhu]

Well done Simon for some excellent scenarios and some great AARs. Rep inbound.

[monse]

Fourth run "Soldiers, let's attack!"
see first report for set up

Between the two rounds, the remaining German trench has been reinforced with troops and begins round 4 with a resistance of 5 (a choice with far-reaching consequences for the course of the game).


1. From the outset, the Spad VII dived to altitude 2 in preparation for strafing the trench, its slower speed than that of the SE.5a making it easier to stay close to the target. This avoids any collision between the two wingmen as they maneuver close together.
2. First long-range shots between the Hannover and the SE.5a, punished by the traditional engine damage and jammed machine guns for the American.
3. The Hannover's rear gunner comes into action, causing smoke to billow from the SE.5a.
The Spad dives again to altitude 1 for a short-range exchange of fire with the trench, marked by damage to the left rudder.
4. Unable to program a Split S (altitude too low) or an Immelmann (sequence too long with the edge of the carpet nearby), the Spad attempts a sequence of right turns.
The Halberstadt takes advantage of the SE.5a's last jamming counter to fire at the temporarily disarmed fighter. But the German jams his rear machine gun.



5. Deprived of its ability to move, the Spad rolls off the mat. The SE.5a found itself alone, facing two over-armed two-seaters and a trench to be destroyed to allow the passage of ground troops.
The American and the Halberstadt, at different altitudes, cannot fire on each other, as their bases overlap.
American troops continue their advance into hostile territory.
6. The jammed Halberstadt is victim of a shot from the SE.5a.
7. No exchange of fire possible from the Halberstadt on the SE.5a, whose bases once again overlap.
The soldiers are machine-gunned by the Hannover, which has performed a Split-S to descend to altitude 2 (hence the multitude of climb counters on its base).
8. The SE.5a begins its thankless but vital mission against the trench, as the troops close in.



9. For a successful shot against the trench, the SE.5a will receive infantry fire for three maneuvers.
10-11. The Halberstadt strafed the American infantry twice, and the next maneuver saw it blocked in front of the trench.
The Hannover performed an Immelman, bringing it back to altitude 3, out of range to fire on ground targets.
12. The Halberstadt's front machine gun had no time to cool down and greeted the SE.5a with a volley of lead, which had once again come under fire from the trench.



13. Determined to protect his compatriots on the ground, the American pilot performs a Split-S to overcome the entrenched infantry, who in return inflict two damages to his left and right rudder. The two enemy aircraft cross paths and cannot fire at each other.
14. The Halberstadt caught up with the next movement and strafed the SE.5a, as well as one of the American infantry sections. But its rear machine gun jammed again.
15. The SE.5a is nearing the edge of the mat and its probable demise: forbidden to turn left or right, and deprived of Immelmann due to the stall imposed by the engine damage, the fighter climbs to altitude level 2 before continuing in a straight line.
16. The SE.5a manages to perform a Split-S at the very edge of the mat, which takes it to altitude level 1.
The Hannover returns to the game in explosive fashion, dropping a bomb right in the middle of the troops.



17. The remaining infantry section narrowly escapes the Halberstadt bombardment (center of the target card not covered), but the Hannover's rear gunner finishes off the last survivors.
18-19. The SE.5a fires a final shot into the trench with no result, while the Halberstadt fires twice at the American fighter, which is finally eliminated due to a second engine damage and a second crew damage card.
20. The Germans are the masters of the skies and the terrain, with their two two-seater planes targeted just once (2 points of damage each) and a trench that held out to the end (4 points of damage for a resistance of 5).
On the left of the photo, the damage received by the SE5a: 12 points of damage inflicted by the trench and 13 points of damage caused by the German two-seaters.


Calculation of victory points
2 points for each enemy plane shot down
1 point for each enemy plane taken out of play / -1 point for the side of the plane taken out of play
2 points for each enemy land position destroyed (trench or infantry troop)
1 point for each aircraft still in play
10 points for the side occupying the field at the end of the game

Total 4th round
Americans: -1 point
(-1 point for Spad VII out)
Germans: 20 points
(4 points for two fighters destroyed)
(4 points for two infantry cards destroyed)
(2 points for two aircraft still in play)
(10 points for occupied terrain)

Cumulative total 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th rounds
Americans: 13+5+3-1 = 20
Germans: 5+2+7+20 = 34

Conclusion
Total German victory.
The German two-seater assault aircraft proved to be very effective, combining maneuvering, shooting and bombardment, under Tiopepe's expert guidance.
Once again, fire from the entrenched infantry proved fatal to the US planes, which were unable to fulfill their role of protecting the troops on the ground.
It was a harsh American summer.

[malachi]

A cool series - well done, Simon!

[flash]

Excellent series of games, Simon, thanks for showing us a little summer, we could all do with a little of that right now.

[ArkansasChuck]

Simon, that was fun and those balloons looks awesome! Kudos to you. Make sure since you're playing in the USA you have beer and BBQ ready for the pilots when they return home!