Dogfight over the Alps

Today, after my foray into space (!) - we had a couple of games of Wings of Glory WW1 at the club. We decided to leave the familiar Western front and go to the Italian front.
We decided to fight an Austrian bombing mission with an equal number of scout aircraft.

Lawrence, Phil and I ran the Italians, 3 Hanriot HR1's. We started on the enemy's left rear.

 Our enemy, run by my solo rules, a UfaG supported by 2 Aviatiks. 

 These steamed on until they reached the table edge.

 Phil broke right while Lawrence and I continued the chase. 

 Finally, the Austrians turned to make a fight of it!

One Aviatik  moved to engage Lawrence and me.

 The UfaG and the other Aviatik went after Phil.

 I hoped the two Hanriots could kill the Aviatik quickly so we could help Phil.

 We did well, but Lawrence jammed his guns. 

 As we passed, I 'Immelmanned' to try to chase the Aviatik.

Phil, meanwhile, managed to neatly dodge the UfaG and get a shot at its escorting Aviatik... 

What do you know! A 'Bang' card! 

Down in flames! 

Phil then turned after the UfaG, but came under ineffectual fire from its rear gunner.  

 An overview, to show our relative positions.

 Lawrence was just out of range, and I was out of angle, of the Aviatik.

 I turned to engage the UfaG, and damaged it, but the wily Aviatik had followed me and caused a little damage.

Lawrence was just out of range of the Aviatik, but i was glad to have him around to help clear my rear! 

Phil was shadowing the UfaG. 

 As I tried to escape my pursuer, I came under fire from the Aviatik, and the UfaG's rear gunner!

 Not too bad.

Phil re-engaged, chasing the UfaG. 

I tried a sharp right evade, but the Aviatik hit my engine! 

 Lawrence tried to hit the UfaG, but sadly missed.

 At this point, it looked like the 'Indians' were being circled by the 'Wagon train'!

 The UfaG rear gunner was still taking pot shots at us!

 Lawrence peeled off and got on the Aviatik's tail...

...The Aviatik weaved right...

...then sharp left...and escaped! 

 

My plane, with its damaged engine, was falling behind Phil as he chased the UfaG.

 It seemed to be heading for the table edge...

 The rear gunner was keeping us in his sights, but we could not catch the bomber.

I gave up the chase, and turned to help Lawrence with the slippery Aviatik! 

 The Aviatik seemed to have grown tired of the game of cat and mouse, and headed for home.

Phil stayed behind the UfaG, but it, too, headed off table towards home. 

We had broken up the attack, so we declared it an Italian victory.

In the solo rules, the UfaG would only go straight to favour its rear gunner on a 5,6 (D6), it managed to do this for 3 straight turns!, which is why it left the table! Seemed right to us though, as we would have eventually worn the Austrians down.....I think!

Good game! The second was indecisive, as Phil and I fought the 3 Hanriots, and we could not knock each other down, but the Italians were looking a little the worse for wear when we called it a day!