Today, for a change from my beloved Sci-Fi games, and on the recommendation of a friend, I returned to the air with a solo game of Wings of Glory WW1.
Rather than doing the Western front, I got my Italian and Austro-Hungarians out.
I 'flew' a Hanriot HR1 and the solo system took my wingmen and the Austrians.
My Hanriot (74) in the lead, my two wingmen following.
Opposite us, the enemy! Two Aviatiks and a Phönix D.I
Our flights approached slightly asymmetrically, with my plane facing the right most Aviatik.
The Aviatik and I ended a move nose to nose, my wingmen decided to turn right to engage the other enemy scouts.
The Aviatik pilot missed me, my gunfire was rather more effective.
I 'Immelmanned' onto the Aviatik's tail, while my wingman (71) engaged frontally, unfortunately, we were all too close to get a shot!
My other wingman (78) engaged the Phönix but again ended too close...
...he was able to target the following Aviatik though!
The hapless Austrian exploded in a ball of flame and plummeted to earth.
My plane was trying to fall back to get a shot at the retreating Aviatik, but coming out of the Immelmann forced a fast move!
The wily Austrian pilot now did a sharp right.
The Phönix and the remaining Aviatik now manoeuvered to pincer my returning wingmen.
Belatedly, I turned my Hanriot after the Aviatik.
The Aviatik was now tussling with a Hanriot.
My other wingman, faster than the more manoeuverable but slower Phönix was keeping its distance.
Both Austrians now disengaged to rejoin forces.
My plane moved to attack.
Another indecisive pass.
My wingmen were moving to support me.
They picked on one enemy each. I would have to act quickly to make maximum use of our greater numbers.
Both Austrians now broke off to try and get on my wingman's (71) tail.
I Immelmanned but was blocked by 71!
Fortunately the Aviatik only caused slight damage to him.
The Phönix was circling...
...before turning in to engage me.
A wingman joined me, trying to finish the Phönix off.
The Phönix turned inside my wingman to escape.
As I tried to close on his tail, he weaved past a second Hanriot...
...but didn't escape a real lashing from its guns!
The Hanriot followed the slower Phönix easily, and continued hammering it with his guns.
My wingmen moved to pincer the Phönix...
...while I moved to tie down the Aviatik.
The Phönix put up a good fight...
Neither side landed a killing blow, but the Phönix took 2 more damage.
I managed to get a deflection shot on the Aviatik, but missed.
The Phönix slipped past the Hanriots.
The Phönix then Immelmanned to re-engage, while I tried to get behind the Aviatik...
...Unfortunately the Aviatik just managed to slip past my guns.
It felt at this point that it was the Italians who were outnumbered!
I managed to get a shot at the Phönix - but missed AGAIN!
The Aviatik was chasing one of my wingmen...who was trying to Immelmann.
The Aviatik was fooling us as it came after me.
I managed to stay between them and avoided getting shot.
The Aviatik flew on and shot ineffectively at my wingmen.
I tried to circle back onto the Phönix...
...but it Immelmanned again to turn the tables.
The Aviatik meanwhile was tying down my wingmen.
I Immelmanned back at the Phönix - and got a shot!
Of course, my guns jammed!!!
A wingman was coming to help me...
...until the Aviatik turned on our rear.
The Phönix disengaged, leaving both my wingmen free to help me against the Aviatik.
The Aviatik got a good hit on my wingman (71), though he got a good hit back, surely something had to crack soon!
I paralleled the Aviatik, while my wingmen got left behind.
My unjammed guns now hit the Aviatik as I turned in.
The Phönix was rejoining the battle...
...My wingmen were turning back but were far away.
I nearly got a good trade of shots with the Phönix - but was too close again.
We passed, and I saw a chance of turning on the Aviatik's tail.
The Aviatik turned to engage my wingmen, and got far the worse of the exchange for his trouble!
The Aviatik evaded the attack, and in doing so kept far from me too.
My wingman (71) was weaving with the Aviatik...
...neither side managed to get a good firing solution though.
My other wingman had passed the Phönix uneventfully...
...but this left it in my sights, with the other wingman on my left.
The Aviatik and my other wingman were moving to engage each other...
...but both my wingman (71) and I got the Phönix in a crossfire...
...the brave Austrian crumpled...
....and burst into flame before crashing.
The Aviatik broke off, leaving the Italians victorious!
Its funny though that the solo rules run Italians were more successful than my player run plane! - I only wrote the dratted thing!
Very nicely photographed and written engagement. Luckily I have some opponents with whom I can use my WoW/WoG biplanes.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks! - I will be so glad to get back to co-operative games, it is most of the fun in gaming, at least to me!!!
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