What? A Rick Rawlings Challenge?

[trustworthykebab 19]

I would love it! Thanks

[mandrews_2 11]

Fresh out of flight school, the young Stephen Edwards V reports duty with 40 squadron.  Major Parker tells him to get settled and that he'll need to get in a few orientation flights to familiarize himself with his plane and the area.

[Rick Rawlings 138]

Stephen Edwards the V, huh? Not much in the way of novelty in that family, eh? Welcome aboard!!!

[mandrews_2 11]

18 minutes ago, Rick Rawlings said:

Stephen Edwards the V, huh? Not much in the way of novelty in that family, eh? Welcome aboard!!!

Couldn't figure out how to get an A on the end.

[CastelEtzwane 23]

Well then this shall be my first go . . .  

'Charles Frederick Finney, replacement pilot, reporting for duty, sir.'

Six months flying time as a reconnaisance pilot with RFC-43 at Treizennes before being forced out with an injury.

A quiet sort, he earned the moniker 'Fisticuffs' after a run-in with the local gendarmes, who jailed him for rowdiness during a brief visit with his flight mates to the nearby village.

Fisticuffs remembers nothing of the incident and detests his new nickname.

note: Have been flying WOFF steadily since 2018, so have some experience.

 

 

[Rick Rawlings 138]

3 hours ago, CastelEtzwane said:

Well then this shall be my first go . . .  

'Charles Frederick Finney, replacement pilot, reporting for duty, sir.'

Six months flying time as a reconnaisance pilot with RFC-43 at Treizennes before being forced out with an injury.

A quiet sort, he earned the moniker 'Fisticuffs' after a run-in with the local gendarmes, who jailed him for rowdiness during a brief visit with his flight mates to the nearby village.

Fisticuffs remembers nothing of the incident and detests his new nickname.

note: Have been flying WOFF steadily since 2018, so have some experience.

 

 

Welcome aboard! and what a lovely mount!

We are almost there, everyone! Kickoff is Saturday!

Pilot list:

BuckeyeBob

TROOPER117

Rick Rawlings

Stache

MFair

HarryH

Baldric

Catch

Louvert

rjw

lofty_c

carrick58

trustworthykebab

mandrews_2

CastelEtzwane

 

[trustworthykebab 19]

J. "Guy" Humbert is ready with its bullet-fast Scout!

[Rick Rawlings 138]

OOOH! What would be really cool is if every mission, you painted a different person's name on it and then you shot that person down during the mission!!!

[trustworthykebab 19]

You sir can take the bother to ask the Germans everytime  At least they can know who they'll lose beforehand, eh?

[Rick Rawlings 138]

Oh, I was thinking you could do something easy, like your wingman!

[trustworthykebab 19]

18 hours ago, Rick Rawlings said:

Oh, I was thinking you could do something easy, like your wingman!

That might be an idea. Haven't heard of martial court in game yet. 

[Rick Rawlings 138]

1 hour ago, trustworthykebab said:

That might be an idea. Haven't heard of martial court in game yet. 

It would certainly inspire them to "try harder"!

[Beanie 4]

Good luck in the campaign.  I would loved to have taken part, but covid keeps changing things.  I will look forward to all the future stories

 

[trustworthykebab 19]

Beanie, I surely hope you'll get back to flying Covid free as soon as possible. Humbert will keep a couple of his kills in your honour

[Rick Rawlings 138]

Alright, alright, alright!

As we approach start date, let's keep a couple of things in mind:

1. Don't die on the first mission.

2. DON'T DIE ON THE FIRST MISSION! It happens and it sucks! I died on the third mission of the Brisfit Challenge when I was run into by a flight member in the landing pattern and let me tell you, those a*****es do. not. care. They are landing and if they have to go through you to do so they will! So let's ease into it.

3. Make sure you are all patched up! (This one is for me!)

4. I recommend getting Robert Wiggin's backup program as we have lost people due to computer crashes and other hardware failures. Check the mods page to get the link. (Or maybe Robert will put the latest link here, I don't want to give out outdated information)

5. People like to read the stories and look at the pictures and videos that are posted. So even if you have an uneventful sortie, type up a little something that adds to your character's legendarium, the more reporting the better!

6. We are skipping 2 days between each mission, so fly every three days unless one of the other conditions in the first post applies. Having said that, I am not going to be the date nazi so don't sweat it if you are day or so off, the main point is just to spread the career out over a couple of campaign months just to make it more interesting.

7. Please fill out the form at least every Saturday. You can do it as often as you like and I will just keep the last one.

8. And lucky number...uh, eight? Do keep in mind that under extreme circumstances, the SE5a will shed a wing:

Still a little miffed about that one...

So good luck and good luck!

 

Edited May 27, 2021 by Rick Rawlings

[Baldric 42]

Thank you sir, looking forward to getting stuck in.  I recall getting killed on the very first mission day for one of either a RR challenge, or something Olham had concocted (lol).  That sucked, but it was still fun to read about everyone else's exploits.

 

Right, well, off to the mess then briefings.  Must say I'm happy to be away from that Triggers fella and his flashgit swagger stick.

 

Luck lads ::proffers a three-quarters full bottle of fine rye whiskey::

[catch 81]

On 5/23/2021 at 6:42 AM, Rick Rawlings said:

Final, Final Challenge Form

I say old boy, I'm new to this comp see, so should the form be inserted in your first post so chaps don't have to search for it? And, when a chap submits it, where does it go and where do you put text/pics/vids?  This thread? 

[HarryH 17]

2 hours ago, Rick Rawlings said:

Alright, alright, alright!

As we approach start date, let's keep a couple of things in mind:

1. Don't die on the first mission.

2. DON'T DIE ON THE FIRST MISSION! It happens and it sucks! I died on the third mission of the Brisfit Challenge when I was run into by a flight member in the landing pattern and let me tell you, those a*****es do. not. care. They are landing and if they have to go through you to do so they will! So let's ease into it.

 

 

...and what is the first official start date, June1?

[HarryH 17]

cancel that, I found it. It's this Saturday!!  Don't die, don't die etc etc :)

[Rick Rawlings 138]

4 hours ago, catch said:

I say old boy, I'm new to this comp see, so should the form be inserted in your first post so chaps don't have to search for it?

Yes, but I am still about 57 posts away from being able to edit the main post, so we will have to settle for me linking it at regular intervals until I get Lou to edit it into the first post.

And, when a chap submits it, where does it go

To me when you click submit. Just like magic!

and where do you put text/pics/vids?  This thread? 

This very one!

 

[catch 81]

What sticks do you guys use? And what combat tactics do you use in the SE? I've just been toodling about in the quirk campaign mid 1915 just prior to the Eindeckers fronting up. So it's pretty relaxing so far kinda like beetling around in a civilian sim but with a bit of flak and checking out the artillery bursts below. The PBI ha. Who'd wanna be them. So I haven't come close to a hun kite yet. Then I thought shit I'd better get some combat practice in the old SE for the RR final, final challenge. And I got my arse handed to me thank you very much. Blast that Pol chap and his improved AI. 

I ask about the sticks because I've got the MSFFB2 which frankly sucks in WoFF as it goes berserk under extreme combat maneuvers. But then I do suck so I'm also to blame. It does work very well in other sims though. And disabling the force feedback. Well, just forget it. Brewers droop comes to mind.

As for the tactics, you don't get into a turn fight right? If above, it's just dive, shoot, hope you hit something and run away. If on the level, take a pot shot and run away. If under, run away and pray someone in your flight has got your tail covered? Is that about right?

[TROOPER117 146]

We're doomed... all doomed I tell you!  

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Rather like that Norwegian Blue then, eh?  We'll pass on, our pilots will be no more, they'll cease to be, they'll expire and go to meet their maker, they ... well, you get the picture.

Also, Rick, I've updated your first post to include all the relevant naughty bits.  And now I'm off to the Castle Anthrax to inquire about a grail and ... no, wait, different sketch.  Sorry, as you were. 

[Rick Rawlings 138]

50 minutes ago, RAF_Louvert said:

Also, Rick, I've updated your first post to include all the relevant naughty bits.  And now I'm off to the Castle Anthrax to inquire about a grail and ... no, wait, different sketch.  Sorry, as you were. 

Thank you!

 

7 hours ago, catch said:

As for the tactics, you don't get into a turn fight right? If above, it's just dive, shoot, hope you hit something and run away. If on the level, take a pot shot and run away. If under, run away and pray someone in your flight has got your tail covered? Is that about right?

The SE5a actually turns pretty well. I would say don't get involved in a sustained turn fight with DR I's and all, but it will do some turning. Also, while you are faster than just about everyone else, you are not faster than bullets, so make sure you have a reasonable head start and your speed is up before trying to run away. Also also, the AI seems to be able to dive better than you can before suffering structural collapse, so no guarantees about trying to outdive Albatros V strutters...

The best bet seems to be to try to stay on top of the fight, let most everyone else dive away and then take on the guys left on top or start picking targets below you. Also, I would recommend not necessarily following one guy all the way down at first but break off every now and again to see if there is a better situation around you. You can usually catch up to the guy you were originally chasing if everything else is going ok.

The speed feature of the SA series basically lets you pick when the fight starts and sometimes when it stops, so use that feature to take a moment and assess before committing. Once you are in the fight, it will matter less than the normal combat decisions you would make regardless the plane.

Also also also keep in mind I will probably not follow any of that sound advice myself, so just have fun and play your character!

*edit: As to the stick, I use the Thrustmaster TM16000, but I think some of the other guys use the one you have, maybe rjw, so maybe they will jump in here.

Edited May 28, 2021 by Rick Rawlings

[TROOPER117 146]

My stick... Thrustmaster warthog.