BHAHII Missions and Campaigns

[Rick Rawlings 136]

2nd Lt. John Rockitt

94th Aero Sqn.

April, 1918

 

Went up on a behind-our-own lines patrol today as there are a few of us new pilots that need to get used to the area. It was supposed to be a safe flight, but we were attacked by Pfalz scouts which were a few thousand feet above us. We had to climb and the fight took on a strange dynamic as a few came down to us at a time:

 

I put many rounds into one, but he was awarded to the other guy that collided with him. Since they both fell to their deaths, I didn't feel too bad about this. But then our guy recovered and I began to think that maybe I should get some credit? I mean, I managed to not collide with the enemy! Shouldn't that count more? Anyway, the other new pilot, Little, was also killed. He did not get better...

[Rick Rawlings 136]

Rother Nought

RNAS 3rd Sqn

Aug 31, 1916

Scramble Mission.

ROLANDS!!!

 

I'd say we got the worst of it! That guy was shooting at me upside down!

[TROOPER117 146]

Those Roland's are always a pain!... their gunners are good too, you have to be careful.

Word is the chaps are calling them 'Rats'.

[Rick Rawlings 136]

Rother Nought

RNAS 3rd Sqn

Sept, 1916

Finally, the instruction manuals came for the Sopwith Pups that had been sitting in crates for all these weeks and we were able to unbox them! I can see why we had to wait as there are so many dials compared to the Nupes! Anyway, we went up to the front to clear the area for our Strutters and I was able to bag a lone German, that was of course before the C.IIs showed up! I got a few rounds into one before my fuel line was holed and I had to glide back to safety! If the Germans ever manage to put a few squadrons of those birds up together, this war will be over very shortly and we will all be eating strudel! Which I guess wouldn't be all that bad.

*as a side note: was that tracer attached to the artillery shell or was it just a coincidental machine gun round that just happened to pass in the exact same path as the shell burst a half second later? I don't know!

Edited July 6, 2021 by Rick Rawlings

[CastelEtzwane 23]

4 hours ago, Rick Rawlings said:

*as a side note: was that tracer attached to the artillery shell or was it just a coincidental machine gun round that just happened to pass in the exact same path as the shell burst a half second later? I don't know!

Not sure, but don't think that ground fire gets triggered over 3000 ft.

I'm wondering if you're going to try a loop when you start meeting Albatrosses . . .

[Rick Rawlings 136]

Rother Nought

RNAS 3rd Sqn

Mid Sept, 1916

Nice to use the new Sopwith, although those Fokkers were pretty tough and took all the gunfire I could give them!

 

 

 

[TROOPER117 146]

Good fight there Rick... you held those Fokkers off no problem.

They can soak up a lot of damage though!

[Rick Rawlings 136]

6 hours ago, TROOPER117 said:

Good fight there Rick... you held those Fokkers off no problem.

They can soak up a lot of damage though!

Or maybe (probably) I just can't shoot...

[CastelEtzwane 23]

I started a new campaign with a pilot flying Sopwith Camels in the AFC-4 (Australian Flying Corps).

The most noteworthy things are 1) all pilots carry 4 Cooper bombs for EVERY mission, 2) the maximum height for every mission has been less than 7000 ft. Usually 3500-5000 ft.

 

 

[CastelEtzwane 23]

My pilot went hunting for stragglers after a furball with some black-tailed V-strutters and spotted a flight of DFWs forming up. He attacked, shooting down two:

Notice this aircraft is still carrying its ordnance and that the observer is slumped over his gun.

Edited July 8, 2021 by CastelEtzwane

[CastelEtzwane 23]

On his latest mission my Australian pilot and his flight were bounced by yellow-tailed Fokker triplanes:

 

[Rick Rawlings 136]

Nice! What time frame are we talking about?  I seem to remember that Camels were sent on a lot of ground attack missions later in the war. What mission types are we talking about here?

[CastelEtzwane 23]

Time period is spring 1918, Flanders area.

Here is a list of missions assigned so far (had to abort 4-5 of these because of blank screen or non-responsive rudder issues):

Patrol Behind Friendly Front Lines
Intercept
Patrol Enemy Front Lines
Patrol Enemy Front Lines
Intercept
Patrol Enemy Front Lines
Patrol Enemy Front Lines
Patrol Enemy Front Lines
Patrol Enemy Front Lines
Patrol Enemy Front Lines
Airfield Attack
Balloon Busting
Close Air Support
Airfield Attack
Close Air Support
Patrol Enemy Front Lines
Close Air Support
Airfield Attack
Patrol Enemy Front Lines
Ground Forces Attack
Ground Forces Attack
Ground Forces Attack

[Rick Rawlings 136]

Hmm, seems like the patrol and intercept missions would be higher...

[jerhear 50]

Looks like maybe the truck convoys are a softer target in BH&H2.  First ground strafing I have done.  Taking out trucks with no more than two passes, sometimes one, which never happened before.  I'll have to check to see how many hits it takes now, used to take 25.

[Rick Rawlings 136]

Nice! Someone, somewhere earlier asked if there was still ground traffic. As they can see, there is! I even spotted a brave "Olham convoy" sprinting from one front to the other under heavy bombardment!

[jerhear 50]

New game to play.  Since now the AI pilots can learn, I thought I would see if I could keep my wingman alive and see him improved, maybe become an ace.  Stanley isn't as green as I would have liked but he'll do.  You have to survive awhile yourself to get a novice wingman.  I cheated with "pilot never dies" just to make sure I got there.

I'm going to watch over him like a mother hen, I will put the yellow target marking on him so I can keep track of him, lot's of cheating here but I'm not a purist anyway.  We'll see how long this guy can last with a little help.

[jerhear 50]

Nope...it still takes 25 hits to flame up a truck.  I'm not used to doing ground attack with twin guns, that must be it.

[Rick Rawlings 136]

Do they get incapacitated with fewer hits or is it all or none?

[jerhear 50]

Seems to be all or none, they just crawl on like beetles until the flame up.  They pause when the truck ahead of them gets flamed before going around.  Hard headed things, I'd pull over if I were them.  But then I'm not an AI.....I'm not an AI....Am I!!!!

Edited July 12, 2021 by jerhear
added comment

[Rick Rawlings 136]

Heh, I just noticed that Lt. Stanley has been given a kill without even claiming one! Surely he leads a charm-ed life! But wouldn't Lt. Frehley be a better wingman trainer? He's already an Ace...

[jerhear 50]

Rick - don't understand the Lt. Frehley reference

Anyway.... Stanley got whacked.  Got separated from him during an airfield attack on Mars-la-Tour and we got jumped by Fokker DVIIs from Jasta 11.  I made one of them pay for it.  

Have to start again with the next wing.

 

[Rick Rawlings 136]

Hmm. Paul Stanley was/is the lead singer for the rock band KISS. I don't know if the generic squadron pilot names are random or if someone was doing a tribute nod? The lead guitar player for KISS was a guy named Paul Frehley, who's nickname is "Ace"! So I thought a guy who's already an Ace would be a better candidate as you try to level up your wingmen (which of course you have no control over!). And now you are up to speed! 

[jerhear 50]

Thanks, I was lost on that one.  I should have asked my wife, she always knows the name of that singer or actor on that show...you know...the one about the guy with the apartment and the weird friends.  My name retaining skills have always been bad.  I think someone did put something in there, I've seen Paul Simon, Paul Neumann and the like on the rosters and there are a few aces that are some sort of inside joke, like Herbert 'Bubi' Boy in Ss-29.

[Rick Rawlings 136]

Those are great!