More Balloon Busting

I did some more balloon busting over the weekend. For this scenario I moved into 1917, with the French attacking the balloons with Farman F40s and the Germans defending with Fokker DIIs. Two of the Farmans carried rockets; for this game I gave them the same firing effect as pivot guns with a 5+ for a single volley and a 4+ if you fired both, but dice other than the red dice shooting at -1. Short range only, obviously.

The Farmans approach the balloons. The one at the back has no rockets and is there to cover the others.

Almost within range ...

One Farman sets a balloon on fire with its first half-volley. The other missed.

An Albatros swooped into the attack.

The other Farman started to turn for a second pass.

The Albatros was hit by anti-aircraft fire. A direct hit. Amazingly the plane survived but with one hit left.

A Farman was also hit by anti-aircraft fire. The pilot was seriously injured as was forced to land.

On the right a Farman - the 'fighter cover' - was heading further over the German lines and out of the play area. It would not return and counted as lost. In the distance the damaged Albatros was also heading for home

This left two aircraft in play; A Farman with one volley of rockets remaining and the second Albatros. The Farman made a run for the intact balloon; this was 1917 and the rate at which they were pulled down was pretty impressive.

The balloon that was on fire exploded.

My notes fail me at this point! I just have this one last photo showing an Albatros closing in for an attack. I can't remember if the Farman got the second balloon or not, or even if it made it home. Sorry.

(Actually the record sheet shows little damage of shots fired for either plane. I suspect that the other balloon was hauled to the ground)

Anyway, the French got at least one balloon, but lost two planes doing it. 

And further disappointment. I tried a game set in 1918 afterwards with two Fokker DVIIs after the balloons. The Germans had incendiary ammunition. It was over very quickly; the Fokkers took out both balloons before the defending Sopwith Camels even turned up. It was a quick and unsatisfying game but probably not unrealistic.