WWI Canvas Eagles (Early War) 1/72 : Stockton Parade Ground Show

Two models fulfilling their "Wargaming Destiny" at Stockton Battleground 2018. Apologies for this delayed posting but other things 'jumped ahead' and I only just found the pictures lurking on my mobile phone. Somewhere on the Eastern Front circa 1915 two new-fangled momoplane scouts approach each other to duel (see below, a Fokker Eindecker EIII versus a Morane-Saulnier N):

The Russian aviator has no qualms over taking on the German over the enemy front lines in his own backyard (see below, Imperial Russian Air Service versus the Imperial German Air Service - no discernible AA as the ground troops stare in wonder at the 'state of the art' flying machines): 

After a few circling moves the two flyer clench their buttocks for a "head-to-head" pass firing their machine guns. The Eindekker EIII with a sophisticated interrupter mechanism in contrast to the (French designed) steel deflector plate in the propeller of the Morane. First blood goes to the Russian as bullets hit the Eindekker from short range and the German pilot fails a spin check (see below, the Russian pilot gasps every time he pulls the machine gun trigger and hears the dreadful "ting" off his own prop but this time he comes away with a 'good result'):

Dropping from level 4 to level 3 the German pilot steels his nerves and corrects his flailing aircraft pulls out of his death dive. The Russian circles on him and dives in for a kill, however both planes occupy the same physical space. A collision check is made and both pilots roll the same number - crunch. Dreaded RED hits are exchanged and both pilots find themselves flying machines held together by will-power and faith rather than engineering. From earnest combat to survival in the space of one move (see below, crunch, even the models don't like it as the Eindekker model is a missing vital tail plane):

Honour satisfied both pilots head home, saluting each other as fellow "Knights of the Sky." (see below, "Until we meet again"):

A nice starter to the show, as the early war planes are put to one side and the SE5a takes to the sky for a duel with a Fokker D.VII.

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With characters like this stalking the skies do you feel safe? (see below, 1/72 Fokker Eindecker EIII)

Still a great game after all these years! Myself and some friends shall be taking it for a whirl at the local Stockton Wargames Show Battleground 2018 this weekend!

Early World War I: Canvas Eagles Dawn Patrol (1/144)

Dawn over the Western Front. A photo reconnaissance Be2 is escorted by an early war Bristol Fighter  [not to be confused with a later war BrisFit]. The sky is a clear blue but the RFC flyers will have to contend with the rising sun, so "Beware the Hun from the sun!"(see below, please also note the early war "dirty dope" [Yellow] paint scheme):

A lone fighter from the Imperial German Air Service is prowling the skies in his Fokker Eindecker EIII (see below, the Kallista scenery is a natural fit for the Canvas Eagles rules, the trench-line/no-man's land being a bespoke additions. The "white poker markers" represent "Archie" positions and the "blue poker markers" represent 'areas of interest' that the High Command want to be photographed (see below):

The forces converge. Spoiler alert the planes fly past each other without any damage to each other. The German plane did let off a medium burst [Note: Wisely the pilot did not want to risk his guns jamming with a long burst] of machine gun fire to no effect. Then there was a knock at the door! As we were playing a "rolling game" this meant another German plane was about to enter the fray (see below, the German plane has a slight advantage in that it has the sun behind it):

There was a gasp as a sleek state of the German art killing machine appeared, the Albatross II. This was a nasty shock to the Entente! Immediately it dived into a head on attack with the Bristol Scout (see below, just in sight s the base of the EIII about to Immelman back into the combat zone):

Despite taking many valuable pictures the Be2 lingered far too long over the German lines and the slow lumbering "photo recon bus" paid a heavy price by mixing it with the deadly Albatross (see below, two "red hits" caused an unsustainable eight engine hits and the Be2 disintegrated):

The "rolling battle" meant that the player simply picked up a new plane and returned to the fray. This time a green painted RFC DH2. As the Entente were getting a bit of a pasting I also decided to step down from being an umpire and join the fray in a Nieuport (see below):

Rather than being a Nieuport 11 as per the model, I had picked up the stats for a Nieuport 10 which is a two-seater observation plane. No matter that seemed to be fairer so we just played on (see below, I was desperately angling myself away from the Albatross II, leading it rather unkindly onto the RFC fighter pair who were knocking pieces out of the German EIII):

The game ended with a tactical German win. The smoking EIII made it off table (just), although I had taken a photograph of an interesting trench-line, albeit from a very high altitude. What swung it to the Germans was the still burning wreck of the Be2 deep inside their lines.

Good fun was had by all and the plan is to take this game to the local Stockton Battleground Wargames Show on Saturday 24th November as a participation game. If you are there please feel free to stop by and say hello.