WWI Balloon Busting with Canvas Eagles

In tribute to the classic scene from Aces High .. a cut scene from last years (2018) Stockton Battleground ..

The "Defenders" were three SE5a's that provided top cover for the attackers (see below, an SE5a has caught a Fokker DVIIa unawares and dispatched it, no mean feat in itself):

A mixed bag of Huns patrol the skies above the observation balloon (see below, an Albatross V, a DVIIa and an Austro-Hungarian Avaitik - I think):

The "Hunters" tasked with destroying the Balloon are an old flight of Neiuports armed with tracer rounds and dangerous looking anti-zeppelin rockets - that look as dangerous to the operators as the enemy (see below, the balloon looks a long, long, long way away):

Not to worry the "Defenders" have your back (see below, always dangerous flying in close formation though as a rookie error could lead to a mid-air collision):

The Imperial German Air Service pounce (see below, with the advantage of height the Germans swoop low but themselves are exposed to deflections shots from the "Defenders"):

A maddened battle scene unfolds as the Aviatik explodes in smoke and flames, an Albatross claims an unlucky Neiuport and plenty of holes appear in SE5a's (see below, all plans of mice and men go astray after first contact):

A close up of the dead Neiuport (see below, the artistic cloud of smoke is caught well on camera):

An alternative angle of the doomed Neiuport (see below, the war reporter and his photographer were having a field day out of this one):

An SE5a goes down in flames (see below, the "Defenders" are paying a heavy price for protecting their charges and a Fokker DVIIa in the hands of a veteran flyer is a merciless killing machine): 

The observation balloon has been exposed to an attack run (see below, the two surviving Neiuports ready their monstrous anti-Zeppelin flares):

Another "Defender" pays the price as a SE5a starts to tumble earthward (see below, it means however that the Neiuports have their chance though):

Again a different angle of the Albatross' "kill" (see below, three Entente planes have fallen to only one of the Triple Alliance - although the Italians no showed on a technicality): 

The first French pilot is unsuccessful (see below, for some reason the tracer and rockets do not work, oh fickle fate):

The second Frenchmen is a sure shot and takes delight taking down teh observation ballon (see below, "game-set-and-match"): 

Success (see below, scratch up another kill for this brave Frenchman):

The Entente triumph for today and the offensive continues, but it has been a costly battle.

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.