Spring MiniCon 2008 Highlights

[Orion]

I wanted to try and get people to share their favorite moments of the spring MiniCon. I know there were some surprising deaths and survival stories that were born! Come on let's hear them!

[joseki]

Well I'd have to say the Ghost vs Apache grudge match was one the highlights. Last year the Arizona gunslingers got our butts kicked defending Osten.

This year the pendulum swung the other way. The mission this year was an airfield raid. We tend to run this as a set-up first game in AZ. When three people arrive we roll sides and the two highest attack an airfield. As more players show up they take off from the airfield. I think we have all played one variation or another of this theme. But that was our"official" grudge match this year.
At 8:15 Saturday Morning the entire Arizona contingent was on hand and we set up the mission. Through what can only be described as a Masterful stroke of Genius John the only Ghost present, stalled us until 4 of his cronies finished breakfast.

3 vs. 5 was not good odds but we rolled in dropping bombs and taking out 3 planes on the ground. We managed an actual kill in the ensuing melee bringing the total to four destroyed as we began our escape. only two of us made it out as it took 5 bosh to bring down our straggler.

It may not have been highly successful but it was successful. This brings our total to 1 and 1. Leaves me looking forward to next year.

Apache Vs Ghost III Fly Hardest

[Orion]

Thanks for the write up

Any other stories out there? Come on people - glance at your log sheets and jog those memories. Drink some ginseng...speak!

[Orion]

I suppose I can share my less than glorious experience in "The Big Game"...

It was my first time playing in the Big Game and it started out great, with me being called to fly a Fokker DVII 185. I was itching to use the edge in performance to knock some allies out of the sky. I did dish out some decent damage (I will check my sheet when I get home) and I chased John O. for quite a while. However, before I could finish anyone off, my old nemesis (from the many missions flown in the Kankakee group in the 90s) put 1 hit in my engine. Mark(Marc? - I can never remember, cause I know too many Marks!) Hudgens, smoked my engine with no other effect. Well, that is not true - the effect is that every allied plane in the area turned into a wolf and I was suddenly a big juicy smoky colored rabbit.

I thought to myself, well my firing ability is now going to take a hit, but my guns are clear and there is no serious damage to my plane so I pressed on and continued to chase John O. Meanwhile, a couple of bristols pounced on me and even though the damage was light, one amazing shot from Mike (again I don't have my sheet so I will update which Mike it was when I get home) hit my pilot and suddenly there was a dead-man-flying. Low and behold I was the second plane out of combat (at least I wasn't first). It also spoke of my luck that game that my gun jammed on that last turn when I took the pilot hit. Apparently, my luck ended with the plane selection!

Dan W

[Stephen]

I'm still waiting on news about who won the overall event, highest scores, aces lost, etc.

Inquiring minds want to know!

[joseki]

Hmmm to bad your not editing the next Aerodrome then you'd know before its published
MUHAHAHAHAHA

[AP]

My highlights:
Started with the drive down and John B’s ‘DP Travel Edition’. We got four missions in, and I got my only kill of the weekend (Sorry Kevan!) The magnetic pieces & board are awesome & it made the trip nice & quick!
I also enjoyed the ‘Ghost vs Apache grudge match’, but I dunno if I would have called it a victory for the AZ crew… you guys forgot Maverick’s #1 rule – “NEVER leave your wingman” and fled for the front as Dan was trounced by the wolfpack (Glad he survived, and was awarded the MN Trophy for ‘The Sound of One Wing Flapping’). Jim & Scott had little ol’ me all to themselves, 2 vs 1 – could have been a glorious revenge for your fallen comrade, but alas…the yellow tails fled with their ‘victory’. :-)
The ‘Big Game’ was fun, Mike Kap. & I decided to duel it out off the board which never should have been allowed, but made for some good laughs. The Masters game was also a great game (at our table at least) the highlight for me was having 1 left in the smoking engine, 4 left in the tail & 3 in a wing, with Al 200 ft on my tail I thought I was doomed…but in swept Mike H. & blocked the shot for me! I took 31 pts of damage & survied, dished out 45 pts of damage & should have had a kill, but Ken got LUCKY on a 300ft overdive to escape from me.
The BEST part of the weekend though was shooting myself down. If there was an award for giving yourself damage, I would need a trophy case!! The highlight was attacking a balloon from 400ft… AA gave me 7 to the side…no prob right? Try FIVE engine & 2 FF… I survived that, but the MGs hit for 4 more… 3 engines & another FF…BOOM!
All in all it was a great weekend, I enjoyed playing with everyone at the table and wish I could have played w/ everyone else a bit more. This year seemed like a better turnout then last, which is a good sign as well. Dan it was great to meet you and I look forward to working on the DP website with you!

[Stephen]

No point in holding info for Aerodrome... we want to know who won. Everyone will still read Drome for all the details, but who actually won will be ancient history by then and few will care. Whassup? Who won the tourney and the Masters?

[AP]

J.Q. swooped in on Sunday morning for a few quick games - took his cake & ate it too!! I was at the other table so didnt get the details, other than the Allies split up early & paid heavily for it.

[noski]

JQ was my wingman in the Masters game. The game went 6 turns with 3 Allies going down to critical damage and a pilot wound. Another Brit escaped combat with jammed guns leaving John Bucklin to face 5 Germans. He escaped also. The allies didn't do anything wrong tactically. The poop bird just landed heavily on their shoulders.

My highlight was everyone's reaction to my WW1 tunic that I wore along with my Bavarian officer's cap. I presented a "black and white front " by wearing my PLM IC 1st class and my Bavarian pilots badge. Mc and a couple others had photos taken while wearing my outfit.
I finished 5th in overall points but I can't remember who won . MC was 2nd. My D7 pilot Vfw. Kiltz missed a medal roll for the Prussian Military Medal in Gold (PLM for enlisted men) after scoring a double kill.