Side note: I live on Venus, where days are 243 times longerBattle Report, Late Spring 1915The highlight of this turn is the Sky Crusaders debuting a single squadron of their new aircraft – the
Verusan F1 Lesser European Swallow. The Swallow is Verusa’s first dedicated fighter, a monoplane like the Kolechian Equilibrium. It’s fitted with the Barnett 1915 V12 engine turning a four-blade airscrew, making it even faster than the Equilibrium due to a low-drag design that incorporates features such as a smooth metal engine cowling. Following the success of ‘double-gunned’ Rhinos, the Swallow also goes in for more firepower, and it’s armed with two Bolt Machine Guns on the centreline, operating off independent sets of Crossguard gears without too much trouble. Most notably, the Swallow features a metal-frame construction: it’s made out of canvas over a hollow steel-tube frame.
On the other side of things, the KPAF has instead gone for more minor items. First and foremost is the
Hawkeye Reflector Sight. Confusingly named the same as the Verusan camera, the Hawkeye is a simple reflector sight that projects an image of the target reticule to the user’s eye, shifting to correct for the eye position of the user. The Type 11 LMGs on Kolechian planes have also been outfitted with
incendiary ammunition. These rounds are very similar to tracer rounds in principle, but with a larger phosphorous charge to ignite enemy aircraft. However, they’re ineffective beyond a range of 300m, as the incendiary charge burns out quickly. Finally, through what can only be described as bureaucratic shenanigans, they’ve somehow managed to get the Tactical Escape Parachutes issued to all airmen as part of their standard uniform.
The Northern MountainsSpring has arrived here, and the pace of combat picks up again. In the mountains proper, some Verusan soldiers take advantage of the relaxed attitudes of Kolechian defenders, capturing some ground around Maidese Peak.
In the highlands, the Sky Crusaders have got one squadron of the double-gunned Rhino-Fs doing defensive patrols, and another squadron of Sky Eyes performing the usual artillery spotting. On the other side, the KPAF has one squadron of Equilibrium fighters, outfitted with the new Hawkeye reflector sight.
While it may seem like the KPAF should have a decisive advantage here, what with the disparity in aircraft quality, the situation again isn’t so simple. Firstly, the KPAF pilots have been ordered to stick to their side of the lines and perform defensive patrols, much like the Verusan pilots. They do some sorties to shoot down those Sky Eyes which prove particularly useful to the Verusan army, and take on the occasional Rhino-F which gets too close, but most of this month is spent patrolling clear skies, as there aren’t any Verusan incursions. Like last month, the KPAF is also conspicuously lacking any squadrons to actually support the advance of ground troops. The few air battles which occur here heavily favour the Kolechians, but there remains no change in the lines. Fighting on this front has again stalled out into trench warfare, with the Verusans having built a good defensive line on the road to Demisonne.
The Central PlainsIn keeping with the rapid exchange of territory here, both sides have sent a majority of their air forces to this theatre, so it’s worth going through carefully how they are deployed. The KPAF has their aircraft in two main groups: one attempting to take Estwice from the south, where the army is advancing on the roads from Zydinah and Pevomir, and another group to both defend Dreidansk and cut off the Estwice salient to the east. At Dreidansk, the KPAF has two squadrons of EFMs on air superiority duty, one squadron of Feathers with Oracle Cameras on photoreconnaissance duty, and one squadron of Hykib balloons on artillery spotting duty. Slightly to the south outside Estwice, they have one squadron of EFMs and two of Feathers on air superiority, with one squadron of Feathers doing photoreconnaissance and a squadron of Hykibs for spotting. It’s worth noting that all Equilibriums have been equipped with the new Hawkeye reflector sight, an improvement over the regular iron sights on the Type 11 LMG.
Against this large force, the Sky Crusaders have followed the lead of their army and condensed all their forces to support an offensive aimed at retaking Dreidansk, leaving the defenders of Estwice to fend for themselves as best as they can. Here, the Verusans have deployed their bomber force: one squadron of Emus and another of Great Emus. These bombers benefit from the intelligence gained by two squadrons of Rhino-P biplanes, which perform the rather dangerous task of overflying Kolechian positions and taking aerial photographs to be later analysed. The Verusans also have two squadrons of Sky Eyes to call in accurate fire. All these aircraft are safeguarded by three squadrons doing air superiority: these three squadrons are a microcosm of the Sky Crusaders’ technological progress, with one of double-gunned Rhino-Fs, one of regular Emus, and one of the new Lesser European Swallow.
At Dreidansk, the Verusans have the initial advantage, by dint of numbers. There is only one squadron of Swallows, named ‘Lancer 1’, but nevertheless they are an outsized shock to Kolechian Equilibrium pilots, who are accustomed to being the fastest planes in the sky. Alderic, the Verusan Ace, has been assigned to this new squadron, and despite initial unfamiliarity with flying a monoplane soon takes to the Swallow like a fish to water. The Swallow is faster even than the Equilibrium, and with its double guns, brings enough firepower to the table to compete with them. Its shortcoming is in manoeuvrability: while metal frame construction might in theory allow airframes to withstand greater stresses than wooden ones, in practice the Swallow’s design doesn’t achieve this, and the steel only serves to give it greater mass and inertia, making it slower to turn and climb than the EFM.
However, it turns out that operating in conjunction with the slower but more versatile Emus, the Swallow’s shortcomings in this area aren’t quite so pronounced. Against a mix of enemies flying slow and fast, the Equilibrium pilots can’t focus on the Swallow alone but must remain alert to make sure they’re not being led into the wide firing arcs of one or more Emus. Such group tactics come less naturally to the Verusan pilots as they do to the Kolechians, but with the aid of an extra squadron of Rhino-Fs, the Sky Crusaders pull it off adequately (although some Rhino pilots complain that they’re serving as little more than bait). The Swallow is far from invincible, with the Kolechian Ace Piotr managing to bag a couple of them, but it’s much more difficult to shoot down than an Emu.
The Kolechians have some tricks up their sleeve too. With the introduction of the Hawkeye sight building on their previous rollout of tracer rounds, KPAF pilots are now significantly more accurate in their firing as compared to equally skilled Verusan pilots. The new incendiary rounds, while only moderately effective against planes if they don’t hit a fuel tank, are quite effective when employed against Sky Eye balloons. These rounds hit and ignite the fabric envelope of the balloon, setting it aflame and bringing it down faster than the old method of shooting the envelope repeatedly with regular rounds over several passes. For the Sky Eye observer corps, it’s almost like a return to the bad old days of the dripping burner fuel, and the opportunity to wear a golden monocle, previously coveted, is now shunned by the airmen.
With the air superiority situation slightly favouring them, the Verusan bombers are free to wreak havoc across the front. The Great Emu continues to prove its worth as a bomber, carrying a good bombload at a reasonable speed. Both squadrons are no longer neophytes, having amassed some experience from the Sky Crusader’s bombing tradition. The bombers, when they can get through in sufficient numbers like they do this month, are now a significant advantage for the Verusans, and one that the Kolechians have no equal to so far. It’s enough to make up for the heavier losses suffered by the Sky Eyes, and the Verusan army retakes Dreidansk. This comes as a great relief to Alderic, who was getting tired of the constant sniggering at his title in the officer’s mess.
To the south at Estwice, the outcome is far more one sided. The defenders have no aircraft at all, while the KPAF has squadrons both of photoreconnaissance planes and spotter balloons (the squadrons on air superiority, predictably, see no opposition). Estwice falls quickly, due both to the logistics disruption and the efforts of the KPAF.
Their task done, the squadrons of the Estwice force relocate slightly northward, joining the KPAF squadrons which have withdrawn from Dreidansk. Combined, the KPAF has a total of three EFM squadrons and two Feather squadrons dedicated to gaining air superiority, decisively tilting the numbers back in their favour and putting a dent in the Verusan bombing efforts. The frontline is again pushed back into the city of Dreidansk. By the end of the month, the Kolechian army has captured large parts of the city’s western half, with the eastern half still in Verusan hands.
The Southern IslandsBoth sides aren’t focusing on this front much like the battles in the north, but with one crucial difference. The KPAF has seen fit to send one squadron of Hykib balloons here for spotting. Other than the extra balloons, the balance of forces here is much the same as the north.
The Kolechian Navy continues raids on the coastline between Basselton and Nadeka, with their navalised Hykib balloons helping them to shell accurately even without the aid of land-based friendly forces to spot for them. However, the advance of Kolechian troops is slightly hampered by the conservative attitudes of the air marshals, who again order the Equilibriums to adopt a defensive posture. While the aid of the balloons is enough for Kolechia to retake the crucial junction at the end of the Kodemo Trail and cut off Basselton again, they are still far from conquering Basselton, and large numbers of Verusan troops manage to retreat in good order.
To the far south, the Verusans advance a little overland, but remain carefully out of range of the Kolechian defensive line around Mizogorod.
Behind the FrontlinesThis turn, the attendances at the Crimson Eagles airshows finally reach a number high enough for the KPAF to earn actual income from ticketing. The KPAF brass are ecstatic over this development, while the accountants that point out the losses the Crimson Eagles have made to this point are brushed off.
In Verusa, a Kolechian intelligence agent tracks down the location of Squire 2’s public relations tour. This isn’t too difficult, as their schedule is publicly available, and Agent Paper Pusher travels to the Northern Verusan city of Galliaroi, their next destination. Unfortunately, the Sky Crusaders have stopped their public relations tour and sent Squire 2, along with Alderic, back to the front. Agent Paper Pusher arrives to find an empty fairground, and whatever his nefarious goals were at the tour, they’re not going to happen this month.
Not to be deterred, Agent Paper Pusher opens his backup orders to find a mission to infiltrate the Sky Crusaders’ Experimental Aerodrome, taking the opportunity presented by the recruitment drive for test pilots. There isn’t enough time for convincing fake documents to be sent to him, so he spends most of the train ride over faking them on his own (a task he isn’t too good at, despite his codename).
The documents are passable, and he makes it past the security post and into the aerodrome without incident. Unfortunately, by a stroke of bad luck, he has made a mistake with his assumed identity. “Sir, it says here that you used to work as a woodcarver? Could you step out of the queue for a minute?” His nerve breaks and he bolts out of the interview’s waiting room, running right into the Verusan Department of Security Agent. Agent Bird Watcher reacts quickly, drawing his pistol and giving chase, but when he pulls the trigger there’s only a
*click* as a pen pops out of the barrel. Looks like he’s forgotten to swap his pistol-pen for a real pistol after the recent investigation. Agent Paper Pusher doesn’t accomplish his mission, but he escapes uninjured.
The Outside WorldBritish pilot Richard Bell-Davis receives the Victoria Cross for performing the world’s first combat rescue mission by an aircraft, saving another pilot Gilbert Smylie after the latter is shot down by ground fire. The Senussi begin engaging the British in a guerrilla campaign on the Libyan-Egyptian border, encouraged by the Ottoman Empire. At the Second Chantilly Conference, the Allied Powers agree on a strategy of co-ordinated attacks on Eastern and Western Fronts, to render the Central Powers unable to shift reserves between them. In America, the one-millionth Ford car is produced at the River Rouge Plant in Detroit. The collapse and withdrawal of Allied forces in Serbia allows the rail line from Berlin to Constantinople to be opened. In Germany, the first practical all-metal airplane, the Junkers J 1, makes its maiden flight, achieving an altitude of almost 3m.
Event – Foreign Purchase: Both sides have decided to sell their basic plane designs to the Midako Kokudaitai. One squadron each of Rhino and Feather biplanes have entered service with the Kokudaitai, and there are rumours of a balloon design being worked on. For now, both sides will have 1 extra PP to spend this turn.
Bring about a new revolution!
Did you miss out on the Summer Uprising? Didn't get to march in the Autumn Parade? Never fought in the Winter War? Felt left out during Victory Spring? That's okay, because the Kolechian People's Air Force is giving YOU the opportunity to participate in a new revolution! Not against our old tyrannical monarchy, but against the very force of gravity that seeks to confine men to the surface of the earth! Without ever facing enemy fire, you can bring about a new age, soaring above the earth like an angel, doing your part to secure victory for the Motherland against the forces of tyranny!
Together, we shall change air combat forever, discovering new and inventive ways to scour the Verusan scum from the skies!
Glory to Kolechia!
Calling All Pilots!
Are you intelligent? Skilled? Daring? Do you want to test the limits of your abilities, whilst testing the abilities of the most cutting-edge aircraft around? Then the People's Air Force needs YOU! As a test pilot, you will provide invaluable support for the war effort, helping ensure that the equipment which reaches our boys on the front lines is the best it can be. With on-the-spot advice from our experienced pilots and engineers, backed up by the brilliant TEP Safety System - already on licence to other great powers of the world - even the most stubborn new planes will be a breeze to handle.
So don't hesitate! Sign up as a test pilot today!
Glory to Kolechia!
Attention, Crimson Eagle fans!
Do you want to fly like they fly?
Do you want to fly the newest planes, before anyone else?
Do you want to fly faster than any Kolechian has before?
Do you want to help win the war against Verusa, without even having to enter combat?
Sign up as a test pilot today!
The sky calls you! The sky crusaders need test pilots. We need you! We need you to soar into the air riding dangerous, experimental, machines. We need you to show us your daring and your skill! We need you to tame the beasts our engineers are building! Answer the call and put your hands on the controls of some of the most advanced aircraft in the air! Inquire today about joining the Sky Crusader test pilot program!
Today is a grand day of opportunity for you! The Verusan Sky Crusaders are making great strides in the field of aviation and we need daring brave test pilots to fly our newest innovations and become a part of history. This offer isn't just extended to pilots, however, as anyone who wishes to fly may become a test pilot, and basic flight training will be provided to those without training, along with the ability to either stay as a test pilot and fly more grand innovations of the future that will be used against our foes or join the active forces bravely dueling the Kolechians over the skies like the knights of old should you so desire after the prototype you fly is ready for use by the active forces of the Sky Crusaders, you also cannot be transferred to the army or navy without your own consent should you sign up. Now, go out there and inquire about joining the test pilot program today, for King and Country!
Both sides have put out some advertisements to lure foolhardy pilots into prototype planes. While several men (and women) sign up for the Sky Crusaders and their promise of flight training, the Kolechians have appealed to both the Crimson Eagles fans and touted their new Tactical Escape Parachute. More people sign up for the KPAF’s test pilot programme, and Kolechia receives a reduction in development costs, for this turn’s design phase and the next.
Event – Armed Forces Council: With the war having dragged on for an entire year, the council of generals are calling a series of meetings to discuss the war effort. Within these meetings, there may be an opportunity for deals to be made with the army and navy – or possibly even a chance to lobby for a raise in the command status of the air force. During this whole turn, you may address messages to the army, navy or both, asking for and promising certain things in return for bonuses in the coming year.
It is now the Design Phase, Early Summer 1916.
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Topic: Knights of the Skies: an Arms Race Game - Early Summer 1916 (Read 14338 times)