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[Rockeater]

 So we can solve this problem if we have the spare storage of the "Equality" in a place accessible for both bombs and ammo, somewhere around the second seat will be fine, but it limit our bomb size so you can carry them in one hand.

[Cnidaros]

Design Phase, Late Summer 1915

A Kolechian pilot demonstrates a barrel roll as part of a recruitment drive for pilots. The crowd is amazed and enthralled by his red cape fluttering in the wind, and several young men and women sign up on the spot.

The army generals commanding on the northern front are excited about the gains made as a result of better intelligence, while the generals in the central plains request for some way to disable the enemy balloons.

High command has increased your budget by 2 PP, as the country devotes more factories to war.

Spoiler: Projects (click to show/hide)

Hykib Observation Balloon | 1/10 progress | 1 PP per die | Rushed 0 times | 1 PP invested

Spoiler: Designs and Technology (click to show/hide)

Planes:
-Feather-1914 Scout Plane: A unarmed, single seater biplane. High stability makes it easy to fly, but also woefully inadequate for anything other than scouting. Lightweight wooden fuselage combined with a five-cylinder rotary engine gives it good speed in the air. Now comes with ailerons for improved roll capability. Cost 3/1
Balloons
-Hykib Observation Balloon: A single-pilot hydrogen balloon designed for aerial observation. Its elongated and finned shape helps it remain stable even in high winds. The basket has an inbuilt telephone to relay messages from the pilot to the ground, and what can charitably be described as a very rudimentary parachute. Painted a glorious red throughout. Cost 2/1 (In Development)
Equipment
Lvoc Camera: A glass plate medium camera with a 150mm focal length, coincidentally about the size and shape of a 150mm artillery shell. Requires manual changing of the plate for each photograph taken and is moderately durable. Cost 1
Pilots:
-Coordinated: Strength in numbers! Kolechian pilots work well together and are better coordinated in combat.
-Uniforms: Red with silver accents. Pilots are issued a thick, flowing red cape which flutters gloriously in the wind, inspiring the men on the ground.
Technology:
-Basic biplane design
-Basic monoplane design
-Basic/Intermediate balloon design
-Wooden frame construction
-Basic control surfaces: wing warping, elevator and rudder and ailerons.
Resources:
-1 Pilot Training Institute: Teaches new pilots what each lever does. When to pull each lever is up to the student.
-1 Developmental Airfield: Designs new planes and other air-related equipment. Produces five dice worth of progress every turn.

Spoiler: Squadrons (click to show/hide)

Squadron 1 | Feather-1914-NA Scout Plane | Lvoc Camera | Aerial Reconnaissance | Neophyte | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to photograph enemy frontline along the Jawanin-Derboise Road

Squadron 2 | Feather-1914 Scout Plane | No Equipment | Lvoc Camera | Neophyte | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to observe enemy frontline along the Dreidansk-Demisonne Road

Squadron 3 | Feather-1914 Scout Plane | No Equipment | Lvoc Camera | Neophyte | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to photograph enemy frontline along the Jawanin-Derboise Road

Spoiler: Statistics (click to show/hide)

Prestige: Very Little “My mate says he saw one of those planes do a somersault!”
Status: Auxiliary Service
Army Relations: Lukewarm “What if these ‘air-photos’ could replace maps?”
Navy Relations: Neutral “What are planes?”

Production Points: 12
Total Maintenance: 3

[Chiefwaffles]

Tentatively, I think we should give our new plane basic combat abilities. A MG mount set higher than the propellers would work for low, allowing easy disabling of balloons and prestige/effectiveness from taking down enemy planes.
We should try getting our balloons to deployment though. Their glorious red shall inspire the troops!

[NUKE9.13]

What shape is the enemy balloon?

Anyway, yeah, two dice to the Hykib, gives us a chance of finishing it, and a good chance of getting a prototype. Three dice to start a new design. Either a Foster mount fighter (in which case we requisition a LMG) or a light bomber (in which case we requisition artillery shells).

[Kashyyk]

Since they've already pushed out balloons, I would back a dedicated fighter. Our planes could potentially strafe enemy trenches if it comes to it as well.

[Cnidaros]

What shape is the enemy balloon?

Like this, but not painted a glorious red.

[Doomblade187]

Joining, up, fighter me.

EDIT:

The Wacky Squirrel

A designated fighter, the Wacky Squirrel is designed to take down observation balloons. Utilizing a machine gun requisitioned from the army, this plane is based on the Feather, utilizing the new aileron technology and beefed up to fit two occupants while maintaining maneuverability. This necessitated a motor upgrade, moving to a 11-cyliner rotary engine. The plane's primary gun is mounted above the propellor, and while this does limit the pilot's field of view, the second occupant can take over spotting duties, armed with a binocular. If there is enough room, there is a storage compartment build back by the second pilot to store extra gear, or maybe even grenades. The design priority for this project is the upgraded engine and new airframe with two seats.

Please suggest names.

[10ebbor10]

Anyway, here's my guess as to the enemy's deployment, costs and stuff like that.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Scout 1 | Rhino Scout Plane | “Barnson’s Bird-Watching Essentials” | Aerial Reconnaissance | Neophyte | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to observe enemy frontline along the Jawanin-Derboise Road

Scout 2 | Rhino Scout Plane | “Barnson’s Bird-Watching Essentials” | Aerial Reconnaissance | Neophyte | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to observe enemy frontline along the Dreidansk-Demisonne Road

Scout  3 | Rhino Scout Plane |“Barnson’s Bird-Watching Essentials” |Aerial Reconnaissance | Neophyte | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to observe enemy frontline along the Jawanin-Derboise Road

Balloon 1  | Sky Eye | “Barnson’s Bird-Watching Essentials” | Artillery Targetting | Neophyte | No Aces | Maintenance Cost ??
Currently assigned to observe enemy frontline along the Dreidansk-Demisonne Road

Spoiler: Enemy Budget last Turn (click to show/hide)

Start : 10
Project : -1
Maintenance : -2
Sky Eye : ? 
4*Barnson’s Bird-Watching Essentials : ?
Rhino Recruitment: -3

Conclusions :
      - Barnson must be cheap. It's cost has to be below 1. Hell, it may even be free.
      - The balloon's maximum cost is 4 (if Barnson's free).

Like this, but not painted a glorious red.

They're using a hot air balloon?

Since they've already pushed out balloons, I would back a dedicated fighter. Our planes could potentially strafe enemy trenches if it comes to it as well.

I'm going to suggest not developing a fighter this turn. Controversial thought, I know, but consider this:

Spoiler: Budget (click to show/hide)

Start : 10 PP
- Finish Hykib : -2 PP
- Maintenance : -3 PP
- Recruit Hybik : -2 PP

We've already got 7 out of our 10 PP accounted for.  If we start a fighter program, we'll be spending 8 out of 10 PP, which means there's no chance at all that we can get a counter to their balloon out before they do mass deployment of their balloon (Because a fighter is not going to cost just 2 PP). We also stand a very good chance of not finishing our balloon if we only spend 2 dice on it, which means we only get the prototype. 

Here's my proposal :

-Design : Nothing
-Projects : Finish Hykib (3 Dice)
-Requisition : Machine gun
-Revision : Cheaper Hydrogen Generator
-Revision :  Some gun mounting solution or a rope with a hook, letting our pilots go balloon fishing

[Kashyyk]

The same general shape as the Feather but much larger, this is a one seater biplane, with a key difference. Instead of a front mounted tractor propeller, the engine is seated behind the pilot with the propellor protruding backwards in a pusher configuration . This means a front mounted LMG can be used without risking damage to the propellers. The engine is a 9-cylinder rotary and the plane is designed with ailerons in mind, meaning our plane should be both faster and more maneuverable than anything deployed by the enemy.

Ask the army for an air-cooled LMG for use in the Eagle.

We've actually got 12PP Ebbor, so we should be fine.

[10ebbor10]

We've actually got 12PP Ebbor, so we should be fine.

Oh neat.

In that case, let me adjust my argument.

Our odds of developing a functional fighter in a single action are very slim. Even reaching the prototype phase is unlikely. Meanwhile, the enemy is already ready to deploy their balloon, and will likely be capable of mass deployment this turn. Do we risk both being unable to deploy our balloon, and not having a solution to theirs?


I propose :

3 Dice to balloon
1 Dice to a machine gun mount
1 dice saved.

[NUKE9.13]

Counterpoint, it doesn't matter if we don't manage to match their balloons. So long as we get our own prototype out, we'll show the army that we're working on the issue- and they will hopefully see that our balloon is superior to theirs. The fact that they will outnumber us doesn't matter for the purposes of prestige or army opinion.

Meanwhile, getting a better plane out there is something we want to start working on ASAP. Balloons are a good stopgap, but planes are where the real action is.

[Doomblade187]

@GM, what kinds of anti-tank rifles and machineguns do we have available to requisition?

EDIT: my main goal for the Wacky Squirrel is to develop a heavier airframe with two seats and V10 engine. Airframe development is more important than fighter guns right now.

[NUKE9.13]

Of note, a V10 would be a radically different kind of engine to the one we have. I think a 9-cylinder rotary engine would be easier, and have a better thrust-weight ratio.

[Nirur Torir]

EDIT: my main goal for the Wacky Squirrel is to develop a heavier airframe with two seats and V10 engine. Airframe development is more important than fighter guns right now.

If we do 4 dice the a new aircraft and 1 for the balloon, we have fair odds of not getting anything done this turn. I'm not thrilled with the balloon, because it's kinda boring dead-end thing, but now that we've started it, I want it finished.

If we do the balloon and the gun mount revision, we have good odds of getting two things done this turn.

[NUKE9.13]

Starting a project only takes 3 dice.