Colorful Skies

My Table Top Flights Bavarian blue Fokker Dr.I and the Ares Kempf

Recently I had the chance to play in a Colorful Skies game at the monthly Wright Flight session. Colorful Skies is a set of rules modifications for Check Your 6! for the Great War and are included in the similarly named series of scenario books, all available from I-94. While I will not give much of an after action report, I do want to mention some basing solutions created by a friend that easily allows the use of Ares Wings of Glory planes for the Check Your 6! setting.

The alternating colored pegs in place - here the Dr.Is are at TAL 6, speed 3

I had a pair of Fokker Dr.Is, fairly maneuverable in Colorful Skies but tempered with a low robustness. Across from me were a pair of Camels, similar in maneuverability, but more robust. There were also a pair of Snipes matched against two Fokker D.VIIs.

The Camels Are Coming - here they are at TAL 4, Speed 4

I was able to avoid being shot at as I closed on the Camels by climbing out of gunnery range, but then came in behind the Camels by executing a Split S. Alas, my to hit rolls were too low and the Camels escaped to engage the D.VIIs. I was able to close in, after a D.VII and a Snipe had been shot down, and the remaining D.VII had run out of ammo. I was able to close in on a Snipe for a kill while my other Dr.I, having received both an engine hit and a lucky hit that reduced its speed to 1, dove out of the fray. At that point we called the game.

Come back and fight!

The bases are 3D printed. In this case they are two inches across to adjust for the 1/144 scale planes. The first bottom TAL is represented by the post that is part of the base, then printed pegs, in alternating blue and white, denote the rest of the TALs. A dice is used to indicate both speed and CAB. The pegs worked well, fairly tight and printed to accept the post on the bottom of the Wings of Glory planes. The alternating peg colors were ideal for easy TAL identification. My friend has also made bases with slots to hold colored pieces to denote different aircraft, much like the Check Your 6! official bases use a red, blue, white, black, yellow, or green indicator.

Moving in for the kill, while the Camel missed my Fokker.

Truly the only issue I had is when I climbed to a higher CAB to TAL 1. Changing the red dice to a white one to represent the higher CAB, as I was at TAL 1 I only had one peg on my stand, and my miniature was actually much lower on the playing surface then the Camel that was in the lower CAB. Other than that minor quibble, the bases worked very well! 

I am working with Mike at Table Top Flights to order some 1/200 scale World War One aircraft that has a post that still fits the Wings of Glory pegs. He is hopeful this will work. If so, I look to start a 1/200 project, possibly using a 1.75" hex base and having a custom mat in the same hex size. That is a good compromise between the official Check Your 6! gaming surface and adjusting for the size of the planes.

Strike on Kiska AAR

I hosted the Strike on Kiska scenario from Battles Above 3, and I have to say it was a tough day for the Emperor's men. 

The initial setup allowed the Japanese players to close on the returning B-25s with relative ease. Yours truly commanded the Mitchells, and I thought I would have all sorts of trouble before a pair of rescuing P-40s could assist. I did not need to worry - a combination of the B-25's robustness with the use of a pair of hot dice (a set of Israeli dice from Fight's On, which have now become legendary, or infamous depending if one is on the giving or receiving end) made short work of the Rufes. The fact that the Mitchell is as agile as the Rufe certainly added to the Japanese futility.

The veteran Rufe pilot, leading others into the fray, would not survive this turn

Damaged...

The first Rufe closed in, a veteran pilot. While a lucky hit caused fire and panic among the bomber crew of fire and panic was inflicted, a couple of successful aircrew checks would eventually resolve both issues. Opening up with the top turrets in return, the veteran floatplane pilot was damaged by one Mitchell, and then sent spinning out the action by another. However, this result did not deter two additional Rufes from mixing into the bomber box, one finding itself squarely in the middle of American crossfire. The second of this pair was able to obtain a lucky hit, another fire. This one caused airframe damage, which then allowed the bombers to break formation and increase speed! One Rufe pilot showed tail, breaking off after seeing the destruction wrought by the Mitchells, which had been diving each turn to grab an extra hex since the beginning of the game, and now the increased speed assisted in creating more space.

Not learning by the example of the veteran's demise, two skilled Rufes move into the box...

...causing fire on the lead bomber...

...scratching a Rufe in return...

...the other Rufe turns tail, or perhaps passes an intelligence check

The focus moved to a fighter on fighter action as the pair of P-40s closed in. The superior firepower, robustness, and agility soon made short work of two additional Rufes, but in a final act of defiance, the last Rufe was able to damage a P-40.

The P-40s move to engage the Rufes.

The end result was an overwhelming American victory. One P-40 and one B-25 were damaged. All the Mitchells exited a friendly edge, and four Rufes were lost. The Rufe is truly a shite plane, with poor agility and robustness. However, a few die rolls in the other direction could have possibly the outcome.

Planes - Flight Deck Decals and painted by Miscellaneous Miniatures

Mat - Deep Cut Studio