Volume 36, Number 7
RBF Champ Crowned in Lowest Scoring Game Ever
(Click here for updated RBF records) A game laden with aces and outstanding pilots gave us one of the closest finishes in the history of Red Baron Fight, yet produced no kills and the lowest score in 35 years. The Germans appeared to have the upper hand at the start of the 5-player scenario:
Rick Lacy (UNT Laurence Reiter, 30/6), red Fokker DrI
Bob Meister (HPT Ralph Seid, 5/1), Albatros DVa
Ethan Skinner (Dolf Meinhart, 18/7), Albatros DVa
Dory Oda (Maxwell Sorgis, 5/3), Camel 130
Stephen Skinner (CPT Purvis Leiter, 52/32), Camel 130
RBF Champ Crowned in Lowest Scoring Game Ever
(Click here for updated RBF records) A game laden with aces and outstanding pilots gave us one of the closest finishes in the history of Red Baron Fight, yet produced no kills and the lowest score in 35 years. The Germans appeared to have the upper hand at the start of the 5-player scenario:
Rick Lacy (UNT Laurence Reiter, 30/6), red Fokker DrI
Bob Meister (HPT Ralph Seid, 5/1), Albatros DVa
Ethan Skinner (Dolf Meinhart, 18/7), Albatros DVa
Dory Oda (Maxwell Sorgis, 5/3), Camel 130
Stephen Skinner (CPT Purvis Leiter, 52/32), Camel 130
Ethan flew the top pilot on his roster only to roll poor initiative numbers and get sandwiched by both Camels on Turn 1. Dory and Stephen pummeled him with 16 bullets, three of which went into the engine and immediately put him on the defensive. Dory's Camel pilot fared little better, getting double attacked by the remaining German fighters of Rick and Bob, who combined for 9 hits.
"He was just one more good hit from being killed," Ethan said of his 18-mission pilot. "He's my biggest guy, and my plane was already was already halfway chewed up so I just left." This was Meinhart's second Red Baron Fight (co-champion with Stephen Dale in 2021) and he was again promoted to Hauptmann, the highest rank available to German flyers.
Rick's red Triplane and Bob's Albatros continued to shoot at Dory's Camel until she flew home to save her 5-mission pilot. Stephen's Camel missed a pair of shots before scoring a 10-hit mega-burst into Bob's Albatros, resulting in a light wound and slowing the already outclassed Albatros with a 10 mph turn speed penalty.
"This guy had previously flown a Red Baron Fight," Bob said. "He lived and got promoted for it. That's why he was a captain (see Red Baron Fight Rules). My plane was very flyable. Two hits in one area was the most I had and this was my best Alb pilot. But the light wound in the leg meant I was never going to be a factor. I was just going to give the Camels more points." Bob's pilot escaped the fight and landed safely at home only to die from his light leg wound.
That left Rick's 30-mission Triplane pilot and Stephen's 52-mission Camel jockey as the only remaining combatants. Stephen was unable to fire at all while Rick missed a 200-foot tail shot on the game's final turn. That miss would be the difference, with Stephen winning by just two points in the lowest scoring game in Red Baron Fight history.
Assessment of team "wins" is subjective, but the British can probably be credited with a narrow team victory by virtue of their Turn 1 double assault on Ethan's DIII and the leg wound suffered by Bob's DV pilot. Two Camels combined for 81 points (40.5 points per plane) while the three Germans produced a total of 87 points (29 points per plane). This once again proves the old adage that the best way to win RBF's Silver Goblet is to make sure you're on the winning team. Here are the final scores:
Stephen, Camel 130 51
Rick, red Fokker DrI 49
Dory, Camel 130 31
Bob, Albatros DV 23
Ethan, Albatros DIII 15
"He was just one more good hit from being killed," Ethan said of his 18-mission pilot. "He's my biggest guy, and my plane was already was already halfway chewed up so I just left." This was Meinhart's second Red Baron Fight (co-champion with Stephen Dale in 2021) and he was again promoted to Hauptmann, the highest rank available to German flyers.
Rick's red Triplane and Bob's Albatros continued to shoot at Dory's Camel until she flew home to save her 5-mission pilot. Stephen's Camel missed a pair of shots before scoring a 10-hit mega-burst into Bob's Albatros, resulting in a light wound and slowing the already outclassed Albatros with a 10 mph turn speed penalty.
"This guy had previously flown a Red Baron Fight," Bob said. "He lived and got promoted for it. That's why he was a captain (see Red Baron Fight Rules). My plane was very flyable. Two hits in one area was the most I had and this was my best Alb pilot. But the light wound in the leg meant I was never going to be a factor. I was just going to give the Camels more points." Bob's pilot escaped the fight and landed safely at home only to die from his light leg wound.
That left Rick's 30-mission Triplane pilot and Stephen's 52-mission Camel jockey as the only remaining combatants. Stephen was unable to fire at all while Rick missed a 200-foot tail shot on the game's final turn. That miss would be the difference, with Stephen winning by just two points in the lowest scoring game in Red Baron Fight history.
Assessment of team "wins" is subjective, but the British can probably be credited with a narrow team victory by virtue of their Turn 1 double assault on Ethan's DIII and the leg wound suffered by Bob's DV pilot. Two Camels combined for 81 points (40.5 points per plane) while the three Germans produced a total of 87 points (29 points per plane). This once again proves the old adage that the best way to win RBF's Silver Goblet is to make sure you're on the winning team. Here are the final scores:
Stephen, Camel 130 51
Rick, red Fokker DrI 49
Dory, Camel 130 31
Bob, Albatros DV 23
Ethan, Albatros DIII 15
May 18 Gaming Report
Gaming on May 18 was brief but enjoyable, with Nelson Skinner serving a great lunch and snacks throughout the day (thank you!). Game 1 began on the Italian Front in July 1918 with Rick in an Italian SVA 10 two seater and Stephen's experienced Caproni crew in a Ca36. The Austrians were comprised of Dory's Berg DI, Bob's Oeffag Albatros and Ethan's Phonix DII. Everyone got mission credit in a short, 5-turn scenario and then made it home safely. Stephen's Caproni pilot and rear gunner both notched their 15th mission.
The second game of the day was Red Baron Fight XXXV (see lead story). The third and final game of the day featured the SPAD 13's of Ethan and Bob guarding an American balloon under attack by Stephen's Hannover CLIIIa crew and Rick's Pfalz DIII fighter. Both Germans blew their initial assault on the balloon by missing, while Ethan and Bob managed several good bursts. They actually sent 8 bullets through the right wing of Stephen's Hannover and inflicted a critical hit.
But Stephen's observer (LTN Leonard Alken, 15-1) managed to return fire. "I was flying Elvis King," Ethan said of his SPAD pilot. "This mission makes him 2-0. On the first turn I took four shots head-on and they all went into my engine."
The second firing run at the balloon succeeded and the Germans sent it down in flames, and then Stephen's observer again had to fend off attack from a SPAD. "I finally got three hits in the engine," Bob said. "Got a critical due to compression loss. I was going to be able to pursue Stephen's Hannover but I already had three hits in the engine. At that point it wasn't worth it. The only thing I'd be doing was to keep taking head ons. And I had just jammed a gun, too."
Rick's pilot, who would eventually receive credit for the balloon kill, overdove his Pfalz into the ground and was killed in the crash. "Charles Wasserman, that was his 14th mission," Rick said. "He basically died because he was an idiot. I'm gonna say that initial run on the balloon, when he missed, shook him up and he never recovered. That's what I'm gonna go with." All other pilots returned home safely.
Fokker DrI in Pennsylvania
Stephen and three-time Red Baron Fight winner Stephen Dale were in Pennsylvania last week to spend a day with WWI engine expert Fred Murrin, who owns one of the finest Fokker DrI Triplane replicas in existence. Fred offered to wheel the DrI out of its hangar and fire up the original, 107-year-old Le Rhone engine. Here is a photo journal of the experience.
Stephen and three-time Red Baron Fight winner Stephen Dale were in Pennsylvania last week to spend a day with WWI engine expert Fred Murrin, who owns one of the finest Fokker DrI Triplane replicas in existence. Fred offered to wheel the DrI out of its hangar and fire up the original, 107-year-old Le Rhone engine. Here is a photo journal of the experience.
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