Volume 24, Number 8
Indy Squadron Championship Goes to Wesley!
The most elite club in Indiana Dawn Patrol got a little bigger when the 2012 Armistice Day Fits Tournament produced another new winner. Wesley Morgan became only the 12th holder of the Indy Squadron Victory Medal in the game's 24-year history when he won a nail-biter over Stephen Dale and Rick, both of whom were also seeking their first Indy title.
The teams for this year's Armistice Day Tournament stacked up like this:
Allies
Indy Squadron Championship Goes to Wesley!
The most elite club in Indiana Dawn Patrol got a little bigger when the 2012 Armistice Day Fits Tournament produced another new winner. Wesley Morgan became only the 12th holder of the Indy Squadron Victory Medal in the game's 24-year history when he won a nail-biter over Stephen Dale and Rick, both of whom were also seeking their first Indy title.
The teams for this year's Armistice Day Tournament stacked up like this:
Allies
- Ian Cunningham, French Morane-Saulnier A1
- Dory Oda, Sopwith Dolphin (Vickers only)
- Rick Lacy, Sopwith Snipe
- Wesley Morgan, Camel 150
- Stephen Dale Skinner, Fokker DVIII
- Ethan Skinner, Fokker DVII 185
- Stephen Skinner, Fokker DrI Triplane
The game began precisely as the outnumbered Germans had hoped. Ian's Morane was double-attacked from above by Stephen's DrI and from below by Stephen Dale's DVIII. The firing phase resulted in the game's first major turning point when Stephen Dale hit Ian's pilot with a fatal wound. Both Dory and Rick missed, leaving the Allies with virtually no offense in Turn 1.
Stephen Dale had jammed a gun during the attack, but by drawing first blood, the Germans had evened the odds and now fought a three-on-three battle.
Dory's Dolphin sparred with Ethan's Fokker DVII, while Rick and Stephen Dale exchanged fire over the next few turns. Wesley continued to fire and was unable to score a kill, but every shot he fired seemed to score heavy damage. He was racking up more points than anyone could imagine.
Stephen Dale had jammed a gun during the attack, but by drawing first blood, the Germans had evened the odds and now fought a three-on-three battle.
Dory's Dolphin sparred with Ethan's Fokker DVII, while Rick and Stephen Dale exchanged fire over the next few turns. Wesley continued to fire and was unable to score a kill, but every shot he fired seemed to score heavy damage. He was racking up more points than anyone could imagine.
Numbers favored the Germans on Turn 5. While Dory, Rick and Ethan were caught out by gun jams and poor initiative, Stephen and Stephen Dale had a golden opportunity to double-attack Wesley's Camel. Stephen missed entirely, and Stephen Dale's single gun was only able to score minor damage. It retrospect, this was perhaps the best opportunity for the Germans to really turn the tide in their favor but they failed to capitalize.
Shortly afterward a burst from Wesley's Camel scored 4 hits in the engine of Ethan's Fokker DVII, forcing the 2011 Indy Squadron champion to retire from the fight with 5 total engine hits. Ethan was fortunate to make it back to his own lines and save his pilot.
Shortly afterward a burst from Wesley's Camel scored 4 hits in the engine of Ethan's Fokker DVII, forcing the 2011 Indy Squadron champion to retire from the fight with 5 total engine hits. Ethan was fortunate to make it back to his own lines and save his pilot.
Dory's luck was little better. Plagued by misses in what should have been solid shots, she spent the latter part of the game pelting Stephen Dale's Fokker DVIII.
Now only the German planes of Stephen and Stephen Dale remained in the air with the Sopwith fighters of Dory, Wesley and Rick. Stephen Dale had already bagged a kill and was a clear contender despite flying all day with just one operating machine gun. Wesley's incredible shooting had vaulted him into contention. Rick had flown well and had finally cleared his guns. A kill would put him in contention for the Victory Medal as well. Stephen had 5 engine hits, two criticals, and few available options.
Due to initiative rolls, if Stephen had fled the game it would have left his lone remaining wingman, Stephen Dale, with three attackers. His best option was to draw as much fire as possible, hope he could win numbers before he was shot down, and leave Stephen Dale in a position to score more points in a one-on-one fight with Dory.
The plan didn't work. After evading his opponents for two turns, Rick pounced on Stephen's tail and inflicted a critical forcing him into a Left Bank. Two turns later Rick's Snipe shot out the DrI's left wing and put him in a dead heat with Stephen Dale and Wesley for the Indy Squadron title.
At that point the game broke up. Stephen Dale deliberately escaped the game believing that he had enough points to win the championship. And he almost did.
When the final scores were tallied, Wesley - who had to be talked into playing and was eligible only on the strength of his lone February appearance - won the closest Armistice Day Tournament since 2005.
Now only the German planes of Stephen and Stephen Dale remained in the air with the Sopwith fighters of Dory, Wesley and Rick. Stephen Dale had already bagged a kill and was a clear contender despite flying all day with just one operating machine gun. Wesley's incredible shooting had vaulted him into contention. Rick had flown well and had finally cleared his guns. A kill would put him in contention for the Victory Medal as well. Stephen had 5 engine hits, two criticals, and few available options.
Due to initiative rolls, if Stephen had fled the game it would have left his lone remaining wingman, Stephen Dale, with three attackers. His best option was to draw as much fire as possible, hope he could win numbers before he was shot down, and leave Stephen Dale in a position to score more points in a one-on-one fight with Dory.
The plan didn't work. After evading his opponents for two turns, Rick pounced on Stephen's tail and inflicted a critical forcing him into a Left Bank. Two turns later Rick's Snipe shot out the DrI's left wing and put him in a dead heat with Stephen Dale and Wesley for the Indy Squadron title.
At that point the game broke up. Stephen Dale deliberately escaped the game believing that he had enough points to win the championship. And he almost did.
When the final scores were tallied, Wesley - who had to be talked into playing and was eligible only on the strength of his lone February appearance - won the closest Armistice Day Tournament since 2005.
- Wesley Morgan, Sopwith Camel 150, 109 points
- Stephen Dale Skinner, Fokker DVIII, 99
- Rick Lacy, Sopwith Snipe, 89
- Dory Oda, Sopwith Dolphin (Vickers only), 41
- Ethan Skinner, Fokker DVII 185, 33
- Stephen Skinner, Fokker DrI, 23
- Ian Cunningham, Morane-Saulnier A1, 0
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