Volume 36, Number 3
Whosyercon Open Nets 6-Time Winner
Rick drew up a great scenario for this year's Whosyercon Open, held at the Indianapolis Marriott East on March 30, 2024 with four players in attendance. Defending champion Ethan teamed up with Stephen in French Hanriot HD2's while Rick and Bob flew German Hansa-Brandenburg KDW's in a dogfight over the North Sea.
Whosyercon Open Nets 6-Time Winner
Rick drew up a great scenario for this year's Whosyercon Open, held at the Indianapolis Marriott East on March 30, 2024 with four players in attendance. Defending champion Ethan teamed up with Stephen in French Hanriot HD2's while Rick and Bob flew German Hansa-Brandenburg KDW's in a dogfight over the North Sea.
The French shot poorly in the opening turns, failing to hit twice while simultaneously attacking each German. Ethan did manage to put a 7-shot burst into Bob's KDW but Rick returned the favor quickly by firing 9 shots into Ethan's tail. One of them resulted in a critical pilot wound after which Ethan successfully landed on the water where he was picked up by a passing friendly ship but suffered permanent incapacitation from his wounds. Stephen managed an 8-hit burst into Rick's KDW that severely damaged the left wing; a factor that would become important later in the game.
Now alone in the sky against two Germans, Stephen did his best to split his opponents and largely succeeded thanks to Rick's conservative movement due to his heavily damaged airplane. When Rick finally did rejoin the stalemated battled between Bob's KDW and Stephen's Hanriot, the Frenchman was able to squeeze off a 150-foot shot that scored only two hits. As fate would have it, both found their mark in the left wing and Rick's seaplane plunged into the icy waters below, awarding a solo kill to Stephen.
Stephen's shooting wasn't stellar, but it was better than Rick's and good enough to secure his 6th win in the Indy spring classic. He is now the only player with a shot at the 2024 Triple Crown (Whosyercon Open, Red Baron Fight and Armistice Day Fits Tournament).
Stephen, Hanriot HD-2 82 points
Rick, Hansa-Brandenburg KDW 48
Bob, Hansa-Brandenburg KDW 45
Ethan, Hanriot HD-2 19
Whosyercon Photo Gallery
4March 30 Gaming Report
Game 1
Two American SPAD 13's (Ethan and Stephen) met a pair of Fokker DVII 160's (Rick and Bob) at 10,000 feet altitude over German lines in August 1918. Stephen's SPAD latched onto Bob's tail (Peter Wagner, 7/2) for three turns inflicting a fabric tear, but the real damage occurred when Rick's DVII pilot (Bruno Becker, 25/7) put 5 hits into Stephen's engine in a single turn. Both sides retreated safely after six turns.
Game 2 was the Whosyercon Open described in the lead story.
Game 3
Two Americans (Ethan [Ethan Blackwood, N.28, 6/0] and Rick) ran into a pair of German Pfalz DXII's (Bob and Stephen) inside German lines in August 1918. Both Pfalz pilots quickly got on Ethan's tail and combined for 15 hits and a critical, sending Ethan home immediately to save a pilot that's been on his roster since he began his DP career. Rich's Nieuport 28 shot up the engine of Stephen's Pfalz, striking the propeller and forcing the German to cut his engine. From 14,000 feet altitude he was able to glide back to his home field for a successful landing, giving a solo victory to Rick's American pilot.
Game 4
Set in April 1917, two French SPAD 7's (Bob and Ethan) successfully defended their balloon against an Albatros DIII (Rick) and a Roland DII (Stephen). Rick engaged both Frenchmen while Stephen made a dash for the 800' balloon. His engine was hit three times and the resulting critical hit caused the airplane to explode, instantly killing Stephen's 7-mission pilot. Rick then dove on the balloon and hit it, closely followed by Bob's SPAD pilot who fired on Rick, hit his pilot and killed him instantly. Ethan and Bob won the scenario overwhelmingly, saving their balloon and sending down both opponents despite their single gun SPADs.
Game 5
Two Bentley powered Camels (Bob and Rick) challenged a pair of German Fokker DVIII's (Stephen and Ethan) high over the front lines in September 1918. Stephen (LTN Jurgen Ulf, 20/6) put 9 bullets into Rick's Camel, including four in the engine. The British pilot chose to escape and the fight broke up.
Game 5
The final game featured two American SPAD 13's in August 1918 against German Fokkers. It was a short game full of gun jams that broke up after only five turns.
Game 1
Two American SPAD 13's (Ethan and Stephen) met a pair of Fokker DVII 160's (Rick and Bob) at 10,000 feet altitude over German lines in August 1918. Stephen's SPAD latched onto Bob's tail (Peter Wagner, 7/2) for three turns inflicting a fabric tear, but the real damage occurred when Rick's DVII pilot (Bruno Becker, 25/7) put 5 hits into Stephen's engine in a single turn. Both sides retreated safely after six turns.
Game 2 was the Whosyercon Open described in the lead story.
Game 3
Two Americans (Ethan [Ethan Blackwood, N.28, 6/0] and Rick) ran into a pair of German Pfalz DXII's (Bob and Stephen) inside German lines in August 1918. Both Pfalz pilots quickly got on Ethan's tail and combined for 15 hits and a critical, sending Ethan home immediately to save a pilot that's been on his roster since he began his DP career. Rich's Nieuport 28 shot up the engine of Stephen's Pfalz, striking the propeller and forcing the German to cut his engine. From 14,000 feet altitude he was able to glide back to his home field for a successful landing, giving a solo victory to Rick's American pilot.
Game 4
Set in April 1917, two French SPAD 7's (Bob and Ethan) successfully defended their balloon against an Albatros DIII (Rick) and a Roland DII (Stephen). Rick engaged both Frenchmen while Stephen made a dash for the 800' balloon. His engine was hit three times and the resulting critical hit caused the airplane to explode, instantly killing Stephen's 7-mission pilot. Rick then dove on the balloon and hit it, closely followed by Bob's SPAD pilot who fired on Rick, hit his pilot and killed him instantly. Ethan and Bob won the scenario overwhelmingly, saving their balloon and sending down both opponents despite their single gun SPADs.
Game 5
Two Bentley powered Camels (Bob and Rick) challenged a pair of German Fokker DVIII's (Stephen and Ethan) high over the front lines in September 1918. Stephen (LTN Jurgen Ulf, 20/6) put 9 bullets into Rick's Camel, including four in the engine. The British pilot chose to escape and the fight broke up.
Game 5
The final game featured two American SPAD 13's in August 1918 against German Fokkers. It was a short game full of gun jams that broke up after only five turns.
Original World War I Silent Film
Book Review
The Battle of the Little Bighorn, A New Appraisal
English author Wendy Ann Wallace hasn't merely written another book on the most famous battle of the Indian Wars, she's taken an enormous risk by challenging all conventional wisdom about the entire event.
The book's premise is outlined from the very first page. After 30 years of research, she is convinced that she can demonstrate that George Armstrong Custer was maneuvered into a losing battle in order to remove him from running for the presidency. And she comes dangerously close to proving her point.
A national hero after the War for Southern Independence, Custer had aspirations for the White House in the mid 1870's. Political opponents Philip Sheridan and William T. Sherman were determined to stop him.
Wallace's account is deep, thoughtful and packed with compelling information. Western civilization desperately needs more journalists who challenge the official narrative (when evidence exists to do so) and make public the shortcomings of the stories handed to us by the very authorities that benefit from them. Wallace has done that. The question now is, will Americans be willing to listen?
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