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About Red Baron Fight
The Red Baron Fight is held on or near the 21st day of April each spring; the date
of Manfred von Richtofen's last flight (see calendar). It replicates the battle in which the Red Baron lost his life.
This is not a tournament. Aces may be flown and they may fully utilize their ace advantages. The
flying of successful pilots and aces is a long standing tradition in the Red Baron Fight.
It All Started in April of 1990...
... when Indy Squadron players thought it would be fun to hold a mission commemorating the final fight
of Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron. We had just gamed two weeks earlier at the Skinner's house, and decided to hold
our special new event in Dory's legendary Dawn Patrol Basement in Brownsburg. In those days, getting four players was quite
a chore. So we spread the word and were stunned when eight people showed up... a massive turnout at the time.
It was a simple four-on-four, with big Camels against Tripes. Dory flew
her famed Camel ace, 2Lt. Edward P. Stove, and survived the mission. She flew quite well and scored numerous hits on several
Germans. Clark flew his future ace, Ltn. Felix Guttenberg (3 missions at the time), and escaped with ten hits in each wing.
Chad flew his successful DrI pilot, Unt. Christian Fritz and was forced to land in German lines after receiving a critical
head wound from then-Flight Lieutenant Christopher Foxxe (Stephen), who came into the mission with a 19/10 record.
Jason's Camel was shot down by Shawn Morgan's Tripe. Shawn played the Red Baron with an all-red airplane
and scored very well. Clark II was shot down out of control by Foxxe, who doubled for his 11th and 12th kills. It was a long
game - 25 turns - but in those days we didn't care. The length of the game combined with a bit of luck allowed Foxxe to amass
the modern equivalent of 195 points, a record which would have stood for the next fifteen years. However, at that
time the Indy Squadron was still using the traditional Fits scoring sytem complete with negative points. Additionally,
the first Red Baron Fight was simply a memorial event. No one thought of officially scoring the game and no awards
were handed out. Hence, Foxxe's score would be remembered by Indy oldtimers as a record that never was. The Camel pilot
would wait another decade and a half before claiming the RBF scoring crown again.
The first Red Baron Fight was complete with a display of Red Baron memoribilia, Richthofen books and a good
bit of history on the actual dogfight in April of 1918 when Richthofen lost his life. The enthusiasm and attendance for this
initial game were so overwhelming that we decided to make it an annual event.
Looking at the squadron today it is difficult to understand just how significant an eight-player turnout
was to us in the spring of 1990. With the squadron barely a year old at the time, it was even more amazing to sit at an Indy
gaming table with two aces and one ace-to-be... a fantastic armada of power by the standards of the day.
If you have played in a Red Baron Fight, you are part of the RBF legacy - an event with an uninterrrupted
history dating back more than sixteen years. Since the creation of Dawn Patrol in the late 1960's, only a handful
of events in all of Fitsdom can make such a claim. Congratulations, and thanks for playing.
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Red Baron Fight Rules
RBF is an open event for all players with no eligibility standards; non-Indy
players are welcome and eligible for all awards.
The game starts at about 5,000 over No Man's Land, the edges of the board
lengthwise are German/Australian lines. Anyone leaving the board within first 4 turns forfeits all survival points (with tourney
box exceptions).
Dense troop concentration and AA/MG fire in Allied trenches (every 5th square contains AA or MG,
roll 50/50, 2nd row of AA defenses 20 squares in Allied lines). They will begin shooting as soon as possible and fire regardless
of proximity of friendly planes. MG fire has no effect on friendly planes; at less then 450', AA fire will inflict an additional
25% of the hits on friendly aircraft that it did on it's intended target, from a logical angle. German AA and troop concentration
is rolled randomly.
The flying of ace and experienced pilots in this game is both encouraged and traditional. They
may fully utilize any advantages.
The player flying the red tripe gets an automatic parachute and an extra tailing
defense maneuver card. Parachutes for Alb pilots are as follows, based on their record prior to the game: 1-5 missions (roll
1-2 on 1D6), 6-8 missions (roll 1-3), 9-10 missions (roll 1-4), 11M/5K and up (roll 1-5).
Alb pilots may fly any model
of Alb they choose but must roll on standard high compression tables to determine engine.
This is not a tournament.
It replicates a historical air battle, and may not be perfectly balanced in the traditional sense of tournament play.
Any
Albatros pilot who wins the Red Baron Fight may make a special roll for a promotion in rank. He may also roll for a class
A or B bravery medal under standard rules. If no such medal is available to his province or he has already won it, he may
roll a 1-3 to receive a random medal from the extra awards subtable. If successful on the subtable, he continues to roll until
he gets a medal not already in his possession.
Points are tallied according to the Indy Squadron scoring system and
all Indy House Rules are in effect.
- 4 players - 2 Camel 150's vs. 2 Fkr DrI's @ 4,000 feet
- 5 players - 2 Camel 130's vs. 1 Fkr DrI and 2 Albatrosses @ 5,300 feet
- 6 players - 3 Camel 150's vs. 3 Fkr DrI's @ 4,000 feet
- 7 players - 3 Camel 130's vs. 2 Fkr DrI's and 2 Albatrosses @ 5,700 feet
- 8 players - 4 Camel 130's vs. 2 Fkr DrI's and 2 Albatrosses @ 4,000 feet
- 9 players - 4 Camel 150's vs. 2 Fkr DrI's and 3 Albatrosses @ 5,500 feet
- 10 players - 4 Camel 150's vs. 2 Fkr DrI's and 4 Albatrosses @ 5,500 feet
- 11 players - 5 Camel 130's vs. 3 Fkr DrI's and 3 Albatrosses @ 5,500 feet
- 12 players - 5 Camel 150's vs. 3 Fkr DrI's and 4 Albatrosses @ 4,000 feet
- More than 12 players - use 12 player scenario and add Camel 130 (13th player) and Albatross (14th player) and continue
to alternate until field is full.
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Reprinted from the
Indy Squadron Dispatch
Volume 2, Number 7
March, 1990
Announcing the 1st "Red Baron Anniversary Fight" for the Indy Squadron!
On April 21st, the 72nd anniversary of Manfred von Richthofen's death, the Indy Sqdn will hold
a commemorative dogfight, perfectly replicating the combat between RAF 209's 150 hp Camels and the Triplanes of the Red Baron's
flight. This dogfight resulted in the death of the Baron on April 21, 1918.
Dory's DP basement will be specially decorated in Red Baron memoribilia, 1 Fokker DrI pilot will
fly the all-red Tripe of the Red Baron, and "Red Baron" pizza will be served via the Sqdn fund.
Get in some extra missions on your Camel and Tripe pilots now, as most of the top pilots in the
sqdn are expected to fly in this ultra-special mission. A parachute and extra tailing defense card will go to the pilot who
flies the red DrI, as he is bound to be a prime target!
Anyone who can manage to down the Red Baron will be awarded the 1st "I Shot the Red Baron"commemorative
certificate, and get a special opportunity to roll for a promotion in rank! Other special plans are in the making for this
night... April 21st!
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