Gentlemen* start your engines.

* Ladies are welcome as well.

You may remember that last year I ran a game on my blog. I will be doing the same this year as well. But rather than ships of the Napoleonic Navy I will be using WW1 aircraft.

"Baron Raymond Von Dachs" will be "Leading" the Germans. At this stage I just need people willing to fly with or against him (no you cannot deliberately shoot your own side down, you know who I am talking to!) I have given Michael Mills (aka Millsy) the first choice to lead the forces of the Allies against this Vile Hun. If he chooses not to be involved or not to be a leader or to be on the same side as Ray I will be looking for another to step up. But he is my first choice as he does have an understanding of the rules I will be using. Which really will be a help.

So the Blog game this year will be WW1 dogfights above Flanders.  I will be looking for players on both sides so should you be interested. Ideally I would be looking for 12-20 players each willing to fly a single seat fighter plane for the Autumn-winter of 1917. So if you think you want to play kindly leave a comment letting me know and which side you would prefer. (I cannot guarantee you will get the choice but at least if you tell me I can try to fit you in on the side you would prefer.)


To the right you can see the very first move I have made in making the terrain you will be flying over. But I need to get a new saw blade to cut it. Mine is not "Man enough" to cut the board. Too old, too worn and that's the blade as well as me. I will do a step by step walk through as I make the terrain over the next few weeks. And you may take that picture as the first step. The boards are 19mm thick flooring from an old building project and I have decided to use them as opposed to shelling out hard earned on brand new materials having seen the cost of them at my local DIY store this morning. At this stage you could use board as long as you were confident it would not warp.  So Stage 1 is measure and cut the boards to size and shape.

Back to the planned game. I will be using the Canvas Eagles rules as they are a set I am most familiar with having been shot down over 20 times! If you do not have the rules they are downloadable FREE here http://www.maxeagles.com/index.html

Simply go to the PDF tab and once clicked the rules are on the free PDF page. Just look for the "Main rules" area. There are also all the aircraft play sheets for more aircraft than you will ever need. in a separate download area. To the right you can see my copy of the rules that I have printed and bound, so yours should look like this.

So that is the rules taken care of. I will point out any rules changes before play (there will be a few just to suit the play by blog format.) But I want some pregame training. Yes I have that covered as well. There is a free computer game, BLUEMAX, as well (this makes me sound very organised but it is not my doing.) It is an Italian website which runs a VERY similar game. There are differences but it is a very good place to start. Anyway you will find I here

http://www.youplay.it/default.asp

I fly under the handle "DirtyFoker1" on that site and tend to join in the larger games 8-18 players. So if you want to shoot me down and get some revenge for the pain and suffering I am about to inflict on you. I am in no way the best pilot in any game but I would say I was an OK pilot in that game.

But for the play by blog game I will be running. At this stage I just need a real name, a preferred side, (French, German or British) if you have a STRONG preference for a plane (has to be single seater and in COMMON active service in Autumn/Winter 1917 by one of those nations) and if you want a pilot name or an aircraft name that is also acceptable. (I have Named Rays and it may change when he reads this or he may not.)

As always any questions please get in touch, perhaps leave a comment. If you played in the last game preference will be given this time and those people already know my email address so drop me a line directly.

Players signed up so far: (I will add more as they are known to me)

1. Ray Rousell (German Commander)
2. Michael Mills (Allied Commander) Captain Sir Isembard Mafeking Barking-Madd-Smythe III
3. Dave Docherty. (British erhm colonial foreign chappie!)
4. Peter Douglas (British)
5. Kyle lee (Canadian in British service)
6. Roy Williamson (French)
7. Edwin King (French) Capiteine Reynard "The Flying Fox"
8. Robert Audin (French) No more French for the moment (Unless you are actually French then I will make an exception).
9. Mathyoo (German)
10. Lee Hadley (Germans)
11. JMiles (Any)
12. Phyllion (Any)
13. Tamsin (Any)
14. Michael Peterson (Any)
15. Curt?
16. Seb?
17. Fran?
18. Mysterious Aussie friend of Millsy!

First Reserves.

1. Carl Packham.
2. Kasper Froberg 

RESERVE PLACES ARE STILL AVAILIABLE IF those with question marks drop out!

Thanks for reading and chocks away!