A major offseason statistical timekiller: If chiefsplanet members were B-17 crews... - Page 6

**Rain Man** · 01:57 AM

As some of you know, I've got a fixation with B-17 bombers from the World War II era. I've got this really cool simulation game (pencil and paper, not computer) of B-17 missions over Europe. It can track each crew member's history, as well as the success of an individual airplane's mission. It's a majorly cool game if you're into wargame simulations, and is called "B-17: Queen of the Skies." It's made by Avalon Hill.

Anyway, over the past few years, I've been running missions whenever I've been in the mood, and I've got records of almost 300 missions now. I thought it might be fun to use these for an interesting statistical time killer, so you could see what your fate would have been if you had been drafted into the Bomber Corps back in the early days of WWII.

I've got enough missions to run a group of 20 bombers, each with a 10-person crew. If you're interested in participating, do one of the following:

1. If you've got less than 4,000 posts and want to be on a crew, volunteer for service by stating so in this thread. Please don't pm me; just make a post.

2. If you've got more than 4,000 posts, you'll be in by default unless you post or pm me that you DON'T want to be included. If you don't want to read about yourself blasting German fighters out of the sky or falling 20,000 feet to your death in a burning aircraft, you might want to opt out.

Since I've already run the simulations, you'll have no responsibilities other than to watch what happens, discuss it, brag or curse, and maybe make a decision once in a while about reassignment if a bomber crew has casualties. This is just something to watch and ponder your fate. We'll run the game until somebody gets 25 missions, and it'll probably meander on through much of the offseason since it'll take me a while to post each mission.

Crews will be determined randomly, and the hierarchy on the crew will be determined by post count unless a person particularly wants to move down the hierarchy to take a certain position. If there are casualties, you can move around in the crew. (We'll assume that flying lessons come easy to you.) The hierarchy will be:

1. Pilot
2. Copilot
3. Bombardier/Nose & Port Cheek Gunner
4. Navigator/Nose & Starboard Cheek Gunner
5. Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
6. Radio Operator/Radio Room Gunner
7. Tail Gunner
8. Ball Turret Gunner
9. Right Waist Gunner
10. Left Waist Gunner

The way it will work is like this: I'll assign you to a crew, and I'll randomly assign your plane to a mission. Every week or so, as I have time, I'll post the results of missions. Each of the 20 bombers will have a mission in a thread called "B-17 Mission 1" or something like that. Once everyone has flown a mission, the survivors will go on to a new thread called Mission 2, and so on. There will be some shuffling of crews as time goes by, as crew members find themselves without planes or vice versa, and I'll post those changes as we go.

Within a thread, you'll read a summary of each plane's mission, its encounters with enemy aircraft and flak along the way, and its bombing success. The interesting part is that you'll read about any damage to the plane, any casualties to the crews, and/or any enemy planes hit by your own fire.

I'll add more explanations along the way.

Mods, let me know if this is a problem or distraction. It'll be 25 threads in total, one for each mission, and will probably result in one thread that'll bounce off and on the front page through the whole offseason. If it's a bother, we'll move it to another part of the board or just forget about it, but I think it'll be fun.

Abba-Dabba · 01-20-2004, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Or maybe this one?

Not this one either, but we are on the right track.

trndobrd · 01-20-2004, 11:39 AM

I'll raise my right hand. When do I get my extra flight pay?

|Zach| · 01-20-2004, 11:49 AM

I couldn't remember how many posts I had till I just made this post. Looks like I am set...let me go get my aviator glasses.

6 Iron · 01-20-2004, 12:03 PM

sign me up, please.

Mark M · 01-20-2004, 12:08 PM

Can I be a crew member? Please?

I don't take up much space ...

MM
~~

**Rain Man** · 01-20-2004, 01:00 PM

Rosie the Riveter is still putting the planes together, but they'll arrive soon.

Everyone to date is on a crew to be announced tonight. Mark M was found to have flat feet, but the flight doctor will let him on anyway.

|Zach| · 01-20-2004, 01:06 PM

ENDelt, I want you to take this letter for me. You know, just in case something happens.

|Zach| · 01-20-2004, 01:17 PM

I call this Plane...

I also call NOT getting this Plane...
rel="Lightbox"?attachmentid=21199&stc=1" border="0" alt="" class="tcattdimgresizer" onload="NcodeImageResizer.createOn(this);" />

|Zach| · 01-20-2004, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ENDelt260

I'll hide it up my ass right away.

I am not interested in some young boy getting his hands on it. I need you to put it in a safe place where nobody else will see it.

**Rain Man** · 01-20-2004, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZachKC

I also call NOT getting this Plane...
rel="Lightbox"?attachmentid=21199&stc=1" border="0" alt="" class="tcattdimgresizer" onload="NcodeImageResizer.createOn(this);" />

Never accept an assignment on a plane named "Lefty."

Warrior5 · 01-20-2004, 01:52 PM

Sign me up for the virtual Army Air Corps. Preference is top turret gunner or bombardier (lining up the Coliseum and Invesco), but if otherwise assign me wherever.

...reporting for duty.

|Zach| · 01-20-2004, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warrior5

Sign me up for the virtual Army Air Corps. Preference is top turret gunner or bombardier (lining up the Coliseum and Invesco), but if otherwise assign me wherever.

...reporting for duty.

**ChiTown** · 01-20-2004, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZachKC

I call this Plane...

Is that called the Flying Pancake Nips? Yeah, I wouldn't ming riding, err, flying that one....

My Dad flew the B17 in WWII. I've got some cool pics that I need to post some day. He took me to a show at the Richards Gabauer (sp??) AFB to watch some of those old planes when I was a kid. He was like a kid in a candy shop. I spent my time trying to load up on all the amenities - popcorn, cotton candy, etc. Man, I really miss my Dad........

Mark M · 01-20-2004, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Mark M was found to have flat feet, but the flight doctor will let him on anyway.

Thanks ... I think.

MM
~~

MikeTheWildcat · 01-20-2004, 02:47 PM

I always wanted to fly in a B-17! Please put me in the game if there is still room.

Thanks,
MikeTheWildcat

01-20-2004, 12:54 AM
Rain Man Seize life. Be an ermine. Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $-672449 VARSITY	A major offseason statistical timekiller: If chiefsplanet members were B-17 crews... As some of you know, I've got a fixation with B-17 bombers from the World War II era. I've got this really cool simulation game (pencil and paper, not computer) of B-17 missions over Europe. It can track each crew member's history, as well as the success of an individual airplane's mission. It's a majorly cool game if you're into wargame simulations, and is called "B-17: Queen of the Skies." It's made by Avalon Hill. Anyway, over the past few years, I've been running missions whenever I've been in the mood, and I've got records of almost 300 missions now. I thought it might be fun to use these for an interesting statistical time killer, so you could see what your fate would have been if you had been drafted into the Bomber Corps back in the early days of WWII. I've got enough missions to run a group of 20 bombers, each with a 10-person crew. If you're interested in participating, do one of the following: 1. If you've got less than 4,000 posts and want to be on a crew, volunteer for service by stating so in this thread. Please don't pm me; just make a post. 2. If you've got more than 4,000 posts, you'll be in by default unless you post or pm me that you DON'T want to be included. If you don't want to read about yourself blasting German fighters out of the sky or falling 20,000 feet to your death in a burning aircraft, you might want to opt out. Since I've already run the simulations, you'll have no responsibilities other than to watch what happens, discuss it, brag or curse, and maybe make a decision once in a while about reassignment if a bomber crew has casualties. This is just something to watch and ponder your fate. We'll run the game until somebody gets 25 missions, and it'll probably meander on through much of the offseason since it'll take me a while to post each mission. Crews will be determined randomly, and the hierarchy on the crew will be determined by post count unless a person particularly wants to move down the hierarchy to take a certain position. If there are casualties, you can move around in the crew. (We'll assume that flying lessons come easy to you.) The hierarchy will be: 1. Pilot 2. Copilot 3. Bombardier/Nose & Port Cheek Gunner 4. Navigator/Nose & Starboard Cheek Gunner 5. Engineer/Top Turret Gunner 6. Radio Operator/Radio Room Gunner 7. Tail Gunner 8. Ball Turret Gunner 9. Right Waist Gunner 10. Left Waist Gunner The way it will work is like this: I'll assign you to a crew, and I'll randomly assign your plane to a mission. Every week or so, as I have time, I'll post the results of missions. Each of the 20 bombers will have a mission in a thread called "B-17 Mission 1" or something like that. Once everyone has flown a mission, the survivors will go on to a new thread called Mission 2, and so on. There will be some shuffling of crews as time goes by, as crew members find themselves without planes or vice versa, and I'll post those changes as we go. Within a thread, you'll read a summary of each plane's mission, its encounters with enemy aircraft and flak along the way, and its bombing success. The interesting part is that you'll read about any damage to the plane, any casualties to the crews, and/or any enemy planes hit by your own fire. I'll add more explanations along the way. Mods, let me know if this is a problem or distraction. It'll be 25 threads in total, one for each mission, and will probably result in one thread that'll bounce off and on the front page through the whole offseason. If it's a bother, we'll move it to another part of the board or just forget about it, but I think it'll be fun. Last edited by Rain Man; 01-20-2004 at 01:57 AM..
Posts: 145,500

01-20-2004, 11:39 AM	#77
trndobrd 'Stachecicle Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Tolerance Box Casino cash: $2275087	I'll raise my right hand. When do I get my extra flight pay? __________________
Posts: 7,249

01-20-2004, 11:49 AM	#78
\|Zach\| For The Glory Of The City Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $3026768	I couldn't remember how many posts I had till I just made this post. Looks like I am set...let me go get my aviator glasses.
Posts: 54,737

01-20-2004, 12:03 PM	#79
6 Iron Starter Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Minnesota Casino cash: $6994925	sign me up, please.
Posts: 310

01-20-2004, 12:08 PM	#80
Mark M What time is it? Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: You tell me ... Casino cash: $9884900	Can I be a crew member? Please? I don't take up much space ... MM ~~ __________________ ChiefsPlanet -- n. The place where brilliant minds assemble to willfully pool ignorance with questionable logic in order to reach absurd conclusions.
Posts: 4,687

01-20-2004, 01:00 PM	#81
Rain Man Seize life. Be an ermine. Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $-672449 VARSITY	Rosie the Riveter is still putting the planes together, but they'll arrive soon. Everyone to date is on a crew to be announced tonight. Mark M was found to have flat feet, but the flight doctor will let him on anyway. __________________ Active fan of the greatest team in NFL history.
Posts: 145,500

01-20-2004, 01:06 PM	#82
\|Zach\| For The Glory Of The City Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $3026768	ENDelt, I want you to take this letter for me. You know, just in case something happens.
Posts: 54,737

01-20-2004, 01:17 PM	#83
\|Zach\| For The Glory Of The City Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $3026768	I call this Plane... I also call NOT getting this Plane... rel="Lightbox"?attachmentid=21199&stc=1" border="0" alt="" class="tcattdimgresizer" onload="NcodeImageResizer.createOn(this);" />
Posts: 54,737

01-20-2004, 01:52 PM	#86
Warrior5 Stram was Cav Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Chiefsplanet Casino cash: $8054010	Rain Man, Sign me up for the virtual Army Air Corps. Preference is top turret gunner or bombardier (lining up the Coliseum and Invesco), but if otherwise assign me wherever. ...reporting for duty. __________________ The best pass defense is attacking the passer.
Posts: 5,240

01-20-2004, 02:47 PM	#90
MikeTheWildcat Starter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: OKC Casino cash: $8138541	I always wanted to fly in a B-17! Please put me in the game if there is still room. Thanks, MikeTheWildcat
Posts: 158