" So you said things got bad on Malta. What does that mean? "
" It means a lot. We were stationed in North Africa. But they said Malta were more important. Strategic. Between Sicily and Africa. This means that that island was important. And we wanted it. "
" What about battles? "
" My first battle was on January 20, 1941. The Italians were good guys. But not in battle it seemed. They were suffering heavy losses. So they send us. On this day we were doing a normal patrol. Me, Tenente Gabriel Marcini and his Italian fighter and the Stuka guys, Ludwig Otto and his gunner Herbert Lahn. As we had just arrived the Stuka was doing multi roles. That day he was a "fighter" for example. All as good when we saw two points in the blue sky, contrasting with the blue sea. I said:
Enemy fighters. Engage them with all you have.
Gabriel returned:
That i know. Im just afraid of their guns....
We were closing in. And sudently, i heard machine guns firing. Gabriel's Dewoitine was giving his best and was already in range.
His plane did some damage to the enemy fighter. And in return he received nothing! A lucky pass...
...that would turn in a unlucky pass.
I turned to put my guns on position. The brave crew of the Stuka remained in front of the fighter - that were now identified. Another D.520, but a french one and an American Wildcat. I had never saw one of those. Beautiful bird.
But anyway, i shot it and it reduced power immediately as the bullets raced it engine.
The Frenchman, along with his friend shot Gabriel, making a huge amount of damage and putting his plane on fire. But he wasn't the type of man that gives up of something. He put his guns to work and almost destroyed the other Dewoitine completely.
The Stuka fired at the Wildcat, called Martlet by the English, but didn't make any damage.
It was now a "furball". It was hard not to hit anyone. So we banked, climbed or did whatever the hell that taked us out of there. Herbert was now firing, but didn't make any serious damage.
I said after that chaos on the radio:
Is everything alright guys?
Ludwig answered:
Here it is. But Gabriel is on fire.
Gabriel said:
Its fine. Come on. Its just a litte smoke.
No it isn't i said. Theres fire coming out!
And doing damage apparently!
I was turning to encounter the enemy once again. Meanwhile, the Stuka and Gabriel did an Immelmann. But I dont know what happened. I really dont. After the Immelmann the fire probably reached the rudder, destroying it. I just know that when i looked over my shoulder Gabriel's plane was a fireball falling to the ground. My cries didn't bring it back.
I was now enraged. So was my friend, Ludwig.
So we closed in the kill.
And it happened.
But i feeled guilty. How could someone cause such pain to other person? The Martlet man was probably feeling the same way I was now. Thats when i thought about my mother warnings..... But an order is an order. And we got in the F4F.
We did lots of damage, putting holes in all fuselage.
And we "sucessfuly" take it down.
And that was my first sucessful mission sir. And that is how war is. But i had to continue fighting. I had to. I would not allow those Lancaster bomb our ships...
BUTCHERS TALLY
F4F Martlet / - SD - S - FT / no kills
Dewoitine D.520 / SD - S - FT / 1 kill
Werner Leam / RTB / 1 kill and one shared kill (with Stuka and D.520)
Gabriel Marcini / FLM - S - ET / One shared kill (with Stuka and BF-109)
Ludwig Otto / Herbert Lahn / RTB / One shared kill (with Stuka and D.520)
Rules
I used Joaquim's Universal Diceless chart. Special damages. No altitude. Basically this.
Oh PS: The images are low quality and changes of spin are high. Lets see...
Thanks
Nick
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