Mission 5: Finders and Seekers
In the twilight bustle of Paris, a man walked down the sidewalk. He wore an old trench coat and a black hat with the brim pulled down. Though he tried not to show it, he was nervous, glancing from side to side out of the corner of his nearly-hidden eyes. Paris was dark this time of year. He pulled his coat tighter while he walked, as if to shield himself from the encroaching darkness.
Another man lounged in the dim light of a street lamp, holding a newspaper but not really reading it. The first man approached him.
"It's cold out tonight."
The second man did not turn to face him, but replied in French, "You should have picked a better coat."
"This coat is special to me."
"Ah very good!" responded the second man. Then he looked at the other man for the first time and asked in German, "Do you have the files?"
"Ja," the man replied, "but I had a horrible time getting at them. I tell you they don't trust me."
The second man chuckled softly, "But you got the files from them anyway, didn't you? It can't be that bad." The first man shifted feet.
"I still don't like it. I'm telling you they know something!"
"Ja, ja, alright, alright. Can I see the files?" The first man fumbled with his coat and pulled several documents out. He shoved them at the second man.
"Here they are. And good riddance! You'd best get them out before-"
Pistol shots rang through the alleyway.
"It's their men!" the first man shouted. "Run, run! Get out of here!"
The second man ran off, disappearing into Paris's moonlit maze. The first man tried to follow.
"Halt! Arrêtez! Or I will shoot you!" The first man stopped, shoulders sunk and turned around. His hands were in the air.
French military police ran up to him and handcuffed him. The commanding officer walked up to the prisoner.
"You weren't just enjoying the night air, were you mon amí?"
The prisoner did not reply.
"Tell me, what exactament were you doing here? Who was that other fellow?"
Still no reply.
"Not in a talkative mood? Ah well, a few nights in prison might loosen the tongue, no?" He gestured to the other police.
"Take him away!"
Diary entry of a German UFAG C.1 pilot later that day:
Central intelligence just laid hands on highly sensitive documents, detailing the general area where the British battleship HMS Iron Duke is docked and when she will leave on assignment to hunt our transports in the Baltic Sea.
However we lost contact with the spy who managed to get these and assumed he had been captured. But only an hour ago, we received a hasty transmission over the telephone. It seems he had indeed been captured but managed to escape (one of our agents let him out). He needs to get out now, before they find him again. I'm told that captured spies don't have a very good life expectancy.
That's where I come in. My wingman and I are to take off on separate missions; I am to fly over three possible locations in the North Sea where the Iron Duke might be, while Paul is to fly to a secret landing site in France to pick our spy up. As his mission is liable to be the most dangerous, a fighter will accompany him over France. My gunner and I will have to go it alone. Will write again when I return.
-Jakob
Today's mission was actually 2 small missions that occurred at the same time. They went as follows:
Mission A; locate the HMS Iron Duke.
Mission B; pick up the spy before he is recaptured.
Mission A Breifing:
Central units involved:
1 UFAG C.1 (pilot Jakob Ritter, gunner Ernst Dietrich)
Allied units involved:
1 SPAD XIII (pilot Fransesco Duma)
HMS Iron Duke
The first part started with three waypoints spread in a triangle on the table. Each one represented a possible spot for the Iron Duke; only one would truly be it however. To discover if a waypoint was empty or the battleship, my recon had to fly within one ruler distance of the waypoint. Only Greyson knew which of the three housed the Duke.
The UFAG found the ship on the first waypoint it tried. But it soon regretted it as every AA emplacement on the floating behemoth opened fire.
A SPAD on coastal patrol joined the fight as well. Before long, the UFAG's rudder was jammed both directions. It was forced off the table on the Allied side. So, though the UFAG located the battleship, it failed to return with the information.
Mission A Debriefing:
Central pilot Jakob Ritter locates the battleship HMS Iron Duke but is forced to land behind enemy lines; POW.
Central gunner Ernst Dietrich; POW.
Allied pilot Fransesco Duma forces an UFAG C.1 piloted by Jakob Ritter to land behind Allied Lines; 1 victory confirmation requested.
Mission B Breifing:
Central units involved:
1 UFAG C.1 (pilot Karl Baumer)
1 Fokker Dr.1 (pilot Enrich von Schlatter)
Allied units involved:
1 Hanriot HD.1 (pilot Cover El Lavan)
1 AA gun
The UFAG piloted by Baumer started with no tail gunner as the seat had to be kept empty for the spy. The area where the spy was waiting was marked by a target card. If 6 three-card turns went by and the spy still wasn't picked up, then the police would arrive and he would be recaptured.
Von Schlatter kept the Hanriot busy while Baumer landed to pick the spy up. Since it was not a perfect landing, Baumer's craft had to sit for 1 full three-card turn while the spy ran to his position.
Cover made the most out of this situation and strafed the sitting recon mercilessly while von Schlatter struggled to keep up.
Cover then pulled a surprise maneuver, turning away from the UFAG. Von Schlatter, in his hurry to save the UFAG, rushed right by Cover, who then deftly turned onto his tail.
The UFAG, meanwhile, circumnavigated the AA gun and made a bid for home. Cover latched back onto it then. The spy, who was very willing to defend his getaway, but none too experienced, promptly jammed the rear guns.
Thankfully, Baumer's skillful flying saved them both, and they withdrew towards the Central lines.
Rather than retreat with the UFAG, von Schlatter opted to duel it out with Cover. His choice was a bad one. Cover neatly finished him off in the first pass for his 3rd recorded victory.
Mission B Debreifing
Central pilot Paul Baumer successfully picks up spy Dietz Richter; RTB.
Central pilot Enrich von Schlatter is shot down by a Hanriot HD.1 piloted by Cover El Lavan; POW.
Allied pilot Cover El Lavan shoots down a Fokker Dr.1 piloted by Enrich von Schlatter; 1 kill confirmation requested; RTB.
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