Mission 9: Alpine Skies

[HotleadColdfeet]

Three Central fighter pilots started out the door of the briefing hut and walked towards the hangars. As they walked they busied themselves, checking scarves, tightening jackets and fastening leather helmets and flight goggles. They paused once they reached the first fighter.
"Nice fighter you've got there, Lutz," one of them said, patting the side of the plane. The new Fokker DVII gleamed, the reflection of the noonday sun dancing on the metal fuselage. Lutz turned and grinned.
"Danke Toby!" he paused but then added mischievously, raising his eyebrows, "Now don't you wish you had one like Nico and I do?" Nico snickered softly at his friend's remark. The one called "Toby" laughed as well.
"They look nice enough, I'll grant you," he replied, "But I like to stick with what I know." He shrugged his shoulders and then continued. "My Aviatik's been just fine so far. I got my first victory in it and that proves its worth to me. Besides," he said, a lopsided grin starting to form, "Someone has to teach you two showoffs how it's really done!"
"Oh is that a challenge?" Nico chortled.
"Of course it is, you big lug!" Toby mussed Nico's hair. Nico howled and put a mock headlock on Toby's neck with his arm.
"Alright, alright! Break it up fellows!" Lutz shoved then apart, laughing. "Just get in the air and we'll see who's the best!"
"Right!"
The three men excitedly clambered into their cockpits. As the mechanics wheeled him out, Lutz could see the French Alps in the distance. The sight sobered him. The sparkling Alps stretched out before him, majestic, immovable - like snowcapped giants that had long since fallen asleep. And yet, though they slept, they still watched. For centuries upon centuries they had stood watch over Europe. They had seen Europe in wars before just as they saw her enmeshed in war now. And perhaps, long after this was done, they would witness war's shadow once again fall on Europe. It was a bleak thought. Lutz preferred not to dwell on it.
The mechanics wheeled all three fighters to the airstrip. One by one, they swung their propellors and the planes growled to life. Lutz gave the thumbs-up signal and began his takeoff run. The other two pilots followed suit, rumbling after him. Together, the three pilots flew off, towards the shimmering Alps. And the Alps waited. And the Alps watched.

Mission briefing:
Central units involved:
2 Fokker DVIIs (pilots Lutz Hidelberg, Nico Blohm)
1 Aviatik D.I (pilot Tobias Klein)

Allied units involved:
3 Se5as (pilots Thomas Shanter, Jackson Black, Earl Bryce)



This mission started with the two forces on opposite sides of the table. Between them, represented by 3 flipped-over planning boards, are small mountain peaks. Planes could fly over them safely at altitude 4 or higher, but if they moved onto them at any lower altitude they they would have crashed into the mountainside.

Joining us today once more were cousins Wyatt and Riley. Wyatt would pilot Thomas Shanter's plane, Riley would pilot Jackson Black's and Allied CO Greyson would pilot Earl Bryce's.

This marks the third campaign game that we've played at their house.





The squadrons face off...



The squadrons collided in the sky with a mighty roar. Deadly accurate fire spat out of the fighter's noses, crisscrossing the troubled sky like so many scars. Thomas Shanter (far left Se5a) and Jackson Black (middle Se5a) were badly damaged. All 3 Central planes made it off with nary a scratch: 0s and stray 1s across the board. Lucky devils.



Thomas's guns were jammed but his troubles weren't over. Nico Blohm's DVII slid in behind him to deliver another savage pounding. Ever mindful of his mates, Jackson Black winged over to help. He shot at Nico's plane, setting it afire.



Nico dove to altitude 3, trying to avoid being shot at again while he managed his personal crises. He was now below the peaks and had to fly carefully so as to avoid hitting them. This, combined with the fire, temporarily neutralized him as a threat.



It was at this time that Earl Bryce made a first major appearance in the furball. Unfortunately, it was ill-timed. Tobias Klein's Aviatik performed an Immelmann turn and Lutz Hidelberg's DVII went head on with Earl. Both planes fired simultaneously, knocking large holes in Earl's airframe. In shock and desperation, Earl fired a blast at Lutz, hitting his engine but doing little overall damage.



In a brutally decisive move, Tobias flew in close and blew Earl's wings off. It had only taken 6 cards and 2 turns to bring Earl's Se5a to the ground.



In the meantime, Nico had managed to put out his fire. Deftly executing an Immelmann turn and a climb soon after, he was back in the fight.



Fast and furious maneuvering ensued between the 2 remaining Se5as and the 3 Central fighters. The sparring was over. It was life and death now. Thomas Shanter's already damaged and smoking plane was suddenly bounced from his 12 and 6 o clocks by both DVIIs. Hot lead poured into his hapless plane, wounding him. However, as Nico's red and white DVII flew at him, Thomas coaxed his plane's nose until it was pointed right at Nico. When Thomas fired, it was final. Nico's plane blew up, spiraling to the ground below in a shower of wildly-gyrating shards.



Thomas' luck ran out next card though. As he turned away from his victory, the other DVII piloted by Lutz Hidelberg roared in for revenge. Again bullets slammed into Thomas's plane, but this time it could take no more. His engine shrieked, blowing a blinding puff of oily smoke towards him - and then stopped altogether. Wind whistled through the torn canvas on his wings as he plummeted down...down...down.



Jackson Black was the last of the Se5as. Wisely using superior altitude and speed, he withdrew, nursing his wounded bird home. He had only 1 point of damage left.

Debriefing:
Central pilot Lutz Hidelberg shoots down Se5a piloted by Thomas Shanter; 1 kill confirmation requested; RTB.
Central pilot Nico Blohm is shot down by Se5a piloted by Thomas Shanter; KIA.
Central pilot Tobias Klein shoots down Se5a piloted by Earl Bryce; 1 kill confirmation requested; RTB.
Allied pilot Thomas Shanter shoots down Fokker DVII piloted by Nico Blohm but is himself shot down by Fokker DVII piloted by Lutz Hidelberg; 1 kill confirmation requested; MIA.
Allied pilot Earl Bryce is shot down by Aviatik D.I piloted by Tobias Klein; KIA.
Allied pilot Jackson Black survives serious encounter with enemy fighter squadron; RTB.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Another blood and guts encounter with no holds barred there Cole.
The story line is the cement in the game play and yours sticks very well.
The only suggestion I may make is a picture of each aircraft at the end of the game with its damage cards, just to show how the luck ran out.
Bring on the next encounter!
Rob.

[HotleadColdfeet]

I'll have to do that then! (Having photos of the damage might help me remember better when I type up the reports too )I also ordered a few flame/smoke pieces and gimbal mounts from the 'Drome Store, so the photos should liven up a bit more soon.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

I'll have to do that then! (Having photos of the damage might help me remember better when I type up the reports too )

Funny thing that Cole. That,s exactly how I do mine. Find it a great aide memoir. I used to make notes as I played but it slowed things down , and tended to stilt the story line too much as well when I came to write it up.
Anyway, you will find your own best way to present as you get into the story more and your characters take on their own personalities.
Rob.

[HotleadColdfeet]

I've posted the 10th AAR. Here it is:
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sho...129#post313129
PS: I have taken your suggestion and started photographing the damage results.

[flash]

You have a good collection of types to play with Cole - you and the crew are putting them to good use and that is yet another well told tale of fierce action in the skies over Europe.