OTT Early Doors Mission 6 Oh Canada!

[tusekine]

The mission seemed simple: escort one of the Aufklärer planes over one of the enemy’s stockpiles of artillery shells, wait for the observer to drop a few well-placed bombs to destroy it, and then head home. Except that the REMFs had decided that this mission was best undertaken by just one escort and one of the two-seaters. And except that very few successful bombing missions had been undertaken so far. And the fact that the two-seater pilot was one of the most junior pilots in the squadron. Yes, thought Max. This would be REAL easy. At least Aua [aka Franz Auer von Welsbach, the observer) was an old hand. What could go wrong?

[Note: this scenario was not played with AI but with my neighbor Rick, whose family made the mat we are using for me last Christmas and who volunteered to be the bad guys (aka, Entente). Say hello, Rick!]

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Pilots:
Fokker E.III, Ltn. Maximillian Wenzl
Roland C.II, Ltn. Rainer Maria Rilke (P), Franz Auer von Welsbach (O)

At first everything seemed to go well. The German planes had not been bothered by anything but some desultory AA fire until they were in visible range of the target. Max knew that things had been going to smoothly and he was waiting for the first shoe to drop. Ah, there it was! Two specks advancing from behind the ammo dump. These looks suspiciously like the newest fighters in the British inventory—D.H. 2s! Yes, this was really going to be easy.

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The Germans had decided to stay in formation as long as possible. Rather than going to hare off after the DH2s, Max stuck to the Roland to give it as much cover as possible.

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The DH2s moved to pass the Roland on the side unprotected by the Eindecker, and got some shots off in passing. The Roland’s pilot was unfazed and kept a steady beat on target.

The Germans had dropped low so that they could hit the target more easily. Unfortunately, that brought them into the range of some of the machine gun nests guarding the ammo depot. Small individual puffs showed where single infantrymen where taking pot shots hoping to get lucky. Like that ever works…

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Disaster strikes! One of the infantry gets a lucky shot off! It hits a few of the bracing wires and somehow the plane seems to disintegrate, spiralling down!

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Max is too shocked to do anything but watch as his friends plummet to earth. He can see Ltn. Rilke trying to get the plane out of the spin and into a glide path, but the additional strain tears the plane apart! Only pieces reach the ground... But now Max has drifted right into a hornets nest as multiple machine gun emplacements, their accompanying infantry and the two British scouts open fire. At this point, the only thing on Max's mind is to get some distance and then head home; but the DH2s hem him in and it feels like every infantryman in the entire Canadian contingent is firing at him. AAR 6.jpg  Views: 24  Size: 88.9 KB  ID: 154508" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />

[Bottom two rows of damage cards is infantry fire; so that is four rudder jams, a wounded pilot, engine damage, and a fire]

[tusekine]

Butchers bill:

Max Wenzl: FLM/WIA/ET Skip 2 scnarios

Crash: rolled 10; minus 2 fire, -1 shot down, -1 wounded, total of 6=1D3 skips. Rolled a 2 = skip 1 scenario
Escaping enemy: rolled 10; minus 1 fire, -1 wounded, -1 behind enemy lines, total of 7. Almost home, skip 1 scenario.

Rainer Maria Rilke: EXP/KIA

Crash: rolled 5; minus 3 explosion, -1 shot down, total of 1=KIA

Franz Auer von Welsbach: EXP/KIA

Crash: rolled 5; minus 3 explosion, -1 shot down, total of 1=KIA

(I guess I used up all of the good rolls for Max...)

[Teaticket]

Tough outing! Love the playing surface.

[fast.git]

Whoa. That happened fast!

Tough break...

[gully_raker]

Well at least Max survived to fly another day!

[flash]

Well that showed the harsh realities of war in a well presented game ! Those boys on the ground were on the ball that day, their fire was fearsome.
Say Hi to Rick for us for being an 'honourary Bulldog' for the game

P.S. you'd better let me have names of a replacement crew and another scout pilot !

[Lt. S.Kafloc]

That was very quick and nasty. Just shows what happens when the dice, I mean cards, are against you. Well played.

[Archidamus]

That was certainly brutal Anthony Glad to see that Max at least survived to fight again.

Great AAR - and that mat looks great too.

[tusekine]

P.S. you'd better let me have names of a replacement crew and another scout pilot !

Lets go with Offz. Stvt. Wilhelm Busch as scout pilot, Ltn. Herman Laferl as P2 and OLtn. Karl von Auersperg as O.

[tusekine]

Whoa. That happened fast!

Tough break...

I had no appreciation of how tough infantry fire can be. We played a trench strafing mission the following week at the Family Game Store, and despite my warnings, people were surprised when the infantry tore them up. It is the 360 degree firing arc that makes bunched up infantry so deadly...

[tusekine]

That was very quick and nasty. Just shows what happens when the dice, I mean cards, are against you. Well played.

Unfortunately, my mission 7 went just as bad...will post the AAR shortly.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Really bad luck there old chap.
The cards just fell wrong for you.
That infantry fire can be deadly if it comes off. I would rather fly high and chance the Archie any time.
Nevertheless, it made a good story.
Rob.

[tikkifriend]

Ah the Tommy infantry did for the cavalry in the sky again. Join the ranks of the pilots that were given a mauling by the ground troops in this scenario.
Great write up and photos , and can I have the address of those wonderful neighbours who got you those mats

[johnbiggles]

Yikes and indeed ouch!
that was a great story, short but full of punch.

somedays, the cards are just nasty!

[Brambo]

Wow, you just don't know what's around that corner! A short and brutal AAR Anthony.