OTT The Early Years Mission 8 .2 Supporting the push.

[tikkifriend]

OTT The Early Days Mission 8. Option 2 .Supporting the push.


RFC
Sgt Ken Hadron pilot
Sgt Frank Jameson Obs

Central Powers.

Roland
Ernst Westphal. Pilot
Joseph Reichert . Obs

HalbIII.
Johannes Just . Pilot

"Up you go lads." The CO shouted above the throb of the captured Roland's engine.
"Keep those Balloons up as long as you can, and remember blue flare when you are over the balloons to let them know who you are"
" What about the AA boys Sir" Jameson queried "Those crosses might confuse them"

"Yes er sorry about that," The CO replied " Didn't have time to cover them up, but we did paint roundels on the underside of the wings That should be enough"
Sgt Jameson sighed fear gipping his stomach like never before as he tapped his pilots right shoulder. Turning round Hadron gave his rear gunner the thumbs up, pulled down his goggles and began to taxi along the thin level grass strip that was the Bulldogs runway.

Circling slightly below the 2 balloons Jameson & Hadron scanned the horizon for signs of enemy planes. After 30 minutes Hadrons eyes were tired and his concentration was beginning to lapse. Glancing down into the cockpit Jameson counted out the drums of ammo he had in reserve. Would 3 be enough ?



Hardron saw them first. 2 biplanes coming from the West . He saw the flash as they test fired their weapons as they lined up for the right hand balloon.



Turning towards them Hadron eased back on the throttle. The lead plane, a single seater Halb drifted into his sights. Hadron squeezed the trigger the bullets striking the cockpit and the surprised pilot in the shoulder (3+pilot). Hadron saw a brief muzzle flash as he passed over the plane (0+GJ)



Westphal looked on in disbelief, A German plane firing on its fellow airman? but as he watched the Blue roland bank away the tell tale roundels of the RFC could be clearly seen on the underside of the wings. Out of range he nosed his Roland toward the imposter

move2

Jameson rakes the Halb as it flies past (4,3)



Temporarily blocking Westphal LOS on the RFC Doppelganger. As Hadron begins to turn on the 2 seater Jameson and Reichert exchange shots Jamesons rounds trimming the wing tips of his opponent (3) ,Reichart hitting his mark as well before his machine gun stutters to a halt (.1+GJ)





Move3
Just in his Halb takes the first of the ground fire ,his rudder coming off badly (1+LRD) forcing him to turn in the opposite direction in his effort to get home.
A short burst at the Balloon produces no noticeable effect.



Hadron senses the scout is in trouble and guides his plane towards him



Move4

. Not wanting to get entangled in the balloons wires Hadron breaks left.


Jameson can see the German Roland gaining on them empties his first drum (2) and prepares another. Westphal salvo rips into the forward cockpit, clipping Hadron in the process (1+Pilot)


Move 5

Temporarily stunned Hadron continues his turn, a dangerous move with Westphal so close.
But Westphal strayed too close to the AAMG battery and with a cheer that even the British pilots imagined could hear the Shark faced Rolands tail was cut in half by a hail of bullets and plunged into the ground a few hundred yds from the guns that brought it down (XP) critically hit, card red.



Move6

Jameson could see the Halb in the distance heading for home.


With the RFC plane completely out of position to attempt a pursuit and his pilot wounded Jameson signaled a return to base by firing off his green flare. No sense in stretching ones luck especially in a German marked plane

Move 7

Head for home.


Result


RFC
Hadron W/RTB
Jameson RTB
All balloons still flying and spying

AAMG 1kill

Central Powers.




Roland
Ernst Westphal. Pilot SD/ET/red crit hit card
Joseph Reichert . Obs SD/ET/red crit hit card

Johannes Just . Pilot W /RTB


PLease forgive my inclusion of a captured Roland on the side of the RFC but I have no British 2 seaters of this time period, yet!!

The AA did for the planes again and if Just had not been severely wounded and forced to RTB on that first pass things might have been very different.

Rolls please for the wounded and downed crew.

As for the points I make it for the Bulldogs
6 turns up for each balloon = 36 pts
6 turns in combat for the RFC = 6 pts
1 plane shot down =10 pts
1 Plane bugged out =5 pts

Total 57pts

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Brilliant execution Paul.
I loved your use of your resources vis the captured Roland.
We need to find a way of attaching temporary roundels to some of these planes.
Then we could use French, American and Belgian m/cs as Brits and vice versa without harming the aircraft permanently.
Another first class little action.
Rob.

[Lt. S.Kafloc]

Paul, great AAR to start with, I'm going to up your points to cover the surviving German plane getting off the mat.
So the score is 65 points. (10 for each balloon, 10 for the British 2 seater, 10 points for shooting down an enemy and 5 for enemy bugging out).

Neil

PS: Just finished mine. We played the same mission.

[Teaticket]

Very tricky flying a German plane. Don't get caught over the lines doing that!

Nice AAR Paul.

[flash]

That was a blast Paul, a big win so well done for that & well done for using the Roland - haven't seen enough of them in this campaign whatever side it's on ! - and that Halb looked pretty nifty too.

Sgt Ken Hadron: RTB / WIA / 0 Kills: rolled 7 -1WIA +3 RTB = 9 All well when you land well !

Ltn Ernst Westphal, Pilot: SD-EXP ET/ 0 Kills: Rolled 4 -3EXP = 1 KIA
Ltn Joseph Reichert, Obs: SD-EXP ET/ 0 Kills: Rolled 6 -3EXP = 3 Severely Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios. Rolled 2 = Skip 2
E&E: Rolled 2 -1WIA -1BEL = 0 Captured! The war ended for this officer...POW

Ltn Johannes Just: RTB / WIA / 0 Kills: rolled 3 -1WIA +3RTB = 5 Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 2 = Skip 1.
He was listed as a P2 pilot but I have now graduated him to scout pilot

His replacement is: Fwbl Gustav Schumm P2 Pilot
New Observer is: Ltn Franz Werner

[fast.git]

Great AAR, Paul! Love the captured Roland...

[gully_raker]

Great work by your lads Paul!
That captured Roland must have been a real surprise to the old Huns.
So far so good for the Somme push & lets hope our chaps continue to do "forward action"!

[Archidamus]

Great AAR Paul. Congratulations to Hadron and Jameson - with victories like this the "Big Push" is sure to be successful!

[tikkifriend]

Brilliant execution Paul.
I loved your use of your resources vis the captured Roland.
We need to find a way of attaching temporary roundels to some of these planes.
Then we could use French, American and Belgian m/cs as Brits and vice versa without harming the aircraft permanently.
Another first class little action.
Rob.

Velcro perhaps :lol No seriously it would be good not to desecrate the Allied planes for the sake of a game or 2 is it possible to print/copy roundels onto self adhesive paper I wonder,

[Lt. S.Kafloc]

for the sake of a game or 2 is it possible to print/copy roundels onto self adhesive paper I wonder,

Done that with Martlets making them into Wildcats before. Very temporary but worked.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Done that with Martlets making them into Wildcats before. Very temporary but worked.

Nothing new in the Universe since the big bang.
Rob.

[flash]

Velcro perhaps :lol No seriously it would be good not to desecrate the Allied planes for the sake of a game or 2 is it possible to print/copy roundels onto self adhesive paper I wonder,

You could always use Harry Tates as BE2 types if you have them - they share the same wing plan apparently.

[Brambo]

A smashing AAR Paul. Love the repaints, great action and photos, thanks.