OTT The Early Years Mission 9 Last gasp at the Somme
RFC
Lt Ron Curtis. Nieuport
Lt James Flinch. Morane
Central Powers.
Ltn Just Alb (MVR)
Ltn Kairies Alb
Ltn Ungewitter Halb
" What do you mean you can only get 2 bloody planes in the air today" The CO bellowed at his Chief Mechanic. " Wing want 3 to cover the advance What do I tell them when we show up with only 2 to protect their new toys on the front eh ?"
" No spares and no replacement kites Sir, I can only fix what planes I have with the parts I have stripped from the right offs . As for putting 3 Neuiports in the air...... " The Sgts voice tailed off
"Do your best man, I will send off another request today" Whose planes can you get i the air ?"
"Lts Curtis and Flinch sir"
"I will inform them , get the planes thoroughly checked and ready to go in 30 mins" The CO turned and walk slowly towards the Mess. "2 yrs in and you would think HQ could organise logistics by now" He muttered to himself
40 km away on the other side of NML The CO of the forward Jasta was having a similar dilemma.
" I have only 1 Albatros, possibly 2 and a Halb that are airworthy Sir"
" Get them in the air , those British bath tubs are pushing forward and have to be stopped now , today, understand? '
A curt click of the heels and a "Jawohl " ended the discussion.
" 2 yrs of fighting this war and you would think HQ could organise a few spares to be shipped to the front." The CO turned and headed for the solace of a Schnapps bottle.
Flinch gazed down at the slowly lumbering leviathans with their troop support scurrying around behind them like. "Like ants following woodlice" he mused. His attention snapped back abruptly as Ron dipped his N 17 wings in quick succession and pointed ahead. 3 low flying planes cast a eerie shadow over the German trenches as they headed at full speed at the woodlice, apparently oblivious to the RFC planes above them'
Move 1
Keeping to the left of the German plaes The 2 RFC pilots increase their speed to intercept them,passing over the tanks as they lumber through NML and on towardsthe German lines. Curtis closes to almost within range of the Albatros flown by Kairais but resisted the temptation to fire.
Move 2
Kairais appeared to be oblivious to the Nieuport and cotinued towards the ground forces. Ron deliberately stalls his plane, allowing the Albatros to pass in front of his guns. A short burst clips the Germans fuselage(1)
Ron then dives and turns behind the German planes. Flinch follows his wing in a starboard turn firing a long burst at Kairais. The bullets tore into its tail and the Albatros twisted violently to the right flicking its pilot out of his cockpit before spiraling into the German deserted trenches (XP)
The remaining German planes dove to get closer to their targets, the tanks.The Halbs first shots bounce harmlessly off a tin can, Just, in the second Albatros saw the infantry fall before his fire (1) and a second burst at a tank saw his bullets ignite an ammunition cart it was pulling, the resulting blast throwing the tank over on its side, the flames quickly engulfing it (XP. 4)
Ungewitter salvo failed to make any impression on the woodlouse on this occation, but swinging left a short burst had the desired result. Another tank came to an abrupt halt, smoke pouring from its engine. (3+eng)
Move 3
Flinch latches on to Justs tail but is too high to shoot and drops his nose, pulling back on the throttle. Ron Curtis levels out and begins to haul in on the 2 remaining Hun. Unger strafes the infantry breaking through the front (4)decimating them.
Just takes a bead on Flinch but he is higher and the bullets fly short of their target (0) before he passies under the Morane
Move 4
Ungewitter continues to harry the infantry behind the damaged tanks (2)
Ron dives as the Halb stals and rakes another Tank in the 3rd column to great effect (1+Smoke
) Just turns to attack the extreme end of the attacking line,firing as it closes only to have his guns jam.
A quick glance rearward reveals Flinch bearing down on his tail.
Move 5
With guns jammed Just begins a port turn to get away from the pursuing Morane. Ungewitter Immells and Curtis turns to met him only to pass by his port wing
Finch, misjudging his opponent turns the opposite way.
Move 6
With Just now on the tail of the Morane he presses home the advantage , throttling up his Albatros Flinch Immels his fragile plane to counter the threat coming out higher than the Albatros .Ron also Immells aiming to catch the Halb out of position but ends up parallel with Ungewitter
who strafes the last few troops again but a bullet jams after a short burst (1+GJ)
Move 7
Flinch looked down as Just flashed beneath him.
The advance at this point was progressing well with the tanks bouncing over the wire, the troops sticking to them like limpets for protection. But in the centre and right wing tanks were stopped and Infantry were hesitant. Ungerwitter was doing immense damage and intended to do more as he dived and turned,his guns freed.
Just fires a stuttering burst before jamming again (0+GJ) Ron turns against the Halb but his shots stream passed the German (0)
Move 8
With both German planes trench hopping Ron drops altitude as he watches Flinch circle to get back in the fray.
The blue Halb fires 2 long bursts at the squads of infantry moving passed the destroyed tank killing and wounding them almost to the man (2+Fire, 3)
Just swings round as Curtis come from his right and Flinch finds himself above and almost behind Ungewitter.
Move 9
The remaining tanks and troops pour through to their objectives. Flinch fires at Ungewitter, peppering his wing from above (4)
Just gets The N17 in his sights and Curtis felt a sharp pain as a bullet hit his chest others smashing his instruments and dials as they passed through the cockpit (0,5+pilot).
Flinch follows hard on the heels of the Halb hitting him again(3) before Ungewitter manages to break away .
Their task complete and low on fuel and ammo the 2 remaining Germans wheel about and return to base.
Result
RFC
Lt Ron Curtis WIA/RTB
AI Lt James Flinch RTB 1 kill
Army forces
3 tanks lost
2 Inf units
Germans
Ltn Just Alb RTB
Ltn Kairies Alb SD/XP
Ltn Ungewitter Halb RTB
All AI
Rolls required for Curtis and Kairies please
Ungewitter was outstanding, killing vast amounts of infantry and a couple of tanks. Ron as usual copped for a bullet and Flinch got the only kill and did a fair bit of damage to the Blue peril. I could have quite happily played on with Ron heading for home and Flinch pursuing Ungewitter but rules is rules and that was move 9.
Lovely little scenario Peter, one might say just the Ticket.
Ps Forgot the AAR tag at the beginning of the title sorry.
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Reply With Quote
Unfortunate end for Ltn Kairies and his Albatros! 
Shame about Ron's wound but I'm sure the Doc will have him back in the air in no time at all
Originally Posted by flash
That Just goes to show what happens when you ignore the M.O.'s orders!
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