Rescue The Spy - A Game For A Rainy Day !
Well it's pretty much rained all day here in East Sussex so with that excuse it was back to the table for a re-run of Gully_raker's OTTED Mission 14 - Retrieve the Spy - 14th February 1917:
British & French HQ's have been made aware via Recon photos of great German activity some miles behind the current front lines.
There are indications of new strong points, bunkers etc being built but there is no indication of the purpose of this activity which in time will become known as the Hindenburg Line!
The Mission:
The French have sent a spy to discover more about this activity & if possible the purpose & if Allied forces need to take early action.
A message has been received that the Spy is ready to be extracted but is waiting in a Village behind the German Lines but in the British sector. Therefore the Bulldogs have been tasked to send a 2 seater to pick up the spy from the village. The mission must be accomplished as soon as possible after dawn.
Having briefly discussed it with Baz I suggested that maybe it could be run with one escort for the Harry Tate instead of two used in the scenario - here's what happened (This one's for you Baz!):
Ltn Siegfried Gildemeister bores in on Lt Ronald Bowles' RE8 as he closes on the village in the mornings early light
2Lt Clark Ellis rolls left then right, climbing slightly and catching the Hun flight leader Ltn Karl Gussmann as he passes toward the RE8
Ellis follows round and lets fly a close range burst but his Lewis stammers to silence
Gildemeister gets onto Bowles' tail as Ltn Johannes Haber passes them by - Ellis, working on his gun, turns after them as Gussmann immels behind him
Gildemeister hammers the RE8 as it lets down to land beside the village
Gildemeister presses home his advantage as the RE8 rolls out
Ellis cannot avoid attention for long and is properly clipped by a long range shot by Gussmann
Bowles, assisted by eager and willing hands spins the RE8 about to be ready for take-off as Gildemeister passes overhead.
Gussmann gets in another shot but can't maximise his advantage over Ellis further
Gussmann's guns then jam on the next shot which saves Ellis' bacon as the stunned pilots aircraft wanders on
Passenger loaded, Bowles prepares to take-off - Gussmann immels as the Harry Tate lumbers into the air
Ellis takes a snapshot at Gildemeister as he crosses his nose but to no great affect - He does better with his second shot and the Albatros blossoms flame - The third shot jams the Lewis again !
Having slipped past Gussman Bowles runs into Haber whose guns promptly jam !
The French officer seizes the Lewis and unleashes a close range burst - to no visible effect whatsoever...His next effort is no better ! Finally Monsieur gets the range and rounds clatter through Gildemeister's Albatros
Gussmann, infuriated at being wrong footed by the RE8 takes it out on Ellis as he comes into range - he continues to punish Ellis but then he jams !
Monsieur gets in a second accurate burst but Gildemeister's return fire is deadly - The RE8 staggers in the air before rolling over and diving into the ground.
Ellis makes abreak for it as Gussmann follows as he works on his jam - Gussmann delivers the coup de grace as Gildemeister swoops in...Down Ellis goes.
Both British aircraft downed just one card from safety !
The Butcher's Tally:
Ltn Siegfried Gildemeister RTB 0 kills
Ltn Johannes Haber RTB 1 Kill (Ellis' N.17)
Ltn Karl Gussmann RTB / 1 Kill (Bowles' RE8)
Lt Ronald Bowles & 'le spy' SD ET 0 Kills
2Lt Clark Ellis - SD ET / 0 kills
So, in conclusion I think it can be done but it will likely be a close run thing - My chaps were so close to victory I could almost taste it ! The big cards and the +1's did for them in the end though.
As usual for me the shooting is peg to peg and my own altitude rules were used.
If you like what you see have a browse of the OTT sub forum and have a go at some of the solo games and post an AAR !
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Thanks for the "nod" flash!
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