OTTTBE Mission 4 - Santa's Little Helpers - 24th December 1917 - by Tikkifriend
Christmas Eve 1917 .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu-US5fIsww
The war that would be over by Christmas was fast approaching its 4th anniversary. With the Front pounded by the Cambrai assault few roads were left intact to carry supplies other than shells for the artillery.
Trains to the Front carried wounded to the rear
and more PBI to the trenches for the next onslaught.
There was no time or room to carry mail and Red Cross Parcels to the battle weary troops of either side.
Moral was low and the Generals knew it.
Then it struck them . What if they were to bypass the damaged roads and torn up railways and use their aircraft to drop supplies and mail to the forward positions?
A couple of bombers for example , just to see if it worked, an escort or 2 , no great loss if it failed , but a tonic for the troops if it succeeded. Plans were put forward, supplies collected and a date and sector chosen.
Santas little helpers
Mission . Drop letters and food parcels to your troops on the Front
Total of 4 Santa Sacks to drop in 2 waves if 2 planes chosen , 1 if large bomber used
escort of 2 scouts total used as you wish in either or both waves.
2nd wave sets off 2 turns (6 movement cards) after 1st Bomber
Planes
You have 4 “bomber point” as follows The choice is yours how you spend them.
Entente fly Hanley ages, Caproni .
Central powers Straaken, Gothas.
4pts Straaken
4 pts Handley Page
2pts Gotha
2pts Caproni
Or 1pt Large 2 seater of the period..
You also have 2 scouts.to act as cover for you
You have a total of 4 “Santas sacks” to deliver. How you distribute them is up to you as any of the planes can carry upto 4 sacks. For the parachutes to open you must drop them from a minimum of alt 4 pegs
Your opposing force has 4 scouts and a 2 seater. The 2 seater comes into play when 50% of the scouts are downed or forced to leave the table.
Set up.
2 mats as usual The trench cards (4) are placed randomly ½ and 1 ruler from the edge of the east side of the mat and at least 1 ruler apart ie 2 at ½ ruler from edge ,2 at 1 ruler with at least 1 ruler distance between them. These are your delivery points.
Planes
Santas start ½ ruler distance anywhere on the western edge.
The second wave , if you use 2 or more bombers , starts from the same position on turn 3 (6 movement cards) after the first.
Escort scouts and Santas at alt 4
Enemy aircraft over trenches are subject to Infantry fire as per rules.
The enemy planes arrive on turn 2 using the random arrival from the East map edges as follows;
1,2 North edge 3,4 East edge 5,6 South.edge ..
The 2 seater arrives on the North side of where the 2 mats meet Alt 4 if it is called upon .
Dice for the position of the flight leader. The rest of the flight are at the same position but behind him. All attacking Scouts are at alt 5
Scoring
Moral Points
Parcels card covers 75% of target 4MP
50% 3MP
25% 2MP
Miss or fail to drop -1 MP
Every enemy scout shot down/forced to leave the table 1MP
Every Santa shot down /forced to leave -3MP
For every Santa that makes it back to the start point 2MP
When everyone has played the scenario I will add all the scores for each side to decide a winner Central or Entente .
You might need the following file.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/dow...o=file&id=1498 Parachutes
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Setarius
Do the larger bombers, HPs/Staakens & Caproni/Gotha supply their own crew and not use our Squadron/Jastas?
Yes Paul. I was going to ask that same question as our Hearts of Oak would not have any experienced Handley Page crews & which is what I would like to use.
That sounds promising for us Brits! 
Finally fought my way through this mission today. What a drubbing on both sides. The Eagle's luck finally improved some, but not enough for poor Smolt. At least many of the presents got through. I hope the boys in the front line appreciate the cost of delivery. Took nearly 6 hours from clean table to clean table! I expect a fair portion more to write it up Properly.
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