Mission #4 Santa's Little Helpers 24 Dec 1917

**Setarius** · 09-30-2016 16:43

C.P. Briefing
Ltn Richard Ritscherle:
Gentlemen, I have been given a report from F.I.F.I. (Friends in French Intelligence) that the British are planning on dropping Christmas presents to the soft Canadians near Cambrai. The report goes on to say that a flight of four two seaters, specifically 3 DH4 and 1 RE8, will make the drops, escorted by a pair of scouts.

Ltn Aloys Creutzman:
Do you trust that report as accurate?

Ltn Ritscherle:
Oblt von Boddien and the higher up trust FIFI, so I will follow their discretion.
Ltn Gilly and I will take the DVA's and Ltns Beckman and Creutzmann can take the DIII's.
Gentlemen be ready to take off in fifteen minutes.

Entente Brief
Lt Forbes:
2Lt Callahan and Kilpatrick report to the command tent.

2Lt Callahan and Kilpatrick:
Reporting as requested, Sir.

Lt Forbes:
Gentlemen, the Canadian brass has asked us to provide two pilots for escort duty. It seems they have decided to drop Christmas presents to the troops in the trenches with a couple of Capronis.
While the Capronis could possibly keep a few pests away, they would like for you to be there for additional support.
You know what kind of moral boost it would be to have a package from home full of Holiday cheer.
You are to meet the Capronis at check point Charlie and then fly to the Cambrai area.
I know you would like to be sitting in a warm tent enjoying a good meal. We will keep a couple of steaks for your return. And the Canadians have provided a couple of bottles of their best whiskey for each of you.
Any questions? Then good luck!!

Attachment 208185

Attachment 208186

Attachment 208187

Attachment 208188

Attachment 208189

Merry Christmas!! 1st bundle dropped(used bomb cards)
Attachment 208190

Attachment 208191

Attachment 208192

Attachment 208193

Attachment 208194

To Be Continued...

**Setarius** · 09-30-2016 17:00

Attachment 208197

Attachment 208198

Attachment 208199

1st Kills. 2Lt. James Kilpatrick takes out Ltn. Gustav Gilly.
Attachment 208200

Attachment 208201

1st Kill for 2Lt. Larry Callahan takes out Ltn. Aloys Creutzmann.
Attachment 208202

Attachment 208203

Attachment 208204

Attachment 208205

Rookie mistake takes 2 planes out.
Attachment 208206

**Setarius** · 09-30-2016 17:01

Attachment 208207

Attachment 208208

Attachment 208209

Attachment 208210

Attachment 208211

2nd Kill for 2Lt. James Kilpatrick takes out Ltn. Richard Ritscherle.
Attachment 208212

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night.

**Setarius** · 09-30-2016 17:02

Butcher's Bill
Entente Left to Right
2Lt James Kilpatrick--RTB, 2 Kills, 5 Dmg
Kills Ltn Gustav Gilly, Ltn Richard Ritscherle

Caproni--Taramelli--RTB 4 Dmg, 2 Bundle drop, 1 NML, 1 FT

2Lt Larry Callahan--RTB, 1 Kill, 0 Dmg
Kill Ltn Aloys Creutzman
Attachment 208213

Caproni--LaGuardia--SD Collision Fire FT
1 Kill due to Collision LFG Roland P Fwbl Franz Korff
O Ltn Wilhelm Hoyer
2 Bundle dropped--1 @ 50%, 1 @ 100%Attachment 208214

Central Powers Left to Right
Ltn Paul Beckman--RTB, 13 Dmg
Attachment 208215

Ltn Aloys Creutzmann--SD, ET, 16 Dmg, by 2Lt Callahan
C&W 6 -1SD =5 skip 2 E&E 9 -1wic -1BEL =7 skip 1 SKIP 2

Ltn Gustav Gilly--SD, ET, EXP, by 2Lt Kilpatrick
C&W 10 -3EXP =7 skip 1. E&E 2 -1wic -1EXP -1BEL = -1 CAPTURED

P Fwbl Franz Korff--Collision, EXP, ET by LaGuardia
C&W 4 -3EXP -2Collision = -1 DEAD

O Ltn Wilhelm Hoyer
C&W 7 -3EXP -2Collision =2 DEAD

Ltn Richard Ritscherle--SD, ET, Fire, WIA by 2Lt Kilpatrick
C&W 5 -2Fl -1WIA =2 DEAD
Attachment 208216

Summary:
MP Entente
Drops
75% =4
50% =3
Miss (2) = -2
Enemy SD (4) =4
Santa SD = -3
Santa RTB =2
Total =8

Damage Cards drawn 65
0's drawn 21
1's drawn 19

**flash** · 10-01-2016 01:10

Oh my ! You cut a mighty swathe through the Huns there Dale. It felt like I was watching a silent movie, an odd but not unpleasant feeling for an AAR.

Uncle Says:

Well done Dale, good work on the Tally - only one thing to point out is that EXP overides all, even if by collision, so those modifiers are not cumulative.
Doesn't help Fwbl Franz Korff who still has a 1 result but will help Ltn Wilhelm Hoyer, well a little bit !

Ltn Wilhelm Hoyer: SD-EXP-ET / 0 kills
Rolled 7 - 3 = 4 Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios. Rolled 6 = skips 6
E&E: Rolled 2 -1EXP -1WIC -1BEL = -1 Captured ! The war ended for this pilot...

New pilots and crew await you on the Hun roster !

**Stumptonian** · 10-01-2016 07:48

Originally Posted by flash

It felt like I was watching a silent movie, an odd but not unpleasant feeling for an AAR.

Yes it was quite different without the soundtrack

I had to review it a couple of times.
I was especially interested in the package drop to see how you did it (since I will be playing mine this weekend)
and was having trouble spotting the parachute cards - then I saw that you used the bombs.

A very hard Christmas for our Eagles. I guess Weihnachtsmann is meant to be left to do his run undisturbed.

**Setarius** · 10-01-2016 14:41

Glad you like the silent picture effect of the AAR. Unfortunately, that wasn't my intent. Family matters and life in general got in the way, so I wanted to get the preamble and Butcher's Bill in and then add the story.
But since you like it I will add very minimal comments.

**gully_raker** · 10-01-2016 21:18

Well the jolly old Hun got wacked in that one Dale.
Lots of Collisions like one of the other AAR's for this mission.
You managed to get a good Morale Point score anyway.