OTTBE Mission 16 - Flashes Breaking Point 21st June 1918
2Lt Claude Back was not a happy man - he was an angry, frustrated man. He was a veteran of many missions but without score for many months due to ill fortune, bad timing, or, both. It was too much. He'd had enough and decided to do something about it. Over the last week he'd got his ground crew to prepare the Dolphin on the QT, every bullet checked, engine tuned, everything taut and following Dawn Patrol he'd leapt straight into the Dolphin and roared off toward the front spoiling for a fight.
(Level 2 Skills selected - Acrobatic pilot; Dedicated ground Crew; Marksman)
Many miles behind the enemy lines a lonely Albatros C.I, way past its prime and probably being used as a squadron hack, was the first thing he came across, it was low and flying the same direction. The Hun was not asleep though and began to circle left.
Back approached it warily, side slipping deeply, turning way before turning back in looking for an opportunity to pounce, the Albatros continued circling left as, keeping his distance, Back watched his target keenly. Heart pounding he decided on his move. Turning away from the target once more...
He threw his machine into an Immelmann - the Albatros had kept circling and appeared before him - he was going to catch him !
Falling on the Albatros in a blind spot he opened fire from short range - his savage burst wreaking havoc on the enemy machine..
(marksman skill used- two out of four selected at close range)
As the Albatros staggered away the gunner seizes an opportunity to hit back and causes some minor damage reminding Back he is not infallible
Back, surprised by his own actions circles round marvelling in his new found skills - It worked once already - he Immels once again and turns in to meet the Albatros head on - his rounds smash into the engine area
The Albatros coughs white smoke from its exhaust and falls from the sky: A kill !
Even as the Albatros falls a second machine - a C.III hoves into view below and to his left, climbing the best it can.
Back circles carefully in onto the C.III. The pilot Vzfwbl Josef Bauers climbs toward him as they close but the opportunity's missed as the pass each other very closely - as they separate The C.III's observer Ltn Ludwig Lenz shows he's no slouch on the gun and peppers the Dolphin as the Albatros continues its turn. Back will have to watch this one.
Back slips sideways deep left , turns right then reefs it tighter dropping into the blind spot of the Albatros - he gets a shot away the damage is relatively light (2) but at closer range with his new found skill it has greater effect and Lenz goes down under the barrage of fire.
The Albatros staggers away sorely damaged, Back powers away expecting but getting no fire; he Immels back and notices a blur of white off to his left coming straight for him - a Tripehound !
Back doesn't panic, he slides in behind the Albatros and calmly finishes it off. Kill 2 !
Back chooses to turn left to get behind the white Dr.1 as it had over shot but it reverses. They both close so rapidly neither gets a shot off before they pass narrowly avoiding collision - Back Immels immediately and rains fire down upon the Tripe
The Dr.1 breaks hard right Back follows him round in like fashion and fires a snap shot at long range
The Tripe Immels again and Back loses contact, now he must chase him round and round
A new opponent soon appears below and to Backs front heading away, The new machine reverses as Back goes after the Dr.1
Finally Back meets the Dr.1 in a head on pass - even at long range Back knows he hit the pilot as his rounds lance into the tripelane
Badly damaged, the pilot Ltn Egon Kosmahl wounded, the Dr.1 heads for the barn but Back catches him at long range and down he goes - Kill 3 !
No rest for the wicked though - the Hannover is circling in rapidly and Back turns to face him. They pass without exchanging and Back Immels catching the Hannover almost head on as it tries to curve in behind him - the pilot does not have a shot but his gunner, Ltn Hans Raspe, does - firing over the top wing the damage caused is light but the Parabellum jams !
The Hannover's Mercedes engine blows smoke as Back slips past. They circle back toward each other - this time the Hannover gets the shot and the pilot, Fwbl Gustav Parlow lets rip damaging Back's controls. The observer has a go too as they pass once more and causes further control damage.
Controls damaged Back makes off but not too fast, luring the Hannover in. Controls freed he Immels again managing to get into a blind spot he opens up at close range and sets the already smoking Hannover on fire
Slipping behind the two seater he is too high to be in the blind spot but the gunner's rounds are wild - maybe the fire put him off ! The next burst from the gunner jams his gun
Fire has taken its toll and Back swoops in for the kill shot - Down it goes - Kill 4
Back keeps turning - he knows what's coming on fast having glimpsed a flash of yellow as he started his last attack on the Hannover
Head to head he exchanges with the yellow D.VII - Something breaks up front but the D.VII is done for - Boom ! Down he goes - kill 5 !
Nothing else turns up as Back limps toward home and he brings the damaged Dolphin in with five victories in the bag. Now all he has to do is face the music from Uncle... maybe he should turn back and look for another Hun !
Butchers Tally:
Alb C.I:
crew: SD-FT 0 kills
Pilot Rolled 9 -1SD = 8 Injured - Skip 1D2 Scenario Rolled 6 = Skip 2
Observer Rolled 4 -1SD = 3 Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios. Rolled 3 = skip 3
Alb C.III:
Vzfwbl Josef Bauers: SD-FT 0 kills
Rolled 2 -1SD = 1 KIA
Ltn Ludwig Lenz: SD-FT/WIA/ 0 kills
Rolled 7 -1SD -1WIA = 5 Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 1 = skip 1
Dr.1:
Ltn Kosmahl: SD-FT/WIA 0 kills
Rolled 5 -1SD -1WIA = 3 Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios . Rolled 1 = skip 1
Hannover CL.IIIa
Fwbl Gustav Parlow: SD-FLM-FT 0 kills
Rolled 5 -2FLM = 3 Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios . Rolled 3 = skip 3
Ltn Hans Raspe: SD-FLM-FT 0 kills
Rolled 6 -2FLM = 4 Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios . Rolled 2 = skip 2
Fok D.VII:
Ltn Richard Pütz: SD-EXP-FT 0 kills
Rolled 4 -3EXP = 1 KIA
Sopwith Dolphin:
2Lt Claude Back: Forced RTB - 5 Kills
DFC & CdG awarded - Acrobatic Pilot I & Marksman I - no promotion.
I subbed in an Albatros C.I for an easy meat option in the same way as the BE2c because I had one and as luck would have it that's what I rolled up as the first plane I met.
Made a couple of errors that I found during play and reviewing pics - Back took an A hit when it should have been a B, Kosmahl took a +1 when he shouldn't have but I let that kill stand as he would have been hit on the way out on the next card had he stayed in the air and it would have been a 4.
Probably should have picked different skills but they worked out for him - Thoroughly enjoyed it but then you only sing when you're winning !
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Originally Posted by Stumptonian
It made such a difference being able to chuck the SE around the sky without penalty and deliver high level damage !
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