OTT-EYM Mission 11 - Whiteout - 22nd March 1917 {Stumptonian}
Original Briefing HERE
An end of winter storm has the pilots of Jasta 24 “Die Adler” wondering if their commanding officer, Obltn Bernhard Wienand, realized what he had sent them on.
Miserably cold winds and gusts of snow make it nearly impossible to see anything, let alone any possible enemy aircraft.
Unseen by the Adler pilots there are in fact enemy aircraft in the air not too far ahead.
[Weather Roll: 6 = Blinding snow (No Shooting) ]
“Sicherlich sind die Engländer nicht dumm genug, bei diesem Wetter zu fliegen ...“ thought Ltn Felix Eisenhardt.
< Surely the English are not foolish enough to fly in this weather. >
Ltn Dietrich Oelker was thinking pretty much the same thing.
Lt Auguste Blanc and s/Lt Albert Arnoux alongside s/Lt Constant Portron and Cpl François Raymond have been given the dubious mission of photographing troop movements and artillery positions.
“Comment veulent-ils que nous obtenions des photos décentes?*»
< How do they expect us to get any decent photos >
All four French airmen are thinking basically the same thing as they struggle to see anything.
Only one of the Strutters has a camera; the other is flying as escort.
But which one?
Blanc Climbs to Altitude 4
[Scenario Specific Climb Rate]
Portron dives to Altitude 2, ducking under Oelker’s D.III
Blanc drops back down to Altitude 3, struggling against the buffeting wind.
[Weather Roll = 3 : Heavy Snow – Visibility Short Range]
Oelker gets a quick glimpse of a Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutter and fires a short burst.
His guns immediately jam, likely from the cold.
[Damage result of 2 +1 for Altitude -1 for Heavy Snow = 2]
Eisenhardt dives from Altitude 4 to 3.
Oelker performs an Immelmann
Tikka tikka
Eisenhardt uses his Sniper skill and sees flames flicker through the snow.
[The 2 is counted as a 1; I forgot to note that on the card]
[Weather Roll = 5 : Heavy Snow – Visibility Short Range]
The flames on the Strutter are not doing any effective damage.
Perhaps the snow is helping the Frenchmen?
Tikka tikka
Eisenhardt hits the Strutter of Blanc/Arnaux but jams his guns.
[Damage: 2 +1 Alt -1 Snow = 2]
Eisenhardt ducks behind Arnaux’s blind spot.
All pilots struggle to see through the heavy swirling snow.
[Weather Roll = 5 : Heavy Snow – Visibility Short Range]
Blanc’s fire does some minor damage.
“Ich kann nichts sehen!”
“Je ne vois rien du tout !*»
< I can’t see anything! >
The Strutters disappear in heavy snow.
[They continue on to complete their photo mission off the table]
Blanc and Arnaux see the flames flicker out.
The wet snow has definitely helped them.
[Weather Roll = 3 : Heavy Snow – Visibility Short Range]
The Adler have flown around looking for any viable targets to no avail.
The Frenchmen have managed to get their photos and are returning to their home airfield.
The snow is still heavy so none of the airmen can see anything yet.
The Adler are actually closing on the Strutters but are unaware of their presence.
Suddenly Oelker sees the Strutter of Blanc/Arnaux and both pilots fire.
[Oelker has used his Sniper ability]
Tikka Tikka - Tikka Tikka
Oelker gets the best of it.
[Damage of 3 is reduced to 2 due to snow]
[Weather Roll = 6 : Blinding Snow - No Shooting]
Just like that the Strutters cannot see the Albatros (and vice-versa)
Blanc climbs to Altitude 4
Portron also climbs (to Altitude 3)
The Adler strain to see anything around them.
The snow has made the Strutters invisible again.
[Weather Roll = 1 : Light Snow – Visibility Normal]
The airmen are relived when the snowstorm lets up.
Well, perhaps the Frenchmen would have preferred to stay hidden …
The Adler are just out of range.
Eisenhardt closes the gap and both he and Raymond fire.
Tikka Tikka - Dada dada
Eisenhardt’s Sniper skill helps him hit the Strutter’s engine.
Raymond’s return fire nicks Eisenhardt in the shoulder.
[Weather Roll = 2 : Light Snow – Visibility Normal]
Portron manages to inch his way out of Eisenhardt’s range.
Tikka tikka - Dada dada
Eisenhardt’s turn to take an engine hit.
“Verdammt!”
He does manage some serious damage in return though.
[Weather Roll = 1 : Light Snow – Visibility Normal]
Tikka tikka - Dada dada
Another exchange does a bit more damage to both aircraft.
Eisenhardt feels his rudder go slack.
Tikka tikka - Dada dada
Eisenhardt doesn’t see much from his Sniper shot, while Raymond hits another rudder cable.
Eisenhardt is stuck flying straight!
Portron takes the opportunity to Dive down to Altitude 2 and out of range.
[Weather Roll = 2 : Light Snow – Visibility Normal]
The weather is holding but no shots are possible.
Portron climbs back up to Altitude 3 at a most inopportune time!
Tikka tikka - Dada…..
Now the Strutter’s rudder controls are damaged.
Raymond’s Lewis is jammed!
Tikka tikka - Dada dada
There is a similar exchange between Oelker and Arnaux.
Another rudder is compromised.
“Attention!”
Portron comes oh so close to colliding with Blanc.
Tikka tikka - Dada Dada
Oelker uses his Sniper ability and does some major damage to the Strutter of Blanc/Arnaux
Arnaux’s return fire does some damage, but much less than what was received.
“Sacre bleu!” Blanc feels his control of the Strutter slip away and the Frenchmen prepare for an uncomfortable ‘landing’.
[Weather Roll = 1 : Light Snow – Visibility Normal]
Tikka tikka tikka
Oelker hits the remaining Strutter as it passes right in front of him.
And just like that, Oelker has his second kill of the day.
Portron and Raymond find themselves in a somewhat similar condition as their compatriots!
Eisenhardt is only a little annoyed that Oelker may have ‘stolen’ his kill after all that effort.
But he will let Oelker have his day buying schnapps all round in the mess to celebrate.
“Alles, um die klirrende Kälte abzuwehren ...“
< Anything to ward off the bitter cold >
Butcher’s Tally
Entente
Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutter
Lt Auguste Blanc: (P2): SD-FT / 0 Kills
C&W: Rolled 11 -1SD = 10 - All well when you land well - “Tout est bien”
s/Lt Albert Arnoux: (O): SD-FT / 0 Kills
C&W: Rolled 9 -1SD = 8 - Injured, skip 1D2 scenarios. Rolled 2 = Skip 1
Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutter
s/Lt Constant Portron: (P2): SD-FT / 0 Kills
C&W: Rolled 12 -1SD = 11 - All well when you land well - “Tout est bien”
Cpl François Raymond:(O): SD-FT / 0 Kills, 1 probable (Eisenhardt FRTB-E)
C&W: Rolled 5 -1SD = 4 - Injured, skip 1D6 scenarios. Rolled 6 = Skip 6.
Adler
Albatros D.III
Ltn Dieter Oelker: RTB / 2 Kills
Albatros D.III
Ltn Felix Eisenhardt: FRTB-E / WIA / 0 Kills
FRTB Roll 3+1 = Stuck the landing!
C&W: Rolled 9 -1WIA +1RTB +1ACE = 10 - All well when you land well - “Alles ist gut.”
Victory Points
Both tandems shot down so no need to roll to determine which of the two was taking photos.
Adler Victory!
========================================================
The Weather Die was giving me dismal results for the first six turns – I didn’t think I was going to have any chance to down anything.
Then it did a 180 and gave me 5 rolls of ‘1’ or ‘2’ and saved my mission.
On turn 11 I had started to move the planes and realized I hadn’t rolled again for weather.
I thought for sure that die was going to rob me of any more shooting.
Huge relief when I rolled a “1”
Another interesting mission you gave us, Peter. Yours always have that bit of “Je ne sais quois”.
Appropriate for my choice of flying the French for the Entente in this one.
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Two kills to Ltn Dieter Oelker - congratulations to him. Quite remarkable under those awful conditions. Once again the shooting from the two seaters is pretty abysmal in defense. Back to gunnery school I should think.
Originally Posted by mikeemagnus
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