OTT-FYM Mission 1: First Outing 5th April 1917 by Hu Rhu
As he crossed the German trenches, 2Lt Fraser Norris couldn’t help but feel excited. He was flying the new Bristol F2a on its first combat sortie. The new machine was fast and robust, something the RFC had not had before. He signalled to his observer AM.1 Richard Gilbertson, to be watchful. Looking left he could see 2Lt Russell Molyneaux and his observer AM.3 Robert Armstrong in the J machine and to his right was 2Lt Ernest Capon with his observer AM.3 Percy Lindup, who was known to check his bullets before every flight.
Looking back ahead he could make out three aircraft approaching from the East. They had to be Huns so he waggled his wings which was the signal to the flight to close up and pointed ahead. “Time to see if our tactics and the new machine work” he thought, as he pulled his goggles on tighter.
Having been warned of the Tommies approach by German ground observers, ObLtn Karl Ziegler flying a red tailed Albatros D.III, led his Kette to intercept the British planes. He spotted them ahead just over the trenches and signalled his other aircraft to assume an attack formation. Off to his right in a black tailed Alb D.III was Ltn Dieter Roth, an experienced pilot, whilst to his left rear, in a white tailed Alb D.III was the relative newcomer, Ltn Johann Kleine (known in the staffel as Kleines Johannes).
As the Albatros close in the three Bristols make a left turn, broadly retaining their formation. Roth fires at the nearest aircraft and scores heavily, but in turn takes heavy damage from both Molyneaux and Norris’s front guns. Roth was surprised by the hail of bullets coming towards him but he gritted his teeth and flew on and was surprised that his machine had survived such a pummelling. (Explosion card negated by Lucky Pilot).
Ziegler closed in on Norris and does some damage with a long range shot, but in return takes fire from Gilbertson, which causes the Albatros to leak a trail of smoke.
Roth flies straight through the formation and fires at close range at the nearest Bristol, damaging its rudder and setting it on fire.
Ziegler follows Norris round and hits his rudder but takes fire from both Gilbertson and Am3. Percy Lindup. (Uses Lucky Pilot to avoid the +1 shot). Kleine catches Capon’s machine with a withering fire delivered from long range.
The British machines complete their circle as Roth continues to fly though the formation into Capon’s blind spot but takes a long range shot from AM.3 Robert Armstrong.
Ziegler sticks with Norris and hits the British plane with heavy fire but Gilbertson’s shots miss. Kleine is out of arc.
At this stage Norris has taken heavy damage and must return to base, whilst Capon is on fire, although Molyneaux is relatively unscathed. Ziegler and Roth have both taken damage but Kleine is untouched. Note at this stage the Bristols are flying individually. Capon’s fire is burning fiercely and he decides he must also head for home.
Ziegler continues his pursuit of Norris and fires at close range, hitting his engine and bringing him down just behind the German lines. However, Ziegler takes fire from all three British aircraft but nothing fatal. Percy Lindup couldn’t shoot at Roth as he was in his blind spot so shoots at Ziegler and, despite checking his bullets carefully before take-off, his gun jams (Red Jam).
Kill to Ziegler
Roth hits Capon’s aircraft from close range but scores minor damage and jams one of his guns.
Roth and Molyneaux take avoiding action and narrowly missing crashing. Roth is also surprised at the speed of Capon’s machine as his fire is now at long range and to make matters worse, he manages to jam his other gun.
Kleine and Ziegler pour fire into Molyneaux’s aircraft at close range but must have been distracted by Roth as their fire completely misses the two-seater (including Ziegler using his sniper skill).
However Armstrong fires at Ziegler, scoring minor damage but now Ziegler’s aircraft has taken a lot of damage and he must also break off the fight and head for home.
With both their guns jammed neither Roth nor Lindup can fire. Kleine flies into Armstrong’s blind spot so instead he fires at Ziegler but misses.
The flames in Capon’s machine seem to be dying down.
Roth is desperately trying to unjam his guns, whilst watching his prey limp towards safety. Ziegler breaks off and heads back towards his own aerodrome and Kleine is following Roth.
Molyneaux circles back towards his own lines, having seen his flight leader shot down and his wing man in flames and in trouble.
With Roth still clearing his guns Lindup fires at long range but misses. Realising that he won't catch Capon's machine, Kleine turns his attention to Molyneaux who has turned to help out his wingman.
Capon puts his nose down and heads over his own lines to safety as Roth, who had just unjammed his own guns, curses his luck as he has orders not to cross the lines.
Meanwhile Molyneaux seems to have been distracted and lost sight of the other Albatros. Suddenly Kleine looms up at on the right and pours fire into the F2a at close range hitting the machine hard.
Capon’s fire is finally out as he makes his way back to his aerodrome.
Kleine and Molyneaux avoid collision but both are too close to fire.
Ziegler and Roth are returning home.
With Kleine skilfully using the blind spot Armstrong has no shot as Kleine fires at close range and the Bristol explodes in ball of flames and comes down just inside his own lines.
Kill to Kleine.
Butcher’s Tally
Adlers
ObLtn Karl Ziegler: Albatros D.III (Red tail): FRTB-D / 1 Kill (Norris)
FRTB Rolled 1+1 = Crashed !
C&W Rolled 8 +1RTB -1FRTB +1ACE = 9 - All well when you land well.
Ltn Dieter Roth: Albatros D.III (Black tail): RTB / 0 kills, 1 Probable (Capon FRTB-D)
Ltn Johann Kleine: Albatros D.III (White-tail): RTB / 1 Kill (Molyneaux)
Bulldogs
2Lt Fraser Norris: (P2) Bristol F2a (Dark roundels): SD-ET / 0 Kills
C&W Rolled 10 -1SD =9 - All well when you land well !
E&E Rolled 9 -1BEL = 8 - Landed almost home! - Skip 1 Scenario
AM.1 Richard Glbertson: (O) Bristol F2a (Dark roundels): SD-ET / 0 Kills
C&W Rolled 11 -1SD = 10 - All well when you land well !
E&E Rolled 5 -1BEL = 4 - Captured and escaped! - Skip 1D3 Scenarios, rolled 3 = Skip 2
2Lt Ernest Capon: (P2) Bristol F2a (J): FRTB-D / 0 Kills
FRTB Rolled 4+1 = Landed safely
AM.3 Percy Lindup:(O) Bristol F2a (J): FRTB-D / 0 kills, 1 probable (Ziegler FRTB-D)
2lt Russell Molyneaux: (P2) Bristol F2a (H): SD-EXP-FT / 0 Kills
C&W Rolled 9 – 3EXP = 6 - Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 3 = Skip 2
AM.3 Robert Armstrong: (O) Bristol F2a (H): SD-EXP-FT / 0 Kills
C&W Rolled 5 -3EXP = 2 - Dead ! RIP
Victory Points
Adlers
Shot down 2 aircraft = 10pts
FRTB 1 aircraft = 5 pts
Total = 15 pts
Bulldogs
FRTB 1 aircraft = 5pts
Total 5 pts
Adler Victory
Although the mission replicated the actual outcome, this was a very close fight and one that could have gone completely the other way.
The Eagles only had three fit pilots to fly this mission (due to the casualties suffered in the last mission) but they included two aces with the Lucky Git ace skill. Without that both Ziegler and Roth would have been shot down.
I was also unaware of the lack of a blindspot on the Bristol and thus both Roth (6 cards) and Kleine (4 cards) would have taken more damage, which even with Roth's Lucky Git skill would almost certainly have forced him to return to base, if not shot him down. Kleine too would have taken more damage which might have evened up the fight. However this would have also balanced by less damage taken by Ziegler, who would not have been FRTB early and in any case would have not saved Norris or Molyneaux, nor prevented Capon's fire.
Finally having flown the Albatros D.III on a number of missions it is clear that the model's stats do not properly reflect the real aircraft's capabilities. I believe that is is too slow and less manoeuverable than its real life counterpart. That said I doubt we will be able to change the mind of the Stats committee nor Ares marketing so I shall let sleeping dogs lie.
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by flash
since my Bristols saw action.
and they leave very disappointed.
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