OTT FYM Mission 2 - Close Air Support, 12th April 1917 by ShadowDragon
OTT-FYM Mission 2 – Close Air Support – April 12th 1917 by ShadowDragon
The Mission:
The Battle of Arras has begun. After an intense bombardment, British and Canadian infantry started their assault on the 9th of April. Gains were impressive by Western Front standards, but now there is a lull while positions are consolidated. The Royal Flying Corps has contributed with close air support, reconnaissance, and strategic bombing. However, the offensive use of airpower with combat operations over German held territory would result high British aircrew losses.
The mission is to bomb a key tactical command and logistic point just behind German held positions. By destroying this position, the RFC can hinder German efforts to stabilize their defence and organize counterattacks. The challenge is that this position is located amongst vulnerable French civilian structures; so, it must be bombed at a low altitude. In addition, the target is protected by German anti-aircraft artillery, patrolling aircraft, and a balloon barrage.
This mission is a modification of one of the scenarios in the WoW Burning Drachens booklet, “A Hard Task”. The choice was because it met my two objectives – (1) the mission has balloons, and (2) it reflected the RFC’s emphasis on offensive operations in support of the ground battle. The mission is best using altitude, but instructions are provided below if you are not using altitude – that’s part of the modification of the original scenario.
Note: This mission isn’t meant to be balanced but to reflect “Bloody April”. Good luck!
Mat Set-Up: A trench mat with any other non-trench mat joined on their long sides. The non-trench mat is German held territory.
British Forces: 3 or 4 aircraft (Player’s choice to use 3 or 4 aircraft)
- Two (2) scout aircraft (initial aircraft) – one armed with incendiary ammunition and the other will be armed with le Prieur rockets. If you do not have an aircraft with rockets depicted, then both are armed with incendiary ammo. Note: if the aircraft has a Lewis machinegun it can switch to regular ammo by swapping drums which takes three phases; otherwise, it cannot fire at enemy aircraft. These are initially on the mat. These aircraft are at altitude 4.
- One (1) 1 tandem equipped with 2 bomb loads, which can be dropped at the same time or at different times. This aircraft arrives on turn 3. This aircraft is at altitude 3.
- Optional 4th aircraft: the British player’s choice of another tandem with bombs, a scout armed with rockets or incendiary ammo or a regularly armed scout. If you are the German player, roll a 6-sided dice: 1-2 = tandem bomber, 3 = rocket-armed scout (or regular scout if you don’t have a model with rockets), 4-6 regular armed scout. This aircraft will arrive on turn 3. This aircraft is at altitude 3 if the tandem and altitude 4 if a scout.
- Position or arrival specifics:
- The first two listed scouts will be on the mat at the start and positioned to attack one of balloon. They will be one ruler West of the mat join and centred on the balloon with a half-ruler separation between them. The British player has the choice which balloon is attacked. The German player determines which one at random as well as which aircraft is with rockets or incendiary ammo.
- The required tandem bomber and the optional 4th aircraft arrive on turn 3 at the Western edge within a half ruler of position 6 (the mat centre).
Altitude: Summary for British planes - all scouts are initially at altitude 4, the tandem(s) are at altltidue 3. If you are not using altitude, then all aircraft are notionally at altitude 4. Therefore, the tandem will be bombing from a higher level than for players using altitude (see “bombing” below); for players using altitude rules the tandem(s) must dive to altitude 2 before bombing.
German forces: 1 target, 2 AA Guns, 2 barrage balloons and 3 or 4 aircraft (i.e., the same number as chosen for the British).
- The target is located one ruler from the German (East) edge of the mat about mid-way along that mat’s edge. (as shown in the illustration).
- Two AA Guns: One is located one ruler from the German edge and one ruler from the bottom (South) edge). The other AA Gun is located one ruler from the German edge and one ruler from the top (North) edge. See the illustration.
- The two barrage balloons are located one-half ruler East of the mat join and are spaced equidistant across the front (i.e., along the long side of the mat). There will be roughly one ruler spacing from the mat edges and between the balloons. It is assumed that there are barrage balloons to the north and south so that the barrage barrier is along the whole length of the mat as shown. The balloons are at altitude 4.
- One initial scout positioned at the centre of the German mat, facing West and at altitude 4. The choice of scout is up to the player.
- Two additional scouts of your choice will appear on turn 2 at a random location (positions 1 to 5 marked on the illustration). These aircraft will be at altitude 4.
- The optional 4th scout will appear at a random location (positions 1 to 5) and will be at altitude 4.
Altitude: All German aircraft and balloons are at altitude 4. Note that the balloons will remain at altitude 4 until destroyed. There’s no change required if you’re not playing with altitude.
Scenario Rules and Rule Reminders:
Balloon Barrage Effect: Any aircraft which enters the barrage zone at the altitude of the barrage balloons or lower will be destroyed. If a barrage balloon is destroyed, then the barrage zone on either side of it will collapse – leaving only the other balloon and a barrage zone between that balloon and the nearest mat edge. Of course, if both balloons are destroyed then so is the barrage zone.
Collisions: As stated in the rules, airplanes colliding with the barrage are destroyed. If the collision with an actual balloon, the balloon with take a C damage card. Resolve air to air collisions as you would normally. Also, note that an aircraft at altitude 4 with a climb counter will not collide with the barrage; it can fly over it as the balloons are at altitude 4 without a climb counter. If you’re playing without altitude, then, sorry, there is no way over the balloons. You will need to shoot your way through. That was one of the challenges with accommodating playing without altitude.
Bombing: See the OTT rules for instructions on bombing. If using altitude, then the bomber(s) MUST be at altitude 2. In that case bombs hit immediately – as per the rules. If you’re not using altitude, then it will be “high level” bombing and there will be an additional phase in which the bomb is moved forward before it hits. See “How to Bomb” in the OTT FYM Campaign Rules – steps 4 and 5 are repeated for the “high level”
The target has four (4) points. Each partial hit by a bomb destroys one (1) point and each direct hit destroys two (2) points. Therefore, two bombs must directly hit the target for it to be completely destroyed.
AA Guns: Use the "SOLITAIRE SCENARIOS AND ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS" rule from the OTT FYM Rules. Accordingly, it takes 3 phases to reload AA Guns which can then fire on the 4th phase. To see if the AA Gun hits, draw an A damage card. If it has any 'special damage', the AA gun hits. If it hits, draw a C card for damage inflicted. With respect to range varying with altitude, the WoG rules gives the AA Gun range as 2 rulers for targets up to altitude 2, 1-1/2 ruler at altitude 3, 1 ruler at altitude 4, etc. It is recommended to use 2 rulers for all altitudes in this scenario for consistency between players using and not using altitude.
Forced to Return to Base when on the wrong side of the barrage! If an aircraft on the enemy side of the barrage zone is at the barrage balloon altitude or lower (i.e., altitude 4 or lower) and is forced to return to base then it will instead head for the nearest north or south mat edge (i.e., to find a way around the barrage). Roll a 6-sided dice: 1-3 = the aircraft doesn’t make and is downed. This will count as a kill for the other side with all the implications of being shot down (i.e., it will be in enemy territory if a British aircraft and No Man’s Land if German). Resolve any remaining fire tokens before determining if the aircraft finds a way around the barrage.
Points:
British:
5 points per target point destroyed
-5 points for each bomb that completely misses the target (i.e., hits civilians)
5 points per barrage balloon destroyed
5 points per AA Gun destroyed
5 points per enemy aircraft forced to return to base (FRTB) that also makes it home (even if it crashes on landing)
10 points per enemy aircraft lost (including those that fail to find a way around the barrage)
5 points per ace lost (shot down or fails to find a way around the barrage)
German:
5 points per target point still intact
5 points per enemy aircraft forced to return to base (FRTB) and makes it home (even if it crashes on landing)
10 points per enemy aircraft lost (including those that fail to find a way around the barrage)
5 points per ace lost (shot down or fails to find a way around the barrage)
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Originally Posted by Hu Rhu
Hope you feel up to it soon.
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