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Thread: The Kindness of Strangers WW2 Solo Campaign: Chapter 11 - Falcons and eagles

  1. #1

    Default The Kindness of Strangers WW2 Solo Campaign: Chapter 11 - Falcons and eagles

    June 7, 1940

    They were eager to know the story. Kyte served drinks and then he sat himself in a green sofa expecting me to begin. I looked at Joachim. He smiled and shrugged his shoulders. I looked at the other ones, Eris, James, Nick, Dave, Mike and Johnny and I felt a strange comradeship, even if to some of them I was but a stranger a few days ago. "Go on, Andrzej", said Nick, anxious for me to start. "Well... We were now in the middle of the Summer of '37", I said, starting the tale. "We, Joachim and I, Natalya and Vasily, were the remnants of the twelve group of the fifth Squadrilla de caza. We've scrambled to patrol the north west fields near Madrid. There were reports of German tanks moving there. We were flying in a very wide line abreast when they hit us. These new German fighters that belonged to the Condor Legion. It was August 17, 1937 and I had joined Joachim's squadron a few weeks before."

    We were caught by surprise. Our eyes were on the ground, trying to find the German armored unit.



    They came down from the clouds, but we didn't saw them for a while. Shark like, we had heard about these new, fast, and well armed German fighters. But this was our first time against them.



    They came together and cautiously. Our falcons were inferior, but they knew what we could do with them.



    Natalya was the first one to see them. We had no radios in our planes. Joachim had his radio removed. It was half broken and the extra weight wasn't worth of it. We communicated by hand and wing signs. But I was looking closely at the ground before me.



    So, the moment Joachim saw them and turned in front of me to warn me, Natalya moved in to face alone all the German eagles. She was courageous that way. I knew then that they were in love and I know what Joachim must have felt when he saw her move in against them.



    The leading Germans fired at her, damaging her I-16. She told me that later, during that first exchange I was still looking down.



    They weren't expecting such an offensive maneuver and she managed to move past them without any serious damage.



    But trying to dodge them, made her fail to connect with her machine guns.



    Only then, as Joachim flashed in front of me, I understood that we were being attacked. I reacted quickly then.



    Crossing their line in a perfect flight she fired and damaged the last of the Me-109's.



    And then we were in the middle of it... Everybody maneuvering, diving, climbing, turning sharply and trying to take the enemy from a vantage point.



    I took damage immediately from one of the German fighters. They were good as I felt raking my plane fired from very far.



    Joachim took fire from a canon that reaped a hole in its fuselage.



    Vasily fired at one of the German fighters, trying to protect Natalya's reverse maneuver.



    Together with Joachim, we fired at the German leader. We made little damage and we felt that fighter to be rugged and strong.



    The German leader made a reverse just above us and we maintained the trajectory, none of us daring to move away.



    Vasily fired again, increasing the damage to one of the German fighters and helping Natalya escaping the trap.



    I've managed to hit one of the one-oh-nines and that made me more confident of my skills.



    The dogfight was now gaining form and Joachim pointed to the fighter I just fired at. It was our target, even if we were being shadowed by their leader.



    We both fired at him doing good damage. A sense of joy filled me and I don't know why.



    Then our target start reversing and their leader made the same. We were tailing our target and I was very focused on it.



    We fired again, and I hit it squarely! Joachim changed his focus to the leader and he failed to connect with our target. No harm done, since I had damaged it quite enough.



    We saw it fall engulfed in smoke and flames and a white parachute opened in the sky. We would learn later that this German pilot was caught by an International Brigade and was shot as soon as he landed. Spain was in a war of hate and hateful things were done there... It was my first kill and before I knew his fate I felt quite proud of myself.



    And for an instant we had the upper hand. But that changes in no time in the air...



    As we all circled to gain some advantage, Vasily's luck changed...



    His reverse put it between two one-oh-nines. He took damage...



    And a well aimed shot from the German leader took him down. His engine exploded with a mighty sound.



    Even if he himself didn't quit the fight.



    He went down like a rock and he never bailed out of his Little Falcon.



    And once again, the battle changed its rhythm. Now the maneuvers were more cautious, fatigue getting us all.



    Natalya took damage in her plane's engine and we understood that her plane had problems because her speed went down.



    And yet, she still fired at the German leader, never quitting the battle.



    And then Joachim fired a perfect barrage against the leader's one-oh-nine, hitting it in the cockpit and making damage, if the way the enemy shook his plane meant something.



    Natalya was in front of two one-oh-nines and Joachim couldn't abandon it's chase. I had to get near and help her.



    She took more damage to her battered plane.



    But suddenly, Joachim managed to hit the German's plane cockpit again and the German leader must have lost it's conscience.



    The Messerschmitt went down softly and crashed in the ground with its pilot inside.



    And we all felt it, that precise moment, the Germans would try to break the engagement and we would let them.



    Canon rounds hit my plane and I fought with the controls of my plane.



    I still managed to fire back an hit him.



    We've crossed each other paths and I saw his face for a second and he saw mine. Have I crossed paths with him in Poland? In France? Over the channel?



    The other German pilot fired a half-heart parting shot against Joachim doing more damage to his already wounded plane.



    Joachim fired back, giving him a souvenir.



    I aimed at him, knowing that I would be fired back.



    The German had nerves of steel and he pounded my plane heavily.



    I also left a signal in his fuselage.



    And then we parted.



    When we landed Joachim embraced Natalya strongly. I know he wanted to tell her not to put herself in danger and I know he knew he couldn't tell her that. Then they embraced me also and I felt again that comradeship that only a few of us ever know.



    We went to drink to Vasily's memory and we drank and drank and sung until tears and laughter became as one in that long Summer night of 1937.

    Scenario Briefing

    1. Only on a six (1D6) the I-16's notice the Me-109's or when they're fired upon.
    2. Flying Officer Natalya Nadensko is a veteran with 2 kills and the Combat ability: Always coming back home.
    3. Pilot Officer Joaquim Ferreira is a veteran with 3 kills (1 during this scenario) and the Combat ability: Always coming back home.
    4. Pilot Officer Andrzej is a standard pilot with 1 kill (made during this scenario) and the Combat ability: Always coming back home.
    5. Pilot Officer Vasily Antakov is a standard pilot KIA in this mission.
    Last edited by Blackronin; 12-07-2014 at 04:39.

  2. #2

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    Another cracker Joaquim, worthy of rep but alas I must spread some around before returning here.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by Skafloc View Post
    Another cracker Joaquim, worthy of rep but alas I must spread some around before returning here.
    Thank you, my friend. Your compliments are REP enough.

  4. #4

    Default

    As this story unfolds, around each character is born another new surprise, or half a clue as to the future.
    It is an intriguing plot and I am enjoying every minute of reading it.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Flying Officer Kyte View Post
    As this story unfolds, around each character is born another new surprise, or half a clue as to the future.
    It is an intriguing plot and I am enjoying every minute of reading it.
    Rob.
    Thank you my friend. You're words are very rewarding.
    And thanks for the REP.



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