OTTBE Mission 18 - Flash's Champagne Breakfast - 25th July 1918
The Bulldogs were not particularly pleased when Uncle tasked them for a ground attack mission on pontoon bridges over the Marne and a balloon busting mission on top of that but as he explained 'the Camel jockeys' were not available and the job needed to be done.
With that said they set themselves to the task - Sgt Ted Taylor fitted the kites with racks, bombed them up and away they went.
Ltns Egon Kosmahl and Johann Raesh (LO) spot the enemy swooping low over the countryside headed for the frail pontoon bridges over the Marne. Ltn Fritz Kypke, recently back from injury appears opposite his comrades
Dreaded SE5a's of the Bulldogs - piloted left to right by 2Lt's Trew Storey; Tom Morrow leading in H-Harry and Brad hammer in Z-Zebra
Kosmahl dives on his opposite number Tom Morrow, Raesh (in LO) turns for Storey. Kypke tries a different, less direct approach and maintains altitude.
Morrow, intent on his target, ignores incoming fire from Kosmahl (rolled 6) and toggles his bomb release - Bulls-eye ! Planks, spars, boats and men fly in all directions as the cooper bombs find their target
Hammer & Storey both fluff the approach and pass their targets without dropping their eggs - Morrow climbs steeply to take on the wheeling Eagles
The Bulldogs shape up to hit the bridges at the opposite ends as Morrow looks to cover them
The flak wakes up as SE's stray into range - clear miss on Storey..
Close but no cigar on Hammer !
Morrow trades lead with Kosmahl, scoring a solid hit & fortunate that Kypke turning in behind is just out of range.
Kosmahl flashes past Morrow and puts a burst into Storey's camouflaged SE following on behind - though his guns jam it's enough to ruin Storey's aim and his bombs drop short (rolled 4)
Raesh has similar luck over the other pontoon catching Hammer at the moment he releases his eggs, raking him at close range and causing another drop short (rolled 4 )
Rolling left Morrow tries a long range effort on Raesh but sees no result for his effort
That changes suddenly as Raesh Immels right in front of Morrow who pulls back on the stick and peppers the gaily painted Fokker at close range causing mission ending damage to its engine.
The flak chips in again, the shot is wide of Hammer's SE. The other gun has no better luck with Morrow.
Morrow closes quickly with the balloon and pumps some incendiaries into it causing smoke and a gun jam, they'll start winding it in now.
Storey has a parting close range effort on Raesh as he limps from the battle area, his Mercedes mis-firing badly.
Hammer gets squeezed as he heads for the freshly smoked sausage
As he sorts his jammed gun Morrow is shaken by a near miss from the flak. Same for Hammer as he lines up for his shot
Hammer blazes away but to no obvious effect and his gun jams too !
Storey races in behind the Eagles, that must unnerve them some; Morrow clears his gun and Hammer starts to work on his jam
Kosmahl targets Morrow but he slips past undamaged and pumps the last of his incendiaries into the balloon - he is rewarded with black smoke and a flicker of flame - Success !
Storey gets a passing shot on the now burning gas bag but can add nothing further. Time for them to clear the area !
Kypke catches Morrow at close range as he crosses the river but damage is small and his guns jam
Storey clatters Kosmahl at close range as they cross, luckily he is out of arc (peg to peg).
When Kosmahl passes he hangs on his prop; looking back he realises he must get back into the chase
Morrow runs interference for Storey, his sharp turn catches Kypke as he Immels but he gets less than he deserves for the effort.
This tangle over the river allows Kosmahl back into the fray and he sets his sights on Storey who jams his gun in the exchange
Hammer has circled back to assist, something he may regret; Morrow & Kosmahl exchange glances as they pass.
Then all attention is drawn by a Boom ! The balloon is engulfed in flame and falls from the sky before it can be winched to safety
Morrow drops in on Kypke and rakes him as he crosses his nose.
Kosmahl scores a telling hit and Hammer is wounded though he adds to the Fokker's damage with his own effort
Morrow evens things a little by setting Kypke's patriotic Fokker on fire
Kosmahl Immels again as he pulls out a blur of green passes close to him but his eyes are elsewhere - has he a kill ? That SE is spinning !
It's not to be - the SE pulls out and his colleagues look set for revenge
Kosmahl Immels again catching Storey and setting him on fire; below Hammer breaks for home
Trying to even the odds Morrow takes a head on pass at Kosmahl. The young German's luck holds, his controls are damaged but the SE is badly damaged itself by his burst into the engine...
Barely conscious Hammer slips out of the battle area. Storey, trailing fire and smoke, eludes Kosmahl and slips away too
Morrow now alone and with engine damage must leave the sky to the Germans.
Butcher's Tally:
2Lt's Tom Morrow:leading in H-Harry: F/RTB 1kill
Brad Hammer: in Z-Zebra: F/RTB / WIA / 0 kills
Rolled 9 +3RTB -1WIA = 11 All well when you land well.
Trew Storey: in Cammo: RTB 0 kills
Ltns Johann Raesh: (LO): F/RTB 0 kills;
Egon Kosmahl: RTB 0 kills
and Fritz Kypke: RTB 0 kills
Balloon: Destroyed by fire -
Victory points:
Bridges: One destroyed – 5 points to the Bulldogs.
Two left intact – 10 points to the Eagles.
Balloon: Destroyed by fire – 10 points to the Bulldogs.
Aircraft: One Eagle forced to retire – 1 point to the Bulldogs.
Two Bulldogs forced to retire – 2 point to the Eagles.
VP: 16 - 12 Victory to the Bulldogs.
This was a fun game - Thanks MikeThe Eagles stopped the majority of the damage to the bridges but were unlucky with the balloon & the flak and not to get any kills, both burning machines at the games end made it home.
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promoted to Lt; :salute; ace skill Daredevil Pilot 
Congrats to the Bulldogs 
Originally Posted by fast.git
must be the "cabin fever" talking. Kids haven't had school since Wednesday.[/Edit]
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