"The task is simple", says Uncle, "but difficult to achieve. We've received permission to have a flight of the new Sopwith's to assist other squadrons with the ground attack offensive whilst retaining the SE's for the high and escort work. This is a most unusual situation and is causing the ground crews problems but I'm confident we will overcome any obstacle".
"Now we have the first machines we have been given our first task and that is to support a Caproni of 95 Sqaudron in an attack on the line. The more damage we can do the better it will be for the infantry that will go in afterward. I won't sugar coat it gentlemen, this will be hard and the potential for casualties may be high. Lt Morrow will fly a SE in support and try to keep off any Huns that you come across but he is only one man so he can't be everywhere. I can only wish you luck".
Uncle then turned to the blackboard and went into the details of the mission.
The Bulldogs and a Caproni from 95 Sqn let down through low level cloud and find themselves immediately amongst a gaggle of German machines transiting the area of their target.
Fokker D.VII's: Flag: Ltn Egon Kosmahl; LO: Ltn Johann Raesh; Orange-Red: Fwbl Fritz Kypke.
SE5a Z-Zebra: Lt Thomas Morrow; Snipes #2 2lt Claude Back; #8 F/Sgt Barry Cade ; Stripes Owen Dewes.
Snipe with Stripes: 2Lt Owen Dewes.
Hannover: Fwbl Gustav Parlow (P2) Ltn Hans Raspe (O)
Dewes spots the Hannover and swings his nose in its direction hoping to get a pop at it before he commits to his attack on the ground targets - he doesn't see the Fokker to his left rear...Raesh turns in behind the new Sopwith - his first rounds damaging some control surfaces
Morrow spots a 'flag' painted Fokker and immediately turns to intercept - annoyingly his first burst has no obvious effect
Kypke, slipped in behind the SE but his eyes were locked on the big fellah - moments later his first burst is on target and fire erupts aboard the Caproni
Morrow over cooks it turning after his Fokker and his machine brushes with Kosmahl's - they're lucky and no damage is done to either machine
Dewes has a problem on his six now - Raesh stays on target and he lands another successful burst
Back drops his Snipe into the attack - causing some decent damage to the right hand trench, the return fire causing no problems
Cade drops his machine into the attack also - his burst at long range toppling troops all over the position and rendering it harmless
Dewes' problems are multiplied - The Fokker is still on target and the Hannover has given him the slip. Now its rear gun is unmasked and it's Raspe who adds to Dewes' pain as smoke belches from his engine
Morrow bumps Kosmahl's Fokker once more causing some minor damage - the gunner of the Caproni fires into the melee with his Lewis gun and causes it some damage - Kypke avoids the confusion and stalks his larger prey that has turned away from his last burst
Back causes more damage to a trench before his guns jam but he takes rudder damage in the process
Cade cannot get on target and he too takes some control surface damage
Kosmahl now gets a clear shot on the Caproni and makes it count - his rounds finding both the pilots - the gunner opens up in return but his Lewis gun jams at the critical moment
Morrow sideslips deeply to avoid more collisions - taking a snap shot on the onrushing Hannover as he does so he hits the bullseye and the big machine falls from the sky
Dewes tries his best to shake the determined Fokker on his six by turning sharply but Raesh stays focused and his next burst damages the engine of the Dewes' smoking Snipe.
Back has drawn some attention low over the trenches but remarkably escapes serious harm. Cade is similarly lucky
Kypke is now in range again but his first ranging shot does little to the Giant before him.
Dewes holds his sharp turn and finally breaks contact with the Fokker on his tail - smoking and with a damaged engine he must make a run for home.
Kypke is infuriated as his next burst again does little to the Giant - he can see the gunner working on his Lewis - he'll have it cleared any moment.
Back's luck takes a turn for the worse - incoming ground fire damages his engine and his rudder. Behind him the Caproni drops his first egg - for a near miss.
Cade is no better off as the ground fire sets his plane alight
The Giant's luck holds for a second, as does Back's as both Kosmahl & Kypke have no joy with their shooting
The Caproni cops a lot more groundfire as it passes over the trenches - the rear gunner lets out a yelp and collapses in his cage - he's down and the Caproni is now vulnerable.
The Caproni turns, shrugging off more groundfire. It does extract a small measure of revenge as the front gunner rakes the trenches below their nose.
His rudder and engine damaged, Back is forced to leave the battle area
Dewes takes advantage of the separation he created between him and the Fokker and heads for home as fast as his damaged motor allows
Morrow catches Kypke at long range causing a little damage before his Lewis gun jams.. he must press on
Trailing sparks and cinders over the battlefield Cade drops into the attack once more - his trade with the ground pounders bears fruit & he takes out trench two. Using just his Vickers Morrow has a little luck and damages the controls of Kypke's Fokker as it's punching large holes into the Giant - the wounded pilots of which have cut their losses and dumped the rest of their bombs toward the next trench - the near miss of three bombs is enough to ensure its demise.
Cade keeps his eye in and peppers the next trench in line but takes rudder damage in return and a very solid hit from Kosmahl's Fokker sliding in behind him.
Their bombs gone the Caproni pilots can do no more but even as they turn for home Kypke chops them down with a devastating burst..
Cade breaks momentarily from the 'flag' Fokker with a sharp turn as Morrow swoops round behind the other Fokker
A long range snap shot from Morrow catches Kypke in it's grasp as he celebrates his victory... he's hit !
Cade senses trouble as the Fokker snaps round on his six - with his damaged controls he knows he's in trouble as the first rounds slam into his machine. At least the fire has gone out ! .
Morrow clips Raesh's Fokker as he rushes into the attack - both are lucky to escape serious damage.
Morrow, his charge lost and with three enemy planes in sight takes his opportunity to break for home followed by desultory ground fire
Cade's suffering Snipe receives the coup de gras from Kosmahl's guns and falls to earth
Butchers Tally:
Lt Thomas Morrow: SE5a Z-Zebra - RTB 1 Kill
2Lt Claude Back: Snipe #2 - FRTB 0 kills - 2 Trenches damaged
F/Sgt Barry Cade: Snipe #8 SD-FT 0 kills - 2 Trenches KO'd; 1 damaged
Rolled 7 -1SD +2 Ace+F/Ace = 8 Injured - Injured - Skip 1D2 Scenario. Rolled 5 = Skip 2 (WW)
2Lt Owen Dewes: Snipe Stripes - FRTB 0 kills
95 Sqn Ca3 #3: SD-EXP- ET 0 kills - 2 Trenches KO'd
Eagles:
Ltn Egon Kosmahl: Fokker D.VII (Flag) - RTB 1 Kill
Fwbl Fritz Kypke: Fokker D.VII (Orange/Red) - FRTB / WIA 1 Kill
Rolled 8 +3RTB -1WIA = 10 All well when you land well !
Ltn Johann Raesh: Fokker D.VII (LO) - RTB 0 kills
Hannover
Fwbl Gustav Parlow: (P2) SD-EXP-ET 0 kills
Rolled 3 -3EXP = 0 KIA
Ltn Hans Raspe: (O) SD-EXP-ET 0 kills
Rolled 10 -3EXP = 7 Injured - Skip 1D2 Scenario - Rolled 1 = Skip 1
E&E: Rolled 7 -1EXP -1WIC -1BEL = 4 Captured and escaped! - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 4 = Skip 2 (WR)
Positions Damaged: Left to right
1 - 3 damage
2 - Destroyed
3 - Destroyed
4 - Destroyed (bombs)
5 - 2 Damage
6 - Destroyed
7 - No Damage
4 Destroyed = 20 VP to the Bulldogs Do I count the other 5 damage as VP ?
I thought it was somewhat of a disaster until I saw how much damage the bomber & strafers had achieved - I think being FRTB helped out the Bulldogs as they didn't lose a couple of machines due to that.
A most enjoyable mission - I flew Morrow, with my usual rules applied, shooting peg to peg etc. Hope you chaps have as much fun with it as I did.
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