RFC
Lt Timmy Harper Balloon Buster
2nd Lt Larry Peters SM (S)
2Lt Bedard French SM rookie sharp eyes
Central Powers
Ltn Max Nagler E111 red Perfect aim
Ltn Paul Wenzel E111
It was JP Bedards first sortie with the Bulldogs. Seconded to the RFC from his Escadrille he was the first of he hoped many French pilots to fly with the British squadrons over the Western Front.
Balloon busting was Timmy Harpers forte . He was an old hand at bringing down the gas bags , if you could count 2 kills as an old hand . Larry Peters was to lead the flight Timmy was to concentrate on the balloons while Bedard was to act as wingman to his flight leader.
A white puff of smoke appeared in front of Harpers plane The Eindeckers crept into focus between the 2 balloons
Despite the chilling wind JP felt beads of sweat forming on his brow More white puffs blossomed around him and A red eindecker turned towards his plane, slightly higher and possibly faster.
The young French pilot pulled back on his gun lever ready to take a shot if the Bosch got any closer.
Harper opened up at long range watching the tracers hit the balloon,a second burst was cut short as his gun jammed.
He felt the Morraine fuselage shudder as a spray of bullets from Wenzel struck home (3)
Bedard flung his plane left trying to get on the tail of Nagler firing at the Yellow balloon as he turned . A trail of smoke appeared above the basket .
Peters could see the Eindecker ahead of him. and passed under it as he turned
On the ground the winches began to turn, dragging the balloons to safety.
Bedard pointer his plane upwards to get above his flight leader and chase Nagler as the planes began to swirl in a circle.
But Nagler was no novice and was soon on Peters as his plane climbed and slowed
Peters panicked as flames leaped from his engine. (2+Flame)
but it was short lived as Nagler finished of the flight leader (4,0) Kill Nagler
Harper kept drilling away at the brown balloon and soon the smoke turned into an orange flame.
Sensing the threat to the balloons the E111s turned their attention to Harper leaving Bedard to follow the two Fockers his fingers trembling over the trigger. Wenzels green plane crossed Bedards sights ,
the Fockers rudder twitched as the rounds hit it (2+ LRD)
a second burst struck Wenzel in the chest and ripped through the cockpit (2, 3+pilot)
Bedard dropped onto Wenzels tail for the kill. A rookie mistake as Wenzels stalled his plane and had the Frenchman in his sights JP got the kill but his wing struts took severe damage (3.2)
Luck was with the young French pilot as Nagler gun jammed Kill Bedard
Flames had almost consumed the first balloon . Peters saw the red silhouette of the eindecker chasing Bedard and opened up the throttle in pursuit
Bedard duked left and kept turning hard then headed for the blimp, his burst finishing it off
Kill Bedard
Nagler turned the opposite way giving himself so room for manoeuvre avoiding Peters fusillade before his gun jammed.
JP looked over his tattered aircraft and decided that it could not take much more damage. He turned towards his lines.
Nagler didn't see Peters Moraine below him but he felt the shots as they hit his plane (3)
changing target to the blimp Peters got a few rounds off before his gun stuttered to a halt.
With the remaining balloon almost down and his guns jammed Peters broke off his attack and followed the Frenchman in the direction of home.
Result
RFC
Lt Timmy Harper: Balloon Buster RTB 0 kills
2nd Lt Larry Peters: (MS(S) SD-FLM-NML 0 kills
Rolled 6 -2FLM -1NML = 3 - Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios. Rolled 2 = Skip 2
E&E: Rolled 4 +1NML -1FLM -1WIC = 3 - Captured and escaped! - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 3 = Skip 3
2Lt jean-Paul Bedard: (French MS rookie sharp eyes) RTB 2 Kills
Central Powers
Ltn Max Nagler: (E111 red - Perfect aim) RTB 1 Kill
Ltn Paul Wenzel: E111 SD-NML / WIA 0 kills
Rolled 8 -1SD -1NML -1WIA = 5 Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 3 = Skip 2
E&E: Rolled 4 +1NML -1WIA -1WIC = 3 Captured and escaped! - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 1 = Skip 1
https://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/at...6&d=1547571637
1 balloon destroyed
Victory Conditions
RFC:
+5 Balloon
+2 Scout
Germans:
+5 Balloon
+2 Scout
A draw, honours even says Uncle.
Ton Ton if you could do the honours for the fallen pilots please
Its a reality check to fly these early's as a couple of good burst can bring them down or force them home. I can sense a " run and fight another day" philosophy might be a trend though this campaign.
Nice one Neil glad to to get the balloons out of their boxes
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