OTT DYM Mission 3 - Knowledge is Power - 19th Jan 1916 by Gully_raker

[gully_raker]

By January the leaders of all combatants had realised the potential of Aircraft in assisting to win the War.

AAR British Generals.jpg  Views: 384  Size: 64.8 KB  ID: 263538" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />

AAR French Generals.jpg  Views: 393  Size: 187.8 KB  ID: 263539" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />

AAR German Generals.jpg  Views: 384  Size: 31.5 KB  ID: 263540" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />

The value of aerial reconnaissance had already been proven & now that aircraft were being fitted with Morse Code transmitters they could assist range Artillery Batteries to great effect.







The Mission

Mission 3 will be a two part Mission but played simultaneously!

You will need two WoW/WoG mats (or similar playing surface) joined along the long edge.
Preferably the Trench Mat which free long edge will be the Allied edge & either a Countryside or Industrial Complex mat the free long edge will be the German edge.
If you do not have the Trench mat you will need to show opposing trenches with a no mans land with the German Trenches 1/2 range ruler from the join of the two mats or the mid point of your gaming surface. This trench complex needs to cover the length of the surface.

SET UP

First Part:
The German Command want to obtain Photographs of their current front line Trenches so they can commence planning for any coming Spring Activity.
An Allied 2 seat Fighter will be patrolling behind the Allied Lines.
Ideally you will use a German 2 Seater with Rear Firing M/gun against a Vickers Gunbus or similar French aircraft.
If you use a FE 2b or Morane you should fly a Albatross C.III.

Set Up as shown below:
The Gunbus one ruler from the Allied edge in the centre of the mat.


The German 2 seater will be positioned one ruler from the mat join & half ruler in from the LHS looking from the Allied side.


The German Aircraft will fly in a straight line until it approaches the German Front Trench & will then turn to overfly the Trench line until one half ruler from the opposite edge when it will turn back towards the German edge using normal AI charts.


While photographing the Trench Line it will use the following cards. 2 straights, 2 stalls & one each LHT & RHT. These cards will be shuffled & drawn in order.
The Gunbus or other Fighter will attempt to shoot down the German Aircraft. The German Observer can either Shoot or Photograph each movement card but not do both. He MUST photograph at least once per 3 card turn otherwise the mission will be a failure.

2nd Part

A German heavy Artillery Battery has been causing bad damage to a section of Allied Trenches & HQ have determined the area it is situated & now 2 x BE.2c's are to be dispatched to range in by Morse Radio a counter Battery. HQ. have dictated that all Observation Aircraft must be accompanied by another as an escort due to the "Fokker Scourge"! If you do not have BE's substitute FE 2b's or similar.
Set up as below:


One ruler back on the Allied side from the mat join & 1/2 ruler in from the Right Hand side of the mat with 1/2 ruler separating the two aircraft.
The escort Aircraft may have a pilot operated Lewis Gun mounted on the fuselage firing at an oblique angle as well as the Observers Lewis Gun. A Bristol Scout may be used instead of a BE if you wish
The Target Artillery Battery is sited in approx the Centre of the German Mat one ruler in from the mat join as shown.


The 2 aircraft will need to fly to the Battery & then circle whilst the Observer of one BE radios in range corrections to the friendly Artillery. You can only make one correction per 3 card turn & cannot fire your Lewis gun in the TURN you transmit. Once you have come within 1/2 ruler of the enemy battery you can commence sending messages. After the first message has been sent then each TURN, roll a Games Workshop Scatter Dice (used for "Flavor") & on a Hit the German Battery is destroyed otherwise the shots are Off Target & need correction. If you do not have a Scatter Dice use a regular D6 & you will hit on a 1 or 6.




Naturally the Germans will respond to this attack & a Fokker Eindekker will be sent to intercept. It will be subject to the "Do not approach the Front Lines" Direction from German HQ.
Roll a D6 & on a 1 or 2 it will start from the RH corner of the German edge, on a 3/4 the Centre & on a 5/6 the LH corner. This will happen at the start of Turn 3.


Sample shows centre setup with dice roll of 3

All Aircraft will use AI until the Spotter plane needs to circle the gun battery. You may of course choose to fly the spotter yourself if flying for the Allies.
Only one Aircraft is equipped with a Morse Key so the Escort cannot takeover this role if the Spotter is shot down or forced to return to base.
German Players may choose to fly against the Allies or Reverse the roles!

VICTORY POINTS

If the German Observation plane is prevented from completing the mission (e.g. Forced Return to Base) or is Shot Down: 10 Points to the Allies

If the Allied Aircraft fail to destroy the German Battery: 10 Points to the Germans

Should you wish to ask any Questions or need clarifications please post below!

[Carl_Brisgamer]

Thanks for the interesting mission Barry

[flash]

Nice one Baz.
Form an orderly queue for the extra tandem crews Eagles - I will add them when I can.

[ShadowDragon]

Looks like fun. Working out the set up for the Italian Front. Should be easier now that I’ve 40+ planes including some A-H ones. Alas the Italian ones are still in the mail so French/British lend lease ones that haven’t been repainted will have to do.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Nice looking two parter here. i need to brush the dust off a few more aircraft for this one.
Rob.

[ShadowDragon]

Sorting through what I have on hand...not all genuine Fall ‘17 Italian front planes but maybe close enough...comments appreciated.

Part 1: Halberstadt CL.II versus a SPAD XIII
Part 2: Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter fighter accompanied by a ‘comic’ versus an Aviatik DI or an Albatros DIII (Oeffag 153 factors)

[zenlizard]

Another great challenge for the eagles!

[Stumptonian]

Nice one Baz.
Form an orderly queue for the extra tandem crews Eagles - I will add them when I can.

I would have had three of my 'indisposed' 2-seater crewmembers back in time if this was Mission 4 and not Mission 3.
My request for 2 pilots and 3 observers was probably the first in the above-mentioned queue last night ...

[Vagabond]

Hi Barry sorry to be a bit dense but you open the scenario by saying "Mission 3 will be a two part Mission but played simultaneously!" Does that mean the German Photography is taking place at the same time as the British Spotting, so there are 5 planes on the table all at the same time? Or as I appear to read it part 1 occurs and then part 2 occurs?
Cheers

[gully_raker]

Hi Barry sorry to be a bit dense but you open the scenario by saying "Mission 3 will be a two part Mission but played simultaneously!" Does that mean the German Photography is taking place at the same time as the British Spotting, so there are 5 planes on the table all at the same time? Or as I appear to read it part 1 occurs and then part 2 occurs?
Cheers

G'day John! Yes both sets of Aircraft commence at the same time except the Fokker E.III which enters on turn 3 as stated in the BRF.
The two actions will or should not intermix but be played out separately but at the same time.
Hope that is clear.

[Vagabond]

G'day John! Yes both sets of Aircraft commence at the same time except the Fokker E.III which enters on turn 3 as stated in the BRF.
The two actions will or should not intermix but be played out separately but at the same time.
Hope that is clear.

Thanks for the explanation understood and wilco. I'll need to get a pencil and paper to get a grasp on where everyone starts from and goes to, my brain is not working at full power yet, the sun has only just come up and started the necessary warming process to bring it into a moderately working condition.

Unlike the C.O. I don't have many planes to dust off but this is doable for my small fleet of planes.

I must get some BE2's, so many squadrons were equipped with them and for so long as well, and they were so outclassed. I will need to get the XB deck I think it is, to fly them. Another challenge.

[flash]

...My request for 2 pilots and 3 observers was probably the first in the above-mentioned queue last night ...

They were and now billeted
Those Bulldogs requiring extra chaps will have to PM me names/positions etc.

[ShadowDragon]

Here's my set up - translated to the Italian Front. I think I have it right in terms of the locations of the plane, so even though it's the Italian Front, Fall 1917, it should still be right for the proper campaign players.

Note that I don't have a NML mat, so I printed out these tiles from the files area. I will get them pasted onto some card today (so they lie flat) and I will add some railway flock/debris (so they don't look so drab).



Forgot to mark the CP artillery battery in the photo. It's just to the left of the town. (Fixed)

[mikeemagnus]

Many thanks Baz - looks like another fun outing. A bit tied up with non hobby matters right now and possibly for another two weeks, but shall post before the end of the month with any luck Also got a show coming up on the 23rd March, but I don't think that will interfere at all

[ShadowDragon]

A couple of questions on the scenario:

1) the German scout for part 2 enters on the start of turn 3. I assume that’s means after 2 turns = 6 manoeuvre phases and not the start of the 3rd manoeuvre phase.

2) should we play one plane in each part (the rest AI) or one plane across both parts as they are simultaneous. I assume one for each part otherwise one part will be entirely AI.

[Stumptonian]

A couple of questions on the scenario:

1) the German scout for part 2 enters on the start of turn 3. I assume that’s means after 2 turns = 6 manoeuvre phases and not the start of the 3rd manoeuvre phase.


2) should we play one plane in each part (the rest AI) or one plane across both parts as they are simultaneous. I assume one for each part otherwise one part will be entirely AI.

1) Yes - third Turn not phase
2) We are supposed to control just one rookie pilot throughout this campaign until he is killed or incapacitated, at which time a replacement fills in. All others are AI

[gully_raker]

1) Yes - third Turn not phase
2) We are supposed to control just one rookie pilot throughout this campaign until he is killed or incapacitated, at which time a replacement fills in. All others are AI

Yes Correct Pete!
Thanks for setting him to "Rights".

[mikeemagnus]

Paul, whenever I control an aircraft, something goes very wrong - when AI controls them the results are much better for my boys Says a lot for my skills huh!!!!!!!!

[ShadowDragon]

Paul, whenever I control an aircraft, something goes very wrong - when AI controls them the results are much better for my boys Says a lot for my skills huh!!!!!!!!

Yes, my AI planes do much better too...see my AAR (in the AAR section - not here) for my Italian Front version of Coming and Going. My pilot (Wolfgang) managed to survive his plane exploding while the AI plane (Günter) took down a Caproni with no help from me. He would not have been shot down if I hadn’t ballsed up the instructions and included a scout escorting the bomber. But then Wolfgang’s plane wouldn’t have blown up and it would have been a dull story indeed.

[Vagabond]

Paul, whenever I control an aircraft, something goes very wrong - when AI controls them the results are much better for my boys Says a lot for my skills huh!!!!!!!!

It's interesting you should say that Mike because I find the same thing, I don't know who's system you use, but I tend to Flash Dave's 8 dice one and all I can say is I'm glad I'm not flying against him in real life because I don't think I would live long.

[ShadowDragon]

It's interesting you should say that Mike because I find the same thing, I don't know who's system you use, but I tend to Flash Dave's 8 dice one and all I can say is I'm glad I'm not flying against him in real life because I don't think I would live long.

I use Dave’s charts too and have the same experience. I had just received a Morane in the post. I wanted to have a game with it but didn’t have enough suitable planes (at the time - more planes fly in with the post every week). So I decided to make the Morane pilot an ace and use Dave’s charts for the Morane. We started, as I thought, well apart and Dave’s chart rolled up an Immelmann - really thought I, well let’s see how it turns out. Blighter ended up on my tail at close range. I did get shot down and felt like Swiss cheese by the end.

[Vagabond]

I use Dave’s charts too and have the same experience. I had just received a Morane in the post. I wanted to have a game with it but didn’t have enough suitable planes (at the time - more planes fly in with the post every week). So I decided to make the Morane pilot an ace and use Dave’s charts for the Morane. We started, as I thought, well apart and Dave’s chart rolled up an Immelmann - really thought I, well let’s see how it turns out. Blighter ended up on my tail at close range. I did get shot down and felt like Swiss cheese by the end.

I know the feeling

[ShadowDragon]

I know the feeling

I failed to mention that I was flying an Albatros DIII vs the Ace-piloted Morane - so A gun versus B gun. Ha! Saw this quote from Baracca afterwards, "It doesn't matter if the VII is equipped with a single gun. Provided you are a good fighter, a single gun is just enough."

[flash]

Glad to hear the D.8 system is working well for you chaps

[gully_raker]

Glad to hear the D.8 system is working well for you chaps

Sure works a treat for me.
I used them all through the previous campaign.

[Teaticket]

Nice looking mission Baz. Hmmm, we'll see what French planes I can get into this one.

[ShadowDragon]

Played the scenario adjusted for the Italian Front, Fall 1917. I played the Central Powers. Score was 20-0 in favour of the Entente. There’s opportunity to stop the artillery spotting mission than the photo recon. The scout intercepting the photo recon is on the table at the start and the photo recon plane must fly the photo part and then exit the table for a successful mission. So lots of opportunity for the enemy scout to take the recon plane out. On the other hand the spotter has it easier as the enemy scout won’t appear until the start of turn 3. So unless the spotter rolls poorly there’s far fewer opportunities for the enemy scout to take it out before a successful mission.

I played the CP scout and failed to stop the destruction of the CP battery. Then I tried to help out the photo recon plane but it was destroyed while returning from the front lines before I could do much. I did down that scout but the spotter and escort successfully returned to base.

A tough one for a CP victory but it impossible. One option as a CP player is to go for the draw - ie help the photo recon and ignore the spotter.

Still it was fun and interesting.

Write up to come.

[Lt. S.Kafloc]

Well that game had everything, and very few gun jams. Damaged aircraft flying home, aircraft shot down and.......ah you'll just have to read it when I post it.

Neil

[gully_raker]

Well that game had everything, and very few gun jams. Damaged aircraft flying home, aircraft shot down and.......ah you'll just have to read it when I post it.

Neil

Looking forward to reading your AAR Neil!
Hope to play mine next Friday or Saturday.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Mine is scheduled for Thursday DV.
Rob.