OTT – Daring Young Men Campaign
The Italian Front – 22 November 1917
The original scenario, by Vagabond, is set on the Western Front in February 1916 and can be read here:
https://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sh...16-by-Vagabond
Situation: Three days after German and Austro-Hungarian forces were halted at the Piave River by the Italian Army – ending the Battle of Caporetto. French and British forces are starting to arrive and to bolster their Italian allies. German agents have discovered that the British are using the port of Marina di Ravenna to debark close to the front lines. Entente naval, naval air and army air forces are deployed so that any air attack from the east or north-east would suffer heavy losses. Forces defending against an attack from the north are relatively light due to the long range. Further Entente defences in and around Marina di Ravenna are comparatively light aw well.
The German staff have calculated that a Halberstadt CL.II, stripped of weapons as well as the observer, from Pergine aerodrome would have the range and carry sufficient ordanance to disrupt the British debarkation. The scouts stationed at Pergine would have sufficient range to allow an escort to accompany the Halberstadt’s one way but would likely have to depart before the Halberstandt’s complete their mission. Therefore a second escort would be sent slightly later to rendezvous with the Halberstadt’s and escort them back to Perine aerodrome. Thus was born Opeation Bussard (Operation Buzzard).
The Halberstadt’s at Pergine belonged to the German Luftstreitskräfte detachment assigned to Flik 55J bis commanded by Hauptmann Michael von Taaffe.
The Halberstadt’s will be flown by Ltn Rudolf Dessler, the flight commander, and Ltn Albrecht Thoma. Flik 55J bis pilot Wolfgang von Augustin, the Flik’s first ace, will provide the outbound escort. Due to the hazards of the mission and concerns about the maturity of the young von Augustin, the Hauptmann has decided to fly the 2nd, inbound escort aeroplane.
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Combat Report -23 November 1917
Confidential
To Oberst Otto von Sniggleswurst, Air Liaison Staff, Army Corps Headquarters
Leutnant Albrecht Thoma and I departed Pergine aerodrome before sunrise on the 22nd of November to execute Operation Bussard. We were escorted by an Austrian pilot from Flik 55J bis. We reached Marina di Ravenna just as the sun was rising. The port looked calm and no enemy defending aeroplanes were evident. The targets, as described by our Intelligence Service, were perfectly laid out for a text-book bombing attack. Ltn Thoma released three of our six bombs in succession and hit six of the nine targets including the English cruiser. We then started a turn for a return bombing run to attack the remaining three targets or any of the other six targets to ensure their destruction. It was about this time that I was attacked by an English scout which our escort had proved incapable of intercepting. Despite the danger I kept focussed on the mission and dropped my remaining bombs destroying 2 of the remaining three targets. Ltn Thoma dropped one bomb on the English cruiser to ensure its destruction. I am very sure that this vessel lies at the bottom of the harbour. Ltn Thoma was not in a position to attack the 9th target. Being short of fuel for a further run he signalled that he would drop his bombs on one of the targets he hit in the first bombing run. Neither the enemy flak or the enemy scout disrupted out successful mission. Out ally claims to have shot down the English scout but I cannot confirm this. A completely successful mission for our Imperial army with 8 of the 9 targets completely destroyed. Our Austrian escorts were of minimal assistance in this operation.
Ltn Rudolf Dessler
Flight Commander
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Combat Report – 25 November 1917
Confidential
To Commodore D. E. D. Headley-Leadbottom, Port Commander, Royal Navy
As you are aware we were surprised by an attack of three Hun aeroplanes – two light bombers and one escort. As I was awake early I was able to get my machine In the air at once. I evaded the Hun escort but was unable to intercept the bombers until after they had completed their first bombing run. I followed one as they had separated to loop back on our port installations and supplies. The Hun bomber was moving across my field of fire and the dim morning light made deflection shooting difficult. However, eventually smoke began to pour from the bomber’s engine, but Hun pilot managed to keep his machine flying. Whilst I did not bring down either bomber, my attack disrupted their 2nd bombing run which was not nearly as successful as their 1st run – both dropped their remaining bombs and ran for home. I could not follow as the escort had managed to sit on my tail and severely damaged my Pup. I turned for the base when a 2nd Hun escort appeared. We exchanged shots. I gave as good as I got but the Hun damaged the rudder of the pup and with the damage done by the other Hun I couldn’t keep the pup going and landed the in a field. I fortunate my injuries were minor but I’m sorry that the Pup will have to be written off.
Capt Charles Kingsley, Marina di Ravenna Detachment, RNAS
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Letter – 24 November 1917
In personal confidence
Josef von Maier, Commander Flik 55J
We had quit an outing. The Germans have had this crazy scheme to bomb the English in Marina di Ravenna which, as you know, is at the extreme edge of our flying range. They remove all weapons from 2 of their light bombers, loaded them up with bombs and flew off with just the pilot. I provided an escort from my Flik – young Wolfgang. He needs maturing but he’s had a run of good luck. I followed after an interval as Wolfgang wouldn’t be able to linger long over the target area and likely not be able to escort the Germans back. I need not have bothered. When I arrived I could see that the Germans had a very good first run – with their typical efficiency, but the English managed to get a scout up and it seemed that the Germans panicked, dropped their bombs willy-nilly and headed for home – with Wolfgang escorting them. Before departing the port the Englander and I exchanged shots. Young Wolfgang must have managed to put a few holes in the English scout since my brief burst forced the Englander from the sky. With that, I headed for home with the warm glow of our enemies burning stores behind me.
Your friend in arms,
Michael von Taaffe
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Playing Notes:
I used burning markers when the bombs hit – after a few turns I decided to remove the markers for partial hits after a turn but I didn’t do this at first. The markers were placed on the target card for direct hits and beside the card for partial hits. For the photos I cover the markers with icons – I used an explosion when the bomb hit, a fire for direct hits and smoke for a partial hit.
It did get confusing at times with target cards, several bomb cards in flight, manoeuvre cards and plane baes all competing for the same space. I got confused with phases which I realized on turn 2.2 (you can see when this was in the photos as there’s plane card on the mat that I used to re-do the move but forgot to pick up before re-taking the photo for that turn). When I realized the mistake I had to back track the moves to turn 1 (forget which phase) and re-take the pictures. However, when reviewed the photos I see I forgot to re-take the one for turn 1.3 and was left with the wrong one which has 2 bombs which shouldn’t be there.
The defending scouts were determined random from ones I hadn’t played yet – 2 Pups, 1 SE5a, 1 Camel. Pup was rolled for 1st up.
The action should be fairly straight forward to follow – a bomb run out, turn around, a confused bomb run back and head for home with the Sopwith Pup eventually getting into position behind the one Halberstadt and the Oeffag 153 escort following the Pup. There are a few pictures where the Pup doesn’t shoot because it’s too close to the Halberstadt (overlapping bases).
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A photo history provided without comment - by Times Correspondent Frank Albert Kelsey Edward Gnus.
A fun scenario – thanks, John. Not too long. Just 8 turns.
Final Score = 4 X 2 for direct hits plus 4 X 1 for partial hits = 12 points
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