OTT CYM - Mission 3 – The Oxymoron of Military Intelligence - July 19th 1916 by ShadowDragon
Superior intelligence is a critical component to success. This means that a commander has accurate, relevant and timely information. With substantial trench systems from Switzerland to the sea, a traditional source of information, the cavalry, had been rendered useless. Fortunately aerial forces stepped into that capability gap. there were issues to be sorted out such as the quality and timeliness of the information which were solved through advances in better aerial photography and procedures such as in the field processing. Of course, aerial reconnaissance information needed to be ‘fused’ with other intelligence sources such as human intelligence or HUMINT (spying and the interrogation of prisoners) and electronic information or ELINT (eavesdropping on enemy communications). Of course, there were counters to aerial reconnaissance through air defences and the camouflage of critical installations.
Cavalry reconnaissance and observation balloon
HUMINT???
ELINT
US aero-squadron photography unit with mobile development lab
Camouflaged Saxon depot
It is the 19th of July and British and Australian troops are about to begin the Battle of Fromelles, part of the larger Battle of the Somme. The artillery zero hour is 11:00 AM. Success or failure depends heavily on the artillery and that means lots and lot of ammunition. Not only can air power provide intelligence the ability of air power to interdict enemy operations tantalizes commanders.
So it is that the squadron sees the arrival of boffins and technicians ready to trial the ability of aeroplanes to first collect intelligence and then to rapidly exploit that information. They even brought a new-fangled field photographic development lab. Apparently, other intelligence had indicated that the enemy has a couple of well-camouflaged stockpiles of ammunition, which if destroyed would hamper their operations. However, that intelligence has only narrowed the possibilities to four locations. Aerial photographs are needed to confirm which two of the sites are the correct ones. To get the most of this information the concept is to quickly develop the photographic plates and get bombers back in the air as soon as possible before the enemy can effectively respond.
Mission:
This is a two part mission. The first part will be to photograph four target sites and the second part will be to bomb those sites. Due to the concept of operations speed is of the essence. Only the squadron’s assets will be used for both parts. There will be no time to replace damaged aeroplanes or wounded air crew. It will be up to the player how to manage their scarce resources.
Situation:
The squadron has four (4) serviceable scout aircraft and three (3) serviceable tandem reconnaissance/bomber aircraft. However, there are six (6) scout pilots along with three (3) sets of tandem air crew. You will choose as many of these for the first part of the mission but any aeroplane that has 50% or more damage is deemed unserviceable and unavailable for the second part of the mission. Similarly any pilot shot down or wounded in part 1 is also unavailable for part 2. Be wary. More aeroplanes might mean a faster conclusion to the mission but they might also attract more enemy.
The objective of part 1 is to photograph the four potential sites – two real supply depots and two dummy supply depots - and return the photographs to the aerodrome for processing by the boffins. The objective of part 2 will be to bomb the two sites the boffins think are the real supply depots.
Set-up:
Two mats - long edge to long edge. Preferably countryside to the left; trenches to the right.
Friendly:
Part 1: Set up on the trenches mat. All aeroplanes chosen for the mission with their rear base edge no further than ½ ruler from the outside long edge of the mat. They can be placed anywhere you like along the edge. You do not have to have all aeroplanes on the mat initially. They can enter in successive movement phases. It’s your choice.
Part 2: The same as part one. Note that aeroplanes damaged in part 1 but still deemed serviceable retain their damage. In addition, the tandem aeroplanes will have no observers in order to maximize the bomb load.
Enemy:
Set up on the countryside mat.
Part 1:
Four (4) target cards in placed in four quadrants of the map – each 1 ruler from a different combination of long and short edges. Each target card has an intrinsic (B-Firing) AAMG with the arc of fire facing towards the trench mat. See the layout.
Two (2) AA Guns placed midway between the two target cards along each short edge of the countryside mat. See the layout.
Two (2) scout aeroplanes flying a circular pattern over the sites (clockwise or counter-clockwise – your choice or roll randomly). Place one halfway between two target cards along each of the long edges. The two aeroplanes should be flying in opposite directions.
Two (2) more scout aeroplanes will enter at the beginning of turn 2 from one of six random entry points as shown on the layout. They should be together and ½ ruler apart. If you use more than a total of four (4) aeroplanes for your mission a further two (2) enemy scout aeroplanes will enter at the beginning of turn 3 in a similar fashion.
Part 2: Remove two of the target cards at random. These are thought by intelligence to be dummy supply depots. Leave the AA Guns with any damage they might have suffered in part 1.
The enemy has no limitations on available aeroplanes but has only six (6) scout pilots for both missions. That means that all damaged aeroplanes are replaced but not shot down or wounded pilots with the exception that if there are fewer than three (3) pilots available after part 1, replacements are brought in so that there are a minimum of three (3) enemy pilots/aeroplanes for part 2.
Three (3) enemy scout aeroplanes are placed on the mat. Two in a similar position as were those in part 1 and a third scout ½ ruler from a random entry point as shown in part 1.
Each turn after turn 1 one (1) enemy scout aeroplane randomly as determined in part 1 until there are no more available enemy scout pilots.
Layout should look something like this:
Exits:
Friendly: the long outside edge of the trench mat.
Enemy: any outside edge of the countryside mat..
AA Guns: Use the solo rules in the campaign rules (i.e., range = 2 rulers; and to determine a hit, draw an A damage card, if it has no special damage on the card, the shot misses. If it does then draw a C damage card for the damage inflicted)
AA Shooting Priority: AA weapons will not normally shoot at their own side's aeroplanes. They will target the nearest opposition aeroplane within range (and within arc of fire). However, if one of their own side's aeroplanes is within one rule (and within range and arc of fire) of the designated opposition target aeroplane there is a 50-50 chance they will accidentally target their own side's aeroplane (the nearest one if there's more than one).
Photography: As written in the rules – at altitude 3 or less with a stall manoeuvre when the reconnaissance aeroplane’s centre is within ½ ruler of any point on the target card. Note that the tandems are fitted with cameras so that either the observer or the pilot can take photographs.
Bombing: As written in the rules and as described in the campaign rules.
Altitude:
It should be played with altitude due to the photography and bombing aspects of the mission. Choose the initial altitude for the friendly aeroplanes and roll at random if the enemy are at the same altitude, above by one level or below by one level. Roll for the enemy separately for initial and reinforcing enemy aeroplanes.
If you choose to not play with altitude then chose a fixed altitude for each part. Note that the altitude must be three (3) or less for photography in accordance with the rules. It’s your choice for bombing but the altitude will influence how long the bombs are in flight. In addition at altitude 2 or less aeroplanes are vulnerable to AAMG fire. Once the altitude is chosen for each part all aeroplanes will fly at that altitude for that part of the mission. You do not need to choose the same altitude for both mission parts.
Victory:
First roll a normal six-sided dice and add 1 for each site successfully photographed in part 1. If the adjusted roll is 5 or more then both targets in the second part are genuine supply depots. If it’s a 3 or 4 then only one target is genuine and the other was a dummy – determine which one at random. If the result is 1 or 2 then, sorry, both targets were dummies – the boffins got it very wrong.
+1 per enemy aircraft shot down
-1 per own aircraft shot down
+1 per site successfully photographed
+5 per genuine supply depot partially damaged
+10 per genuine supply depot completely damaged
+0 per dummy supply depot partially or completely damaged but you do get the self-satisfaction of being on target
Victory = 15 points or more
Half-Size Version - for those with fewer planes to use in the scenario.
Squadron assets are 2 scout airplanes, 3 scout pilots, 2 tandem airplanes, 2 tandem crews. You can send as many as you want in part 1 but note that if you send more than 2 the enemy force will be larger. In part 2, subtract losses a above from squadron assets. What's left is available for part 2.
Enemy:
Part 1: There are just 2 targets (choose 2 at random from the 4 positions), one AA gun located dead centre on the countryside mat. There will be 2 enemy scouts on the table but if you send more than 2 planes a 3rd enemy scout will appear on turn 2.
Part 2: There is only 1 target to be bombed (chosen at random). If the enemy have had a pilot shot down in part 1 or return to base wounded, then they will have only 2 scouts, otherwise 3 scouts.
Victory: Points are the same but it's a victory at 8 points or more.
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