OTT CYM Mission 2 - Bring Them Home If You Can – July 12th 1916 by Tikkifriend

[tikkifriend]

RFC

2 Lt Quinten Marsh. Neiuport 11

s/Lt JP Bedard Spad S VII(.Sharp Eye)

2LT Fritz Wagner P AM2 Toby Cannon Ob Sop Stringer 7

2LT J Smith P AM3 G Houseman Obs Sop Stringer 8 (Photobus)

Eagles

Ltn P Wenzel Halb DIII Blue

Ltn Werner Thomas Halb DIII Red

Ltn Bernard Wenzl EIII

Quiten had always detested 2 seater escort duty.



The slow lumbering planes meant he had to keep circling above like an anxious seagull instead of getting stuck in with the enemy scouts. To date his kill score was 0 and he was beginning to doubt his own abilities. However today he was paired up with the squadrons leading ace Bedard, and although they had been told to protect the returning Stringers he felt sure that Bedard would not be a passive protector of their slower colleagues.


Ahead he saw three enemy scouts.


Bedard opened up the throttle on his new Spad and felt the surge of power. Being faster than the Halbs he planned on sweeping round behind them as they went for the Strutters.
Thomas peeled off towards the brightly coloured Spad.



Quinten fell in behind the Sopwiths.


The other Eagles pressed on toward the Strutters

Chaos ensued as the scouts from both sides jockied for the best firing position.

Wenzls Fokker turned into the oncoming Spad.



The blue Halb of Wenzel crossed directly in front of the lead Sopwith. Wagner unloaded a long burst , hitting the cowling and engine (0,2+Eng) then climbed to avoid his target



Wenzel could only target Marsh, whose rounds tore a strip off the Halbs rudder (1+RRD)


Suddenly Wenzl found himself in a tight spot with a 2 seater meters away from his tail

Thomas saw the tracers from Marsh's Vickers stream past his wings (0)


Bedard dived to gain speed on the 2 Halbards At long range he fired at Wenzels struggling plane.
A black oily cloud emanated from the blue Halb. (2+Smoke)




Cannon tried to swivel his gun round on the tempting target of Wenzls EIII but the mounting did not permit such an acute angle. Quinten was close enough but his poor accuracy did little damage to the Fokker.

Smith was hugging the tree tops , his Strutter keeping close to the top cover provided by Marsh and Wagner. who had now turned back to engage the remaining enemy scouts. They were almost home .

Wenzel by now was out of the action nursing his plane back towards his lines.


Thomas turned and dived to get a chance of drilling the recon 2 seater, Bedard was on his tail, diving as well

.Thomas fired, holes appeared in the Sops fusilage (3)


Them flames began to creep towards the front cockpit ( 1+Fire,1)


Thomas quickly glanced round to see holes appearing in his wings (3)


Determined to destroy the photo recon plane accurate fire produced another fire (1+Fire,0)


but at the cost of a section of his rudder (2+LRD)


Struggling against 2 fires Smith tried to beat back the flames but they proved too much for him and the Strutter. Houseman bundled the negatives out of the aircraft just as the wing struts folder in the heat , and the plane tumbled to earth.


It was all over in a flash, the German scouts pulled away and headed for home, leaving the RFC to c ponder what could have been a successful mission


Butcher's Tally

RFC

2Lt Quinten Marsh: Neiuport 11 RTB 0 kills


s/Lt JP Bedard Spad: S VII(.Sharp Eye) RTB 0 kills

2Lt Fritz Wagner: P2 Sop Strutter #7 RTB 0 kills
AM2 Toby Cannon: Ob Sop Strutter #7 RTB 0 Kills

2Lt J Smith: P2 Sop Strutter #8 (Photobus) SD-FLM- ET 0 kills
Rolled 10 -2FLM = 8 Injured - Skip 1D2 Scenario. Rolled 4 = Skip 2
E&E: 7 -1FLM -1WIC -1BEL = 4 Captured and escaped! - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 4 = Skip 2. Total Skips 2.

AM3 G Houseman: Obs Sop Strutter #8 SD-FLM- ET 0 kills
Rolled 5 -2FLM = 3 Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios. Rolled 2 = Skip 2
E&E: Rolled 7 -1FLM -1WIC -1BEL = 4 Captured and escaped! - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 2 = Skip 1. Total Skips 2.


Eagles

Ltn P Wenzel: Halb DIII Blue - FRTB-E 0 kills


Ltn Werner Thomas: Halb DIII Red - RTB 1 Kill


Ltn Bernard Wenzl: EIII RTB 0 kills


So close but then again so far from winning. Thomas really tore into the Strutter in the last turn and with 2 fires on the go it didn't stand a chance (7 points of fire damage)
Victory to the Eagles then mutter mutter mutter .

[flash]

A little confusing Paul, looks like you kicked off a little differently to the BRF with all the Hun starting in a gaggle (instead of a two/one pincer type move) & with the Bulldogs all ahoo but it looks like you made a fight of it with what you had.
Also finding it hard to always associate the text with the image at times, try and keep it's location consistent, it seems to wander mid report !
Enjoyed the scrap though even if it wasn't the result we would have liked.

Oncle says:

Sacre bleu ! We lost the photo's, HQ will not be happy with this.
I have completed the AAR title & the Tally for you.
A little something to celebrate though:
2Lt Charles 'Fritz' Wagner is awarded the Military Cross & Croix de Guerre with Bronze palm for his service to the king and the Republic.

Pilots Badge for Ltn Werner Thomas

[ShadowDragon]

Always great to see your colourful planes in action. Too bad that Quinten didn’t get his first kill and that the dreaded Hun shot down the photo recon plane.

[Stumptonian]

A great victory for our Adler!


Oh, wait! You fly for t'other side ....


Nice to see one with no gun jams for a change.

[tikkifriend]

Ain't life a bitch

[gully_raker]

Paul you were so close to getting the photos home but 2 Fires were more than a Strutter can stand.
At least your crew made it home.
Better luck next time!

[Teaticket]

You certainly have the most colorful battles!

Sorry to see the Strutter get sooooo close only to drop. A little different from as written but is was a lively one you put up.

[mikeemagnus]

That's a shame Paul. So near yet so far But our guys put up a good show none the less.

Like everyone else, I like your colourful aircraft. Makes for some great photos too. Thanks for some much needed entertainment at this very strange time

[Vagabond]

You had it all, colourful planes, lots of action, multiple fires and at one point I thought the sky had fallen down. WOW.

Sorry your guy's didn't make the run, but relieved now that I'm not the only one to fail the mission, everyone has made it look so easy thus far, and we know it aain't that easy.
Cheers