OTT-CYM Mission 4: A-Hunting Flash Will Go - 27 July 1916

[flash]

2Lt Bobby Pynne has been tasked by Uncle with taking 2Lt Percy Veer over the lines to see if they can root out any German two seaters sniffing about on our side of the lines and to "show him how it's done", or, at least letting him have the first crack at one.


As luck would have it there's an old Albatros C.I stooging about just inside their lines as they came toward the end of the patrol. Obltn Hermann Poss & Ltn Claus Ritscherle have orders to photograph the environs just behind the Tommy lines at this point.


Cutting back across the lines the boys head straight for the intruder, Veer by virtue of the turn is in the lead & Pynne waves him on.


Unbeknown to them the enemy's already got his first pic and is planning to go for his second


An Albatros C.III crewed by Ltn's Otto Festner & Renatus Ulritch appear behind the DH.2 pair; with evil on their mind they give chase


Veer has fluffed his approach by flying dead straight but Pynne picks up the spare and peppers the tandem head on, safe in the knowledge it has no gun up front.


Even as they flash past the observer's hard at work taking his next photo op... just one more needed..


Pynne throws his machine about in an Immel, noting with a little satisfaction his wingman is doing the same - good lad, he know's what he's about. Pynne can't get a shot off but the Hun gunner wakes up to the danger and sends a clutch of rounds his way causing minor damage


Pynne repays the compliment by damaging the tail of the Albatros but the gunner's on his mettle and sends more rounds crashing through his airframe. Veer opens up but the gun stops instantly - jammed !
Pynne then realises the second Albatros is closing fast but fortunately not in range.


Pynne's next burst at close range is devastating to the Albatros, a solid amount of damage and pink mist from the cockpit - he's clipped the pilot ! (6 on D6) - The gunner's return fire is just as devastating to him though - his machine staggers in the air and is now on fire; to make matters worse the second Albatros opens up at close range too.


Somehow both DH.2 find a blind spot as the machines move on and no damage is taken - Pynne see's relief arriving in the form of 2lt Alan Keye, rushing to catch up with the fight in DH.2 #4.


Pynne slips momentarily and the rear gunner lets fly but his trusty parabellum jams without causing any further damage


Pynne has to call it a day, as he clears the tail of the Albatros Veer slides in for a close range killing burst even as the C.III opens up on him from the side - Keye swaps lead with it's rear gunner without causing any damage.


As the C.I tumbles from the sky the rear gunner of the C.III takes a swipe at the cheering Veer's DH.2, jamming his Parabellum in the process.


A new player joins the party - Vzfwbl Hartmuth Hemer & Ltn Franz Schäpe set about the task in a garishly painted Roland C.II


Keye gets behind the C.III and lets loose as it's observer takes a snap but is disconcerted that nothing is apparently damaged


His next & final burst from the pan is just the ticket though and he tumbles the C.III from the sky


Ltn Franz Schäpe gets his first image


Reinforcements in the shape of a dirty red Eindecker cross the lines in support of the Roland as the two remaining DH.2 make a beeline for it. Ltn Hans Eberhardt Gossner has other ideas about that.


The Roland meets the attack head on trading with Veer as he steams in gun blazing. He takes damage to his controls as does the Roland before his gun jams


The Roland pauses a beat as the observer snaps his second pic, a potentially fatal move as the machines brush past each other


Pushing on to cover the rookie Keye also makes a potentially fatal miss-step - the red Eindecker gets a long range effort in and he feels the round crash about him - he's stung, pain sears through his left arm. Just back from wounds and he picks up another !


The gun stops instantaneously with the next burst as Keye dodges past the onrushing Roland.


Veer leaves the battle area as he struggles with his damaged controls


Wounded and too far behind the Roland to catch him Keye calls it a day and heads back to the barn, in no position to stop him Gossner has to let him go.


Back at the airfield our intrepid warriors meet up beside Pynne's smouldering machine.
"Well I hoped you learned your lesson" said Pynne.
"Lesson? " answered Veer.
"Yes, lesson" retorted Pynne with a grin..."Two seater's are bloody dangerous and the best way to get one is to let some other poor sod do all the hard work then nip in and take the kill !!"



Butcher's Tally:

Albatros C.I Started point 3


Obltn Hermann Poss: (P2) SD-ET / WIA / 0 kills
Rolled 7 -1SD -1WIA = 5 Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 4 = Skip 2
E&E: Rolled 8 -1WIC -1WIA -1BEL = 5 In hiding! - Skip 1D2 Scenarios. Rolled 3 = Skip 1

Ltn Claus Ritscherle: (O) SD-ET 0 kills
Rolled 6 -1SD = 5 Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 6 = Skip 3
E&E: Rolled 12 -1WIC -1BEL = 10 They didn't even see me!


Albatros C.III Started point 9


Ltn Otto Festner: (P2) SD-EXP-ET 0 kills
Rolled 6 -3EXP = 3 Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios. Rolled 4 = Skip 4
E&E: Rolled 2 -1EXP -1WIC -1BEL = -1 Captured! The war ended for this pilot...

Ltn Renatus Ulritch: (O) SD-EXP-ET 0 kills
Rolled 6 -3EXP = 3 Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios. Rolled 2 = Skip 2
E&E: Rolled 3 -1EXP -1WIC -1BEL = 0 Captured! The war ended for this pilot...

Roland C.II & Eindecker E.III Started point 1 & point 8 respectively


Vzfwbl Hartmuth Hemer: (P2) RTB 0 kills
Ltn Franz Schäpe: (O) RTB 0 kills - 2 photos

Ltn Hans Eberhardt Gossner: (E.III) RTB 0 kills

Bulldogs:

DH.2 cdl tail Started point 1

2Lt Bobby Pynne: FRTB-F 0 kills

DH.2 all PC10 Started point 1

2Lt Percy Veer: RTB 1 kill

DH.2 cdl #4 Started point 9

2lt Alan Keye: RTB / WIA 1 kill
Rolled 5 +1RTB -1WIA = 5 Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 6 = Skip 3

Victory Points

2 points for every two-seater shot down; 3 if the aircraft had taken any photos = 6pts Bulldogs
1 point for every aircraft FRTB that is not shot down. =1pt Eagles
2 points for every two-seater that exits from the No Man’s Land mat with photos: (1 point penalty if outside the designated exit area) = 2pts Eagles (a given)

Bonus points:
2 additional points for any aircraft shot down by the student. = 2pts Bulldogs
1 point for each photo taken if the aircraft successfully exits.= 2pts Eagles


Bulldog Win 8pts to 5pts

Great game, thanks Pete, usual rules played - and all machines flown by AI just 'cos I could !

[flash]

Uncle says:

Well done chaps, bit touch and go there, but think we did enough to clinch it.

[Stumptonian]

Great job, Dave.
Always a fun read.

Looked a lot like my testing - a lot of similar aircraft since I used DH.2s against C.IIIs and Roland C.IIs (including the garish one )

Yours went a lot quicker than mine, though.
Still looking for time to get it written up.

Have some REP - and congrats on your victory.

[flash]

Thanks Pete - it could easily have gone a lot worse - I didn't expect Pynne to make it home but the fire Gods were kind to him this time, unlike the wound Gods for Keye, out for three !
The Roland sneaked in from point 1 and made short work of his mission - I was in no position to stop them once Veer veered off with rudder damage. Your idea of upping the photo's required is not a bad one.

[gully_raker]

Well done Dave. It was a bit touch & go there with that fire but your chaps made it through.
Have some rep for an action filled AAR.

[flash]

Yeah, that was a hairy moment or two Baz !

[mikeemagnus]

Well done Dave. Certainly went a bit smoother than my effort. Congrats to Percy Veer for his kill. That made all the difference. Other than that, a pretty close run fight - nice one. REP incoming

[Vagabond]

That seemed to go very smoothly, well done to the Bulldogs, the training was a great success with Veer getting a kill.

Well done