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Thread: OTT CYM Mission 3 - The Oxymoron of Military Intelligence -July 19th 1916 by Vagabond

  1. #1

    Default OTT CYM Mission 3 - The Oxymoron of Military Intelligence -July 19th 1916 by Vagabond

    Goodness but it’s cold up here, I wriggled around in my cockpit trying to get some feeling back into my toes. You wouldn’t believe it was mid summer but at this altitude even the fact that you’re closer to the sun counts for naught.

    In spite of the cold I was in a reasonably chipper mood. After my ill fated return to France, leading and then losing 2 members of my flight, which culminated in the death of Liam O’Flynn, I’d gone through a really bad time, but as the MO said “You’re young and stupid, both will help you through”. Sure enough on this bright sunny morning I was whistling a happy tune, not that you could hear it above the sound of the Nieuport’s rotary engine, but that was probably a good thing, as my Nan used to say my whistling could break glass, frighten the Postman and stampede the cows.

    We had returned to France ferrying some of the new Nieuport 11’s, for the RNAS. The plane was called the Bebe by the French and when we had lost a couple of them on the way over, the Navy got a bit antsy and we had been sent straight on down to our squadron, no one had said specifically that I shouldn’t take my plane with me. I know this will eventually catch up with me and go sour but she does have V on the top plane and so we have a connection, that must surly count for something with the powers that be. Besides all that, I think I’m in love with the wood and canvas beauty and some things are worth a bit of a risk to hold on to.

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    We had a fairly easy task today, I was escorting Pilot Jack Cowan (my ex Observer), and Joe Ryan (my ex Observer) now Jack’s Observer on a mission to photograph something. To be honest I couldn’t remember what, but it must be important, it always is. Anyway that was Jack’s problem, he and Joe had to take the photographs and I was just along for the ride.

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    Until I saw 2 Fokker EIII’s circling up ahead. OK well I suppose the joy ride stops here as they will expect me to keep the 2 enemy scouts off their backs as they do the easy job of taking a few pictures.

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    I flew straight at them, I know it’s not a good or even safe tactic but sometimes it scares the beejazes out of them and they run away. Not as often as I would like but sometimes you just take what you get.

    The guy in the blue stripped Fokker wasn’t playing by my rules today and came straight at me, I could see my bullets striking his craft hard and then the first flicker of flame. Fire is not something any of us like causing but it does have the advantage of usually downing the enemy and that is the name of the game after all.

    The next minute there’s an almighty explosion and his plane blows up in mid air. Looking over my left shoulder I see that Joe Ryan has also being making good target practice and I’m sure it’s his bullets that have caused the explosion. Well done Joe.

    (I believe the nearest plane counts the kill and that’s me. Dave please correct me if I’m wrong here)

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    The Fokker hit’s the ground and there’s a mighty blaze down there. Secretly I hope he makes it out alive but that’s not something I’m going to tell the chaps back in the Mess.

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    Mind you I don’t have much time to reflect on that before his wingman is shooting at me, just as I’m shooting back.

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    We almost collide and I feel a stinging in my left leg and then my flying trousers start to turn red. I think I’ve mentioned before that my fighting trousers are brown, which is a useful colour when the s**t hits the fan but it’s also quite good at disguising blood as well. I hate the sight of blood, especially my own.

    (On reflection looking at the previous photo I think his gun should be jammed but my notes don’t refer to it and it’s a bit late now so I’m going to let the wound stand, unless it kills me in which case I will rethink this.)

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    Jack is at altitude 3 and so above the mg fire from his target, but he needs to turn soon or he is going to miss flying over it.

    The CDL Fokker flies past trailing a cloud of smoke from Joe Ryan’s accurate shooting.

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    Jack Cowan turns the sprightly FE2b to starboard and is going to set Joe up for a great set of photographs.

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    I Immelmann in good time to avoid the FE2b and Joe takes the photo.

    (The 0 is from the AA battery in the centre of the board.)

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    Jack was always aggressive when he was my Observer and he over dives straight down to the floor and Joe who is no less aggressive shoots up the AA position before his Lewis jams.

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    I have the CDL Fokker in my sights and open up at long range. BOOM, I would like to think my shooting is improving but I know it’s just a lucky shot but the CDL plane explodes.

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    Jack is so low now that the 2nd target is able to fire ground MG’s at him and they cause some damage before falling silent.

    (I think I might have made another mistake using close range fire against a target 1 altitude different)

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    Joe takes the 2nd picture and now they can head for home.

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    I’ve done another Immelmann and then dived down to finish off the AA battery but I miss the ground target.

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    We both inflict damage as we close. Well I close and he doesn’t move.

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    Passing over the AA battery I do another Immelmann and fire into their rear, causing yet more damage.

    Then I follow Jack and Joe back to our lines and the aerodrome. On landing I’m immediately sent to see the MO and do not get to take part in the next stage of the operation. Thank heaven for small mercies.

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    Cowan insists that he and Joe take part in the destruction of the target that they have identified and photographed and so their plane is re-fuelled and made ready, there is a dearth of tandem crews available after our last mission for Teaticket at HQ and so there is not much choice for Uncle anyway.

    The FE2b will be escorted by our Flight Commander Biff and Henry de Lacy who has returned from convalescence and is now fighting fit again. They immediately run into another 2 EIII’s and in the first pass Biff is hit and wounded but not too seriously.

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    It’s a close thing as Biff and a cameo EIII slide past each other.

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    Joe is in fine fettle and blows lumps off the grey EIII as they head towards their target with a full bomb load.

    (And I’ve just remembered Joe should have been left behind to increase the bomb load – Oh S**t, sorry Paul)

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    Bombs away and they land right on target.

    After that there was a lot of flying around, manoeuvre and only a little bit of shooting.

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    Until Henry de Lacy hits the pilot of the grey Fokker and he heads home.

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    But not before almost colliding with his wingman however they don’t sustain any damage and gradually the fight peters out and everyone heads home.

    Jack Cowan and Joe Ryan have made a successful bombing attack even though only Jack should have been in the plane, Upps. Biff and Henry escort them back to the drome and a few beers in the Mess.

    As you can see I played the reduced number of planes that Paul proposed, mainly because I’m so far behind in the campaign and seem to have very little time to write and post the games. This was played almost 2 weeks ago and I expected to write it up last week but it just didn’t happen.
    Last edited by Vagabond; 07-22-2020 at 08:34.

  2. #2

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    Butchers Bill

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    2/Lt John Vagabond = RTB – WIA – 1 Kill (Dehmisch)
    C&W = Rolled 7 -1WIC +1Landed Safely = 7 Injured = Skip 1D2 = rolled 1 = Skip 1 Scenario.

    F/Sgt Jack Cowan = RTB – No Kills

    2/Lt Joe Ryan = RTB – 1 Kill (Schneidewind)

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    Lt Montague “Biff” Anstruther-Browne = RTB – WIA – No Kills
    C&W = Rolled 7 -1WIC +1Landed Safely = 7 Injured = Skip 1D2 = rolled 3 = Skip 1 Scenario.

    2/Lt Henry de Lacy = RTB – No Kills

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    Ltn Otto Dehmisch – EXP, FT – No Kills
    C&W Rolled 7 = -3EXP = 4 Injured skip 1D6 Scenarios – rolled 6 skip 6 scenarios.

    ObLtn Josef Schneidewind – EXP, FT – No Kills
    C&W Rolled 4 = -3EXP = 1 DEAD RIP

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    Ltn Freidrich Dannhuber = RTB – No Kills

    Ltn Walter Hubrich = RTB WIA – No Kills
    C&W Rolled 8 = -1WIA +1 RTB = 8 Injured skip 1D2 Scenarios – rolled 3 skip 1 scenario.

    Well that was an interesting game, lots happened in the first half and if Dave agrees with my take on the kills it puts me in the chair in the flight with 4 kills, after flying 11 missions, wounded again though which I think is my 3rd time wounded, a bit of a worry. It was a very quiet 2nd half but sometimes that's just the way it goes.

    I'm a bit sad about ObLtn Josef Schneidewind because he was the CO of the German Flight as well as my previous highest scorer with 4 Victories to his name.

    Sorry for mucking up the scenario Paul, I'm not going to count the score because I probably should only claim a half hit as I didn't carry the extra bombs.
    Last edited by flash; 07-23-2020 at 01:31.

  3. #3

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    Great stuff, John.
    Always fun to read your accounts.

    REP inbound.
    Question on the one pic with this quote
    We both inflict damage as we close. Well I close and he doesn’t move.
    It shows a 3-0-0
    Am I reading that wrong or are there 3 damage cards ?

    Looking forward to seeing how you fare in my scenario (Mission 4)

  4. #4

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    Great job, John. Definitely should have gone with the reduced number of planes as the 'scenario' standard, but some how I got into a mental rut that players wanted lots of planes. This worked really well. And you didn't muck anything up. As far as I can figure the extra passenger didn't make the difference of a hill of beans. Besides maybe Joe is very, very petite. The RNAS initially chose observers on that basis.

    Great plane for Vagabond. Hang on to it. Seems to remind me of one I did for this campaign. Not that it gets much play with a certain Aussie pilot who's muscled in and taken over the story line.

    Congrats on 2 kills for Vagabond - makes the mission was all worthwhile. in the mess I think.

  5. #5

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    Great looking pared down game John, love the story, the models & the mat

    Uncle says:


    Well done chaps, bombed the target, knocked a couple of Eagles down, that should give them something to think about ! Now lets get to the Mess

    I believe the nearest plane counts the kill and that’s me. Dave please correct me if I’m wrong here
    You're wrong - stand corrected !
    If there's more than one plane firing at a target then the damage caused by the nearest one is counted first - if it achieves the kill total it gets the kill, if it doesn't the damage of the next closest is counted and so on until the kill can be awarded. This is just a mechanic to avoid using part kills in the game.
    In this case you didn't achieve the kill total but Joe Ryan did with the boom card so the kill is his. I've adjusted the Tally to reflect this.
    Last edited by flash; 07-23-2020 at 01:29.

    "He is wise who watches"

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stumptonian View Post
    Great stuff, John.
    Always fun to read your accounts.

    REP inbound.
    Question on the one pic with this quote
    It shows a 3-0-0
    Am I reading that wrong or are there 3 damage cards ?

    Looking forward to seeing how you fare in my scenario (Mission 4)
    Thanks Pete.

    Re the 3 0 0 they were the total damage inflicted up to date. In that particular phase I inflicted a further 1 0 damage, and then in the following picture I inflict 2 1 damage and destroy the AA gun.

    I just left the damage counters to cumulate (is that a word) on the target card to keep track of where I was. I didn't show the final picture of the destroyed gun because I'm trying to cut down the pics in a post to make it easier on my limited amount of patience. Thats the same reason my account seemed to end a bit briefly. There were a few more turns with pictures but they didn't show any action, just manoeuvre so got cut.

    I had a quick read at your scenario yesterday and I need to sit down and have a more careful look at it, there appears to be a lot to take in, although Dave made the comment that it is fairly straightforward and he's usually right.
    Last edited by Vagabond; 07-23-2020 at 01:45.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by ShadowDragon View Post
    Great job, John. Definitely should have gone with the reduced number of planes as the 'scenario' standard, but some how I got into a mental rut that players wanted lots of planes. This worked really well. And you didn't muck anything up. As far as I can figure the extra passenger didn't make the difference of a hill of beans. Besides maybe Joe is very, very petite. The RNAS initially chose observers on that basis.

    Great plane for Vagabond. Hang on to it. Seems to remind me of one I did for this campaign. Not that it gets much play with a certain Aussie pilot who's muscled in and taken over the story line.

    Congrats on 2 kills for Vagabond - makes the mission was all worthwhile. in the mess I think.
    Thanks Paul, regarding the number of planes I suspect we all want something different, either individually or different in each game so I wouldn't beat yourself up about it. Maybe I shouldn't say this but I regard the various scenarios as outlines for a game and I'm not adverse to changing something if I don't like it. Having said that I've played scenarios that I didn't like the sound of and they've turned out to be immense fun.

    I looked at your flight again the other day and I know I've said it already but I'll say it again, it's got some lovely painted planes in it.

  8. #8

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    Like your style, as always, John. A fun read and well played even with the self confessed errors, which I doubt anybody really worries about Lovely models to boot and its a while since I last saw Moranes in a fight - good to see for a change. Naughty, nicking the Bebe from the RNAS - hope you can keep it REP buddy and very well deservrd

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by mikeemagnus View Post
    Like your style, as always, John. A fun read and well played even with the self confessed errors, which I doubt anybody really worries about Lovely models to boot and its a while since I last saw Moranes in a fight - good to see for a change. Naughty, nicking the Bebe from the RNAS - hope you can keep it REP buddy and very well deservrd
    Cheers Mike, I've been flying the DH2's recently and thought a change would be good before moving on. I think the Bebe might be mine, after all it has a V on the top plane and besides you know what the Navy are like, still have the sailing ship mentality and I doubt they will miss it.
    Thanks for the Rep.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by Vagabond View Post
    I looked at your flight again the other day and I know I've said it already but I'll say it again, it's got some lovely painted planes in it.
    Thanks. They make me smile every time I take them out for a game.

  11. #11

    Thumbs up

    Great AAR & story John as we have come to expect from you.
    I do like your "V" Babe! Nicely done mate & you should make sure to keep it hidden if those RNAS chaps come calling!

    Have some Rep on me.



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