Sopwith 1 ½ Strutters of the 52 “Bulldogs” Squadron, part of a large raid into Belgium, are returning from a successful mission.
A few miles from home they are all feeling pretty ‘chuffed’ with their effort and are looking forward to a warm meal and some refreshments.
Pilot 2Lt Arthur Raymond and Observer AM3 John Morris lead the way, with 2Lt Douglas Winterbottom and AM3 Frank Wilkinson not far behind.
A patrol of three Halberstadt D.III have been looking for just such targets of opportunity and see the Strutters approaching.
Ltn Günther Giesebrecht in the CDL machine waggles his wings to get the attention of Ltn Burkhard Baumann in the camouflaged one, and they turn in sync toward their prey.
Just a short distance to the East, Ltn Till Huebner approaches …
…. and closes in on the unsuspecting pair.
Giesebrecht has chosen the lead Strutter as his target.
Tikka tikka tikka
Raymond and Morris are startled by the sound of bullets ripping through their machine.
Tikka Tikka
Huebner strikes Winterbottom and Wilkinson at just about the same instant.
A third Strutter, this one a French machine piloted by Lt Auguste Blanc with s/Lt Albert Arnoux in the observer seat, follows slightly behind the Bulldogs.
Blanc sees the attacks and shouts to his gunner to prepare for action.
Huebner has to forgo a second burst and narrowly avoid colliding with the Strutter.
Tikka Tikka Tikka
With his target right where he wants it, Giesebrecht, even with his ‘Sniper Skill’ , is unable to see any damage from the Sopwith.
[Note: I decided to forgo the 1 with the Gun Jam (even though it would have been +1) because I did not want to miss a whole turn reloading.
Too bad it wasn’t Huebner who drew that – his ‘Bullet Checker’ would have come in handy …]
Da da da da
Luckily Morris did no better with his Lewis
Tikka tik…
The damned gun jams anyway!
(on another Green to boot)
Two close range chances and nothing to show for it!
This is not looking good for my Adler …
Tikka tikka tikka
Baumann’s attack does major damage, and smoke starts to stream from the Strutter.
That’s more like it!
Tikka Tikka
Just then Winterbottom wipes the smile from my face …
His long range shot puts an end to Giesebrecht’s day with a nick to the neck.
“Verdammt!”
Damnit is the polite translation.
Giesebrecht tightens his scarf to stem the flow of blood, but realizes he must break off the engagement and head for home.
Tikka tikka
Winterbottom slams Giesebrecht’s CDL Halberstadt again, to ensure that the young German knows he is making the right choice about heading home.
And the Adlers’ day is about to get worse …
A DH.2 flown my 2Lt John Moncrieff is playing the role of the cavalry.
Da da da da
“Aaaaagh!”
Morris has hit Baumann through his left calf.
Blood starts to pool in his boot.
Another Adler must leave the field.
Tikka Tikka
Winterbottom’s long range shot misses for once.
Giesebrecht looks for his escape route.
Tikka tikka tik ….
Winterbottom lets Giesebrecht have it with another smashing blow.
Luckily for the Adler his Vickers jams.
But not before starting a fire!
Tikka tikka tikka
Baumann’s burst at Moncrieff’s DH.2 does some serious damage.
But ….
Da da da da
Moncrieff’s Lewis hits the Argus engine
Baumann notices a sudden drop in power.
Now he really has to head for the barn!
Giesebrecht shifts his Halberstadt from side to side in an attempt to divert the flames from his cockpit.
„Feuer wird mein Untergang sein ...“
< Fire will be my downfall >
[This is the 5th time that Giesebrecht has had to deal with fire.]
The whole day will now rely on Huebner.
The odds are not looking good ….
Giesebrecht manages to duck away while Winterbottom deals with his jammed Vickers.
Tikka Tikka
“Owwwwwwww!”
Moncrieff’s turn to feel some lead.
(It’s only a flesh wound)
Giesebrecht’s fire is still giving him worry.
Tikka tikka tikka
“Whoah!”
Nearly running into the DH.2 while focusing on firing, Huebner deals devastating damage.
(Luckily his ‘Bullet Checker’ habit saves him from jamming his gun.)
Tikka Tikka
Baumann gets an opportunity to repay the Englander but his wound throws off his concentration.
Winterbottom has cleared his jammed Vickers but cannot get the German in his sights.
Da da da da
Moments later, Wilkinson hits Baumann.
More damage and …
“Flammen!”
Can the German’s luck get any worse?
Huebner ducks behind the DH.2
While all this has been going on, Raymond and Morris get away cleanly.
Tikka tikka tikka
Huebner gets in close behind Moncrieff.
Bits of fabric and wood can be seen flying from the DH.2
Da da da … Tikka tik …
A new target for Baumann, and he damages the French Strutter.
First shot for Blanc and his Vickers jams.
“Merde!”
With a final flare up, the fire on Giesebrecht’s machine goes out.
“Danke Gott …”
BOOM!
Baumann is not as lucky.
His flames have reached the fuel tank!
Feeling like future comic strip character Joe Btfsplk, Baumann manages to guide his Halberstadt to ground.
Wounded, Engine Damage, Fire and Explosion – he had them all!
(If he ever makes Ace, I think he will need the Lucky Pilot skill)
Tikka tikka
Huebner dogs the Bulldog
And that was enough.
“Neun” his thinks to himself.
Huebner has his ninth kill.
The French Strutter is now in his sights.
Can he catch it?
Winterbottom and Wilkinson are the next to escape to safety.
The Strutter unexpectedly turns into range.*
Tikka tikka
Huebner lets them know he is there.
*Thanks to Teaticket’s special “Home” chart used by the two-seaters in this scenario
Tikka tikka
Da da da
Huebner’s shot damages the rudder controls of the Sopwith
Arnoux’s return fire misses entirely.
Tikka tikka
Huebner dogs the Strutter like he did to the DH.2
Da da da
But this dog can bite back!
Arnoux hits Huebner’s rudder.
Tikka tikka
Da da da da
Major damage to both planes this time!
The Strutter is set alight.
But it was ‘Le coup de grâce’ for the Frenchmen.
The Strutter slips to the right and falls from the sky.
Huebner finds himself alone in the sky and turns toward home.
Two of his comrades have met almost certain fiery deaths.
It finally comes to mind that he has his tenth victory, but his thoughts are not with celebration.
Butcher’s Tally
Bulldogs
DH.2
2Lt John Moncrieff SD ET WIA
C&W Roll 6 -1 SD -1 WIA = 4 : Injured 1D6(1) : Skip 1.
E&E Roll 9 -1 BEL -1 WIA -1 WIC = 6 : In Hiding 1D2() = Skip 1 mission.
Sopwith 1 ½ Strutter SD FLM ET
Pilot Lt August Blanc
C&W Roll 9 -2 FLM = 7 : Injured 1D2(2) = Skip 1
E&E Roll 9 -1 BEL -1 FLM -1 WIC = 6 : In Hiding 1D2(4) : Skip 2 missions.
Observer s/Lt Albert Arnoux
C&W Roll 5 -2 FLM = 3 : Injured 1D6(4) : Skip 4
E&E Roll 8 -1 BEL -1 FLM -1 WIC = 5 : In Hiding 1D2(3) : Skip 1
Total: Skip 4 missions.
Sopwith 1 ½ Strutter RTB
Pilot 2Lt Arthur Raymond
Observer AM3 John Morris
Sopwith 1 ½ Strutter RTB
Pilot 2Lt Douglas Winterbottom
Observer AM3 Frank Wilkinson 1 Kill ( Camouflage Halberstadt)
Note: I gave Wilkinson the kill (his second) because he set the fire that caused the explosion
Adler
Halberstadt D.III (Camoflauge)
Ltn Burkhard Baumann EXP FT WIA
C&W Roll 9 -3 EXP -1 WIA = 5 : Injured 1D3(2) : Skip 1 mission.
Halberstadt D.III (Brown)
Ltn Till Huebner RTB 2 Kills (DH.2 and Sopwith 1 ½ Strutter)
Huebner is now a double ace and will select ‘Sniper’ as his second skill.
Halberstadt D.III (CDL)
Ltn Günther Giesebrecht FRTB-W
C&W Roll 10 +1 RTB -1 WIA = 10 : “All is well”.
Victory Points
Entente:
Points per downed enemy scout : 2 x1 = 2
Scout forced from battle : 1 x1 = 1
Bombers safe at home : 3 x2 = 6
Total 9
Adler:
Points per downed enemy tandem : 3 x1 = 3
Points per downed enemy scout : 2 x1 = 2
Total 5
Entente Victory
--------------------------------------------------------------
Well that one certainly made up for my good fortune in the last few missions.
I was lucky to get the one Strutter, though.
If I had used Dave’s D8 Chart for the bombers, as I usually do, I would have not had the opportunity to fire.
The Left / Straight / Right manoeuvre saved my bacon.
After my absolutely dismal damage card draws for Giesebrecht and Baumann it was nice that the D6 rolls for C&W and E&E were great.
I thought Baumann was toast (literally)
And none of the Entente suffered KIA or POW either, so good all round.
Another silver lining was Huebner getting his 10th kill.
I thought for sure that Giesebrecht would be the first of my Adler to reach that honour as he is just one away.
Maybe next time …
A good mission, Peter. (Thanks again for the charts)
It just didn’t go the Adler way.
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