OTTCYM - Mission 10 - Keep on Trucking Flash - 12th September 1916
There was a big push on and The Bulldogs had a part to play - Uncle passed on the orders from GHQ: Keep low, support the ground forces where you can, protect them from the Hun, report back on the progress of the battle.
So it was that 2Lt Alan Keye, recently returned from injury and pleased as punch to be flying a new green Nieuport 17, found himself leading two wingmen low over the front; 2Lt Percy Veer in a silver Nieuport 17 to his right, 2Lt Evan Keel in a similar machine marked #2 to his left.
Keye spots below them a convoy of trucks heading out into what had once been no mans land toward what he takes to be the new British wonder weapon everyone is on about - the tank - but looking ahead he realises he's not the only man in the sky to do so..
Oberleutnant Johannes Achilles in a new Albatros D.II has appeared over the lines opposite the convoy leading a flight of Eagles - Ltn Hans Eberhardt Gossner to his right with a red spinner, Ltn Raven Busse to his left with a blue spinner and followed by Ltn Stefan Loerzer in a Halberstadt D.III.
Achilles waggles his wings and with a chopping hand motion signals his men into the attack.
Keye realises they have a chance to spoil the Hun assault, he signals the chaps and breaks right to head them off. Veer seems not to have cottoned on to the idea and keeps straight on for a moment, whilst Keel seems ahead of the game and has already cut behind them both - Bright lad.
Realising they cannot reach the trucks before they get caught the Huns turn to face the Bulldogs head on as they pile into the attack...Both sides let fly lead and tracer but Keye is disappointed as their rounds seemingly have no effect whilst his machine is heavily damaged and Veer's, beside him, blows smoke..
Keye pulls right amongst all the confusion in order to get back to the convoy and is strafed by a green Haberstadt that is following the main pack of Albatrii. He grins savagely as Veer, firing right past him, manages to set it on fire.
Over the convoy the Hun leader drops his nose and opens up on the second vehicle in the procession; Keel reverses after him but with his nose down is unable to get a shot on. The Hun with the blue spinner reverses rapidly, as it rotates it somehow manages to get a squirt at Keye as he follows round behind Keel but jams one of it's guns in the process.
The Hun with the red spinner has also reversed and manages a long range shot on Veer's tail but bar a couple of holes no damage is done.
As the Hun leader works over the convoy Keel & Keye get in behind him and work him over in kind from close range - something snaps in a lower wing and down he goes... Kill to Keye
As he spins in his comrades, recovering from their reversals, are turning back toward the convoy ...
Keye, knowing they're now out of position, pulls a Split-S hoping to get back over the convoy as quickly as he can but the shark like Albatrii are already moving in for the kill... Veer, playing catch up, has missed them as they turn back
The two Albatrii swoop down and shred the truck at the convoy's rear - the one with the red spinner doing the damage - it begins to burn
Keye can only watch on helplessly
The Eagles continue their deadly work taking on the next two trucks in the convoy
(made an error here - looks like the trucks made a double move)
The Halberstadt, badly damaged by fire is heading home but joins the party making a beam attack on the last in line causing much damage with its single gun
(played an A card tho !)
The Bulldogs can only watch on but are quickly reloading their guns so they can give full beans when they catch up to the action
The Bulldogs, weapons charged, swarm in looking for opponents as the Eagles clear the convoy
The Albatros with the red spinner turns in and noses down toward the convoy - it's twin guns make short work of the lead vehicle and it explodes.
Loerzer's badly damaged Halberstadt takes the opportunity to slip away in the background
Keye catches the Johnny with the blue spinner at close range as he rounds the convoy, he causes little damage before his gun jams and the return fire is enough to convince him it's time to head for the barn before his mount falls apart around him.
Moments later the blue spinner is lighting up the convoy again even as Evan Keel catches the other from behind and puts a burst about the cockpit.. he sees the pilot flinch
Keel stays on target and puts in a second burst at close range as blue spinner noses up and puts a long range effort in toward Veer behind him, jamming his second gun for no visible results
Keel empties the last of his pan into the Albatros at close range as he continues to chase it round; tracers flash past as Veer takes a long range snap shot at it too.
Keye slips away to nurse his bird home
The protagonists circle the convoy as it continues it's journey
The Albatros with the red spinner reverses suddenly shaking off Keel's attentions but runs slap into Veer who was following on. The exchange is at long range - both taking hefty damage - Veer loses a pot and is forced to retire with his engine damaged but it's also enough to send the Albatros on its way.
The Hun work over the convoy once more - the new lead truck is taken out by the retreating machine with the red spinner
Keel peels round and gets a long range effort into the one with the blue spinner without any return
Seeing the remaining truck about to make it to safety of it's objective, running low on fuel and unable to catch up with the Hun Keel calls it a day and heads for home, waving cheerio to his opponent as he leaves
The Butcher's Tally:
The Eagles:
Obltn Johannes Achilles: Albatros D.II - EXP-ET 0 kills
Rolled 10 -3EXP = 7 - - Injured - Skip 1D2 Scenario. Rolled 1 = Skip 1
E&E: Rolled 9 -1EXP -1WIC -1BEL = 6 In hiding! - Skip 1D2 Scenarios. Rolled 4 = Skip 2
Achilles awoke in the cockpit of his machine, the engine ticking as it cooled. He clambered out with some difficulty. Looking back he saw he'd cut quite a swathe across an open field and shed most of the machine attached parts during the journey. He was lucky. Now it was time to leave and he limped toward a nearby woodland to hide up while he planned his escape...
Ltn Hans Eberhardt Gossner: Albatros D.II red spinner - FRTB-D / WIA 0 kills (2 Trucks)
Stuck the Landing - Rolled 8 -1WIA +1RTB = 8 - Injured - Skip 1D2 Scenario. Rolled 6 = Skip 2
Ltn Raven Busse: Albatros D.II blue spinner - RTB 0 0kills (1Truck)
Ltn Stefan Loerzer: Halberstadt D.III - FRTB-D 0 kills
Stuck the landing.
The Bulldogs:
2Lt Alan Keye: green Nieuport 17 FRTB-D 1 kill (Achilles)
Stuck the landing
2Lt Percy Veer: silver Nieuport 17 - FRTB-E 0 kills
Stuck the landing
2Lt Evan Keel: silver Nieuport 17 #2 - RTB 0 kills
The Convoy:
Three destroyed, the fourth severely damaged.
Victory Points:
Eagles: 3 trucks destroyed = 6 pts
Bulldogs: 1 Plane destroyed & 1 truck made it = 6pts
Draw
Well a few errors made as I played this in parts I think. I used three Bulldogs so no AAMG - that may have been a mistake as it turned out but I liked having the extra machine.
Used my usual rules for Alt etc - used it like I did in the airfield strafing game and I flew as Alan Keye. He made it home this time and with a kill to boot so I can't grumble with that.
Thanks for the game Paul
A note on set up - you will notice that the set up I used was not as per instructions. What I did was measure the distances from the set up given then transferred it so that I could run the convoy over the Trenches mat, diagonally as it turned out. I marked the escape point on the far edge with a tank card.
I also used a stall card with the convoy selection which only came up once as it happened, right after the first truck died so it seemed appropriate.
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Originally Posted by tikkifriend
What a set too that was Dave!
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