OTTCYM Mission 10 – Keep On Truckin’ - September 12th to 18th 1916 {Stumptonian}

[Stumptonian]

September 15, 2016
Adler airfield near the Somme front.



Obltn Bernhard Wienand had his best pilots gather around a small table and showed an area where the Entente forces were sending supply convoys up to the front lines to resupply their tank units.

Leutnants Giesebrecht, Huebner, Oelker and Eisenhardt looked on intently while Baumann and some of the two-seater crews wondered why they were going to be left out of the action.

“Baumann, sei bereit, falls eine Verstärkung benötigt wird.“
< Baumann – be ready in case reinforcement is needed >

Looking at Wiechers and his crewmen he adds
„Dies soll ein schneller Streik sein - rein und raus, bevor die Briten reagieren können.“
< This is to be a swift strike - in and out before the Britishers can respond. >

“Wie Sie wissen, haben wir zwei der neuen Albatros D.II erhalten.“
< As you know, we have received two of the new Albatros D.II >

“Giesebrecht ... Hübner ... als die führenden Asse des Geschwaders möchte ich, dass Sie diese Flugzeuge auf Herz und Nieren prüfen.“
< Giesebrecht ... Huebner ... as the leading aces in the squadron, I want you to put these aircraft through their paces. >

“Nun, meine Herren, zeigen Sie das Oberkommando, dass sie die richtige Jasta als eine der ersten ausgewählt haben, die die neuen Maschinen bekommen.“
< Now, gentlemen, show high command they have chosen the right Jasta as one of the first to get the new machines. >

With that, the scout pilots snapped to attention and left to get their machines ready for action.

[Note: I used some Nexus cards I had handy to draw for the Adler aircraft. 8 Halberstadt and 5 Albatros cards were shuffled and drawn]


Soon the four pilots were over enemy airspace and approaching the area where the convoys had been spotted.
Giesebrecht is flying the yellow Albatros while Huebner pilots the camouflaged D.II.
Oelker and Eisenhardt each have a Halberstadt D.III in the brown livery formerly preferred by Huebner.

First impressions of the new machines were not all positive.
Both Huebner and Giesebrecht had noticed the climb rate was not on par with the Halberstadt, and the machine also seemed less maneuverable.
The only good thing they both had noted was the dual Spandaus instead of a single barrel.

How effective that would be was soon to be tested.
A convoy of four vehicles could be seen. Giesebrecht and Huebner had designated that the Halberstadts would handle the ground attack, while they would provide top cover.


Just as well.

Three what appeared to be Nieuports were providing escort for the convoy.


As they got closer, two of the Nieuports dove down near to ground level.


Tikka tikka
Dada dada

Giesebrecht trades first shots with the enemy.
He notices that the aircraft has RFC roundels, not French, and is a different version than he has seen in past engagements.

“Das ist kein Nieuport 11 ....“
< That is not a Nieuport 11 >



New Bulldog pilot 2Lt Richard Glen turns sharply toward Giesebrecht.
Both are too close to get a shot off, spending their energy avoiding collision.


Oelker and Eisenhardt dive to attack the convoy.


Huebner and Moncrieff eye each other warily.


Tikka tikka
“Flamen!”

Oelker’s first burst sets the second truck aflame!


Tikka tikka

... while Eisenhardt jams his gun with his first attempt


Tikka Tikka

Moving along the line, Oelker’s second shot does some more damage but then seizes his gun as well.
[Note: The target is Truck #3 – not #4]


The flames on Truck #2 have not spread yet.


Da da da
Moncrieff fires at Huebner but his aim is off


Oelker, messing with his jammed gun, is oblivious to Eisenhardt’s nearly ending both of their days.


Tikka tikka
Giesebrecht (using his Sniper skill) does some serious damage to Moncrieff’s N.17


The flames on Truck #2 do some further damage.


Tikka tikka
Giesebrecht hits Moncrieff again.


Tikka tikka
Eisenhardt shoots ups toward Moore and sees some bits of fabric and wood splinter from the Nieuport.
Oelker wastes his inherent Sniper shot firing up at Moore (but avoids jamming his weapon again)

Dada da da
Moore loses any height advantage and misses Oelker completely.


Tikka tikka
Da da da da

Huebner’s sniper shot hits Glen and nicks his flying helmet and sending the Nieuport into a spin*, but not before doing some major damage to Huebner’s D.II

* Glen was hit while flying a stall forcing him to play an illegal move


Huebner climbs, avoiding the out of control Nieuport.


Eisenhardt and Oelker turn their attention back to the convoy.
Tikka tikka tikka tikka
Eisenhardt misses, but Oelker damages Truck #4 substantially.


Tikka tikka
Giesebrecht is liking his dual Spandaus.
Moncrieff’s Nieuport takes more damage, end he reluctantly realizes that he must pull away from the fight.


Tikka tikka tikka tikka
The dual machine guns firing in unison rip Truck #4 to shreds.
Oelker, being slightly closer, will claim the kill.


Da da da da
Moncrieff has turned and fires at Giesebrecht, doing some damage to his rudder controls.


Glen has recovered from his harrowing spin, but his wound has forced him to head for home.


Boom!
Truck #2 explodes from the flames


Moore has Immelmanned and heads back toward the fracas.


Tikka tik …
Giesebrecht jams both his guns!


But the last burst was enough to end Moncrieff’s mission.
The Nieuport slams into the ground hard.


Tikka tikka tikka tikka
Oelker and Eisenhardt are back hitting the convoy, which has stalled trying to remove the remnants of Truck #2
Truck #3’s turn to take on some damage.


Huebner performs a split-s and heads toward the convoy.


Tikka tikka tikka
Eisenhardt damages Truck #3, but Oelker’s bullets go astray from Truck #1


Moore dives to ground level to be ready to take on the Halberstadts.


Tikka tikka
A quick whoosh of flames and Truck #3 is destroyed!


Tikka Tik…
Oelker hits Truck #1 but his gun has jammed.
Again!
He curses his armorer as he again works to clear the jammed round.


Tikka tikka
Giesebrecht’s sniper skill is put to good use and his bullets rip through Moore’s Nieuport.

Da da da
Moore manages a long range hit on Oelker, but the damage is slight.


Da da da da
Moore places himself dangerously close to Giesebrecht and empties his Lewis drum with a solid burst that hits Oelker with some major damage!


While Eisenhardt returns the favour with a solid hit.
Tikka tikka tikka
Moore realizes he can push his luck no more and will turn back to base.


“Damnitall!”
Moore is madly trying to replace his Lewis drum and misses out on a perfect shot.
Tikka Tikka Tik….
Giesebrecht jams his gun, and the Nieuport is done.


Moore struggles with his control stick, but manages to plow the N.17 into the bank of a stream.


Tika tik …
“Verdammt!”

Eisenhardt joins the ‘jammed gun club’, but does manage some damage to the last of the convoy, Truck #1


Tikka tikka
Huebner’s sniper skill seems almost wasted on a strafing shot.


Tikka tikka Boom!
Huebner closes in on his target and Truck #1 joins the rest of the convoy!


The Adler climb and regroup.
“Keine schlechte Arbeit …” < not a bad day’s work > muses Huebner.
He tilts his wings and leads the pilots back to ‘Adlerhorst’ < eagles nest >.

Butcher’s Tally

Bulldogs


Nieuport 17


Lt John Moncrieff – SDFT
C&W: 4 -1 SD = 3 : Injured 1D6(6)
Skip 6 – The Campaign is over for Lt Moncrieff


Nieuport 17


2Lt Duncan Moore – SDFT
C&W: 7 -1 SD = 6 : Injured 1D3(3) = Skip 2
The Campaign is over for 2Lt Moore.


Nieuport 17


2Lt Richard Glen – FRTB-W
Rolled 2 & 5 : Safe landing.
C&W: 10 +1 Landed -1 WIA = 10 : All is well.


Adler


Halberstadt D.III


Ltn Felix Eisenhardt - RTB


Halberstadt D.III


Ltn Dietrich Oelker – RTB
3 Trucks Destroyed.


Albatros D.II


Ltn Till Huebner – RTB
1 Truck Destroyed


Albatros D.II


Ltn Günther Giesebrecht – RTB : 2 kills (N.17 Moncrieff & Moore)


Results:

Adler
Aircraft shot down: 2 x 3 = 6
Trucks destroyed : 4 x 2 = 8
Total : 14

Bulldogs
Nada!

Total Adler Victory!

====================================
Well that went much better than I expected.

I am always leery of sending my fliers deep into enemy airspace for a whole mission.
Giesebrecht (who wasn’t set on fire for once!) added 2 kills to his tally, and is now just 2 away from Triple Ace – can he make it, with just two missions left?

Two more Bulldogs out for the remainder of the campaign.

It seems promotion to Lieutenant is the kiss of death.
I looks like Charles Gordon is next up to bat, Onkel.

Depending on the requirements for Mission 11, I might scrape by without requesting new pilots – I have 4 available – and 5 full tandems, counting two from Aviation Militaire.

As I hinted in Vagabond’s AAR, I was not as thrilled with the Albatros D.II as I thought I would be.
In a game like this last one that incorporates altitude, their Climb Rate of 5 is dismal.
I missed having the wide sideslips at my disposal as well.
Their saving grace is the ‘A’ Damage Deck. Been a while since I have used mine.
Time will tell which of my pilots use them going forward ….

As far as the mission, I think the Entente needed a 4th aircraft, and probably the truck AAMG as well, to have a sporting chance.
But I’ll take the win.

It was good to get my partially modified N.17s to the table as well. All I did so far was replace the roundels. I need to get some matching aluminum paint before I can add the other markings.
They are the ones OldGuy59 had made by mscmini for his Prague mission.