The call had come through shortly after the chaps had finished their breakfast following the Dawn Patrol - Huns strafing the frontline giving the boys a hard time of it. The Bulldogs were closest, the planes were ready and off they rushed.
Bill Foldes took the lead, keeping them low as they approached the area. Cam' Paine to his left, Bobby Pynne to his right; Evan Keel was somewhere off further along the line.
They arrived almost at the perfect point, dropping in behind the Hun as they were busy about their business
Evan Keel Popped out in front of the Huns, much to the surprise of all involved !
What no-one had seen was a pair of Albatrii fast approaching the lines - Obltn Hans Jörke & Ltn Otto Hengl to his left with the red spinner.
Foldes turns in under Pynne trying to narrow the gap but cannot get a shot - Pynne gets gets off a burst at extreme range using his talent for long range snap shots... he scores well.
Paine heads to cut of the Germans' retreat, Pynne matches the move as Foldes gives chase. Keel completely fluffs his attack and all pass each other as the German gunners ready their weapons. The Albs steal closer still and cross their lines
Foldes is getting closer as the Roland's turn for home but still has no shot - oddly the gunner of the pink machine, Ltn Karl Schilling, has but his gun jams straight off the bat.
Within moments Foldes gets his chance but his Lewis seizes immediately too ! He curses his armourer roundly..
Paine spots the danger from his left and swerves in a climbing turn toward the threat but has no chance to get his gun on target as the Albatrii blow past
Paine split the Albatrii & it appears they turn after him; the Roland's head for safety with the Bulldogs in pursuit.
Pynne opens up on the pink machine but it seems he has been issued blanks as his gun runs dry.
Not so the gunner of the blue Roland, Ltn Franz Schäpe, who proceeds to blow holes in Foldes' airframe !
Things go from bad to worse as the Nieuports pass the Roland formation ... The driver of the blue whale, Vzfwbl Hartmuth Hemer, puts a close range effort into Pynne's nose wounding him and causing the engine to throw smoke.
Foldes fares no better - taking serious damage from both rear gunners. Keel can only look on in horror as he is out of range and cannot help his comrades.
Paine, meantime, has reversed course and catches Hengl's Albatross as they pass, making the most of his shooting skill.
Foldes is having his worst day - he no sooner gets his gun functioning than it jams again on the blue whale.
Schäpe simply pours on the hate and dispatches the nuisance Nieuport...
As Foldes falls and Pynne breaks for home, Keel turns in and scores well.. Schäpe simply switches target...
Keel presses on - his aim is good and the lashes the cockpits with fire injuring both men even as the parabellum jams. A large shadow looms across his machine as Jörke passes close across his nose. He'd left Hengl to deal with the silver Nieuport whilst he tried to save the Roland's.
Keel empties his pan into the blue whale with good effect
Paine lines up the pink machine for his special attention - he scores but in return Schilling manages to set him on fire !
"Not good, not good" shouts Paine to himself as another accurate burst rips through his flaming machine's fabric and his gun jams
Keel winces as a solid burst smashes into his plane from the returning Albatros as he's reloading
But he's lucky as it passes behind him. .Ahead the pink machine and the blue whale trade places as they cross over;
Paine has to break off the pursuit as he struggles with his burning craft.
Pynne is long gone and safety beckons - at least one of them will make it home
Disaster ! Keel jams his Lewis with his first burst from the new pan, he's saved from return by being in the blindspot of his target
The enemy are away and Keel can only break for home as Paine has done as the Albatrii swoop in for revenge
Their hopes are dashed as Paine's kite gives up to the flames
Keel takes some close range hate from the Albatros with the red spinner but it has no obvious effect
He slips inside the turn but the Albatros is soon back on him - it loses a gun to a jam but stays on target as it's partner looks to get in the game
One gun seems better - as the next burst crashes into the engine .. and things start to sound bad
Fortunately the next is a better result - A jam ! Now it's time to fly for his life, the chase is on
Before too long the Hun is back at it but time has run out - his last effort doesn't stop the Nieuport that has dived low over his own lines and snakes his way to safety.
Victory points:
Eagles
Plane shot down 3 points x 2 = 6pts
Plane forced from board 2 points x 2 = 4pts
Two seater crosses objective line 3 points x 2 ? = 6pts
Total = 16pts
Bulldogs = 0 Points
Butcher'sTally:
Bulldogs:
Lt Bill Foldes: N.17-A. SD-ET 0 kills
Rolled 6 -1SD = 5 - injured skip 1D3 scenarios. Rolled 2 = skip 1.
E&E: Rolled 9 -1WIC -1BEL = 7 Landed almost home Skip 1
2Lt Cameron Paine: N.17 silver. SD-FLM ET 0 kills
Rolled 9 -2FLM = 7 - injured skip 1D2 scenarios. Rolled 6 = skip 2
E&E: Rolled 9 -1FLM -1WIC -1BEL = 6 - In hiding - skip 1 D2 scenario. Rolled 2 = Skip 1
Total skip 2 (RW)
2Lt Evan Keel: N.17 green. FRTB-E 0 kills
Rolled 6, 1 landed safely
F/Sgt Robert Pynne: N.17-2. FRTB-W / WIA 0 kills
Rolled 2,3 - landed safely
Rolled 8 +1RTB -1WIA = 8 - injured skip 1D2 scenarios. Rolled 6 = skip 2
Eagles:
Vzfwbl Hartmuth Hemer: P2 Roland (blue whale). RTB WIA 0 kills
Rolled 10 +1RTB -1 WIA = 10 All well when you land well - just a scratch !
Ltn Franz Schäpe: O. RTB WIA 1 Kill
Rolled 8 +1RTB -1WIA = 8 - injured skip 1D2 scenarios. Rolled 3 = skip 1
Fwbl Max Löffler: P2 Roland (pink) RTB 0 0kills
Ltn Karl Schilling: O - RTB 1 kill
Obltn Hans Jörke: Albatros D.II (camo) RTB 0 kills
Ltn Otto Hengl: Albatros D.II (red spinner) RTB 0 kills
Great game to play - restricted ammo really fecks me up but bigger pans are coming soon, then we'll see.
3 out of 4 are casualties out until the next go round so my chaps lost - I was flying as Foldes so I really lost out !
The Roland's made it back - probably didn't need the Eagles to come save them, they did fine by themselves
Thanks for the game Dan.
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