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Thread: OTTCYM Mission 12 - Flash And The Beat Goes On - 27th September 1916

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    Default OTTCYM Mission 12 - Flash And The Beat Goes On - 27th September 1916

    A couple of troublesome Arty positions had been giving our trenches a bit of a strafing, after a bit of recce their positions had been found on the far side of the town opposite. Now knowing roughly where they were our Arty chaps were in the mood to reciprocate and our Bulldogs were tasked to do a bit of spotting for them.
    To that end 2Lt Chris Cross and AM.3 Richard Shaw jumped into a 'Strutter and set off in great hopes for a show.
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    They were accompanied on their travels by 2Lt Evan Keel to keep an eye out for them which filled them with some confidence
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    They were not destined to be alone that morning as Ltn Otto Hengl (left) and Rave Busse (right) had been dispatched to the area to clear away any nosey airmen looking for their gunners
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    The chaps saw the threat almost immediately - unfortunately the Hun had spotted them too and were headed in their direction, closing rapidly !
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    Keel reefed his machine into a climbing turn to head off the lead aircraft with the red spinner but his first burst had no obvious effect. Shaw's Lewis also barked briefly before jamming. Incoming rounds pattered through the Strutter without causing any significant damage.
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    Keel somehow manages to avoid the unrushing Albatros by a gnats whisker, meanwhile it's wingman with the blue spinner pumps an accurate damaging burst into the unprotected Strutter while Shaw's working on his Lewis
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    As they separate the Germans turn after the tandem, their intention is clear
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    Keel throws his machine about in an attempt to cut them off or get behind them; at least to put them off and give the Strutter a chance
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    As he makes his turn the Albatros with the red spinner turns into him, spandaus chattering and shattering the fabric of his fragile Nieuport and his windscreen - Keel feels his face showered with shards and a blow to his body....
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    Meanwhile, as cross turns the Strutter back toward their lines, Shaw pumps a few rounds into the chap with the blue spinner, damaging his controls.
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    Shaw begins keying his message to the Arty chaps as rounds crackle past his cockpit
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    The other pair disentangle
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    Shaw takes up his gun once again as bullets thud into the Strutter, though it appears one gun has stopped. His shots do nothing and he empties his pan.
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    As Cross makes his turn for the return leg toward the second position the Strutter becomes the meat in an Albatros sandwich; using his one working spandau with supreme skill Busse laces his burst through both cockpits and their occupants. Shaw falls to the floor stunned and bleeding.
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    Cross barely makes out the fall of shot from their first effort - close but no cigar. (9)
    Busse wrestling with his controls and his jammed gun can only slide past behind the Strutter. Hengl passes close aboard - almost too close as he deals with his jam
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    Hengl breaks away and deals with his jam
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    Both British machines, their pilots and crew wounded, must head for the barn
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    The Germans, out of position cannot chase them down before they slip away
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    Butcher's Tally:

    2Lt Evan Keel: FRTB-W 0 kills
    Rolled 6,2 landed safely
    Rolled 10 -1WIA +1RTB = 10 All well when you land well. (A section of strut was found in his cockpit which explained the blow he felt)

    2Lt Christopher Cross: FRTB-W 0 kills
    Rolled 1,2 - landed safely
    Rolled 8 -1WIA +1RTB = 8 - Injured Skip 1D2 scenarios. Rolled 3 = Skip 1

    AM.3 Richard Shaw: FRTB-W 0 kills
    Landed safely
    Rolled 6 -1WIA +1RTB = 6 - Injured Skip 1D3 scenarios. Rolled 5 = skip 3

    Uncle decided not to send another tandem out on its lonesome, he'd wait another time until he could send some protection with it.

    I flew the Strutter, ended up jiggling the turn where needed as the simplest solution, it didn't need much.
    All scouts were randomly placed - the Albatrii came on together on the side nearest the Strutter hence they were up in my grill so fast.
    Maybe they should start on their base edge, at least they'd take a bit longer to get on the spotter. If I'd used slower less well armed craft that may have helped too as the jams would have stopped the shooting for a moment.
    That said - two crippling WIA hits out of two separate decks did the job, at least the boys made it back.
    I was going to do a second leg but 'Aunty' put a paint brush in Uncles hand so that was 'break over' !

    "He is wise who watches"

  2. #2

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    Uncle says:

    Well chaps, we got seen off there, next time we'll send more scouts with you, one is clearly not enough when those blasted Albatrii are about.

    "He is wise who watches"

  3. #3

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    A harbinger of my mission, Dave. No more successful in terms of taking out the enemy guns but costlier in terms of downed aircraft and KIA crew. Good for your chaps in not being too badly banged up.

    Drinks in the mess, I think....not in celebration but in consolation.

    And. boo - hiss on the Hun for flying those fast, 'A' firing, infernal machines of death.
    Last edited by ShadowDragon; 04-10-2021 at 09:27.

  4. #4

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    "Discretion is the better part of valour."

    Pretty much sums it up, I think, Dave.
    No point sending another Strutter into a meat grinder.
    Glad your boys were able to make it home to rethink the strategy.

    Not looking forward to this one myself.
    Timing is everything, and jammed guns can easily throw a spanner in the works.

    I will probably use a Roland and Albatros D.II for my Adler against two N.17, but I want to double-check the maneuver deck of the Albatros C.III to see if there's any advantage to either for flying the required formation.
    I will try to give it a go next weekend.

    I just have to convince myself to head home instead of having 'just one more try' as I am wont to do.
    See the Aerodrome Raid for example ....


    Have some rep for a valiant effort and well-told tale.

  5. #5

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    Thanks chaps, a few things were against my effort: the random enemy popped in quite closer than I would have liked, Albatrii & twin spandaus were not a good choice, restricted ammo never helps and the fall of the damage cards sent them packing in the end. Sometimes it's just the way it goes. Lets see how the others get on.

    Quote Originally Posted by Stumptonian View Post
    .. I just have to convince myself to head home instead of having 'just one more try' as I am wont to do. See the Aerodrome Raid for example .....
    I noted that !

    "He is wise who watches"

  6. #6

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    Like your take on it Dave. That PW5 at the start really messed things up. Bit like the engine damage I got but worse Who'd be a tandem crew at this time of the war huh?
    Rep if I'm allowed. Nope! have to take a turn first. Perhaps not a figure of eight

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    Thanks Mike, it was fun while it lasted - I was hoping the first shoot on target would be a kill, at least that would have been some consolation !

    "He is wise who watches"

  8. #8

    Thumbs up

    Good Try Dave but the odds were against you.
    Those 2 gun Albatri are going to be a real "pain" until we get those bigger Lewis Drums.
    Have some Rep for effort!

  9. #9

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    Having read the storyline and Butchers I went back and looked at the pictures and it seemed once the action started to heat up, then the Nieuport wasn't in the action much and the Albi's had a clear run at the Strutter. Not sure if that's how it played out on the ground?

    I think it was a good decision not to send a single Strutter out against the Albatrii, I know in my game at one point I thought it might come to that and had decided I wouldn't do it either. It's an interesting point about where the enemy start as to how much that effects the outcome and I guess that is down to the random dice rolling. Mine started on their base line as you suggested but it was the card draw for damage that dominated, rather than positioning of the planes.

    On the bright side, even if they didn't damage the targets all your chaps survived which is a bonus.

  10. #10

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    Yeah, sadly having slipped past the Albatrii on the way in the new spotting method fed the Strutter straight back into them I don't suppose in reality they would have proceeded under these circumstances.
    Might be worth starting in the circuit to see if the Hun can chase them off with the escort running interference.

    "He is wise who watches"

  11. #11

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    I think, at this stage of the war, the RFC hadn't quite come to terms with the arrival of the Albatros. It didn't take long, though, before they were sending out a lot of escorts to get the job done. By Bloody April in 1917, the losses were horrendous, but they just kept going to get the job done. And a lot of BE2c's were still being used
    Maybe later, I'll re set the mission and give everyone at least five escorts (Haha - that's me off the rosta for setting missions ).

  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by mikeemagnus View Post
    I think, at this stage of the war, the RFC hadn't quite come to terms with the arrival of the Albatros. It didn't take long, though, before they were sending out a lot of escorts to get the job done. By Bloody April in 1917, the losses were horrendous, but they just kept going to get the job done. And a lot of BE2c's were still being used
    Maybe later, I'll re set the mission and give everyone at least five escorts (Haha - that's me off the rosta for setting missions ).
    I don't think you're getting out of it that easy.

    Maybe the problem is that the artillery observation planes didn't always encounter enemy planes and so flying a leisurely figure of 8 and reporting and confirming shell drops made a lot of sense because it provided results. Perhaps the Observers would do a runner if the enemy turned up.
    We are looking for a combative game from these scenarios rather than the hum drum day to day work that was being carried out. So there is a a conflict between reality and our desire for a dogfight.

    Of course I don't know much about the history so may be completely off the mark.

  13. #13

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    Na. You're absolutely right John. But I do find it difficult to dream up new scenarios that are playable, fun and yet challenging whilst being well balanced. It isn't easy

  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by mikeemagnus View Post
    Na. You're absolutely right John. But I do find it difficult to dream up new scenarios that are playable, fun and yet challenging whilst being well balanced. It isn't easy
    Balanced-Schmalanced. What I like is simple - ‘cuz I get confused running too many planes at once, not too long - ‘cuz I get tired otherwise and does it produce saga-like material. It’s not as if we’re playing against another player.

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    Agreed Paul, but the occassional big game can be fun, if challenging. I seem to remember one where we had around 16 models on the table at once Paper work ,paperwork and more paperwork. But I did enjoy it.

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by mikeemagnus View Post
    Agreed Paul, but the occassional big game can be fun, if challenging. I seem to remember one where we had around 16 models on the table at once Paper work ,paperwork and more paperwork. But I did enjoy it.
    Having done the biggest, lead-weight scenario this campaign, I'm only pointing 4 fingers back at me. I won't impose another one of those on my fellow players.

  17. #17

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    Uncle says: "No, you won't"

    "He is wise who watches"



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