12.11.16 A build-up of English troops and materiel has been reported behind the enemy lines. Jasta 24 has been ordered to assist in efforts to determine enemy strength and to provide some protection for the observation balloon in this sector.
Fwbl Willi Esel and his observer Ltn Roland Wal will fly a Roland C.II in an effort to protect the balloon. Willi’s last “observer” was the reluctant 2Lt Mavery of the RFC, now a POW; a bit of an enigma in the short time he spent with the Adler. Willi was nonetheless delighted to have his regular observer, Ltn Roland Wal, with him for this job. They were an effective team and worked well together, some of the Adler considered them soulmates.
Krallen would lead a patrol near enemy lines to see what more could be learned of the English activity. He pondered at length on the selection of pilots as this was not a routine patrol but in the end decided to take along the newly-arrived Kass, the replacement for the unfortunate Hauck whose first and only mission had ended with him a POW. Krallen still felt the pangs of guilt over the loss of Hauck. He would be keeping a close eye on Kass.
[tandem location and heading randomly selected, D6 11:00, 3:00]
Those crafty Bulldogs have been moving their secret weapons closer to the lines under the cover of darkness!
Hales closes on the drachen as Esel turns to engage.
Hales prepares the port side rockets as Willi opens fire finding the tiny plane tough to hit.
The rockets find a home setting the balloon on fire while Willi’s curses are drowned out in the slipstream.
[error: Willi’s shot on the N16 should have been two cards but for some reason I missed this]
Wal shows Willi how things are done.
… and is punished for his cockiness.
The fire smolders on the balloon, the observers are unable to see anything near the English lines.
Wal severely damages the N16 but jams his gun.
As they pass, Hales realizes he must get his crate back to the aerodrome.
Krallen’s patrol appears in the vicinity as the fire grows on the drachen. Observers fail to spot anything near English lines and parachute to safety.
Brennen slips right to get around the drachen. Willi gives chase to Hales.
The Bulldogs of 52 Sqn, led by Lt Manley in their SPAD 7s, prepare to drive off the curious enemy.
The fire on the drachen grows as the crew frantically winches it to the ground.
Willi greets Babbage with a burst from long range that injures the Englishman making him light-headed and quickly losing focus.
Krallen unloads from close range shredding de Roeper’s SPAD while taking fire from Manley.
Willi continues the attack on Babbage who feels the rudder controls jam,
but the Roland takes a beating from Asbury and a fire erupts from the fuel tank.
Schnecke retaliates and hits Asbury with a good burst from long range.
Manley and de Roeper narrowly avoid a collision
[collision cards used]
Wal abuses Babbage’s beautiful SPAD as Schnecke adds to Asbury’s woes but jams a gun.
Hale’s N16 safely returns to the aerodrome.
The drachen is nearly to the ground when another fire breaks out!
Both rudders are not working properly but Asbury manages to reverse course.
… and get some revenge on Schnecke while Wal fires from long range at Babbage.
Willi spots the incredible machines below.
Wal gets in a burst on Asbury, his MG is overheating. Babbage has had to reverse course due to the jammed rudder of the slippery SPAD maneuvering like a truck on ice. In the distance Krallen and Kass have reversed course after crossing the lines and spotting English tanks!
The Roland threatens to come apart as the fire grows worse.
Schnecke (and soon Brennen) also see the strange-looking tanks far below.
They reverse their course in an effort to return to the airfield and report.
Schnecke lines up a shot on Babbage.
… and can’t believe he misses.
Krallen and Kass encounter de Roeper in the chaos. Krallen feels his plane shudder as the SPAD passes, but Kass makes the Englishman pay.
The Roland is in the thick of it as Wal gives Asbury a parting shot while Willi sets Manley’s SPAD ablaze. Manley deals out some punishment of his own.
Once more Wal lines up an opponent.
But the fire proves to be devastating as the Roland spirals out of control and Willi struggles to set the inferno down.
Asbury safely returns to the aerodrome.
Manley struggles with the controls and worries about the fire but has limited options [overdive out of the fight or reverse and bring his guns to bear]
He reverses and catches Brennen with a burst. Black smoke soon billows from the Albatros.
Babbage breathes a sigh of relief as he safely returns to the airfield.
Manley presses the attack on Brennen but curses as his gun jams.
[“A” damage for the straight after Immelmann while on fire, but only other option was to quit the fight]
Krallen and Kass approach their lines.
The fire rages on Manley’s machine.
Krallen and Kass safely cross the lines.
Manley maneuvers to press the attack but as soon as he clears his gun the fire increases to an unbearable level and he must return home. Schenecke and Brennen safely cross their lines.
Quite a lot going on in this one but it was fun. It finally motivated me to paint up some tanks and another SPAD7 ��
Victory Points
Eagles
1 enemy plane shot down = 5
4 planes spotted the tanks and returned = 40
Bulldogs
Balloon failed to spot tanks = 5
Tandem shot down after reaching 1.5 ruler = 2
Eagles victory 45 – 7
Butcher’s Bill
Eagles
Balloon survived but did not spot tanks.
ObLtn Karl Krallen: Alb D.II red tail: RTB / 0 kills
Ltn Torben Kass: Alb D.II Boelcke: RTB 1 kill (de Roeper)
Ltn Wilhelm Schnecke: Alb D.II yellow: RTB 0 kills
Ltn Max Brennen: Alb D.II MvR: RTB 0 kills
Fwbl Willi Esel: P2, Roland C.II: FLM-NML 0 kills, 1 probable (Babbage)
C&W = 6 -2FLM -1NML = 3 - Injured – skip 1D6 scenarios, rolled 3 = skip 3
E&E = 8 -1FLM +1NML -1WIC = 7 - Landed almost home! - Skip 1
Ltn Roland Wal: O, Roland C.II: FLM-NML 0 kills, 2 probables (Hales, Asbury)
C&W = 8 -2FLM -1NML = 5 - Injured – skip 1D3 scenarios, rolled 1 = skip 1
E&E = 7 -1FLM +1NML -1WIC = 6 - In hiding! - Skip 1D2 Scenarios. Rolled 6 = Skip 2
Bulldogs
Lt Noel Manley: SPAD VII green+bar: FRTB-D 1 kill (Roland C.II)
Landing Roll = 4, 3 Safe
2Lt Philip de Roeper: SPAD VII gray: EXP-NML 0 kills
C&W = 9 -3EXP -1NML = 5 Injured skip 1D3 scenarios, rolled 2 = skip 1
E&E = 6 -1EXP +1NML -1WIC = 5 - In Hiding, skip 1D2 scenarios, rolled 1 = skip 1
2Lt Anthony Asbury: SPAD VII CDL+bar: FRTB-D 0 kills
Landing Roll = 2, 1 Safe
2Lt Rupert Babbage: SPAD VII stripe: FRTB-W 0 kills
Landing Roll = 3, 2 Safe
C&W = 11 -1WIA +1RTB = 11 All’s Well When You Land Well
2Lt Hugh Hales: Nieuport 16, rockets: FRTB-D 0 kills, 1 Probable (Balloon)
Landing Roll = 6, 2 Safe
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