OTT-BYM Mission 9: The Death of Chivalry – 5 Dec 1916 by ShadowDragon
OTT-BYM Mission 9: The Death of Chivalry – 5 Dec 1916 by ShadowDragon
Original scenario by Baz:
https://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sh...1916-by-Hu-Rhu
Notes:
Due to the length of the game and the complexity of the action, I’ve opted for an episodic approach by which I follow different engagements sequentially even if those engagements were concurrent. There’s a “Turn X.Y” in the top left corner of each photo to indicate “Phase Y” of “Turn X”. Where it indicates “Turn X.0”, it is because the only thing of note is the drawing of a “fire damage” card. Otherwise the photo is essentially the positions of the planes at the end of the previous turn’s 3rd phase. Hopefully the turn labels will help in understanding how the various “episodes” fit together.
I try to adjust counters (jamming, climbing, etc.) for the end of each phase (i.e., if 2 jamming counters are shown that reflects that one counter has been removed for the given phase). However, I didn’t always get the counters adjusted before I took the photo, so if it looks wrong it’s because of that. I did forget a couple of times during the game but I corrected those using my photostream to go back and see where I missed doing so.
Photos are not shown for all phases. I did take the photos but including them all would have more than doubled the number of photos while showing nothing more than planes circling about.
Story
The members of X Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service, were on deck milling about. The squadron commander, Sir Henry Rumsbottle was pacing back and forth, muttering to himself.
The Aussie Flight Sub-Lieutenant (FSL) Bruce Dundee, the squadron’s leading ace, was there leaning on his crutches. He had been injured in a mid-air collision with a Hun aeroplane. He should have been in hospital, but he had begged for an early release to rejoin his mates. Besides the hospital wasn’t as interesting since Nurse Schultz had decided to keep a tight grip on her staff. Bruce blamed the shenanigans of one of the nearby RFC squadrons for that. Bruce was worried when he found out that three of the squadrons aces had gone out the previous day and none had returned. They included not only the scout flight commander, Nigel Flashman, but also his leading competitor, the Canadian Jack Wilde and his fellow countryman and cousin, Baz Lanister.
Apparently Jack had been rescued from his downed plans by some Canadian infantryman and was currently being driven back to the naval station. Finally the lorry hove into view and stopped in front of the squadron’s administrative building, where Sir Henry had been pacing. Jack got out. His right arm was in a sling which led to an awkward attempt on Jack’s part to salute Sir Henry.
“Well, man, do you think you’re up to telling the tale or should you head to the infirmary.”
“Nah…er, no, sir. My countrymen looked me over and patched me up. Should be right as rain after a week. Just some bruising – no broken bones.”
There was the unmistaken smell of Canadian rye whiskey on the Jack’s breath, but Sir Henry decided on this occasion to ignore the less than martial attitude of the flyer.
“Step into the office and you can give me your report, Wilde.”
The scout flight’s 2IC, Jock MacDonald interrupted, “Sir, all the lads here have been sleepless with worry. Perhaps on this one occasion they can listen in on the report – in the mess?”
Sir Henry hated breaking with protocol, but it was important to keep up morale. “Very well.”
A short time later they all crowded into the officer’s mess, whether they were officers or not. Sir Henry and the duty officer of the day were seated at a table with Jack opposite.
Jack’s tale….
AN ACT OF CHIVALRY
As you know, sir, we had just received the new Sopwith triplanes. Mine was the first to be ready after being repainted in our “unofficial” schemes – and, boy oh boy, am I grateful that you’ve allowed us to continue with that. Sir Henry winced, but thought….it’s good for the morale of the lads.
Well, Jack drawled, I thought I’d take it up for a trial flight and at the same time drop a wreath on the aerodrome of the Hun hard luck Jasta in respect for their recent losses and seeing as we’ve been giving them a rough go since the summer.
The Huns on the ground at the aerodrome seemed to know what was up and gave me a wave. Maybe when this is all over…. Jack hesitated and decided not to continue with that line of thinking. Anyway, it was perfect drop and I turned and climbed – and, wow, this new aeroplane is some climber.
NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED
It was just as I was turning and climbing that I spotted a new Hun aeroplane, painted in white – as if the Albatri we’ve been facing weren’t bad enough. It was heading for the aerodrome but it turned and headed straight for me. I suppose the Hun thought I was strafing the aerodrome. Paying one’s respects is one thing but self-preservation is kinda important too, so I thought the best thing was to take him seeing that he was between me and our lines.
Well, darn, if this new plane didn’t have two machineguns – just like the Albatri we’ve been fighting of late – so he did a fair bit of damage to the triplane, but I think I managed to hit the pilot.
It was while I was tangling with the white plane and debating if I should head for home that two Albatri appeared, doing a patrol just behind the Hun trenches. If I headed for home they’d intercept me so I turned back to chase the white plane.
One of the Albatri, with a red rear end, headed towards me. The other, with an all yellow fuselage, turned away. I didn’t see why at first.
X SQUADRON TO THE RESCUE
Then it was clear. Flashman and Baz were doing a patrol and the other Albatros was headed for them. It looked like they were in for a fight with three twin-gunned foes, so I decided to stick around and help out.
The red Albatros got on my case real fast. This was the chance to see what these new tripes could do.
These tripes are great but it takes some getting used to them. I misjudged my speed and missed hitting the red Albatros. The Hun didn’t seem to have that problem and I felt a couple of slugs hit me, but no blood. Apparently that bible my ma gave me for good luck….and, er, well, spiritual inspiration, took the sting out of the bullets. It’s one solid bible – I keep it under my flight suit. I’ve got it here. Jack showed everyone the bible with two bullets embedded in it’s thick pages. Wait til I show ma. Miracle the bullets didn’t pass clean through.
I guess Baz figured Flashman could handle the yellow Albatros and headed over to help me – seeing as I was facing 2-on-1 odds in the Hun’s favour – or 4-on-1 if one counts machineguns.
The red Albatros must have been focussed on me because no sooner did Baz get into the fray and the two collided. Looked to me like the red Albatros was the worse for it.
After that melee we got ourselves sorted out. Baz was a bit out of position so the two Huns both decided to take me out.
The red Albatros managed a weak shot as I went into an Immelmann turn.
The turn put me in a great position to hit the red Albatros just as Baz arrived to join in. I think I did some engine damage while Baz hit a fuel line setting the Hun on fire.
At first it didn’t look like the fire would do much.
But with the collision damage, the Hun must have been hurtin’ badly enough to break off.
Sure enough, the fire flared and the red Albatros went spiralling down. Now it was 3-on-2 and maybe we could clear the skies of the Huns.
The new white, Hun aeroplane, was a better climber than the Albatri, but I was sure I must have wounded the pilot earlier since he wasn’t able to return fire after an Immelmann as Baz came back at him.
After that encounter, it seemed that with the tripe I could deal with the white aeroplane.
On the other hand, I looked like Flashman was having some trouble, so I signalled to Baz to break off the fight with the white Hun and join Flashman.
...to be continued. The site is having a terrible time handling 49 photo attachments.
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He'll get a gong for that effort, for sure. Lost yer Baz though but at least he'll survive the war. 
for his tenth & eleventh victories today for King & country 
He is also awarded the Legion of Honour 
Originally Posted by Vagabond
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