OTT BYM Mission 10 – Good People! Don’t Shoot! 12 Dec 1916 - Hu Rhu
The Adlers had been given a hard time by the Bulldog squadron recently and in revenge they had decided to carry out a dawn bombing raid on the entente airfield.
Fwbl Jurgen Sholtz with his observer Ltn Klaus Hartmann was flying an Albatros C.III, escorted by Lt Horst Langer (Blue Alb D.III) and Lt Dieter Roth (Camo Alb D.II). AS they passed over the lines an over-enthusistic German gunner mistook them for British machines and loosed a burst of fire at Roth, fortunately missing him.
Meanwhile the Bulldogs who had recently been re-equipped with new SPAD VIIs, had despatched their early morning patrol consisting of Lt Basil Blenkinson (Yelllow SPAD), 2Lt Baz Quartermain (Green SPAD) and 2Lt Redford Pugh (Grey SPAD).
Seeing the approaching Germans the trio turned towards them with Quartermain surging ahead, revelling in the fast SPAD.
Quartermain opens fire on the 2 seater but misses. Hartmann returns fire but his gun jams.
However he ignores the other German scouts at his peril and Roth puts a few bullets into his machine.
Scholtz turns towards the aerodrome fooling Quartermain as his speed makes him over shoot but Pugh sees his opportunity and engages at close range scoring minor damage. Scholtz fires back, wounding Pugh slightly.
Roth follows Quartermain and gives him another burst at long range but jams his guns in the process.
Langer attempts to support the 2 seater but receives a burst from Blenkinson for his troubles.
Both Pugh and Quartermain overshoot the 2 seater, who now has a clear run at the airfield. Perhaps the speed of the SPAD is difficult to adjust to?
Langer and Roth close in on Pugh but their relatively slower machines leave Langer out of range and Roth's guns are still jammed.
With all three SPADs out of position, Scholtz concentrates on his target, whilst Roth and Langer follow the SPADS but there is no shooting.
Scholtz drops his bombs but is a tiny fraction short and scores only partial damage.
As Scholtz turns away to head for home, Quartermain has turned his machine but is concentrating so hard that he has forgotten the German scouts who are now in a position to deal out a deadly burst of fire. Langers fires is ineffective and jams his guns in the process but Roth sees his bullets strike home with deadly effect, but despite the carnage Quartermain flies on serenely (Lucky Pilot ignores Wounded pilot +5).
(Pic to follow)
In their haste to chase down the SPAD, Roth and Langer brush wings but both avoid any serious damage.
Roth still has Quartermain in his sights and gives him another heavy burst.
Scholtz turns to meet Blenkinson and they both exchange fire with the Albatros taking the worst but the SPAD begins to smoke.
Quartermain finally shakes off Roth, who turns his attention on Pugh and delivers a heavy burst of fire, setting his SPAD alight.
As Scultz slips past Blenkinson, Hartmann is in a great position to fire, this time setting the SPAD alight. (2 smoke = Fire)
However Quartermain's worries are not yet over as he flies in front of Scholtz, receiving a burst at long range, which misses.
Pugh meanwhile turns across the front of Roth who fires at close range scoring damage but manages to jam his guns in the process.
Blenkinson seems to have his fire under control.
However Pugh's fire is raging hard.
Quartermain dodges Scholtz but Pugh manages to fire at long range scoring some minor damage. Meanwhile Roth gets himself into a perfect position but curses his jammed guns.
Quartermain immelmans as Pugh closes and together they fire at the Albatros. Quartermain's guns jam but Pugh delivers some heavy damage before his guns also jam.
Scholtz dodges both Entente planes as Roth still curses his jammed guns. Langer, who has immelmanned after unjamming his guns, now heads back towards the fray.
Blenkinson's fire rears up - he'll have to be careful.
However Pugh can't control his and he goes down in a fireball in No Man's Land. Kill to Roth.
Roth gets in a snapshot against Quartermain but misses.
Roth takes some minor damage from Blenkinson, temporarily damaging his rudder controls.
However he still has Quartermain in his sights and delivers a deadly burst of fire, which is too much and he crashes into No Man's Land. Kill to Roth.
Blenkinson's fire is out and he catches Roth, who with a damaged rudder can't escape, with a long range burst.
However when Langer immelmans, Blenkinson realises that he is the lone pilot with a damaged machine, against three enemy and decides discretion is a better part of valour and turns homewards.
The three German pilots, satisfied with their days work, head off to a well earned breakfast.
Butcher's Tally
Adlers:
Fwbl Scholtz: (P2) Alb C.III - RTB - 0 Kills - Partial bombing run
Ltn Hartmann:(O) Alb C.III - RTB - 0 Kills
Lt Horst Langer: Blue Alb D.III - RTB 0 Kills
Lt Dieter Roth: Cam Alb D.II - RTB 2 Kills (Quartermain/Pugh)
Bulldogs:
2lt Baz Quartermain: Green SPAD VII - SD-NML 0 Kills
C&W Rolled 8 -1SD -1NML = 6 - Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 5 = Skip 3
E&E Rolled 6 +1NML -1WIC = 6 - In Hiding - Skip 1D2 Scenarios. Rolled 1 = Skip 1
2Lt Redford Pugh: Grey SPAD VII - SD-FLM-NML / WIA 0 Kills
C&W Rolled 9 -2 FLM -1NML -1WIA = 5 Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 1 = Skip 1
E&E Rolled 6 -1FLM +1NML -1WIA -1WIC = 4 Captured and escaped - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 4 = Skip 2
Lt Basil Blenkinson: Yellow SPAD VII - RTB 0 Kills
Victory Points:
Adlers
Near Miss - 2 points
Enemy Scouts shot down - 10 points
Total = 12
Bulldogs
Total = 0
Adler Victory
As I had no coastal mat I chose to conduct the mission reversed with Germans flying teh bombing mission. I also attempted to even up the odds by giving the British SPAD VIIs. I reckoned the speed and robustness would offset the twin guns of the German machines - it seems that I was wrong.
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for his fifth & sixth victories for the Kaiser 
Roth is a scythe 
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