OTT-BYM - Mission 12 - Flash Runs For Home - December 27th 1916
After a long campaign it had been decided that the Bulldogs were to be withdrawn from the front line for a short rest and recovery, so a spell in Blighty loomed on the horizon and nobody wished to miss the boat, or, the expected evening of frivolity & frolics ahead of their squadron's departure.
The job Uncle had handed to them that day was to flush out any Hun patrols ahead of the Harry Tate as it made a recon deep into Hun territory and then escort them back to base. Simple on the face of it and so it had proved.
All went well, the Huns were seen off, after a brief but fierce scrap, the necessary pics were obtained, the tandem signalled he was done; so now all they had to do was get home in one piece...
Lt Bill Foldes leads the flights (top of frame) in his N.17 #4 and has picked up a little damage (2); he has 4 bursts left in his twin Lewis guns. To his left is 2lt Evan Keel in N.17 #2 who has taken quite noticeable damage (4) also with 4 bursts in his single Lewis and down from him on his left is 2lt Alan Keye in a single gunned Sopwith triplane with a cdl fin sporting a bit more damage (5) with 2 bursts left in his Vickers.
Way off to their right and slightly ahead of them was Lt Terry Bull and 2lt Chris Cross acting as his observer in an RE8. They had taken some damage (3) and had 4 bursts each in their respective weapons.
Appearing just ahead of the RE8 was Obltn Johannes Achilles in his Albatros D.II (slot1). He'd been in action himself, sported some heavy damage (5) and had 3 bursts in his Spandau's.
Appearing over the lines on the opposite bearing came Ltn Wilhelm Pozner in a Fokker D.III (slot4) trailing a thin line of smoke from it's damaged engine (3), he has 2 bursts left in his Spandau's.
Seeing him home is Hans-Eberhardt Gossner (Fire Expert) in a brown Halberstadt D.III (slot 5) with light damage (2) and a couple of bursts left in his gun.
Bull's reaction is to slide the RE8 to pass behind the Albatros, as it has clearly seen him and turns in their direction. Fortunately he can't bring his guns to bear straight away allowing Cross to get off a long range effort in vain hope of warding him off but Foldes is leading the rest of the chaps over, hurrying to cover them and he lands a telling long range effort that staggers the Albatros.
In the next turn more grist for the mill appears:
Behind Pozner (slot 4), who has turned to head off the Tommy on his way back to base, comes Ltn Franz Theiler in a cdl Halberstadt D.III sporting damage himself (3) with 3 bursts remaining in his gun.
And Ltn Raven Busse in his blue nosed Albatros D.II arrives (slot 6) also bearing light damage (2) and 4 bursts in his twin Spandau arrives behind Gossner as he heads toward contact.
2lt Bobby Pynne (Sharp Eye) appears (slot 6) in a Sopwith Pup sporting reasonable damage (3) and 3 bursts left in his Vickers, to his right is newcomer 2lt Will Power in an unmarked N.17 showing damage (3) and also with 3 bursts left in his Lewis.
Way off to their right is 2lt Cam Paine (Perfect Aim) in a red nosed Tripe (slot 1), showing some damage about the tail (2) carrying 3 remaining bursts for his twin Vickers.
Paine is confronted immediately by an Albatros D.II - they swap spit - he feels a sharp blow to his face as his windscreen explodes, his return fire seems ineffectual even with his skill but it matters not as Foldes bores in with both Lewis chattering excitedly..
Something breaks within the Albatros wing structure and it falls away as they pass.
Pynne eschews his skill but manages to tag the blue nosed Albatros as it sets about young Will to his right.
Keel slips behind Keye as he's spotted an opportunity on a brown job running in on them
Pozner & Theiler are doing their best to catch up to the action
Pynne's Pup is dealt a mighty blow as Busse Immels above him at close range - his engine spews smoke#
Power, not put off by the Albatros, has held his course and gets in a close range effort on the brown Halberstadt which blows smoke as a result. In turn this has traded close range blows with Keel, both end up with damaged controls but Keel comes off second best and must get off straight for the barn.
The Harry Tate ploughs on unmolested as Foldes turns toward the site of the fresh action.
Pynne's Pup collides with the blue nosed Albatros as it pulls out of it's reversal but his luck holds.
(see the card beneath the models for the Pup's true pos)
Keyes gets in a close range shot on the 'brown job' as he pulls out of his reversal but he takes a squirt back and a bullet creases his shoulder. Busse's gun jams on the last few rounds but he's sure he's hit the pilot.
Keel finishes his wide swinging move and gets a long range shot into the passing Fokker for no return.
Power takes his chance for a little revenge, turning left and damaging the Albatros who shot him up moments before and damaging its controls
Maybe it was this that distracted the pilot & prevented him avoiding another, more devastating, bump with Pynne's Pup - Cer-runch!
Pynne must head straight for the barn now but he'll be credited with the kill for the collision, now he just has to avoid Power who in his enthusiasm nearly does the same to him.
The Fokker limps onward to home, meeting Paine head on at close range on the way - the exchange damages the controls of both machines
Busse has broken through - his gun empty bar a couple of rounds, Pozner is making for home too; Key has reversed again but his timing may be off. Keel must head home, Foldes (upper left) surveys the scene
Cross has noticed a Halberstadt heading their way, he notifies his pilot, curiously Bull turns towards it, maybe he wants to give Cross a shot at it ?
The chaps behind race to catch up.
Pynne & Power avoid colliding, just; Pozner avoids Keye's Tripe, the Bulldogs are past the interception and the way for home is open to them.
Careful what you wish for - Theiler snakes into position on a blind spot and pumps rounds into the RE8 at long range.
Bull turns away across the lines quickly & Theiler presses home a final attack from close range but cannot prevent their escape and jams his gun in the process
Foldes, not happy with what he's just seen, slips toward the Halberstadt as it turns away from the British rear area.
To his left the remaining chaps make for safety
Foldes turns in on the Halberstadt, he has two more bursts at most so passes on the long range chance presented in hope for better
He takes the next opportunity, scoring well as he tatters the Halberstadt fuselage, maybe one more will do the trick ?
As the Halberstadt reverses his turn Foldes empties his Lewis guns into it. It's not quite enough and the Halberstatdt staggers away trailing smoke, forced to abandon any idea of further engagement
With the rest of the chaps safely across the lines Foldes is the last to leave the field of battle, his guns empty
Butcher's Tally:
Eagles:
Obltn Johannes Achilles: Albatros D.II. - SD-EXP-FT 0 kills
Rolled 8 -3EXP = 5 - Injured - Skip 1D3 scenarios. Rolled 5 = Skip 2
Ltn Wilhelm Pozner: Fokker D.III - (F)RTB-E 0 kills
Rolled 5+1 = Stuck the landing !
Ltn Hans-Eberhardt Gossner: (Fire Expert) - Brown Halberstadt D.III - RTB 0 kills 1 probable (Keel FRTB-D)
Ltn Raven Busse: blue nosed Albatros D.II - COL-EXP-FT 0 kills, 1 probable (Pynne FRTB-D)
Rolled 10 -3EXP = 7 - Injured - Skip 1D2 scenarios. Rolled 5 = Skip 2
Ltn Franz Theiler: cdl Halberstadt D.III - FRTB-D 0 kills
Rolled 4+2 = Stuck the landing
Bulldogs:
Lt Terry Bull: (P2) - RE8 0 kills
2lt Chris Cross: (O) - RE8 0 kills
2lt Alan Keye: Sopwith triplane (cdl fin) - RTB / WIA 0 kills
Rolled 3 +1RTB -1WIA = 3 - Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios. Rolled 6 = skips 6 !
Lt Bill Foldes: N.17 #4 - RTB 1 kill (Achilles), 1 Probable (Theiller FRTB-D)
2lt Evan Keel: N.17 #2 - FRTB-D 0 kills
Rolled 2+3 = Stuck the landing !
2nd flight:
2lt Cam Paine: (Perfect Aim) - Sopwith triplane (red nose) - RTB / WIA 0 kills
Rolled 8 +1RTB -1WIA = 8 Injured - Skip 1D2 Scenario. Rolled 1 = skip 1
2lt Will Power: unmarked N.17 - RTB 0 kills
2lt Bobby Pynne: (Sharp Eye) - Sopwith Pup - FRTB-D 1 Kill (Collision - Busse)
6+5 = Stuck the landing !
All machines were flown by my AI with me adding what little 'I' that I had to spare if and when needed - I rolled for Foldes to roll back on Pozner's crate in the last turn as I wanted him to be the last off the board & he had ammo to burn !
All in all it was an interesting set to. I decided to throw my hand all in as I had the pilots, started as written then added the extras on the second turn. Random positioning led to the suggestion of the tandem starting in the 3 or 4 slot. I even got the Limited ammo wrong as I did 1+D3 - and I wrote it !- though it made little difference, I found. Bulldogs got some luck on the draws but were clear winners without even looking at VP
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for his fifth victory for King & country 
I could swear the BRF indicated 4 planes for the 'dogs and 3 for the Adler 
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