OTT-BYM Mission 12: Run for Home (or The Turkey Shoot) – 27 Dec 1916 by ShadowDragon
OTT-BYM Mission 12: Run for Home (or The Turkey Shoot) – 27 Dec 1916 by ShadowDragon
Original scenario by flash:
https://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sh...-1916-by-flash
This turned out to be a very short, one-sided affair as a result of the initial damage draws which went very badly for the Adlers. More comments post story.
The Story
Four men were seated in the lounge of the small, bushpilot Koala Airlines. Three of them were older men – all former WWI pilots, Jack Wilde, Bruce Dundee and Baz Lanister. The fourth was a younger, studious fellow with a tape recorder and note book – Bruno Malling, an author who was writing a book on Australian WW1 pilots, their squadrons and the planes they flew.
Bruno: That’s some amazing stories, fellas. Did your turkey mascot survive the war?
Jack, speaking in his unique combination of Aussie and Albertan drawl: Nah! Made to the summer of 1918 when some RFC chap, drunk on poteen, drove over him. No doubt in a rush to meet with some nurse paramour.
Bruce: Mind you not all encounters were the swirling dogfights you see in the movies. Many were quick confrontations where you came out alive or dead in a few seconds. Like that mission just after Christmas in 1916. Knights of the Sky! More likely we were just bloody murderers.
Jack: You’re just jealous that I claimed top spot in the squadron while you were chasing nurses.
Bruce continued the story….
As I was saying, it was just after your Christmas, goose dinner. It was a routine mission – a tandem, a Sopwith Strutter, to do some photo recon work on the enemy. Lord knows why as they were just where we left them on the previous recon mission but the higher ups were ever hopeful that somehow they fnally had the Hun on the run.
The tandem was piloted by Flight Commander Robert Samson with AM1 Joseph Darwin as his observer. Three scouts were escort. The scout flight commander, Nigel Flashman, test flying one of the new SPAD VII which the RFC had purloined from the navy. Jack was flying a Sopwith Tripe but mine was in for an extensive re-fit so I was making do with my trusty, loyal Pup.
The mission had gone well enough. The photos were taken. There was a bit of archies and half-arsed attempt by a couple of Huns to intercept us. So we were in good shape as we neared No Man’s Land.
Robert and Joe were in the middle. Their Strutter having taken a bit of engine damage from some archie. Flashman was on the left; Jack and I were on the right.
Notes: The photos show the results of drawing the A damage cards as per the scenario instructions. The dice shows the remaining ammo bursts.
No more than a minute and we would have been in friendly territory but that’s when we spotted three German planes. A single Halberstadt D.III coming up from the south, on our left, and two Albatri, a red-tailed D.II and a white-winged D.III, from the north. They all looked like they had been in a fight but the ones on the north looked in rough shape – especially the Albatros D.III – it looked like it had been a bit of a flamer as the white upper wing had a few scorch marks.
Flashman signalled that we should ignore them if they ignored us – no more than burst in greeting as our ammo was low and didn’t allow for extensive dogfighting.
I guess the two Albatri figured that the quickest way to safety was straight past us. The D.II flew ahead – perhaps to draw fire away from his badly singed wingman.
The Halberstadt was in better shape and sought to help his mates out.
If the red-tailed D.II wanted to draw fire he certainly got that as Robert, Jack and I all took a bead on him. It must have had some engine damage as it took some more from Jack – enough that the D.II’s engine stopped and the Albatros went into a downward glide. Looked like that poor sod would have a decent chance if he could find field to land.
Note: Bruce used his Sniper skill.
I’m sure Jack was as surprised as the rest of us that he managed to hit that plane in his first burst. I guess that’s why he nearly collided with me.
(Jack interject – that was just a bit of nifty flying, Bruce. Though you might of picked up a few flying tips while on R&R.)
Meanwhile, Flashman and the Halberstadt followed suit with a head-on encounter with Flashman getting the worst of it.
Note: I only realized when writing this up that I should have drawn a B card for the Halberstadt instead of an A card.
I wasn’t sure at first why Flashman chose the risky head-on attack but that’s when he displayed some of his clever, stuntman flying. His SPAD “skidded” to the right and blasted his surprised foe from the sky. I’m sure the pilot didn’t survive the Halberstadt’s catastrophe.
That left just the singed, white bird but he needed to get past the Strutter and maybe Jack and me but we were a bit out of position as we hadn’t expected the red-tailed D.II to be shot down so easily. Robert managed to nick something like a fuel line as the D.III started to leave a smoke trail but despite being heavily damaged the Hun was still flying.
He might have made it to safety but Jack made full use of the Tripe’s manoeuvrability to intercept him. Jack couldn’t miss at that range; although, somehow, it seemed the Hun missed Jack. The D.III followed its partner in a downward glide.
It was all over so quickly – three enemy planes downed with no more than a couple of bursts each. It looked like both Albatri might glide to safety with no more than some minor injuries. Nobody wants a fair fight when your life’s at stake but still it felt a little like murder.
Jack nodded. The writer paused but then continued to make his notes.
Comments on the game:
I briefly thought about an “all-in” game with 6 scouts per side but discarded it for a few reasons – (1) I get stressed out playing that many planes, (2) I was (am) a bit under the weather (not COVID – at least 2 tests are negative) and (3) I wasn’t sure I had the time. However, more planes means its more likely the initial damage/ammo levels will even out for each side. I could have just re-drawn the cards but I’m more inclined to play them as I draw them otherwise I might end up drawing several times to get a “desirable” initial set up – whatever “desirable” means. I did make some changes from what I planned – e.g., I was going to go with an ‘A damage’ Tripe but stuck with the ‘B damage’ version. I also intended that the scouts would continue to escort the Strutter and not get into some serious fighting, but the game didn’t get that far.
An interesting scenario, Dave. One change I might make for when there’s fewer planes is to randomly roll for initial damage – i.e., a D6 with 1-2 = 1 hit, 3-4 = 2 hits, 5 = 3 hits and 6 = 4 hits.
Scenario Results
Seadog Score
Seadog planes making it home = 4 X 2 pts = 8 pts
Enemy scouts shot down = 3 X 2 pts = 6 pts
Total = 14 points
Adler Score
Enemy planes FRTB = 1 X 1 pt = 1 pt
Total = 1 point
A total victory for the RNAS X ‘Turkey’ Squadron
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Vagabond
for his victories & service to King & country 
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