OTT EYM Mission 1 - When the blood runs cold - 5th January 1917 by Hu Rhu
Ltn Karl Ziegler was enjoying himself as his Albatros D.II cruised through the air over the enemy lines. It was a cold crisp day with a few clouds when he took off with Ltn Helmut von Bauer, the new pilot in the Staffel. The plan was to show Von Bauer the area and maybe sneak across the lines. However, as they approached the lines Von Bauer signalled that he had an engine problem as was returning to base.
Strictly speaking, Ziegler should have turned back as well but he couldn’t resist in crossing the lines to see if he could grab himself a two-seater on artillery duty. However, there was nothing to be found and he was just about to call it a day when a shadow appeared on the cloud below him and he turned round in the cockpit to see an Entente plane drop in just behind him.
He couldn’t help marvel at the smooth way the new Sopwith was handled and it was clear from the way it was being flown that the Entente pilot was good. Just how good he would find out.
Ziegler executed an Immelmann and both planes fired as they closed the range but neither shots hit anything. Little uses Sniper and discards his gun jam card)
The other pilot waves as they flash past each other.
The other pilot was Lt Robert Little RNAS, who was reconnoitring the area prior to his squadron taking over the area to allow the RFC a respite as they converted to a new plane. He was flying a Sopwith Pup and although it had only a single gun, he was very pleased with its manoeuvrability. Ziegler Immelmans again as Little turns sharply left and sees his opponents bullets fly harmlessly past. “He’s good” thinks Little, “Let’s see just how good he is”.
Ziegler overshoots the agile Pup and spends precious moments searching for his opponent. Meanwhile Little Immelmans back towards his foe.
As Ziegler turns towards the Pup, Little turns inside him and lines up his shot scoring well (Perfect Aim).
Little then anticipates his opponents move and sideslips into close range and hits the Albatros again. “Maybe not so good” thinks Little.
However Ziegler surprises Little by out-turning him and is now heading back towards his own lines.
Little Immelmans, whilst Ziegler turns and executes a Split-S.
For once Ziegler gets the drop on the Pup and he sees his bullets strike home and the other aircraft gives a little shudder as if the pilot had been hit. (Lucky Pilot discards damage) but then flies on as if nothing had happened.
The Pup and the Albatros pass each other again and now Ziegler once again finds himself deep in enemy territory.
Ziegler Immelmans as Little turns hard right.
The closing speed is tremendous and both pilots fire at close range. Ziegler sees his bullets hit the Pup's tail but in return Little’s fire is devastating. As bullets seem to hit all round him, Ziegler is blinded by smoke which billows out of his engine. But then he is past the Pup and the smoke abates slightly and miraculously nothing vital (including himself) was hit. It was a minor miracle. (Luck Pilot discarded damage).
However the Pup’s rudder is damaged which prevents Little from turning towards his opponent, which might have delivered the coup de grace. Instead he has turn away and execute a split S whish puts him further away from the Albatros, which by now is heading back towards his own lines.
Ziegler almost reaches the lines but then the smoke abates. “Everyone will think me a coward if I turn back now” he thinks and on impulse turns back to the fight. Little must have still had some rudder issues as Ziegler took the chance to turn inside the Pup and fire at long range. He rejoiced as his bullets struck home.
However Little recovered very quickly and Ziegler marvelled at how smooth and fast the Pup could turn. He was just able to take evasive action as the two planes flashed past each other mere inches from collision. There was no chance of firing.
Both planes were now momentarily out of position but the good news for Ziegler was that his plane was now heading back towards his own lines. He glanced at his fuel gauge. Low but not yet critical. The Pup’s pilot seemed momentarily distracted and Ziegler took a chance as he wrenched his plane round and fired at close range. Then they were past each other again.
As Little turned again, he spotted the Albatros heading back across the lines. “Too bad” he thought and turned away. However now that Ziegler had brought the dogfight back closer to his own lines he felt emboldened and Immelmanned again to close in on the Pup.
Little was surprised to see the Albatros turn back towards him again. “Ah, he’s a game cove” he thought as he executed a side slip and then turned towards the Albatros.
They both fired and little saw his bullets strike home. However Ziegler’s return fire seemed to have hit something vital in the Pup’s control lines and Little felt the controls go mushy. (Kill to Ziegler)
Little had no choice but to feather his engine and execute a sharp but neat landing into a field just behind his own lines. As he clambered out of the cockpit unhurt, he saw the Albatros stoop low over his plane and waggle his wings as he departed back over his own lines. “Now that was a worthy opponent” he thought, wondering if they would have the chance to meet again.
Ziegler nursed his damaged plane back over the lines and landed safely. Climbing out of the machine he marvelled at the damage it had taken from the brief exchange. His mechanics thought that it would need a complete overhaul before he could fly it again. It made his blood run cold to think of how narrowly he had escaped death.
Butchers Tally:
Lt Robert Little: Sopwith Pup - SD-FT 0 kills, 1 FRTB-D (Ziegler)
Ace walks away rule.
Ltn Karl Ziegler: Albatros D.II - FRTB-D - 1 Kill (Little)
FRTB-D Rolled 6+3 = Landed safely.
Victory to the Adlers.
Wow that was a close one. Although outclassed by his opponent, none of the damage Ziegler sustained was enough to allow him to return to base, so I made him fly back into combat each time he passed his opponent. He was very lucky to deliver some telling blows on the Pup even though he was being out shot by his opponent. On the last pass both planes were a few damge points away from destruction and although Little's shots were good (including the +1 for a Perfect Aim) it left the Albatros 1 short of destruction. In turn Ziegler's shots were enough to put the Pup down.
Great mission Shadowdragon. Really enjoyed it.
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Originally Posted by ShadowDragon
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