Mission 4 OTT EYM - Bombs and Blondes - 4th February 1917 by Baz
On 22nd December 1916, Admiral von Holtzendorff composed a memo which became a pivotal document for the resumption of unrestricted U-boat warfare in 1917. He proposed breaking Britain’s back by sinking 600,000 tons of shipping per month, expecting Britain to sue for peace within 6 months.
On 9th January 1917 the Kaiser met with Chancellor Hollweg and military leaders at Schloss Pless to discuss measures to resolve Germany’s increasingly grim war situation. The campaign was bogged down in France and Allied divisions outnumbered the Germans. The military staff urged the Kaiser to unleash the submarine fleet on shipping travelling to Britain. On 31st January 1917 the Kaiser duly signed the order for unrestricted submarine warfare to resume effective from 1st February 1917.
On 3rd February 1917, in response to the submarine campaign, President Wilson of the USA severed all diplomatic relations with Germany, and the US congress declared war on 6th April 1917.
The German plan was initially successful and led to food rationing in Britain and propaganda material.
Meanwhile the Americans, although not actively involved at this stage, sold Liberty Bonds to fund the Allied war effort.
In lieu of the above order from the Kaiser, construction of U-boat pens and bunkers was started to house the fleet in striking positions. One such construction started in Zeebrugge harbour in 1917, it was in the area of 80m x 10m constructed of concrete piles and a thick concrete roof.
La Dame Blanche
Around the same time, a network of spies (many of them women), in German-occupied Belgium was formed and provided valuable information of German troop movements and construction progress, ship and U-boat movements, etc. By watching the Germans, they provided important data on daily movements of the Germans to British Intelligence in the Netherlands.
The Mission
The British wish to bomb the ongoing construction of the submarine pens at Zeebrugge to delay and frustrate the Germans.
Setup
Two maps, countryside to the left, Coastal to the right (or equivalent). The whole area is German occupied. If necessary, the scouts need to exit the north eastern edge up to the centre join.
Mission 1
A bomber (Short, Caudron, Handley 0/100 or a two seater if not available) has been sent to undertake this mission, however things are complicated due to the high level intensity of city defences (Archie, etc) around Zeebrugge. For this reason, the bombing must be carried out at high level (at or above altitude 5) to negate the enemy fire which will make it more difficult. The target area is indicated below. It will need to exit the W edge for safe return to base.
Mission 2
The Belgium spy who provided this information has been compromised, and for her own safety must be extracted, a makeshift landing strip has been cleared north of the city for this purpose protected by local resistance groups. A two seater (no observer) must be used for this purpose (Sopwith 1 1/2, RE8, Fe2b, Be2c). It will need to exit the W edge for safe return.
Please use the RAP rules for bombing and landing/takeoff except where noted differently below.
For landing, the plane must be at Altitude 1 and execute Dive (centre peg must finish over landing strip for this manoeuvre or the plane will crash and is eliminated) - Straight -Stall ( if the plane finishes either the straight or stall with it’s peg off the landing strip it will take and A damage for each).
The plane must be stationary for 1 complete turn (3 phases) for the spy to get into the plane and the resistance to swivel/turn the plane on the airstrip ready for takeoff. Double this (2 turns) if the plane landed off of the strip to allow the resistance to wheel it back on course.
Once in place, the spy has had basic machine gun training so can fire, load and unjam the gun. However, she has never fired from a moving plane before, only on a fixed tripod, so to allow for this, all damage cards will be at -1 and unjamming will be take 5 phases rather than 3.
Takeoff will be as per the RAP book.
Entente forces
Bomber (or relevant two-seater) starting at Altitude 5 one ruler from the SW corner.
Two-seater (no observer) starting at Altitude 3 behind the bomber straddling the SW corner (see diagram)
Scout escorts x2 (Pups, Tripes, DH2, Nieuports) starting at Altitude 4 1/2 ruler to the left and right of the bomber.
Central forces
NB Kogenluft has issued an order grounding all Albatros D.III’s pending resolution of the lower wing/strut issues so none to be used.(use Alb. D.I/II, Halberstadt D.III, Fokker D.II, etc).
Scout patrol (x3) starting at Altitude 4 in NE corner 1/2 ruler from E edge, then 1/2 ruler between each plane.
Landing strip ( approx 25cm x 7cm) to be 1/2 ruler from centre map joint edge and middle. Target card at mouth of canal on Coastal map or 1 1/2 rulers in form E edge and 1 1/4 rulers in from N edge.
NB if playing Central forces, you will either need to control the bombing sequence and landing/takeoff for the Entente or to contrive a scenario switching forces around (use AEG G.III or Friedrichshafen bombers and relevant two seaters)
Victory Points
Entente
Bomber hits target. 20pts
Near miss. 10pts
Scout shot down 5pts
Scout FRTB 2pts
Spy returned to base 10pts
Central
Bombs miss target altogether 10pts
Bomber SD or FRTB a before dropping bombs 15pts
Bomber SD or FRTB after dropping bombs 7pts
Scout/2-seater shot down 5pts
Scout/2-seater FRTB 2pts
Any questions please ask
Note from Uncle - The bomber will be from an independent unit so no need for Bulldog crew to be created or used.
If you don't have a P2 available for the spy mission, use a scout pilot.
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Originally Posted by mikeemagnus
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