OTT EYM Mission 3 - Take These Broken Wings and Learn to Fly - 19 Jan 1917 - malachi

[malachi]

“Mr! Mister! Excuse me there, can I help ya?” Francis Mills inquired suspiciously of the stranger who appeared lost amongst the hangars of the Bulldog aerodrome.
“Oh, right then. I’m afraid I’m new here old bean. Clinton Riley.” The man extended his hand.
As the two shook hands, Mills said, “Ah, you must be our new observer. Since Harry Gonne’s been, well, gone, we’ve been a bit short. I only recently returned from hospital myself. Let me show around.”
Riley didn’t realize he was shaking the hand of a dead man.

Riley and Mills soon found themselves aloft over No Man’s Land headed across the lines aboard their Fees, intent on doing some damage to the Hun. It was comforting to have the help of a couple of SPAD 7s on their trek.
Looking back, Riley thought he saw planes descending from the sun but couldn’t be sure and as the new brand of fresh meat he didn’t want to sound the alarm, be wrong, and made a fool.
Sure enough, the Eagles of Jasta 24 began their dive to attack.


Lally and Hales have spied the Germans and turn to intercept.


In the steep dive Brennen, Krallen, and Kuttner all sense problems as their kites shake violently. Hales adds additional damage to Krallen but receives a barrage of lead from Bluhm.


Lally completes his reversal and as the flight levels out Brennen hears some additional discomforting sounds coming from the wing spars.


Lally fires from long range to no effect as the Eagles stalk their prey.






Closing within range, Brennen misses but Krallen puts heavy damage on the middle FE2b as smoke belches from its engine.


Continuing the attack, Brennen and Lally again come up empty but Krallen scores heavily as Bluhm fires into another Fee that explodes and spirals quickly out of control.
Riley stares in shock as Mills’ plane plummets earthward, but there is no time to mourn as his own ride is taking heavy damage.
He struggles with the Lewis trying for a shot but the large tail keeps blocking any chances.




Riley scores with a shot at the green Albatros to his left but feels his own plane begin to break apart!
Gillespie fights the controls as they spiral down. The remaining Fee is also hit and the observer wounded.




Brennen presses the attack on the last FE2b and does heavy damage.




… but the bomber is able to make its escape along with its escort into the clouds and continue the mission.


The Eagles regroup with enough fuel remaining to finish their patrol.
In the distance they see a suspicious trio of planes and the two flights head straight towards one another.






As they close at top speed there are several near-collisions but DeBoeck comes up with the short straw.
The lower wing nearly comes off his plane and he’s losing blood fast as he can barely control his rush to the ground.




Krallen reverses behind Lemaire and does heavy damage as Bluhm’s D.III belches smoke.


The pilots maneuver for position.


Kuttner and Bluhm collide but Kuttner comes away unscathed.




Bluhm and Vanhoutte trade enough damage that both must head for safety.
Bluhm’s D.III is unstable and Vanhoutte is bleeding badly.




Brennen misses the high-deflection shot as Lemaire connects on Kuttner but feels his gun jam. [whoops, forgot to place the jam marker on the Nieuport]


Lemaire maneuvers for a shot and looks for an escape route.




Shots are traded between Lemaire (should have been Jammed but no impact on game) and Kuttner as Bluhm and Vanhoutte make it safely home.








Kuttner once again collides and this time both planes lose control and crash.
[should have had “crash” pics of both but I believe they may have been censored by dept of Propaganda ]


The remaining Eagles head to the roost after an intense afternoon’s work.

Entente Points:
Bomber exits far edge of mat: 3
Scout FRTB: 1

German Points:
2 bombers shot down: 6
2 scouts shot down: 4
1 scout FRTB: 1

German victory 11 – 4

Butcher’s Tally



Eagles

ObLtn Karl Krallen: Albatros D.III – stripes, RTB / 1 kill (BABY MINE) / 0 probable


Ltn Max Brennen: Albatros D.II – red tail, RTB / 0 kills / 0 probable


Ltn Roman Kuttner: Albatros D.II – skull, COL-FT / 1 kill (Lemaire) / 0 probable
[plane should be on its nose, bad photographer]
C&W: rolled 8 -2COL = 6 Injured, skip 1D3 scenarios, rolled 5 = skip 3


Ltn Lucas Martin Bluhm: Albatros D.III – green, FRTB-D / 2 kills (Fee ‘B2’ and DeBoeck) / 1 probable (Vanhoutte)
Landing Roll = 6 & 2, Landed Safely


Bulldogs

2Lt Earl Lally: SPAD V.II – CDL, stripe, RTB / 0 kills / 0 probable


2Lt Hugh Hales: SPAD V.II – green, RTB / 0 kills / 0 probable


Lt John Gillespie: P2: FE2b – BABY MINE, SD-ET / 0 kills / 0 probable
C&W: rolled 8 -1SD = 7 Injured, skip 1D2 scenarios, rolled 2 = skip 1
E&E: rolled 11 -1WIC -1BEL = 9 They Didn’t Even See Me!

AM.1 Clinton Riley: O: FE2b – BABY MINE, SD-ET / 0 kills / 0 probable
C&W: rolled 4 -1SD = 3 Injured, skip 1D6 scenarios, rolled 3 = skip 3
E&E: rolled 9 -1WIC -1BEL = 7 Landed, Almost Home! Skip 1


2Lt Sydney Latta: P2: FE2b – ‘B2’, EXP-ET / 0 kills / 0 probable
C&W: rolled 6 -3EXP = 3 Injured, skip 1D6 scenarios, rolled 4 = skip 4
E&E: rolled 9 -1EXP -1WIC -1BEL = 6 In Hiding, skip 1D2 scenarios, rolled 1 = skip 1

AM.3 Francis Mills: O: FE2b – ‘B2’, EXP-ET / 0 kills / 0 probable
C&W: rolled 5 -3EXP = 2, Dead!


2Lt Lumsden Duffus: P2: FE2b – PC10, RTB / 0 kills / 0 probable

AM.3 John Ward: O: FE2b – PC10, RTB / WIA / 0 kills / 0 probable
C&W: rolled 8 -1WIA +1RTB = 8 Injured, skip 1D2 scenarios, rolled 4 = skip 2


Belgian Bulldogs

Lt Jens Vanhoutte: Nieuport 23 – streamer, FRTB-W / WIA / 0 kills / 1 probable (Bluhm)
Landing Roll = 1,1 Crash
C&W: rolled 9 -1WIA -1FRTB-W +1RTB = 8 Injured, skip 1D2 scenarios, rolled 4 = skip 2


s/Lt Roel Lemaire: Nieuport 23 – aluminum, COL-ET / 1 kill (Kuttner) / 0 probable
C&W: rolled 3 -2COL = 1, Dead!


s/Lt Pieter DeBoeck: Nieuport 23 – green stripe, SD-ET / 0 kills / 0 probable
C&W: rolled 11 -3EXP = 8 Injured, skip 1D2 scenarios, rolled 6 = skip 2
E&E: rolled 5 -1EXP -1BEL -1WIC = 2, Captured! The War is Over for this Pilot


This was quite a bloodfest – it looks like several condolence letters will be going out to family.

Note for Onkel: I had to introduce Riley and Lemaire to get eligible pilots from the roster. It seems I’ll be owing you some more names.

[Teaticket]

Well done. Another beat down by the Hun! Your Eagles did themselves well scoring 4 kills. You have a tight race to see who gets your first double ace!

[Stumptonian]

Definitely a deadly affair, but I think yours is the first I recall seeing a bomber and escorts get off the board and RTB


The Belgians really took it in the gut.


That was definitely a 'killer collision' that took Lemaire and Kuttner down, with the Belgian coming out the worst on the E&E draw after drawing the lesser of the two 'C' cards.

But an Adler victory, so we will drink to that.


Unfortunately my REP allotment is still in limbo for you

[malachi]

Thanks, guys. The Belgians are saying "Lemaire who?"
We barely knew ye.

[Baz]

I think pilots are fearing to be posted to your Bulldog squadron! One trip for Franny Mills and he is a goner, along with the death and capture of others. Good work by the Eagles and downing the two bombers in short order.

Must spread some REP around before leaving it.

[flash]

Another fine 'turkey shoot' over the trenches, Chris, at least one bomber slipped out of the net to get on with his job, though it seems the 'plucky Belge' suffered for it - poor old Lemaire didn't have any luck and for some reason only gave one card of damage at short range for the four he got but I suppose he never knew that !
You're also one of the few who got to a clear stage two punch up, so well done for that !

Onkel says:

Well done Eagles, you didn't get all the bombers but they may have to rethink their tactics in future. You didn't get away without loss either but you knocked down plenty of machines in your two engagements, so that's worthy of a celebration at least.


s/Lt Jacques Rouselle joins the Bulldogs to replace Lemaire

[malachi]

though it seems the 'plucky Belge' suffered for it - poor old Lemaire didn't have any luck and for some reason only gave one card of damage at short range for the four he got but I suppose he never knew that !

s/Lt Jacques Rouselle joins the Bulldogs to replace Lemaire

Aargh, good catch, Onkel. I had to look at the photo again, I thought, "that can't be right." Not sure how I missed that one, sorry! Might have shaken things up for Bluhm. He had used his Sniper skill again on that shot and I think I had too many cards in the air.

I won't lie -- Rouselle is a bit nervous.

[flash]

...I won't lie -- Rouselle is a bit nervous.

Can't say as I blame him !

[ShadowDragon]

Good dust up or turkey shoot depending on the Eagle or Bulldog perspective. This AAR seems closest to what Pete intended - assuming his intention wasn't just to run up Adler scores. One never knows.

Nice looking game and worthy of a rep but, alas, your AAR are arriving so close together that my rep gun jammed. Will circle around and try again - an Immelmann would have been faster but, alas, there's some structural issues that prevent that.

Cheers

[RJG173]

What are those custom dive cards and one other that I couldn't read? Very exciting AAR.

[Hu Rhu]

Great AAR and some lovely pictures as well as a great selection of painted machines. Always good to see other peoples artwork.

Well done on getting a bomber through but bad luck for the 'Plucky Belge' and on your C&W rolls.

Rep gun jammed but I'll circle back as this deserves some.

[malachi]

Thanks, guys.
Robert, in pic 2? They're just standard dive cards, although some decks are WoW instead of WoG.

[Baz]

Thanks, guys.
Robert, in pic 2? They're just standard dive cards, although some decks are WoW instead of WoG.

I think he means the collision result cards. These are the alternative collision cards from the file section found here https://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/do...o=file&id=1164

[malachi]

Ahh yes, of course, thanks, Baz. I made a version for myself since I wanted better wording for what to exclude but it's a bit clunky to use since it doesn't print seamlessly. I printed the front on full sheet label paper then cut them and applied to the cardstock that had the backs printed on them and sleeved them.

I can share the files via email if anybody is interested, just PM me. I'm not sure it's worth posting to files unless I redesign it to print better. Here are images although they may be blurry if downloaded from this:

[Vagabond]

I always like your dogfights over your no man's land mat, it really looks good, as do the planes, particularly the red and white candy stripe.

One bomber made it and two down, that's probably about average for this scenario but the final scout fight went the distance, so that was nice to see.

Good result for your chaps but I'm sorry my Rep gun will be out of ammo.

I'm looking forward to your take on blondes and bombs
Cheers

[malachi]

Thanks, John
I think I have 5 of the photo recon mats now, that one is Strovendorp and Nachtegaal area, 18 Dec., 1917, Belgium.
Files for mats: high res mat images

[mikeemagnus]

Well done Chris. Just back from a spot of leave and this was a delight to read, even if the Eagles did come off well and truly best. RIP AM.3 Francis Mills and s/Lt Roel Lemaire - didn't get to know them at all well did we? Very in keeping with history. And well done for reaching stage two of the mission. Thanks for the entertainment Rep gun jammed right now but I'll be back some sunny day