OTT-EYM Mission 7: At Length did cross an Albatros – 19 Feb 1917, by ShadowDragon
OTT-EYM Mission 7: At Length did cross an Albatros – 19 February 1917, by ShadowDragon
EYM Scenario by Stumptonian:
https://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sh...by-Stumptonian
Disclaimer – apologies to Pete. You’ll see why very shortly.
Scene 1: A woman and a younger man are seated at a table reading official looking documents while two men about the age of the woman are relaxing in comfortable chairs sipping red wine.
Voice over (sounding suspiciously like Jack Wilde’s): Angelique Wilde and Tom Dundee of the Wilde-Dundee Wine Estate…
Another voice over (sounding like Bruce Dundee’s): That would be the Dundee-Wilde Wine Estate…
Original voice over: …the Wilde-Dundee. Angelique and Tom are reading the latest Australian government regulations for wineries. Finally, Angelique puts down the papers she’s been reading.
The voices over fade away and we now are immersed in the scene before us.
Angelique: Mon Dieu! This is nonsense. There is no logic to them.
Jack (her husband): They’re government documents, dear. They’re not meant to follow logic – especially not Gallic logic.
Angelique (ignoring the Gallic reference): Pah! See what you can make of it. (She picks up her papers and tosses them at Jack, who makes a weak effort at understanding them before giving the papers to Bruce.
Jack: What you do make of these regulations, Bruce?
Bruce (making a more serious effort than Jack to understand the regulations): Ah! These look very much like something old Stumpy would do. You remember, Stumpy?
Jack: Remember Stumpy? How could I forget Colonel Stumpy from headquarters? Did we ever figure out what side Stumpy was on?
Bruce: No, but it sure wasn’t the Seadogs’ side.
Tom (interrupting): This sounds like there’s a story behind this. Let’s have it out.
Bruce: There’s several Stumpy stories. Colonel Stumpy was well known for writing up orders that seemed more like our chaps being targets for the Hun and doing damage on the enemy. You remember the one from January 1917 when the Seadogs got in trouble with a Stumptonian order. There was another one a month later. I’ll let Jack relate the story since my memory of it is still a bit hazy. Just remember to take any statements of Jack’s exploits with a grain of salt.
Jack: Still jealous I surpassed you with “kills”, eh?
Scene 2: The RNAS station where X Squadron, The Seadogs, are based. Flight Commander Nigel Flashman is providing the daily orders to the other scout pilots.
Flashman: Chaps, it seems we have another order from Colonel Stumptonian.
Jock Macdonald (the 2nd most senior scout pilot): Och! What’s Stumpy got us this time?
Flashman: Seems like simple patrol over No Man’s Land. One simple loop and then we head home. Except that he wants us to fly close together.
Jack Wilde: Won’t that risk collisions? …or present any Huns with a nice, big, fat target…. or a Cluster F… (Note that Jack is introducing an anachronism into the story. “Cluster F” was not yet a term in use.)
Flashman: Not to worry, Jack. Here’s what we’ll do. (He sketches his plan in the dirt.) So, when we turn to fly along the Hun side of No Man’s Land, Jack will be at the tail end.
Jack: Why am I the lucky one to be the tail end Charlie (as Jack introduces another anachronism but we’ll let it pass since the story is being related decades later).
Flashman: Because you’re a lucky git, Jack, and Bruce will be next in line so that he can rescue you if you get in trouble.
Jack: I think I’d rather trust the Hun.
Bruce: Don’t worry Jack I shouldn’t have any trouble avoiding hitting your aeroplane. Can’t say the same in reverse though. How’s the gunner practice going?
(Jack just grumbled under his breath. He was a good flyer but not known in the squadron for his marksmanship.)
Scence 3: The skies over No Man’s Land. (The aeroplanes don’t have radios, so no dialogue – unless Bruce – the 1960s Bruce – interrupts )
Four Sopwith tripes approach No Man’s Land in a close line abreast. From left to right, facing their flight direction, were Jock, Flashman, Bruce and Jack.
Despite the Squadron commander’s best effort to have the squadrons aeroplanes painted according to regulation, the aeroplanes remained nearly as colourful as those of the Huns.
As the tripes cross over the friendly edge of No Mans Land, they encountered clouds. That filled the pilots with dread as they had a fair share of bad luck of late involving clouds. Clouds might offer refuge – or so one might think – but it also might hide the enemy or end up being a thundercloud.
They reached the enemy side and turned to patrol along the line of trenches. Jack was now in the rear and the most exposed if enemy should appear from the clouds. He focussed on remembering to breath while simultaneously checking over his shoulder and avoiding colliding with Bruce’s tripe.
Another couple of turns and the flight was flying the length of the friendly trenches. A short distance and they could head for the naval station.
But it was not to be…three Huns appeared in the deadly Albatros D.III.
(The story switches to the other side – recounted by one of the pilots involved – Leutnant Siegried Christiansen., known to the Jasta as Siggi).
Siggi was worried about the mission. The Oberleutnant, Fritz Böhning, had been with the Jasta since its formation which was before they were official a “jasta”. He was the third commander. The first two having been killed by the Jasta’s nemesis – the Seehunde, who were easily recognized by their colour machine. The Jasta had suffered terribly from the guns of the Seehunde. More than half the pilots that had been members of the Jasta had died. With the new Albatros aeroplanes, the balance had shifted in their favour and the Oberleutnant meant to make the Seehunde pay dearly. Siggi was worried that this would cloud the Oberleutnant’s judgement.
He was right to worry. Instead of waiting for the Seadogs to turn away and attack from behind. Böhning spotted the Seadogs through the clouds and immediately ordered an attack – a head on attack.
Neither side would flinch. The aeroplanes closed quickly. It was a miracle that there were no collisions – so far. The aircraft were so close that each could not exchange fire with their closest foe but Jock and Siggi (Jack was unaware of the names of the opposing pilots but, editorially we’ll put them in for ease of reading) did substantial damage to each other while Flashman and Fritz had their machineguns jam after somewhat less damage to each other.
Theodor and Siggi started into Immelmann turns while the nimble tripes turned in unison. Fritz turned to move between the separating sides while he worked at unjamming his machinegun.
Fritz, still working on his machineguns, threaded the Seadog line, but he did manage to block Bruce’s line of fire. (Note: Flashman should not have fired. I mistook the jam token as Jock’s, but I’ve only realized now that it belongs to Flashman. However, it will, as you will see, made no difference. Also, note that Jock used his “firm hand” ace skill to turn to the left. Siggi’s damage from turn 7.3 included a “left turn” rudder damage.)
The inevitable did happen with so many aeroplanes flying close together. There were two collisions – or a near collision between Bruce and Theodor and a substantial collision between Jack and Siggi. True to Flashman’s prediction Jack was a lucky git (ace skill) and his tripe suffered no damage.
All the combatants, except Siggi, were still in good shape and neither was willing to retreat from the fray. One aeroplane still had a jammed machinegun – Theodor’s – but it would soon be working again. Siggi’s Albatros can only take 2 more points of damage but in the confusion of combat he initially heads towards the Entente side. (I got confused as to which side was German and which Entente. I realized at the start of the next planning phase. It delayed Siggi but looking at where his aeroplane would have been this turn he likely would have come under fire from Jack or Bruce. Anyway, I’m sure pilots did get confused in the battle and head the wrong way.)
Flashman and Jack catch Siggi and Theodor in a position where they cannot return fire. Flashman does minimal damage to Siggi but his Albatros is now within 1 point of being shot down. Jack does worse damage to Theodor whose Albatros is now on fire.
The fire slowly eats away at Theodor’s Albatros while Bruce and Fritz exchange fire at close range. Bruce is injured and starts to fade in and out of consciousness. He will need to seek safety and hopes he stays conscious long enough. Fritz is not so lucky. His Albatros explodes. Bit and pieces – include Fritz – plummet to the earth.
Bruce and Siggi are turning to head for their respective airfields while Jock and Theodor exchange fire which accomplishes little other than jamming Theodor’s guns.
Siggi finds Jack and Flashman blocking his way to safety. He fires and does reasonable damage on Jack’s tripe, but Jack’s aim is true (1960s Bruce interjects – “for a change”) and Siggi’s Albatros is done. Siggi, as best he can, tries to bring his machine down safely in No Man’s Land. (Flashman also fired on Siggi but Jack’s damage is allocated first since he is closest to Siggi.)
Theodor’s fire flares up. He will need to head for the Jasta’s aerodrome. (Note: the ‘5’ fire damage is after the planning phase for turn 11. I had Theodor head for the mat edge when he should have planned to stay engaged. This turned out in Theodor’s favour and it makes up for Siggi staying an extra turn in the fight.)
Jack tries to catch the fleeing Theodor to add to his “kill” score.
But it was not to be Theodor escapes and, hopefully, to land his aeroplane safely.
Bruce did make it back to the naval station although he lapsed into unconsciousness as he landed. The tripe flipped over. It was a right off, but Bruce – now who’s the lucky git – had nary a scratch.
Neither did Theodor land his aeroplane safely. He did not come out of the crash as well as Bruce but his injuries were still fairly minor. Siggi’s whereabouts were unknown, but after a couple of harrowing weeks (that’s another story – this one belongs to the Seadogs) he safely returned to the Jasta.
(Apologies for the use of Pete’s alter ego’s name in vain – but, hopefully, it was in a good cause.)
Scenario Results
Seadogs:
Aircraft shot down = 2 X 3 = 6 points
Aircraft FRTB = 1 X 1 = 1 point
Total = 7 points
Adlers:
Aircraft FRTB = 1 X 1 = 1 point
Total = 1 point
A Seadog victory!
Butcher’s Tally
The Sea Dogs
FCdr Nigel Flashman: CDL Tripe - RTB / 0 kills
FSL Jock MacDonald: Tripe blue rondels - RTB / 0 kills
FSL Jack Wilde: Dk Blue Tripe - RTB / 1 kill (Christiansen) & 1 probable (Hausmann FRTB-F)
FSL Bruce Dundee: Lt Blue Tripe - FRTB-W / WIA / 1 kill (Böhning)
Rolled 6+6 = Crashed
C&W Rolled 11 +1RTB -1FRTB -1WIA = 10 - All well when you land well!
Adlers
ObLtn Fritz Böhning: White DIII - EXP-NML / 0 kills & 1 Probable (Dundee FRTB-W)
C&W Rolled 5 -3EXP -1NML = 1 - Dead. KIA
Ltn Siegried Christiansen: Green DIII - SD-NML / 0 kills
C&W Rolled 9 -1SD -1NML = 7 - Injured - Skip 1D2 Scenario, rolled 2 = Skip 1
E&E = 6 +1NML -1WIC = 6 - In hiding! - Skip 1D2 Scenarios, rolled 4 = skip 2
Ltn Theodor Hausmann : Blue DIII - FRTB-F / 0 kills
Rolled 5 + 5 = Crashed
C&W Rolled 4 +1RTB -1FRTB = 4 - Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios, rolled 2 = Skip 2
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Originally Posted by flash
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