OTT-EYM Mission 9 – The Marshalling Yard – March 5th 1917 by ShadowDragon
OTT-EYM Mission 9 – The Marshalling Yard – March 5th 1917 by ShadowDragon
EYM Scenario by Mikeemagnus:
https://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sh...by-Mikeemagnus
A weary Siggi Christiansen, left arm in a sling, slumped into mess chair to sip the welcome cup of hot coffee. It had been a trying couple of weeks hiding out behind enemy lines after being shot down, but he had finally made it back to the Jasta. The good news was that he was promoted to oberleutnant and Jasta commander, but the bad news was that it was because the prior commander, Fritz Böhning, had died in the same melee in which he was shot down. However, that was the way of promotions in times of war – they came because someone was seriously injured, captured or killed and, for aircrew, it was often the latter. Still “oberleutnant” was quite an achievement for a Frisian farm boy.
Not the most distressing part of the promotion but still distressing was that the doctor declared that it would be a week, due to injuries sustained in the crash, before Siggi could resume flying duties. The real distressing part of that was that not being able to fly didn’t prevent Siggi from doing administrative tasks. He sighed as he looked at the stack of papers on the table that had built up since Fritz’s demise.
“Oh well”, he muttered and picked up the first paper.
Then in walked Leutnant Hans Bauer. Hans had just returned to duty from his injuries. He was glad to see that Siggi was alive and well – and promoted since it meant Hans wouldn’t have any administrative chores.
“Ah, Hans, how goes the Jasta? How many are fit for duty?” asked Siggi.
“Other than me, there’s Feldwebel Schobinger. Oh, and a recruit – Leutnant Maximillian von Hünerbein – just out of flight school.”
“Schobinger knows his stuff. What do you make of the recruit?”
“A bit too cocky for my liking. Beside the handicap of being an aristocrat it seems he managed to shoot down an enemy tandem – likely luck more than skill, but it made him the hero of his class.”
“Hans, you need to stop reading stuff written by that Karl fellow, it will only get you in trouble with top brass. Anyway, I’ve read the report on von Hünerbein. No doubt his ego will come down to earth with enough combat experience. Three pilots though, that’s not a lot. You’ll be in charge and, as far as I’m concerned, you have one task – bring everyone, including you, back alive.”
Across the lines, the last of X Squadron, RNAS, were getting their daily tasks from Rumsbottle.
“An order just in – they want our Strutters to bomb some railyards. Well, we’ve only two aircrew available – Ian’s and another if Teddy teams up with Corporal Perrin. How many scouts left, Nigel?”
“Jack’s still selling war bonds. Other than Jan I’ve assigned the rest, so it will have to be Jan. You okay with that, Jan? It should be an easy mission – go in, the tandems drop their eggs and fly straight back. With any luck you won’t meet any enemy scouts.”
“I’m more than okay with that,” replied Jan, but he said nothing of hoping that they would meet some enemy scouts. Jan was the only scout pilot in the squadron that had yet scored a kill.
Ian and Teddy looked at the maps of the area to be bombed. Ian didn’t like it.
“We stand a good chance of killing a few civilians on this mission.”
“Yes, but orders are orders,” replied Rumsbottle. “It’s a dodgy mission alright. Just get in as quick as you can and, as Nigel put it, drop your eggs on what looks like a military target.”
Some cloud had caused Ian (Strutter 1)to separate from Teddy and Jan and stray to the south of the target area.
Teddy (Strutter 2), on the other hand, was right on target.
Jan (Kruger) approached slightly behind and above Teddy.
The prize for being closest to the target area was to be the target of the Hun Archie. The shell burst, but it was not even close to Teddy’s Strutter. Either the gun crew were inexperienced, or they hoped that by making a show of it without endangering the enemy aircraft the enemy would leave them alone.
Teddy’s Strutter approached the town. Given the whole town was the “target”, Teddy released the first of the Strutter’s two bomb loads.
Ian got his bearings sorted out and banked the Strutter to port – lining up the aeroplane with the target area.
Unfortunately for the X Squadron plan of a quick “in and out”, the Archie had attracted a kette of Hun Albatri – led by none other than Hans Bauer.
Teddy banked his Strutter to circle around the town so that he could drop the second bomb load on the way back to the naval station.
The first bomb load well short of where Teddy had hoped they’d fall – which was to be on top of what looked like warehouses and lorries.
By now, Ian’s Strutter was near enough the town. Ian released his first bomb load.
The Archie had reloaded and, again, singled out Teddy’s Strutter, but, again, the burst was no where near the Strutter. This was a very inexperienced crew or one that didn’t want to attract too much attention.
Bauer and his wingmen were now near enough for Hans to sort out what was happening.
Jan had spotted the Albatri. His job was to keep the enemy scouts away from the tandems. The Tripe did a tight turn to the starboard. Jan was going head to head with all three Albatri.
Of course, that meant six machineguns to Jan’s single one.
“He’s a brave man”, thought Hans. “He could soon be a brave dead man.”
Hans signalled to his two wingmen. Max was to attack the green Strutter while Feldwebel Schobinger would attack the CDL Strutter. Hans would take on the brave pilot in the triplane. Meanwhile, the Hun Archie again singled out Teddy’s Strutter for a “show of force” airburst.
Both Jan and Hans started Immelmann turns for another head-to-head attack. The Strutters started their turns back towards the target area while the pursuing Albatri dove down towards them.
Teddy had been closer to the target area and so was still ahead of Ian when heading back. His Strutter would be the first to encounter to two pursuing Albatri.
Meanwhile, Jan and Hans, having completed their Immelmann turns met as planned. It wasn’t six guns to one, but it was still two to one and Jan’s Triplane got the worst of the exchange.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t Teddy’s Strutter that was Max’s target, but Ian’s. Max had misjudged his timing and Teddy’s Strutter was too close – a bit too close, thought Teddy, but it didn’t deter Teddy from releasing his last bomb load. (Note: the line of sight from Max to Ian’s Strutter just passes along the edge of Teddy’s Strutter.)
Max adjusted to avoid the CDL Strutter for a close-range attack, but he found his Albatros first the target of the front and then the rear guns of the Strutter. Hans Schobinger had finally caught up and joined in on the attack. (I think I missed having Corporal Perrin fire at one of the Albatros. The line of sight for both was through the rear of the card but it looks like both targets were at long range. Oh well.)
Now well behind the Albatri, Teddy noted with satisfaction that the bombs fell right where he intended – hopefully no civilians were in the area. It was time to head home.
Was proud to find that, after completing his Immelmann, his prey was at close range. Closer still – but just by a smidge was Schobinger’s Albatros (or so observers on the ground would verify – Schobinger disagreed). Both Max and Schobinger could hardly miss; it was far too much damage for the Strutter. Ian tried to “glide” his damaged aeroplane to land in an open area - one that would avoid buildings! Fortunately, he had dropped the second load of eggs. It was enough to try and safely land a badly damaged aeroplane; he didn’t need unexploded ordnance on board. (Closer plane, Schobinger's, fires first but didn't inflict enough damage to down the Strutter. The further plane, Max's, fired second with enough for the kill.)
Ian’s bomb load was only slightly off target.
Teddy looked back to see the other Strutter hit the ground – or “land with a thud” if you prefer. He signalled to Jan to head home. Jan was a little disappointed to not get a kill but looking at his badly damaged Tripe, heading home was probably a good idea. The Hun Archie fired a “salute” at the departing British aeroplanes. “Strange Archie”, thought Teddy. (Note: either I missed firing the AA gun earlier or did and forgot to take a photo. I’m not sure which it is, but either way it’s fitting with the overall performance of this AA gun’s crew.)
Max and Schobinger vainly tried to catch their fleeing enemy.
Seeing that there was no hope of catching their prey, Hans signalled his two wingmen to head back to the aerodrome. The enemy had dropped their bombs, but they had downed one of the enemy bombers. Hopefully the kill would be Schobinger’s and not that of the cocky aristocrat, he thought.
Back at the Jasta, Schobinger avoided the argument and let Hans Bauer argue his case for the kill, but it was not to be. Ground observers verified that it was the green Albatros that downed the enemy Strutter. Hans suppressed his feelings. If the mad aristrocrat would come down to earth as Siggi had said, it would have to be another time.
Results of the bombing – sorry about the shaky lines. I didn’t want to get ink on the bomb cards.
Scenario Results
Seadogs:
To be determined
Adlers:
Tandem aircraft shot down or FRTB = 1 X 10 = 10 points
Total = 10 points
Victory to be determined
Reply With Quote
for his continued service in the name of the King 
Originally Posted by flash
Maybe I'll bring back Jack just to shoot him down, but with Max's luck he'd end up with a scar on his pretty face that would make him even more attractive to the ladies. 
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