OTT EYM Mission #9 - The Marshalling Yard - 5 March 1917 - malachi

[malachi]

In an uncharacteristic display of laissez-faire attitude, Onkel had requested an Eagle volunteer to escort a pair of tandems on a bombing raid over an enemy railyard where a great amount of personnel and materiel were accumulating. Roman Kuttner found himself abruptly standing, eager to get into the fight yet stifling the nagging doubts regarding the risk. At least it was a chance to fly the durable Roland D.II Jasta 24 had been trialing. A sturdy scout with much to recommend it, except for the horrible sight lines, or lack thereof.

Kuttner had managed to rendezvous with the pair of DFW C.V’s as they headed deeper into English territory.




As the tandems approach the target, Archie fires at the DFW crewed by Eugen Unger and Oskar Thorn buffeting it severely but with no damage.




Unger prepares to drop the first group of bombs while Willi Esel and Roland Wal in the DFW with experimental camouflage line up an approach. Kuttner covers the rear.


The bursts from Archie serve to attract the interest of a flight of Sopwith Triplanes intent on spoiling the day for the Germans. 2Lt’s Babbage and de Roeper are accompanied by the newly-transferred Shaw as several of the Bulldogs are in hospital or otherwise missing.




Unger’s bombs find the mark as Willi prepares a special delivery.


Willi’s bombs land as Unger turns away. Archie misses once again. Kuttner prepares to engage the Triplanes.




Kuttner and Babbage trade lead at long-range as the Roland receives an untimely rudder jam.


His rudder problems get worse as Kuttner and Shaw trade shots at close range and his Spandeaus jam. de Roeper in his red-tailed Triplane heads toward the tandems.




Kuttner prepares to Split-S but Shaw has similar ideas. Archie takes a crack at Esel/Wal’s DFW but misses.




As the tandems reposition over the railyard, de Roeper arrives overhead. Kuttner has his hands full.


Babbage and Kuttner trade fire while de Roeper gets the angle on Unger’s DFW. Shaw heads for the railyard to assist.








As the second group of Unger’s bombs fall earthward, de Roeper’s apparent suicide mission to ram the tandem fails.






Kuttner reverses beautifully for a close-range shot on Babbage but wonders if his guns are working properly. Unger and Shaw trade fire while the AA misses yet again.






Wal and de Roeper blaze away, the Vickers has a problem.


Wal tries to keep de Roeper at bay as Willi prepares the second bomb drop. Thorn gives Shaw a parting gift. Kuttner turns to cover.


Shaw delivers heavy damage to the DFW as the bombs fall.


Babbage riddles Kuttner’s Roland at close range but jams his MG. The AA fires at the departing Unger/Thorn since friendlies are too close to the others but misses.


No collision between the Sopwiths, the DFW overlaps Shaw and the jammed de Roeper is in the blind spot so Wal has no shot at either.


The Parabellum jams as Wal blasts de Roeper’s Triplane. The DFW takes return damage.


de Roeper expertly stalls once again behind the tandem scoring heavy damage. Willi punishes Babbage as the Triplane turns directly in front of him.




The speedy Triplane overlaps Willi’s DFW as the Germans head for home.


de Roeper finds the blind spot on the DFW again but takes heavy damage from Kuttner and must leave the fight.




[I realized Babbage had just become unjammed in this phase, so added his damage and pic]


As Unger and Thorn return home, the AA misses Willi/Wal once more. Wal finds the mark on de Roeper’s sharp-turning Triplane. Kuttner is wounded as he and Shaw fire away.




Wal is worried the tail may fall off as Willi struggles with the controls on the fleeing DFW. The chase is on.








The German tandem makes its escape as de Roeper also returns home.








Kuttner takes some satisfaction in knowing the tandems have returned safely but must now run the gauntlet to get back to the Eagles’ aerodrome. He clobbers Shaw’s Triplane as it turns…


…and trades with Babbage with poor results.


Shaw reverses and shoots up the Roland.


But Kuttner is able to slip past and head for safety as Shaw completes his Immelmann. The Sopwith's return home.


Butcher’s Tally

Eagles

Fwbl Willi Esel: (P2) DFW C.V ‘streaky’: RTB / 0 kills

Ltn Roland Wal: (O) DFW C.V ‘streaky’: RTB / 0 kills


Fwbl Eugen Unger: (P2) DFW C.V ‘grenade’: RTB / 0 kills

Ltn Oskar Thorn: (O) DFW C.V ‘grenade’: RTB / 0 kills


Ltn Roman Kuttner: Roland D.II ‘half moon’: RTB / WIA / 0 kills / 1 probable (de Roeper)
C&W: 5 -1WIA = 4 - Injured - skip 1D6 scenarios, rolled 3 = skip 3


Bulldogs

2Lt Rupert Babbage: Sopwith Triplane CDL tail: RTB / 0 kills


2Lt Winston Shaw: Sopwith Triplane blue tail: RTB / 0 kills


2Lt Philip de Roeper: Sopwith Triplane red tail: FRTB-D / 0 kills
Landing Roll: 4+3 = Stuck the Landing!


Bombing Results
[I managed to avoid the Results sheet until tallying the scenario, many thanks for the spoiler warnings!]



Drop 1 – Unger = 0 points
Drop 2 – Esel = 19
Drop 3 – Unger = -12
Drop 4 – Esel = 44
Total = 51, partial German victory
Interesting that the ‘grenade’ DFW scored null and negative points. Thankfully, Esel made up for it! Interesting scenario, thank you, Mike!

[ShadowDragon]

That was a resounding success for your Eagles, Chris. Well done.

[Baz]

Good action Chris, and nice planes. The bombing was successful too so all round a good result. The Eagles did well and the Roland performed well against the Tripes.

[Hu Rhu]

Well done to Kuttner for keeping the Triplanes at bay and getting home himself, albeit a little battered. Bombing results were good as well so a fine result for the Adlers.

Lovely planes, especially the DFW C.V.

[malachi]

Appreciate the kind remarks, all. It was an interesting one: Kuttner and the streaky DFW returning 1 pt shy of FRTB and doing all the heavy lifting while the olive drab DFW contributed zilch and took 2 pts of damage.

[Stumptonian]

Great looking planes and a terrific result for our Adler,


Well done, Chris.

[flash]

That's gone very nicely, Chris, a well told tale and nicely documented - liking the mat, not too sure about the mountains !?

Onkel says:

Well done all, a brave effort deep in enemy territory, your work today may well slow them down at the relatively light cost of Roman out of action for a while. Seems he was quite badly injured fending off those dreidecker's. We shall drink to his health and celebrate your success

Ltn Roland Wal is awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class for his continued service to the Kaiser
Fwbl Willi Esel is awarded the Iron Cross 1st class for his continued service to the Kaiser

[Vagabond]

Exciting fight Chris and interesting scenery as well, northern Italy maybe? The planes stood out against it nicely. I always have trouble seeing them against the official mats.
Cheers

[malachi]

Thanks, all. It was a fun fight! I think 4 folks have pointed out my incongruous mountains, which I knew were out of place, but what can I say - pretty I'll reduce them to molehills in the future with my high tech adjustable backdrop
Looking forward to defending a drachen in the next one. That will be a tall order. Another mountain to climb.

[mikeemagnus]

That was a really successfull mission, Chris. Well played and congratulations to Ltn Roland Wal and Fwbl Willi Esel on the awards of their gongs. Lovely pics as always
I'm afraid I have to spread the luv about some more before I can give a well deserved rep, but, as always, I'll be back

[malachi]

Thanks, Mike
Kuttner will be laid up for awhile but hopefully resting a little better knowing he helped the tandems do the heavy lifting

[Teaticket]

Well done Chris. I like your marking of the bomb drop showing the intended and drift. The mountains? Just had to say it.

Love the DFWs and D.II.

[malachi]

Thanks, Peter!