AAR - The Blue Max campaign - Stachel disobey orders
«This low-level business is new to you Stachel, so I want you to stay as close to me as possible» Hauptmann Otto Heidemann, Jastsfuhrer, briefs Stachel.
Beside Heidemann himself in his Albatros D.V, participating in the patrol on a cold March morning is Leutnant Stachel in his Pfalz D.III - on his Jastafuhrer's right - and two more pilots, also flying Pfalz machines.
Far on the horizon, three Sopwith Camels are seen approaching - two British and a Belgian.
No altitude, aim rule in use. All Pfalz have "Unreachable machine guns". Two Trench and one Machine gun card on the British side of the table. Since last time, Leutnant Stachel has lost his rookie status.
In the heat of the moment, with the Entente planes looming closer and closer and the British trenches close at hand, Stachel breaks formation banking to the right. A colleague in a blue Pfalz follows while Heidemann and the other pilot aim north to intercept the Belgian.
From this point on is... Freiejagd! Free for all!
Stachel approaches the enemy lines head on. His strafing attempt has little success and its concluded by an irreparable jam of his Spandaus!
Luckily, the shaky ground fire is soon directed away from him as his wingman gets in range of the trenches.
The Hauptmann confronts the Belgian Camel, getting injured in the process.
A heated melee develops and the grey Pfalz is caught in a vicious crossfire as he engages the British pilots.
The infantry and the AA machine guns on the ground keep taking pot shots at the Germans as the fight develops just in front of the British trenches.
A lucky burst from the blue Pfalz blows one of the Englishmen out of the sky, seconds before infantry fire brings down the grey Pfalz.
Soon after, the other Brit is shot down too, leaving the Belgian pilot alone against three adversaries.
The clumsy manouvers of the German in the blue Pfalz cause him to be unable to shoot to the Belgian he is chasing together with the Jastafuhrer and to get substantial damage from infantry fire.
Heidemann silences an infantry position - it's time for the battered Jasta to head home.
The cunning Belgian pilot manages to bag the blue Pfalz after having harassed Stachel who is now manouvering to limp back home.
Chased by the only surviving Camel, Heidemann seeks salvation in a quick flight and exits the table on the W border.
Stachel, battered and limping, manages to get back home, the enemy hot on his six until the last minute.
«You did not follow my orders [...] I told you to stay close to me. [...]I want no excuses. Camels, earthquakes or the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. If I tell you to stay with me, you stay with me.» Hauptmann Otto Heidemann debriefs Leutnant Stachel.
Scoreboard
Germans
Enemies shot down:2 (10pts)
Trenches strafed:1 (1 point)
Left the battlefield:1 (-5pts)
Total: 6 points
Entente
Enemies shot down:2 (10pts)
Total: 10 points
Marginal entente victory
A couple of considerations
This scenario turned out,by mere chance, pretty similar to the scene as described in the book: a confused swirling of planes in the air, with Stachel breaking formation at the onset of the action.
Even the loss of a German plane running head-on in an orchard nearby is a pretty graphic description of how bad things went for the grey Pfalz.
The next scenario is meant to display Herr Stachel fighting side by side with... The Red Baron himself!
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Originally Posted by Larry R.
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