OTT-FYM Mission 3 - Bloody April - 19th April 1917 by Hu Rhu
As they headed towards the lines, 2Lt Dennis Giles leaned out of the cockpit of his Sopwith Triplane and looked right. He could see the rest of his group in a rough formation with the other scout, a silver Nieuport 17, flown by 2Lt James Welsh leading the two-seaters. To his left was a green RE8 with a red stripe, flown by 2Lt Ernest Capon with his observer AM3 Percy Lindup, who gave him a cheery wave. Giles waved back reassured that Lindup, who was known to be an avid checker of his ammunition, was observant. Beyond him was Lt Fraser Norris flying a linen doped BE2c, with his observer AM3 Reginald Lipton. Giles signalled to them to test their guns and was reassured to see his own was firing properly.
Despite their mounting losses, the Bulldogs had been given the task of escorting a photo reconnaissance mission just beyond the lines. They were following another group who had set out earlier. Once they had completed their mission they were due to rendezvous and help escort the other group home, since their target had been deeper into enemy territory. This group had already lost one of its number to AA fire and now consisted of an RE8 flown by Lt Frederick Laing and his observer AM3 Edward Selby and escorted by 2Lt Arnold Arnold in a yellow SPAD VII and a rookie pilot 2Lt Gray, loaned to the squadron due to its current losses.
As they crossed their own lines, Giles signalled to them to test their guns and was reassured to see his own was firing properly. He then turned his attention to the enemy lines and sure enough he could make out 4 enemy aircraft ahead of them and heading their way. A kette from the Adlers all flying the latest Albatros D.III, was heading their way, led by the Staffelfeuhrer – Obltn Karl Ziegler in a white tailed aircraft. To his right was Ltn Karl-Heinz Fischer in his pale blue machine, whilst to his right was Ltn Johannes Kleine in his dark blue Albatros and finally, Ltn Helmut von Bauer in his black tailed machine.
What Giles couldn’t see were two more Albatros D.IIIs from Jasta 11 piloted by none other than Rittmeister Manfred von Richthofen and Ltn Werner Voss, who were on an intercept course with the returning flight.
MvR and Voss move to intercept the returning flight.
Norris swings behind Welsh as the German scouts close the gap.
MvR opens fire on the RE8 and suffers the ignominy of missing and for a moment his guns seem to jam but clear themselves immediately. In return he takes damage from Laing and a bullet hits his chest but is deflected by his cigarette case. (Lucky Pilot discards the wound and the sniper skill prevents his gun jamming – Alt card not shown on photo). Arnold fires on MvR but misses and Voss shoots at Arnold, and also misses. The initial exchanges produce precisely no damage.
Over in No Man’s Land the Adlers double up on their scout opponents. Ziegler and Fischer both fire at Giles and both miss, whilst Giles scores minor damage on the pale blue Albatros.
Welsh fires at von Bauer and wounds him but takes heavy damage in return with Kleine adding to Welsh’s misery.
To the East, MvR hits Gray’s Nieuport hard, whilst Voss scores heavily on the RE8 and sets it on fire. Laing returns fire and there is a moment when flames seem to flicker around the Albatros but they immediately go out and it just starts to smoke. (Lucky Pilot discards the flame damage).
Welsh and von Bauer can’t avoid each other and collide. There is an almighty crash with the Nieuport taking heavy damage (diced for the first card) and sheds most of its upper wing and plummets into the ground in No Man’s Land. (Kill to von Bauer by collision).
Ziegler and Capon exchange shots at close range and each takes minor damage but both manage to jam their guns. Kleine hits the RE8 with a heavy burst of fire wounding Ernest Capon.
Laing’s fire burns fiercely.
Meanwhile MvR has immelmanned, narrowly missing Voss and fires into the RE8 damaging the rudder controls. Voss swoops to the right and fires at Grey causing some light damage but also damages his rudder controls.
Ziegler and Fischer turn left as the pale blue Albatros takes fire from Percy Lindup who has his shooting boots on. There is a whoomph as Fischer’s Albatros explodes and falls to the ground inside No Man’s Land. (Kill to Lindup).
Kleine and von Bauer close in on the helpless BE2c and fire at close range but Norris and Lipton lead charmed lives as the slow moving plane takes very little damage except to the rudder controls. However, von Bauer’s guns are now jammed.
Laing tries to shake MvR off his tail but to no avail as the acrobatic pilot hangs on tight. Both fire taking minor damage but again the RE8’s rudders are damaged. The RE8 can’t take much more punishment. Arnold swings back but has no shot, whilst Gray immelmans and finds Voss in his sights at close range but only manages to jam his gun.
Giles turns tightly and finds Ziegler in his sights but misses. Ziegler in turn curses that his guns are jammed and he can’t fire at the lumbering BE2c. Both Kleine and von Bauer overshoot the BE2c and Lipton takes the opportunity to hit von Bauer causing the Albatros to start smoking.
MvR continues to follow the stricken RE8 but misses (even with his sniper skill). Selby fires back and hits something vital in MvR’s engine.
Gray overshoots Voss but Arnold gets a shot away causing minor damage.
Ziegler and Norris narrowly avoid colliding but Lipton get another shot on von Bauer setting his aircraft alight. (two smokes). Giles also fires at von Bauer but jams his gun.
The fire in Laing’s aircraft reaches the reserve fuel tank and the RE8 explodes and wreckage plummets into the ground behind the enemy lines. (Kill to MvR).
The fire in von Bauer’s Albatros burns fiercely.
With MvR chasing down the RE8, Voss finds himself pursued to two entente fighters. He avoids Gray but takes minor damage from Arnold, who manages to jam his gun. Voss fires on Capon’s RE8 but misses.
With his gun unjammed von Bauer fires at the BE2c but misses. However, Lipton now has his eye in and scores heavily on the Albatros, causing it to fall out of the sky and crash behind the German lines. (Kill to Lipton).
With both Arnold and Gray out of position, Lindup fires at close range on Voss, whose aircraft explodes and crashes down behind the German lines. (2nd Kill to Lindup)
Ziegler reverses too quickly and has to take avoiding action to miss the BE2c.
Lipton gets a shot at Ziegler as he zooms past.
Meanwhile Capon begins his approach to the target, whilst Arnold and Gray turn back to help out the BE2c.
Who in turn is being chased by Ziegler and Kleine.
Arnold and Kleine exchange long range shots as do Ziegler and Lipton.
Capon gets his photo and can now begin the journey home.
Arnold passes between Kleine and Ziegler who both shoot at Norris. Ziegler his the BE2c hard but it is Kleine who claims the kill as the BE2c plummets into the ground behind the German lines. (Kill to Kleine).
MvR has finally caught up with the dogfight and causes minor damage on Gray.
MvR and Ziegler turn towards the RE8 as Capon heads for home.
Kleine reverses and hits Arnold at long range but manages to jams his guns.
MvR hits Capon and score minor damage on the RE8 as Arnold and Gray try to back into position.
Kleine and Giles flash past each other, too close to fire.
MvR overshoots his prey but Lindup fires at close range, hitting MvR twice and wounding him . The Albatros drops out of the fight and heads for home. (Kill to Lindup who has now downed both the German leading aces in one mission). In turn Ziegler hits the RE8, damaging its rudder.
Ignoring Arnold on his tail, Ziegler pushes hole his attack on the RE8 and fires at close range and is rewarded for his persistence by seeing the RE8 explode and crash behind the German lines. (Kill to Ziegler). However he takes damage from both Arnold and the doomed Lindup who damages his rudder.
Turning away from Arnold, brings him into the sights of Gray who hits the Albatros with a sustained burst of fire. As the bullets hit all round the cockpit, Ziegler is sure he is a goner but miraculously he survives (Lucky pilot discards the 4 damage). However, his machine has taken heavy damage and must now return to the aerodrome.
Kleine seeing his Staffelfeuhrer breaking off the action, also turns for home, satisfied that the two-seaters have all been shot down. Likewise Giles, Gray and Arnold make their way home , happy to have survived and seen off so many German scouts.
Butcher’s Tally
Adlers
Obltn Kark Ziegler: White-tailed Alb D.III: FRTB-D / 1 Kill (Capon/Lindup)
FRTB Rolled 3+3 = Crashed
C&W Rolled 7 +1 RTB -1 FRTB +1 ACE (Lucky Pilot) = 8 - Injured - Skip 1D2 Scenario. Rolled 2 = Skip 1
Ltn Helmut von Bauer: Black-tailed Alb D.III: FLM-FT / WIA / 1 Kill (Welsh)
C&W Rolled 7 -2FLM -1WIA = 4 - Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios. Rolled 5 = Skip 5
Ltn Johann Kleine: Dark blue Alb D.III: RTB / 1 Kill (Norris/Lipton)
Ltn Karl-Heinz Fischer: Pale blue Alb D.III: EXP-FT / 0 Kills
C&W Rolled 8 -3EXP = 5 - Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 4 = Skip 2
Rittmeister Manfred von Richthofen: Red-tailed Alb D.III: FRTB-E / WIA / 1 Kill (Laing)
Ltn Werner Voss: Multi-coloured Alb D.III: SD / 0 Kills
Bulldogs
2Lt James Welsh: Silver N.17: COL-NML / 0 Kills
C&W Rolled 7 -2COL -1NML = 4 - Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios. Rolled 1 = Skip 1
E&E Rolled 7 -1WIC +1NML = 7 - Landed almost home. Skip 1 Scenario
Lt Fraser Norris: (P2) BE2c: SD-ET / 0 Kills
C&W Rolled 7 -1SD = 6 - Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 2 = Skip 1
E&E Rolled 7 -1WIC -1BEL = 5 - In hiding! - Skip 1D2 Scenarios. Rolled 6 = Skip 2
AM3 Reginald Lipton: (O) BE2c: SD-ET / 1 Kill (von Bauer)
C&W Rolled 7 -1SD = 6 - Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 1 = Skip 1
E&E Rolled 9 -1WIC -1BEL = 7 - Landed almost home. Skip 1 Scenario.
2Lt Ernest Capon: (P2) RE8 White Bar: EXP-ET / WIA / 0 Kills
C&W Rolled 8 -3EXP -1WIA = 4 - Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios. Rolled 1 = Skip 1
E&E Rolled 8 -1EXP -1BEL -1WIA -1WIC = 4 - Captured and escaped! - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 2 = Skip 1
AM3 Percy Lindup: (O) RE8 White Bar: EXP-ET / 2 Kills (MvR and Voss)
C&W Rolled 8- 3EXP = 5- Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 5 = Skip 3
E&E Rolled 12 -1EXP -1 WIC -1BEL = 9 - They didn’t even see me !
2Lt Dennis Giles: Sopwith Triplane: RTB / 0 Kills
Lt Frederick Laing: (P2) RE8 Red stripe: EXP-ET / 0 Kills
C&W Rolled 7-3EXP = 4 - Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios. Rolled 1 = Skip 1
E&E Rolled 10 -1EXP -1WIC -1BEL = 7 - Landed almost home. Skip 1 Scenario
AM3 Edward Selby: (O) RE8 Red stripe: EXP-ET / 0 Kills
C&W Rolled 5 -3EXP = 2 - Dead
2Lt Arnold Arnold: SPAD VII: RTB / 0 Kills
2Lt Willam Gray: Silver N.17: RTB / 0 Kills – (Returned to parent squadron)
Victory Points
Adlers
Scouts shot down 3
Recon shot down 15
Total 18
Bulldogs
Scouts shot down 9
Scouts FRTB -2
MvR FRTB 10
Total 21
Bulldog victory
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for his victories today and combat service to date for King and country 
Originally Posted by Hu Rhu
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