Bloody April - 1917 is a campaign game from Terry Goodchild’s ‘Wings over France’ rules for solitaire play of WWI aerial combat during the Battle of Arras. Like all the combat of the war the offensive took a terrible toll, but in the air the Allied losses were especially heavy compared to those of Germany. This campaign attempts to recreate that bloody month . . .

ASSIGNMENTS & REPORTS


To the Men of the Amiens Sector:

We are about to undertake a great offensive. It will prove to be a challenge for all of you and your aircraft. Because of the defensive nature of the Hun air strategy we must take the battle to him, which we will do with the utmost vigor. Remember always our primary responsibility is to provide assistance to the ground forces; this is the highest priority, and to do so, we must do everything possible to protect our reconnaissance and observation aircraft. Set forth and do battle knowing that with you are the confidence and heart-felt appreciation of a grateful nation.
Colonel J.B. Wagner-Stowe DSO
Commanding Officer, Amiens Sector

Sunday 6 March 2011

54 Sqdrn. 'B' Flight - Twilight Patrol - April 17, 1917.

Sir:

With No. 19 Sqdn withdrawn from the offensive, and all of No. 54 Sqdn's scouts down out of petrol around Mercatel, I decided this would be a fine time to see developments along the lines for myself.

Visibility was good, so I took my machine to 15,000 feet and made my way to Arras, where I waited for twilight. I let a couple of individual Albatros D3s from Jasta 11 pass beneath me, but when an Albatros D2 came in sight four thousand feet below me, I decided to attack. We fought our way down to 6000 feet before the Albatros escaped. I returned to 15,000 feet, where I found a damaged Albatros C3 trying to make its way to the German lines. The observer put up a good defence, but eventually I was able to shoot the C3 down.

By now, the sun had set, and I descended to 1000 feet to wave to our troops. I refrained from strafing the enemy trenches, as the two combats had used most of my ammunition, and I wanted to save what little remained in case another hostile aircraft intercepted me in the clear sky. I did not have long to wait. I'd just begun heading south when a Halberstadt D3 attacked. I used up the rest of my ammunition to no effect, and broke off. I could not, however, make any progress along the lines, as I found myself tangling with the Red Baron. Only one of his guns was flashing in the twilight, and of course my guns were silent, but he and I put on quite a show for the troops before I broke away.

Further attempts to patrol along the lines seemed likely to be futile with such good visibility, so I headed back to Corbie, passing over Mercatel and the Advanced Landing Field. An Albatros D2 and D3 surprised me deep behind our lines, but I soon out-maneuvered them and landed safely at the aerodrome.

(signed) Major Benjamin Wagner
C/O No. 54 Sqdn RFC
April 17, 1917

****************
Victory Points
Patrolled 1 Hex +2
One German Two-Seater, previously damaged, Shot Down (Wagner) +15
Total +17
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1 comment:

Eric M. said...

Wagner hit that damaged C3 on his first pass, but it had been so long since I had a damaged two-seater to attack, that I forgot that Damage/Aborting one again shot it down. And since I've been keeping D/A aircraft in dogfights all campaign, Wagner spent another 12 points of ammunition on it before driving it off. It was only when I was calculating Victory Points at the end of the mission that I realized the C3 should have gone down on that first pass.

6 March 2011 at 17:19

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