Just when I was about to give up, cursing...

[Olham 164]

Just when I was about to give up, cursing...

...the "winding lord" had mercy on me and gave me three presents.

My two flights before had ended with my Albatros D III getting totally damaged by enemy aces, falling onto us from high above,

before I could even turn. (Next time I'll bring the pumpgun for clay pigeons and shoot the smirk out their clocks!!!)

I was about to give up.

All is unfair! Game is too hard now! Enemies are always more, higher, invincible! Etc. Man, was I upset!

(My neighbours above and below must think, I'm mad - which was true in that moment).

 

I'll give it a last try, I said to myself, and climbed into my Albatros D II, as my alter ego Juergen Freiherr von Mahlo, with Jasta 2.

And the "winding lord" had mercy on a man, giving it a last try.

On September 16th, 1916, he sent us from Bertincourt south-west of Albert, to attack a railyard. Now, I never attack them, when

I feel threatened by any fighters within reach. I mean, I must care for my men! And so, attack the fighters first! Right?

I spotted two specs moving over Albert, to the south. We climbed between the sun and them, and then approached them.

They were two Bristol Scout D3 from RFC-1, and they didn't have much of a chance. I finished them off within 3 minutes.

 

We then tried to get on, but somewere,not yet far from our lines, my engine coughed and went out. Flak splinter? I had petrol filled up for one-and-a-half of the total miles?! Anyway - I had to put her down near an enemy airfield, and was captured.

But now came present No. 3 from the "winding lord" - I escaped after 20 days! And filled in the claim for 2 Bristols!

Great - now I can sleep well!

 

PS: The immersion was so great again. Weather was sunny, with large white cumuli clouds, and the landscape near Bertincourt

looked much like my native homeland Ostfriesland (by the north sea). Then, south-west of Albert, it became more undulating.

Must start an English campaign in the area near Amiens! Wonderful, the weather, clouds and landscapes - thank you,Winder, for

putting so much time into that. It pays. Every flying minute!!

[Siggi 10]

The RFC can stuff their railyard targets from now on. Started a new pilot earlier, three of us went to do the job, one was hit by archie about a mile from the target and went down in flames. I was met with a hail of MG fire from the ground, wounded, engine knackered, put down and captured.

 

From now on, any ground-attack mission, I'll point my nose down from 4000ft, let off one short burst, then go looking for something safer.

[Olham 164]

As I said, Siggi - the slightest danger to be attacked by any fighters from god knows were - and I'm off, and rather fight those.

And if only to protect my wingmen (Lol!)

Let those railyards for the bombers - they have the right tools, and they drop them from high above..

[Dej 17]

The RFC can stuff their railyard targets from now on. Started a new pilot earlier, three of us went to do the job, one was hit by archie about a mile from the target and went down in flames. I was met with a hail of MG fire from the ground, wounded, engine knackered, put down and captured.

 

From now on, any ground-attack mission, I'll point my nose down from 4000ft, let off one short burst, then go looking for something safer.

 

I've been doing that for a while with railyards, ground attack support and airfield attacks. They're all an invitation to oblivion. But tonight I was reckless, I'm still genuinely cross at Spillsby and Palmer dying how they did :fuk:

 

Airfield attack mission: saddled the squadron up with 20lb Coopers and plastered their 'drome a bit. Got away with it too, even though there were four of their Albatri on and off my tail (fortunately none of them were Olham). Too low for dogfighting so I ran for it. Didn't lose anyone Guess we'll get a reciprocal visit from Jasta 23 when they find out who messed up their lawn. :yes:

Edited March 10, 2009 by Dej

[+MK2 12]

Nice read Olham, thank you for sharing.

[rhythalion 0]

I only play P2, but tend to avoid ground attack missions in my little DH2.... except for using them to hunt enemy airplanes....

[Olham 164]

DEJ wrote: four of their Albatri on and off my tail (fortunately none of them were Olham)

 

Thank you for your compliment, DEJ, but believe me - this game is so realistic now, I really have to struggle hard.

And I get my nose punched many times!

But I say to myself:

when you think of the many flight hours of Ernst Udet, then his kill tally doesn't say, that he had a kill on each sortie.

He had collected kills from March 1916 until September 1918 (I think). So lets say: within some 900 days.

Now, even if we take off 300 days for furlough and bad weather (which is far more than he really had a rest, I'm sure),

we have roundly 600 flying days. They often made 2 or 3 flights a day, so let's add 300 again, and we have 900 sorties.

That would make (round) 60 victories in 900 flights. And that makes 1 air combat victory in 15 sorties.

 

What I'm trying to say, is, that we got a very realistic simulation here. And when we want to survive longer, and collect more

kills, we may have to be far more careful. More defensive thinking. Leave situations, that develop too risky.

 

We must decide, if we play for the "hunting/killing fun factor" (as I mostly did so far) - or for a longer lasting, kill collecting pilot.

No easy choice, eyh?

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

The RFC can stuff their railyard targets from now on. Started a new pilot earlier, three of us went to do the job, one was hit by archie about a mile from the target and went down in flames. I was met with a hail of MG fire from the ground, wounded, engine knackered, put down and captured.

 

From now on, any ground-attack mission, I'll point my nose down from 4000ft, let off one short burst, then go looking for something safer.

 

 

I think that was pretty much what happened in reality!