Enemy Coast Ahead (dambusters raid)

[Staggerwing]

The +whatever gets played before the diamond so hitting the mountain doesn't eff up the Upkeep drop right?

Shannon is a proud son of the commonwealth and decides to stay on target. He hopes Sumpter doesn't realize how close a thing this is and let nerves distract his timing.




(Off to bed now. I'll check in to-morrow at first light)

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

OK.  I'm working nightshift now so I won't be able to update until 7-8 am PST.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

Shannon's plane moves from the far attack zone to the near attack zone.  You can elect to try and alter either the speed or the altitude of the bomber by drawing a single chit and comparing it to the result you've already got and keeping the better of the two.  As you've already got the best possible speed chit, there's no point in drawing another so I went ahead and drew another altitude chit.  It was worse than the one you already had so there's no change.

You can now pull up and circle and try again next turn (after checking for night fighters), drop the bomb now, or proceed to the close attack zone and risk a late release.  I'd strongly recommend against the late release.  It's risky at the best of times but if there's one dam you definitely don't want to try it at, it's this one as you have a 5 in 6 chance of adding a 1 or 2 point penalty to the mountain clearance roll and only a 1 in 6 chance of improving your bomb run.

[Barthheart]

Gibson: "Push the damn button!"

[undercovergeek]

lol, c'mon Gibbo  :D

[Barthheart]

lol, c'mon Gibbo  :D

Not him over the target, it's Shannon that Gibson's yelling at.  :D

[undercovergeek]

and him too  :-[

[Staggerwing]

"Released!" yells Sumpter over the intercom as a slight shudder runs through AJ-L. The tail gunner strains his eyes trying to discern the bouncing Upkeep mine against the dark water's surface.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

I've attached a screen to illustrate the chit drawing process.  You can see two tan chits in the bottom right of the screen.  These were your speed and altitude apporach chits that you use to determine the quality of the release.  You can see the speed chit displays a speed of 220 mph and says"3 chits".  This means you draw three pink-coloured speed release chits and select the best one.  In this case, the best one gives you a +4. I've placed the three chits in a horizontal line to the right of the release box and circled the best one.

Your altitude approach chit shows a height of 65 ft and indicates that you can draw two altitude chits.  You drew a +1 chit and and +2 chit and both have a Michelskopf clearance penalty as indicated by the black diamond with the white M in the middle of it. 






So, for your bomb release you get the following bonuses:

+4 for perfect speed
+2 for altitude (a little too low)
+2 for a veteran crew

Total: +8

To hit the dam you need 15 or better on 2D6 so with the +8 bonus you need a 7 or better.




     

[Staggerwing]

[blockquote]Rolled 2d6 : 6, 1, total 7[/blockquote]

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

The bomb hits the water hard and takes a high bounce that comes dangerously close to slamming into the tail section of AJ-L.  It then skips across the reservoir and slams hard into the dam wall, exploding just below the surface.  AJ-L struggles to gain altitude.

It's a hit!  Now you just have to clear the mountain.

Roll 2D6.  You need a 4 or better but you have a -1 modifier for the approach vector, -1 for a near release, and another -1 for the low altitude so you need a 7 or better to avoid crashing into the slope.

[Staggerwing]

While the tail gunner shouts out "I think we got 'er Sir!" Shannon pushes all four throttle levers forward and pulls back hard on the Lancaster's yoke, desperately trying to find the very edge of the climb/stall envelope in an attempt to pass over the mountainsides ahead without robbing the aircraft of enough speed to maintain lift...


[blockquote]Rolled 2d6 : 2, 2, total 4[/blockquote]

[Staggerwing]

... but the effort is in vain as the craft rushes ever closer to the side of the slope until the bottom of the fuselage strikes the mountain with a mighty blow.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

Damn.  I don't think a single bomber has yet survived a drop.

Roll 1D6 do see how much damage your bomb did.

[Staggerwing]

[blockquote]Rolled 1d6 : 1, total 1[/blockquote]