COMBAT COMIX,ISSUE 4; THE BIGGER THEY ARE, THE HARDER THEY FALL

[Enforcer57]

Ok comrades, here is the long awaited issue regarding misn 11 of our Italy SEOW cmpn, a hard fought campaign that seems to see saw back and forth, and has been fought tooth and nail among the illustrious pilots of the K-9 squadrons. This is presented by HH Enforcer, flying with the glorious Luftwaffe in defense of Sophia Loren and all the other hot chicks and great food on Italy. Our losses have been heavier than theirs and the battle, though certainly not one sided, has generally favored the allies despite our holding firm in most sectors.

The Allies have significant naval superiority (as they did in reality) and we have flown many misns agianst their remaining King George class battleship, which was pounding hell out of German ground forces on Italy, its 14 inch guns reaching far inland. Our losses have been heavy, these attacks accounting for about half or more of our AC losses. This one ship was having a greater influence on the war than any other factor, and after the losses it inflicted during the previous misn mandated that it be taken out, regardless of cost.

Bf-110s were chosen as the AC, and extensive planning went into the operation that is still classified at this point. An attack group of six planes divided into two three plane elements would attack from the stern from minimum altitude; these things are the toughest, most well defended targets in the entire theatre.

Here the attack group forms up and heads out to target, with Sid following me (Enforcer) and not visible here. We have the most effective bombs and the 30mm cannon loadout.

Cold Gambler volunteered for the suicide misn of scouting the enemy shipping and providing targeting info. This he did to great effect, but eventually the enemy CAP, headed by the dreaded Darth Painless (the master of the dark side), took him down. I decided then I would remember him by comforting his Italian girlfriend as often as possible; I'm nothing if not valiant and compassionate.

Meanwhile, our AI Stukas were tasked with attacking enemy armor approaching our positions......of course they weren't worth a damn at this, but both sides were short of human pilots (about 11 on each side) and we just couldn't spare any humans. Where are the Cylons when you need 'em?

[Enforcer57]

Just moments after Cold Gambler's heroic demise, CG's AI drone wingman makes a brilliant head on deflection pass on Painless, taking him by surprise and hitting his engine. The thought of a drone taking out Painless is unheard of, and is not expected, by us or him.

Painless is dead stick, and is alarmed that he is behind our lines. He heads for the nearby lines on an Italian beach.

He bellies in on what he thinks is the sandy beach surface, but is actually a shear cliff on the edge of said beach. He is highly upset that his designer Corsican knickers are going to get wet, as well as his prize argyle socks. He intends to complain forcibly to the Italian authorities upon the conquest of Italy.

[Enforcer57]

His plane sinks quickly, but he has just barely crossed into allied lines, escaping capture. Here he will have a clear view of the Royal Navy battleship that has a close but unusual tie to him as it blasts German positions. He also wishes he brought some suntan lotion with him. The announcement that Painless has been brought down this early in the misn by one of our drones results in loud cheering and whooping; there was much rejoicing that one of the most feared allied pilots won't be a threat this mission.

The drone hero that brought him down is set upon by his Painless's wingman (who should step forward and ID himself for the record). The drone dies heroically and will be decorated, since AI pilots are like Cylons and are resurrected, he will no doubt be back.

Meanwhile, Knight and his drone wingy takes over the FAC role from Cold Gambler, coming under heavy AA from the ships below. He is amazed that there are no enemy fighters visible and calls in the strike group, confirming CG's previous location and heading of the enemy force. There are good reasons enemy planes are absent over the ships.

[Enforcer57]

That reason is named Rattler and Friar. They, and a flight of AI 109F drones, engage the allied fighters covering the ships, initially attacking alone. The first victory is over a Canadian robber barron named BG, who is well known among our forces for his growing collection of properties that he is purchasing from Italians in the allied areas. Our intel even determined that he financed the building of the King George class battleship that is today's target, and that its name is HMS Blairgowe. His vast ill-gotten fortune does him little good today though.

At this point, during the attack on the BB, Rattler 'utilizes' his loyal wingy Friar (the unit chaplain) as bait. This works like a charm.........though Friar's enthusiasm for this tactic must've been severely tempered as every P-47 in theatre seems to have fallen for this.

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By the time they realize he's there, it's too late. Rattler closes to close range and fires per Boelke's dicta. (I have no ID on this pilot if he's human, if you wanna ID yourself for the credits).

After we had clobbered the battleship and were egressing, the allied pilots searched for our strike group with blood in their eye. Canadian Goose is tormenting our CO Greyknight in an epic dogfight, which delays him long enough for Rattler to close, as he is master of getting max performance from the FW.

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He hits the P-47 with an incredible deflection shot of 20mm.

Goose tries to evade, but again it's too late once Rattler gets within optimum range.

Our flight of AI 109Fs arrives and adds to the distraction of the enemy CAP, but as usual, the AI pilots pay a heavy price, as Mobius adds yet another swastika to his fuselage.

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During this furball, our strike group was free to attack the target. Of course, it might have been different if radar was modeled in the sim, but we still considered a miracle that we were, for now, unopposed in the air. The AA barrage however, more than made up for it. Psycho brings up the rear as the first flight is led into attack by Greyknight. The plan is going exactly as we wanted so far, and our 110s are going so fast in our dives that they are shaking.

The attack is made inline on the deck, skip bombing into the stern at the water line as the 14 inch guns fire on our troops. Greyknight pulls off after making his drop as Highlander and Psycho wade through the POM POM and 20mm fire. Our bomb fuse settings are classified but they seemed to have worked.

Psycho makes his approach as Highlander pulls off after dropping his eggs. The first bombs have yet to explode, making it a bit hairy......

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Psycho drops as Greyknight's bombs finally explode. The timing is perfect, as a second more or less would have taken out either of the 110s. We thought some of our bomb fusing wasn't working, but in hindsight it worked perfectly.

Highlander pulls off as he flies though the debris from Greyknight's bombs. It's a close call, as metal and bodies are flying through the air.

Psycho drops and pulls up so close that the spotter on the main mast leaps to his death in terror. Perhaps it was "Ride of the Valkieries" playing through a loud speaker on his plane or maybe it was the intimidation of having a wingtip in one's mouth, but he lept. At this point, Psycho's AI gunner noticed the dreaded crest of Darth Painless on the British naval banner. Intel determined later that the ship was manned fully by 1600 clones of Painless himself. This is one ship where you wouldn't wanna drop your soap in the shower.

[Rattler]

Awesome job, Carl! Thanks for the effort that you put into these.

[Enforcer57]

Merci Rattler, but there is much more to come. This is a captured photo of more bombs going off as Psycho pulls off target. There is a slight lull in the attack, but not for long as the second flight comes in.

Our unit's token section 8 and one of our most lethal pilots pulls out as his bombs help gut the engineering spaces of the ship while she still continues to shell our Aryan warriors, but not for long.

I (Enforcer) led the second strike group of Logos and Sid into the fray, passing the gauntlet of fire put up by the two carriers nearby. My adrenalin was flooding my bodily fluids as I was focused only on putting my eggs on target. I had practiced this many times during the week.

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As I closed I opened up with my four cannon, hoping to suppress some of the forest of AA guns on the stern......probably didn't, but it made me feel better.

This is the view through my gunsight. Between the rattling of the 30mm and the shaking from hauling ass so fast, I was shaking all over the place, but I managed to put my fire on the ship. I think I interrupted their tea break.

After dropping the holy handgrenades of Antioch, I stayed low over the superstructure to foil their firing solutions, which usually works. Note the damage to the engine room area which is beginning to flood.

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Logos approaches to line up as my bombs explode in the engine room while I pull off to the left, balls

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Logos is killed by a proximity fused 5 in shell as he is about to drop on the DD. His gunner is unable to escape and gets a third Riech funeral as well. We remember our dead heroes. Note the doomed battlewagon in the background as it provides plenty of food for the fishes.

Another captured photo of Logos hitting the water alongside the Fletcher class DD. So close but yet so far. Salute comrade Logos.

Sid drops on top of the destroyer, but the track didn't record an explosion of even a splash (sometimes it does that), so I don't know the outcome. He did survive and haul ass outta there though, much to the chagrin of some B-25s as you will see.

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Highlander limps away on one engine, avoiding the incoming flight of Tonar's B-25s as they try to intervene in vain......yup, B-25s attacking 110s. Rather valiant, but doomed.

I regained altitude and decide to split, diving again to get up speed to haul ass. I took a glance at the sinking object of our attention of countless misns, and take a photo with my Lieca. I never did see the damage to my wingtip until I saw the track.

A few thousand feet above me is what I feared most (other than being in the same sky or shower with Painless); an enraged bunch of allied fighter jocks. Psycho's arch enemy Darth Doubletap is enraged and sees me trying to escape. The fact that he is flying the fastest diving gun platform in the sky is not helpful for me.

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During all this action, our AI 109Fs engage a nearby flight of AI B-25s as they pass by escorted by AI P-47s. Some of the drone behavior is right outta the Twilight Zone.

The afore mentioned flight of B-25s that tries to intervene is Tonar and his AI wingman. They were a bit late though, and are pounced upon by Knight, who has already been damaged in the storm of lead and steal in the sky.

As Sid is egressing, he sees the B-25s and attacks, coming to Knight's aid. Here he splashes Tonar's wingman with a quick burst of 30 and 20mm.

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The AI gunners on the B-25s give as good as they get though, and Knight's drone wingy is hit and goes in as Sid closes on the violently manuvering Tonar.

Tonar finally bites the water under a hail of 30mm from Sid as his tail gunner continues to fire (it may have even been him firing the guns).

Tonar goes in, but the cost mounts as knight also falls to the guns of the B-25 in the background.

[Enforcer57]

Meanwhile, back at the proverbial ranch, I'm being tormented by a maniacal Doubletap, who is firing incredibly accurately while my courageous gunner Hans opens up with his twin MG-15s.

This is the last view poor Hans had as he scores good hits on DT's engine.

Hans is killed and I am all alone....our fighters are busy in the furball far above and the other 110s are too far away or engaged with enemy bombers. I jink desperately as my 110 is does a swiss cheese imitation under DT's fire. I still have no idea what or who is shooting at me, but I have obviously pissed them off pretty badly at some point. I'm unaware that my tormentor's engine is going to pieces.

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I look up and see a rather disturbing sight of a 47 within pistol range, pulling up as his engine is in its death agony.

DT pulls up and gains altitude in some amazing airmanship and energy management, and continues to attack me dead stick, scoring with much of his fire. I mean this guy just won't quit.

He FINALLY goes in, as I boil my engines getting the hell outta there; bound to be some more of these maniacs around here somewhere. Talk about waking a sleeping giant; Yamamoto's got nothing on me.

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As I haul toward the Italian coast, I don't even see Mobius as he makes a head on deflection pass at me, perforating my wingtanks. I was wondering where all this fire kept coming from and didn't realize it was him until I saw the trak for the fourth time. I poured on the power and got outta there before he was able to reverse. The AI 109s attracted his attention as well.

I make the coast and head toward the little blue lines on the map and safety. Unfortunately, my damaged overworked engines are giving out on me, and give up the ghost right over a blasted Italian village. They picked a hell of a place to put a town. Damn.

I manage to put her down between buildings, but wind up sliding through the mud on my back and soiling my captured fruit of the looms. At least Hans didn't mind.

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This was the bowel evacuating view I had, just before the fuselage started rolling over sideways faster than a six flags ride that makes everyone puke.

I saw flames licking at the wing tanks as I rolled, and punched off the canopy before we were stopped. I hit the deck as my bird exploded, showering me with bits of my tail gunner. I looked up to see some Tommies standing there pointing their Enfields and Stens at me. One of them said "For you, the war is over mate......you probably need a shower, somebody get him some soap." I looked closely and saw that all the Brit soldiers were.........CLONES OF PAINLESS. AAAAIIIIEEEE!!! I also noticed that they were led by a rather beat up looking older gent who was in Royal Navy FAA flying gear. He introduced himself as BG. I asked him if his parents hated him or something for naming him that, and he just threw me a shovel and told me to learn how to use it.

The Canadian FAA pilot had apparently bailed out after being blown out of the air by one of our illustrious aces, and said he needed to use prisoners to help "improve" his investment in some local beach-front property as he handed me a shovel and told me to start digging a foundation for a condo. (?!?!).

So, as he looked away to give orders to the Painless clones, I whacked him over the head with the shovel, making a rather

[GreyKnight]

Great stuff Enforcer, a fantastic story. It helped take the sting away from last night's mission.

[Enforcer57]

It's gonna be a long war.

[BBloke]

Great Job Carl.

[BadAim]

You made my day mate!

[JensenPark]

Well done Herr Karl!

Best to date.

Loved the pink "P" on the flag!