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/qst/ - Quests


Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>4691950
>>4691950
>last thread

The Great War Rages! And in the wartorn skies above the continent of Atlesia, an Age of Heroes Dawns!

>You are Stanislaw Krol, an ace pilot flying for Sturmwing Chimera of the Fliegermacht! Last time, Merovian forces launched a daring night attack upon Baldir Base, and made new foes of all kinds...

--
>>Try and play defense until you can locate the rest of Chimera. Use your radio as best as you can to try and pick them up through the mess!

Well, that had been a right proper mess back there. As you come down from the high of your kill, you shake your head. Too damn close. Maybe you'd been overconfident given the disparity with the enemy?

As your Udet zooms around the darkness, occasionally lit up by an exploding AA shell or a stray spotlight, you decide that you've had enough of flying solo.

That near brush with the Jezails had been close enough for you! Besides, there was no reason to not try and link up with the rest of Chimera if you could. It would just be a matter of picking them up.

Granted, with such extensive radio chatter over the Coms, it might be somewhat troublesome....

Still, you were trained ! You grab the receiver and do you best to Hone in on a familiar voice.

"Chimera Flight, this is Chimera 3! Captain? Luigi? Anyone??"
---
>1d10 General Mechanics Check!
>>
Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>4722935
>>
Two more?
>>
Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>4722935
Oh boy, here we go again with the tens...
>>
Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>4722935
>>
>>4722945
>>4723074
>>4723108
>3 pass!

As you fiddle with the radio, you curse loudly. There is all kinds of panicked chatter on the airwaves. Hmm..

*Down! Going Down ahhhhh!*
*--it the Depot! This is a--*

*--Hummingirds, on me! On--*

*--amnit Luigi, we have to-*

You blink. There! That was Braun! Fighting to regain that particular frequency, you smile in elation as you finally hit them again.

*--ome around. I want us to-*

"CAPTAIN!", you call out loudly. "Captain it's me Stanislaw! Can you hear me?"

For a few seconds, all you get is static and humming of a dead wave. Then, all of a sudden...

*We read you Rook. Where are you at in this fucking mess anyways?*

He sounds tired and angry and you dont really blame him. You feel a bit less than sunny and smiles yourself.

"Is the rest of the Flight with you sir?"

*Luigi is. I have no clue where Paul got himself too. We got separated early on*, he says, thick with irritation.

"Oh, he uh...he woke me up sir!", you say in some embarrassment. You bite down a curse as your leg throbs again.

*He woke you..YOU SLEPT THROUGH THIS???*

You sigh and flinch.

"Uhh...long story sir. Not really radio friendly material if you get my meaning..."

A few seconds of silence.

*ahh... THAT again?*

"I think. Where you at sir?", you ask. Best not to chat too much about your condition over the waves. Never knew who might be listening.

*We're making for the Depot. Word is bouncing around that more bogeys are coming in that general direction. Last thing we need is for it go up in smoke!*

That was putting it lightly.
----
>Meet up with Braun and Luigi and defend the Depot.

>Stay and guard the Hangar

>Go hunting instead

>write in
>>
>>4723168
>>Meet up with Braun and Luigi and defend the Depot.
Hopefully any plane worth protecting is in the air by now (Sorry ground crew!)
>>
>>4723168
>>Meet up with Braun and Luigi and defend the Depot.
>>
>>4723168
>Meet up with Braun and Luigi and defend the Depot.
>>
>>4723178
>>4723197
>>4723220
>Meet up with Braun and Luigi and defend the Depot.

Hmm...well the Hangar was important, but you have to assume most everyone was in the air now that mattered. Besides, they had that good AA gunner so...plus the Depot held most of your fuel and other vital supplies!

"I'm heading over to help you out sir!", you say into the radio. The Udet responds to your change in direction with a bloodthirsty growl. It seems eager for combat in a strange mechanical way.

You pass through the darkness, avoiding buzzing planes all the time. Below you, a few buildings are burning, but you don't think any of them are THAT important. The three main issues, the Main Office, Hangar and Depot seem fine.

*There you are Rook*

Out of the shadow and into the light comes Captain Braun and Luigi. Both look worse for wear, though no more damaged than yourself.

*Ah! Friend Stanislaw, it is good to see you wide and awake at last!*

You give a little smile at that.

"Heavy sleeper, Luigi. Heavy sleeper. What's the status on the base as a whole? Do we know that?", you ask.

The radio buzzes back.

*Information is limited Rook. What we know is they seem to be coming from three angles in waves. Everything from damn Jezails to newer Foncks have been reported. Bombers too. Though so far they've been thin....*

You blink at that. They weren't sending in the heavies right away?

"That seems...dumb? Why wouldn't they want as much shock value as possible in the initial attack?"

*Asking me? Maybe they assumed we'd catch on quicker then we did. Assumed they would need to clear our screens away. Any way kid we got lucky. Spotters hit them just in time*, the Captain replies as the three of you buzz around.

"...And Sergei? Ernst? I saw the radio tower go down pretty early on sir!"

*Ah, friend Sergei climbed out of bed we hear. He bravely mans AA gun even as we speak! The good doctor, he tried to deny him but was thrown aside!*, Luigi laughs.

*As for Ernst, don't worry for him. The HQ has more guns than anywhere. Anyone getting close has been shot down fairly easily. The issue is we have no way of knowing how many waves are left or their locations without the radio tower!*

You nod. Without that, HQ would need to rely on ground sets for any kind of communication. Or rush out telegraph lines as a last resort. You doubt they had time for any of that.

"Can we count on reinforcements?", you ask. The Merovian numbers seemed to be unknown based on chatter, but they were coming hot and hard...

*Possible. If Ernst managed to send off a communique, they might be inbound. But word is we arent the only people getting hit. This seems to be their answer for what has happened in the Valley*, the Captain spits.

You nod. It made sense that Merovia would try and strike a blow back after your success in Huffendor. It was up to you to make sure it failed...

So you needed to focus!
---
>1d10 Observation
>>
Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>4723313
>>
Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>4723313
>>
One more?
>>
Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>4723357
Okay! Here's to a one.
>>
Rolled 6, 10, 5, 4, 7, 7 = 39 (6d10)

>>4723384
I regret everything :(
>>
Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>4723326
>>4723343
>>4723357
>>4723384
>>4723386
>10 autofail
>Luigi success!

Try as you might, you can't quite make out anything beyond the normal harassment you've noticed so far. Here and there enemy planes buzz by, but most seem warned off by the occasional burst of AA fire.

You can't seem to find anything beyond that however. Were they not planning on launching a major attack on the depot after all...?

"Sir, don't they seem a bit hesitant?", you ask into the radio. Either that or your night flying skills really weren't up to par! Maybe you should eat some carrots. You'd heard carrots did wonders for your eyeballs by night.

*Yeh kid...I dunno. It's a natural target and they strafed it earlier, maybe--*

*CAPTAIN! I SEE THEM!*, Luigi bellows over the radio. You jolt in your seat as the roar comes busting into the cockpit. He sounds both excited and surprised.

*Where?*, is all Braun says.

*The Lights in the east Captain! Follow the lights! I saw a formation in the gloom! Luigi swears this!*

Following his directions, you struggle for a minute to locate anything. Then the lights converge and another series of siren calls scream out of the east.

Well you'll be damned. There they are.

It's a flight of Merovian bombers, of a model you don't quite recognize. They are slimmer than the ones you had faced down with Ferret, and painted as black as the sky around them.

Braun sees them too.

*All available units. This is Captain Claus Braun of the Sturmwing Chimera. We have Merovian night bombers coming in from the east. Numbers unknown. Be advised they are approaching*

You doubted that with all the chaos and lack of a central command, anyone would be in a place to assist, but it couldn't hurt to try. Any plane extra helped.

*Captain, how do we handle this?*, you hear Luigi ask, as you thumb the stick.

It was true the closer they got the more AA cover would be helping you. But did you really want to take that risk? Let them come in?

*We..we should...*

You could probably lobby for an idea and push it over the edge.
----
>Stay close to the Depot and try to concentrate your firepower. It's risky to let them close in, but you might be able to tear them up before it matters..

>You can't risk letting them get close. Fly out and meet them for a fight. The Depot cant risk a close shave.

>Split up? One or two of you stay behind while the other harasses them?

>Write in
>>
>>4723414
>>You can't risk letting them get close. Fly out and meet them for a fight. The Depot cant risk a close shave.
>>
>>4723414
>Split up? One or two of you stay behind while the other harasses them?
>>
>>4723778
>>You can't risk letting them get close. Fly out and meet them for a fight. The Depot cant risk a close shave.

There is no way that you can just sit here and let the frogs get a shot at the Depot! No way in hell, damn them!

"Sir!", you radio over. "We should fly out and meet them! We can't just let them have their way with the base!"

A few seconds later, you hear the radio crackle off at you.

*Alright, sounds like a plan. Move out Chimera...minus one*, the Captain crisply replies. His Udet turns into an advance before roaring straight ahead.

You and Luigi follow behind, and you see his garish paint flash briefly as a spotlight passes beneath you.

"Aha! I like this bold play friend Stanislaw! Let us take the fight to these Merovians like true men, Si?", he asks. You knew he would approve of the move even as you were suggesting it. It was not Luigi's way to be subtle. He much preferred the simplest, direct acts of bravery.

*Alright, here is how we handle this...*, Braun begins. *I don't trust these shadows. If you get too close in, you just might find yourself on the bad end of a collision. Stay sharp, Chimera!*

As you close on them, you notice that the enemy formation is bigger than yours first anticipated. Judging by the occasional flashing shell or lucky pair of lights, you count at least a dozen.

Well, you'd had worse odds before.

It was largely a matter of keeping low and
Good target placement. The bombers would be nasty customers in daylight, but you wondered how effective those gunners would be in this case. After all, like Braun said, conditions were awful.

You don't seem to have been spotted yet, so you flip your radio to General freq just in case anything juicy is on. If there was one thing you'd learned in this war, it was bizzare number of times enemy pilots simply announced themselves.

*Buzz Buzz crackle buzzzz--Oui!*

*Rappelez-vous pourquoi vous vous battez! En avant, tous les avions! Alzen sera Mérovien, maintenant et pour toujours! ALLEZ!*

*ALLEZ!*

You stare at the radio, understanding none of their gibberish, although you suppose you really had try and learn more than a handful of words in their tongue.

Shaking yourself out of it, you try and focus on one plane in particular. One in the rear flank, you think. It might go down before they realize what's happening.

You take aim.
---
>1d10 gunnery
>>
>>4723829
Shit. I was posting when I refreshed and saw this. We'll just call it as above since its already posted. Apologies bud.
>>
Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>4723840
>>4723838
No worries.
>>
Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>4723838
>>
Well that's a good 1. One more?
>>
Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>4723978
!
>>
File: chimera.jpg (271 KB, 1627x1851)
271 KB
271 KB JPG
Rolled 10, 3, 8, 1, 10, 2 = 34 (6d10)

>>4724038
>>
Rolled 7, 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 6, 7, 3, 4 = 67 (12d10)

>>4724046
Hon
>>
File: 406-2.jpg (17 KB, 500x500)
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Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>4724069
>1 auto success!

As you close in, you break your cover with a burst of machine gun fire.

'Tatatatata!' They go, spitting hot lead and death. You aim for the engine, and you see smoke sputter in the dark as you roll, dodging a panicked burst of fire.

*This is Luigi, I have a hit!*

The Garibaldi follows you, delivering a fusillade into one of the bombers. To their credit, the enemy planes manage to largely hold steady despite the sudden nature of your assault vs them.

Captain Braun is less lucky. He misses on his pass and while the bombers have not yet effectively opened fire, his positioning is overall fairly off. Bad for him.

You can hear panicked yelling over the radio in Merovian before a firm voice shuts them up. The sudden movement among the skies also sends stray shells your way from the ground.

For now though, they are wildly ineffective at this height and range. As it stands, you will effectively be handling this on your own until the range closes.

You did ask for this though. Initiative!

Now for how to handle this mess that you've stuck yourself in...
---
>Luigi, Combo Move! Double team the same plane and focus fire! We'll knock em down in no time!

>Try and spread fire as widely as possible. Less damage to any one plane, but if you can rush around, you could do good harrassment...

>Just keep doing what your doing. No need for anything fancy.

>Try and drop low and below. A belly shot has its advantages.

>write in
---


>That's all folks! See u in the morning and stay excellent! Get those votes in!
>>
>>4724097
>>Luigi, Combo Move! Double team the same plane and focus fire! We'll knock em down in no time!
>>
>>4724097
>Try and spread fire as widely as possible. Less damage to any one plane, but if you can rush around, you could do good harrassment...

WW1 Newtype action! I really want to develop a named attack like Foudre flight has at some point.
>>
>>4724097
>Try and drop low and below. A belly shot has its advantages.
>>
Uh....ok, lol. Thats a 3 way draw. Any lurker feel like being Tiebreaker vote? I'll give it some time.

(Also it occurs to me I mucked up Wolf 4 again. Somehow I got him mixed up with Alpha/Paul in >>4723168. A running theme it would seem.)
>>
Rolled 2 (1d3)

>>4724615
!!
>>
File: unnamed (4).jpg (39 KB, 512x308)
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>>4724192
>>4724228
>>4724606
>Try and spread fire as widely as possible. Less damage to any one plane, but if you can rush around, you could do good harrassment...

You think the best approach in this situation would be to spread the damage around as much as you can. Dropping the planes was one thing, but in these conditions you doubt you'd knock them all down in time...if you went one by one.

This way, maybe you could Turn them back even If most survive. That's as good as kills for the Depot really. And, you think, whose to say you won't get lucky?

You're a good shot. Usually. Now you just need to pull this off. A wide roll across the enemy ranks should suffice. You'll be exposed to fire, but with speed and darkness as a factor...

You think you can do it!

The Udet purrs as you hit the lever.
---
>1d10!
>>
Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>4724693
>>4724693
>>
Two more.?
>>
Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>4724693
>>
Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>4724693
>>
Rolled 8, 10, 6, 5, 1, 2 = 32 (6d10)

Chimera
>>
Rolled 6, 9, 5, 9, 7, 8, 7, 4, 6, 2, 8, 8 = 79 (12d10)

>>4724872
Frogs
>>
File: wolf-symbol.jpg (17 KB, 500x500)
17 KB
17 KB JPG
Rolled 10, 7, 5, 3, 6, 7 = 38 (6d10)

>>4724874
Surprise!
>>
File: Chimera.png (624 KB, 1080x1080)
624 KB
624 KB PNG
>>4724791
>>4724854
>>4724862
>>4724874
>>4724878
>10 Autofail:(
>Wolves 1 and 4 arrive!

While you do your best to try and find a position to rake the enemy planes, it's not that simple. The bombers are putting up an impressive wave of lead into the air, even if most of it is wildly inaccurate.

Still, when a few rounds pass right by your head, you cease your own harrassment and call it off. The opportunity simply wasn't there.

*Damn them! Can't get a shot!*, you hear Captain Braun call out. His own Udet barely avoids a fusillade and swoops away into shadow. Nothing doing their either.

Luigi is lucky today, apparently. His Garibaldi scores another blow or two on the bomber of his choice. You also think you see shards fly from his own plane via return fire, and the two of them seemed locked in a gun duel all of their own accord.

Still, the bombers were heading for the Depot without delay, and--

'Tatatataattaatta!'
'Vroooooooooom!'

You see Luigi's enemy bomber start to spew smoke as two Voss's come screaming in from a grey cloud bank above. By night all planes are dark, but you know those moves and you know that sigil, brief though your sight of it is.

"Alpha! Wolf 4!", you announce. They must have picked through the radio warnings from Chimera!

*We're here...*, Alpha responds, as he rolls away from the concentrated bursts of a pair of bombers.

*We figured we'd find you all three together!*, Wolf 4 states. *Stanislaw, how is that leg?*

You flinch at the reminder. With adrenaline pumping you'd barely noticed it for a bit, but his words bring a small sting.

"Fine, it-"

*Leg?*, Braun interrupts. *You didn't say anything about a Gahhh!*, Braun is cut off as a new series of shots flares up, nearly catching him.

"It's nothing sir, really! I'm fine!"

In any case, the bigger question now is how to handle this business. The time has come for some decisive action! But what?
---
>Try the same trick, but from underneath the bombers instead? Maybe that will work!

>Now you have 5 planes. Pair up and concentrate fire. It will be more effective at this point than individual attempts!

>Fly in amongst them and try to causs as much chaos as possible. Risky, but fortune favors the bold. Maybe they'll shoot each other?

>Write in
>>
>>4724910
>>Now you have 5 planes. Pair up and concentrate fire. It will be more effective at this point than individual attempts!
>>
>>4724910
>Fly in amongst them and try to causs as much chaos as possible. Risky, but fortune favors the bold. Maybe they'll shoot each other?
>>
>>4725028
>>Now you have 5 planes. Pair up and concentrate fire. It will be more effective at this point than individual attempts

With the sudden boost in firepower, you suppose this called for a change in tactics! Something more direct maybe, relying on concentration of firepower. Yes. That should be the ticket!

You grab the radio set.

"Hey, you guys! Now that we've the extra planes, why not pair off? Let's smash them that way! One group of two and one of three!", you call out. You weren't an even number, with Sergei on the ground, but it would serve.

*Not a bad plan at all. If we keep poking at them like this one of their potshots is gonna get lucky by sheer volume. Alright, let's do it. Paul?*, he asks.

The radio crackles in response.

*Werewolf will follow*, Alpha responds crisply, as he and his wingman come around for another pass. That was good. Had he chosen to be argumentative the plan could have been derailed.

Another few bursts from AA shells illuminates the enemy formation as it buzzes across the sky as a flock.

*Chimera, execute!*
---
>1d10
>>
Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>4725043
>>
Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>4725043
>>
Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>4725043
How about a 10 for a change...
>>
>>4725056
Ah, the solution seems to be sarcasm!
>>
>>4725056
Based reverse psychology. Freudian dice.
>>
Rolled 4, 4, 5, 9, 3, 6, 8, 7, 8, 2, 6, 3 = 65 (12d10)

Chimera and Werewolf Roar
>>
File: images (7).jpg (7 KB, 300x168)
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7 KB JPG
Rolled 9, 2, 7, 9, 4, 7, 4, 4, 2, 10, 6, 4 = 68 (12d10)

>>4725107
Allez!
>>
Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>4725045
>>4725048
>>4725056
>1 Auto Success!
>Bogey Down!
>Bogey Down!
---

With mechanical, drilled precision, Chimera and Werewolf Flights snap into action. With Wolves 1 and 4 as a pair, and you, Captain Braun, and Luigi as a trio, you set to work. You and Braun mirror each other splendidly, rolling around in a tornado of lead and sound.

With that done, your bullets impact one engine in unison. The bomber before you catches fire in the right shoulder before you change shots again.

*Now the left, Rook!*, he orders.

And so you follow. The two of you turn your machine guns to the other engine on the bomber and score more strikes.

Soon enough it too bursts into flame and the bomber careens down and out.

"Scratch one", you say into the piece.

A bit over, Alpha and Wolf 4 are performing their own dance against an isolated bomber. The Merovian gunner is wily, and manages to drive off Alpha temporarily. However, rolling over at speed, Luigi joins in.

Now attacked from three angles, the bomber loses it's tail end, and wobbles briefly. Then Wolf 4 manages to send a long burst into the cockpit that sends the plan veering sharply. You see a gunner tumble from his nest, carried away by the night winds. You hope he was wearing a chute, but you sure didn't see one.

Meanwhile, as you and Braun select a new target for attack, you hear him curse over the radio. A burst from the bombers cuts into his over wing, pitting the canvas before he turns away.

*Canvas for two bombers. I'll take that trade any day of the week. Keep up this tempo everyone! They'll be in proper range of the static defenses soon!*

Both good and bad that. AA guns could do good work, but that they were closing in at all was troublesome. If only the surprise hadn't been so great...

Around you, lead and engines fill the air with the bells of hell.
----
>Keep this up. You've got a good thing going right now! Trim them plane by plane!

>Descend among them and do anything you can to cause confusion. You need to break this formation up, disciplined crews or no...

>The Dark is throwing their aim. Stop worrying about defense and launch a full attack with each plane. Maximum agression!

>write in
>>
>>4725153
>The Dark is throwing their aim. Stop worrying about defense and launch a full attack with each plane. Maximum agression!
>>
>>4725162
>>The Dark is throwing their aim. Stop worrying about defense and launch a full attack with each plane. Maximum agression!

With those two bogeys down, you feel your blood pumping. It's the battle fever on you, and you are flush with victory. Still, you are far from out of the woods yet. You need to press the attack!

"Sir!", you call over the radio, dodging another burst from a bomber. "I think we should step it up! This dark, it's hurting their aim more than we thought!"

True enough. It was. They also happened to be putting more lead into the air than you via number of guns, but it was largely inaccurate and predictable. Granted, that didn't mean you should start being stupid...buuuut...

*Eager today, aren't you? Happens I am too. I was having a nice dream and haven't my coffee. All fighters, turn up the dial! Knock them to hell!*

*AHAHAHAHA! YES!*, Luigi roars, speeding his Garibaldi as fast as it can go into the charge. His guns blaze. Your own fighter speed ahead through the night sky, weaving a path forwards.

*Wolves hunting. Acknowledged!*

As the pairs break up and move in for the attack, you see the bombers let loose with their own rattling fire.

Now, it's your turn.
----
>1d10
>>
Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>4725279
>>
Two more? A crit here would be nice.
>>
Rolled 3, 5 = 8 (2d10)

>>4725449
Alright!
>>
File: images (4).jpg (7 KB, 246x205)
7 KB
7 KB JPG
Rolled 10, 4, 5, 7, 6, 7 = 39 (6d10)

>>4725552
Chimera
>>
Rolled 1, 4, 3, 4, 1, 3 = 16 (6d10)

>>4725556
Werewolf
>>
Rolled 4, 7, 4, 6, 7, 7, 2, 9, 7, 2, 7, 9, 8, 4, 8 = 91 (15d10)

>>4725558
Finally, The Frog Menace let's loose!
>>
File: Model Airways Nieuport.jpg (985 KB, 1192x868)
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>>4725300
>>4725552
>>4725556
>>4725558
>>4725562
>1 Auto Success!
>Wolves 1 and 4: Auto Succeses!
>Bogey Down!
>Bogey Withdrawing!


'Tatatataatatatata!', go your guns as you close in on the night bombers. Your senses alert you to an encroaching enemy plane, and as it leans over, the gunner let's loose a solid volley...

"Oh no you don't!"

...but not solid enough. Your Udet dives and spins, before releasing a punishing level of fire into the enemy craft. Finally, you come in from close and below, and grin as his left engine explodes into a panoply of wood and tinder.

'BOOM!'

It falls out of line, veering away. He isn't going down yet, but he seems to be slowly trying to come about. You suppose he means to land as far away from base as possible, or, assuming the damage can be managed, get away.

You nod. It wasn't a kill, but you'd take it.

*Damnit, Luigi, leave off!*, you hear the Captain order. You see hot lead flying as the two of them come too close, and nearly get sandwiched between two bombers in a crossfire. Somehow they get out of it with no damage.

Then you see another pop and boom as the Werewolf Flight pilots go to work. Despite Wolf 4 supposedly being a second line replacement, the two of them are working well together. In their twin Voss planes, they harry the plane Luigi had been dueling with near the start.

'Tatatataatatata!'

Wolf 4 falls back, hit in the wing by a spray of wild gunfire. The bomber isn't going down easy, that's for sure!

*Ignore the torso!*, Alpha barks. *Aim for the engines or the--*

'Fwoosh-BOOM!'

Before your eyes, the fuel tank of the wounded bomber goes up, sending a large chunk of the plane up in shards of burning scrap. What remains falls back down to the earth.

*Scratch another. 4, go for the tendons. Think like your sigil. These are elk*, Alpha says as they float away, seeking out their next target. The snapping jaws on the front of Wolf 1's plane smile back.

*Loud and Clear sir!*
--
Ok, you think. So not bad. That's what, 4 enemy planes disabled before they enter static AA range? You could have done worse, that's for sure!

Still, you grit your teeth. Plenty remained to make a ruin of the Depot if they managed to get their loads dropped.

*This is Captain Braun! Merovian bombers inbound still! I repeat, keep those guns primed!*

If anyone down there hears him they dont send anything back. Hm...
---
>You need to get creative. And quick. Maybe kill the front planes and hope that breaks the formations coherence?

>Hell, why break it up? If everyone can force them to clump up tight, the AA guns will have a bigger target! Hell, you all will! Of course, that also means their fire will be more concentrated...

>You are running out of time! Try and run through all the frequencies you can manage! Someone has to answer! You'll keep shooting meanwhile!

>write in
>>
>well that's all for tonight folks. Get those votes in and we will resume in the morning. Stay excellent!
>>
>>4725587
>>Hell, why break it up? If everyone can force them to clump up tight, the AA guns will have a bigger target! Hell, you all will! Of course, that also means their fire will be more concentrated...
>>
>>4725587
>You need to get creative. And quick. Maybe kill the front planes and hope that breaks the formations coherence?
>>
>>4725587
>You need to get creative. And quick. Maybe kill the front planes and hope that breaks the formations coherence?
>>
>>4725697
>>4725857
>>4726005
>You need to get creative. And quick. Maybe kill the front planes and hope that breaks the formations coherence?

Your mind races as the battle rages around you. You see Luigi and the Captain twisting around a bomber, dodging its fire as they seek a shot.

Below and forwards, you see the flashes of AA guns smash into the sky ahead. Yet the bombers seem set on their mission and do not turn away. If anything they seem to be pushing themselves all the harder now!

*We need a change of plans, Braun!*, Alpha says over the set. He and Wolf 4 have reconnected and are now harrying the edges of the formation. Their Voss planes might not be Udets, but you cant doubt they know how to use them.

A thought hits you. It's not the most subtle plan by any means. But subtle simply hasn't cut it tonight! You have a Depot to save, by the Creator! And quick!

You take up the radio once more.

"What if we shoot down the lead craft? That might just do it! I know it's not the most--"

*Actually, I like it. These guys aren't green, so I don't think ending their game of Follow the Leader will send them back, but it definitely might disrupt their formation*

The Captain's voice is steady if strained, and soon enough Luigi chimes in as well.

*Si. Let us throw them into disarray and break their pretty formation! Avante!*

You nod.

"Thank you Captain!"

*All birds, you heard the word. Let's get it done before Ernst has to sign a whole lot of supply forms!*

You go into action.

This is pretty important. Focus Stanislaw. Focus and get this done...
---
>1d10
>>
Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>4726252
>>
Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>4726252
>>
Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>4726252
>>
Rolled 9, 1, 2, 8, 6, 2 = 28 (6d10)

>>
Rolled 4, 9, 8, 6, 5, 6 = 38 (6d10)

>>4726284
>>
Rolled 8, 10, 1 = 19 (3d10)

>>4726285
>>
Rolled 6, 4, 5, 4, 3, 6, 8, 10, 5, 2, 1, 3, 2, 5, 5 = 69 (15d10)

>>4726289
Honhon
>>
Rolled 8 (1d20)

>>4726259
>>4726260
>>4726279
>3 Success!
>Bogey Lead Down!
>Luigi Moderately Damaged
>Wolf 4 Moderately Damaged
>Bombers will arrive next turn!!
---

As one, the Sturmwing fighters swarm over the bomber formation, doing their best to overtake them. The fire that greets you all is wild but great in number, and you hear curses over the radio.

*Clipped me. I think he hit a prop!*, Wolf 4 says, but his plane soldiers on anyways. Across from him, Luigi's Garibaldi also takes fire, but he bears it in silence.

You yourself have to Bob and Weave in the daring charge, and you feel the whistling of bullets around you. It's one hell of a proper mess, that's for certain!

You all have your target. Captain Braun strafes an extra plane as he approaches the lead craft, and the plane sends bursts of bullets at him. Soon enough, you are all leading the bomber formation.

To his credit, the enemy flight lead seems to know what you are planning. He does his very best to try and redirect his formation and have them slow.

He doesn't go quickly enough.

Bullets from four seperate double machine gun mounts rattle off, tearing into his engines and cockpit at close range. Return fire from the defensive guns is inaccurate, and the plane, now smoking from the wings, descends in a controlled fall downwards.

He's out.

'THUD THUD THUD THUD'

The pop and bursting of AA shells at last reaches you. The bursts of light are a secondary concern now though. In any case, their shots are inaccurate.

Spotlights wildly light up the sky, and you see another building burning in the distance. What it is, you can't tell.

*KEEP IT UP!*, Braun orders. *WE HAVE TO STOP THEM!*

You practically feel yourself growling. The enemy planes were looser now, but they kept going. Braun was right, tagging their leader was not going to be all it took.

But if you could just get one last run...

You feel a sharp pinch, in the corner of your skull, but you shrug it off.
---
>It's dangerous, but there is no other option. Call to the Itch, and try to channel it as best you can.

>Now is the time to maximize the target! Force the bombers to clump together!

>Keep going for the front planes. They have to turn back...eventually, right?

>write in
>>
>>4726324
>Now is the time to maximize the target! Force the bombers to clump together!
>>
>>4726324
>>Now is the time to maximize the target! Force the bombers to clump together!
>>
>>4726642
>>4726657
>>>Now is the time to maximize the target! Force the bombers to clump together!

Your solutions are limited, and so is your time. You need to get some easy shots, even if it means concentrating enemy fire as well. Heck, your AA guns should thank you as well!

*Captain, there isnt time for us to shoot them all down. We need help from the aa gunners! Let's clump em up! That'll give everyone an easier shot at them!*

The radio buzzes back.

*Gives them an easier shot at us too...*, Wolf 4 states uncertainly. You can make out the flashing lights surrounding the Depot even now. Bad sign. They desperately turn your way, flashing across the darkness.

*Regardless, we don't have the luxury of time. Or arguing. Hem them in like sheep!*, Alpha cries. His Voss peels off, engine roaring. Wolf 4 follows, and you hear the rattling fire of rear gunners.

Now for your own part.
---
>1d10
>>
Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>4726707
>>
Two more? Pray for the crit
>>
Rolled 2, 5 = 7 (2d10)

>>4726781
Kk
>>
Rolled 6, 4, 9, 8, 8, 8, 5, 9, 6, 6, 10, 4 = 83 (12d10)

>>4726855
Chimera + Wolves
>>
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Rolled 7, 9, 10, 7, 2, 6, 2, 1, 7, 8, 3, 9, 3, 10, 10, 7, 2, 1, 2, 6, 9 = 121 (21d10)

>>4726867
Bombers at full power
>>
Rolled 10, 4, 10, 7, 7, 6 = 44 (6d10)

>>4726870
(Thud thud thud thud thud)
>>
Rolled 10, 6, 2, 3, 4, 6, 3, 3, 10, 5, 7, 3 = 62 (12d10)

>>4726872
!!!!
>Reinforcements have arrived
>>
Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>4726717
>>4726867
>>4726870
>>4726872
>>4726880
>1 auto success
>Bogey Critical Fail
>Bogeys 1, 3, 4 and 5 Down
>AA Critical Failure(Friendly Fire)
>Wolf 4 goes down
>Sturmwing Vampire has arrived!
>Stanislaw and Alpha heavily damaged
>3 Bombers have survived, disrupted.
---
It's a bloody business in the making. You can tell that even as your companions swarm around the bombers. Yet it is also a business that works. Your faster planes hem in the speeding Merovians.

Yet the concentration of the enemy has a price to pay. You shrug through the first bullets to impact your craft. Then you can't ignore them any more. The sheer weight of lead hitting your plane...

'Tatatatatatata!'

You fire back, and your allies do the same. All around you, AA shells crash through the air. Yet despite your set up, they seem to be inaccurate!

*Keep it steady boys!*, Braun orders. *We have to keep steady and make sure--*

'Boom!'

*AGHHHH I'M GOING DOWN!*

You look over in horror as a heavy AA shell streaks past the bomber craft, to slam only a few feet away from Wolf 4's Voss plane. The shrapnel shell tears the two left wings off like mache, and the smoking craft drops like a dead bird.

Then he's gone.

The radio erupts into fury.

*NOOOOOO! FREDDY! NOT again! Damnit! Come here, you bastards!*

Wolf 1's feral battlecry fills your ears as his Voss streaks ahead, guns blazing with no brief for accuracy or ammo. Yet his battle rage has an effect. The bombers are forced ever more inward. Their fire rips shards from their oppressors.

And you breathe in. Even as the horror spreads in your chest, you breathe. You are in control. You are in control.

For a moment, and just a moment, you are there.

[Excitement. Exposed leak. Left engine.]

With the panicked orders of Chimera in your ears, you use the moment of clarity to find your target. There. You fire.

'Tatatatatata'

The bomber engine catches fire nearly instantly as your bullets thread the needle between it's framework. The shot is very difficult.

[Anger. Howl. Right side.]

A bomber finally breaks and tries to flee from the lead Holocaust that Alpha is spraying randomly around. Unfortunately for him, his approach is timed with your gunnery feat. The bomber from your attack leers right even as the other comes buzzing in from the left.

They connect and explode in a shower of wood, metal, and fabric. In your state you feel little pity. But within moments, the brief taste of power ends....

Then another bomber goes falling down in flames as another flight of Udets comes screaming in from the clouds. Their rounds connect neatly and the bomber goes spinning to its demise.

*Fellow pilots, this is Count Victor Vlak of the Sturmwing Vampyr. We have heard your plea and come to assist.*

The clipped voice is aristocratic and smooth. Cold too. Yet welcome. Yes.

*Vampire, You are more than welcome. But you've come too late. The--*
>>
>>4726949
Braun is cut short as the dark Udets cut apart another bomber, the one targeted by the Captain, sending it face first down to the ground below.

*The Night is ours*, one of them says, in possibly the edgiest tone you've heard in a good while.

*We apologize for the delay, Chimera*, Count Vlak states. *Our own base came under attack as well. Activity seems general up and down the line.*

*We heard your Captain's call!*, one of the pilot's adds, his voice young and high. *Wildesau missions are our specialty, and our planes are tuned too--*

*Vamp 3, let us not state secrets over the radio, shall we?*, the Count breaks in. *Regardless, it seems we came just in time. There are but 3 now.*

You frown as more shells explode around you. Only 3? True enough, but the bombers were going to drop their loads any second now...

And they dip into the attack. The depot lays flat before them, AA guns spitting.
---
>No! This isn't over! Even if you cant stop them now, they aren't getting away! You'll hunt them down after they drop!

>Leave clean up to Vampire...you guess.

>You've done what you can. You need to circle back and find Wolf 4! He might be in need of help!

>write in
>>
>>4726973
>>You've done what you can. You need to circle back and find Wolf 4! He might be in need of help!
>>
Rolled 4, 7, 10, 5, 10, 8 = 44 (6d10)

>>4727052
>
>You've done what you can. You need to circle back and find Wolf 4! He might be in need of help!

So be it
>>
Rolled 1, 8, 3, 7, 10, 7, 3, 8, 10 = 57 (9d10)

>>4727208
(Bomb dropping noises)
>>
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>>4727210
>Depot Lightly Damaged!
>Bombers withdrawing
>You've done what you can. You need to circle back and find Wolf 4! He might be in need of help!

You shake off the guilt of letting any of the bombers get by. Wolf 4 went down back there! If he made it, he might need help. Well, you could still do THAT.

'THUD THUD THUD THUD'

The AA fire lights up the air around the Merovian bombers even as you make your turn away. To your dismay, the gunners seem even LESS accurate.

Shells fly wildly wide of the attacking bombers, and you look on as they drop their loads after the long struggle.

And they miss. Well, two miss. Perhaps it was the pressure. Maybe damage. But two of the bombers drop short or wide, and fire blooms around the Depot. The third bomber does not miss.

His attack connects, and you see a few small explosions on the edge of the Depot. You flinch at that. Thankfully, it would seem he missed anything too valuable. As the bombers pulled away, the gunners continued to drive them off. Still....

"Captain, I'm circling back. Wolf 4 went down back there and he might need assistance!", you say, as the mixed feelings churn in your gut.

The radio buzzes back.

*You do that Rook. Us and Vampire will make sure nobody else passes*, Braun says briskly. He and Luigi veer off into the shadows once more.

*The night is young. Vampire birds, form up on me. We are going hunting*, Vampire 1 orders.

Their Udets speed up and straight, flying hell for leather after those bombers. Somehow you doubted the Merovians would make it all that far .

*I'm going with you, Stanislaw*, growls Alpha. You had assumed he would want to be in on the kill vs those bombers. But you guess concern for his squadmate overrode the need for revenge?

"Loud and clear Alpha", you reply. It would be good to have a wing mate.

Now, to try and locate a downed pilot in this mess of an environment....

Your plane soars beneath the moon.

---
>1d10
>>
Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>4727264
>>
Rolled 5, 5 = 10 (2d10)

>>4727264
So we can get to the last choice
>>
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>>4727377
>5 Success!

As you do your best to fly low and try to spot Wolf 4's crash sight, you pass by the wreckage of other downed craft. Merovians and Konerlanders alike have met their ends plenty on the Fields surrounding Baldir Base.

None, however, of those wrecks are the Voss flown by Wolf 4. At least you assume so, going by the intact ones. You assume that the burnt out hulks of broken planes are not him...

Meanwhile, as you scan with the physical activity, Alpha is using the wonders of technology to search. Well as wonderous as a radio can be in these circumstances.

*Come in, Wolf 4? Freddie damnit, come in! It got your wing not your radio!*

Irritation and anger seep into his voice, and you feel sympathy for the guy. With two wingmen already MIA, the idea of losing a third must be devastating.

Then, just when you think the whole trip has been in vane....

*Buzz--aul? Sir? Stanislaw? Anyone?*

You snatch the radio set.

"Yes! Wolf 4, this is Stanislaw! I'm with Alpha. Where are you? We saw you go down and--"

*I'm fine! Uh, well mostly. My plane is a mess. Total loss probably. Me I think I might have cracked a rib but uh..uh I'm good other than that.*

His voice carries a forced quality to it that worries you, but the fact that he managed the crash landing is a stark relief. Alpha, as it happens, shares the feeling.

*By the Creator, I--, er, it's good to see you made it our fine. What's your location?*, he asks, as you two begin to circle around again. Still no sign. Huh...

*Oh-Buzz-et me..-ust---help you?*

'Fwoosh!'

Not too far off, near a clump of isolated trees, you see a single, scarlet flair fly up into the sky. There's your guy. It now occurs to you that neither you nor Alpha are in a two seater. Assuming either of you were even able to blind land like this at night, that is. No easy feat.

*Can you make it back, you think?*, Alpha asks over the set. The flare hangs in the air like a floating cherry, or an ember in the gloom. The explosions further off seem to be fading away now.

Was the attack receding?

*Yeh, Alpha, I can manage. Base isn't so far away as it might seem. Heck, you think I can jog back before breakfast?*

The nervous, awkward laughter he attaches to the statement does little to improve your own confidence.

Still...looking down at your leg, you renotice the hole in it. Blood is now soaking your pants leg, and something like a dizzy spell is on you. Though whether that's from the Itch or blood loss is up for debate.

*Alright. Head back right away. And watch yourself, ok? Don't go picking a fight with some lost bomber crew!*
>>
>>4727410
*Will do, Alpha, I--buzzfizzle*

The shaky connection dies.

With a sigh, Wolf 1 calls over to you.

*Alright then. What's the plan now?*

The million dollar question.
----
>The plan? These guys think they can fly in here and hit OUR base? I'm heading back out there! Until the juice is dry, I stay in the sky!

>Not gonna lie, I'm gonna try and set her down back home. Assuming there us a runway left. Got a bit of a leaker in my leg, and it's not stopping.

>Wherever I'm needed, of course! Starting with the Depot. No more pass on my watch!

>write in
----

>[REPORT: Night Attack Ended]
>Depot Light Damage
---

>Well that's all tonight folks. Hope you all had a great Easter! A special note. Because of Spring Break, and some extra time, this week will maybe see us start on Thursday instead of Friday. That's a day early, so yeh. In any case, get those votes in and stay excellent! You overcame some really dreadful rolls last two threads!
>>
>>4727411
>>Wherever I'm needed, of course! Starting with the Depot. No more pass on my watch!
>>
>>4727411
>Not gonna lie, I'm gonna try and set her down back home. Assuming there us a runway left. Got a bit of a leaker in my leg, and it's not stopping.
Yeah when you start feeling the wound it's time to GTFO.
>>
>>4727411
>>Not gonna lie, I'm gonna try and set her down back home. Assuming there us a runway left. Got a bit of a leaker in my leg, and it's not stopping.
>>
>>4727411
>The plan? These guys think they can fly in here and hit OUR base? I'm heading back out there! Until the juice is dry, I stay in the sky!
>>
>>4727411
>>Not gonna lie, I'm gonna try and set her down back home. Assuming there us a runway left. Got a bit of a leaker in my leg, and it's not stopping.
>>
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>>4727453
>>4727505
>>4727579
>>4728507
>>4728790
>Not gonna lie, I'm gonna try and set her down back home. Assuming there is a runway left. Got a bit of a leaker in my leg, and it's not stopping.


As the sun rises over the countryside of Alzen, it falls to Baldir Base to try and restore things to a sense of normalcy. For you, that had meant once again being patched up by Geldman. The man had been livid, absolutely livid, over Sergei when you had limped into his care.

Sergei had opened his wounds, apparently, in his haste to get involved. Geldman had a nasty bruise on his forehead where he'd been shoved aside by the Strelkayan. You hadn't had the time to really strike up much of a conversation unfortunately. Sleep had taken you quite soon after.

Still, surveying the damage with fresh eyes after finally grabbing a few hours of much needed sleep, it could have been worse. The Depot was lightly damaged, but the thin stream of smoke there had long since been put out. Likewise the Hangar was largely untouched. There the AA guns(one of which had been manned by Sergei), had made their stand. However, Ernst clearly was directing people to action.

The Merovians had cut deep, and if their attack had not been overly effective, they had known what they were doing. Here and there burnt out vehicles dotted the area. Shattered lights, a pitted runway.

As you fiddle with the bandages around your leg, you notice a group of exhausted looking crewmen sharing a flask. Set up on a stool was a battered radio.

*--ffensive across the West. Field Marshal Von Hoffman has assured us that Merovia will pay tenfold for their actions. He cites the efforts of our industrial giants and brave servicemen...*

You frown at the mention of the fat man's name. That experience still left you with a thoroughly sour taste in your mouth. It was still beyond you how that man ever rose so high. Still....

*.."And I guarantee you, that under my command, Lothren will at last be returned to the Grand Republic, and liberated from the clutches of the foul--"*

'Vroooooooooom!'

Above you, the birds of Vampire Flight circle, having been worked overtime all through the night. Someone-Ernst you assume-clearly was taking no chances with 24/7 air coverage.

Now, what to do with yourself?
----
>Head to HQ and find Ernst. You are sure he has something important for you. And getting his info on exactly what is happening would be nice.

>Dmitri is leading recovery efforts on some of the salvageable vehicles. You could help him.

>The prisoners from the attack are gathered around the mess hall. You wonder if anyone interesting got caught?
>>
>>4732947
>>Head to HQ and find Ernst. You are sure he has something important for you. And getting his info on exactly what is happening would be nice.
We are wounded, so heavy duties are out. And we don't speak frog.
>>
>>4732947
>Head to HQ and find Ernst. You are sure he has something important for you. And getting his info on exactly what is happening would be nice.
>>
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>>4732973
>>4733085
>Head to HQ and find Ernst. You are sure he has something important for you. And getting his info on exactly what is happening would be nice.

You decide that if anyone has something constructive for you to do, it's probably the Flight Controller. Besides, while looking over the pickings from last Night's attack could be fun, your Merovian was so limited and choppy as to be pointless.

So, you head over to the HQ. All things considered, it had fared rather well in last night's attack. Which made sense. It was a sturdy construct, and bristling with the defenses that now surrounded it. The Merovians had found no easy target.

Still, the occasional blackened spot on the pathway near it showed the scars of war. And, you note with a frown, the central radio tower was even now laying in pieces where once it had stood proud and true. Until they raised a new one, Baldir was effectively operating on a limited coms basis. Unfortunate. You see a bulky man and his compatriots working on it with ropes and pulleys. Seemed wedged into the side of the HQ.

In any case, you dust yourself off and enter the headquarters. A few exhausted faces greet you, their eyes lined with the purplish accents of a sleepless battle.

Others just keep their heads down, or occupied in the cups of coffee that are everywhere in prominence. There is even a dark bloodstain marking the wall in one corner. Bullet holes near it tell you all you need to know. When you stroll past the first few rows, shouting reaches your ears. Shouts from the controller's office.

"--llshit! Utter bullshit! This is YOUR--"

With a raised brow, you make to knock on the door. The sounds within the room fade at your approach.

'Tap tap'

"Sir? This is Under Lieutenant Krol, I-"


"Ah, there he is. Come in!" Ernst's voice is stretched tight with a mix of tiredness and tension. It occurs to you that the man has probably had even less rest than the pilots, responsible as he is for the operations as a whole.

You open the door, and notice the room already has two additional occupants. Ingrid is one of them, in her customary place. She looks little better off than you, and the freshly empty pot on the desk explains the jitters.

Ernst, who has his arm in a sling, has not bothered with uniform. His coat hangs around him like a cape, and his cap rests on a hanger. However, it's the third person who interests you.

A Blackhat. A thin, almost sickly looking man honestly. Clean shaven. But the cold eyes gleam dangerously. You blink.

Ernst coughs.

"I fear you have...entered at an awkward time. Allow me to make an introduction. This is Captain Pappen. Be nice."

The Blackhat gives you a glance.

"You're bleeding. A pilot, I think. You're the Huzaran, aren't you? I read the file."

"Uh..."
----

>I can, uh leave...if you need.

>I deny everything. Ingrid, mark that.

>Sir, are you from the Ministry? What the hell is going on? There's rumor about some attack all along the front!

>write in
>>
>>4733160
>>I can, uh leave...if you need.
>>
>>4733160
>>I can, uh leave...if you need.
>>
>>4733160
>I can, uh leave...if you need.
>>
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>>4733179
>>4733187
>>4733200

>I can, uh leave...if you need.


You feel a cold bead of sweat crawl down the back of your neck. It seems you really weren't meant to be here. Also....you knew Hans was a decent guy, but you also knew he wasn't the average Blackhat by any means.

This one though...everything about the guy screams "stab you in the liver while sleeping." So yeh.

You clear your throat.

"I can uh..I can leave if you need, sir", you mutter awkwardly. "If I walked in on something I apolo--"

The Blackhat holds up a hand.

"No, actually. Stay, I insist.", he says. By insist you very clearly read 'order'. Ernst's eyes flash between the two of you but he nods after an initial delay.

"Yes yes. You should stay. Better you knowing than the janitor knowing, I suppose. Stanislaw, how are you with secrets, I wonder?", he asks, sucking in on a cigarette.

Captain Pappen now is the one who looks uneasy, although his gaze looks over you. As if he is searching for some kind of reaction. When all he gets is a confused look, he shrugs.

"Tell him. But on the record, nobody is above suspicion. Nobody."

Ernst nods and fixes his gaze to yours.

"Stanislaw, as I'm sure your aware by now, the attack last night was not an isolated incident. There was a pattern. At dawn this morning, Allied forces launched a massive attack all along the line. It's one big battle from here to the North Sea. Seems like they got tired of defense" , your leader states. He waves at the map board, and Ingrid scrambles to respond.

Ingrid flips through some maps, before running her hand down a detailed picture of the entire western front. She straightens up before speaking.

"The-um, the initial reports. They are inconsistent and scattered but they tell us one thing: the Allies are pushing! Not just on land either! The um, the White Lion, Baron Von Hel that is, his units have been heavily engaged. Airbases have been targeted intentionally."

You nod.

"Right. But that's not so unusual, is it? Wouldn't they naturally want to soften up our air assets? What makes this special?", you ask, wondering.

Ernst smiles a little smile.

"Because of HOW, they did it, Stanislaw. We were lucky at Baldir. Our people managed to bust the attack early on, so the worst was averted. The worst here being the the loss of our Central Radio Tower, and the Carpool....", he veers off.

"I thought I saw something explode last night. Guess that was it, sir?", you ask.

"Oh yes. Unfortunate but not crippling. Baldir can survive losing trucks, and thanks to our people, that's ALL we have to deal with. But, back to business...Ingrid?"

She nods.
>>
>>4733229
"Alright. So. Our night patrols are not the thickest they could be-the War Department isn't convinced of the danger-but they follow a pattern. See here, Stanislaw?", she gestures.

What you see is a bunch of intersecting lines on canvas. Fighter patterns, spotlight locations etc. Time tables. Then you frown as you notice some red lines that don't match them.

"And those?", you ask. Her brow crinkles up and she sighs.

"Those...", Captain Pappen growls, "...are the flight patterns from the enemy invaders last night. At least those we can reconstruct. As you can see, Under Lieutenant, they are...disturbing."

It takes you a second to realize, but then your eyes go wide as you fully take in all the movements and symbols. By the Creator above, they had run the gauntlet! And perfectly!

Your shock must be evident, because Ernst gives a bitter laugh before tossing his smoke aside.

"That convince you, Captain? I think we can set aside our good Huzaran as the mole in our midst. Assuming of course he was not a method actor prior to enlisting in our service?"

The ministry man grumbles assent.

"Perhaps...but do continue, Miss Klein", is all the man responds with. He settles back into his chair. Ingrid nods.

"The enemy forces perfectly managed to evade all outer patrol patterns. All lights. All ground spotters. Somehow they managed to, at least in our case, nearly achieve full surpise", she states.

You scratch your chin in wonder.

"Nearly being the key word, right? I mean we busted them somehow right?"

Ernst snorts.

"Oh yes. By some act of providence, engine trouble meant that a lazy ground crew set up in the wrong zone. They spotted the attackers when they were almost upon us. Then there are your bombers, Stanislaw. Those we didn't pick up AT ALL. An issue, you can see."

The mood in the room settles down into one of awkward silence as you process all of this. He mentioned a Mole? Wait..was he suggesting...

"Sir, are you saying--"

"They knew, Krol. This was no random attack. They knew the patterns. They knew the layout of the base. Too well simply to be a lucky REPORT by their first waves. This was treachery...", the Blackhat veers off, dangerously.

"And a lot of people didn't off as easy as we did. Not even close", Ernts finishes.
-----
>Ernst, you can't possibly think there is a spy in the Sturmwing! That wouldn't happen!

>This is absurd. Did Hoffman put you up to this? Is that it?

>A...spy. Do you have any idea who it might be? Why look here and not anywhere else?

>write in
>>
>>4733242
>Ernst, you can't possibly think there is a spy in the Sturmwing! That wouldn't happen!
>>
>>4733303
>Ernst, you can't possibly think there is a spy in the Sturmwing! That wouldn't happen!

First you feel simple shock. A spy, here? One you might be in daily contact with no less?! The idea is too much! Too much!

"Ernst, er, sir you can't possibly think there is a spy in the Sturmwing! That wouldn't happen!", you protest. The nearby Blackhat watches you with a grunt.

"Yet we have been given extensive, granted incomplete reasons to suspect this sector is home to our spy. Reasons I will not of course divulge. Suffice it to say, preliminary results are not conclusive results, but it's our only lead. So..."

He nods in your direction.

"You'll answer some questions, thank you kindly", Pappen remarks evenly. He removes a paper and pen from his jacket and motions. You turn to Ernst.

"Sir, this-"

"--is ridiculous. I tend to agree actually. Captain, perhaps you are not aware of the unique circumstances of this unit. I vouch for every one of my men, and the Iron Falcon has as well. You will find his stamp on every enlistment."

The Blackhat shrugs.

"Nobody is above suspicion. Understand this isn't personal. Off the record I happen to have my own misgivings. On the record we will find this spy and shoot them."

The man's voice betrays no emotion at such a statement. Just cold hard fact. As if it's simple as that. Maybe it is.

"I would KNOW if it was one of mine damnit. I would know.", Ernst protests.

You don't like that 'we' though.

"We?", you ask. The man frowns at you before apparently deciding it does no harm to be truthful.

"I am of course the senior field member of my organization in the area. I am not however the ONLY one. There are others, and no, you may not know who."

Ernst shakes his head.

"If you think I'm going to let you run a bloody inquisition on my base--"

The Blackhat raises a hand.

"Peace, Flight Controller. It will be quite unobtrusive I assure you. You'll hardly notice us. And if you do, well...we probably have our man in hand. Now, Krol?"

You sigh and do your best. There really isn't much else to be done.
---
>1d20 higher better
>>
Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>4733410
>>
Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>4733410

fug
>>
Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>4733410
>>
>>4733441
>>4733466
>>4733520
>17 Pass!

"--and that about wraps it up, I guess. Sir."

The Blackhat mumbles something to himself as he finishes his notes. After a few more scribbles, he nods. You take that as a good sign.

"Alright. Well, Under Lieutenant Krol, assuming all you've said is true-and I believe it is-it is quite impossible for you to be our resident spy", Pappen finally admits. You can't help but scoff.

"Gee thanks for the vote of confidence."

The other man shrugs.

"Again, just going my job. Still, until we uncover more decisive information, do keep this to yourself. Our spy issue does not need to be a public issue, understand, Krol?", the man asks.

You nod.

"Understood. Although, sir, If I may, are you gonna question the other pilots? I mean, I can--"

"You leave that to me. But yes actually. And if you were going to ask if you can discuss this with them, that's a big "Nein" until after the fact. Even then, the Ministry would appreciate subtlety. I think you can appreciate the panic that might ensue if someone heard we had an infiltrator here."

Ernst shakes his head at the idea.

"I still dont agree we have an "infiltrator" here. Or even a "spy issue" for that matter. Haven't you considered that they may be working from the town?", Ernst questions.

Captain Pappen nods.

"Oh, certainly. Which is partially why I am not working alone. We will cover the angles, Flight Controller. You do your job, and let us do ours, ok?"

Captain Pappen stands up from his seat and straightens his jacket. He then casts a look about the room before settling on you in particular. His eyes could cut.

"If you see or hear anything suspicious...I'll be in touch. Feel free to report activity to me. Gentlemen. Lady."

With a nod, the Blackhat strolls out of the room, taking the cold atmosphere with him. He left behind all kind of worries.

Ernst mutters under his breath.

"Well, this has been a fantastic week so far. Absolute wondrous thing. First that fat buffoon Hoffman. Then the damn night attack. Now this. What's next? Earthquake? Tornado?"

Ingrid brings a fist to her chest.

"How about some more coffee sir!", she states, clearly trying to lighten the mood. Ernst sighs but with a smile.

"Miss Klein you are addicted. But yes. Go on Ingrid, I need the caffeine."

"Yes sir, I'm on it!"

And with that, it's just you and Ernst.

And he looks at you.
--

>Sir, this spy business. If they sent a 'Hat here, that means the Air Marshal must agree its serious, right?

>That guy gave me the creeps. Couldn't they have sent someone less..uh, 'murdery'?

>Do you think Marshal Hoffman had anything to do with this?

>write in
>>
>>4733639
>That guy gave me the creeps. Couldn't they have sent someone less..uh, 'murdery'?
>>
>>4733639
>Do you think Marshal Hoffman had anything to do with this?
>>
Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>4733684
>>4733704
>>
>>4733684
>That guy gave me the creeps. Couldn't they have sent someone less..uh, 'murdery'?

You feel a shiver run down your spine as you finally try and shake off the feeling. Noticing Ernst giving you a curious look, you do your best imitation of his shrug.

"That guy gave me the creeps. Couldn't they have sent someone less..uh, 'murdery', sir? Maybe a bit less corpsy?", you ask, only half joking. However, Ernst seems to take it in good spirits.

"Ahh, but that's the point, isn't it? Slap a black hat on a normal fellow and he's just a man with authority. Slap a black hat on a SCARY fellow...and well..", he veers off.

"You have a scary guy with authority?", you offer. A fair enough sentiment you supposed. He nods, his blue eyes alight some a measure of amusement.

"Just so. Some fit the bill more than others, certainly. But a bit of intimidation factor is always welcome in their line of work, I suppose. Mental warfare and whatnot. In fact, I--ahh Ingrid, thank you."

He breaks off as Ingrid comes back in with a large pot of dark coffee. She gingerly pours the controller first, avoiding his sling. You notice that a dark stain covers much of it.

"Oh it's not blood, Stanislaw", Ernst says when he catches your eye again. Ingrid blushes and hurriedly pours for you. She pulls it off without a hitch.

"I-it, um. I spilled it. On his arm. I'm really very sorry about that. Again. Sorry. About the coffee I mean. The spilling. Ahem."

It's a decent brew, as you've come to expect from that served around the office place. They seemed to avoid bad coffee(and by bad you mean the kind they actually hand 'you'), like the plague. You suppose that's Ingrid's influence.

"It's quite good, don't you think, Stanislaw?", Ernst asks. The change in conversation catches you a bit off guard, but you nod anyways.

"It is. I assume it's not cheap either."

The blonde man smiles.

"You assume correctly then. Coffee isn't exactly effort free to obtain these days, what with the blockades. This blend was shipped overland through Strelkaya. But we have our ways. In any case, I am certain you did not come here to chat over coffee, now did you?", he asks.

Caught out, you finish your cup and settle it on the table with a clink.

"Guilty sir. On that at least. Honestly I was hoping to figure out what was going on, what with the attacks. You and Captain Pappen filled that in pretty well though", you state. "Also...."

"Go on?"

"Well, I was kind of hoping that you would have me something to do sir. Uh, reporting for duty, I guess?"

He looks you over and snorts, before lighting up another one. The ring of smoke that he blows is expertly done.

"Work? Do you know, you could be laid up pleading sickness with that leg wound? Nobody would care, and in any case, if you bleed out that means I would have--"

Ingrid steps up.
>>
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>>4733831

Ernst raises a brow but gesture.

"Um, sorry to interrupt. But, well. He could help me, with organizing the damage reports and supply receipts? Normally Veera and Ivan are here, but um..."

She looks downcast. Sad, even.

The Flight Controller draws himself up and nods.

"Of course. Stanislaw, we are as it happens short two experienced office workers. It would do some good if you could help out with this. If you wonder why I am not volunteering, I am a poor pencil pusher in any case...."

He looks down at his arm in sling. A smile twitches across his lips.

"And, as it happens, I am only able to push with one arm. Do much filing and stockpiling on the farm?"


Ernst was asking you to do paperwork? The much dreaded, much derided, bane of his existence paperwork?

"Uh, a little. I'm no blank eyed beauracrat though, so I'm not exactly trained..."

"I do know this isn't your normal forte. But in any case, I'm not flying you with a hole in your leg. Take it easy a few days. Enjoy it....while you can. I need you ready."

You blink.

"That uh, that sounds ominous. Sir."

"It was meant to, actually. Things are moving quicker than we had anticipated, Stanislaw. One thing is for certain: the Allies know who is hurting them in the valley. I dont think it was by chance they went for us as hard as they did. They felt the need to send a message. To give us an extra thump. That's what we want...now then."

His eyes flick up with a sudden smile.

You sigh.

"Paperwork"
---
>Well, I mean...it's something to do at least.

>You kept count of grain sacks back on the farm...alright Ingrid, let's kick these supply reports ass!

>I think I would rather fight Boucher naked. Unironically.

>write in
----

>that's all for tonight folks! Just a neat little extra installment today. Get those votes in and see you tommorow!
>>
>>4733862
>and stay excellent!
>>
>>4733862
>You kept count of grain sacks back on the farm...alright Ingrid, let's kick these supply reports ass!
And probably fail miserably
>>
>>4733862
>You kept count of grain sacks back on the farm...alright Ingrid, let's kick these supply reports ass!
>>
>>4734279
>>4734312
>You kept count of grain sacks back on the farm...alright Ingrid, let's kick these supply reports ass!

Well, how hard could it actually be? Tedious sure. Boring. But if it meant you could be useful and help everyone then out...alright.

"Alright, Ingrid! Lead the way! Let's kick these supply reports' asses!", you declare. Ernst snorts in amusement as Ingrid just looks vaguely confused. However, she picks up on the enthusiasm quick enough.

"A-alright! Right! Ok. Stanislaw, follow me! Er, assuming that's fine with--"

Ernst waves her off with his good arm.

"Far be it from me to seperate such an enthusiastic team from their calling. I have some things to speak with Dmitri about regardless.....", he raises with a moan, as Ingrid sets the cap on his head.

Ernst turns to you.

"Enjoy...."

And with that its just you and Ingrid.

"Alright Ingrid. So, where do we...uh, Ingrid? Ingrid what is that?"

Confusion takes you as you see the woman pull out a little golden key from one of her pockets. She smiles at you.

"This is for the paper hold!"

You blink.

"We..we have a paper hold?", you ask.

She nods.

"Well, it's actually part of the basement, but we need the prior reports there in order to cross reference things. There are uh...I think there may be rats. I mean, I'm sure you aren't scared of rats. Not to say there is any--"

You cough into your hand.

"I'm good, Ingrid. Never met a rat that could eat a man before."

She gets a sage look.

"You haven't been in enough basements."

In any case, that's how you got on filing duty with Ingrid! It really was quite the...experience. Still, looking back you had really been thrown head first...

And the Results?
---
>1d10!
>>
Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>4734524
Can we become traumatised from bloody rats and paper?
Let's find out!
>>
Two more?
>>
Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>4734524
>>
Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>4734603
I'll pick up the last
>>
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>>4734531
>>4734639
>>4734657
>4 Success!

As it happens, a few days of easy paperwork duty wasn't nearly so bad as you had feared it would be. Granted, it had not been exact glorious either. Much of it had been normal enough. The rest...You had not had, nor had any wish to ever again list in detail any and all reported love illnesses caught by base personnel, and list medicines.

God the descriptions...uhh...

Still, with Ingrid on hand the work had been efficient enough. More than efficient in fact. You had known her work ethic was serious, given Ernst's trust in her. What you hadn't expected was how little sleep she could run on. Her dedication to the details of the base's needs was impressive in many ways.

There was also the matter of her being a woman. It was kind of weird, admittedly, finding yourself effectively working under a girl, but she was competent enough nobody around base gave her flak. Maybe Anna was onto something? Food for thought you guess.

In any case, Geldman had finally given you the clearance to actually fly again! And judging by the mood around base, it was not a moment too soon. You had emerged from your analysis to excited chatter all over the base. It had come naturally to you to head to HQ and see what the hullabaloo was about.

You grab a passing private by the elbow.

"Hey, what's going on? The Frogs aren't going all out again are they?", you ask. A dark thought. The Allied offensive had been in full swing all week, and they had made gains in the north. Braun had been furious at that, and it wasn't hard to see why. In the absence of the units foolishly moved to Aldani, they were reeling.

The air war hadn't slowed either. Chimera and the two Wolves had been a constant presence. An increase in tempo was clear for all to see.

The man clasps you on the shoulder with a wide grin. He's younger than you, a ruddy fellow with raven hair from the borderlands near Huzara.

"You don't know? Oh boy sir. Word is something big is up. Flight Controller Ernst has the whole HQ in a buzz!"

Well that was vague as all hell.

"Can you be more specific, private?", you ask patiently. The teenager gets a grip on himself and straightens up his face.

"Uh, well I wish I could. But the rest of your people are in his office. Falker, the uh Wolf guy. Him too. I gotta run!"

The fellow dashes off, heading away before you can stop him. Drats. Still, you suppose you could get the real answers from the source. A bit of clarity would be nice actually.

You find the door to the office slightly open, and help yourself in. The voices inside slow when you enter, before continuing on. Inside, your wing mates looked on in various states.
>>
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>>4734730
"--us very important that we proceed cautiously but with energy. Stanislaw, you timing is good asever. How much did you hear?", Ernst asks. You blink.

"Uh sorry. Is this another secret--"

He waves you down, smothering his cigarette into a dish. A smile dances within his eyes, blue and gleaming. The others also bear a similar look.

Alpha steps forwards, hand in fist. A determined look is on him. Now there's a Wolf you hadn't seen since Boucher.

"It's my men, Stanislaw! Ernst found them! He found them, by the Creator! There was a radio signal, scattered but--"

Ernst raps the table with his knuckles.

"We found A signal, yes. A recon plane equipped with long range radio reported scattered messages last night, outside the valley but within No Man's Land. The codes they blared would seem to indicate one of our own. My question is how they managed to do it. Unless they somehow managed to salvage--"

Alpha erupts.

"IT'S THEM, Damnit! Why are we wasting time? They could be trapped somewhere starving to death! The Merovians might find them any day now! Someone back me up here!"

Luigi thumps his chest.

"Si. I am with the Alpha Wolf. We must find these missing pilots. It is our honor and duty as both pilots and men!"

Braun raises a hand in caution.

"Now hold on big guy. I'm all in favor of a rescue myself, but we can't just rush in. There are questions that--"

Alpha rounds on him, snarling.

"If this were YOUR people would you be chickening out like this, Braun?!"

The captain frowns.

"That's not fair Paul."

Mixed feelings swish around in you.
---
>You want a rescue too, but you can't just rush this. It wouldn't be safe.

>He's right! Why are we just sitting around!? We need to help Wolves 2 and 3!

>Uh, practically speaking. How would we even get them back? You aren't planning on landing out there?

>write in
>>
>>4734752
>You want a rescue too, but you can't just rush this. It wouldn't be safe.
>>
>>4734752
>>Uh, practically speaking. How would we even get them back? You aren't planning on landing out there?
>>
>>4734752
>You want a rescue too, but you can't just rush this. It wouldn't be safe.
>>
>>4734775
>>4734972
>>4734775
>>4734973
>You want a rescue too, but you can't just rush this. It wouldn't be safe.

Part of you really wants to jump up and say that time is critical here ! Because it is, really. But this war has taught you that acting on whims often leads to disasters of all kinds. So you swallow your pride.

"I think...I think we need to be smart about this, myself.", you say calmly. The others break off from their arguing and look at you. Alpha frowns deeply.

"Smart? We have their signal--"

" 'A' Signal! ", Braun interrupts.

"Coded for help!", Alpha fires back. The pilot from the reconnaissance craft confirmed that! It was a damn SOS!"

"And the location, it matches up with where they went down roughly! Movement considered of course.", Luigi lays out. He waves his hand about.

"Yeh", you admit. That was true enough. But a worrying thought nags at the edge of your mind and you voice it. "But why now? After all this suddenly they manage to get a call for help out? Why not make the run? Something isn't right here..."

Alpha frowns at the concern.

"There's a good number of reasons. Maybe they couldn't slip past the outer patrols. Merovia does operate in the area occasionally just to be certain WE don't. Or maybe they figured the front would advance quicker than it has?"

Ernst scratches his chin.

"Or maybe they are hurt...", the flight controller states. "One or both. Based on the report from your battle with Boucher, a distinct possibility. Paul, would they try and find each other before running back?"

Alpha nods without hesitation.

"If they were alive? Yes. We're a tight group. If they had any reason to suspect the other wasn't dead, they'd try. But if one of them COULDN'T make it back...", he veers off a dark look in his face.

A long moment of silence settles over the room as Ernst rests his chin in his bridged hands. He even closes his eyes in thought. The tension is palpable, with Alpha practically vibrating in place.

Finally, Ernst opens his baby blues.

"I am authorizing a rescue, assuming you stay within certain parameters. You will head out with a recon craft in tow to determine if this is what we think it is..."

Alpha lights up.

"YES. Thank you, now we--"

Ernst lifts a finger.

"Assuming good news, I will THEN release a landing craft. I have a few pilots who could make that run....but only if you can guarantee their safety. And I'm not talking about some fancy bulk lifter....", he leans back as he says this.

"The radio tower is not yet fully repaired, so we will have to leapfrog. Your tagalong will radio back to its own friend. Then THEY will get back to us. That's the plan."

"But commander, why do we not simply bring in the rescue craft with us? Would that not be quicker?", Luigi asks.

"It would be...but something isn't right here. Assuming we can find a decent landing zone and make it safe, we will go ahead with the plan. Making sure that it works is up to you."
>>
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>>4734999
>>4734999
"Don't forget that more lives than your own are at stake. If nothing else, it would grieve Ingrid to file your tedious death reports. Dismissed and good luck."

You draw yourself up with the others.

"SIR!"
----
Now then, while you were certainly excited to be about the business of rescuing your fellow Sturmwing pilots, you needed a plane yourself!

Thankfully, it's clear upon entering the hangar that Dmitri has managed to repair the damage from your battle against the night raiders. It sits all bloody red and pretty, the angel wings spread.

He claps his hands upon seeing you enter, the action causing the fat in his wide arms to jiggle.

"Ah! Stanislaw my young friend. Dmitri has been told the joyous news! A day for celebration, Da? I take it you have come for your plane?", he asks.

You nod.

"Can hardly fly up there myself, would be much easier if I could. But yes, the same selection as normal? We didn't lose anything important did we?", you ask.

The Strelkayan shakes his head.

"Nyet. Thanks to our pilots in the air, the only craft we lost were ones sitting outside or shot down. Now my friend, go and be making your choice! You have men to rescue this day!"

You were practically an old hand at this by now. The Udet VII was your craft of choice usually, and what you were most used too. Then again, the maneuverability of the Triplane could be handy. Especially since lower altitudes were expected. The Voss might also serve given the nature of the mission. It would practically fly itself.
---
>You are taking the Udet. It's your bread and butter. Also speeeeed.

>The Triplane for it's turning and maneuver advantage.

>The Voss, for it's simplicity of design.
>>
>>4735046
>>The Voss, for it's simplicity of design.
>>
>>4735046
>>You are taking the Udet. It's your bread and butter. Also speeeeed.
>>
>>4735046

>The Triplane for it's turning and maneuver advantage.
>>
Uh ok. that's a three way tie. I'll give it a bit longer for a fourth vote and then roll for it lol. Good variation.
>>
>>4735130
>>4735046
>You are taking the Udet. It's your bread and butter. Also speeeeed.
>>
So be it. The classic it is
>>
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>>4735067
>>4735102
>>4735106
>>4735164
>You are taking the Udet. It's your bread and butter. Also speeeeed.

For a minute, you actually do consider branching out and taking a different plane. Buuuut, the Udet has plenty of advantages of it's own to reccomend it. The speed is unmatched, and in any case it is the plane that you are used to.

"My Udet, Dmitri. I'd feel naked without it up there. Let's be about it."

The chief mechanic grunts in agreement.

"A predictable choice. But a good one, Dmitri is thinking. Da! YOU HEARD MAN! Get the red one up and ready!", he bellows.

His aides rush about to prepare it for takeoff. The other pilots are coming in now as well, taking up their own planes. Nobody seems to make any serious adjustments. It would appear they all were under the same idea as you.

Or maybe nobody wanted to risk bad luck.

In any case, Dmitri's men soon have your craft up and running. As you climb on board your Udet, Dmitri strolls on over once again with a smile.

"Chimera Flight, you are ready to go! Werewolf the same! Come back with our boys and we shall enjoy Dmitri's finest Craftsmanship! Strelkayan tradition!"

You raise a brow as someone gets your propeller started. But Braun lets out a laugh and calls over to you.

"He means some half cucked booze he cooked up on site. Shit will make you blind like as not. But hey, if you like a kick..."

The rest of the Captain's words are lost beneath the roaring of the propellers. At a word from Dmitri, the hangar doors widen to allow exit, and the planes from your Sturmwing task force roll out.

And you get a surprise, in Sergei.

The Count is looking quite a bit healthier these days, and you know that he is eager to be flying. Unfortunately, Geldman was keeping him one more mission. His heroics in the night attack had delayed him.

Still, he seems able enough as he leans against the partially restored radio tower. It would appear he had come to see you off in his own way. Or maybe he was just tired to death of Geldman's office.

You give the nobleman a wave as you roll past, and he responds with a lazy 'hi' of his own. Always sentimental, Sergei Nikolevsky. The man really could learn to smile on occasion to be honest.

Your radio set buzzes to life.

*This is Controller Stunz. All units be advised. Long Range Recon Aircraft are being dispatched from a friendly airfield. You will be met by them approximately halfway to your target zone. One will follow you and proceed with the mission as planned. The other will hang back at the rendezvous and act as signal bouncer. Good luck. Stunz Out.*

With your orders given, and a clear runway, you can finally give your Udet the full throttle it desires. Purring, the aircraft lifts off with it's fellows into the sky. It's blue skies ahead as far as you can tell.

*Alright people...*, Captain Braun says into the piece. *Let's bring our strays home.*
>>
Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>4735240
You meet no enemy resistance as you make your way towards the rough spot of your meeting battle with the Black Lightning. It was certainly possible you would once you got closer in, but here at least the Frogs did not seem to be pushing as aggressively as they might.

The radio buzzes.

*This is about the halfway point. Our ears on wings should be in contact with us soon enough. Then we can proceed further*, Braun reports, as your task force awaits its last two members.

*And then it's on to rescue my boys!*, Alpha inserts excitedly. His snarling Voss sticks close to that of his remaining wingman, Wolf 4. They've been chatting it up among themselves the whole time. You guess they have the right to be excited.

*They are in good hands, your fellow Wolves, friend Paul!*, Luigi boasts. His painted Garibaldi has been consistently leading the pack since lifting off. You knew the more cautious aspects of the plan were grating on him.

Well, you had your own worries too, but you think this was the right approach. It would do the stray Wolves no good at all if you weren't able to help them once found. This was for the best. You just had to find them, and the rest would solve itself.

After a few minutes more of waiting, your radio crackles into action on the Fliegermacht frequency.

*..This is Echo 1. Sturmwings Werewolf and Chimera, you out there? Please report*

"This is Chimera 3. You've found us, Echo 1! Good to have you with us!", you call back over.

*Echo 1, we were told to expect two LRR Craft. Are you coming in alone?*, Braun questions.

*Negative, Chimera Lead. We're two. Happens 2 doesn't talk much. Say hi 2*

*Hi...two*, a second voice says without much enthusiasm at all. As the comment fades, you finally spot the incoming craft in the distance. Skinny, pencily things really.

But you knew the real power lay in their amped up radios, far stronger than anything you could carry. You'd need them in one piece for the mission.

*Excellent. Now that our big happy family is together, we should discuss the exact details of how we handle this. First off, who is staying here to act as relay?*

Braun's question is answered quite quickly.

*Not me! I volunteered for the action. 2, you don't mind staying, right? Buddy?*, Echo 1 eagerly requests.

*Sure. Sounds easy enough for me. Go team us. I'll be listening for you.*

Without further aplomb, Echo 2 veers back and out, leaving Echo 1 to catch up with the rest of you.

*Uh...ok. Now, we will need some people on ground duty for spotting purposes, even once we have a link. Not to mention possible ground hostiles. And unless we want to risk getting caught flatfooted, we'll need sentries above as well. Thoughts?*

Well, that honestly depended on--

*Put me and Freddy low!*, Alpha insists. *If anyone can find our boys it's us!*
----
>Chimera should be the ground sweeping team. The Wolves might be overeager.

>Chimera should be the Air Defense squad. You do have more planes.

>Write in
>>
>>4735303
>Chimera should be the ground sweeping team. The Wolves might be overeager.
>>
>>4735303
>Chimera should be the Air Defense squad. You do have more planes.
>>
>>4735303
>>Chimera should be the Air Defense squad. You do have more planes.
>>
Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>4735319
>>4735391
>>4735469
>Chimera should be the Air Defense squad. You do have more planes.

Well, far be it from you to come between the Wolves and their happy reunion. Might as well let them pick up ground patrol duty. You think they'd appreciate it.

With that in mind, you chip in.

"Sir, how about you, me and Luigi head up top when we arrive? We have more planes in any case. Maybe let Werewolf handle things down low?"

The radio crackles in response.

*Hmmm...works for me. Paul, you and Wolf 4 have the ground duty. Chimera will have up top. And Echo 1, you--*

*--Are the task force telephone? Gotcha loud and clear Chimera 1. Here when you need me. Just uh, word of warning though. My bird can't stand up to actual fighters. Don't let me die, ok?*, Echo 1 mouths off.

*Well said. We have multiple points of failure here people. Multitask. We cant secure the zone, we fail. We lose Echo, we fail. We don't locate the Wolves--*

"We fail?", you offer.

*We fail. Good man*, Braun replies. *Now then, let's be about it people. Echo 1, how close until you could start receiving a signal? Rough estimate.*

*Rough? Uh, judging by what I read, fairly close. The briefing said the SOS was patchy and weak. But don't you worry, I'll pick it up. Just bring me to bear!*

Well at least he is enthusiastic. That counted for something you suppose. You knew if you were lucky enough, your own radios would pick up something. Echo was here partially to avoid the need for luck. Still...
---

As your makeshift force finally closed in on the last known location of Wolf 3, his wingmen dive down in their own attempt to pick up something via sight. Echo 1, from his perch behind you all, is busy with his own tuning.

In the distance, the valley entrance that Boucher had first burst from looms. It gave you the creeps. Still as of now there was no reason to suspect that lunatic would be involved.

*Come on guys...I know your down there..*, Wolf 4 mutters. With the double search pattern of radio and sight, odds were SOMEONE would get SOMETHING.

*Eyes peeled, Chimera*, Braun orders. *We don't want to be taken unawares. Especially not with these stakes!*

You nod, and turn your eyes to the sky. Anything could be out there....
---
>1d10
>>
Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>4735535
Night QM
>>
Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>4735535
>>
One more?
>>
Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>4735618
>>
Rolled 8, 9, 4, 1, 6, 5 = 33 (6d10)

>>4735662
Chimera
>>
Rolled 2, 6, 9, 7, 2, 1, 4, 8, 8 = 47 (9d10)

>>4735664
Search team
>>
>>4735540
>>4735594
>>4735662
>10 Autofail!
>Assets located!

You move the Udet in a circle above the search area as you wait for something interesting to happen. To your relief, you ,don't see anyone on the horizon coming in. So you were alone for now. That's--

Your radio crackles open with the excited voice of Echo 1.

*Hey you guys! I'm picking it up! I have something here. H-E-L-P. Hey you Wolves, try that rise over that way. Signal seems stronger whenever I'm veering to it!*

Below you, the grey Vosses snap to the new heading, sniffing at the earth below like a pair of eager bloodhounds. For a few minutes you think it's all for nothing. Then....

*Buzz-buzz--aul? Is that you? And C*buzz*era? N*buzz* You don't *Buzzzzz*!

*This is Alpha! Location confirmed! We've got it coming in from along the rise. Hey, down there! Can you hear me? It's Paul!*

The awful static sound redirects again.

*Buzz--2. It's on*buzz*. Gunther is--*Buzz*

*Visual! We have a visual!*, Wolf 4 calls out. *What a sight for sore eyes!*

You feel a surge of victory flow through you. Was it really going to be that easy? Now that you had confirmation your targets were here, you just had to secure the area! And given the lack of enemies-

*Look alive Luigi, Stanislaw! We've got an enemy patrol circling about due east!*, Braun calls out. *Foncks, I'd say!*

Eyes wide, you look about, and finally manage to see what he was talking about. From the shadow of the valley slopes is a group of Merovian planes. However, they either haven't spotted you, or aren't planning to engage.

Instead, they hang back, plausibly being able to miss you...if they weren't so clearly on patrol. It was pretty weird. Were they just checking you out?

*My Captain, Luigi, he does not like the way they are skulking about!*

*Not too keen on it myself. They couldn't have spotted the Wolves. Numbers are in their favor as far as they should tell....what are you up to?*

A thought pops in your head.

"Echo, are you picking up anything strange? Not just on our channels. General frequency as well?", you ask.

He buzzes back over.

*Strange? Well no...no except..huh. Lemme just...huh. It's quiet actually. Very, very quiet. I don't like that.*

In the distance, the planes keep up their totally too oblivious pattern.
---
>Captain, maybe they ARE just incompetent? Let's keep low and just hope they leave.

>Well, if they haven't seen us they will. Let's take them out now before they figure out what's going on.

>If they are too scared to fight, just ignore them. You should stay focused on the rescue.

>write in
----

>That's all for tonight folks! Get those votes in and stay excellent! See ya tommorow.
>>
>>4735702
>If they are too scared to fight, just ignore them. You should stay focused on the rescue.
>>
>>4735702
>If they are too scared to fight, just ignore them. You should stay focused on the rescue.
Defensive
>>
>>4735702
>>If they are too scared to fight, just ignore them. You should stay focused on the rescue.
>>
>>4735702
>Well, if they haven't seen us they will. Let's take them out now before they figure out what's going on.
>>
Rolled 7, 3, 4 = 14 (3d10)

>>4735728
>>4735840
>>4735846
>>4736231
>If they are too scared to fight, just ignore them. You should stay focused on the rescue.

Well, you weren't exactly a fan of having some fighters skulk around at the edge of visual range, but if they weren't gonna come at you, you had bigger concerns.

You take up the set to voice your thoughts.

"Captain, the way I see it, if they are too chicken to fight, why bother? Honestly I think we should just stay focused, right?", you ask. "Let them sulk."

Below, Wolf 4 was now circling the location of his grounded wingmen, while Alpha prowled about looking for a suitable landing area. There were few enough of those. While both Konerland and Merovia had largely given up on directly occupying the area, enough artillery duels and clashes in the early days had wreaked havoc enough.

*Hmph...alright. Chimera, keep an eye on our new friends, but maintain positions. Let's keep this up. Echo 1, send word to your 2 that we've located the missing Wolves. Notify the lande.r*, Braun orders.

The LRR craft gives a waggle of its wings.

*Loud and clear Cap'n. They'll be cracking open the drinks at Baldir soon enough.*

You frown a bit at the break in rhythm.

"Sir, wasn't the idea to wait until after we had everything secured?", you question. Braun had himself been in favor of that additional safety measure.

*Rook, I've got one of those feelings. I don't buy those planes are just cowards. Something is going on here. Quicker we get this done the better. Trust me.*


Well, everything seemed to be going ok. Granted, it was a bit awkward just letting those Foncks hang around, but hey, if they were willing to oblige, why not?

Elsewhere, the broken signal from the ground continues to come in bursts.

*Buzz-aul, it's not-buzz* *-ammed. The Mero--Buzz!!*

*Come in? This is 4! Come in? Try to change channels. You are breaking up!*

Chimera Flight continues its patrol, and in the distance the Foncks keep up their own pattern. You were making no effort to conceal yourself and neither were they. They had to have seen you.

What was the game here?
---
>Time is important. You will take your Udet down low and help Alpha locate a proper landing zone. The enemy fighters clearly arent a threat.

>Just keep your eyes peeled and stay on. The Merovians have played cute before...no telling what they are up to.

>Try and hone in on the ground signal. Sounds like they are yelling something?

>write in
>>
>>4736323
>>Try and hone in on the ground signal. Sounds like they are yelling something?
>>
>>4736323
>Just keep your eyes peeled and stay on. The Merovians have played cute before...no telling what they are up to.
>>
Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>4736446
>>4736451
>>
Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>4736468
>Try and hone in on the ground signal. Sounds like they are yelling something?

While you circled about, something comes to you. What if they were trying to send up something important? Well, seeing as you had nothing better to do...

You try and tune in. Maybe you can get lucky and decipher something. Granted you are no tech Wizard but...

"Buzz--Hello? 'Click' 'click' Wolf 3? Wolf 2? Can you hear me? Hello?"

*Buzz-Buzz---era? Is th-Buzz...It isn't-Buzz!*

You frown and try again.
----

>1d10
>>
Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>4736480
>>
Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>4736480
>>
One more?
>>
Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>4736549
>>
Rolled 7, 4, 8, 4, 9, 6 = 38 (6d10)

>>4736578
>>
File: image1.jpg (29 KB, 412x247)
29 KB
29 KB JPG
>>4736510
>>4736520
>>4736578
>2 Success!

*Buzz--have to--Buzz*

You try and fiddle with the radio set, struggling. The signal was by no means strong, and you almost NEEDED an upgraded radio to receive it up here.

Hmm...maybe if you...

*buzz* *-himera? Chimera? Do you read me? Alpha, anyone? Someone listen!*

You recognize it as Wolf 2. Eyes wide, you hone in on that setting. At last! Excitedly you bring the receiver up.

"Wolf 2, this is Chimera 3! Great to hear from you again, we--"

A burst of staccato static rattles you.

*No, damnit! Listen! It's a TRAP! A TRAP! They know you're here!*, he yells. Confusion washes over you.

"A trap? What do you....but the signal?"

*No! The Merovians picked our signal up two days ago! They LET you come! A TRAP! Tell them, it wa--Buzz! Buzz!*

You fiddle with the set in frustration, trying to regain the signal. But you seem to have lost it. Still, you have to warn the others! And quick!

"Captain, I got through to Wolf 2! He says this is a set up. They knew we would come!", you call over, setting the radio to general burst.

*What? A set up? I KNEW this too conv-*

*Uhhh, Chimera? I think we may have a problem here...*, Echo 1 reports. *They've dropped radio silence. I'm picking up...this...(click)*

Excited chatter in Merovian enters your cockpit, though garbled and fuzzy.

*C'est Dedu. Les envahisseurs sont venus chercher leurs chiots. Envoyez le signal maintenant! Vite!*

Something, uh, something with a signal. You think.

*For the uninitiated, I think we can confirm that trap story. I'm getting a lot, and none of it good.*

In the distance, a single one of the fighters breaks away from the group, headed for the lip of the valley. What it's purpose is, you can't say.

*Paul, hurry it up down there! I think we'll have company pretty damn soon!*, Braun snaps into the radio. Luigi let's out a roar of laughter.

*Hah! Luigi says let them come!*

*Chimera, form up! Wolves, look alive! We may need everyone for this!*, Braun repeats. *Be Ready...*

*Uh, you want me to call that Bird off? I mean the briefing said--*

*No. No we'll not get a second chance.*
----
>They can't do a plan if their dead! Bolt for the breakaway craft!

>Try and lobby for a general charge at the enemy fighters. You cant sit here!

>Keep your perimeter...you'll take whatever it is they throw at you...

>write in
>>
>>4736668
>They can't do a plan if their dead! Bolt for the breakaway craft!
>>
>>4736752
>They can't do a plan if their dead! Bolt for the breakaway craft!

Whatever they are planning, you don't like it! They cant do their plan if they're dead, that's for sure! With a growl, you hammer the throttle.

'Vroooooooooom!'

Your Udet soars across the sky as you break formation. The rest of Chimera flight seems stunned. Soon enough you hear Braun calling over.

*Hey, Rook! Hold on, don't just!-*

However, you tone him out as you give your full focus to the enemy aircraft. At your approach, it seems to increase it's own speed. If it Hope's to outrun your Udet, it is sorely mistaken!

It's a race for the lip of the valley, and one that the enemy plane has a head start in.

And there is the matter of the other Foncks....
---
>1d10!
>>
Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>4736905
>>
Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>4736905
we ded
>>
Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>4736905
>>
Rolled 6, 1, 2, 8, 4, 10 = 31 (6d10)

Chimera
>>
Rolled 10, 2, 4, 2, 8, 3, 5, 6, 6, 1, 6, 9 = 62 (12d10)

>>4737276
Honhon
>>
>>4737143
>>4737151
>>4737175
>1 auto success!

Well, it's clear early on that the Merovian craft is not gonna be able to outpace you. The speed of the Udet is giving you a clear advantage, and one you are willing to make full use of. He's never going to beat you to the crest of the valley.

As you close, it also becomes clear that this is an unusual Fonck. Maybe some kind of recon variant? Certainly it doesn't remind you of the frog recon planes you've seen before..but it's flimsy enough. Works for you!

The Udet zooms in, and the enemy pilot at last seems to accept the fact that he won't beat you to the target. Instead, he cuts into a dip and turn. Smiling, you easily outfly him. He isn't losing you.

*Well, you've done it now Rook. They're coming in on us!*, Braun says. Behind and away from you, he and Luigi are moving to clash with the three remaining Foncks. Numbers favor the enemy, but you would bet on your flight!

Bullets fly, and you can hear curses and oaths over the radio. Braun scores a solid hit on the lead Fonck as the furball comes together.

Now then....

With a flip of the lever, you twist the Udet just as you enter into firing range. The slower Fonck tries to snatch itself away last minute, but it's no use.

'Tatatataaatata!'

A solid burst impacts the bogey, and it rolls away, trying to escape. More bullets fly and still you harry it. The bogey desperately thrusts up and back suddenly! Rising quickly, the Fonck seems determined to feed you its top!

He's coming right for you on a crash course!
---
>Mirror his move and drop back as well. You reckon you can hold it longer, and when he drops out, you'll take him from above.

>Roll away! You can't risk a crash, and you can always regain position after the fact!

>Use the chance to head over into the furball. You've thrown the target off course already. A quick support run maybe?

>write in
-----

>Alright guys, I'll see you in the morning! Stay excellent and get those votes in!
>>
>>4737334
>Mirror his move and drop back as well. You reckon you can hold it longer, and when he drops out, you'll take him from above.
>>
>>4737334
>Mirror his move and drop back as well. You reckon you can hold it longer, and when he drops out, you'll take him from above.
>>
>>4737344
>>4737535
>Mirror his move and drop back as well. You reckon you can hold it longer, and when he drops out, you'll take him from above.


The bold maneuver catches you off guard, but you react quickly enough. If you can hold out in your own fall away, you think you can make this work to your ends. The Fonck will have to fall away first...likely.

In which case, you can come out on top and try to finish this thing!

The Fonck rises towards you, determined to throw you its shoulder block. Your fingers find the lever and pull back.

Gently now. A nice, even tempo...
---
>1d10!
>>
Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>4737986
>>
Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>4737986
Dice for the dice gods!
>>
Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>4737986
>>
Rolled 10, 7, 9, 2, 1, 2, 4, 7, 2, 8, 8, 4 = 64 (12d10)

Honhonhon
>>
Rolled 6, 5, 2, 3, 3, 3 = 22 (6d10)

>>4738169
>>
File: 41RMeD31TGL._AC_.jpg (16 KB, 429x343)
16 KB
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Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>4738016
>>4738100
>>4738104
>1 Auto Success!
>Enemy Craft Heavily Damaged

The move from the Merovian is a bold one. Some pilots might have shied away from the backwards charge. Some, but as it happens not you. Instead, you breathe.

And act.

Your Udet folds up and back as the Fonck comes up, hanging in the air as the engine pushes you back. The enemy plane mirrors your move, and soon the two of you are both trying to out rise the other. You too keep distance. Him to push. And it's a fight the Fonck loses.

After a bit of dancing, the bogey is forced to come down from his attempted maneuver. When he does, the Fonck spins over and drops altitude.

Which is exactly what you had wanted. With a smile, you bring the Udet over, recovering the hunter's perch that you had obtained earlier. It's all too easy to thumb the triggers.

'Tatatatatatataata!'

Smoke billows from the Fonck's engine as your bullets hit the sweet spot. A direct hit! The Merovian panicks and fires up, trying to scale the Valley slopes. It seems he is determined to finish whatever it is you interrupted..

*I'm hit! Luigi, get this guy off my tail!*

Over in the other engagement, it seems that Chimera and the three other Foncks are engaged in an elaborate turning contest of sorts. The Sturmwing pilots should have the advantage in that.

Still, it was clear the frogs were putting up a fight and thanks to their extra fighter, were giving as good as they got! Meanwhile, the Wolves were maintaining their defensive posture in their own tasks.
---
>Finish off the recon Fonck. Whatever it's up to you want no part of.

>It's clearly out of the fight. Switch targets and relieve your wingmen!

>Call on the Wolves. Get in the Fight, damnit! We need to clear them out!

>write in
>>
>>4738283

>Finish off the recon Fonck. Whatever it's up to you want no part of.
>>
File: images (14).jpg (12 KB, 203x248)
12 KB
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>>4738462
>Finish off the recon Fonck. Whatever it's up to you want no part of.

Well, you trust that the rest of Chimera can hold their own. And besides, you have a target right in front of you! A rather desperate target truth be told. Best that you put an end to whatever nonsense that he has planned.

With that in mind, you climb up after the wounded Fonck. The smoke pouring from him betrays the poor state of his plane. You'd done a number on him.

Now to end it!

You narrow your eyes and fire.

'Tatatatatata!'
---
>1d10 Gunnery
>>
Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>4738504
>>
Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>4738504
>>
Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>4738504
Time for me to fuck it up with a ten!
>>
>>4738585
>>4738578
Eyyyy!
>>
Rolled 4, 1, 3, 7, 2, 3, 2, 3, 1, 9, 8, 4 = 47 (12d10)

>>
File: UAJm6xvP_400x400.jpg (10 KB, 312x312)
10 KB
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Rolled 7, 8, 10, 2, 8, 5 = 40 (6d10)

>>4738667
>>
Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>4738545
>>4738578
>>4738585
>1, 1 CRITICAL HIT!
>Braun Moderately damaged

'Tatatatatatatata!'

The stream of bullets are perfectly on target. Unable to outrun you, the wounded Fonck takes them into the fuel tank, wildly flailing out of position. When it attempts to pull up again, you send another burst that finally snaps a wing strut, sending the bogey into a rapid spin.

For a few moments, you could have sworn that the smoke had a dark, reddish hue to it, leaking out into the air. Then it's simply gone.

'BOOM!'

The Fonck collides with a sharp rise, in a spectacular display of fire and light. You zoom past the explosion, pulling up and over at high speed. He'd never stood a chance, and whatever he was trying to do had clearly failed. Thanks to you.

However, it would appear that things are not going according to plan elsewhere!

*Can't shake him. 'Tatatatata!' Gaah! He got me again! Luigi push this guy off!*, Braun calls out in frustration. The Fonck on his tail continues to pepper him.

A thin stream of smoke leaks from his Udet as a lucky bullet strikes gold.

*I shall try, My Captain!*, the big man barks back. However, his own plane already is doing what it can. Between trying to avoid enemy fire and also assist the Captain, it's clearly hard work.

But now, at least, you are free!

Hmm...but your mind turns elsewhere. Before you shot him down, your Fonck friend had been headed for the valley entrance...
---
>Whatever it was is unimportant! You need to go help the others! Charge!

>Get one of the Wolves to assist while you investigate?

>Investigate on your own?
>>
>>4738709

>Get one of the Wolves to assist while you investigate?
>>
>>4738709
>>Get one of the Wolves to assist while you investigate?
>>
>>4738731
>>4738763
>Get one of the Wolves to assist while you investigate?

Hmmm...well you would be lying if you said that you weren't interested in the actions of your target. But you also can't really just leave your wingmen hanging in good conscience....

A compromise then!

You take up the radio.

*Hey, Wolves, you there? This is Chimera 3!*, you call out. For a few moments nil.

Then it buzzes back.

*Stanislaw? What is it?*, Alpha responds. He has a serious tone in his voice.

*Uh yeah, I'm here!*, Wolf 4 adds. *Just buzzing down low, and--*

You decide to get right to the chase.
---

>1d20 higher better
>>
Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>4738816
Fug
>>
Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>4738816
>>
One more?
>>
Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>4738928
QM powers go!
>>
>>4738987
Qm plz
>>
>>4738824
>>4738894
>>4738987
>>4738993

(I regret everything. Very Deep shame.)

>Critical Fail!
>Radio Malfunction/Meltdown?

You hit the receiver.

"That plane I shot down seemed awful eager to crest the valley!", you say. "How about one of you help out my people while I scout it out?"

The radio buzzes in response...

And that's all it does...

*Buzz-anislaw? You-Buzz-eakingBuzz!*

*BuzzBuzz? --ello?*

Your radio begins to take on an indiscernible static. Soon enough any voices at all are lost! Shit. Had you messed something up with your aggressive radio play earlier?

Frowning, you try to make contact with Echo 1. His more powerful piece might be able to assist you...(click)

"Hello? Echo 1? Hello?"

*buzz--era 3? I can't--buzz. What is wro-buzzbuzz! (Click) *

You knew the damn things weren't as advanced as those carried by the LRR's, but now of all times to be touchy?? Just your luck, damnit. You curse the confounded machine in Huzaran loudly.

Well, that plan is out the window...

...you could still check it out?
---
>Nah, go help your team.

>Proceed, and check it out! It may be important!
>>
>>4739005

>Proceed, and check it out! It may be important!

dishonor upon your house and family.
>>
Rolled 8, 2, 4 = 14 (3d10)

>>4739013
>Proceed, and check it out! It may be important!

Well, radio or no radio, you need to head up there and check it out! If it was important to him, it is probably pretty important overall! ....Right?

'Vroooooooooom'

In any case, you take the lever in hand and push the Udet hard and fast, climbing the sky up the slopes. Behind you, Chimera struggles with their own battles, but deaf as you are....

*-Buzz--me! Get hi--Buzz*

Yeh, nothing. Shit. You shake your head. That was gonna have to be something that fixed itself you guess..

Still, at least you can do your part this way. Just a little peak over the edge...and then you can head back.

Soon enough, you crest the valley entrance, and---

'Vroooooooooom!'

"SHIT!"
---
>1d10!
>>
Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>4739219
>>
Two more?
>>
Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>4739219
>>
Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>4739405
>>
File: DUl0A6uVQAAVWKU.jpg (102 KB, 1200x1200)
102 KB
102 KB JPG
Rolled 7, 7, 5, 8, 6, 7 = 40 (6d10)

>>4739519
>>
Rolled 8, 6, 6, 2, 10, 4, 3, 8, 7 = 54 (9d10)

>>4739542
>>
File: EfZ0V5eXsAEpPi9.jpg (229 KB, 1200x1010)
229 KB
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Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>4739279
>>4739456
>>4739519
>10 Autofail!

"AGGGGHHHH", you yell, pulling the Udet into an awkward, turn/spin/dive, as a flight of fighters bursts from inside the valley within inches of you. The new arrivals are little better off, scrambling madly. It seems they expected you no more than you did them!

But this does explain some things! Had the bogey you shot down been going to signal these guys to launch their ambush? In any case, they had clearly gotten tired of waiting!

It then occurs to you that once they recover, you will be caught out 4 to 1. Even in your Udet, and with confidence in your skills..those were steep odds. You'd really stepped in it this time.

Not to mention the others! The Wolves would be low still, and they wouldn't know they were coming unless Echo picked it up...and as for Chimera...

Your eyes flicker over to see the fierce knife fight in the distance. You see smoke in the general area, but hard to tell whose from this far. Almost subconsciously, you reach for your radio...and then remember the damn thing is fried!

Their ambush had been fucked up. Your radio had been fucked up. You couldn't call help. They has been interrupted. Creator above what a shitshow!

It's you and the Frogs now...
---
>Try and fly evasion while working on the radio! You have to send out warning!

>No time to be cute. Take the fight to the Merovians while they are still confused!

>Make a run for it! Maybe you can draw attention until spotted by a friendly!

>write in
----

>That's all for the weekend folks! Thank you so much for playing. See you all on Friday, where we will try to navigate this busted ambush! Stay Excellent!
>>
>>4739580
>No time to be cute. Take the fight to the Merovians while they are still confused!
>>
>>4739580
>No time to be cute. Take the fight to the Merovians while they are still confused!
>>
>>4739580
>>No time to be cute. Take the fight to the Merovians while they are still confused!
>>
>>4739598
>>4740215
>>4744240
>No time to be cute. Take the fight to the Merovians while they are still confused!

Well, you couldn't call for help. And running was out of the question. You were a Sturmwing pilot damnit! With that in mind there was only one possible option.

Attack!

Throwing the lever, you drive your Udet as fast as you can at the nearest bogey. While they seem to have finally processed the situation, they seem baffled by your sudden appearance nonetheless.

Still, they were the newer breed of Fonck, not the 17. They were capable of being plenty dangerous if well handled.

Best to hit then while they are confused! Eyes glinting, you search for a good shot!

And thumb the trigger.

'Tatatatatata!'
---
>1d10
>>
Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>4749929
>>
Two more?
>>
Rolled 3, 4 = 7 (2d10)

>>4750137
So be it. Dice pls have mercy.
>>
Rolled 3, 8, 6, 6, 5, 8, 1 = 37 (7d10)

>>4750265
>>
Rolled 8, 10, 7, 4, 9, 7, 7, 6, 6, 4, 5, 10, 4, 7 = 94 (14d10)

>>4750272
Wait I fucked that up lol. Here..
>>
Rolled 8, 5, 9, 9, 5, 1, 4, 2, 3, 2, 3, 3 = 54 (12d10)

>>4750279
Our bois
>>
File: images (15).jpg (13 KB, 272x185)
13 KB
13 KB JPG
>>4750289
>3 Success!

It seems that your Summer's instincts have proven to be correct! The Merovian craft fail to organize properly or fast enough. Soon enough, your Udet is right on one of them. Guns blazing, you charge.

'Tatatatatatatata!'

The Fonck makes the mistake of rolling right into your shot. Bullets pepper the eninge compartment, but no smoke leaks out...yet. One of his more aggressive friends tries to U-Turn, and come right at you! Well, you've got a trick yourself...

Descending in a wild spin, you dodge the enemy fire as bullets whistle past you. Sook enough you pull up hard and bring he Udet back up and around. You line up the shot just as he rejoins his partner.

'Tatatatatatata!'

You impact his tail, and shards of wood and canvas fly as the pair changes patterns. Following, you narrow your eyes in concentration. But you aren't unaware of the situation around you.


Two of the fighters manage to regain some sense of tactics. Dropping back, there is one in either of your back corners. Altho as of yet, they are not in effective shooting range. Still, you have to imagine they will be coming for you....

In the corner of your eye, you notice a single plane fall to earth in the distance, smoking. You can only hope it's a bogey.

Now then....
---
>Keep up the assault on your two front arc bogeys. Maybe you can end this quick.

>Try and pull the old slow down drop back on your pursuers. With any luck you'll set yourself up nice.

>Hit the Immelman and come at your chasing bogeys head on!

>Write in
>>
>>4750357
>Try and pull the old slow down drop back on your pursuers. With any luck you'll set yourself up nice.
>>
>>4750421
>>Try and pull the old slow down drop back on your pursuers. With any luck you'll set yourself up nice.

Well, as pleased as you'd be to just hang behind those two and pepper them all day, getting peppered yourself isn't very fun! So, you guess its time for some fancy flying!

Eyeing the encroaching Foncks coming in on your rear, you take a two breath as you wait for your moment...

Wait for it...wait for it. Wait for them to build up speed....

And now!
---
>1d10
>>
Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>4750511
>>
Two more?
>>
Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>4750511
ded
>>
Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>4750661
Here is to a crit
>>
File: fleur_de_lys.gif (3 KB, 201x211)
3 KB
3 KB GIF
Rolled 4, 8, 1, 2, 5, 7, 10, 7, 9, 1, 1, 5, 3, 7, 9, 2, 6, 6 = 93 (18d10)

>>4750791
Honhon
>>
Rolled 4, 7, 5, 6, 3, 1, 5, 6, 7, 6, 5, 9 = 64 (12d10)

>>4750797
Ok, now us
>>
File: 17444699-wolf-symbol.jpg (91 KB, 1300x1276)
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>>4750801
>1 Autosuccess!
>1, 1 Enemy Critical! :(((
>Stanislaw jumps to moderate damage.


Like a gull spreading its wings, your Udet makes to tip up and back. As you do so, you ease off the throttle. Slowing to a low purr, you smile as one of the Foncks races past you. You fire off a burst.

'Tatatatatatatata!'

A hit! Spinning away, the Fonck desperately drops out of line as your bullets score along it. Then a thought enters your head. He'd had a --

'Tatatatata!

"Ahhhhh!", you cry out. Bullets strike the inside of your cockpit all around you. A few slam directly into the radio set, destroying it in a storm of sparks. You feel a bullet scrape your arm, and you immediately fall into evasive maneuvers.

One hadn't fallen for it. If anything he had seemed to be expecting it. He stays on you, as you speed away. However, the pilot is aggressive and keeps up, despite the advantages of your plane.

You are in a grim spot...

Then a pair of grey shadows come howling up from below at an angle. Bullets split the air before you, and you see one of the planes you had been chasing engulfed in smoke as it veers out of combat, badly crippled by the bursts.

You know those planes by sight. The snarling jaws on one Voss simply confirms it. Wolf 1 and 4 had come to your aid! Whether thay had been alerted by Echo 1 or simply seen you is hard to say.

In any case, their arrival now effectively balances out the situation.

It's just a crying shame you can't coordinate with them via radio.

'Tatatatatatata!'

You duck as another stream of bullets races past you. This wasn't ideal.

The situation calls for action.
----
>Let's try spinning! That's a neat trick! Do a barrel roll! Lot's of em!

>Your speed can help here. Jackknife up and try to out circle the Fonck chasing you.

>Crash Dive! Crash dive!

>write in
>>
>>4750851
>Let's try spinning! That's a neat trick! Do a barrel roll! Lot's of em!
>>
>>4750851
>Let's try spinning! That's a neat trick! Do a barrel roll! Lot's of em!
>>
>>4750874
>>4750895
>Let's try spinning! That's a neat trick! Do a barrel roll! Lot's of em!

Well, nothing fancy is needed you suppose. Just need to avoid getting shot up if you can. Alright then. Hmmm...

Spinning.

Spinning is a neat trick! You'll try that!

What could possibly go wrong?

With bullets tattering past you, the Udet cranks into a harsh barrel roll. Let's hope this works!

'Vroooooooooom!'
---
>1d10
>>
Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>4751007
>>
Two mor?
>>
Rolled 4, 2 = 6 (2d10)

>>4751096
Lucky dice dont fail us now!
>>
Rolled 3, 4, 9, 5, 8, 5, 2, 8, 5, 6, 1, 3, 3, 5, 7 = 74 (15d10)

>>4751129
>>
Rolled 3, 5, 3, 2, 10, 8, 4, 9, 10, 3, 3, 8 = 68 (12d10)

>>4751132
>>
>>4751133
>2 success!
>X destroyed(?)

The barrel roll is often flanderized or mocked for it's funny style. Often it is the butt of jokes. What it is, however, is very effective in the right hands. It doesn't however favor those with weak stomachs.

Thankfully, you had a light breakfast!

Tumbling madly from one side to the other, the world spins around you. Bullets fly past, as you manage to throw off the bogeys aim. Eventually, you manage to cut wide enough in a roll to fully escape his firing arc entirely. He waves an angry fist at you as he passes....

'Tatatatatata!'

....and recoils back into the cockpit as Wolf 4 strafes his craft. Nice! It was good to know they had your back. Unfortunately Alpha seemed to be having more trouble. With his attention divided between two craft, he cant really maximize his efforts. He is in danger of being out flown.

Elsewhere you notice in the distance a other streak of black whirling to earth. You send up a silent prayer that it's not one of yours. However, with the radio gone there is no way to know.

Now then, you needed to think. You did have time to think at least. Hmm...

That crippled craft was flying in circles below you all. Could be an easy kill. Them again, Alpha seemed to be in trouble. Not to mention you maybe could help Wolf 4 finish off your ex pursuer?
---

>go for the cripple. Easy time.

>Help Alpha! Tag team!

>Help shoot down the jerk who broke, er, double broke your radio?

>write in
>>
Well that's all for tonight. Get those votes in and I'll see u tommorow. Stay excellent!
>>
>>4751142
>Help Alpha! Tag team!
He praised himself for never losing a wingman.
>>
>>4751142
>Help Alpha! Tag team!
>>
>>4751455
>>4751877
>Help Alpha! Tag team!

Well, the decision isn't very hard actually. Alpha was in trouble! Getting an easy kill or some payback was a secondary concern really! You needed to bail out your fellow pilot.

You direct the Udet over to where the leader of Werewolf Flight is in combat against his two opponents! Occupied as they are in their knife fight, you think you will be able to line up a shot.

Assuming of course you can find the opportunity for one. That was always the trick. You just wish you could call over to him and let him know you were coming.

Oh well. No use dwelling on it.

You'd just have to do it the old fashioned way.

With the Udet humming in your ears, you go into action.
---
>1d10!
>>
Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>4752128
>>
Two more? A crit would be hype
>>
>>4752128
>>4752253
Here it is! 1! 1! 1! 1! 1!
>>
Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>4752283
>>
Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>4752253
>>
File: fleur-de-lys-512x256.png (70 KB, 512x256)
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Rolled 1, 5, 10, 1, 2, 4, 1, 4, 10, 3, 10, 4 = 55 (12d10)

>>4752310
>>
Rolled 4, 2, 5, 4, 1, 4, 2, 7, 6, 7, 8, 7 = 57 (12d10)

>>4752324
Lol cucked frenchies. 3 10s.
>>
File: images (17).jpg (8 KB, 269x187)
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8 KB JPG
>>4752327
>>4752327
>1 Auto Success!
>(?) Down!

The Udet goes roaring in, guns blazing as you do your best to relieve Alpha. One of the planes, more observant than his partner, gives Alpha a good burst before rolling away and off.

The other bogey isn't so wise. By the time he reacts, you are already firing on his side, bullets flying.

'Tatatatatatata!'

A hit!

And as you score on him, Alpha seems to regain his aggressive tactics. The Voss plane hits a wicked maneuver and rakes the area around the cockpit. Smoke pours from the Fonck as the pilot goes into a harsh dive.

Haggling his wings, Alpha pursues, clearly intent on finishing him. You nod. Looks like you'd managed to break it up!

In the corner of your eye, you see a final shape falling from the sky in the area of your squadron's dogfight. A thick trail of smoke betrays the dead plane, as it goes headed for the ground below.

You really hope that was the last of the Foncks and not someone you knew. Still, you had little time to dwell on it. Wolf 4 was having issues pinning down the bogey that he'd shaken from you.

And the wiser bogey who had broken off when you attacked seems to be going wide, searching for a new angle of attack!

And there was always the stunned bogey down low, who was apparently trying to shake off his wounds.
----
>Dive with Alpha. You can finish that bogey together easily.

>Help Wolf 4?

>go for the cripple.

>Charge the bogey going wide. You won't let him set up a proper run!

>write in
>>
>>4752407
>>Charge the bogey going wide. You won't let him set up a proper run!
>>
>>4752572
>>Charge the bogey going wide. You won't let him set up a proper run!

No way are you gonna let that guy get the time he needs to set something up! Better for you to just break him up in whatever he is trying.

Teeth clenched, you hit the lever and the Udet goes soaring after the enemy. Seeing you coming, he abandons his attempt at something fancy and refocuses on you.

Looks like a joust!
---
>1d10
>>
Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>4752645
>>
Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>4752645
pew pew
>>
One more?
>>
Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>4752645
>>4752942
>>
Rolled 10, 4, 4, 4, 3, 5, 3, 10, 6 = 49 (9d10)

>>4752942

Honhon
>>
Rolled 5, 6, 7, 1, 1, 9 = 29 (6d10)

>>4753102
(Angry wolf noises)
>>
>>4752655
>>4752719
>>4753021
>Failure!
>Bogey shot down!

As you Rocket forwards, it's clear that you and the Merovian pilot are headed directly for one another. As you are opening fire, you also see his plane's guns open up.

'Tatatatatatatata!'

At the last second, the bogey curves his flight path, raking your side. Your own bullets fly wide, thrown off. Damnit! The Fonck dances away in a spin, and your eyes track it.

'BOOM!'

Then an explosion cuts your thoughts abruptly. Above, the Fonck that Wolf 4 had been chasing goes up in a fiery conflageration. The broken plane goes careening down through the sky, missing much of its front.

Down below, Alpha is close to delivering the Coup de Grace on his own bogey. Tongues of flame and black smoke are enveloping the front of the Fonck. It's clear to you the end is near.

However, the badly damaged Fonck that had been crippled earlier is charging forwards. It looks like he means to take Alpha in the flank or go down trying!

And...looking over, you see a lone shape headed for you from the sight of the furball. But the sun is in a fierce glare, and in any case you can't judge the profile.
----
>Go for the charging cripple and put him down. Save Alpha's flank.

>ignore the cripple and help Alpha finish his own target.

>Fly out and meet the lone craft. You really wish you had your radio now...

>write in
>>
>>4753168
>Go for the charging cripple and put him down. Save Alpha's flank.

Cant go losing our resident hothead
>>
>>4753168
>Go for the charging cripple and put him down. Save Alpha's flank.
>>
>>4753352
>>4753361
>Go for the charging cripple and put him down. Save Alpha's flank.

Well you cant just let your resident Hothead get shot down when you are so close to winning! You should really go help Alpha out!

So you do.

Sending the plane into a shallow dive, you level out and head for the approaching crippled Bogey. Smoke pours from behind the props, but he bravely dogs his plane on nonetheless. Merovian bravery at its highest. And stubbornest.

You try and line up the shot. One more good hit should do him in....

Now!
---
>1d10
>>
Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>4753393
pew pew
>>
Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>4753393
>>
One more?
>>
Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>4753503
Pls no 10
>>
Rolled 5, 7, 8, 9, 6, 5, 4, 7, 8 = 59 (9d10)

>>4753532
>>
Rolled 3, 8, 7, 9, 4, 7, 2, 10, 9 = 59 (9d10)

>>4753552
Honhon
>>
File: mrbig-neck.jpg (15 KB, 227x262)
15 KB
15 KB JPG
Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>4753573
>10 auto Fail!
>Bogey Down!

With your sights set, you pull the trigger just as the enemy plane opens fire on Alpha. As you do so however, it pitches under instead of up, and your shot flies wide. Cursing, you watch as the plane strafes the friendly Voss.

Thankfully, it's not a great hit, and even as Alpha veers off defensively, his shots finally bring down his target Fonck. The Merovian plane's engine bursts into flame, and the pilot leaps from the cockpit, his chute spreading as he does so. Another one down...that just left two?

Unless of course....

Looking to the side, you see that the plane who you had detected earlier has finally closed range. And fast! You smile as you recognize the garish paint job.

It's Luigi's Garibaldi type craft. Zooming head, the Aldanian seeks out the Fonck that had gotten the better of you in your joust before. A burst of fire alerts the bogey to presence even as Wolf 4 comes about and engages him as well.

The Fonck is in a two on one fight now, and that's certainly not a place that he wants to be. Granted, Luigi wasn't exactly in great shape, but none of you were.

You notice the cripple coming around for another attack, seemingly determined to rescue his squad mate. The conviction of the enemy never ceased to amaze you.

Shame you'd have to handle this....
---
>help Luigi and Wolf 4 down their bird. Alpha will handle the cripple.

>Join Alpha in destroying the cripple.

>Head back to the landing zone and return to defense. They must have left Captain Braun behind to guard Echo 1...

>write in
>>
>>4753607
>that's all for tonight! Stay excellent and see you in the morning! Get those votes in!
>>
>>4753607
>help Luigi and Wolf 4 down their bird. Alpha will handle the cripple.
>>
>>4753607
>Head back to the landing zone and return to defense. They must have left Captain Braun behind to guard Echo 1...
>>
Anyone wanna break the tie? I'll give it a bit then roll.
>>
>>4753607
>>help Luigi and Wolf 4 down their bird. Alpha will handle the cripple.
>>
>>4753626
>>4753870
>>4754344
>>help Luigi and Wolf 4 down their bird. Alpha will handle the cripple.

You figure that Alpha can easily handle the crippled bogey. Granted, Luigi and 4 weren't exactly in danger themselves, but you might as well speed up the process!

With that in mind, you come about and head for their duel. The enemy Fonck is doing their best to try and throw them off his trail, but to little effect.

Should be easy with 3 of you!

---
>1d10
>>
Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>4754418
>>
Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>4754418
>>
One more? Put the poor frog to bed.
>>
Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>
Rolled 5, 2, 10, 5, 10, 10 = 42 (6d10)

>>4754572
Yikes.
>>
File: chimera (1).png (10 KB, 400x300)
10 KB
10 KB PNG
Rolled 5, 4, 6, 2, 4, 4, 5, 3, 3 = 36 (9d10)

>>4754585
>>
>>4754585
>>4754589
>Autofail
>Bogey Critical Fail!
>Bogey destroyed!
>Final bogey CRITICALLY damaged
>Generic grunts being the Bane of our dice continues I guess

As you come in, you make to go in for a run with your machine guns. Combined with fire from Luigi and Wolf 4, it should be enough to easily down the guy.

However, just as you start to open fire, Luigi's enthusiastic assault nearly causes a collision. The lack of radio coordination you suppose. You are forced to pull away even as your wingmen score textbook shots on the bogey.

'Tatatata!'

Smoke and fire billows as the Fonck begins to lose altitude. It's clear he isnt long for this world, yet the pilot doesn't bail, fighting for air. Behind you, an explosion rocks the air.

Turning, you see the fireball that was once the crippled bogey fall to pieces and chunks as Alpha defeats it in a joust.

And then there was one.
----
>Join in the kill

>Return to the Landing Zone

>write in
>>
>>4754623
>Return to the Landing Zone
Not our day.
>>
>>4754623
>Return to the Landing Zone
>>
File: images (1).png (3 KB, 200x200)
3 KB
3 KB PNG
Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>4754628
>>4754712
>Return to the Landing Zone

Well, it just didn't appear to be your day. Still, with the situation here all but wrapped up, you think heading back to assist at the landing zone could be useful. By your count only Braun and Echo 1 would be present.

Hopefully the pickup craft would arrive soon before you got any more unwanted guests! Until then you guess it would be defensive duty for you. With a dip of your wings, you head back. Behind you, Wolf 4 and Luigi pursue the badly damaged Fonck, hounding it.

It's days were numbered.

To your surprise, Alpha follows up behind you instead of joining them. His Voss craft pulls up close to you and he throws up an arm in frustration. You shrug and try to mime for him.

Granted, all you can really do is wave your arms around and point at the radio, but he seems to be pleased by that. With a wave he falls back, guarding the rear. Still it was nice to have another plane.
---
Soon enough, you have returned to the area where the stray Wolves have been spotted. Ahead of you, a battered Udet VII runs guard duty. Captain Braun. Further in the distance, Echo 1's plane is hovering in a lazy circle, content.

Well you're happy he was fine, but the smoke coming off his plane certainly didn't look good. Regardless he was apparently well enough to fly. Alpha breaks off from your pair and heads back low. You assume to try and make talk with his wingmen.

Well, spoiling an elaborate ambush had certainly been fun and all, but the key thing here was to try and make sure the landing craft succeeded. This was a rescue mission after all!

Still with your mouth and ears effectively disabled, you had to rely on your eyes...
----
>Conserve your fuel and keep your flying slow and limited. You might need the extra juice later.

>There is no point in just sitting. Range out a bit for scouting purposes.

>write in
>>
>>4754741
>Conserve your fuel and keep your flying slow and limited. You might need the extra juice later.
>>
>>4754741
>>Conserve your fuel and keep your flying slow and limited. You might need the extra juice later.
>>
>>4754759
>>4754780
>Conserve your fuel and keep your flying slow and limited. You might need the extra juice later.

Hmmm...well, it normally wouldn't hurt to range out a bit. Buuut you needed to keep an eye on your reserves in case any more Merovians showed up. Having to glide the last half of the trip back to Baldir did not appeal to you at all.

With that in mind, you lay back on the throttle and keep an eye out. With any luck, the rescue craft would be here soon...
---
>1d10
>>
Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>4754818
>>
Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>4754818
>>
>>4754901
AAAAAAAAAAAA
>>
One more? A 1 would break the 10
>>
Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>4754990
>>
>>4754826
>>4754901
>>4755032
>10 fail

As you are flying about at reduced speed, you do your best to keep your eyes on the sky around you. However, as far as you can tell nothing unusual is taking place. In fact, it's quite p--

Your thoughts are broken when Captain Braun brings his plane up beside yours. Waving at you from the cockpit, he points back at the area where you had approached the valley entrance from. The way that led to base?

Was he wanting to withdraw? No that's not it. Hmmm. Oh. It hits you. The rescue craft might also be coming from that direction you suppose. If it was almost here you had no way of noticing. Being deaf to the airwaves would do that. Still, given Braun's early call, it was possible.

Scanning the skies, you do eventually spot a faint outline in the distance. Well, that must be your guy. That or a veeeeery lost Merovian. You'd go with the former.

With no bogeys in sight, you now just had to hope that things would go smoothly. Ernst had assured you his guy was good, and presumably Alpha had a spot scoped down there, but the run wouldn't be easy. You guess you just had to trust him.

Across from you, Braun waves from his plane to yours, before pointing towards the approaching rescue craft. He then, you think, shows a single finger. You blink. Ohhhhh...

He was asking if you wanted to escort them in! Well...
----
>Sure! You're curious if nothing else.

>Eh, he should probably do it. Not having a radio would probably make it awkward. You'll hang back.

>write in
>>
>>4755099
>Sure! You're curious if nothing else.
>>
>>4755138
>Sure! You're curious if nothing else.

Well, it was honestly kind of boring just sitting around and waiting. Even without a radio, it would do you some good to go meet up with the new arrival. You were curious if nothing else.

You give Braun a wave as he veers away, gaining speed. Throwing the lever, you send your Udet forwards. Soon enough the craft is back to its speedy self. On the way over, you fly by a Echo 1, who maintains his lazy circling.

You suspect that he is chatting with the rescue plane in order to coordinate something. That consoles you somewhat you guess. With a clear landing zone, maybe it would all turn out fine.

When you do finally approach the encroaching plane, it occurs to you that Ernst's description was correct. The thing is certainly no standard transport vehicle. For one thing it's only about half again as big as a normal fighter. It could perhaps seat 3-5 people. Smushed together. Quite uncomfortably.

Still, while the thing seemed ungainly to your eyes, the pilot seemed to be coducting himself fairly well. Once you link up, he waves over. At this distance, you still don't spot a tail mount. Was the thing defenseless?

In any case, you escort your new ally to the landing zone smoothly. Once he is over the area, he pulls away and begins to circle. Below, Alpha is flying the lowest you've seen him yet. Presumably he is trying to pin down the drop zone.

Soon enough, the rescue craft begins to descend, headed for a gentle patch of-relatively-unmolested ground. It looks like a squeeze to you, but clearly the guy feels he can manage it...

You are just about to congratulate yourself on a mission well accomplished when you notice a vague pair of shapes coming in from near the valley entrance.

Luigi and Wolf 4 no doubt. Now then, you-

"Erk!"

Your hand flies to your forehead as a scratching sensation starts to emerge inside your skull. The Itch? Now? But that didn't make sense. Unless....
---
>Try and channel it.

>Fight it down.

>write in
>>
>>4755250
>Try and channel it.

THE WARP IS OVERTAKING ME.
>>
>>4755250
>Try and channel it.

The Itch can be dangerous. You've undergone the process enough by now to know that. Your gift, or curse, or mental disorder, or whatever the hell it is isnt a toy. It also can be quite helpful whenever it decides to be however.

Not to mention the fact that the LAST time it came on you here, the thrice cursed Black Lightning came hurtling after you. Ok then. You choose to go with the flow, and attempt to direct it.

Closing your eyes, you feel the scraping in your skull move.

And you choose to mold it.
---
>1d10 Itch check
>>
Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>4755407
>>
Two more
>>
>>4755484
I also just wanna say that there seems to be a pattern where we absolutely just fail to kill badly wounded planes. This episode sort of solidified that kek.
>>
>>4755487
Are we a lower is better or higher is better system QM? I honestly have no clue and kinda just roll when I can drop by for the quest.

Also, ya we do have some shit luck with this.
>>
>>4755492
Ok so generally the way it works is that if a d10 is being rolled, lower is better. A 1 is an auto "success". A 10 is an auto fail. A double of either is a critical. If you get both a 1 and a 10 they cancel out. If that happens the third dice decides. Generally each "scene" is a three dice throw with one anon each getting a d10.

We used to have ANY 1 or ANY 10 be a critical, but that resulted in such memetic chaos in the first few threads we changed it to require doubles. Luigi getting a bird strike in the first skirmish for example.

We also occasionally use D20s, but that's normally for like social things. In that case higher is better. Hope that helps.
>>
>>4755527
Also Stanislaw nearly got beheaded because of how swingy the initial system was. He does have a badass scar now tho. So it evened out lol.
>>
Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>4755407
>>
Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>4755533
>>
File: 1612743472814.jpg (44 KB, 220x266)
44 KB
44 KB JPG
>>4755421
>>4755542
>>4755566
>Pass!

For a moment, your mind feels like it is floating in a cloud of jelly. Gentle. Ever so very gentle. Almost pleasant.

Then a sharp jab melts away like a butter, and the world seems to widen inside your mind. Reaching out, reaching out in the direction your mind is pulled....

]He stopped the trap. Clever beastie![

It's not the dark void of pain and terror you had experienced with Boucher. No. You feel a thin wire bridging your mind to the feelings of another. With Bouchwr there had been no such thing. Instead it's another pilot of Foudre. You know who.

The Phantom. You grit your teeth.

]I know you're there. You know im here...[

Then you see him physically as well. Or at least what u assume is him. Hot on the heels of Luigi and Wolf 4 come another flight of planes. Judging by the lack of ungodly bile in the air, Boucher must not be with them. Was it just the Phantom and some grunts?

More importantly, was their no end to this Creator damned ambush?

In any case, it was clear that they were headed right for your position. That was bad. None of you were in top shape, and the rescue plane needed time!

As your mind raced, Captain Braun suddenly breaks wide. Echo 1 rises to try and hide up top, and below you, Alpha buzzes around frantically. It seems they've caught news in their own way.

Still, you couldn't give up now. The stray Wolves were counting on you and Chimera! You'd come to far to fail now. And Itch or no Itch, The Phantom did not scare you. Not anymore.

He was just a man. A man like you. Albeit one who clearly understood the Itch better than you did. But that didn't make him unkillable....

You are in control.
---
>You have to keep them off the ground team! Charge forwards and drive them away! Forwards!

>Hang back and hope the others do the same. Defense is the way here. Especially once Luigi and Wolf 4 link up.

>These one way taunts are getting old. Maybe try to get inside his head?..literally?

>write in
---


>And that's all for tonight! Thank you anons so much for another fun time. See you all next time on friday and stay excellent! There may or may not be a new thread depending on how the bumps and slides go I guess!
>>
>>4755586
>Hang back and hope the others do the same. Defense is the way here. Especially once Luigi and Wolf 4 link up
>>
>>4755586
>Hang back and hope the others do the same. Defense is the way here. Especially once Luigi and Wolf 4 link up.
>>
>>4755586
>You have to keep them off the ground team! Charge forwards and drive them away! Forwards!

Sorry I couldn't play this weekend, work is a bitch sometimes!
>>
>>4755586
>You have to keep them off the ground team! Charge forwards and drive them away! Forwards!
>>
>>4755586
>>You have to keep them off the ground team! Charge forwards and drive them away! Forwards!



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