# YOU WERE ONLY GOING TO FLY ONE SORTIE
### A taste of Clash Over Cassino
You arrive with a sensible plan: fly one mission, drop some bombs, and get home.
At Field 116, the 460th Bomb Group is already getting airborne. SKu, Jayz, Manatee, Luft, Brooke, and the rest are hauling B-24s into formation. Thunderbolts, Mustangs, and Lightnings climb around them.
You tuck into position and decide this looks organized enough.
Then the enemy arrives.
Somewhere outside your window, FGBullet shoots down Finn’s C.205. HlyWd brings down Spikes. Your escorts are busy, your gunners are firing, and the target is still ahead.
“Hold steady.”
You would like to discuss that instruction.
But at **18:48:20**, the bombs start hitting Field 109.
Brooke, TheKenzr, and Manatee open the attack. Preesto follows. SemperVi, Luft, Popsman, and tudza add their loads. Jayz and TalonX hammer their targets, then SKu and Ozone join in.
At **18:48:39**, killyjim knocks out the radar.
**Twenty-one objects destroyed in nineteen seconds.**
You look back at the explosions and experience a sudden increase in enthusiasm for bomber operations.
Unfortunately, an enemy fighter would like your attention.
The Liberators fight back. Ozone gets jaeger1. Brooke gets Kermit. TheKenzr accounts for fuzeman and Xacherof.
You make a mental note: the bomber crews can shoot.
Outside, Max6 brings down Rider and Stampf. scothand gets Wiley. CAVALRY takes Ditto.
Your escort suddenly seems like an excellent group of people to stay near.
Back at the field, somebody announces another mission.
You were going to leave.
But you’ve just figured out where everybody is supposed to be.
“One more.”
---
The next trip takes the bombers to **Field 108**.
Brooke starts the destruction at **19:43**. Jayz follows with a string of hits that makes the target area an unpleasant place to own property. Luft adds more destruction, and the rest of the formation keeps delivering.
The frame’s log eventually records **54 object-destruction events at Field 108**.
You are beginning to understand the appeal.
Then the defenders explain their side of it.
Rider, FooFghtr, SockTigs, DeNile, and the other Axis pilots are attacking hard. Bombers fall. Escorts get dragged into fights. Every opening becomes somebody’s firing opportunity.
If you’re flying an interceptor, this is the moment you came for: get through the escort, line up the bomber, fire, and get out before its gunners settle on you.
If you’re in the bomber, you have a different opinion about that plan.
By **20:46**, aircraft are going down while bombs hit **Field 93**. The attack keeps landing punches even as the formations take losses. Across the frame, that field records **71 object-destruction events**.
HlyWd, Dung82, AKLogan, and Max6 are among the escorts hitting back.
You have now forgotten whatever household task you were planning to do after your “one mission.”
---
The closing minutes are ridiculous.
At **21:21:04**, Wiley receives a kill on one of Brooke’s B-24s.
At **21:21:22**, Brooke shoots down JoeZee’s Fw 190.
Eighteen seconds later, the bomber crew has delivered its reply.
Luft brings down Ditto. Brooke gets FlackYou. SemperVi takes fuzeman.
And while the fighters are still tearing into the formations, another group reaches **Field 109**.
At **21:24**, TheKenzr, Preesto, Jayz, SKTurt, Ozone, and tudza register another **ten objects destroyed in nine seconds**.
They got the bombs through.
Around them, BW1stpar takes DeNile. FGBullet gets Steely. scothand brings down SNO. AKRocco accounts for Devil5O5. HlyWd takes Picko.
The defenders keep swinging. SockTigs claims three B-24s from SemperVi’s formation in under two minutes. Rider continues hunting the heavies. FooFghtr takes FGBullet, then Animl.
At **21:28:58**, FooFghtr receives the last recorded kill award, on scothand’s P-47.
Even the ending needs a debrief.
Back in the tower, everyone has something to talk about: the bomb run, the interception, the escort that arrived just in time, or the decision that seemed brilliant right up until it wasn’t.
You came in hoping to have a decent flight.
You leave with people to fly with and a story you’ll probably tell twice.
**That’s the reason to try the next scenario.**
Fly a bomber and put your formation over the target. Fly escort and help bring them home. Fly an interceptor and see whether you can stop them.
New to scenarios? Say so, ask questions, and stick with your group. You don’t need to lead the scoreboard to take part in the action.
**Watch for the next scenario announcement, pick your seat, and sign up.**
And clear a little extra time.
“One sortie” has a way of becoming another launch.
