Well, if you were at F15 last night, the answer is obviously ONE HUNDRED AND 30!!! The Buccaneers, 13 C-47s strong, proceeded from F2 to F15 in stately fashion. Despite heavy enemy fighter presence, and ack that was functioning, the Buccs dropped all 130 paratroops (simulating the 82nd Air Borne Division) in two compact groups. All 13 of us then bailed out to descend with the troopers.
Not only did the enemy fighters attack the transports and the hapless paratroopers as they floated down, but they also proceeded to vigorously strafe the intrepid pilots of the Buccaneers as they hung helplessly in the silk (shameful, ain't it
). Well, as some of you may know, paratroopers descend faster than bailed pilots, once the chute opens. While the bloodthirsty and cowardly enemy pilots repeatedly fired on the Buccaneers' chutes, many of the paratroopers touched down and charged full speed at their objective...F15
.
Five minutes after the bloodletting began, the battle for F15 was over. "Field 15 captured by the Knights" came loud and clear over the radio (Camel, newest member of the Buccs, recieved credit for "map room destroyed"), completing the enemy's embarassment
. Well now, isn't that a lesson for us all
...chute-shooters never prosper
.
Seriously, this was simply too funny. When the enemy fighters began chewing our beautiful formation of C-47s apart, then began firing with abandon at all the chutes, I was sure our attack had failed. My plane was the first one hit, by an F4U-1C (of course), and I actually only got a few of my own troops out. Most everyone else managed to salvo theirs, tho. Some spit made at least two passes at me as I dangled (man, I hate dangling) before he did me in. Gonna have to do this again some time. <S> to my fellow Buccs.
------------------
Sabre, a.k.a. Rojo
(S-2, The Buccaneers)
[This message has been edited by Rojo (edited 03-23-2000).]
