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Title
L.T.A.R. (Lead to Air Ratio) Aces High Squad
Description
Excerpted from the website:
- The sun was setting, everyone sitting around doing little of nothing, some playing cards, some just talking, some writing home. It had been pretty quiet since moving into this base, almost too quiet. All of a sudden the alarm sounds off and over the speaker all we could hear ..........”We have incoming, Pilots man your planes!” Everyone scrambled……..all you could hear were engines roaring down t...
The chill from the early morning air started to creep in around the neck of my flight jacket. It was the kind of cold damp air that drops down off the mountains in the night and settles over the flats, the kind that gives you a quick shiver and makes it hard to go back to sleep. To add to it the wing of my B-24 that I had decided to make my perch for the night was ice cold. Talk about quiet. You’d think being only 50 miles from the front it would be nothing but noise, but this section of the front down in the valley had become peaceful in the last few days. I think both sides needed a rest. Just a few more days helping out the Bish, it sure would be nice if it stayed quiet like this. I understand why moil volunteered us to fall into their ranks to help out. These poor guys have been out numbered and out gunned for almost a year now. Yet in all that, they had managed to hold on. Sometimes I just shake my head at the fact that the world thinks this is the front that will give first. The Bish might not have the most skill, best equipment or even the population needed to defend a country this size, but they fight like a pit viper backed into a corner. I sure am going to miss these guys. Anyway, the sun would be starting to rise soon although it would be another few hours before it would peek over the mountains. Time to get off this wing and cover the bird up.
I knew this was going to be another lonely day. Raptr and I drew the watch for 24 hours, while the rest of the boys headed to a little town near here for some much needed R&R. Rokit, the XO had found us a nice spot to hide the planes and tanks with a long natural landing strip. Heck, Rokit and the boys did such a good job I flew right over them at treetop level yesterday and never saw a thing. Only moil our CO’s voice “thmp! You dolt, down here”, in my headset breaking in over the noise of the engines made me turn the big bird around. He always does have a way with words. The one thing about being on the front, the hot days, cold nights and hard sleeping arrangements make the coffee taste all the better. Just as I was turning to go hunt down Raptr and wake him up for a cup of java, I noticed flashes in the sky to the north. Walking under the wing to the front of the 24 I noticed the whole valley was lighting up. It looked like flashes, from the bulb of a giant camera was aimed at the mountains on both sides. A few seconds after the flashes I heard the familiar sound of rapid-fire shells and explosions. That’s miles away from here I thought, wondering what was happening. The radio in the half-track crackled to life. “thmp! thmp! You copy? Come in thmp!” It was Raptr, the excitement and fear in his voice could be heard at the same time. “ Go ahead Raptr, I copy.” “thmp you wouldn’t believe our luck!” “Just fire up the goon, the one loaded with small arms and weapons!” “Your destination is a town about 35 miles to the north!” “ I’ll fill you in while you get’er warmed up!” I couldn’t believe it. Rokit was either going to ground me for doing this or give me a medal and a good chewing. Either way, Raptr needed assistance and I wasn’t turning him down. I started going through the story I had just heard as I reached down and pulled the gear lever up. It’s always comforting to hear that old familiar whine and thud of the gear locking into place. In these mountains every bit of climbing speed is needed. Still shaking my head, Raptr, of all the things to go and do. He was looking at some old maps and saw that the town just north of us was once full of Bish. He must have left last night after I fell asleep but I still can’t understand how I didn’t hear the engine on the Ostie crank up or the squeak of the tracks as he pulled away. I got to get my ears checked. Between the explosions and engines this war was making me deaf. Raptr, I know he means well but talk about taking a chance. Lucky for him it was a chance that worked. Had he said he drove that hunk of metal straight into town or walked? Either way the town’s folk were happy to see him and willing to help capture the Knight airstrip near here. They told him that the entire Knight Squadron and all the vehicles had left 4 days ago headed west on the outside of the valley. Looks like the Knights were reorganizing for another offensive. The only thing left at the base was 3 Me110s and a couple of low altitude defense guns. Raptr was having me get the gear to the folks in town and then organize a plan to take the base. He had taken out one of the 110s that was on final approach and passed just over his head. My only objection was the fact that we had only two people with military background an Ostie and a bunch of town folks that would perform like an organized mob. Raptr convinced me that he believed in these people and it was our duty as LTARs to help them out, even if that meant our end. He was right, we signed on to protect this country and that is what we were going to do. These people believed in us, the least I could do was have faith in them. Just a few minutes from the climb out at the top of the ridge Raptr came screaming across the radio “thmp! thmp one of the 110s has just taken off and I hear the other one cranking up!” Wonderful, the sky is getting lighter, I have no guns to fight back with flying right into a hornets nest with a Goony Bird. Why did I let him talk me into this. “Woo Hoo! That baby is burning! Ha Ha, thmp another one down! They take off right across the town.” I was just throttling back and dropping my gear and flaps, hoping I could find a spot to set down near the town when Raptr scored one more 110. I saw that last one explode in a ball of fire. After a quick prayer for my enemy, I spotted a clearing where the people of the town had set out burning hay bails to mark my landing area and set down. Both men and women came running to the plane to help me unload. Raptr came riding up on a bike and with out stopping jumped off almost tripping over it running up to me with a grin from ear to ear. His hands were high in the air holding up three fingers denoting the planes he had just scored. I couldn’t help but chuckle, he always looks like a kid in a candy store just after he has downed a plane or two. Raptr showed me a rough map were one of the towns folk had drawn the layout of the base, and after formulating a plan and handing out weapons we started moving in. The sky was much lighter now but the shadows of the night still clung to the ground. I thought to myself this is good we need some cover. Just as we all climbed the last hill to look across the edge of the airfield we heard an engine cranking in one of the hangers, out rolled a Yak9 not even bothering to use the taxi way or runway. He throttled up and took to the air just barely clearing a tower and a fuel truck. Lying as low as we could with our faces in the dirt we didn’t see the Typhoon diving in from behind us. The roar of the engines made us all jump as he passed over head about 20 feet above us, and we all closed our eyes and ducked instinctively when the Yak, unaware of our fighter exploded just as his landing gear were coming up. With that distraction I ordered the assault and with all the courage they could muster the towns folks rushed the enemy manning the machine guns, stormed into the barracks catching the enemy off guard and unarmed and climb the stairs of the tower forcing the surrender of the few remaining Knights without a shot fired. As the people yelled, hugged, danced and cried I looked over at Raptr poking his head out of his Ostie he had just parked and nodded at him. I remembered right then and there the reason I asked to sign on with the LTARs. The celebration in town was a big one that night in our honor. The only problem was there was one missing. Who was that pilot in the Typhoon that saved our tails? It was one of those many questions that will never be answered in the time of war I thought. A noise rose up behind me as I sat on one side of the bonfire in the middle of town listening to the music the small band played. I looked over my shoulder and into the light came Raptr carrying an exhausted but happy pilot on his shoulders shouting and screaming for me to come meet O'Brian, and right behind him the whole squad of LTARs. A smile came to my face as moil explained to me they had gotten back to camp shortly before dark and found it deserted. There was a Bish Typhoon sitting in the middle of the field with O'Brian drinking some day old cold coffee. He had told him the story of a fight going on at the base north of here and moil immediately knew Raptr and I had stirred it up again. Laughing I said’ “well you said for me to keep and eye on Raptr all the time.” Rokit walked up and congratulated us on a job well done. Moil and Rokit wanted us to hang out and have a grand time tonight. “Heck” Rokit said, “the whole dang stalemate is over now that we have this base we can take the whole dad-burn country away from them”, and then leaned over and let me know I was to meet him in the command tent at 0800 hours tomorrow for a discussion on following orders. I knew it, Raptr managed to gather me up another butt chewing! Oh well, that’s the life of an LTAR. Do it right, then do it again to make sure it is right, after that practice it to make sure it is always right and if you screw up take your chewing and then get it right. LOL
Languages
English
Additional Information
In the world of virtual WWII game play, LTAR has become one of the most respected and feared squad's in the Aces High arena. The history of LTAR started with the idea that a group can be orginized to fight like one. Its humble beginnings came from a few LTAR members fighting the good war from the ground. In Aces High this is called GV'ing (Ground Vehicle). They were in GV's out of neccessity, LTAR pretty much have not developed the skills needed to fight in the air or bomb bases with the skill needed to be effective. What they did possess is superior ability in Tanks, Ostwinds and base capturing. With the squad growing LTAR showed their prowness in base defense shooting down all who tried to take what was theirs. This made LTAR a prized target for all who attacked. Killing an LTAR was a grand pelt indeed. As time went on LTAR recruted those who held other skills, they now had bombers, dog fighters and those skilled in removeing the capibilities of the enemy by taking down there ord's and troops (porking). At first seeing LTAR in the air was comical to those in the world of Aces High, the standard mantra was "is that an LTAR in the air" and at first rightly so since they proved to be easy targets. In a very short time LTAR became more then competant in the other disiplines required to be complete in Aces High. They mastered Dog Fighting, the bomber squad was spot on, they took down bases with surgical precision and they could still defend like no other. today there is no one in Aces High that does not respect LTAR and many that fear running into or having to defend against LTAR. Thank you LTARmoil for starting it all and salute sir. LTARhntr (captain) LTAR squad.
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