Mediterranean Theatre - Chapter 3: Getting to Valetta
This is The Malta Variation - Scenario 3: Operation Dynamo - “German advance halted” with a slight variation
Note: I've inverted the scenarios and will play Malta scenario 2: Operation Dynamo - “That inferno on May 23 was Boulogne” after this one
June 25, 1940
Dear Brother:
I know that things are heating up in the home front. I hope that you are doing okay. We've been docked in Gibraltar waiting for a cargo ship with Hurricanes for North Africa and Malta and I was expecting a letter from you. None came. I pray that you're doing well. Today we took off from the eagle to escort the Hurricanes. their pilots are just kids with a few hours of flight in fighters. Moreover, they put their belongings in the ammo cases of their machine guns so they took off unarmed. We escorted them with our eight Martlets in three waves. I went with PO Robert Laurel, a Rookie, in the last wave. Wave one and two landed in Malta without any problem. We didn't have that luck. Four Italian fighters caught us thirty miles from Malta. An I - I blame myself for that - was in the wrong side of the Hurricanes line.
I was looking ahead, trying to see the island when the humming of the engine was almost silenced with the clear and calm voice of Squadron Leader Lisbon in my hears. "Bandits eleven hours above! Engage!" I looked immediately there. Four fighters. "Aye sir!" I said. This was my first combat. I was ready.
The voice of PO James Leicester, the Hurricane section leader crackled in the radio. "Squadron Leader Lisbon, what are your orders?" There was fear in his voice and a sense of doom filled me, when I remembered that they were unarmed. "Listen, James, use the Hurricane's speed and move into the island. We'll stall them as much as we can." There was a moment of silence and then, "Yes sir... We'll do that."
I looked at the Hurricane's line and they were maintaining formation and increasing speed. Fine lads, I thought. Then I looked left. Two monoplanes and two biplanes.
If I hadn't seen what my squadron could do with the Gladiators I would be happy with facing the Italian CR.32's and 42's. We were in a great disproportion...
Squadron Leader Lisbon turned sharply muttering something about being in the wrong side and I tried to stay with him.
The Italians start firing from far, but they were good since I've heard PO James Leicester complaining about being hit. "Stop the chattering", ordered Lisbon.
We've crossed above the Hurricane's line and into the mess.
The leading Italian fired against Lisbon, making some damage.
But it was clear that the targets were the Hurricanes. Were the Italians aware that the Hurries weren't armed and were a reinforcement to Malta?
Still, the second G.50 fired against Lisbon adding to the damage. "Are you alright, sir?" I've asked. He didn't answered.
But in that moment PO James Leicester shouted with pain. "I've been wounded!" And the voice of Lisbon, controlled and calm. "Steady yourself! Take your men out of this mess." But no one answered.
And Lisbon fired back, hitting a G.50. I wasn't able to target one.
And then we moved across each other, the Italians targeting the escaping Hurricanes.
The CR.42's firing at the tail of the Hurricanes. One of them firing at PO James Leicester.
And taking him down. Did he jump? I was too absorbed with my target to look. "We lost Section leader", a voice crackled in the radio, "what do we do?" And Lisbon with effort. "Take command, Pilot officer, take command and escape!" But they weren't escaping.
The other CR.42 changed target and fired against the second Hurricane.
One of the G.50's fired against me and a foul smoke start pouring out of my engine and then it stopped. I was being very lucky.
The other one also fired at me but I wasn't afraid. I was concentrating at firing at my target.
But I failed to connect... I've cursed and yelled. Then the reassuring voice of Lisbon. "You'll have more chances for revenge, Rob. Keep yourself alive." And I shut up and clenched my teeth.
Lisbon made an amazing reverse and I went for one. The Italians went for the easy targets. I've cursed once again.
The Cr.42's fired against the already damaged Hurricane. Why didn't they evaded the fire. They were faster, but if they didn't put some distance quickly they would be all shot down.
The G.50's went for the rearmost Hurricane. The one from the newly appointed Section Leader.
Lisbon ended the reverse in a tight turn, too beautiful to be ignored. But I didn't brake radio silence.
The leading G.50 fired again and once again managed to make damage.
And the leading CR.42 also damaged the leftmost Hurricane, tragically...
Another Hurricane went down... "Mayday! Mayday! Pilot down! Coordinates..." And while piloting, my Squadron leader gave the coordinates to save the pilots taken down.
And while he was doing this, a well put burst took one of the G.50's down. I've shouted like a mad man.
As the Italian went down in flames, I saw Lisbon pushing his Martlet to reduce distance with the remaining Italians. I was only able to perform a reverse...
The other G.50 disengaged the Hurricanes, but the CR.42's maintained the tailing.
They fired again against the Hurricane, but the plane was stout and took the damage without wavering.
Lisbon was in a rage and fired a long burst against the evading Italian fighter.
The G.50 tried to escape left. Lisbon's voice filled my cockpit. "Move against the Cr.42's!"
The Italians kept the tailing and firing against the Hurricanes, that were putting space between them. Could they make it?
Lisbon fired again against the G.50 he was tailing. It was a mighty burst.
The Italian went down in flames. "Two gone!" I said, unable to keep silent. "Two of ours are also gone!" Lisbon replied and I told myself again that silence was a good thing.
Then the remaining Italians decided that they had enough. Lisbon turned on them.
He fired like a madman, waiting ammunition. "Sir..." I said, biting my tongue, "we must escort the remaining Hurricanes..." I couldn't understand his reply. It seemed the growl of a beast.
But he turned back into formation... "Anyone saw parachutes?" He asked. Nobody had seen the white of a parachute. He called Valetta again. There was an attack going on. There were no flying boats available to send.
We saw the Italian moving away. "Keep up with the Hurricanes", Lisbon said, "I'll circle around here until the rescue launch arrives." I agreed. I had fired my first round against an enemy plane. It was the only one I've fired in combat. I had missed.
In this Mission:
A Pair from Red Section
Sqn Ldr Nicolau Lisbon - Sniper + Acrobatic Pilot + Evasion - Martlet (Ace) (6 Kills - 2 kills in this mission)
PO Robert Laurel - Rookie - Martlet (Rookie)
4 Hurricanes without ammo (Rookie pilots)
Italian Forces
Two Veterans and two Standard pilots
Special rules:
Angling Shots - All shots that don't enter the enemy plane in its rear arc and front arc are always long range shots;
All close range shots that enter the enemy's plane rear arc at close range add an A damage chit;
All close range shots that enter the enemy's plane frontal arc suffer reduction. All B, C and D chits become A chits instead.
These rules adds to the extra A damage chit for continuous fire (i.e. firing against the same enemy plane for consecutive turns).
Example: A ki-43 is firing for the second consecutive time against a P-40 in the P-40 rear arc at close range. It would make AAB damage.
Ace Trigger Free - Aces are the only pilots that can fire during a reverse maneuver.
Universal Diceless Solo Chart - From now on I'll use this chart for WW2 combat.
Butchers Tally
Mixed Flight
Sqn Ldr Nicolau Lisbon / RTB / 2 Kills
PO Robert Laure / RTB
Hurricane's Flight
2 Hurricanes SD / S
2 Hurricanes RTB
Italians Flight
Fiat G.50 (Veteran) SD / EXP / S
Fiat G.50 (Standard) SD / S
CR.42 (Veteran) RTB
CR.42 (Standard) RTB
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Blackronin
Hi 'Quim!
Now that was a cracking & most realistic 
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