Dear all
Last night I played a Battle of Britain game using about a dozen models. after the game my mates and I discussed how to generate a campaign or series of scenarios.
One idea that came up, and seems to show some promise is a flow chart using various decision points which will affect how the scenario turns out. The players work through the flow chart and use their own decisions and some random dice rolls to determine the exact situation before the models are placed on the tabletop. This would include events such as:
Aircraft dropping out due to mechanical problems
Intercepting incoming bombers before they reach their targets
Being engaged by enemy fighter cover before reaching the bombers/targets etc
Arriving late and picking off enemy stragglers - some of which may have been damaged by flak etc
Sudden arrival of friendly/enemy reinforcements etc
I need to do some more reading but it might make an interesting "pre fight" exercise in its own right.
The other thing we found interesting while playing last night was the use of bomber formations. We used four Ju 87s and 2 HE111s in the game. As the bomber had yet to reach their targets (being intercepted over the channel) we assumed that they would just hold their course, speed and altitude until such time as they were damaged or unable to keep up with the group. I was pleased to see that this resulted in the stuka flight sticking together in a most realistic fashion. A couple of Spitfires broke through the Me109 and Me110 screen and hit the Ju87s. The first attack resulted in two damaged stukas and the rear gunner of one being put out of action. However the stukas kept a tight formation and as the Spitfires swung round for another attack the Stuka which had lost its gunner was protected by the other three stukas. The Spifires had to carefully select their next attack to try and avoid the rear guns on the Ju87s.
After a few more turns one of the Spitfires managed a beam attack on the Stukas and avoided the defensive fire. The nearest Stuka was hit and smoking. A couple of turns later it was shot down. By now the Stuka formation was looking a bit battered - one shot down, two of the others damaged (one smoking and another with no rear gunner). Still they held their formation and eventually the fighter escort was able to divert the attention of the Spitfires away from the stukas.
At the end of the game one Spitfire and one Stuka had been shot down, but the other three stukas had all suffered damage and were most unlikely to reach their target. A couple of the Me109s had been damaged but the poor old Me110s had struggled to try and latch on to the Spitfires.
We all felt that the fight around the Stuka flight seemed to reflect some of the historical accounts. We'll certainly try this one again.
Malibumax
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