Mussolini's raid on Moscow
Or: How I learnt to stop worrying and compress several hours' gaming into a few photos.
In an attempt to score an ostentatious victory to distract the Italian public, Il Duce has ordered a bombing raid on central Moscow. Arriving from the west, the strike force consists of Stuka 11 and 12 of the 216th and another Stuka from the 208th, escorted by D.520 1 and 2 from the 371st.
The opposing order of battle consists of Yak-1 White 1, White 3, White 11, and captured Bf.110 White 22 (as we are still in dire need of the release of more Russian planes).
Conflict begins with D.520 1 and White 11 exchanging fire to the south, while to the north D.520 2 passes the other Yaks without a shot.
White 22 and D.520 1 exchange heavy fire while White 1 and 3 manoeuvre for a shot on Stuka 11. D.520 2 and White 11 come around from the north and south, respectively.
White 1 and 3 attack their quary...
... which bursts into flames!
White 3 turns north while White 1 passes through the bombers to the west. D.520 2 continues its arc to the south west...
... lining up a head-on pass with White 11.
Meanwhile to the south, D.520 1 has performed an Immelmann turn to pursue the Bf.110, White 22.
Stukas 12 and 208 line up on the Kremlin. White 11 and D.520 1 make their raking pass of each other.
White 22 makes an Immelmann turn of its own, bringing its cannons to bear for a pass that heavily damages both planes.
White 1 and 3 make the same turn, but so does Stuka 11, still aflame and seeking revenge, seemingly forgetting its poor armament and role.
To the south west, the D.520s regroup, and White 22 makes an anti-clockwise arc back towards the north.
Stukas 12 and 208 have not forgotten their purpose, and make their strike on the ancient fortress! White 11, having helplessly watched on, drops one thousand feet to match them, followed soon after by the other two Yaks.
The relative positions of all belligerents at this point are depicted below:
Stuka 11, heading west, succumbs to its fire damage.
The remaining bombers make Immelmann turns towards their foes, forgetting their secondary objectives of destroying bridges and rail yards. Stuka 208 finds itself out-numbered by White 3 and White 22.
The pass is inconclusive, but puts Stuka 12 before the cannons of White 22.
White 3 makes a loop to attack D.520 1, but the latter sets it on fire with a shot from the very edge of its arc.
D.520 1, however, meets its end from his prey's wingman, White 1. Though on fire, White 3 downs Stuka 208.
The remaining bomber leaves the battlefield, headed north, while his remaining escort heads to the south east.
A pyrrhic victory goes to the Soviet commanders; while the Italian aggressors did little damage and struck only one target, that target was the very seat of the Soviet government. Mussolini has his sensational publicity stunt, and Stalin will have his commanders shot.
This was a fun game at the Napoleonic Wargaming Society in Perth involving my wingmen STEPHEN NAPIER and Sun of York. Three players each had two fighters, and one player operated all three Stukas. This may have been a little too much per person, and the game took quite a while. Each player reported forgetting what cards they had laid after some distraction or another (i.e., the bar at the North Perth Bowling Club), but it was certainly an afternoon well spent.
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Originally Posted by Skafloc
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