AAR: Burma Relief Flight

[Franco Lucchini]

Tuesday night 4 of us got together in buddy's garage, rolled out the ping-pong table, and covered with a green mat for WGS. Hmmm, could be the top of a jungle...

A B-25 task with dropping supplies to entrenched Chindits.
After crossing the hump, a lone Indian Hurricane met up with it as its escort. The Hurricane and Mitchell can't communicate (incompatible radios)
Our opponents, flying patrol in a pair of Ki-61s did not know the mission or any of the enemy specific scenario rules, only that enemy aircraft were spotted.
Scenario rules:
- Ki-61s select their altitudes (1-6)
- B-25 enters table at altitude 3
- Hurricane then selects altitude
- B-25 can only move slow until the Chindits signal.
- At the beginning of every turn 1d6 is rolled and added to the current turn. Once 9 is reached, the infantry target card is placed 24" straight forward from the B-25 base (the Chindits are signalling). A Ki-61 pilot rolls 2d6 and can move the Chindits that many inches in any direction.
- B-25 must drop parachuted supplies on infantry card, then it can turn tail and run away.
- Parachuted supplies fall like a bomb the first tirn they are released, and then fall directly down with no more forward momentum/movement.


B-25 over the jungle looking for friendly Chindits. Hurricane up high to swat away any trouble.


Ki-61s looking for trouble.


IJA pilots.


My escort.


Closing the gap, and no Chindits are found.


Tonies turn in, and still no Chindit signal.


Turn 3 and a 6 is rolled. Chindits send up flares.


Lined up for the drop. Should be a cake walk. and then turn for home...


...except for those IJA pilots diving down towards us. Indian Hurricane turns to swat away the threat.


The thatch-and-weave was planned! There was no confusion at all as to what each Tony was going for!


Ooops, guess there was some confusion, or perhaps static in the radio. Nonetheless, knot to be untied while the Mitchell gets closer to its drop zone.


Knot united and one of the IJA pilots dives down and turns right into the sweet spot behind the B-25. The top turret can't hit him, and the bottom turret only puts out a single A at short range only. This is going to be a long trip now to the drop zone.


USAAF pilot can't shake him and taking some serious damage. The other IJA pilot swings around to wait his turn, and block off the escape route.


The perfect view (and we weren't even using the tailing rules!)


Approaching drop zone. One of the engines smoking. Time to release the goods and high tail it back to the China.


Happy Chindits.


Just can't shake this guy.


Turning for home. How do you say "help" in Indian?


Hurricane swung in too late. An explosion token on the B-25.


Medals for mission success to be presented posthumously.


All the As the tailing Ki-61 received (including the 6 additional from a fire damage). Lucky, Lucky pilot. I should start a solo campaign just around this guy!

All in all, a fun scenario, and we had a good time (as always). Played a second game, but that report will have to wait another day.

[Franco Lucchini]

Pictures updated.

[Lt. S.Kafloc]

Great action and a nice idea for a scenario.

[gully_raker]

Good one Allen & a bit different scenario!

[flash]

Very nicely done Allen, my old man was in Burma '42-'46, not front line but not far off.

[Franco Lucchini]

Thanks guys.

[Gotham Resident]

I like the supply delivery idea, that's great. Good pictures and a nice AAR!

[Stumptonian]

Nicely done and interesting scenario.
Pricked up my interest because my Dad also served in Burma.
Had interesting tales of supply drops like this one.

Very nicely done Allen, my old man was in Burma '42-'46, not front line but not far off.

[Franco Lucchini]

Thanks for all the positive feedback!

For some reason, the Burma ground fight has a special interest with my gaming buddies, who tell me to get painting my 28mm Japanese. So, air battles over Burma are a nice compromise (or at least reminds them I still have unpainted lead...)

Anyone have a good literary source for air operations over Burma? Or, perhaps lacking that, a unique scenario idea. I'm thinking dive bombing Vals with random target placements and infantry units popping up. But, I'm open to some new ideas.