ptownhiker
03-11-2013, 08:01
This scenario was based on the Regia Aeronautica's first air raids on Valletta, Malta during the week of July 11, 1940. In this scenario, the Regia Aeronautica is bombing Valletta Harbor with a Savoia Marchetti SM.79 and a Junkers Ju 87 escorted by two Macchi C.200 fighters. Three Gloster Gladiators: “Faith”, “Hope”, and “Charity” defended Valletta. A Hawker Hurricane was on its way to assist. The Italians sought to bomb fuel storage tanks and ships lined up on the docks. The British sought to shoot down whatever planes could, but especially the bombers before they could attack their targets.
The Italian players set up their attack over Mediterranean waters
81024
The Gladiators fly over Fort St. Elmo and the ship terminals to meet the attackers
81025
Players move their planes into position. The British decide to concentrate the Gladiators on the Italian dive bomber and trust to the late arriving Hurricane to dispatch the SM.79. The Italians adjust their formation so that both of their fighters would meet the three Gladiators.
81026
The English have the advantage of numbers. While one of them appears to be going off course, the Gladiator will make a quick, agile turn to join the battle.
81027
Things get a bit messy. Planes exchange fire and even manage to get a collision in.
81028
The players do the dance to disentangle the planes
81029
The Hurricane has arrived, but the player got his maneuver backwards and turned away from the approaching bomber.
81030
The Stuka has separated itself from the fighter fracas and seems poised to make a clean dive boming run.
81031
The SM.79 drops its bomb load right on target. The fuel tanks are soon in flames!
81032
As part of a comedy of errors, the Stuka releases his bomb a turn too late.
81033
The first aircraft casualty of the game. A long range shot from a Gladiator finishes off a C.200.
81034
One Gladiator pilot displays some anger (the player actually placed the die there to better identify the plane from the other ones).
81035
The Italians and British are all lined up in a firefight...
81036
...that results in a Gladiator taking a second pilot hit and the Stuka exploding.
81037
Everyone had fun, and I introduced four college friends to the game. Afterwards, two of them trawled the convention dealer room for WW II planes. The end result was a minor Italian victory.
Italians
One successful bomb run
One failed bomb run
One Gladiators shot down
British
One C.200 shot down
One Stuka shot down
81038
I learned that color coded card sleeves that would match color coded stickers on airplane bases would help players keep from mixing cards from maneuver decks. One player mixed cards from two different L decks that we had to straighten out. I also need to be more active as a referee in keeping the game moving and keeping everyone on the same portion of each turn (plan, move, shoot).
The Italian players set up their attack over Mediterranean waters
81024
The Gladiators fly over Fort St. Elmo and the ship terminals to meet the attackers
81025
Players move their planes into position. The British decide to concentrate the Gladiators on the Italian dive bomber and trust to the late arriving Hurricane to dispatch the SM.79. The Italians adjust their formation so that both of their fighters would meet the three Gladiators.
81026
The English have the advantage of numbers. While one of them appears to be going off course, the Gladiator will make a quick, agile turn to join the battle.
81027
Things get a bit messy. Planes exchange fire and even manage to get a collision in.
81028
The players do the dance to disentangle the planes
81029
The Hurricane has arrived, but the player got his maneuver backwards and turned away from the approaching bomber.
81030
The Stuka has separated itself from the fighter fracas and seems poised to make a clean dive boming run.
81031
The SM.79 drops its bomb load right on target. The fuel tanks are soon in flames!
81032
As part of a comedy of errors, the Stuka releases his bomb a turn too late.
81033
The first aircraft casualty of the game. A long range shot from a Gladiator finishes off a C.200.
81034
One Gladiator pilot displays some anger (the player actually placed the die there to better identify the plane from the other ones).
81035
The Italians and British are all lined up in a firefight...
81036
...that results in a Gladiator taking a second pilot hit and the Stuka exploding.
81037
Everyone had fun, and I introduced four college friends to the game. Afterwards, two of them trawled the convention dealer room for WW II planes. The end result was a minor Italian victory.
Italians
One successful bomb run
One failed bomb run
One Gladiators shot down
British
One C.200 shot down
One Stuka shot down
81038
I learned that color coded card sleeves that would match color coded stickers on airplane bases would help players keep from mixing cards from maneuver decks. One player mixed cards from two different L decks that we had to straighten out. I also need to be more active as a referee in keeping the game moving and keeping everyone on the same portion of each turn (plan, move, shoot).