The Raid

[Belis4rius]

I have completed my bombers now for both sides, so with that in view I have come up with a scenario. Unfortunately due to playing Wars of the Roses this month (I led a successful rebellion against Henry VII and slew him like a dog, oops, getting carried away there) I won't have a full crew again until 25th February. However this is the bones of the scenario I want to play:

The Raid.

Allies : 2 x Handley Page 0/400 bombers, 3 x SE5a Scouts as escort, 1 x Sopwith Snipe as Joker, optional 1 x R.E.8
Germans : Die Roll – 1/2 no interference,
3/4 4 x Albatros DVa
5/6 4 x late war Scouts i.e. SSW DIII, Fokker DVII
or DVIII or a mix.
Joker 1 x well armed two-seater i.e. Halberstadt CLII.
Bridge defences – Two AA guns and one machine gun pit.

The British are on their big push to win the war, a railway bridge vital to the German retreat needs to be bombed. I want this to be a larger game than normal so the bombers will fly two table lengths before they can get to the bridge, as they cross the lines and appear on the first length the Germans roll a die to see what aircraft will intercept the raiders, they can come at the formation from the sides or front. If a 1 or 2 is thrown the British continue their moves unmolested, the Germans throw again at the beginning of each turn until something turns up, only one group of interceptors is allowed to turn up during each length. Once the bombers reach the end of the table simply put everything back to the start, now place the bridge, AA guns and machine guns at the far end and make a die roll for the interceptors for the second half of the game. These will join the survivors from the first half if there are any. Now at any time during the game either during the first half or second each side can choose to play their Joker, a passing aircraft drawn towards the action, this will come in from one or other of the table sides. To win the Allies need to destroy the rail bridge. I designed this scenario for two players and upwards, however feel free to add more bombers, escorts or interceptors if you can recruit more pilots. The bombers themselves can be left on ‘autopilot’ until they make their bombing runs, the optional R.E.8 is there as an added interest to the game and its job is to photograph the damage once the bridge has been attacked, it will remain at the rear and follow the raid as it progresses. I think we can also presume that some of the pilots would have ACE skills at this point of the war.

This is a work in progress at the moment, any thoughts or comments?

[Naharaht]

My first thought was, "Can two players successfully handle that many planes at the same time?". I would think that you might need at least three Allied players and four German players. However, it sounds like a good idea for a mission.

[flash]

Ambitious for 2 players as so much to do but a great looking multi-player game - couple of scouts apiece & someone to run the bombers would be good. If someone gets the chop they can fly the jokers maybe. Like the bomb damage assessment flight too ! Will the bridge have a damage limit for destruction, and/or, to make it unusable ?
It's looking good George.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Go for it George. Just remember what the other chaps have pointed out that more participants makes for a smoother running game when the big battalions are in use.
I can't wait to see the AAr on this one.
Rob.

[Belis4rius]

Two players over a long game could just about handle it, for instance the first set of interceptors could break for home once the battle moves on to the second phase. I can handle up to four planes at a push although obviously I make mistakes and because of a dearth of players it is the only way we can put larger numbers into the air. I actually have four players down for the game in February, so fingers crossed. I think if one bomber makes it through then one bombload should demolish the bridge, but that is something which may deserve more thought. I am really looking forward to this.

[Tommy Z]

I like it! Sounds like a good game when we have 8-10 players! :thumbsup:

[redcoon2]

Looks very interesting...will have to see if we can get it on a table sometime soon to see how it plays out. Good luck.

[Belis4rius]

34948349493495034951Well, at long last I managed to play out this scenario. After a small trial run I upped the escort to four Scouts, 3 SE5a's and one Snipe. The British crossed the line and very quickly were set upon by four Albatros DVa's, the British Scouts had two Aces along, the Germans one.

As the Germans closed on the bombers SE5a S piloted by the ace took a severe beating, losing the ability to turn and taking engine damage which caused him to take little part in the running fight. B Flight leader 'Chippy' Towers got mixed up in the bomber stream despite being ordered not to and caused havoc as the large ships spent more time dodging his Snipe than shooting at the enemy.

After this 'Chippy' ended up at the rear of the British force and took no part in the defence of the bombers, who by this time had a flock of Albatros on their tails, gun jams and line of sight to the Boche Scouts meant the bombers began to take heavy damage, smoke and flames streaming from damaged engines and dead pilots humped over their controls. One brave SE5a pilot (T) stood alone and doggedly followed the pack and eventually shot down two of the wolves. Meanwhile the 'Harry Tate' along to film a successful attack had to break formation and join the lone defender against the Hun.

On reaching the second leg of the action both bombers were still in line but desperately wounded. A second wave of Boche Scouts now fell on them and very soon both Bombers fell from the sky, one just as it was about to make its bomb run. it was now 'Chippy' turned up and a large dogfight ensued, two Fokker DVIII's were quickly shot down and this left only two DVII's and a badly damaged Albatros in the air.

The Germans had won, in part due to 'Chippy's' disastrous flouting of orders, and although their Scouts suffered badly the bridge remained intact.

A great game, some really bad luck on the bombers part as they were either dodging friendlies or unable to shoot due to jams or line of sight. A flight lost the use of their Ace in the first pass as he could not control his plane or turn until the fight was nearly over. We found that there was no need for either side to use their 'Joker' so we ignored this part, but it is there for future thought. The RE8 was really useful for the British in this fight. We had four players and the bombers/RE8 in the main were on autopilot so we had no problem running 15 planes in the fight.

I do not know how to put the pictues in here with text in between, so the first should be the British crossing the line, the Second the Germans closing for the kill, the third the long line of Brits playing catch up just before they entered the second leg, and the third was the dogfight at the end.

Do have a go at this and let me know how you get on.

Oh yes, and 'Chippy' is now CO of a stores depot in Lincolnshire!

[Baldrick62]

B4,
Looks fantastic. Not that they got they far in the end anyway, but successfully bombing bridges is a notoriously difficult sport, right up to the introduction of PGMs during the Vietnam War. Anyway, it makes for a good mission scenario brief.
BofB

[gully_raker]

:thumbsup: Great report & pics, George.
Just one query.
Hoe cone your SE5a "Ace" suffered a jamed rudder for so long?:hmm:
It should only be for 3 cards not 3 Turns.:confused:

[Belis4rius]

It was three cards, but unforutnately he was pointing towards the table edge when he got them, then I just saved him from going off and of course by then the stream had long passed him, what I meant was it took about three turns for him to get back into action. He also had the Level II no jams card, but he only ever got one jam, while my bombers and the herioc 'T' had more than there share.

As for the target, I don't know if, battered and bruised, the bombers would have survived the AA fire, they are a good slow target for them, but they would have had a better chance if Chippy had stayed in bed :)

[Marechallannes]

That was fun to read and watch!:clap:

Great AAR, George.::salute:

A dramatic scene, when 4 german scout closed in for the bombers. Additonal one of the big birds had jammed rear guns. :eek:

[Belis4rius]

In the third picture with the British trailing, there is an Albatross behind H and Z at close range!

[Blackronin]

That was very nice and fun to read and watch!

Amazing bombers, George.