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Thread: TURKENKREUZ - German bombing campaign over England 1917-1918

  1. #1

    Default TURKENKREUZ - German bombing campaign over England 1917-1918

    5 historical detailed scenarios of german airplanes bombing missions over England in 1917 and 1918, during the Turkenkreuz campaign.
    The following document is in french, but list of planes and accessories used is easily understandable.
    The full document (16 pages) has been created by Fred «*Verole*» (member of Le Cirque Volant) and can be downloaded :
    http://merlindex.free.fr/wowadj/Turkenkreuz.pdf
    It contains datas in english (losses, air raids dates, maps of german missions).

    About the TURKENKREUZ campaign document in french :
    Pages 1 to 4 of the document concern historical facts that can be found on Wikipedia : German strategic bombing during World War I.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German...ng_World_War_I

    Here is an attempt of translation of missions set in.
    As English is not my native language, feel free to correct any mistake.


    TURKENKREUZ MISSIONS

    Missions are notified a) and b)
    a) historical missions
    b) fictional missions based on historical ones (with more variety of planes)
    Remark : only German multi engines bombers Gotha and Zeppelin Staaken were used during Operation TURKENKREUZ (along with Zeppelin dirigibles).
    First plane which dropped bombs on London in November 1916 was a single engine two seater LVG C.IV (which looks like the Rumpler C.IV). Moreover, from January 1917 Germans used Rumpler C.IV for weather recon near English coast. That is the reason why German two seaters are used for the fictional missions.


    MISSION 1 : 25 May 1917

    Location : Folkestone (Coast mat)
    Mission : Gotha must bomb Folkestone harbour.
    1.a) Planes used : 1 Gotha
    2 Sopwith Pup (use Sopwith Camel with D maneuver deck and 12 damage resistance).
    Set in : Gotha on left side, Sopwith on right lower part side.
    Choose the target in the harbour.
    Victory points : German > 5 points for successful bombing of the target, 2 points for each enemy planes eliminated.
    English > 1 point per 3 damage points inflicted to a German bomber.

    1.b) Planes used : 1 Gotha + 1 Roland C.II (instead of Roland C.II, take a Rumpler C.IV).
    2 Sopwith Pup + 1 Bristol F2b (instead of Bristol F2b, take a Hanriot HD1).


    MISSION 2 : 22 August 1917

    Location : Dover (Coast mat)
    Mission : Gotha must bomb Margate and Dover.
    2.a) Planes used : 1 Gotha
    1 Airco DH.2 + 1 Sopwith Triplane + 3 AA Guns on the coast line.
    Set in : Gotha on left side, English near the harbour.
    Choose the target in the harbour.
    Victory points : German > 5 points for successful bombing of the target, 2 points for each enemy planes eliminated.
    English > 1 point per 3 damage points inflicted to a German bomber.

    2.b) Planes used : 1 Gotha + 1 Roland C.II (instead of Roland C.II, take a Rumpler C.IV).
    1 Airco DH.2 + 1 Sopwith Triplane + 1 Bristol F2b.


    MISSION 3 : 28 January 1918

    Location : London (London or City mat)
    Mission : German must bomb London.
    3.a) Planes used : 1 Staaken + 1 Gotha
    1 Sopwith Camel + 2 Sopwith 1⁄2 Strutter + 2 AA Guns.
    Set in : Gotha on upper left side, English in the lower middle part of the mat.
    Choose a target on the right part of the mat.
    Victory points : German > 5 points for successful bombing of the target, 2 points for each enemy planes eliminated, 3 points for every German plane leaving the mat on the left side.
    English > 1 point per 3 damage points inflicted to a German bomber, 2 points for every English plane still on the mat at the end of the game.

    3.b) Planes used : 1 Staaken + 1 Rumpler C.IV (instead of Rumpler C.IV, take a Hannover CL.III or a Halberstadt CL.II).
    1 Sopwith Camel + 2 Sopwith 1⁄2 Strutter + 1 Spad VII + 2 AA guns (instead of Spad VII, take a Bristol F2b with only 2 Sopwith Camel).


    MISSION 4 : 29 January 1918

    Location : London (London or City mat)
    Mission : German must bomb London.
    4.a) Planes used : 1 Staaken
    1 Sopwith Camel + 2 Sopwith 1⁄2 Strutter + 2 AA Guns.
    Set in : Gotha on upper left side, English in the lower middle part of the mat.
    Choose another target on the right part of the mat, different from the previous mission.
    Victory points : German > 5 points for successful bombing of the target, 2 points for each enemy planes eliminated, 3 points for every German plane leaving the mat on the left side.
    English > 1 point per 3 damage points inflicted to a German bomber, 2 points for every English plane still on the mat at the end of the game.

    4.b) Planes used : 1 Staaken + 1 Rumpler C.IV (instead of Rumpler C.IV, take a Hannover CL.III or a Halberstadt CL.II).
    1 Sopwith Camel + 1 Sopwith 1⁄2 Strutter + 2 Bristol F2b + 2 AA guns (instead of 2 Bristol F2b, take 2 Spad VII, or a Bristol F2b and a Spad VII).


    MISSION 5 : 19 May 1918

    Location : London (London or City mat)
    Mission : German must bomb London.
    5.a) Planes used : 1 Staaken + 1 Gotha
    2 Bristol F2b + 1 Spad VII + 1 Sopwith Camel + 2 AA Guns.
    Set in : Gotha on upper left side, English in the lower middle part of the mat.
    Choose another target on the right part of the mat, different from the previous mission.
    Victory points : German > 5 points for successful bombing of the target, 2 points for each enemy planes eliminated, 3 points for every German plane leaving the mat on the left side.
    English > 1 point per 3 damage points inflicted to a German bomber, 2 points for every English plane still on the mat at the end of the game.

    5.b) Planes used : 1 Staaken + 1 Rumpler C.IV or 1 Gotha + 1 Rumpler C.IV
    2 Bristol F2b + 2 RAF SE5a + 2 DCA (instead of RAF SE5a take 2 Sopwith Camel or 2 Spad VII or 2 Sopwith 1⁄2 Strutter).





    Last edited by monse; 03-27-2020 at 15:49.

  2. #2

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    TURKENKREUZ - mission May 25th 1917 - Folkestone

    Bombing mission over England (target half destroyed).
    1 Coast mat
    Gotha G.V (downed)
    vs
    Sopwith Pup
    RAF RE8


    A Gotha arrives over England coast.
    The Pup is played with a Camel mini and D deck.


    Scramble !


    Overlapping at different altitudes.


    Rear gunners in action.


    Bombs are dropped at altitude 2.
    Gotha receives an engine damage.


    Bombs have half destroyed the target.


    Smoke damage on Gotha.


    Pup is out of range.


    Gotha’s rear gunner is hit.
    Task might be easier for english pilots.


    Overlapping at different altitudes.


    Still overlapping.
    Pup out of range again.


    RE8´s successful shot.


    Effective coming back of Pup.


    Gotha’s front gun shoots at Pup, but turning on right side becomes impossible.


    Missed !


    Consecutive shots.


    The Gotha is shot down.

    Victory points
    Germany: 3 points (target half destroyed).
    England : 9 points (1 point per 3 damage points inflicted to bomber).

  3. #3

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    Thanks for posting. I have saved the PDF to my scenarios file.
    My High School French is quite rusty but I think I can make sense of it.

    Nice presentation of your Folkestone mission, by the way.
    REP inbound.

  4. #4

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    Thank you for sharing the news about the document and the good A.A.R., Monse.

  5. #5

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    Pretty sharp action Monse, playing on a single mat keeps it all very tight.

    "He is wise who watches"

  6. #6

    Thumbs up

    Great little historical Battle there Monse but that was a Camel not a Pup but you might have been using it as a Proxy.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by gully_raker View Post
    that was a Camel not a Pup but you might have been using it as a Proxy.
    Post #2 picture 1 caption - I missed it first time as well!
    I laugh in the face of danger - then I hide until it goes away!

  8. #8

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    Thank you for your comments.
    Here is the second mission of this Turkenkreuz campaign.

    TURKENKREUZ - mission August 22nd 1917 - Dover

    Bombing mission over England (target fully destroyed).
    1 Coast mat
    Gotha G.V (escaped)
    vs
    Sopwith Triplane
    Airco DH2 (downed)
    3 AA gun


    AA gun ready to welcome the enemy.


    Scramble !


    First hit : Gotha is on fire !


    DH2 is hit.


    Bombs are dropped.
    Is Triplane going to be out of mat ?


    Target is partially destroyed.
    Triplane’s base center hasn’t left the playing area.
    DH2 (in the bomber’s blind spot) jams firing at Gotha.


    DH2 flies below Gotha.


    Triplane is out of range and DH2 is still below Gotha.


    5 points of damage for the last flames token removed.
    Engine damage for DH2 shot by Gotha’s rear gunner.


    Triplane collides with the Gotha : no damage on both sides.


    DH2 is in the blind spot of Gotha’s rear MG.


    DH2 is jammed.


    Gotha’s MG in action.


    DH2 goes on flames.
    Gotha drops bombs that destroy the target.


    DH2 is downed because of flames.


    Jamming of Gotha’s front gun.
    Triplane performs Split-S that will unfortunately prevent it to reach fleeing Gotha during the next turns.


    Gotha flies safely through the artillery counters.


    1 last damage point on Gotha.


    Gotha is fleeing away, flying back safely to its base, with only 13 damage points.

    Victory points
    Germany: 10 points
    (5 points : target destroyed)
    (2 points : DH2 downed)
    (3 points : Gotha exits on its side)
    England : 4 points (1 point per 3 damage points inflicted to bomber).

    Total Missions 1 and 2
    Germany : 3 + 10 = 13 points
    England : 9 + 4 = 13 points

  9. #9

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    Here is the third mission of this Turkenkreuz campaign.

    TURKENKREUZ - mission January 28th 1918 - London

    Bombing mission over England (2 targets fully destroyed).
    2 mats (Country - City)
    1 Zeppelin Staaken
    1 Gotha
    at altitude 3 (both shot down)
    vs
    1 Sopwith Camel (shot down)
    1 Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter one seater Comic version
    1 Airco DH4 two seater
    starting at altitude 2
    2 AA gun on each mat

    On pictures, german planes use black rulers and English planes use red rulers for firing.



    Scramble !


    DH4 and Strutter at lower altitude overlap the Staaken.
    Thanks to its Fixed higher machine gun, Strutter fires at Staaken but is jammed.


    Camel and Staaken overlap at different altitude.
    DH4 and Strutter are at out of range of Staaken’s gunners.


    Camel and Gotha’s both gunners shoot at each other.


    The jammed Strutter flies away.


    The Strutter performs an Immelman to try to come back.


    Camel and Gotha overlap at different altitude.
    DH4 is in Gotha’s blind spot and fires at Gotha
    (edit : thanks to a tunnel in the Gotha's fuselage, the rear gunner could have fire at a target at a lower altitude, ignoring the blind spot).



    DH4 and Camel collides (no damage).
    Gotha is hit by AA gun (no damage).


    DH4 (in Gotha’s blind spot), fires at Gotha, which fires at Camel, which shoots on Staaken.


    DH4 and Gotha collide (no damage).


    Second collision for DH4 and Gotha (2 and 4 damage points).


    Camel, DH4 and Gotha overlap at different altitude.
    AA guns aim at german planes.


    DH4 and Gotha fire at each other.


    Gotha is hit by AA gun (no damage) and drops its bombs.


    Staaken is hit by AA gun (6 points AND 1 damaged engine).
    Gotha’s bombs destroy the target.


    Camel collides with Staaken (8 points of damage inflicted).


    The DH4 has 7 points of damage from Gotha’s and Staaken’s gunners.
    Staaken drops bombs.


    First Staaken bombing is successful.
    Gotha is shot down by Camel.
    But Camel is shot down by Staaken.


    Staaken is hit by Strutter (fire damage) and by a AA gun shooting.
    Staaken's bombs partially destroy a AA gun.


    First flames token removed : 3 points !


    Successful shots on both sides.


    Missed !


    Missed again.


    The Staaken tries to escape.


    Last flames token is removed : 2 points.


    The english planes are back.


    Successful shot.


    Final shots.
    The DH4 has received 14 points of damage but is saved.


    The Staaken is shot down.


    Victory points
    Germany: 12 points
    (10 points : 2 successfull bombing)
    (2 points : Camel shot down)
    England : 24 points
    (9 points : 1 point per 3 damage points inflicted to Gotha)
    (11 points : 1 point per 3 damage points inflicted to Staaken)
    (4 points : 2 remaining planes at the end of the game)

    Total Missions 1 + 2 + 3
    Germany : 3 + 10 + 12 = 25 points
    England : 9 + 4 + 24 = 37 points

  10. #10

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    Here is the fourth mission of this Turkenkreuz campaign.

    TURKENKREUZ - mission January 29th 1918 - London

    Bombing mission over England (1 target fully destroyed).
    2 mats (West London - East London)
    1 Zeppelin Staaken
    at altitude 3 (shot down)
    vs
    1 Spad VII
    1 Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter two seater
    1 Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter one seater Comic version (number 7 on the wing)
    starting at altitude 2
    2 AA gun
    1 target between the 2 AA gun

    On pictures, german planes use black rulers and English planes use red rulers for firing.



    Scramble !


    Staaken has a smoke damage.


    Comic is on fire and can’t turn right.
    Strutter and Spad overlap the Staaken at lower altitude.


    Staaken drops its bombs.
    A flame token removed for Comic (3 damage points).


    Bombs destroy the target but AA gun hits the Staaken (8 damage points + second smoke damage that turns into fire).


    Jamming for Staaken’s and Strutter’s gunners.


    1 damage point for a flame token removed on Staaken.


    Staaken has a damaged engine.


    Staaken must face 2 multiple crew damage : 1 pilot and 4 gunners are eliminated.


    Final shots.


    Staaken is downed.
    Spad VII has no damage, Strutter Comic has 12 damage points and Strutter 1 point.

    A quick game thanks to AA gun which inflicted 8 damage points to the Staaken.
    Comic and Strutter have made effective shooting.
    The four Staaken gunners hits made the task easier for English fighters.

    Victory points
    Germany: 5 points
    (5 points : 1 successfull bombing)
    England : 17 points
    (11 points : 1 point per 3 damage points inflicted to Staaken)
    (6 points : 3 remaining planes at the end of the game)

    Total Missions 1 + 2 + 3 + 4
    Germany : 3 + 10 + 12 + 5 = 30 points
    England : 9 + 4 + 24 + 17 = 54 points

  11. #11

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    The Tommy were hard pressed to stop the Staaken from destroying it's target but they certainly made it pay afterwards.

    "He is wise who watches"

  12. #12

    Thumbs up

    Good one Monse.
    Those Straaken are not easy to take down so well done.

  13. #13

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    Ach! Wish I had spotted this when it was first posted; sound like a winner of a campaign game.

    Though I speak no French at all. If I tried to download the file, would a given on-line translation service, like Google Translate be accurate enough? I've run my own translations from German to English, and the results are mostly OK, but when they're wrong,t hey're often hilarious.

  14. #14

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    Nice seeing a Straakan in action!

  15. #15

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    Great set of missions. I had missed this thread before, glad I spotted this. Very nice to see some smaller scenarios with bombers.

  16. #16

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    A damaged engine and then this
    Staaken must face 2 multiple crew damage : 1 pilot and 4 gunners are eliminated.
    Brutal!

  17. #17

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    I need to do this campaign solo, now that I see what's involved. TYVM, Monse!

  18. #18

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    You are welcome Sam.
    I played these games solo, bombers maneuvers have been planned without any elusive maneuvers, their objective was to bomb successfully and then come back home, trying to escape the fighters.
    English translation of the campaign set in appears in the first post.

    For a larger variety of planes, note that :
    - on mission 1, one of the two Sopwith Pup is replaced by a RAF RE.8, as many Home Defence squadrons used two seaters RAF BE.2, BE.12, RE.8 and Armstrong Whitworth FK.8 (50 sqn by example).
    - On mission 3, one of the two Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter two seater is replaced by an Airco DH.4 two seater, also used by Home Defence as a DH.4 shot down a Zeppelin dirigible in August 1918 near the English coast.
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egbert_Cadbury

    Here are the planes used by RFC and RNAS Home Defence Squadrons.
    In 1917 : BE.2 - BE.12 - FE.2 - Sopwith Strutter - Avro 504.
    In 1918 : same + Sopwith Camel - RAF SE.5 - Bristol F.2b.
    RNAS stations in the southeast maintained aircraft in readiness at all times to be able to respond to enemy incursions : the most successful was Manston War Flight which flew Pups, Triplanes and Camels.

    Carl Brisgamer has made a very interesting and detailed list of English and German units involved in London raids.
    https://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sh...aids-1917-1918

    Link to the Home Defence squadrons list :
    http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2786


    Quote Originally Posted by Stumptonian View Post
    A damaged engine and then this
    Brutal!
    It is the Expended Crew Damage optional rule.
    (page 20 WOG WW1 Rules and Accessories rulebook - page 9 WOW WW1 Flight of the Giants rulebook)

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by monse; 03-28-2020 at 08:21.

  19. #19

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    This will make for a great campaign. Thanks for all the links to some very interesting information.

  20. #20

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    Here is the fifth and last mission of this Turkenkreuz campaign.

    TURKENKREUZ - mission May 19th 1918 - London

    Bombing mission over London (3 targets fully destroyed).
    2 mats (West London - East London)
    Gotha G.V
    Zeppelin Staaken (downed)
    starting at altitude 3
    vs
    RAF SE5a (downed)
    2 x Bristol F2b Fighter (downed)
    starting at altitude 2
    2 AA gun

    On pictures, german planes use black rulers and English planes use red rulers for firing.



    Scramble !


    First shoots.
    Gotha’s rear gun is jammed.


    Both AA guns aim their shoot.
    Bristol (smoke damage inflicted) and Staaken fire at each other and a german gun is jammed.
    SE5a (Z code on the wing) and Staaken overlap at different altitude.


    Both german bombers drop their first bombs load.
    Staaken is hit by AA gun (no damage).
    Bristol inflicts 4 damage points to Staaken.
    Night Bristol inflicts 3 damage points to Gotha.


    SE5a and Staaken fire at each other (no damage).
    Staaken’s bombs partially hit left AA gun and Gotha’s bombs totally destroy right AA gun.


    Night Bristol and Gotha fire at each other.
    Se5a and Staaken overlap at different altitude.


    Bristol and Staaken fire at each other.


    Staaken drops its second bombs load.
    Bristol and Staaken overlap at different altitude.


    3 Staaken’s gunners shoot at SE5a (2 damage points).
    Bristol and Staaken still overlap.
    Staaken’s bombs partially hit a bridge.
    Gotha drops its second bombs load.
    Gotha’s rear gunner hits Bristol’s observer.


    SE5a misses its shoot at Staaken which inflict a fire and many damage points to the english fighter.
    Bristol and Staaken still overlap.
    Gotha’s bombs fully destroy target.


    Last shot of SE5a, Staaken returns fire but 2 of its guns jam.
    Bristol and Staaken still overlap.


    SE5a is shot down.
    Bristol’s rear gunner shoots at Staaken which returns fire.


    German bombers turn and face each other.


    German bombers on their way back.


    Engine damage for night Bristol.
    Gotha looses 1 altitude level.


    Staaken must face a fire damage and 2 multiple crew damage : 1 pilot and 2 gunners are incapacitated.


    Terrible shoots from rear gunners of Staaken at regular Bristol (9 damage points).
    Night Bristol jams firing at Gotha.


    3 damage points for the second flame token removed on Staaken.
    Last moments of both Bristol.


    German bombers heading to the remaining AA gun.
    Both Bristol Fighter fall down to the ground.


    A second flame token is removed (2 damage points for Staaken).
    Gotha is aimed by AA gun.


    Staaken drops its third bombs load.
    Gotha is hit by AA gun (8 damages points).


    Staaken’s bombs partially hit the AA gun spot but Gotha’s front gunner totally destroys it.


    Staaken is downed because of the last flame token removed.
    Gotha safely flies back to its base with only 14 damage points.

    A frantic game with the loss of all English fighters.
    The Staaken nearly made it but the fire damage destroyed it before reaching the mat edge.

    Victory points
    Germany: 21 points
    (15 points : 3 successfull bombings : 2 AA guns and 1 building)
    (6 points for 3 English fighters downed)
    England : 15 points
    (4 points : 1 point per 3 damage points inflicted to Gotha)
    (11 points : 1 point per 3 damage points inflicted to Staaken)

    Total Missions 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5
    Germany : 3 + 10 + 12 + 5 + 21 = 51 points
    England : 9 + 4 + 24 + 17 + 15 = 69 points

    Final victory for England : 3 missions won
    (2 missions won by Germany)

    Analysis of this Turkenkreuz Campaign.
    Germany : 7 bombers engaged (4 Gotha - 3 Staaken)
    5 bombers downed (2 Gotha - 3 Staaken), 70% of loss
    7 successfull bombings
    England : 13 fighters engaged (8 single seaters, 5 two seaters)
    5 fighters downed (3 single seaters, 2 two seaters), 38% of loss.

    As during the real historical campaign in 1917-1918, Germans suffered a high percentage of loss.
    But no Staaken were shot down over England, some were damaged during landing on their way back..

  21. #21

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    Great AARs, Monse.
    Rep inbound.

    I really must try to get my London maps flattened for use.
    I had hoped Ares would make 'proper' versions for us by now.

  22. #22

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    Taht last scenario was tense. Thanks for posting, Monse.

  23. #23

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    Monse - Great AARs. The scenarios were a nice balance and the photos really made for an exciting read. REP inbound.



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