Battle of Britain Campaign - Turns 4 and 5

This weekend it was time to clear the American War of Independence armies from the tabletop and prepare for a game of Blood Red Skies as part of my ongoing solo Battle of Britain campaign. The campaign consists of 17 turns, and I am hoping to be able to play at least one game every fortnight.

A photo of the game changed to give a cartoon feel.

The mission for the next campaign turn, covering 29th July to 4th August 1940, was determined by a dice roll. A roll of 4 resulted in a Bomb Airfields mission. As this was a repeat of the previous week's mission, the campaign rules treat it as a period of bad weather with no flying activity.

The campaign therefore advances to the next turn, 5th August to 11th August 1940, and a roll of 3 has the mission to Bomb London.

Turn 4 resulted in bad weather as the dice roll was a repeat of the previous turn.

The campaign rolls on to turn 5 and a bombing mission on London.

With the mission selected, the following steps were completed to set up the game:

• Select aircraft
• Determine weather
• Determine pilot skills
• Determine aircraft altitude

Scenario

A Dornier 17 and a Heinkel 111 are on a mission to bomb London, escorted by three Messerschmitt 109s. The bombers have Regular pilots, while the fighter escort includes one Ace pilot, one Veteran pilot, and two Regular pilots.

Intercepting the raid are two Hurricanes and two Spitfires. The RAF force consists of two Novice pilots and two Regular pilots.

The weather is clear, with only two cloud markers on the table. Helping the defence are two barrage balloons supported by flak batteries.

Game Report

The intercepting Hurricanes and Spitfires belonged to a newly formed squadron whose pilots had limited combat experience, though they were eager for the up coming action. As the RAF fighters closed in on the incoming bombers, it became apparent that the escorting Messerschmitt 109s were flying at an unusually low altitude. This presented a rare opportunity to strike directly at the bombers before the German fighters could gain altitude to intervene effectively.

At the start of the game the RAF have the altitude advantage.

The normal tactic employed was for the Spitfires to engage the enemy escorts, allowing the Hurricanes to concentrate on the bombers. On this occasion, however, the entire RAF formation headed straight towards the German bombers. During the initial attack run, one of the bombers appeared to suffer light damage, though it maintained its course.

RAF fighters swoop in to attack the bombers.

The escorting Messerschmitts gain altitude and engage the RAF fighters.

The sky soon became a swirling melee as the Messerschmitts, having gained altitude, moved to engage the RAF fighters. With the RAF fighters occupied, both the Dornier and Heinkel sought refuge in a nearby bank of cloud.

The bombers get some relief as they enter the cloud.

The better turning ability of the Hurricanes and Spitfires allowed most of the RAF pilots to follow the bombers into the cloud, hoping to catch them as they emerged. Not all were so fortunate. One inexperienced Spitfire pilot was hit by enemy fire and was forced to bale out as his aircraft plunged earthward in a steep dive.

The attacks continue from the fighters and flak as the bombers emerge from the cloud.

A combination of accurate fire from the flak batteries and some determined attacks by RAF pilots inflicted further damage on the German bomber formation. Despite this punishment, the bombers continued steadily towards their objective. Then, without warning, the Dornier broke formation, banking sharply as flames erupted from one engine. The crippled aircraft began a slow descent, leaving its surviving companion to continue the mission alone.

The bombers are taking hits as they are tailed by the fighters.

One bomber breaks formation as it is shot down.

The Messerschmitts had not been idle. They positioned themselves behind the RAF fighters and pressed home a series of attacks. Their greater experience soon told, and a second Spitfire was shot down.

A second Spitfire is shot down.

With the remaining Hurricanes increasingly occupied by the German fighters, the lone Heinkel was able to slip through to reach its target. Although one bomber had been destroyed, the Luftwaffe would claim a successful mission, having delivered an attack on London while inflicting losses on the defending RAF squadron.

The Heinkel 111 reaches its target as the remaining RAF fighters break off their attacks.

Debrief

The RAF came very close to shooting down both bombers. They had an excellent start, catching the escorting Luftwaffe fighters at low altitude and exploiting this advantage. However, pilot experience plays a crucial role in this game, influencing both activation order of aircraft and the number of dice rolled during shooting attacks. The difference in experience levels proved telling. The RAF pilots lacked the additional dice for shooting on several occasions where successful attacks were made and failed to make the required hits.