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#Post#: 2891--------------------------------------------------
Re: Malta Spitfires Campaign
By: ScottKey Date: August 10, 2019, 7:59 am
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You're correct. Dont know how i missed it.
#Post#: 2937--------------------------------------------------
Re: Malta Spitfires Campaign
By: Gordon Christie Date: August 21, 2019, 4:21 am
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Andrew & I have now competed our third run through the campaign.
Again overall reasonably happy. As discussed earlier with Lee
the campaign is too bloody but that probably reflects the fact
that pretty much every unit on the map at the start fo the
scenario engages whereas historically there were probably a lot
of ,squadron sorties which did not result in meaningful contact
with the enemy.
Day 1 Raid 1
3 Ju88 Sqn 3 19 Sqn ( Jabo 1 Sweep 1 Escort) after the airfield
RAF 1 Spt 1 Hurricane Sqn
3 109s & 5 Hurricanes lost; 6 hits on the airfield
Day 1 Raid 2
2 Ju87 1 Jabo & 2 109 Sqns1 sweep, 1 escort target airfield
4 Spit Sqns intercept
4 109s 9 Ju 87 lost (3 to flak) vs 5 Spitfires 1 hit on AF
Day 1 Raid 3
1 Sm79 Sqn 2 Mc202 Sqn (1Sweep, 1 Escort) vs 1 Spit flight
3 Mc 202 2 Spitfires lost No hits on AF
This provided great narrative. Small scenario but the Spits
fought heroically & gave more than they got despite being
heavily outnumbered-great fun.
Day 1 Raid 4
1 Sm 79 2 109 Sqns (1 sweep 1 escort) vs 1 Hurri 1 Spit Sqn & 1
Spit flight
1 Sm 79 2 109s 2 Hurricanes 1 Spitfire lost No hits on AF
Recycling overnight:
3 Spit 1 Hurricane flight remained in recovery after overnight
recycling
LW lose 1.5 109 Sqn, 1 Ju88 & 2 Ju 87 Sqns & 1 Mc 202 flight
Day 2 Raid 1
2 Sm79 1.5 Mc 202 & 1 109 raid AF vs 1 Sqn 2 flights of Spits
1 109 & 5 Spits lost No hits on AF
Day 2 Raid 2
2 Ju88 3.5 109 Sqns target port vs 1 Spit Sqn 2 Spit & 1
Hurricane flight intercept
3 109 1 Ju88 & 2 Spits lost No hits
Day 2 Raid 3
2 Ju87 2.5 109 Sqns vs 3 Spit flights
3 Ju 87 (all to flak) 1 109 & 4 Spt lost 2 hits on Welshman for
3.5 VP
Final outcome
LW 17 fighters 14 bombers lost---> +45 VP for RAF
RAF 26 fighters lost Heavy damage to AF (10 VP) plus light
damage to Welshman (3.5 VP)--> 39.5 VP
Final outcome -5.5 VP for Allied victory
Overall we felt this was more probably a draw. The RAF had
sustained heavy casualties but inflicted more damage than they
had suffered (marginally) although both the airfield & Welshman
had been damaged to some degree.
Thoughts:
Again the process steps work quickly & smoothly. Recycling isn't
too much trouble & generates scenarios quickly & pretty
effortlessly.
The scenarios are a good & interesting mix. Surprisingly it
doesn't feel too repetitive.
It's a bit bloody but I can live with that.
Interestingly Andrew broke RAF squadrons on a couple of
occasions & ran to avoid unfavourable engagements. We both
agonised a bit about following broken squadrons down (...this
never works for either of us:-)) which is also I think a good
thing.
In terms of victory levels I think the RAF will score more
kills, probably about 5:4 & about 50% bombers suggesting that
the AtA VP ratio will be 6.5:4 or so. We seem to be pretty
consistently generating about 25-30 casualties for each side so
I'd anticipate AtA casualties & VP to be 33:24. Heavy damage to
the airfield should generally be achievable for the Axis so base
VP expectation should be about 33:34 for the RAF & Axis. I think
success should hinge on either good AtA kill ratios (for either
side) or heavy damage to both the airfield & either Welshman or
the port generating a 6-8 point variance from the base
expectation.
I'd argue for -5 or more as RAF victory; -4 to +4 as a draw & +5
or more as Axis victory. This would have given the last run as
the barest of RAF victories which would have felt not
unreasonable.
Cheers
Gordon
#Post#: 2980--------------------------------------------------
Re: Malta Spitfires Campaign
By: ScottKey Date: August 27, 2019, 7:46 pm
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Scenario: Malta Campaign: Day 2: 13:00
Version: (08/17 booklet)
Playtesters: Scott Key, solitaire
August 27, 2019
13:00
Report: - No height errors;
- 6 clouds at alt. 8 set up by RAF, clouds set up over potential
battle area to provide escape if the RAF need to get out of the
combat ;
- Good warning; Allied max= 7
- Allies: 1 Veteran Spitfire sqn, 1 Spitfire Veteran experte
flight & 1 Hurricane Sqn
- Axis: 1 Veteran experte 109 flight, 1 109 Sqn
- Fighter sweep sets up well forward, Above cloud layer at
maximum height
- RAF sets up top interceptor flight between cloud columns
vectored to as end behind the sweep with the other two units
below the cloud Vectored to ascend near the flak zone
Turn 1-3: - The Sweep was not able to make a tally as the three
interceptor units gained altitude.
Turns 4-6: -the German experte flight tallies the regular
Spitfire sqn which enters a Lufbery. Both 109 units bounce the
Spitfires and then start a dogfight.
- The RAF makes a calculated decision to withhold assistance for
a couple of turns, then the Hurricanes join the dogfight.
- After one round of combat all three of the original combatant
units break.
Turns 7-9: - The German units split up and try to make their
escapes separately. The Hurricanes attempt to change their tally
but fail and never regain a tally.
- The circling RAF experte flt bounces the fleeing 109 experte
flight, both sides each down a plane
- The experte RAF flight follows his opponent down to the deck
and eventually eliminates the enemy unit entirely.
Post-Mission: 1 Spitfire squadron recovers to available.
- Airfield does not repair damage due to raid.
RAF: -4 vp enemy fighters killed =-4
AXIS: +2 vp enemy fighters killed= +2
Total: vp this mission : = -2 net
Total for the campaign thus far= +4 vp
Recommendations: I puzzled for a long time over whether to even
olay out the mission. Eventually I decided that both sides had
something to gain if things went their way. Smarter play would
have returned-to-base the 109s after two failed tally rolls
since their main chance of success was an early tally with a
turn or two uninterrupted combat against a single RAF unit, then
fleeing while in good order.
#Post#: 2983--------------------------------------------------
Re: Malta Spitfires Campaign
By: pilotofficerprune Date: August 28, 2019, 3:36 am
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Scott, two questions:
(a) What's your impression of the resources available to the
Allies in the later phases of the campaign? Do you feel you have
enough squadrons and flights to fight with?
(b) What's your impression of the resources available to the
Axis on the second day? Did if feel too thin after the first
day's action?
#Post#: 2988--------------------------------------------------
Re: Malta Spitfires Campaign
By: ScottKey Date: August 28, 2019, 3:42 pm
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I still have one more raid with bombers (possibly will play it
this Friday) so based on play so far I’d say the RAF has enough
resources. The Axis probably has just enough. I had some bad
recovery rolls for Axis bombers going into day two and I think
most people will have a bit more to work with than I have had.
That being said and based on my one play I think the overall vp
spread should be reduced by one. For the Axis I think the next
raid will at best result in a draw. But this is largely due to
the bad results of the last fighter sweep.
#Post#: 2989--------------------------------------------------
Re: Malta Spitfires Campaign
By: ScottKey Date: August 28, 2019, 3:43 pm
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I feel like the Axis has plenty of fighter assets.
#Post#: 2990--------------------------------------------------
Re: Malta Spitfires Campaign
By: chief2000 Date: August 29, 2019, 8:26 am
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Lee, what did you think about my suggestion back in January
regarding a repair rule for campaigns whereby some stragglers
would be written off and others available again? This could
make the difference between squadrons reduced to flights or
maintaining their numbers? Perhaps it's too late to include this
bit of chrome.
#Post#: 2991--------------------------------------------------
Re: Malta Spitfires Campaign
By: pilotofficerprune Date: August 30, 2019, 2:02 am
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In something that already has a fair amount of complexity I
thought it was an interesting idea, but a piece of chrome too
far.
#Post#: 2994--------------------------------------------------
Re: Malta Spitfires Campaign
By: ScottKey Date: August 30, 2019, 4:50 pm
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Scenario: Malta Campaign: Day 2: 15:00
Version: (08/17 booklet)
Playtesters: Scott Key, solitaire
August 29, 2019
Report:— One Spitfire squadron rolled a height error;
- 3 clouds at alt. 6 set up by Axis
- Good warning; Allied max= 10
- Allies: 3x Spitfire Sqns (no experte or veterans)
- Axis: First Wave: (Fighter Sweep)1x Veteran experte 109
flight, 1x MC.202 Sqn, 1x 109 Sqn
- Axis Second Wave: 1x109 Jabo Sqn, 2x SM.79 Sqns, 1x MC.202 flt
escort
- Fighter sweep sets up well forward at maximum height
- RAF sets up far forward with vector of the top interceptors
above and in front of the sweep. The lower two sqns place
vectors low and in the possible path of bombers
Turn 1-3: -RAF top interceptors tally the Maachi 202 squadron
but maintain a path towards the high altitudes above the flak
zone and in front of the sweep.
- The lower interceptors stay out of sight from the sweep.
Turns 4-6: -The 109 and 202 sqns tally the climbing Spitfires
and begin to pursue.
- The experte flight continues to tally nothing....
- Flying into the flak zone the 202s take a hit but lose no a/c.
Turns 7-9: - One 109 squadron pursues his Spitfire quarry up to
altitude 16 and are subjected to ineffective flak fire.
- Finally the top Spitfires turn back in a Lufbery and the 109
dives in to a fight. The German squadron loses an a/c and
breaks. The Spitfires become disrupted. They are given a new
vector at turns end that will take them down above the incoming
bombers
- The other two sweep squadrons, both having made tally, free
move back down towards the now on board bombers
- The first lower interceptor sqn tallies the leading bombers
approaches low and from behind to try and avoid escort reaction.
Turns 10-13: - The remaining sweep fighters try to tally the
lower interceptors. The MC.202 Sqn succeeds but the experte 109
Sqn fails and goes to RTB orders.
- The spitfires make their first attempt atan attack but the
Italian escort flight successfully reacts and pulls the
attackers into a dogfight.
- The experte flight tallies and joins the dogfight. The Italian
escort flight breaks and after the British sqn loses 3 aircraft
both units break.
- The remaining Spitfire sqn attacks the bombers unmolested. He
downs two SM.279s but loses an a/c himself and breaks.
Turns14-16: - The bombers continue to lower towards the target
while the Jabo sqn (at altitude 0) goes unnoticed.
- approaching the target and flak zone the last (disrupted)
Spitfire sqn bounces the leading SM.79 sqn. He does almost no
famage and breaks as the enemy enters the barrages.
Turns 17-19: - Barrage flak inflicts losses and lots of
stragglers to the Sm.79 sqns. Eventually the lead bombers break.
- The Jabos come through the barrages unscathed inflicting 2
damage to the port.
- The Italian bombers both roll very low and inflict 0% hits.
Post-Mission: There is no 17:00 raid
RAF: -2vp enemy fighters killed; 6 enemy bombers killed [4 from
flak] (-12 vp) =-14
AXIS: +6 vp enemy fighters killed; target slight damage +1 vp=
+7
Total: vp this mission : = -7 vp net
Total for the campaign = -3 vp RAF victory
Recommendations: Based on this one play-through I feel the
campaign is pretty balanced. If in this last mission the bombers
had all inflicted 25% damage it would have given the Axis +10
points taking this to a +6 vp and a draw. That combined with bad
availability rolls (lost of sixes) for Axis bombers and heavy
bomber (thus vp) losses in the last mission meant that this
play-through leaned a bit in favor of the RAF. Another flight or
squadron of Ju-88s recovering could easily have pushed this into
an Axis victory. I’m inclined to leave the Victory levels where
they are.
Willing to sign off on it.
#Post#: 3011--------------------------------------------------
Re: Malta Spitfires Campaign
By: pilotofficerprune Date: September 3, 2019, 4:19 am
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Interestingly, if we go with Gordon's proposed VP change, with
the draw window being between -4 and +4 campaign VP, then your
campaign would have ended as a Draw. How do you feel about that,
Scott? Would that be a fair result?
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