Saturday, January 19, 2019

Battle of Britain - Scenario 20 - September 15th, 1940 – Battle of Britain Day

This is the twentieth scenario in a Battle of Britain campaign that follows the exploits of the fictitious Country of Dampshire 369 Squadron Auxiliary Air Force. We use the Wings of Glory WW2 rules, slightly modified to give faster play, together with our own set of campaign rules. We use the Wings of Glory planes where the right model is available, other manufactures are used to fill in the gaps.

The Background

September 15th is the day that became known as Battle of Britain day. The Luftwaffe made an all-out effort to break the “last” resistance of the RAF, and the RAF responded by meeting them with larger fighter formations than they’d ever seen before. The Luftwaffe needed air superiority over southern England in order for the invasion to go ahead and they had failed to gain this. After the 15th, the weather went bad, Hitler cancelled the invasion preparations and the Luftwaffe went over to night bombing. Britain was safe from Invasion.


The Action

No. 369 Squadron had 4 pilots on standby, relaxing in the shade of their Spitfire's wings, when the scramble came to intercept two separate incoming bomber raids. Pilot Officers Emmett Hollingberry and Sir Price scrambled together to intercept the first raid. Pilot Officers Cholmondeley Featherstonehaugh and Percy Prune followed seconds after, heading for the second raid.

The Germans lauched a mission with two He 111 bombers led by Oberleutnant Hans von und zu Missendorff. The fighter escort was provided by Oberleutnant Freiherr C.G.Sommarlath and Leutnant Adolf Halland flying Me 109s. There was no second mission for 369 Squadron to intercept, it must have been a false echo on the RDF.

Hollingberry and Sir Price were quickly vectored onto the first raid. Featherstonehaugh and Prune could not make contact with the second; they suggested that maybe it had turned back or was hidden by clouds.

Sir Price in the lead, spotted the Germans in a tight formation with the bombers protected by the 109s.


As Sir Price and Hollingberry closed the enemy, they were spotted by the escorting fighters who headed out to meet them with Halland in the lead.


Sir Price and Halland were in contact first, exchanging head-on fire. Smoke started pouring out from Halland's engine.


The bombers droned on and Hollingberry turned in to attack. He was caught in a crossfire from the bombers rear gunners and Sommarlath's 109. Even Hollingberry's engine started smoking.


Seeing his friend Hollingberry in trouble, Sir Price jumped onto the tail of Sommarlath's 109 and opened fire. Hollingberry was too focused on the Heinkels to notice.


Sommarlath's 109 didn't stand a chance as Sir Price's cannon armed Spitfire opened fire from close on his tail.


Hollingberry continued to attack the bombers, but was caught in a crossfire from their machine-guns and his Spitfire didn't stand a chance.


The somewhat damaged bombers headed into the clouds for protection and Halland in the remaining 109 was running short of fuel so he headed for home.

The two Heinkel He 111's droned on and came out of the clouds over the south coast of England.

Cholmondeley Featherstonehaugh and Percy Prume had not located the second raid, so they were vectored onto the first raid by their controller. Luckily for them, Hollingberry and Sir Price had already seen off the defending 109s. They split up and attacked the bombers in a pincer movement, something not to be found in the RAF's fighting instructions.


Prune got in close and dirty with the port Heinkel while Featherstonehaugh attacked his from a more normal distance.


The bombers droned on with all their defensive guns firing. Prune was almost flying in formation, trying his best to shoot up his bomber's port engine.


A lucky deflection shot by Featherstonehaugh did for the starboard Heinkel.


The remaining Heinkel was now set upon by both Spitfires.


The lone Heinkel had no chance, and was soon diving out of control towards the farmlands of Southern England.


Oberleutnant Hans von und zu Missendorff and his four crewmen bailed out from his Heinkel He 111. They parachuted into a farmer's field where they were arrested by a passing police constable on his bicycle. They were first going to make a fight of it, but decided not to bother. Being captured wasn't a problem, they would be freed when the invasion started in a week or two.

Result

British Victory - No bombers reached their targets


  • Pilot Officer Sir Price: 1 Kill. 
  • Pilot Officer Cholmondeley Featherstonehaugh: 1 1/2 Kills. 
  • Pilot Officer Percy Prune: 1/2 Kill. 

  • Oberleutnant Hans von und zu Missendorff: 1 Kill. POW 


Sunday, January 13, 2019

The Maximillian Adventure

I was at the club this week playing a scenario from "The Maximillian Adventure" aka The Second French Intervention in Mexico using the soon-to-be released Osprey Rebels and Patriots rules together with the author Dalauppror.

We, the Mexican Republicans, were defending a port against an invading force consisting of French, British and Imperialist Mexicans.

The Town

The Invaders
I commanded three units forming the right flank of the defenders: one of skirmishers, one of poor quality line infantry and one artillery.

The skirmishers shooting at some Mexican Imperialists.
The Line Infantry together with their "first fire" marker.

The Artillery

Great fun was had by all six players.

We, the Mexican Republicans, claimed a victory because we held two of the three critical objectives in the port. However the press in Imperial France claimed a victory for the heroic French troops.

Saturday, January 12, 2019

Battle of Britain - Scenario 19 - September 9th, 1940 – London Attacked

This is the nineteenth scenario in a Battle of Britain campaign that follows the exploits of the fictitious Country of Dampshire 369 Squadron Auxiliary Air Force. We use the Wings of Glory WW2 rules, slightly modified to give faster play, together with our own set of campaign rules. We use the Wings of Glory planes where the right model is available, other manufactures are used to fill in the gaps.

The Background 

After Bomber Command’s raid on Berlin on the night of 24-25 August, Hitler relaxed his veto on bombing London. On the afternoon of 7th September Göring announced over the radio “I myself have taken command of the Luftwaffe’s battle for Britain”. The following day a huge formation of almost 1,000 planes, one third of which were bombers, headed for East London. The docks and factories on the river were the target.

Early on the morning of the 9th September, the Luftwaffe sent a Photo Reconnaissance Dornier Do 17 escorted by Bf 109s to photograph and report on the damage.


The Action

No. 369 Squadron had just landed from a patrol and were refuelling when a call came from the control room to scramble. Only two planes, those of Pilot Officers Emmett Hollingberry and Percy Prune were ready and these scrambled immediately followed a while later by Cholmondeley Featherstonehaugh.

Hollingberry and Prune flew in a loose formation as they were vectored towards the incoming bandits.


The Luftwaffe had attacked London yesterday with a huge formation of almost 1,000 planes, one third of which were bombers. They had targeted the docks and factories on the river. Now the Luftwaffe sent a Photo Reconnaissance Dornier Do 17 P escorted by Bf 109s to photograph and report on the damage.


The Me 109 escorts headed towards the Spitfires in order to protect the Do 17 P.


"Tally Ho" shouted Pilot Officers Percy Prune and charged towards the bandits without waiting for his wingman, Emmett Hollingberry, to close up.


Prune broke through the 109s and headed for the Dornier while Hollingberry joined the fight. However one 109 stuck doggedly to Prune's tail.


Prune's eight machine-guns peppered the wings of the Dornier without doing any serious damage. Prune was concentrating so much on his target that he never saw the tailing 109 that got him. Prune's engine died and he had no choice but to glide down towards Kent, crashing into a hedgerow surrounding an orchard. The farmer and his daughter pulled Prune from the wreckage. Prune was happy, he'd already lost count of the number of planes he'd wrecked.


The dogfight continued between Hollingberry and the now smoking second 109. Meanwhile the first 109 circled back to help his comrade.


Hollingberry had been chased away by the two 109s, but the late arrival of Cholmondeley Featherstonehaugh caught the Germans by surprise and the Dornier was unprotected. Smoke could soon be seen coming from one of its engines.


The return of the two 109s meant that Featherstonehaugh had to concentrate on them, leaving the Dornier to start its photography.



The Spits regrouped as the Dornier continued its photo run.


Hollingberry's Spit had taken lots of damage; a final burst of 109 cannon fire did for him.


Featherstonehaugh, somewhat upset by the loss of his friend, charged the nearest 109 head-on. Cannon fire from the 109 shot Featherstonehaugh's Spitfire to pieces and as it fell about around him, he jumped for it and immediately pulled his ripcord.


As Featherstonehaugh floated gently down towards the Kent countryside, he looked up past his parachute and saw the burning 109 which he had attacked.

Oberleutnant Sepp Schlangenaugen bailed out from his burning Me 109. He got out quickly and only his boots were slightly burnt. He parachuted into a farmer's field where he was surrounded by half-a-dozen land girls with pitchforks. He was going to draw his Luger, but decided not to bother. Being captured wasn't a problem, we would be freed when the invasion started in a week or two.

Result

German Victory

  • Pilot Officer Cholmondeley Featherstonehaugh: 1 Kill.
  • Leutnant Adolf Halland: 1 Kill. 
  • Oberleutnant Sepp Schlangenaugen: 1 Kill. 


Sunday, January 6, 2019

Battle of Britain - Scenario 18 - August 31st 1940 – The Poles

This is the eighteenth scenario in a Battle of Britain campaign that follows the exploits of the fictitious Country of Dampshire 369 Squadron Auxiliary Air Force. We use the Wings of Glory WW2 rules, slightly modified to give faster play, together with our own set of campaign rules. We use the Wings of Glory planes where the right model is available, other manufactures are used to fill in the gaps.

The Background

What the Poles had was an élan peculiar to them; they were proud to be Polish. In fact, they loved being Polish and they didn’t mind showing it. Moreover, they fitted into the RAF perfectly. There were no problems converting them to Spitfires and Hurricanes. They took to these new planes like a ballerina to her shoes. It was as if these two aircraft had been waiting for them to fly them. There was only one problem. The language. The Poles liked expressing themselves. In battle there was no holding them. The radio transmitters, the RT became crowded with what an RAF pilot called “Polish chatter”. Furthermore, they had to learn RAF procedure. But finally they got it, and became operational on 31 August,

No. 303 (Polish) Squadron achieved an exceptional record in the Battle of Britain, it was the highest scoring of the Hurricane squadrons during the battle and had the highest ratio of enemy aircraft destroyed to their own lost (safest). It was rumoured that the number of kills was only exceeded by the number of hearts broken in the West End by those good looking guys.


The Action

The pilots of Country of Dampshire 369 Squadron AAF were sitting drinking mugs of sweet tea in a collection of old overstuffed armchairs and deck chairs from a pre-war liner when the squadron's Maggie touched down.

It was piloted by the squadron's Intelligence Officer, Foxy Moron. Foxy jumped down and so did an unknown pilot carrying a small holdall, which he put down and looked around rather curiously. Last out of the plane was Foxy’s troublesome dog, who immediately ran over to the holdall and cocked his leg.

They walked over to the squadron and Foxy introduced the new pilot, Alexander Graham Bellski, from Poland, who was just joining the squadron.

Bellski wanted to go up and test-fly his Hurricane, but as it was just about lunchtime, and Sir Price had told the chaps that there was going to be a special treat of bacon sandwiches, nobody wanted to go with Bellski. So Bellski, who didn't know about the sandwiches, went off to fly on his own.

He'd been flying for about 25 minutes when he spotted an Me 109 at a distance directly in front.


The 109 pilot, Leutnant Otto von Dasshausen, was searching the sky and spotted Bellski before he could close. Dasshausen turned sharply towards Bellski.


The two planes closed quickly, exchanging shots.


Dasshausen turned sharply, just avoiding a collision as both pilots managed a snap shot.


The distance opened between the two planes.


Dasshausen performed an Immelmann, in an attempt to get on Bellski's tail.


But Bellski spotted him and turned tightly.


Dasshausen closed the gap, and fired a long burst into Bellski whose engine caught fire. At the last second Dasshausen pulled on the stick and missed Bellski's Hurricane by inches.


Dasshausen looked over his shoulder to see Bellski bailing out of his flaming Hurricane.


Bellski landed in a field near a Home Guard road block. He was raced to hospital but his burns would keep him out of the Battle.

Result

German Victory

  • Leutnant Otto von Dasshausen: 1 Kill. 

Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Battle of Britain - Scenario 17 - August 28th 1940 – Take it to the Germans

This is the seventeenth scenario in a Battle of Britain campaign that follows the exploits of the fictitious Country of Dampshire 369 Squadron Auxiliary Air Force. We use the Wings of Glory WW2 rules, slightly modified to give faster play, together with our own set of campaign rules. We use the Wings of Glory planes where the right model is available, other manufactures are used to fill in the gaps.

The Background 

Blenheim bomber squadrons operated throughout the Battle of Britain to take the war to the Germans, often taking heavy casualties, they were never accorded the publicity of the fighter squadrons.

During the Battle of Britain, a Blenheim Mk IV of 82 Squadron became the first RAF aircraft to sink a U-boat, having scored two direct hits on U-31 in the Schillig Roads, just of the German coast west of Hamburg.


The Action

Sir Price and Fitter Walker were covered in mud when they returned to the airfield; in the back of the shooting-brake were the cannons from Cholmondeley Featherstonehaugh's crashed fighter.

Cholmondeley, who had been earlier dropped of by a Rolls Royce, was there to meet them. "Your friends in the Navy called Old Chap", he explained to Sir Price, "They want us to shoot down a submarine tomorrow morning, the silly buggers".

Sir Price promised to ring and clear things up, just as soon as he'd got Walker started mounting the cannons.

Next morning everyone was up early and now crossing the coat towards Germany on a sub hunting mission. Sir Price with his mounted cannons and Cholmondeley Featherstonehaugh in their Spitfire Mk IIs were escorting two Bristol Blenheim Mk IVs flown by Pilot Officers John ”Banger” Walls and Brett Sinclair.


Oberleutnant Freiherr C.G.Sommarlath and Leutnant Hermann von Trapp were flying air cover over the departing submarine in their Messerschmitt 109 E-4s. They were flying in tight formation when they spotted the British and headed straight for Sir Price who was nearest.


The two Blenheims had spotted the surfaced submarine on its way out of port and headed straight towards it. After exchanging shots with Sir Price, the Messerschmitts turned towards the Blenheims who were obviously their main target. Cholmondeley turned to engage the Messerschmitts.


As the Messerschmitts turned to open fire on the Blenheims from behind, they were attacked by Cholmondeley. Sir Price turned sharply and was heading back into the fray.


The Messerschmitts made the mistake of focusing on the Blenheims and ignoring the Spitfires. The combined fire from Cholmondeley and Sir Price splashed Sommarlath's rear Messerschmitt while the leading Messerschmitt came under fire from the turrets on the Blenheims.


"What Ho" said Cholmondeley. "Tally Ho" said Sir Price. They both opened fire on the remaining Messerschmitt as did the gunners in the turrets of the Blenheims.


Rauch said Leutnant Hermann von Trapp as he saw smoke starting to pour out of the engine.
Flammen, Mein Gott! he exclaimed as fire engulfed his engine.
Flammen, Scheiße! he shouted as flames shot out of his reserve tank.
Nicht mein Schnaps auch he screamed as the bottle of schnapps in his trouser pocket exploded in flames.

Never seen the like of it in one game turn! The plane exploded in a ball of fire.


Now untroubled by attacking fighters, the two Blenheims continued with their bomb run and sent the submarine to the bottom.


Freiherr C.G.Sommarlath baled-out and was picked up by the kriegsmarine.

Result

British Victory

  • Pilot Officer Cholmondeley Featherstonehaugh: 2 Shared Kills. 
  • Pilot Officer Sir Price: 2 Shared Kills. 
  • Pilot Officer John ”Banger” Walls: 1 Shared Kill. 
  • Pilot Officer Brett Sinclair: 1 Shared Kill.
  • Leutnant Hermann von Trapp: KIA.