Post by boomerbill on Mar 19, 2018 21:25:09 GMT
I ran an AAAF game Saturday morning at Hotlead, the annual Stratford, Ontario gaming convention, which attracts hundreds of gamers from Ontario, Michigan and New York.
"The Few" was a Battle of Britain scenario, set around August 15, 1940, when the Luftwaffe began pounding airfields.
The Axis player got an He-111 (an Armaments In Miniature product), a BF110 and a Bf109 Ace on the first turn. The RAF responded with two Hurricanes.
The goal of the three Luftwaffe players was to eliminate the RAF, by shooting down aircraft and bombing the airfield mid-map (I used multiple maps for a larger playing surface): 25 points for bombing the airfield and 20 points for any Bf110 that successfully strafed it. The Axis got aircraft value for downing aircraft, including 10 bonus points for taking out any Spitfire.
The goal of the two RAF players was to eliminate air crews and bombing capacity, so they got aircraft value for the 109s, but aircraft value plus 15 bonus points for any bomber or Bf110 knocked down. As well, the RAF got full aircraft value for any crippled aircraft leaving the map, presuming the cripples would have to ditch in the Channel.
The Allied players knew that they were getting two Spitfire Aces on Turn Two, but didn't know that a Do-17 (another AIM model), a Stuka (repainted in Italian livery), a Bf110 and the Bf109 Wingman were coming onto the map on Turn Three. The Allies also didn't know that the Bf109s had limited fuel, and would have to be off the map by Turn Seven (for the Ace) and Turn Nine (the Wingman). Which would have meant that by Turn Six, the Ace would have been southbound and close to the map edge, rather than in mid-map. Two turns later, the Wingman would have to be in the same spot.
To spice up the game, I added two flak fields just south of the airfield, but the intruders avoided the flak, although doing so meant the Bf110 was later unable to get into position for its strafing run.
So, Turn One developed as you might expect, with both sides heading toward the airfield at mid-map.
On Turn Two, the Spitfires came on map, heading toward the centre. The Hurricane Mk 1 got on the Bf110's tail and did some damage, but was himself hit by the rear gunner. A totally lucky roll of 6. The Kusciuszko Hurricane used its Point Blank ability to badly damage the He-111. But the Bf109 Ace sent the Kusciuszko spiralling into the ground.
On Turn Three, the RAF players were aghast as the Do-17, Ju87, BF110 and Wingman entered from the East map edge.
Committed to the centre of the map, they battled on, with the two Spitfire Aces diving from above and the front quarter to vital the He-111, just as it was ready to drop its bomb load on the airfield. The Hurricane Mk 1 crippled the Bf110, which could no longer dive for its strafing run and had to turn away to leave the map rather than be shot down.
On Turn Four, a lot happened: The Wingman took out the remaining Hurricane, while the Bf109 Ace continued his lucky die rolls and vitalled a Spitfire. The 109 Ace was in turn vitalled by the remaining Spitfire, leaving the Wingman the only escort for the bombers that were still a turn or two away from the airfield. (Although the new Bf110 successfully completed its strafing run and could remain onboard as a fighter escort, or could fly off the map.)
By the end of the turn, the Axis was only up by seven points. Although two bombers were heading for the airfield and the second Bf110 had successfully strafed the airfield, the most they could hope for through attacking the airfield was another 50 points. If they could get the Spitfire as well, they would pick up 106 points. But if the Spitfire could splash the Wingman and send the others packing as crippled, the RAF would pick up 105 points. If the three bombers actually crashed on-map, the RAF could rake in 150 points.
But the RAF leader didn't see it that way. One plane against the many looked insurmountable, and the team conceded.
Here's how it looked at the end of the game.
I had a time slot for four hours (although no one ever uses the whole time slot -- breaks are needed to visit the vendors and Bring and Buy stands), but we were done in about 90 minutes. That includes explanation time, since all players were new to the game.
I'd say that the Axis was happy with the win, although not happy that they didn't get a chance to bomb the airfield. The RAF players were unhappy with their loss, and perhaps would have been more unhappy if I had sat them down and explained more carefully how they could have won it.
In all, it was a pretty hot scenario. Lots of disbelief as sixes came up, and quiet grins when the smoke began pouring from the opponents' aircraft.
I would be happy to run this one again.
"The Few" was a Battle of Britain scenario, set around August 15, 1940, when the Luftwaffe began pounding airfields.
The Axis player got an He-111 (an Armaments In Miniature product), a BF110 and a Bf109 Ace on the first turn. The RAF responded with two Hurricanes.
The goal of the three Luftwaffe players was to eliminate the RAF, by shooting down aircraft and bombing the airfield mid-map (I used multiple maps for a larger playing surface): 25 points for bombing the airfield and 20 points for any Bf110 that successfully strafed it. The Axis got aircraft value for downing aircraft, including 10 bonus points for taking out any Spitfire.
The goal of the two RAF players was to eliminate air crews and bombing capacity, so they got aircraft value for the 109s, but aircraft value plus 15 bonus points for any bomber or Bf110 knocked down. As well, the RAF got full aircraft value for any crippled aircraft leaving the map, presuming the cripples would have to ditch in the Channel.
The Allied players knew that they were getting two Spitfire Aces on Turn Two, but didn't know that a Do-17 (another AIM model), a Stuka (repainted in Italian livery), a Bf110 and the Bf109 Wingman were coming onto the map on Turn Three. The Allies also didn't know that the Bf109s had limited fuel, and would have to be off the map by Turn Seven (for the Ace) and Turn Nine (the Wingman). Which would have meant that by Turn Six, the Ace would have been southbound and close to the map edge, rather than in mid-map. Two turns later, the Wingman would have to be in the same spot.
To spice up the game, I added two flak fields just south of the airfield, but the intruders avoided the flak, although doing so meant the Bf110 was later unable to get into position for its strafing run.
So, Turn One developed as you might expect, with both sides heading toward the airfield at mid-map.
On Turn Two, the Spitfires came on map, heading toward the centre. The Hurricane Mk 1 got on the Bf110's tail and did some damage, but was himself hit by the rear gunner. A totally lucky roll of 6. The Kusciuszko Hurricane used its Point Blank ability to badly damage the He-111. But the Bf109 Ace sent the Kusciuszko spiralling into the ground.
On Turn Three, the RAF players were aghast as the Do-17, Ju87, BF110 and Wingman entered from the East map edge.
Committed to the centre of the map, they battled on, with the two Spitfire Aces diving from above and the front quarter to vital the He-111, just as it was ready to drop its bomb load on the airfield. The Hurricane Mk 1 crippled the Bf110, which could no longer dive for its strafing run and had to turn away to leave the map rather than be shot down.
On Turn Four, a lot happened: The Wingman took out the remaining Hurricane, while the Bf109 Ace continued his lucky die rolls and vitalled a Spitfire. The 109 Ace was in turn vitalled by the remaining Spitfire, leaving the Wingman the only escort for the bombers that were still a turn or two away from the airfield. (Although the new Bf110 successfully completed its strafing run and could remain onboard as a fighter escort, or could fly off the map.)
By the end of the turn, the Axis was only up by seven points. Although two bombers were heading for the airfield and the second Bf110 had successfully strafed the airfield, the most they could hope for through attacking the airfield was another 50 points. If they could get the Spitfire as well, they would pick up 106 points. But if the Spitfire could splash the Wingman and send the others packing as crippled, the RAF would pick up 105 points. If the three bombers actually crashed on-map, the RAF could rake in 150 points.
But the RAF leader didn't see it that way. One plane against the many looked insurmountable, and the team conceded.
Here's how it looked at the end of the game.
I had a time slot for four hours (although no one ever uses the whole time slot -- breaks are needed to visit the vendors and Bring and Buy stands), but we were done in about 90 minutes. That includes explanation time, since all players were new to the game.
I'd say that the Axis was happy with the win, although not happy that they didn't get a chance to bomb the airfield. The RAF players were unhappy with their loss, and perhaps would have been more unhappy if I had sat them down and explained more carefully how they could have won it.
In all, it was a pretty hot scenario. Lots of disbelief as sixes came up, and quiet grins when the smoke began pouring from the opponents' aircraft.
I would be happy to run this one again.