RAF Defensive Counter-Air (DCA) Considerations
What is so fantastic about TFH? Unlike most other air combat simulations (F- 19, F- 15 Strike Eagle H, Falcon, etc.), TFH is a "MANY VS. MANY" simulation. Here lies its greatest strength, and its most significant departure from an arcade wargame. The player actually flies one of the aircraft in each air battle (while the computer controls all the others), as a "flight leader: for one side (either RAF of Luftwaffe), and must do some serious tactical planning for each scenario.
The success or failure of each mission depends on the player's situation awareness (SA), tactical airmanship, an aerial leadership. I've run through complete campaigns (about 10-12 missions per campaign) on both the German and British sides, and the orientations are totally different, depending on the side played.The Germans are waging an Offensive Counter-Air (OCA) campaign, and are trying to achieve air superiority in order to risk an invasion of England.
The Brits are waging a Defensive Counter -Air (DCA) effort in order to preserve their airpower to contest the skies over England. In Part One of this series I presented an overview of the game itself an discussed some OCA considerations to keep in mind when playing as the German Luftwaffe Player. In Part Two, I will discuss strategies and tactics to remember when playing as the British RAF Player, then discuss some additional considerations about the game overall.
Mission Planning
Planning a Barrier/Point CAP (Combat Air Patrol) mission is much simpler than planning a strike mission. Shooting down bombers is really nasty work. You can pick Spitfire I's, Spitfire II's, or Hurricanes. Normally, you have six aircraft available, when playing a campaign game from the RAF side. I recommend using all six aircraft. Examine the selected target area (a red box on the map). You should first consider the type of aircraft you will select for your flight groups (as the RAF player, you may only select ONE type).
Coastal Targets. Targets near the coast (RDF, coastal airfields) are fiequently attacked by JU-87 Stuka attack aircraft of Bf 109/110 fighter-bombers, usually with escort (or expect small packages of escorted bombers like the Do-17).
On any mission where I expect Stukas or fighter-bombers, particularly with escorts, I recommend using Spits. I haven't detected much difference between the Mark I and the Mark II Spitfire.
Inland Targets. A target deep inland (factories, deep airfields or command centers) will normally be an all-bomber Qu-88 or He-111) mission, without escorts. Against an allbomber force, I recommend using Hurricanes, since they are very durable.
Interception
The Germans come from the east or the south, depending on the location of the target. You can form your force of six aircraft in up to four flights. Each flight must be given an objective, either "Engage Bombers" or "Engage Fighters". I've had the best luck by forming two or three flights of Engage Bombers, regardless of the scenario. I assign one flight group an altitude of 5, another an altitude of 15, and my flight group (FG 1 and altitude of 10, as a "swing force" to go either high or low. Expect two or three German formations, usually one down low (below 5) and one up high (above 10).
I try to put at least one flight (usually the low one) directly over the target, flying toward the expected direction of attack. Recently, I've been experimenting with putting one flight behind the target (opposite the expected direction of attack, flying toward the target), to insure SOMEONE is over the target when the fast attackers or bombers arrive. The computer will saturate you, by providing a dilemma. Normally, two of the attacking formations will be nearly equidistant from the target, one down low and one up high.
If you go for one, the other will hit the target. The nearest flights are usually pretty near the target (about to drop), and it appears that the more damage done to your RDF system, the closer the Germans appear to the target when the game begins. If you deploy too close to the target, you won't have enough time to work against the packages who are inbound to the the target. If you deploy too far out, a package may appear behind you when the game starts. Your objective is to construct a mobile "barrier". Blitz early, but keep a safety deep.
Air Combat at "The Merge"
I can get an Engage Bomber flight into action quickly by leading them myself, and once they start engaging the bombers, I may work the escorts for a few seconds to get a quick fighter kill or tow (it preserves my force) if the bombers aren't too close to the target. Normally this isn't the case, and I can barely break up the first bombing attack (closed to the target). I just try to ruin the bomb run and make the bombers miss the target.
It seems that the only way to ruin a bombing attack is to inflict enough damage that the bomber pickles his bomb load early. Once I see a bomber pickle off his bombs, I switch to another bomber/flight inbound to the target. Medium bombers don't maneuver. They just plod along until they get to the target or take enough damage to jettison their ordnance.
It takes lots of hits to knock down a bomber (especially a Ju88), and you are usually taking hits as he inflicts them on you (you aren't as durable). Expect to take LOTS of hits, since every bomber gun position is manned by an ace gunner. I get shot down frequently (even in a Hurricane) from all the gunners peppering me, and I might wind up watching the air battle from my parachute (you can pan and elevate your view while hanging in the straps!)
The quickest way to hit a flight of bombers (especially when they are nearly at the target when the game starts) is to make a head-on firing pass. Minimize risk when firing on a bomber by bombing from slightly above or below, to mask the opposite gunner (most have a belly, a dorsal (top) and a nose gunner). Only the nose gun can fire forward, and you quickly blow through on a head-on firing pass (I throttle back to give me more shooting time).
The best way to estimate effective firing range is to wait until you see the bomber firing at you, that ace gunner knows exactly when to shoot! If you approach from level behind the bomber, you get a better chance to hit, but you are exposed to fire from both top and bottom guns. Fly a training mission in a German bomber to see the limits on each gun. You never seem to be able to kill a gunner until the plane either blows up or the crew bails out, so don't count on disabling one of the guns early (they never seem to fun out of ammo, although I'm sure the program counts the ammo expenditure for each gun).
Keep mental track of which bombers have dropped, since one guy may jettison and both egress the target, then the guy who kept his bombs will sneak back and drop while you are working another flight.
Attacking the Bomber Formation
Sometimes I think I'm being shot at from a bomber after the crew ejects, but more likely it is from mutual support within a formation. Bomber flights of two are echeloned, and flights of three are flown in a vic. Fire at the nearest bomber, since he will be firing at you. Go for the wingman if approaching from behind, and go for the leader if coming from Head-on.
Incidentally, try to maneuver so you approach from 12 o'clock if you are going to make a head-on pass. Otherwise you will need to pull some lead (target hidden under your nose), and you won't score enough hits (your belly will also be facing the bomber and you'll take some hits yourself, particularly if he has side gunners).
Let's say you have a flight of two on you nose and you head straight toward them (also a great move since any escorts will have a tough time going after you). Gun the leader on the head-one firing pass, then zoom up (to avoid the belly and side gunners) as soon as you blow through, and break toward the direction of the wingman (45 degrees left or right). Roll over and pull back toward the flight and try to approach from a line to mask the leader behind the wingman (and minimize the number of guns firing on you).
Keep firing on the nearest guy, and switch to the leader when you can't fire on the wingman anymore. Sometimes the flight is stacked vertically in altitude. Blow through after firing on the leader and swing back around to run another head-one (when viewed from above, a "Figure-8), if the situation permits. It usually doesn't, and you'll have to let your mates finish these guys off while you press over to hit another flight.
Mutual Support
Stukas and fighter-bombers will maneuver (circle) if attacked, so "jump into their chili" and get them to turn, particularly if you have a wingman to keep them turning. If you get a few hits on one, he will jettison his bombs. Once a fighter- bomber jettisons his bombs, he becomes a fighter.
Remember to stay low on Stukas and 110's, and lag their turns to stay below the rear gunner's field of fire. Your squadron mates can tie up Stuka or fighter-bomber flights for awhile as you work on another, but they can't do much to a bomber flight except soften them up for you or harass the bombers as they egress from the target area back to France.
When you are approaching a Stuka flight from the rear, one of the Stuka wingmen will peel off and come back at you while the rest of his flight continues on. Your RAF mates aren't very effective, and only occasionally will score a kill. They can tie up escorts and keep the enemy fighters off your back while you do the dirty work (that's why I always fly with one or two wingmen).
Escorts like to lure you away by turning in front of you and flying away from the target (a "drag"), presenting you with an "easy kill". don't be a sucker, and keep in mind your mission objective (keep bombs off the target). It is also tough to ignore escorts, and a fine balance needs to be struck between offense and defense. You can't shoot down a bomber with a 110 at your six. A 110 is a tough escort, since he has a tail gunner. Another thing, never go head-on with a 110. He has a powerful array of forwardfiring ordnance, and is more durable than Spits or Hurries.
Situational Awareness (SA)
Check the map periodically and keep track of the battle.
This becomes tough when you are turning with some escorts or making reattacks on a flight of bombers. Every circle wastes time, and ties you to your position while the enemy continues to press inbound to the target. The objective is to keep bombs from hitting the target, not necessarily to shoot down airplanes (although this usually helps). Invariably, you can expect a "spitter" to squirt out of the merge and continue to the target. If you are unaware of a spitter, you'll be tied up when you hear a stick of bombs impact the target.
I try to start our forward of the target, kill some attackers early, and continue to retrograde back toward the target. It's tough to start overhead the target and work your way out. Usually the later flights are up high, and if you are really beat up with damage, you don't have enough energy to get up and tarigle with them.
Campaign Strategy
Getting a good score as the RAF player is really tough.
Your grade is based on the number of bombs that hit the target, the number of German planes shot down, and the number of RAF planes lost or damaged (especially yours). Defend those radar sites smartly on the early campaign mission, since the Germans will continue to go after them (if undestroyed).
Defend your factories will, since they are your lifeblood once the airfields begin to fall under attack. Every bomb that misses the target enhances your chances for winning the campaign. You can shoot down every German aircraft on each mission (after they drop their bombs) and still lose the campaign.
You lose planes by having them shot down during missions (watch out for escorts), and by having airfields attacked (planes destroyed on the ground). You also have to watch your airfield operations percentage, since it is frequently the one lowest to the minimum level and will lose the game for you if it drops below this level. Aircrews aren't usually a problem for the RAF (it WAS a critical limiting factor in the actual battle). Remember, every German aircrewman who bails out over English soil becomes a POW, while you and your mates get to fly again.
Your can play TFH as nameless, anonymous aircrewmen. It's more fun if you create named pilots or crews, and schedule these dudes for the missions you fly. Every German pilot/ crew begins as a Lieutenant and every RAF pilot begins as a Pilot Officer (both 2Lt equivalents). Both sides promote and decorate the crews as their career progresses and points are racked up. They can also get killed or captured.
A record is kept for each named pilot/crew which shows the number of missions flown, aircraft (by type) shot down, number of bombs dropped (and number of hits), as well as the rank and decorations awarded. I have some highly decorated crews I use, and I went into the books to name some of them (Rudel, Falck, Galland, Bader, etc.) when I got fired of using names of friends or guys in my office.
Summary
From reading both parts of this two-art series, it's obvious that TFH really covers all aspects of aerial conflict. I love playing TFH, and I expect to keep trying new things. The Mission Builder (MB) utility enables you to set up exactly any scenario you want, within the fifteen aircraft (two types for Germans and one type for RAF) system limitation. You can give either side as many aircraft as you like, and can vary the crew qualities. It's even possible to give airplanes unlimited gas and ammo.
You can put a convoy out in the Channel, load up whatever you want, and go for it. I used the MB to set up a scenario exactly the way I wanted so I could get some practice on certain skills. MB gives you complete control for designing scenarios, and is probably most rewarding for creating well-balanced scenarios.
I recommend using a fast (16-20 MHz) 286 or 386 IBMformat machine, with EGA or VGA color graphics capability, hard disk, and a really good joystick like the CH Products FlightStick for playing TFH. I think they also make TFH for the Amiga, but like most computer games these days, the IBM format version is usually first off the line. I've requested that Lucasfilm Games consider a US vs. Germans "Twelve O'Clock High" game complete with US heavy bombers (B17/B-24) and escorts (P-51/P-47/P-38).
The game would have the German BfIO9, BfI10, and FwI90, and possibly some nightfighters (airborne radar), only now in the DCA role. If you like this concept , let Lucasfilm Games know about it. I expect to see people exchanging TFH Custom Missions on computer bulletin boards like GEnie (any AIR POWER readers on GEnie? I'm MO.MORGAN if you'd like to leave me a note or a file). Try out TTH, and let JD and Tony know how you like it. By the way, what would you like to hear me discuss in future articles? I'm really glad to be involved with AIR POWER and I look forward to a rewarding association with "The Journal of Air Combat Gaming" and its readers. Take care, and "CHECK SIX!".
"THEIR FINEST HOUR" THE BATME OF BRITAIN ™ is a registered trademark Lucasfilm Games.
Their Finest Hour (TFH) is the Battle of Britain follow-on game to Lucasfilms' BATTLEHAWKS 1942 (which simulates "US vs Japanese" air combat in the Pacific theater).
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