New Fighting Wings Aircraft

Scenarios for Achtung-Spitfire!

by J.D. Webster


The following six scenarios feature these four new aircraft. Some of the scenarios require data cards from Achtung-Spitfire! to play.

Stringbags In Trouble, 4 September 1940

Background: Following the outbreak of war, the British Royal Navy moved to consolidate its holdings and bases in the Mediterranean as quickly as possible. The Isle of Rhodes, in the Aegean Sea, which was occupied by Italy after WWI, contained a number of airbases that posed a threat to the Royal Navy so attacks were undertaken to neutralize these. Four squadrons of bomb-armed Swordfish from HMS Illustrious and HMS Eagle undertook predawn raids on the 4th of September causing slight damage.

Unfortunately, due to delays, thirteen Swordfish from HMS Eagle arrived a few hours after the initial attacks, at daybreak, and into the teeth of alerted defenses. The Italians had already scrambled their agile C.R.42 Falcos which intercepted the vulnerable "Stringbags" shooting down four of them for no losses. The Swordfish, already proven vulnerable in other fighting, typically opted for night attacks but, as in this instance, it wasn't always possible.

Map: Blue Sky

Aircraft:
Allied Six F. Swordfish Mk.1
Axis Four Fiat C.R.42 Falco

Set Up: Place the Swordfish in the these six hexes: 2826, 2725, 2925, 3123, 3023, 3223. All are facing E, wings level, at speed 2.0, and altitude level 4. Place the Falcos in hexes 2321, 2221, 2220, and 2119, all facing NNE, wings level at altitude 4.5 and speed 4.0.

Game Length: 20 game turns.

Notes:

  1. The Swordfish are each loaded with six 250lb. bombs. (12 load points), making them over-loaded (max speed 2.0).
  2. The Swordfish must simply try to survive while retaining bombs to drop later on the Italian airfield. If a Swordfish elects to jettison bombs, all must be dropped at once (partial load dropping is not allowed).
  3. Both sides score points normally and additionally, each bomb still carried by a Swordfish at the end of turn 20 gives the British player 0.5 bonus points.
  4. All crews from both sides are regulars. Roll for special pilot characteristics.

Falco Prey, 14 November 1940

Background: In late October of 1940, Italy invaded Greece with 10 army divisions. The Italian troops were backed by over 300 fighters and bombers of the Regia Aeronautica (Italian Air Force). However, the rough terrain of Greece and fierce resistance by the small Greek army quickly stalled the Italian offensive. On the 14th of November, a counter-offensive was launched and, in support of it scattered raids were conducted by small groups of unescorted Greek bombers. The Greek bombers were too few to be effective, however, and were vulnerable without escort to the numerous Italian fighters. This scenario depicts the struggle of a 32 Mira (squadron) Blenheim IV to survive its raid on an Italian airfield this day. Two had set out, but one had been hit by AAA and it exploded during the bomb run damaging the second. The second was then set upon by three Falcos and a running battle occurred in which it suffered a lot of additional damage but finally escaped. Its gunner claimed one Falco shot down.

Map: Ground Terrain

Aircraft:
Allies: One Blenheim IV Axis: Three C.R.42 Falcos

Set Up: Place the Blenheim in hex 3015, facing SE, at altitude 3.0 and speed 4.0, wings level. Place the three Falcos in hexes: 2224, 2024 and 2122, all facing NNE, at altitude 4.0, speed 5.0, wings level.

Game Length: Until the Blenheim is shot down or exits East edge of map.

Notes:

  1. The Blenheim has two points of damage on it already. It is no longer carrying bombs, having completed its bomb run moments earlier.
  2. The Italian pilots are all regulars. Roll for special characteristics. The Blenheim pilot is a regular as well.
  3. The Blenheim wins by surviving and escaping. The Italians win by shooting it down. Scenario Variation: On the same day, two Greek Fairy Battles tasked to attack the same Italian airfield were caught taking off from a forward base by patrolling Falcos. One Battle was severely shot up, but both ultimately escaped.

    For this variant, set up the Falcos at altitude 1.0 instead and replace the Blenheim with two F. Battles one each in hexes 2827 and 3036, both facing SSE. They are altitude 0.2 and speed 2.0, wings level having just taken off. They are each loaded with four 2501b. bombs and must seek to exit the East edge of the map with their loads. The Greek player wins by exiting both off the East edge, or exiting at least one and downing one or more of the Italians. The Italians win by downing both Battles.

    Biplanes Over Greece! 28 November 1940

    Background: The Hellenic Air Force had barely 100 aircraft to resist the Italian invasion with less than half of these being fighters. Almost immediately, the Greeks, who had tried to remain neutral at the start of WWII, asked for Allied aid. The RAF responded quickly by immediately deploying two Squadrons of Gladiators into Greece from Egypt. Moving directly to airfields at the front, the Gladiators soon became embroiled in almost daily encounters with Italian aircraft. On many occasions, the RAF Gladiators fought with Italian Fiat C.R.42 Falcos. These encounters always evolved into furious and confusing dogfights.

    This scenario depicts one such altercation in which six Gladiators of No. 80 Squadron engaged ten C.R.42s of No. 150* Gruppo. Historically, the Gladiators came out on top, claiming seven kills and two probables for the loss of one Gladiator shot down and four damaged, two of them severely. In reality, the Italians lost only three Fiats while suffering damage to two others. They claimed four Gladiators shot down and one probable, thus considering themselves to have won slightly. Over claiming was a common occurrence before the advent of gun cameras.

    Map: Ground Terrain

    Aircraft:
    Allied Four Gladiator Mk.1
    Axis Four Fiat C.R.42 Falco

    Set Up: Place the Gladiators in hexes 2230, 2330, 2131 and 2232, all facing NW, at altitude 10.0 and speed 4.0. All are wings level. Place the Falcos in hexes 2528, 2628, 2428 and 2527, all facing E, at altitude 11.0, speed 5.0. All are banked level.

    Game Length: 20 game turns.

    Notes:

    1. The Gladiators do not see the Falcos on game turn one, they must fly straight ahead at cruise power and doing no banking, turning, or other maneuvering. They must remain at altitude 10.0. On game turn two, they are free to maneuver as desired.
    2. All pilots are regulars, roll for special characteristics.
    3. Victory points are scored normally, the winner is the side having the most points.

    Hurricane Ace Swats Three, 28 Feb. 1941

    Background: Following a hectic fight in which he shot down two Italian B.R. 20 bombers and then escaped five Italian fighters intent on revenge, Flt. Lt. "Pat" Pattle dashed back to his base and landed. Minutes later he was airborne again in a fresh Hurricane. Returning alone to the scene of his previous fight he foumd three C.R. 42 Falcos in formation slowly making their way back to the Italian lines. Flt. Lt. Pattle surprised them, spraying bullets at all three from close range. One immediately pitched into a vertical dive apparently out of control. The British ace pursued it for a moment but then pitched back upwards after the other two. He was surprised to find no sign of them, instead spotting two parachutes serenely drifting down in the distance. He claimed two sure kills (the parachuted pilots) and a probable (the diver) from this successful ambush. All in all, it was a good day for the ace.

    Map: Ground Terrain

    Aircraft:
    Allied One Hurricane MK.IA
    Axis Three C.R. 42 Falco

    Set Up: Place the three Falcos all in hex 3030 (fixed formation) facing W at speed 4.0 and altitude 8.0, all wings level. Place the Hurricane in hex 3035, also facing W at speed 6.0 and altitude 7.5, also wings level.

    Game length: 20 game turns.

    Notes:

    1. The Falcos are surprised, and have no radios. They must fly straight and level for two game turns at cruise power. They are free to break formation and maneuver as desired at the start of the third game turn.
    2. If a Falco suffers damage before the third turn, it is freed indivdiually from surprise and may maneuver freely on the game turn following the one in which it was damaged. If a Falco explodes or catches fire due to damage, all are freed to maneuver as desired on the next game turn.
    3. The Falco pilots are all regulars, roll for special characteristics.
    4. Flt. Lt. Pattle is a veteran-ace-crack shot.
    5. The Italians win by shooting down Flt. Lt. Pattle while having at least one Falco still in play. Flt. Lt. Pattle wins by downing at least two out of three Falcos by the end of the scenario without being severely damaged or shot down himself. All other results are a draw.

    Macchi Strafing Attack, 26 March 1941

    Background: In early March, the Italians began re-equipping some of their biplane fighter units with the newer Saetta fighters. These were rapidly placed into action and, in a bid to gain air superiority over Greece, they began a series of strafing raids on English airfields. On this day, M.C. 200s of 153rd Ompo strafed Paramythia airbase destroying a Gladiator and burning an unserviceable Wellington on the ground. They also encountered a flight of No. 112 Squadron Gladiators over the field which they engaged in a dogfight. One Gladiator was damaged in the air battle but the RAF pilots thought they had also nailed a Macchi in return. In fact, none were lost and all returned safely to base.

    Map: Ground Terrain

    Aircraft:
    Allied Two Gladiator Mk. 1
    Axis Four Macchi C.200 Saetta

    Set Up: Place both Gladiators in hex 2636, facing S, at altitude 5.0 and speed 4.0. Their wings are banked right. Place the four Macchis in hexes: 4308, 4305, 4407 and 4606, all at altitude 5.0, speed 5.5, and wings level.

    Ground Unit Set Up: Place two parked Gladiators and one parked Wellington in the following hexes respectively: 3232, 3032 and 2230. Place two entrenched twin-Lewis 7.7mm AAA guns, one each in hexes 3329 and 2132. Place three trucks in hex 3333.

    Game length: 20 game turns.

    Notes:

    1. Generate all pilots from the "Good" quality tables.
    2. The Wellington already has 18 hits on it from previous strafes. The Italians can only earn points for damage beyond this.
    3. The parked Gladiators are unmanned and may not take-off
    4. The Italians get equal points for Gladiators damaged or destroyed on the ground or in the air. The British get double points for each Macchi damaged or destroyed. The side with the most points wins.

    Dogflght Over Malta, 12 June 1941

    Background: Malta, an island fortress sitting astride the sea-lanes of the Mediterranean less than 100 miles South of Sicily proved to be a relentless thorn in the side of the Axis. Essentially, an unsinkable aircraft carrier, Malta was constantly pounded by the German and Italian Air Forces. In response to the high attrition caused by these attacks, RAF fighters were continuously being ferried into Malta to replenish the defense and RAF bombers often used the field as a staging base for attacks on Sicily and Italy. On this day, eighteen recently arrived Hurricanes engaged a similar number of Macchi Saettas in a large dogfight over the Island. One Saetta was actually lost and another damaged, while two Hurricanes were shot down and one damaged. The RAF pilots claimed five kills while the Italians more optimistically claimed nine kills and two probables.

    Map: TMG then Blue Sky

    Aircraft:
    Allied Four Hurricane Mk. IA
    Axis Four Macchi C.200 Saetta

    Set Up: The Macchis are at 16,000, speed 5.0 and are defenders on the TMG. The Hurricanes are the attackers at 18,000 and begin in the D band of the 3:00 line on the TMG. The sun is in the left front arc of the Macchis. Turn one on the TMG is complete. Tactical scale play begins with the start of turn two.

    Game length: 5 tactical scale turns max, followed by a 20 turn combat.

    Notes:

    1. Set up for combat scale play is determined from tactical scale play on the TMG. The RAF player must commit to combat by the beginning of turn six if the Italian doesn't do so before had. If he is not in position to do so, he automatically loses. The Italians are not allowed to attempt to escape.
    2. The RAF pilots are regular, green, regular, green. The Italians are all regulars. Roll for special characteristics.
    3. The Italians get double points for any Hurricane damage or kills. The RAF player gets normal points for any damage or kills to the Saettas whether resulting from combat or from fuel starvation.
    4. The RAF player may ignore fuel requirements as he is within a few miles of Malta. The Italian pilots have used 30 minutes of their endurance already and the trip back to Sicily requires 30 more.
    5. The side with the most points wins.

    Sources for all scenarios:

    Air War for Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete 1940-1941 by Chris Shores, Brian Cull and Nicola Malizia; published by Grub Street in London.
    Malta. the Hurricane Years. by Chris Shores, Brian Cull and Nicola Malizia; published by Grub Street in London.

    Back to Historical Background

    Gladiator Data Card
    Swordfish Data Card
    Falco Data Card
    Seatta Data Card

    Back to Art of War Annual Issue #23/24 Table of Contents
    © Copyright 1996 by Clash of Arms Games.

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