Boom and Zoom with the Blue Tails

 Sorry I haven't posted in a while.  I haven't been able to transfer photos off my phone.  Boring blog without photos.

I have been playing primarily SAGA and Boom and Zoom.  Saga age of Chivalry has been a lot of fun.  Am trying to figure out how to incorporate the Ottoman's into it.  They can fight the Venetians and the Holy Roman Empire. 

With Boom and Zoom I think the basic rules are done.  All that is left are the bomber rules and bomber scenario.  I set up a playtest of B&Z at Waterloo games 28 July because I knew it would push me to finish the rules.  Originally I thought I would do a bomber scenario there to test those rules.  Here is the scenario with my Blue tails from Squadron Forward inserted to add some flavor.

Maj Franklin spoke to the pilots gathered, " The Colonel is flying with you men today. I trust you will show him how we do things.  Protect those bombers."

Element 1

Col MacDonough   West pointer    2 kills     Veteran

               1Lt Turlock                      1 Kill      Average       liked by MacD

Element 2

Capt Pudge Storch                          3 kills        Veteran

               2Lt McKennon                                Average         Mercurical

Element 3

2Lt Thornel                                      1 Kill       Veteran

                2Lt  Gray                                           Average

 The meet up goes well.  10 minutes later "bandits" are called out.  The Jerrys get the drop on the Blue tails. 

Blue Tails upper right.  Bomber stream in the middle.  4 ME- 109Gs lower right and 3 FW 190A8s lower left.

The ME 109s go after the mustangs while the FW 190s go after the B-17s.  Up at high altitude the P-51s have a definite advantage but the ME 109s don't need to win, just tie up the american fighters. 

 

A furball quickly develops between four elements of fighters.  Both Col MacD and Pudge gain the edge over their foes but can't damage them.  [ in B&Z most aircraft move in pairs and fight more effectively that way.}

The FW 190s, unmolested, attack the bomber stream and actually shoot down a bomber.  This is helped because these are 30mm cannon armed FWs. [ The FW 190A8/R2 if you are keeping score at home.]

 Thornel, free from the furball, dives on an offending FW and knocks it out of the sky!  He has enough power to climb back up afterwards.  A true Boom and Zoom!

 The other two FW 190s make another pass at the bombers sustaining some damage in the process.  

Meanwhile, 2Lt McKennon, ever mercurial, "loses" Pudges' tail so dives down on a FW 190.  He damages the wing. 

 Pudge, trying to line up his 4th kill, is rudely interrupted by the german's wingman who drives him off his victim's tail.  Pudge looks around and realizes his own tail is uncovered.  "Where the hell is McKennon?"

 

 The bombers drone on and the 2 FW 190s continue to attack from the front as it is the safest.  Both FW190s have been damaged by P51 boom and zoom attacks but continue their primary mission.  

 Col MacD has had his hands full in the dogfight.  Unbeknownst to him, he is fighting a german ace.  Turlock has cleared his tail once but a second time the german lines up and this time smoke starts to pour from MacDs engine.  

 Turlock tries to clear MacDs tail but fails.  Col MacD dives away to escape.  Fortunately the mustang is great in a dive. 

4 minutes into the battle.  [ Each turn is about a minute and bomber scenarios last 4 turns.]  Col MacD is right, leaving the battle with a damaged engine.  McKennon has rejoined Pudge center over the bombers center.  2 ME 109s have snuck up on Thornel and have just damaged his plane lower right. The 2 remaining FW 190s have left secondary to damage.  The ace Me 109 is upper left.  

The Germans call it a day.  With the FW 190s gone they have traded 1 FW 190 for 1 B-17; a good day. The ace finds himself alone with his wingman so ...   

decides to make a pass at the bombers on his way home.  For the Reich!!!!!!!

 

and is rewarded when smoke starts to stream from engine #1 of the big bomber!   

 

Great battle.   Lots of planes on the board.  I ran out of stands.  The wingman rules are done.   The rest of the rules worked very well and I am closing in on the sweat spot for damage regarding bombers.  I want a system where I am not keeping track of a bunch of hits but frankly, it is very hard to bring down a B-17. How to show that in a system?  

Regarding the Blue Tails, three more stories need to play out.  First, Col MacD set a course for home with a damaged engine.  He makes it to England.  Now he has to land in front of the whole base.  There is a reason he is a Colonel and the wing commander, he nails the landing!   

Second, Thornel actually had a fuel tank puncture that he didn't know about.  Over the English Channel he runs out of gas and has to bail out.  His chute is good and his wingman radios his location to air sea rescue.  The water was rough however and he was not found.  His body washed up 3 days later, RIP.  His final tally was 2 kills.

Third, Pudge is quite upset with McKennon for running out on him during the battle.  He brings it to Maj Franklin and McKennon is put on notice.  They don't mention it to Col MacD but once more and they will ask that he be moved out of the squadron.  

So the squadrons cool does not change.  Fr Priddle is introduced as the base chaplain. Pudge talks to him as he comes to grip with his anger over McKennon.  Priddle blesses his St Christopher medal so now Pudge gets 1 re roll ever mission.  

So great game and a great story with my squadron.  

Enjoy

 

Joe