B 17 Flying Fortress Leader: 1 month

 I honestly had ever intention of playing a cold war scenario to try out my new 6mm vehicles I showcased last post.  But I watched part of 12 o'clock high on TV and I was done for.  

It is a great movie and a very good book as well.  Both authors were in the 8th AF during WW II and Maj Lay was a qualified pilot stuck in staff work.  I won't give the story away but if you haven't seen or read it you need to.  It was used by the Air Force as a leadership film for many years.

   So at first I was going to play a squadron forward mission but I wanted something with bigger scope.  That was when I remembered I had...

 This is a solitaire game where you take over the 8th Air Force and try to destroy your allotted targets.  It is an operational game along the vein of Avalon Hill's Luftwaffe but is much better.  This is not meant as a review, as you can find that at boardgame geek, but a report of my first month of operations June 1943. 

[ I haven't played this game for years so I may be making mistakes during the game.]

I chose a 3 month scenario "strategic targets" that takes place in the summer of 1943.  The USAAF has cut its teeth and now has to prove it can cripple Germany with the vast resources that it has been given.  First you are dealt 30 target cards and have to pick your 10 strategic targets that you will destroy during the summer.  I pick 3 oil because those are worth many points despite being deep in Germany, 3 Baltic naval ports because they are accessible, 3 V1,2 rocket sites because they are political and accessible and 1 factory in France because it is close to the coast and doesn't have a lot of flak.  In addition you have airfield targets and aircraft factory targets.  Unfortunatley I draw Regnesberg which is deep in Germany and will give the Luftwaffe 5 new squadrons every month it isn't destroyed!  But the points are with the strategic targets so MGen Spaatz clearly wants those destroyed.  

You now pick your squadrons based on a number of points you are allotted.  I don't like this mechanic.  While it makes for a good game it doesn't feel very historical.  I don't think the operations staff looked to maximize their point totals.  They asked for x amount of heavy bombers, light bombers and fighters and got what they got.  So I randomly drew cards that were close to point totals and picked 1 leader who I consider a great wing CC.  

I was allotted 3 B-17 groups the 97th, 398th and 388.  The 97th is experienced so they will be my lead. We have 1 B-24 group the 389 who are newish as they are green and a B-26 group, the 322; also green.  I have the eagle squadron, 4th FG still hanging on to their spitfires and the wolfpack, 56 FG flying brand new P-47s.  

You can fly 2 missions a week and can only have 1 FG per mission.  I used weather as it is simple and adds flavor.  

The wolfpack ready to go!

WEEK 1

Weather is partly cloudy everywhere except near the North Sea where it is clear.   I was going to start small but with clear weather we can fly over water and crash into Bremerhaven and see the target.  As I am the Director of Ops [ or S-3 for you army types] I don't need to clear it with anyone and tell my staff to make it so.  FRAGs are cut for the B-17 wing to bomb Bremerhaven with 56FG escort and we will hit a V-2 site across the channel with our B-24s/B26s and send the eagles to guard them. 

 The red markers are german fighter concentrations.  They will always defend their hex and if the germans are agressive that week will fly 1 hex away to attack.   

This week the Germans are aggressive along the coast but with the chit pull I only draw 2 fighters which the wolfpack keep away from the bombers.  No big losses for either side which is a win for the bombers.  The 398th takes several loses due to flak over the target but still manage 50% bombs on target.  The other 2 groups nail it with 100% and the naval base is destroyed!  How easy was that.  The flight home is uneventful as the Germans as still refueling. 

The second mission also goes off without a hitch.  It is a quick hop across the channel and german response is poor with only some ME 109s coming up.  The eagles actually take them out earning an extra experience point.  Way to go 4 FG!  Bombing is dismal however and the target is only lightly damaged.  

Overall a good week.  1 target destroyed, 1 light damage.  Our losses are light but so are the germans.

WEEK 2

It is partially cloudy all over and we still have good strength.  We get another B-24 group; the 448th.  With clouds everywhere I really don't want to outstrip my fighter cover so we will stay in France this week.  Our main effort will be a small aircraft factory (2 squadrons worth) in Amsterdam.  This will be my B-17 wing led by the 97th and protected by the wolfpack now stinging by the eagles success.  Second the undamaged V-2 sites continue to hit England and the boss keeps getting calls about it so we will hit another V-2 site since damaged sites don't launch rockets.  

First up are the B-24 with the eagles.  The eagles again keep the ME 109s away and flak is light.  Unfortunately while the 389th bombing is great our newest group only has 50% so the target sustains medium damage.  Better give those boys some practice Colonel!   

Next is our trip to Amsterdam.  The German response is more fierce here...

 
 as we run into 2 groups of FW 190s including some veterans and 1 group of ME 110s.  The wolfpack...

keeps most of the fighters away and manages to take 1 group out!  They do sustain some loses however. The veteran Folke Wolves do rough up the 97th some[ 4 points or 12 bombers] but the 97th eliminates the ME 110s.     Flak is light at the target and the 97th comes through again but the 398th [33%] and the 388th [66%] don't bomb as well this time so the factory sustains medium damage.  

Overall a modest week.  We have damaged an aircraft factory but really could have taken it out and we did take another V-2 site off line.  Our losses are starting to mount and we really are not atritting out their fighters.  

WEEK 3

Lousy European weather!  Storms on the continent except for the North Sea where there are partial clouds.  I really wanted to hit the V-2 sites this week but can't.  I am afraid they will be repaired and start shooting again which means I will get chewed out.  Think we will rest the eagles and the wonderful 97th BG.  We also add another B-24 group; the 392.  Since we have to go to the North Sea we will send our 3 B-24 groups to Wilhelmshafen without a FG since our fighters can't get there anyway.    Our 2 remaining B-17 groups will go back to Amsterdam to finish off that factory.  We will send the wolfpack with them. 

First mission

 The target...

Bombers on the way...

Unfortunately the Luftwaffe was waiting.  Veteran FW 190s, ME 109s and ME 110s pounded the column.

 

  The 389th lost 24 planes.  My brand new 392 lost 15.  Only the 448th escaped with minimal losses [6].  When the armada reached the port only the 448th put bombs on target.  The rest barely registered hits. [25%].  The port was

moderately damaged.  

Apparently the Luftwaffe was all east because the B-17s running to Amsterdam ran into only 2 groups of ME 109s...

Sorry forgot to take a picture with ME 109s... and this time the wolfpack...

Cleared the skies!!!

Unfortunatly the bombing was poor [33%] so the factory's damage level ...

remained medium.

Overall week 3 was a disappointment.  The only positive was we have finally started taking down german fighters. [ When you destroy 5 you get to remove a red counter].  Otherwise my B-24s were mauled and we have little to show for it.  I need some P-38s so I can escort those missions to the German ports.  

WEEK 4

Weather partly cloudy everywhere except over the North Sea where it is clear again.  My B-24s have to rest.  I can use the 448th if need be.  My B-17s are alright.  The wolfpack is tired and deserve a rest.  They have eliminated 3 groups.  With the North Sea clear I would really like to take out Wilhelmshaffen before Jerry rebuilds.  I have no fighters that can make it but I shouldn't need 3 groups as it is already damaged. I will send the freshly rested 97th, my best group, and the 398th.  I will use my B-26s to launch a diversionary raid nearby to draw some confusion. [ This creates a -2 to the German response roll.]  Finally I have been lucky that the V-2 sites haven't been repaired.  I will send my last B-17 and the 448th B-24s across the channel to hit the last V-2 site.  The eagles can cover.  

I can only imagine the dread that the 97th and 398 feel as they take off alone, unescorted toward Germany.  Greatly exaggerated rumors of the B-24 massacre in their ears. "Who planned this suicide mission anyway?"  

 

The B-17s drone on... and on... and on.  It appears the Luftwaffe too is licking it's wounds.  

At the target flak is light and no bombers are lost.  Both groups hit 100% and the target is demolished. Not a single bomber is lost.  

Down in France at the V-2 site only a handful of veteran FW 190s contest the bombers.  The Eagles block their way successfully but suffer for it losing 18 planes in the process for only a handful of kills.  The bombers, however, take their vengeance out on the rocket site destroying it with precision daylight bombing!  

Big week!  Two targets destroyed with minimal losses save for our eagle squadron.  

 

At month's end we get 18 replacement points which I use to bring the B-24s back and buff up the B-17s and Eagles.  The Eagles convert to P-47s and we finally get the 20th FG armed with P-38s.  Unfortunatly German industry cranks out 11 new "squadrons".  1 each goes to russia, tunisia and to reserve leaving 8 new red counters to face us next month.  I have to do something about those aircraft factories.  

That is B-17 leader in a nutshell.  I like it alot.  Like most solitaire games it gets repetitive so you have to leave it up and come back to it.  There is a lot there and I am just begining to scratch the surface.

Enjoy

 

Joe