New Game - Masters of the Air Turn 1

 I'm going to start a new game using the "sandbox" approach to reflect the US and Commonwealth (CW) bombing offensive on Germany from July 1943.  It will be mostly fighters and bombers (4 engined bombers plus mosquitos and wellingtons for the RAF) on the map but also a US and CW HQ in East Anglia to allow multiple basing of units on a hex. Flak divisions will also be placed. The moves will consist of redeploying moves from (US or the Eastern Front) of fighters and bombers. US bombers will be based in N Africa then Foggia in Italy from September 43. Targets will be Axis factories and oil. The aim is to achieve air supremacy over France by forcing the Luftwaffe to defend Germany. Secondary targets include Rumanian oil. Germany can only redeploy fighters from the Eastern Front after the Allied bombing raids in July/ August turn but the more they redeploy from the Eastern Front it will cost them a victory point penalty as they will allow the Soviets to establish air superiority. There are German aircraft factories on hex 0531 and Bremen.

For the bombing the RAF can use 2/3 bombing factors at night in 43 and from 44 3/4 (they got much better at night bombing with practice and increased technological aids). Bombing is I think in World in Flames not damaging enough to industrial production so I'm giving a 2 column shift on the strategic bombing table (though this can change later in game if it looks too deadly). Also night and day bombing raids CAN target the same hex - if the Flak fires at both it counts as firing at two hexes not one to reflect the exhaustion of 

Instead of the normal air to air combat rules I'm going to use air combat values and add them up and use the flak tables. Instead of units being destroyed they are placed on the production circle to return after a Turn (i.e. will miss a Turn). Each abort result kills 2/10th a Pilot (and gains 1 victory point) and a destroy aircraft result kills 4/10th Pilot and gains 2 victory points.  Fighters without night fighting capability get a one column shift penalty at night and cannot put their opponents on the production circle. Single engined fighters cannot put 4 engined bombers on the production circle. In air to air combat you get a one column shift bonus if your  best fighter's AA value is higher than your opponents best fighter. (All fighters are lumped together). 

The Allies have a chance to have 2 bombing raids per Turn but at a victory point cost to reflect a "Big Push" like "Big Week". They can't reuse planes that got sent back on an earlier raid.

To reflect problems like lack of oil the Germans can only produce one new Pilot every 2 Turns (Italy once every 3 Turns). The UK can produce 1 Pilot a turn and the US 2 Pilots a Turn. Germany and the CW can produce up to 2 planes/ Turn (but if having to repair a short down plane this counts as one of them), the US can produce 3 planes/ Turn, Italy one plane/ Turn. If a factory aircraft is damaged then one less fighter can be produced a Turn. The factory can be moved but takes 3 Turns to start functioning again. 

In the official deployment rules Germany has 4 single engine fighter units but the Eastern Front has only  2 but i think it should be 3 each. There's one fighter unit in France to try and oppose D Day when it comes.

Okay lets go

In the First Turn the US moves a P51 fighter over the Atlantic to the UK. A Flying Fortress counter crosses over on its way to N Africa to move to Italy next Turn.

Weather is fine. 

The US launches a raid with Liberators against the factory in Bremen with a P47 escort. German Focke Wulfs engage. The Focke Wulfs engage the escorts and send them home (killing 2/10th pilot) but about 5 factors are left to engage the bombers. The firepower of the Liberators drives off the fighters killing 2/10th Pilot and about 3 factors are left to bomb the Factory. They roll a 9 but do not destroy the factory. Only 1 factory is there so a maximum of 1.25 production  point damage is cost (1.25 VP). Both sides have 1 VP each for air combat results. Now the RAF sends all 2 of its heavy bombers, a medium bomber and a mosquito on a night bombing raid on Essen in the Ruhr. Bf110 night fighters set off to oppose - they are night fighting heavy fighters so should be deadly but the Mosquito opposes it. Its AA rating is better than the Bf110 which suffers a -1 shift but the Mossie can't score any damage on the German as it's unarmed. The Bf110 sends the Mossie back home with 2/10 dead Pilot and a VP. It then targets the Lancaster but only sends back one factor whilst losing half its 2 attack factors. The Wellington gets sent back and anoher 2/10 pilots lost but the Bf110 also gets aborted with 2/10 pilots lost and an Allied VP. Flak goes all out and aborts a Halifax with another VP and 2/10 Pilots lost (carnage at Bomber Command). The bombs drop and Bomber Command causes the maximum 2.5 loss of production points it can in that hex.  So a lot of casualties for Allied bombers but they can replace the pilots faster than the Luftwaffe. Flak is exhuasted over the Ruhr and the Night fighters too meaning the sole Lancaster can attack the Ruhr again at low risk. Germany doesn't redeploy any fighters. 

The US and CW both spend a VP to launch more raids. The US send bombers with US and CW fighter escort to Cologne. A Bf109 tries to intercept but is aborted losing 2/10 Pilots and a VP (revenge for Bomber command from the RAF typhoons). The heavy bombers do a low level raid inflict a maximum 2.5 production point loss on Cologne factories. RAF Lancasters hit Dortmund and cause 1.25 production point damage. In total 7.5 production point damage rounded up to 8 Victory points is caused. The Ruhr has been heavily hit and RAF Bomber Command has taken some casualties but the Luftwaffe is bleeding pilots faster than it can replace them. 9 VPs to the Allies, 5 to the Luftwaffe. To make things a bit easier for the Luftwaffe I'm giving them the 4th fighter to be based in Stuttgart.

In the Production phase the Germans produce a heavy fighter the Me410 Hornisse which can also fight at night. The Italians begin a MC202 but Italy got invaded and switches sides so their entire air force is gone and the US get an air base in hex 0119 next month. The US and CW produce 2 and 1 Pilot respectively. The US begins a heavy fighter P38 Lightning and the CW a heavy bomber -the Stirling.