Bag the MiG

At some point in the next  few weeks, as yet to be arranged (watch this space!) there will be a small multiplayer game or two of the TFL Korean War rules, Bag the MiG. These are based on the same system as Bag The Hun but we will be using the First Edition of the rules instead of the Second Edition. There are half a dozen players already signed up, so I’m hoping to run at least two games with potential scenarios involving the USAF, USN, USMC, NKAF and the Royal Navy FAA. This will all be in glorious but very small 1/600th scale.

Tally Ho!

2018 Belgarum

The 2018 Belgarum Field of Glory III
The tournament was held over the weekend of the 24th and 25th February 2018. 23 players started the tournament but one had to drop out, leaving 22 to complete the weekend.

The results were:

1 David Bannister 98
2 Dave Ruddock 92
3 Steve Brown 91
4 David Fairbrother 80
4 David Fairhurst 80
6 Ian Carbutt 76
7 Paul Bartlett 74
8 Phil Powell 73
8 Phil Jelley 73
10 Dave Morrison 65
11 David Putt 64
12 Ian Newell 62
13 Owain Simpson 61
14 Dave Massie 60
15 John Akers 57
16 Renfrey Pearson 54
17 Martyn Simpson 52
18 Lynda Fairhurst 51
19 Alan McFarlane 40
20 Colin Boulain 39
21 Richard Lindley 36
22 John Patrick 26

Christmas Game

Its the season to be Jolly and for the Christmas Game!!!!

With Dickie no longer around to organise the Christmas Game (comeback Dickie), I have offered to step in and run the game. It will be based on the format that Dickie has pioneered in the Club with you trying to help or hinder Father Christmas. You have 10 hit points to allocate to your force and you will need a leader and henchmen/women. The leader must cost more than any other figure in your force. So you can have a leader worth 2 points and 8 henchmen worth 1 point each, or a leader worth 6 points and one henchman worth 4 points.

You should also have some transport to help your unit get around. In this game, size is irrelevant so your troops can be 15mm, 28mm or anything you like as long it will fit on the table and leave space to move around (no 6 footers).

This is a land of magic so anything may happen. Come prepared with some spells which must be in rhyme.

Hope to see you on the 19th.. And a Merry Christmas to all
Colin

Dawn Patrol Report

The RFC just managed to squeeze in a narrow tactical victory over the German Imperial Air Service in the Dawn Patrol game of Knights of the Sky. Despite putting up a courageous fight the Germans suffered the loss of five aircraft, mostly due to structural wing failure and tail damage, while the RFC managed to get away with the loss of only two of their own machines.

The Pfalz DIII continued to live down to it’s reputation for structural strength but the new Hannover CIII proved to be a war winning machine, with great promise for future use into 1918. Despite tricky handling characteristics the Sopwith Camels did very well, while the good old Brisfit proved its worth time and again, thanks to some fancy shooting by the rear gunner. A good game!

Knights of the Sky Dawn Patrol Late 1917 Game

 

Next Tuesday, 5th December,  there’s a late 1917 game of Knights of the Sky, the club WW1 aerial dogfighting multiplayer game. This will be a dawn patrol over the trenches in December 1917, with a free for all dogfight between the French, British, Belgian and German pilots. If you have a flight stand and suitable model plane (late 1917) then bring them along. If not, there will be a number available on a first come first served basis.

Tally Ho!

Bag the Hun 2: Rocketeers over the Reich

There’s been a slight change of plan for the Bag the Hun multiplayer game on Tuesday 21st but otherwise it’s all systems go for a late war scenario, actually set on 21st November 1944.

336th Fighter Squadron P-51D Mustang

The new scenario is based on the exploits of the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, the fabulously named ‘Rocketeers’. This will involve a dogfight at medium to low level in heavy over cast conditions, with the 336th in their P51-D Mustangs engaging a formation of FW-190’s and Bf109’s to the West of Merseberg in Saxony-Anhalt.

Captain Fred Glover, 336th FS, 4th FG

The historical action featured three kills for the 336th ‘Rocketeers’ CO Captain Fred Glover, who  will make an appearance as a Junior Ace in the game. The Luftwaffe will be appearing (and disappearing) in strength, as they zoom in and out of the overcast. The scenario will make use of some lightly tweaked rules for flying in cloud cover and will inevitably involve some ‘bogeys’ to add a bit of fun!

Tally Ho!

Bag the Hun 2 B17 Combat Box Game

On the 21st November there’s another Bag the Hun 2 game at the club, this time featuring a combat box formation of 8th Air Force B17G’s being attacked by the fighters of the Luftwaffe, somewhere over Germany in early 1945.

There are seven players already signed up to play and one place remaining for anyone who would like to fly for the Fatherland or for good old Uncle Sam. Alan will be leading the Luftwaffe while the job of USAAF fighter leader is up for grabs!

The game will feature P51D Mustang, P38J Lightning and P47D Thunderbolt ‘Little Friends’ as escorts for the ‘Heavies’, while the Luftwaffe will be flying FW190A8’s, FW190D9’s, Bf109K’s and Me262’s, in an attempt to shoot down the ‘Dicke Autos’. There may even be some Me163 Komet rocket powered interceptors!

Pauke! Pauke!

Knights of the Sky 1918 After Action Report

The Royal Air Force won a decisive victory against the outnumbered German Imperial Air Service in the club 1918 Knights of the Sky game this week. Despite an aggressive and effective defence by the pilots of Jasta 5, the Allied British and Belgian aircraft managed to knock out four out of five ground targets, with a Croix de Guerre being awarded to the lone Belgian pilot in his Hanriot HD-1 for exceptional trench strafing skill.

In the end, the arrival of RAF reinforcements meant that most of the Fokker DVII’s had been shot down by the end of the game, although several RAF machines had also been brought down in flames to crash in No Man’s Land. The ground attack rules seemed to work well but will be beefed up a bit for the next game to make damage from AA fire a lot more likely when aircraft are attacking ground targets (yellow specific dice rather than white general dice for damage will make it a bit less comfortable for the RFC!)

Thanks to everyone who took part. There will be another game in the run up to Xmas, which will be a seasonal scenario set in late 1917, setting the Royal Flying Corps and Aviation Militaire against the Luftstreitkräfte over the trenches of the Cambrai salient. The Germans will be counter attacking and will get the chance to do some trench strafing of their own this time round. More details will be posted closer to the event but you have plenty of time to glue together an Airfix, Esci or Revell model plane for the game!

Knights of the Sky 1918

I say old chap, on the 17th October there will be a multiplayer WW1 aerial game using the excellent club house rules Knights of the Sky.

The date is set for October 17th 1918, in the closing weeks of the war on the Western Front. The British, Americans and French are about to launch an offensive on the River Selle against the German front line.

In support of this assault, the RAF will be flying a ground attack mission by Sopwith Camels, with top cover from Se5a’s. The Germans in their Fokker DVII’s and Albatros DVa’s will be tasked with interception of the ground attack aircraft and disruption of the covering RAF scout machines. The odd Belgian may also be stooging around looking for a chance to settle some scores.

There are ten players signed up for the game but one place still remains for any aviators who want to Bag a Hun or Down a Tommy before the war ends. All aircraft models, rules and record sheets wil be provided but, if you have your own flight stands, then they would be very handy.

Tally Ho!

Bag the Hun Berlin 1945

The Bag the Hun Two club multiplayer game, set in the skies over Berlin in April 1945, ended in a decisive victory for the Allies despite being slightly outnumbered by the Luftwaffe.

The Spitfire XIV’s of 610 Squadron did particularly well, using a combination of the ‘bounce’ and close range cannon fire to great effect. A DFC has been awarded to P/O Renfrey in recognition of his skill and leadership. Jolly Good Show!

Not to be outdone, Chuck and Bud of the 336th Fighter Squadron flew their P-51D’s in true ‘Rocketeers’ style, blasting the Krauts out of the sky. Although Bud has as yet failed to return from the mission, it is likely that he may have survived a crash landing in US held territory, so has been awarded a Purple Heart for wounds sustained in action. Yee Ha!

The Soviets also achieved some success in their light and agile La-7’s, and have claimed fourteen anti-fascist kills for no loss in he latest edition of Pravda! Major Martynovski has been awarded the Order of Lenin with dangly bits for his demonstration of inevitably superior proletarian tactics and for trouncing the decadent western capitalists at their own game. Huzzah!

However, it was a disappointing dogfight for the Jet Jockeys of 616 Squadron, whose Meteors failed to live up to expectations (although they didn’t actually blow up or plummet to the ground in a flat spin). The boffins at Farnborough are expecting a full report from Squadron Leader Stephens, as soon as he lands, in order to explain the Meteors apparent lack of air to air combat success. I say old chap, bad show!

The Luftwaffe put up a stiff fight but, unfortunately, ran out of time and fuel by the end of the game. The Fw190D ‘Dora’s did perform well and were able to hold their own, with the Me262’s also contributing to Allied losses. The late arrival of Fw190A8 and D9 reinforcements was just too late to swing the balance in the Luftwaffe’s favour.

In the final analysis, a lack of co-ordination and some serious ‘spotting’ failures meant that the enemy were able to inflict some telling damage on the Luftwaffe defenders, including the loss of the Top Ace Me262 rotte leader. Donner und Blitzen!!!!

Here are the overall Victory Points awarded by the Intelligence Officers back at HQ:

RAF = 17

USAAF = 11

VVS = 4

LUFTWAFFE = 18

Grand Total

AXIS = 18

ALLIES = 32

Tally Ho!