It's 0815 on 25 July 1990 in the country of South Leon. We are with the Cuban Air Force's 301st Tactical Fighter Squadron, deployed to South Leon several months ago. So far there hasn't been much to do, just some routine Combat Air Patrol (CAP) and close air support missions every now and again for the grunts, but no air-to air engagements to date. The squadron, also known as "The Flying Boxcars," is led by Major "Viper" Culero, a former US Navy fighter pilot that earned himself four kills and the Estrella de Bronce (Bronze Star with 'V') during the Cuban War of Liberation. He normally keeps a two-ship CAP up, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but this morning he had bumped it up to four on account of a bunch of chatter about something major going on up North.
What the good Major then found out is that the Communist Army from Federation Socialiste Nationale de Leon (FSNL), South Leon's malignant neighbor to the north, launched an all out invasion of South Leon, and they are rapidly rolling towards that nations capital. Accompanying them is an all out blitz by FSNL's Air Force, and the Flying Boxcars are now involved in some of the most intense aerial action since WWII.
To kick off their offensive, the FSNL Air Force put 6 x MiG-21s in the air on a classic fighter sweep, looking to clear the skies for follow on strike aircraft, while the Cubans answered with four F-4 Phantoms of their own. The results were indecisive, with the Communists losing three MiGs and the Cubans losing two Phantoms.
The enemy returned to base and launched a strike force with fighter escort a couple hours later. Major Culero sent two flights up to meet them. The Cuban fighter pilots did well, downing three MiG-21s and five Su-22s to only one lost Phantom, but they did allow one enemy bomber through. The Su-22 bombed the SLA HQ in the nation's capital, causing substantial damage (10/30).
A few hours later the bad guys are back in force. The Cubans scrambled two more flights to meet the enemy strike force. It was a helluva fracas: the Communists lost a total of three MiG-21s and five Su-22s, while the Cubans lost four of their six F-4s committed. More importantly, they lost a pilot MIA, and another for about a month due to wounds. But Boxcar 14 was on fire, racking up four kills and being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. The one enemy bomber that made it through made a successful bombing run on the SLA HQ, again causing substantial damage (19/30).
Now it's the next day, and the bad guys are keeping up the pressure. The Cubans scrambled two more flights to meet the enemy strike force.
This is my arena for aerial combat; simple, yet durable and, to me, beautiful (in a simple, durable way). I'm using tiny aircraft designed by my buddy Thomaston; not sure what size they are, just that they are much smaller than 1/600. They're 3D printed models that I mounted on cut-down bases from Litko, and I'm using a very simple rules system called "Battle of Britain," which I found for free over on The Miniatures Page (I've already played a good 13 fights with them). North is left, so the Communist aircraft are there, whilst the Cubans are on the right (south).
This fight, for the Cubans we have, from top:
Boxcar 02 (Rookie)
Boxcar 01, Major "Viper" Culero, the Squadron Leader (Veteran)
Boxcar 03 (Rookie)
This flight is Flight Number 1; they were supposed to be paired with Flight Number 6 but all of Flight Number 6's aircraft were shot down in the last fight, so it's just these three.
The Communists, from top:
Green 02
Green 01
Bomber 6 Bomber 3
Bomber 4 Bomber 1
Bomber 5 Bomber 2
Silver 01
Silver 02
All Communist pilots are rated as Regulars.
All fighter aircraft are rated as +1 (no difference between the MiG-21 and F-4 Phantom in these games; you can if you like, I simply have chosen not to. Perhaps later in the campaign there will be engagements between fighters with different capabilities). The bombers are Su-22 Fittes; they have three movement points per turn, and can fire defensive fire only.
Turns 1 to 3, Tally Ho!
Boxcar 01 starts the fight by cutting right into Green 01. Viper fires a missile, but misses. Being outnumbered and all, sure woulda been nice it he coulda knocked one out right off the bat.
As the enemy bombers begin their inexorable march south...
Up top, Green 02 is taking his sweet time getting into the fight.
While Green 01 shakes off Viper's missile and cuts right, splitting Boxcar 01 and 02 and heading straight for Boxcar 03.
While Silver 02 comes hard left, heading straight into the sun-filled eastern sky (literally).
While Silver 01 pushes his bird straight south, looking to get in behind the Cubans.
Boxcar 02 makes a nice move, pulling hard left to tail Green 01, though he can't line up a shot.
And Boxcar 03 cuts left to keep an eye on Silver 01.
Boxcar 01 cuts slight left, leaving himself plenty of options: deal with Green 02 (top left), deal with Silver 02 (bottom center), or go after the bombers (far left). We'll see what hand fate deals us; foreshadowing, fate is about to pimp-slap the Cubans...
The bombers march south.
As Green 02 turns right, into Boxcar 01.
As does Green 01, pulling into a nice tailing position on Boxcar 03 (bottom right, with Silver 01 below him).
But then Silver 01 pulls an Immelman, and all of a sudden Silver 01 and Green 01 are fighting over who has a better position to whack Boxcar 03...
And Silver 02 cuts right, pie-ing off the whole mess!
Boxcar 02 pulls hard left into him and fires at Silver 02, but misses.
Which is enough to convince Boxcar 01 to go defensive; he pulls right, into Green 02, but it's still leaving him pretty vulnerable to Silver 02 running up his tail...
*The Cuban maneuver rolls have been absolutely pathetic!!!
While Boxcar 03 is sweating bullets, with Green 01 (top) AND Silver 01 (bottom right) on his ass. He doesn't really know what to do, but he cuts right. He knows he about to be on the receiving end of some air to air missiles, he's trying to at least force some bad deflection...
And the bombers march.
Figuring Green 01 (top right) has the situation well in hand, Silver 01 pulls hard right, leaving Boxcar 03 (bottom center).
And he's half right: Green 02 immediately pounces, jumping onto Boxcar 03's tail and launching a missile...
But Green 01 grimaces as he zooms past and Boxcar 03 was only damaged.
As Boxcar 01 feared, Silver 02 loops across the front of the bomber formation, right onto his tail. The missile is on him quick, but he jukes and deploys flares and it sails harmlessly by.
But then Green 02 charges straight in and fires on Boxcar 02, but he misses, too!
Then Boxcar 03, damaged but still in the fight, cuts hard right, in a perfect position on Silver 01's tail! "Fox One!"
But he misses, too!!! Dejected, he cuts left...
*And everyone's shooting sucks, so far.
Boxcar 02, surrounded by MiGs and Sukhois and Phantoms and air to air missiles, panics and kicks over to the left, right in the path of the enemy bomber formation...
But Viper is cool, calm, and collected, slickly pulling an Immelman to throw off Silver 02 (right below him) and get onto the tail of Green 02 (right). "Sorry, guys, the bombers'll have to wait."
And the bombers keep pushing south.
Green 01, still angry about missing Boxcar 03, cuts right to get back in the fight.
While Silver 01, thanking his lucky stars at Boxcar 03 missing a perfect tail shot, pulls left to do the same thing.
But Green 02 just watched Boxcar 01 (top left) pull off that amazing Immelman and now his insides is feelin' all icky, so he just sort of sputters forward. His eyes close momentarily as he mutters "please don't kill me..."
But here comes Viper, juking Boxcar 01 into a perfect tail shot. He fires and Green 02 erupts into a ball of flame, careening into the lush, green jungle below.
Trusting his wingmen to cover his 6, Boxcar 01 then cuts left, going after Silver 01. "Next!"
But Boxcar 02 doesn't hang around to cover Boxcar 01's tail, instead he pulls off a pretty nifty little move to wind through traffic, ending up head to head with Green 01. Both fire...
And both miss as Boxcar 03 zooms past.
Meanwhile, rather than cover Boxcar 01's tail, Boxcar 03 figures someone should go after the bombers, so he cuts left and goes head to head with Bomber 04. Both pilots launch, but only the Cuban's scores, damaging Bomber 04.
But the bombers keep moving south.
Green 01, still a bit jittery after his close call with Boxcar 02 (bottom right), goes defensive, getting in tight on Boxcar 03.
Silver 02, way out in the hinterland, pulls an Immelman to get back into the fight, or at least getting pointed in the right direction again.
And Silver 01, just as cool and calm as Boxcar 01 on his tail, does the same, in a dramatic reversal of fortunes.
And then Boxcar 02 lets the team down: information overload, just too much going on for the rookie, he can't process in time to react, and so he ends up riding his Phantom straight out of the fight...
While Boxcar 03 plays defense, jinking around Green 01.
Boxcar 01, suddenly looking into the cockpit of Silver 01, goes defensive, cutting hard left around the Commie fighter.
And the bombers push south. Please note how there are still six of them, and the finish line is in sight...
Green 01 pulls off an amazing maneuver to disengage from his cat-and mouse game with Boxcar 03 (bottom right) and jump onto Boxcar 01's tail! He lines up a shot and fires, damaging Viper's Phantom!
Silver 01, caught admiring his comrade's beautiful move, lollygags in mid-air...
Boxcar 03 comes right, around Silver 02.
As Boxcar 02 gets back in the fight, cutting hard left, getting onto Bomber 02's tail. He lines up and fires, but once again he's only able to damage the enemy aircraft.
As Viper continues to pull off some great maneuvers, pulling hard left to flummox both Green 01 and Silver 01, maybe even get on the tail of Silver 02 (bottom left).
The bombers push south.
But Silver 02 flips the script, very aggressively pulling hard left and taking a shot at Boxcar 01, though he misses.
And Silver 01 leaves Boxcar 01 (far left) to move over to keep Boxcar 03 (bottom right) off the bombers.
And Green 01 lackadaisically makes a broad turn to starboard.
Boxcar 02 cuts hard right into Silver 02, finally helping Boxcar 01 (right) out, playing a little defense and possibly getting into a tailing position on Green 01 (top right).
While Boxcar 03 gets aggressive, cutting left into Silver 01, going head to head. They both fire...
And Boxcar 03 zooms past as Silver 01 is damaged.
While Boxcar 01, still defensive, cuts hard left.
To watch the bombers close to the edge of the target area...
Not wanting to get eaten by Boxcar 01 (center), Green 01 goes defensive, cutting hard right.
As Silver 01, still smarting from being damaged by Boxcar 02 (far right), cuts slight right. I missed a picture, but Silver 02 (left) cuts left, defensive. "Look at that, getting all passive. They know they've won, we can't stop the bombers," mutters Viper.
"Not yet," responds Boxcar 03, as he jukes right onto Green 01's tail and takes a shot! But he misses...
Boxcar 02, with enemy directly before him, flubs...
But Boxcar 01 cuts right and kicks it in the ass, determined to make them pay: he lines up a shot on Silver 01 and takes it, blotting him from the sky for his second kill of the day!
As five enemy bombers fan out into attack formation and being their bombing runs.
But then Green 01, angry at the senseless violence perpetrated on his comrade by Viper, cuts right around Boxcar 02 and fires on Boxcar 01, striking the big Phantom and knocking it from the sky! Viper grimaces as he ejects and floats down to earth: "Yeah, I probably deserved that..." Upon landing he promptly policed up his 'chute and hitchhiked back to base...
Boxcar 03 screams "Nooooooooooooooooo!!!" as he watches his squadron commander get shot down, flying harmlessly past Green 01. Guess the tears in his eyes blurred his vision to the point he couldn't engage...
And the last bomber begins his bombing run.
Green 01 and Silver 02 break off to head home, game over. All told, six bombers survived to make their bombing run, and the toll was horrendous: half dove on the South Leon Army Headquarters and destroyed it, while the other half turned on their secondary objective, the SLA Marshalling Area, causing heavy damage (19/30).
That was the strangest fight I've had with these rules, yet. Four MiGs and six Sukhois went up against three Phantoms; the enemy lost two MiGs and the Cubans lost one F-4. Three aircraft downed in an action is by far the lowest total ever in a full-on fight, and this was the first time ever that all six bombers reached the target area. Very interesting...
Here's what happened in terms of pilots:
Boxcar 01, "Viper," two Kills, shot down but bailed out and okay, moves from Veteran to Ace
Boxcar 02, no Kills, he sucked, so despite the fact he survived and was not shot down, he remains a Rookie
Boxcar 03, no Kills, moves from Rookie to Regular
This is the first of the next three fights I played. I'm playing and posting more as soon as I can, stay tuned.
There will be some awkward questions for the missile technicians! Great report Jack.
ReplyDeleteJim,
DeleteThere's gonna be some awkward questions for a lot of folks on the Cuban side!
V/R,
Jack