Operation Chunky Bandit #23 (Air)

All,

It's 1615 on 26 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, several hours later, have launched a strike force with fighter escort.  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.

This morning saw a helluva fight: Boxcar 12 rang up five victories in this fight, becoming an instant Ace, and bringing his total kill tally to seven (might just have us a future NBK, 7 kills in two fights).  The young Cuban pilot was meritoriously promoted to Captain and awarded the Medal of Honor for his exploits.  Despite Boxcar 12's, AKA Miguel "Mad Max" Cruces, heroics, the mission can't be called anything but a failure: two out of three Phantoms were shot down, another pilot, and hero, was killed in action, and the FSNL Air Force has nearly destroyed their third target of the campaign.  Strictly speaking, it's not that clean cut: the Cubans lost two fighters while the Communists lost three fighters and two bombers.

Now it's the following afternoon, and the bad guys are keeping up the pressure.  The Cubans scrambled two more flights to meet the next enemy strike force.  Did I say two flights?  I meant two fighters...  

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 03, "Teddybear," the Flight Leader (Regular) 

While Boxcar 03 is a Regular, the two of them only have two sorties (and no kills!) between them, and their previous Flight Leader was the Squadron Commander, Major "Viper" Culero, but they managed to get him shot down, so they're all by their lonesome.

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.

We fast forward through the first couple turns to get straight to the action:  Green 01 cuts right, heading straight at Boxcar 03, passing Boxcar 02 and just daring him to come for his tail.

But Green 02 is impatient and jinks left to take a bad deflection shot on Boxcar 02.

He misses and the MiG shoots past.

From the west, Silver 01 cuts left, and he and Green 01 (top center) now have Boxcar 03 in quite a predicament.  Patiently stalking their prey.

While Silver 02 cuts left and zooms in, a bit less patient.

Boxcar 02 cuts left and heads of the bombers.

As does his partner, Boxcar 03.

And the bombers march south.

Silver 02 cuts left throught the bomber formation.

As Silver 01 follows.

But real trouble is brewing as Green 02 pulls an Immelman behind Boxcar 02...

And then Green 01 pulls hard right, snugging up to Boxcar 03.

But the fight is just beginning!  Boxcar 02 cuts left, head to head with Silver 02, both pilots firing missiles...

And the Communist MiG goes down in flames!  Boxcar 02 pushes west (right), triumphant, but is very vulnerable to Green 02 (top left).

While Boxcar 03 dances through the bomber formation to take a bad shot on Bomber 05, which he misses.

And the bombers continue their march south.  Brilliant, the F-4s have had their tails covered up by the enemy bombers!

Green 02 cuts in behind the two Cuban fighters, but he's stuck in traffic...

As Green 01 cuts through the congestion to snug up to Boxcar 03.

And Silver 01 works on a tailing solution.  This looks like a great opportunity for the Cubans to get after those bombers...

But Boxcar 03 can't pull it off, instead breaking right, defensive.

Though this does free up a shot on Green 01: Boxcar 02 zooms straight in and fires...

Damaging the MiG, then cutting hard left to get on the tail of Bomber 05, a perfect shot.  "Fox One!"  he yells, then watches his missile fly harmlessly off into the Wild Blue Yonder.  Damn rookies...

The bombers push south.

And it's time for Boxcar 03 to pay the piper for his indecision: Silver 01 jinks in onto his tail and fires...

Then cuts right, smiling to himself as he watches the young Cuban pilot eject and lazily float down to mother earth.  Unfortunately, his cockpit was on fire and he was burned prior to ejection, which caused his landing to be not so smooth, cracking some ribs, so he eventually made it back to base okay, but he's out of the fight for about fifty days.

Green 01 pulls ahead, disengaging.

As Green 02 pulls ahead, slowly stalking Boxcar 02.

But Boxcar 02 isn't done, he charges straight back in on Bomber 06 and fires a second missile...

And he somehow misses again!!!  He curses vehemently as he shoots past onto Bomber 02's tail; he lines up a shot and fires, but also takes defensive fire from Bomber 05, which does what he could not and scores a hit!

So Bomber 05 fired and damaged Boxcar 02, and Boxcar 02 fired and damaged Bomber 02, then Boxcar 02 overshot Bomber 02, which then got to defensive fire at the Boxcar 02, though it missed.

And the bombers push south.

Green 02 comes lazily left, way behind Boxcar 02 (far right, with yellow bead).

As Silver 01 comes lazily right...

And Green 01 finishes off the lackadaisical maneuvers by the Communist fighter pilots.

Undaunted, Boxcar 02 keeps in the fight, moving up onto Bomber 02's tail again and firing...

And after four missile shots on enemy bombers, he finally downs one, then cuts left.

The bombers push south, nearing the target area.

Green 01 isn't particularly interested in getting back in the fight.

While his wingman, Green 02, tries a little harder.

And Silver 01 moves to try and keep pace.

But with his little victory celebration, Boxcar 02 has found himself badly out of position to further engage the enemy bomber formation, so he looks to remedy that by jinking over IN FRONT of Bomber 01 in order to force him past and then shoot him down...

But maneuvering in front of an aircraft exposes you to defensive fire from said aircraft and Bomber 01 quickly launched a missile, which homed in and hit the Cuban F-4, knocking it from the sky.  Boxcar 02 couldn't believe his mistake, and then began sobbing when he realized he'd been hit twice in the fight, both by bombers!  He'd been shot down by a bomber!  He's have plenty of time to think about it, as he was lightly wounded by shrapnel and would spend the next ten days healing up...

The Communist aircraft assume victory formation and enter the target area as if on parade.  They move directly to target number three, the SLA Logistics Hub, and pound it into dust, completing the destruction of all three targets and making this week's bombing campaign a resounding MAJOR VICTORY for the FSNL Air Force.

This fight saw the Communists lose a single MiG-21 and a single Su-22, while the Cubans lost both F-4 Phantoms committed to the fight, with both pilots wounded.  This brought the one week campaign kill totals to 17 downed MiGs and 17 downed Su-22s, while the Cubans lost 14 of their 18 F-4s.

Here's what happened in terms of pilots:

Boxcar 02, two Kills, shot down, bailed out, WIA (return 5 Aug 1990), moves from Rookie to Regular

Boxcar 03, no Kills, shot down, bailed out, WIA (return 10 Sept 1990)

So, the Flying Boxcars are down, but not quite out (Major Culero is feeling major political heat for his squadron allowing the FSNL Air Force to crush the SLA command and control infrastructure), but help is on the way, in the form of Captain "Masters" Barrientos' 407th Tactical Fighter Squadron, AKA, the "Bonesaws," are on the way to help, in shiny new aircraft provided by the United States.

I'm playing and posting more as soon as I can, stay tuned.

V/R,

Jack