Phantoms Over Havana, Fight #12

All,

So it's 1640 on 4 Feb 1990, and the Cuban Liberation Air Force (CLAF) is once again on the prowl.  But the focus of this report, Gentle Reader, is you.  Because I am angry with you, because, for you, I tinkered with the scenario setup and, for you, I tried to make it more interesting and, ultimately, for you, I got the ever-loving @#$% kicked out of me!  So I've got a bone to pick with you, Gentle Reader; but first take a gander at the disaster you inflicted on me.  Or I inflicted upon myself for your benefit...  If it weren't for you, for the "oh, you cheated/used Magic Dice" comments I was sure I'd receive, I'd have probably been a lot happier with the last dogfight of the War of Liberation.

This is a simple two-ship vs two-ship fight, with two of the last MiG-21s left in Castro's Air Force up and about to run into Boxcar 01 and 02, both Regular pilots.

Overview, north is up.  The CLAF F-4s are at top right, heading west (left), while the MiGs are at far right, heading west (far left), i.e., our antagonists are on parallel courses.  But that's not what I rolled up: I actually rolled up the same locations (CLAF in NE, Commies in E), but the real roll-up had both sets of fighters travelling southwest (towards the bottom left corner), placing the CLAF F-4s directly on the tail of the MiGs, just about already in missile range.

So, for you, I changed it.  What a mistake!!!

The aircraft are all 1/600 minis from PicoArmor, and the rules are "Lacquered Coffins," modified a bit to for modern (Hollywood) dogfighting.

The CLAF jets are kinda loitering, low power at mid-altitude (speed 2/alt 3).

While the MiGs are a little lower but a little faster.  This should help the CLAF as they'll lag behind the Commies, making it easier to spot them and harder to be spotted.  Theoretically...

The fight begins with the CLAF F-4s cruising ahead, straight and level, not seeing anything.  Red 01 also pulls up straight and level, but he notices movement at 3 o'clock and checks: it's rebel fighters!  Red 02 turns into the CLAF jets.

The two CLAF F-4s are still cruising along, discussing their favorite New Kids on the Block album (remember, this is 1990 and those are former USAF pilots), happily unaware of the Communist threat, as Red 01 hooks hard right and Red 02 coasts straight in and launches a missile...

The first inkling the CLAF pilots have that there is a problem is when Boxcar 01's missile warning light goes off; it's too late to try evasive action, so he reaches for the chaff and flares, but the missile was fired from such close range it's there before he can even discharge the countermeasures.  Boxcar 01's pilot winces as the missile slams into his aircraft, though he's pleasantly surprised when he realizes he's not dead, just damaged.  But a long way from home...

Finally realizing they might have a problem, the CLAF pilots react.  But they've got more problems: they've ceded position and the initiative (poor card draws sees both CLAF cards come out before the Commies' cards) to the enemy, and they're low and slow.  They both punch the throttles forward.

As Red 02 continues straight in and launches another missile.  The CLAF pilots are actually arguing about which aircraft the missile is targeting...

When Boxcar 02 is struck and begins coming apart.  The rebel pilot ejects and starts humming...  whatever a connoisseur of New Kids on the Block music might hum...

Red 01 pushes the throttle forward, licking his chops at the wounded Boxcar 01, figuring it will be more of a fight to beat out Red 02 than to actually beat Boxcar 01...

And he's right: Red 02 rolls in hot and begins pumping 30mm rounds into the stricken Phantom...

Boxcar 01's pilot is seen mimicking choreographed boy-band dance moves as he drifts down to earth in his parachute.  Well, if you're not good at flying or fightin', ya might as well be good at something...

Well, talk about anti-climactic, and depressing due to the size and scope of my ass-whooping.  I wish I'd have changed the relative starting positions of the two forces, not just their headings.  Because of bad initiative draws and bad spotting rolls it wasn't even a fair fight, and I'm not complaining about the game mechanisms, I'm just saying that was a perfect storm of bad luck that saw me get the @#$% beat outta me.

In any case, enough pissin' and moanin', the War of Liberation is over, we won!  The whole thing was a tremendous amount of fun, and the air campaign portion was a blast.  I think the rules have been sufficiently tested (12 total fights) and they worked like a champ, delivering a lot of tense, fun, dogfights.  I won't claim they're the most realistic or anything, but they do exactly what I want them to do, and I'll be playing them in other eras as well.

So, as always, lets get to some stats.  The Cuban Liberation Air Force started and ended the war with a single fighter squadron: they began with 12 pilots.  Though the war lasted only five days, the squadron quickly lost three pilots killed in action, then robbed some of the ground attack squadrons to replace them, then losing another two pilots killed in action (including one of the replacements).  But they scored well: the Free Cubans ended the war with two Aces and a Veteran pilot.  The CLAF scored a total of twenty victories versus Castro's Air Force, against thirteen losses, with sixteen of those victories coming from the two Aces and one Veteran.

So, with the War of Liberation thus concluded, the single Expeditionary Force's fighter squadron is being expanded to a total of four flights of four (vice the three it had for Liberation), and reorganized in preparation for worldwide deployment.

V/R,
Jack

Phantoms Over Havana, Fight #11

All,

So it's 1330 on 4 Feb 1990, and the Cuban Liberation Air Force (CLAF) has a pair of F-4 Phantoms on Combat Air Patrol, circling above Havana, as a trio of MiG-21s streaks out to meet them.  The ground war is so successful that the Castro regime is on its last legs, and his pilots are finding it harder and harder to locate fuel, munitions, and even serviceable airfields still in Communist hands!

The CLAF fighters are members of Blackjack flight, specifically Blackjack 01, a Veteran pilot, and Blackjack 02, a Regular pilot.

Overview, north is up.  The CLAF aircraft are at top right (northeast), heading southwest, while the Communist aircraft are at bottom left (southwest, heading northeast).  If you're thinking it's too vanilla, hey, it's not my fault.  I dice for everything: number of aircraft, location of aircraft, heading, speed, and altitude.  The minis are 1/600 from PicoArmor, while the rules are 'Lacquered Coffins,' modified a bit for modern (Hollywood-style) dogfighting.

Blackjack 01 and 02, circling lazily over Havana, speed one, altitude five (1/5).

But the Commies are in a hurry, also coming in high, but moving as fast as their little MiG engines will take them (6/5).

The game is afoot, with each turn beginning with what the rules call "the mandatory move," which is a cool mechanism that forces each aircraft to travel forward, straight and level, before making any maneuvers.

The Communist MiGs continue straight and level, unable to spot the rebel F-4s.  Blackjack 01 moves up and immediately spots the enemy flight, but Blackjack 02 tries to get a bit too fancy, maybe showing off for his girlfriend living in a flat below in Havana, and so he sort of just stumbles forward, almost stalling his aircraft out.

So the CLAF is outnumbered but manages to spot the enemy without being seen, but then can't take advantage of it...

Blackjack flight was really loitering at low speed, so they charge straight in, picking up speed, and are quickly spotted by Red 02.  Red 01 and 03, thinking they haven't been spotted, then cut right and drop altitude.

The Veteran pilot, Blackjack 01, charges straight in, lining up a shot on Red 02's nose and immediately launching a missile!

The Communist pilot tries to evade, but the closing speed is just too fast and he succumbs to his fate as the rebel missile slams into the MiG and sends it tumbling to earth.

Red 03 screams as his comrade dies a fiery death; he cuts hard left and takes a terrible shot on Blackjack 01, which the rebel pilot easily shakes.

Again Blackjack 02 tries to get a bit too fancy, cutting left and dropping down under his partner, first almost colliding with the friendly aircraft, then almost running into the errant Commie missile...

Red 01 follows suit, also cutting left and taking a bad shot at Blackjack 01, and again the Veteran CLAF pilot shakes jukes the aircraft, causing the missile to soar by harmlessly.

The two pairs of fighters enter the knife-fight.

Red 01 dashes straight through at 6/5, higher and faster than the CLAF planes.

But then Red 03 gets greedy: he cuts hard left, drops down, and opens fire with his 30mm cannon on a horrible deflection shot on Blackjack 01.

The Veteran CLAF pilot not only evades the gunfire, he performs an Immelman, climbing and turning onto Red 01's tail...

As Blackjack 02, again trying too hard, cuts hard right, climbs, and takes his own horrible deflection shot, doing nothing but wasting ammunition...

Blackjack 02 flashes past Red 03 as Blackjack 01 solidifies his position on Red 01's tail.  Red 01 is beginning to look like dead meat.

But then the Communist pilots turn the tables, reversing course back into the CLAF pilots, with Red 03 in a great trailing position.

But Blackjack 01 is crazy, so he practically slams on the brakes, goes nose to nose with Red 01, and cuts loose with a barrage of 20mm rounds, damaging the MiG and wounding its pilot!

I'm not sure what Blackjack 02 was thinking exactly, but instead of turning right, inside of Red 03, he cuts left and dives, looking to pick up speed and escape.

Blackjack 01 flashes past the damaged Red 01 as Blackjack 02 and Red 03 jockey for position.

But this time it's the CLAF's turn to flip the script, with both F-4s reversing course.  At this point both Communist pilots decide to run for it, cutting east (right side of the table) for safety.

And the MiGs have nearly reached safe haven as Blackjack 01 turns and launches one final missile...

The wounded enemy pilot never even saw it coming, nor was he in any position to do anything about it even if he had.  The rebel missile travels straight and true and slams into the MiG-21, blowing it up in mid-air.

A heck of a fight, short and sharp, with two more kills, but Blackjack 01 resolved to have himself a sitdown with Blackjack 02, the point of said sitdown being to let the lad know he needs to knock off all the hot-dogging and just do his damn job.  It didn't go so well; Blackjack 02 told him to stuff it, Blackjack 01 offered to open up a can of whup-ass, and the squadron commander decided it might be best to transfer Blackjack 02 out of Blackjack flight.  But the good news is that Blackjack 01 became the Cuba Liberation Air Force's second Ace!!!

Well, one more fight to go, and it really makes me angry...

V/R,
Jack

Phantoms Over Havana, Fight #10

All,

So it's 0900 on 4 Feb 1990, and the Cuban Liberation Air Force (CLAF) has an entire flight inbound, looking to clash with a flight of Castro-regime MiGs intent on intercepting inbound CLAF ground attack aircraft.  The Cuban Liberation Army's blitzkrieg-style invasion has been an unprecedented success, and the CLAF pilots can feel it.  The way CLA ground forces are thundering forward, eating up Castro's territory, it won't be long before the Communists no longer have serviceable airfields available.

Bruiser flight is in the air, with a Regular pilot (Bruiser 03) and two Rookies (Bruisers 02 and 04) led by an Ace (Bruiser 01, looking for a fight.

Overview, north is up.  Castro MiG-21s are at bottom center (Red 01 to 04), heading northwest (top left) towards CLAF ground attack aircraft (off table), while Bruiser flight is at top center, heading southwest to intercept.  All aircraft are 1/600 from PicoArmor, and I'm using the ruleset "Lacquered Coffins," modified for modern (Hollywood-style) dogfighting.

Bruiser flight, screaming in on the deck, speed five, altitude one (5/1).

The Castro-regime MiGs, with advantages in both speed and height (6/5).

The game is afoot, with both sides moving forward, seeking the other out.

Red 03 holds straight and level, then catches the glint of sunlight off a canopy.  He immediately recognizes the flight of four F-4 Phantoms as the threat it is and calls out on the radio.

Red 02 and 04 then cut hard right, bleeding speed and dropping down (3/4), looking to get behind the rebel fighters.

Bruiser 04 is first up for the CLAF, but he's a Rookie...  But he does his job; cruising just above the lush green jungle, he spots silver MiGs at 10 o'clock.

The Ace (Bruiser 01) smells blood in the water and immediately cuts hard left as Bruiser 02 and 03 power climb to 6/2.  Red 01 cuts hard right and drops down to 6/4.

Both formations have already cracked: Bruiser 02 and 03 continue southwest with Bruiser 04 trailing them, with Bruiser 01 closing fast on the enemy MiGs.

Bruiser 02 cuts left and watches out the left side of his cockpit as Bruiser 01 rolls left, pulls up, and opens fire with at point blank range on Red 01 with his 20mm cannon...

The Communist pilot remains in the plane as it burns into the jungle below; Red 03 suddenly finds himself nose to nose with the rebel Ace...

He wants to engage the F-4, but between pieces of his flight leader's aircraft streaming past and the massive enemy aircraft looming so close so quickly he can't pull off the maneuver and overshoots Bruiser 01, dropping to 5/4.

Red 04, perhaps a bit wary of the rebel Ace, continues on his path out to the east, which risks him finding himself out of the fight, while Red 02 senses the danger and cuts hard left to meet Bruiser 01.  Bruiser 03 also cuts hard left to get in the fight, while Bruiser 03 climbs to 3/3.

We've got a nice furball going at this point.

Bruiser 04 holds straight and level, picking up speed to 5/3, while Bruiser 01 pulls hard left into Red 02 and 04.  Red 03 kicks over hard left to get behind Bruiser 04, but Bruiser 03 performs and Immelman, reversing and coming out at 3/4, to get on Red 03's tail.  Red 02 tries to turn hard left into Bruiser 01 and go to guns, but he's too nervous about facing the rebel Ace alone, too busy wondering what the hell Red 04 is doing, so he bungs the maneuver, holding course but dropping to 2/3, losing serious speed and altitude.  He needn't have worried about Red 03; his partner performed his own Immelman, bringing the MiG back around to face Bruiser 01.

Aircraft everywhere, pilots' heads on swivels, clearing their tails.

The CLAF Ace, Bruiser 01, pulls back hard on the stick, kicking the aircraft into a steep climb, before once again squeezing the trigger and sending 20mm cannon rounds into the belly of another MiG-21...

The aircraft is going down as the Communist pilot ejects.

In the northwest, Bruiser 03 flips a Split S, reversing course and dropping down, hoping for Bruiser 04 to lure Red 03 over in front of him, but Red 03 picks up the maneuver and counters with a barrel roll to place him on Bruiser 04's tail, where he fires a missile.

The Rookie pilot never saw it coming, and went down with the aircraft.

Bruiser 03 shakes his head in disbelief as Bruiser 02 hooks left to aid the flight leader, Bruiser 01, whom Red 02 is trying desperately to engage.  Red 02 flips a Split S, reversing course and trading altitude for speed, coming in on the deck, but behind the CLAF Ace.

Turn 5's mandatory move.

Bruiser 01 spots Red 02 coming up behind him and flips his aircraft around in a Split S, while Bruiser 03 cuts left and dives to the deck, picking up speed.  Red 02 suddenly finds himself outmaneuvered by the rebels, with the Ace ahead of him and another F-4 behind him, so he cuts into Bruiser 01 as Bruiser 02 turns right to follow, setting up Red 03 to move in and help clear his tail.

Bruiser 02 and 03 find themselves in great shape to engage Red 02 as Bruiser 01 closes to merge with Red 03.

Bruiser 03 cuts left and launches a missile at Red 02, who's pilot tries to perform evasive maneuvers but fails when he gets distracted by the sudden appearance of Bruiser 02 on his tail as well!  The missile finds home, damaging the MiG.

Trying desperately to aid his comrade, Red 03 cuts left and launches a missile at Bruiser 03 at extreme long range.  Luckily for him, the rebel pilot was too engrossed in watching his own missile shot to notice, so the Communist missile snuck up and swatted him, damaging Bruiser 03!

The Rookie, Bruiser 02, tries to charge in and finish off the damaged Red 02, but he gets caught in the jet wash from Bruiser 01 and flubs it.

But the Ace pays him no mind, zooming straight in on Red 03 and launching his own missile, head on.

Bruiser 01's missile finds its target, damaging the enemy MiG, but suddenly the fight is over as quickly as it began, with the two remaining MiGs both damaged and running for home, and the three remaining Phantoms finding themselves 'bingo fuel' and needing to return to the barn.

Bruiser 03 managed to damage a MiG, but we're not counting half kills (at least not yet!), while the Ace, Bruiser 01, managed to rack up another two confirmed kills.  But the victory was marred by the death of one of the Rookie pilots, so all was not joy upon their return to base.  Two more fights left in the War of Liberation.

V/R,
Jack