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Operation Tidalwave

August 1943 Romania

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Screen shot by OldCuss

While Allied and Axis forces were battling in Sicily, the USAAF staged one of the war's most daring heavy bomber raids. The target was the Ploesti oil fields in Romania, estimated to be supplying 60% of Germany's crude oil requirements.

Shortly after dawn on August 1, 1943, USAAF B-24s from the US 8th and 9th Air Force, took off from bases in Libya and headed toward the heavily defended target, deep inside enemy territory a thousand miles away. Over Bulgaria, clouds broke up the B-24 formations and the bombing elements became widely separated. Tracked by German radar which alerted Romanian defenses, the B-24s arrived over the target at treetop height without the planned element of surprise.

Despite intense defensive fire from the ground and from the Axis planes, the USAAF pressed the attack. In the confusion of battle, some B-24s made bombing runs through heavy smoke over targets that had already been attacked and were caught in the bursts of delayed action bombs dropped several minutes previously. Although overall damage to the target was heavy, the cost was high. Of 177 planes and 1,726 men who took off on the mission, 54 planes and 532 men failed to return.

Arena
SEA III

Country Percentages
LW 30% (Bishop)
Allied 70% (Knight)

Allies Units:
B-24 100%
Orders:
Roll from A78 with 100% fuel and attack the Flak factory in 5,19, 3 and  the Ammo Factory in 6, 19,1

Restrictions:
Must carry 100% fuel. Both targets must be attacked. Must RTB A78. Must stay below 1000'AGL

Axis Units:
BF109G6  1/3
Me110G2  1/3
FW190A5  1/3

Orders:
Roll A76 and defend factories from attack. Destroy all enemy aircraft.  May try to intercept.

Restrictions:
None

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Victory Conditions
B24 - 25 points
Me109 - 10 points
Me110 - 15 points
Fw190 - 10 points
Buildings/structures - 5 points each
Ack - 2

Arena Settings

  1. Terrain - Italy
  2. Icon Range - Short
  3. Radar - Off
  4. Fighter and Bomber Warning Range - 52,800 about 10 miles
  5. Tower Range - 52,800 (for display to match the above setting)
  6. Visibility - 6 miles
  7. Wind - None
  8. External view for bombers (F3) - On
  9. Friendly Collisions - Off
  10. Enemy Collisions - On
  11. Kill Shooter - Off
  12. Fuel - 2.3
  13. Ack - .2
  14. Time - 10:00 X2
  15. Formations - On

Designer Notes
If there is time for a 2nd frame suggest C205 defend against B-25s with P-38 escorts. Original design called for a 2nd and or a 3rd life for Axis pilots. If hosting CM uses a 2nd life I suggest a 80/20 split.

CM Notes
Suggest Axis Bishop and Allied Knight, but the Setup CM might find an easier rotation. Warn players of any strat objects that might not match the rotation. Suggest drop tanks for fighters.

Design By
BGBMaw and BigMax 
Edited by daddog

   

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