Battle of Britain '04
The Battle for France had been lost. The Battle for Britain had begun.
Whilst Britain girds its self against an expected invasion, Goering has finally convinced Hitler to allow him to commit his Luftwaffe to eliminating the RAF from the skies of South East England.
This is a 4 part scenario played across 4 frame each 150 minutes long with a 15 minute return margin once hostilities are declared over..
The broad objective is to simulate some of the strategic, tactical, geographic and logistic circumstances of the conflict between the LW and RAF fighter command during the months of August and September 1940.
The LW objective is to inflict sufficient damage to the RAF to gain total air superiority over the Strait of Dover , Kent, Sussex and the Solent approaches as well as disabling local ports for use by the Royal Navy.
Given this the initiative is with the LW and the win/lose definition will hinge on whether the LW has achieved its objectives at the end of the final frame. Points will not play a deciding roll in this scenario.
We will split this document into further sections
Arena Set up Details and some additional CM factoring
The terrain will be based on a near full sized European landscape. Fields, ports, townscapes, radar sites and shipping will be changed and added to recreate Southern England and Northern France/ Belgium.
As the "battle" and its objectives hinge around Southern England then these have been paid particular attention. Looking at a map of Southern England at the time we will attempt to recreate the following.
Large fields
Middle Wallop
Tangmere
Kenley
Biggin Hill
Hornchurch
North Weald
Debden
Duxford
Wittering
Medium fields
None
Small fields
Boscombe Down
Warmwell
Gosport
Manston
Eastchurch
Detling
Hendon
Martlesham
Coltishall
Colerne
Stapleford
Lee on Solent
Thorney Island
Westhampnett
Ford
Lympne
Hawkinge
West Malling
Croydon
Gravesend
Rochford
Radar bases (Vehicle fields)
Dover
Worth
Ventnor
Poling
Truleigh
Beachy Head
Pevensy
Fairlight
Rye
Foreland (North)
Dunkirk
Canewdon
Walton
Bromley
Bawdsey
High Street
Dunwich
Stoke Holy Cross
Happisburg?
West
Beckham?
Ports
Portland
Poole
Southampton
Portsmouth
Folkstone
Dover
Poole
City/town groups around the ports.
Portland 1
Poole 1
Southampton 1
Portsmouth 1
Folkstone 1
Dover 1
Royal Navy Flotillas each one Cruiser and one Destroyer. (all guns on the carrier will be disabled)
HMS Portland
HMS
Southampton
HMS Portsmouth
(fictitious names to show origin ports)
HQ at Stanmore
All other normal "Strat" objects removed out of the area of battle.
The most important aspect of the fields locations for the LW is that they simulate the distance and directions of approach that the LW experienced in 1940. We can leave much of this to the skill of the terrain modifier however a rough guide would be fair smattering of fields from St Malo thru Cherbourg, Caen, le Havre, Amiens, Bologne, Calais and onto Gent and Antwerp.
Winds should be light and predominantly from the South and West.
Clouds should be small (size 1 or 2) in isolated clusters at altitudes between 8,000 and 15,000ft.
Object hardness should be left as standard. (This may be subject to minor variation)
As stated above the LW must pave the way for a German invasion of SE England. (Operation Sea Lion). In essence the main LW strategic plank was the destruction of the RAF on the ground plus the neutralisation of the Royal Navy in the area of the English Channel (la Manche) known as the Strait of Dover (Pas de Calais).
We will define this in the following way.
Objectives for the end of Frame 4
1) Deny the RAF use of all its airfields South of the Thames and east of the Solent.
This is achieved by the destruction of fighter hangers to a point where by fighters may no longer take of from these fields. Forcing the RAF commander to use other fields to house his squadrons. This will include those fields which were initially used by Coastal Command which falls within this area. They are all within 11 group sections Tangmere, Kenley, Biggen Hill and parts of Hornchurch that's are south of the Thames. (Croyden is considered to be within Kenley section)
2) Neutralisation of the Royal Navy local to the Strait of Dover.
2a) The Ports and Docks
All ports listed above are Neutralised by taking out the Vehicle Hanger, and 50% of the ports associated city infrastructure. These objectives include the South coast Ports which are based on or to the East of the Solent. (Therefore excluding the Portland & Poole facilities)
2b)The Flotillas
The cruisers in two of the three of the Flotillas must be destroyed.
The German Wehrmacht will not be ready to launch Sea Lion prior to the end of Frame 4. Hence it is critical that the conditions are met at this point in time as achieving them prematurely will be to no avail if they cannot be sustained.
Arena set up details and special CM factoring
Icons will be short range.
Radar and early warning…. Presently the only AH radar which is influenced by the destruction of radar objects is dot radar. Hence the RAF will have dot radar extending from the radar stations to a range of approx 50 miles refreshed every 2 minutes. All RAF radar stations will be designated to a third country. This radar will only be visible by a team of third country sector controllers who will guide the RAF squadrons to the target over private text and radio channels. No other radar will exist either as sector bar or dot indication. As the radar stations are destroyed so will the local dot radar capability. Minimum radar height is expected to be 500ft.
British observer corps is to simulated by the use of the flashing "field under attack". The range will be set to the visual dot range of bombers of approximately 7 miles. This function will always remain in effect regardless of field/port/base status.
There will be no repair/resupply during frames strat will be turned off..
Radar objects will only be repaired after 1 further frame
Fighter hangers will only be repaired after 2 further frames.
Flotillas cannot be repaired.
Ports and Docks, once neutralised, will remain neutralized.
Player should note that all other objects, guns, fuel, ammo, barracks and town/city objects etc will be repaired prior to a subsequent frame. Further that "disabled" fields will still be available for emergency landing and refuelling/rearming during a frame.
The fuel multiplier will be chosen to give a Bf 109E approx 15 minutes flying time over London based on a climb to alt (18K) over Calais and straight ingress and egress losing alt over the Straits of Dover to land in the Calais/ Bologne area.
All other fuel endurances will be based upon this. The RAF will have the same fuel burn multiplier as the LW.
The flotillas will be given separate courses between Portland and the North Foreland by the CM's. These may cross but flotillas will not escort each other.
All other settings as per arena norms.
The RAF may have up to 6 active third country sector controllers during any one frame these positions will be (have been) pre registered.
A typical RAF squadron will consist of 6 pilots. (being half the historical strength of an RAF squadron)
Total RAF squadrons will be 14 made up of 9 Hurricane MkI squadrons and 5 Spitfire Mk I squadrons.
For Frame 1 the following squadrons should be placed historically
|
Sector (group number) |
Sq No. |
AC Type |
Base Field |
|
Biggin Hill (11) |
610 |
Spitfire |
Biggin Hill A8 |
|
. |
72 |
Spitfire |
Biggin Hill A8 |
|
North Weald(11) |
56 |
Hurricane |
North Weald A5 |
|
Kenley(11) |
64 |
Spitfire |
Kenley A9 |
|
. |
1 RCAF (401) |
Hurricane |
Croydon A23 |
|
Hornchurch(11) |
266 |
Spitfire |
Manston A14 |
|
|
501 |
Hurricane |
Gravesend A7 |
|
Tangmere(11) |
43 |
Hurricane |
Tangmere A18 |
|
. |
145 |
Hurricane |
Westhampnet A19 |
|
Debden(11) |
85 |
Hurricane |
Debden A27 |
|
. |
111 |
Hurricane |
Debden A27 |
|
Northolt(11) |
303 |
Hurricane |
Northolt A1 |
|
Middle Wallop(10) |
238 |
Hurricane |
Middle Wallop A21 |
|
. |
152 |
Spitfire |
Warmwell A55 |
A Jagdgeschwader Gruppen will have 8 Pilots (each flying bf109E)
A Kampfgeschwader Gruppen will have 5 Pilots (each flying 3x Ju88)
A Zerstorergeshwader Gruppen will have 8 Pilots (each flying Me110C)
A Erprobungsgruppe will have 8 Pilots (each flying Me110C or bf109E)
The LW will have 9x */JG gruppen, 2x */ZG gruppen, 1x */EG gruppen and 7x */KG gruppen.
For frame 1 the following gruppen should be placed historically.
|
Area (Jafu No) |
Stfl |
AC Type |
Base Field |
|
Brussels & West(Luftflotte2) |
I/JG3 |
bf109E |
Boulogne-Colembert (A47) |
|
. |
I/JG26 |
bf109E |
Boulogne-Audembert (A45) |
|
. |
I/JG51 |
bf109E |
St Omer- Pihen (A49) |
|
. |
I/JG52 |
bf109E |
Calais (Cocquelles) (A46) |
|
. |
II/JG52 |
bf109E |
Calais (Peuplingues) (A46) |
|
. |
I/JG54 |
bf109E |
Calais (Guines) (A46) |
|
. |
II/JG54 |
Bf109E |
Calais (Guines) (A46) |
|
. |
I/ZG26 |
ME110C |
Abbeville-Crecy (A35) |
|
. |
1./EG210 |
ME110C/bf109E |
Calais- Marck (A48) |
|
. |
I/KG1 |
Ju88 |
Montdidier/Amiens (A33) |
|
. |
II/KG76 |
Ju88 |
Montdidier/Amiens (A33) |
|
. |
I/KG2 |
Ju88 |
Arras (A71) |
|
. |
I/KG53 |
Ju88 |
Lille-Nord (A62) |
|
Paris North/West (Luftflotte 3) |
I/JG2 |
bf109E |
Biville (A73) |
|
. |
II/JG27 |
bf109E |
Cherbourg (A72) |
|
. |
I/ZG2 |
ME110C |
Caen (A40) |
|
. |
I/KGr806 |
Ju88 |
Caen(A40) |
|
. |
I/KG54 |
Ju88 |
Evreux/St Andre (A41) |
|
. |
II/KG54 |
Ju88 |
Evreux/St Andre (A41) |
RAF
1) May not carry bombs
2) 11 group may only launch (scramble) to known incoming LW sited via radar, the observer corps or scouts.
3) 10 group may only launch (scramble) when main elements of 11 group have launched.
4) One (only) squadron in each group may be allocated scout duties prior to scramble.
5) There are no limitations re scout range other than fuel limitations.
6) Aircraft may refuel and re arm at any available field.
7) There are no altitude limits
8) Squadron base fields may be changed within sector boundaries but not across sector boundaries for Frame 1. (eg a squadron based at Biggin Hill may also use Lympne or West Malling but not Gravesend which is in Hornchurch sector.
9) Squadron base fields can be moved around (between Frames, after Frame 1) within groups but not across groups. (eg after frame 1 the squadron above could be transferred to Gravesend but not to Middle Wallop which is in 10 Group and not 11 Group)
10) Downed (lost) RAF pilots will able to take up ground gunner and observation positions.
11) Rescued RAF pilots can re up after T = 60 minutes (see rescue below)
12) Damaged aircraft returning to their home/origin field may under go repair and re launch. Pilots returning to tower at other fields (unless under rescue rules) will not be able to re launch.
LW
1) JG & ZG gruppen may not carry bombs but have 2nd lives as Ju87 Pilots
2) EG &KG gruppen may carry full bomb loads . KG gruppen will have 2nd lives as Ju88 Pilots
3) KG gruppen must set salvo to 20.
4) One KG gruppen may carry torpedoes each frame
5) There are no launch time limitations.
6) JG & ZG may refuel and re arm at any available field
7) EG&KG may only refuel and rearm at fields originally spawning bombers.
8) There are no altitude limits
9) Gruppen base fields can be moved around (between Frames, after Frame 1) within Jafu but not across Jafu.
10) Downed LW pilots may take up gunner positions in ZG, EG and KG aircraft.
11) ZG, EG, and KG aircraft may take excess "walk on" gunners within arena limits.
12) Rescued LW pilots can re up after T = 60 minutes (see rescue below)
13) Damaged aircraft returning to their home/origin field may under go repair and re launch. Pilots returning to tower at other fields (unless under rescue rules) will not be able to re launch.
Rescue is available to all pilots who have bailed to ground or sea .
Pilots who return to tower upon landing will be considered lost.
Pilots will wait to be picked up by Boat or Vehicle or Transport aircraft or they will walk/swim to the nearest airfield, ship or port.
Upon a boat or vehicle arriving to rescue a pilot a CM must be called to authenticate the rescue. Where upon the pilot will return to tower and “join†the boat or vehicle which will return him to an airfield, ship or port again gaining CM authentication prior to returning to tower. Given this the pilot (within the above rules) will not be considered yet lost.
Bailed pilots and rescue craft shall be considered inviolate and must not be attacked under any circumstances.
Rescue vehicles or aircraft are limited to 2 per group at any time under all circumstances.
There is no limit to rescue boat/vehicle lives. Transport Aircraft shall only operate over land and not cross into enemy territory.
There is no restriction to rescue boat/vehicle origin.
Credits
Scenario design: Tilt
Allied CO: 68KO
Axis CO: RDRTrash