Pendrakon Blood Red Skies Day II: Battle of Britain Aldertag (13th August)

13th August 1940 Aldertag: Dowding's Home Station Defence Network is picking up something incoming off the Kent coast (see below, the "eyes and ears" of the RAF - I just gotta love the terrain models Renko printed for this game): 

Unwanted guests (two formations of German Heinkel 111s heading to Manston airfield): 

With a gaggle (well technically two schwarms of Luftwaffe Me 109's) of little friends in tow in close escort position (see below, going left to right the air is full of Nazi bombers and escorting fighters, fourteen planes in all):  

"Achtung Spitfire" - the RAF greeting party arrives (see below, tilted back indicated the aircraft is in an advantaged position [Blood Red Skies game term]):

The desperate attack of "The Few" are pressed home against the bombers (see below, but with the sheer numbers of German fighters in the air a Spitfire is caught as his compatriot riddles a Heinkel with 303 machine gun fire at insanely short range): 

After one frantic pass through the bomber formation the Spitfires spin round again displaying their tight turning capability, but the Me 109s are closing in): 

Then suddenly, the sky is clear. A classic RAF "hit and run" - the Germans have lost a Me 109 ("Where is Sigmund?") and a Heinkel is trailing smoke but is still intent on pressing on (see below, target is set for Manston airfield):  

Then all hell breaks loose as Spitfires and Hurricanes appear out of no where, charging straight into teh bombers (see below, the RAF concentrate on the left side of the the German formation, attaining local superiority. Twelve fighters to seven, but the remaining eight German Me 109s are placed ideally to swing into the rear of the Spitfire formation): 

Again a Spitfire pays the price, but fortunately the pilot jumps clear (see below, the RAF bravery means the German bomber formation is once again penetrated and riddled):  

A Heinkel from the leading formation goes down in flames and another one is severely damaged in the rear formation but Manston comes into sight as a flak barrage greets the unwanted guests (see below, the "tail end Charlie" Heinkel in not a happy bunny - or rather Nazi!):  

Manston Sector Airfield: sirens start wailing and AA firing at full effect (see below, the Spitfires and Hurricanes again disappear as the bombers conduct their attack run): 

The surviving bomber of the lead formation scores a telling hit on Manston, but the rear formation is less successful (a near miss) but loses its damaged aircraft to accurate flak (see below, RAF ground crew watch as German parachutes open from the doomed bomber as the crew bails out): 

Manston is damaged but still operational, it lives to fight another day. Holes are repaired in teh runway, as wearing RAF pilots land, refuel and get ready to "go again"!

All told an absolutely brilliant big day out, the Blood Red Skies event hosted at Pendrakon, a nice follow on from the Low Countries Game Day, where I spent my morning and afternoon fighting the Belgian Air Force. Huge thanks must go out to Renko for organising it, respect! Respect also goes to the RAF that took out 50% of the German bomber force, Hermann Goering certainly won't like that! As I was too slow in painting my BRS Starter Set Spitfires I played Luftwaffe again, so I will doubtless have to face a telling off by my commanding officer!

Painting 1/200 Me 109s (Warlord Games - Blood Red Skies) - The Luftwaffe Ready Room

Seeking painting inspiration I toured the internet for videos on how to paint WWII German Luftwaffe Me 109s circa 1940:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4V6BQo8tyQ

https://www.google.com/search?q=blood+red+skies+1%2F200+me-109+painting+guide&rlz=1C1JZAP_enGB834GB834&sxsrf=APwXEdfZY4A5444DZzh2nGo8DTEftsbQ5A%3A1686928428885&ei=LHyMZNS1NfiThbIPzOC7yAQ&ved=0ahUKEwjU-46Oisj_AhX4SUEAHUzwDkkQ4dUDCA8&uact=5&oq=blood+red+skies+1%2F200+me-109+painting+guide&gs_lcp=Cgxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAQAzIFCAAQogQyBQgAEKIEOggIABCiBBCwA0oECEEYAVCZDViaKmDnK2gBcAB4AIABhwGIAcwNkgEENC4xMpgBAKABAcABAcgBBA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:ea18ff39,vid:Pbopp8mOSeA

http://www.dogfighter.com/Messerschmitt-Me-Bf-109-E-3/0344.html

My final recipe was as follows: 

• Airfix/Humbrol Acrylic Primer
• Vallejo Black Wash (to highlight detail) 
• Light Blue (Base) Airfix/Humbrol Acrylic
• Vallejo Model (Base) Dark Grey
• Vallejo Model (Base) Light Grey
• Vallejo Game Colour Bone White foundation for (Base) Yellow area on nose
• Vallejo Game Colour (Base) Golden Yellow
• Vallejo Brown Ink 
• Vallejo Game Colour (Highlight) Yellow (see below, half way through): 

• Vallejo Yellow Ink
• Final Vallejo Game Colour Yellow (Highlight) 
• Smoke Wash
• Vallejo Black on Canopy
• Vallejo Model Colour German Grey on Propeller
• Vallejo Model Colour Black Propeller
• (Highlight) Dark Grey including canopy struts 
• (Highlight) Light Grey including canopy struts 
• (Highlight) Light Blue
• Micro Sol preparation of decal area 
• Decals: Warlord Games Decal Pack - 1/200 JG-26 using Micro Sol (see below): 

• Micro Set
• Humbrol Satin Varnish

The end result (see below): 

Off to play Blood Red Skies next Battle of France 1940!

Fighter Duel Part II

A second try out with the Fighter Duel rules by Phil Sabin and I discovered that you will need 'quite a large board' area if you are going to use 1/144 model planes and get into a weaving and circling dogfight! Something the author admittedly had pointed out to me as he used small board game counters on a small-hexed large-gameboard-sheet rather than models. For me I needed the models [which I like making] for "a better sense of visualisation". I scripted a scenario where a veteran Me 109 tried to "bounce" two RAF "old hands" from behind (which should be a hard thing to do). The Me 109 managed to get one "poor chance shot off" but the Spitfires having survived the initial attack 'out-turned' the diving Me 109 and spun away. This seemed quite reasonable. Novice Spitfire pilots perhaps might have got themselves into a bit of bother. The game holds a lot of promise and I will continue experimenting (see below, the Me 109 curses the nimble Spits):

This is the scenario I am working up to an "early war" RAF Vic three formation and a Luftwaffe "Finger Four" head-to-head combat (see below):

Watch this space for more play-testing as I put two game mats together! Note, the blue below obviously implies they are fighting over "The Channel" ;)

Blood Red Skies: Battle of Britain - Bomber Escort Mission (Part 2)

The Hurricanes rose in unison to get to an "advantaged" position to meet the threat posed by the twin-engines, double-seated with 'evil' rear gunner. They do shift and have a special "agile"ability card which takes them out of the "bomber clumsy" category (see below):

The battle had broken down into two separate dog-fights: the Hurricanes versus the Me110's and the Spitfires versus the Me109s (see below):

When you go through a cloud (see middle of the picture below) you reset your status to "neutral" (see below):

The bombers make their clumsy was forwards. The German commander was reconsidering teh wisdom of setting their initial position to "disadvantaged" as I could not see how they could gain a better status in the tactical context of this dogfight. It simply takes the bombers too long to do anything in comparison to the nimble fighters. Once you are in a "disadvantaged" position it is very "easy" to get shot down (see below):

Meanwhile the Spitfires were keen to press ahead with their advantage in numbers over the pair of Me 109s and harass the German fighters out of the game before the extra German "top cover" could descend (see below): 

Snowdrop  Leader: "Tally Ho!" Game on. The Spitfires try a head-on attack against the Me 109s which allows the Germans to fire back. A dangerous tactic as the Me 109 has two nasty 20mm cannons and a heavier weight of fire (see below, the red tracer of 'the first round of combat'):

All depended on the "luck of the nice" but the Spits had their "blood up"!

Next: "Achtung Spitfire!"

PS: Thanks to Renko for the hosting the game with very nice models and a much more complete understanding of the rules. In the words of Amazon and Whiskers if you like the above, nine out of ten cats who expressed a preference, also liked: https://twtrb.blogspot.co.uk/2018/05/blood-red-skies-over-channel-tale-of-j.html?showComment=1526677918061#c7630556548291730388

Blood Red Skies: Battle of Britain - Bomber Escort Mission (Part 1)

Somewhere over France 1940, the German Luftwaffe masses its planes for a strike into the heart of England with a deadly combination of single-seater (Me109s), twin-engined (Me110's) and twin-engined bombers (what looked to me as Dorniers, but I could be wrong. A vast armada of 15 planes against 12 RAF - six Spitfires and six Hurricanes (see below, which is good odds for the RAF in 1940):

The Germans place the bomber formation [3] on the table (middle left) with two pairs of low level escorts on table [2 x Me109 + 2 x Me110], with the remainder in two flights of "high escorts" [4 x Me109 + 4 x Me 110] that come into play as soon as a "boom chit" is placed on a German bomber (see below): 

Spot the difference? The inclination of a plane indicated its state - facing up means "at advantage", level means "neutral" and facing down means at disadvantage which means it is relatively easy to be shot down. The German opts to disadvantage his bombers but advantage his fighters as per the scenario specific options. The Spitfires (top right) and Hurricanes (bottom right) entered in three 'wing-man' pairs (see below, answers on a postcard):

The Spitfires (me) race in eager to press home an advantage on the Me109s by sheer weight of numbers. The planes are too far away from each other for combat (see below, note clouds do block line of sight and revert status to neutral which could be 'good' or 'bad'):

Another better photograph of the same scene (see below):

The Hurricanes "amble" in. Their opposition are the Me110's. I thought these would just be a liability however I was dutifully informed they pack a considerable punch and are not clumsy bombers but flown well can give Hurricane pilots sleepless nights (which was news to me). The British players played a special Radar card to allow them to improve their individual plane statuses (see below)

We were all set up and now about to enter combat range. It is not an IGYO system but dependant on skill level and status to determine "who goes next". This means random patches of excitement happen all over the board and the safe determinism of hex based board games is  nowhere in sight.

PS: Thanks to Renko for the hosting the game with very nice models and a much more complete understanding of the rules. In the words of Amazon and Whiskers if you like the above, nine out of ten cats who expressed a preference, also liked: https://twtrb.blogspot.co.uk/2018/05/blood-red-skies-over-channel-tale-of-j.html?showComment=1526677918061#c7630556548291730388

Blood Red Skies: Battle of Britain Skirmish (1940)

A German Flight Leader (Skill 3) with his Wingman (Skill 2) somewhere over Kent (see below):

The enemy, a pair of Spitfires, are spotted in the distance. The German Wingman is hot off the mark (gaining altitude and claiming 'advantageous position', despite being the lower skill level, while the Flight Leader (dice, argh) is a step behind 'neutral - no advantage' (see below):

The formations close and the Spitfires are both in 'advantageous positions'. The RAF have a Leader (Skill 3) and his Wingman (Skill 2) pilots (see below):

The British Wingman who was slightly better placed after the British angled in for the attack, "burns his advantage" to perform a 180 degree turn and the sleepy German Flight Leader suddenly has a Spitfire on his tail and goes to "disadvantaged".

Note: A "converted" single hit on the Me 109 in this position would kill it!

The British attack is accurate but the German pilot dodges it with a skill roll, nevertheless this close miss causes a morale (boom chit) to be acquired. The German Force morale is only "two", one more would mean the Luftwaffe would have to break off (see the "Pathe Newsreel" action shot below):

The Germans decide to scatter, the Me 109's run for cover and regroup "behind" the British Leader. He is not worried as he is in an "advantageous" position and 'out of reach' of the German guns (see below, positioning is always relative to the state of the plane:advantage - neutral - disadvantaged. Generally you need to be in the same or better state to conduct an attack):

The German force splits putting them at a seriously tactical handicap as the Leader no longer has a Wingman to cover his tail. In fact the earlier positioning of the German Wingman was at fault because the Spitfire managed to get on the German Flight Leaders tail (ooops, sorry boss my bad!). The Spitfires roar off in pursuit knowing one more "boom chit" is all they need to secure a good victory (see below, it's not looking too good for the German Luftwaffe):

The Spitfires queue up for the killing shot, out of range for a deflection shot this turn,with the British leader hoping to get a 'tail' and killing shot next turn. The British Wingman climbs for an "advantageous position" just in case his boss misses (see below):

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" 20mm canon strikes the around the British Leader's plane. "Where the hell did that come from? Where the hell is my Wingman?" Did anyone notice the retreating German Wingman had quietly climbed to an "advantageous position"? Planes in advantage go fist, but the British Wingman didn't cover the Leaders tail from behind but moved in after the German Leader. That left the German Wingman an opportunity to burn his advantage, flip his plane and perform a turn grater than 90 degrees (in fact anything up to 180 degrees) and with full throttle he is on the Spitfire's "six". As the Spitfire was in a neutral position the Me 109 on his tail puts him to disadvantaged. One "boom chit" straight away but a very important pilot skill/plane manoeuvrability roll to make or the British Leader will be going down (see below):

Six dice (pilot skill 3 + Spitfire manoeuvre rating) are rolled and a single six will save the Spitfire, odds on, but the day goes to the Luftwaffe as flames envelope the Spitfire. That awards a second "boom chit". It is all too much for the British Wingman and he heads for home, discretion being the better part of valour now,  after all he a relative "rookie" and is seriously out numbered two to one (see below):

Wow I never expected that! Intense is not the word for it. Go download the free rules and play it is my advice ;) Meanwhile after rummaging in the attic I find that my hoarding talent for "something that might come in useful one day" has paid off in the 1/144 aircraft department (see below, I seem to have stocked up with cheap Revell 1/144 and interesting Zevezda 1/144 planes):

Wartime "Battle of Britain" (model) aircraft production is now commencing!

"Blood Red Skies": Me 109's Continued

Stage 1: Airfix Primer Undercoat (see below):

Stage 2: Vallejo Brown Wash (see below):

Brown Wash Close-Up (see below):

Stage 3-5: Yellow Nose and Grey Camo Markings (see below):

Stage 6: Decals (see below):

Staffel Painting Progress (see below):

Staffel consolidation and unique markings (see below):
Useful web links:

• http://airwargreatbritain.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/colours-of-battle-1.html
• http://www.asisbiz.com/Battles/camouflage/pages/Art-Geschwader-Gruppe-and-staffel-emblem-profiles-05.html
• http://www.486th.org/Aircraft/Markings/

Stage 7: Paint in early (aka Battle of Britain) Canopy Strut (see below):

Next: Varnish - Matte, Satin or Gloss?

Blood Red Skies ... WWII Air Combat

STOP PRESS ... Spartans on hold ...

I am painting some 1:144 kit for this little beauty (see below):

http://www.beastsofwar.com/blood-red-skies/warlord-games-teaser/

More info:
https://twtrb.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/blood-red-skies-interest-and-hope-stirs.html?showComment=1501016843155#c6707933702921850702

Ding, ding, ding ... "Squadron SCRAMBLE!"

Airfix Lego Planes Flypast

I know they are kind of big (1/48+ scale) but they do make me smile (see below):

All for the kids (of course). The Me-109 and Spitfire £4.99 each from a Charity Shop. The Spitfire was a replacement for an earlier one that "got lost". The BAE Hawk Trainer (the plabe in black at the back) was £2 from a "car  boot sale". Mega bargain.

Note: From the same "car boot sale" I restrained myself from acquiring seven 1/1000 WW2 IJN Yamato Battleships .. part of me still thinks it was an 'opportunity lost' rather that a 'sensible head' on for once. Maybe it was the fact I could not sneak them into the house without the rest of the family "seeing me"!

More Revell 1/144 Aircraft (Lufwaffe: Battle of Britain)

Battle of Britain era, Me 109's and a Stuka (see below):

I now have my Me 109 "swarms" (8 planes) and a Stuka flight (4 planes). Time to scramble some RAF fighter production now, some Hurricane Mk I's next up on the assembly line.