Solo Jet Game AAR (1/600)

OK, it's actually a "During Action Report" because the game's not finished.

Right now I'm in the middle of a solo game of jet combat.  As I mentioned last post, the rules are homebrew, designed for solo play and this game is the second of the playtest.

I managed to paint up the two RAF BAC Lightnings, as well as two Yak-25 Flashlights.  Another improvement was the construction of a hex-board.  I came across some free blue card stock, so I made up a quick 1" hex pattern and printed it in light gray on the card.  Even after hours of diligent cutting with the hobby knife the individual sheets don't fit together perfectly.  It's OK however, the gaps aren't too noticeable and the benefit of playing with hexes far, far outweighs having to measure movement with a ruler.

For the scenario I replayed the first scenario but added two Yak-25s.  It's late 1961 and a war between proxies, supported by the USSR and the western powers respectively, is heating up in central Africa.  The troops in these proxy forces are supported directly by the air forces of these world powers.  The USSR has accused the Federation of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland of harboring Katangan military aircraft, specifically Fouga Magisters flown by Belgian mercenaries.  Intelligence reports indicate Blinder bombers repositioning to central Africa, presumably ready to strike at Federation airfields.  In response, the United Kingdom has deployed BAC Lightnings to Salisbury in order to intercept any incoming bomber strikes.

The game starts with a single Magister, fresh from strafing communist supply trucks and fleeing to Nyasaland, in the middle of the board with two pursuing Yak-25s on the edge.  The Yaks have until turn 10 to destroy the Magister, at which time an element of two RAF Lightnings enter on the opposite corner.  The Yaks must then survive and attempt to egress back to friendly territory.  A random number of turns later, two Su-9 Fishpots arrive to intercept the UK interceptors.

With the ground rules set I played the game.  The Magister spotted the pursuing Soviet planes on turn 6.  The Yak-25s caught the Magister on turn 8.  On turn 9, the little Katangan plane tried to reverse direction, a trick that should have worked, except for a bad maneuver roll on his part.  An excellent maneuver roll on the lead Yak's part put the Soviet fighter right on the Magister's tail on turn 10, and the Fouga explodes in a hail of 37mm cannon fire.  Of course, the Lightnings had arrived, decelerating from Mach 2 and quickly the hunters became the hunted.  Or so it seemed.   The slower Yaks managed to survive the first pass and turned inside the fast UK interceptors, and suddenly the lead Yak scored another kill as he gunned down the trail Lightning!

I rolled 4d6 and dropped the low and high dice, adding the two remaining to get 9: the Fishpots show up nine turns later.  On turn 19, the two Yaks have managed to stay alive, as the cavalry in the form of two SU-9s arrives.  Both new arrivals manage to get a radar lock and fire their semi-active homing missiles at the sole remaining Lightning, just as the he rakes the lead Yak-25 with cannon fire.  The Yak survives, albeit with holes, and the Lightning immediately begins evasive action.  The SU-9's maintain their locks, guiding the missiles toward the UK fighter (Picture 1).  The Lightning breaks hard left, causing the first missile to miss and lining up the lead Fishpot for a Firestreak faceshot (Picture 2).  Before the lead Soviet can react, the British IR missile strikes home, destroying the Su-9 (Picture 3).  As soon as the Firestreak leaves the rail however, the other radar homing missile explodes off the Lightning's left side, sending shrapnel through the British fighter (Picture 4).  Will he make it home?

Honestly, this is the most fun I've had wargaming in years, if not decades.  I just purchased a set of rules called Pulp Alley.  I was going to devote a bunch of money, time and effort into building terrain and buying figures for some cool pulp adventure games.  But with my time limited by work, I think I'm going to spend my money on little jets.  I have a lot more stats to write up, game pieces to make, and rules to write down.  Lucky it's the slow holiday season.

Radar missile inbound, breaking left!

Missile dodged! (Still need to paint flight stands)

Guiding a homing missile to the target leaves one vulnerable...

         

Dodged the first, but not the second