The first play-test for the "Air War over Malta" went well at Waterloo Minis. We used the aerial rules WARBIRDS in MINIATURE (WBiM) rules.
In the first game (Sept 1940) we had 4 players. 2ea Gladiators vs 4ea Fiat G.50's and 2ea SM 79. The game ended in a tie as the Italian Bombers attacked but did not destroy any of the docks north of Vellea Malta. No planes were shot down or even seriously hurt. One of the Gladiators was smoking for two turns but continued to fight. In the end of Malcolm's pilots did have a rough landing and was seriously wounded and evacuated back to England for recuperation.
For the 2nd game ((NOV 41) we had 5 players, The RAF flew 2 Hurricanes MKII, 2 Bristol Beaufighters vs Italian 4ea machi 200 and 2ea SM 79. The game started off rough for the Italians Bombers when on turn 2 one of the SM 79 met a Beaufighter and his 20mm cannons. My lead bomber took 10 heavy and 1 light hit…OUCH!. Killing my lead pilot, wounding both waist gunners, knocking out one engine and other minor damage but we continued to the target (a 40mm AAA site). On turn 4, Steve our rookie pilot shot and hit one of the Beaufighter s. Due to the Light Hit the RAF plane had to take a morale check and rolled bad so one Beaufighter had to abort it's mission and head back to base. (This of course is kept secret form the enemy)
The bombers found their target on turn 6 and dropped their medium bombs but once again failed to knock out the AAA gun target. One of the bombs did scatter and destroy a civilian target giving both side one Victory Point (VP) I give each side a VP when a Civilian target is destroyed either on purpose or by scatter. One to the Axis for terror caused and one for the Allies for morale!.
The British fighters kept after the bombers as they headed home and caused more damage to both of them even while fending off the pesky Italian fighters. The game ended on turn 11 when all the Italian planes flew off the board and made it back to Sicily.
The game did not end there; in WBiM you have to roll for successful return and landings. My lead bomber with the dead pilot made it home using the Co-Pilot but crashed on landing killing the bombardier and one of the wait gunners. All other crew except the Co-pilot were hospitalized. The other Italians made it home, Steve the rookie is now a Veteran pilot. Once again one of Malcolm's RAF pilots crashed landed his Hurricane and once again had to return to "Blighty" due to wounds. All other RAF planes survived. This game also ended in a tie. Both sides with 1 VP.
I hope to run a few more play test before the W'Burg Muster in Feb and Cold Wars in March.
Bing
