I've written a new scenario for Check Your 6: Jet Age for the Yom Kippur War, called "Strike on el-Arish" here is an AAR of one of our play test games.
History: By the summer of 1973 a total of 38 (Libyan) Mirage 5D and 5DEs were in full service with EAF. At the start of the war they were held in reserve flying CAP over the Nile. When the Americans began flying desperately needed supplies into the Israeli held el-Arish airfield in northern Sinai, the EAF decided to committed their few Mirages to attempt a low level strike on the airfield. Flying at surface level over the Mediterranean the Egyptians hope to slip in undetected. However, a USN E-2 Hawkeye spotted the approaching Egyptian Mirages, and informed the Israelis. A pair of Neshers heading towards the Suez Canal were vectored to intercept the oncoming strike.
Setup, the Egyptians have a cloud of Mirage 5s (10 aircraft broken into 2 elements, a lead element of 4 Mirages, and a trail element of 6 with a mix of 6 green pilots and 4 skilled), these are loaded with bombs and do not carry Air to Air Missiles, as they were outfitted to carry AIM-9 Sidewinders, but the Americans had not provided the Libyans with any, and the Egyptians had not had the time to convert the fittings to carry Atolls. However the Mirages are valuable so +1 VP per kill.
The Israelis have a pair if Neshers armed with a pair of deadly Shafrir II missiles with a veteran and a skilled pilot.
The table is 45x30 hexes with the long axis North-South. The North 2/3 are considered water, the airfield located in the Southern third of the table, is defended by 3 light AAA positions and a HAWK battery. Nominally the Egyptians have surprise, so the lead element sets up very close to the airfield, and will reach it in a couple of turns. (There is a possibility the airfield will not react to their arrival and not fire till the first attack by variable rule). The trail element will enter the Northern End of the table on a variable turn, and the Neshers will enter the South West bottom or Edge of the table also on a variable turn.
Startup: The Israelis roll the worst possible variable result: "Americans on the ramp" (+1 VP for bomb hit), the Egyptians got to exchange a green pilot for a veteran pilot and ran him in the lead element.
The Israelis rolled an early entry (turn 1) and entered the South West edge and to tried to intercept the first wave of bombers. As the EAF Mirages closed on the airfield, each Neshers each launched a single Shafrir. One smoked a green EAF Mirage, and the second missed with the second. Score: Israel 3, Egypt 0.
The first missile hit!
The following turn the Mirages attacked the airfield. Only a single Mirage hit the airfield, but the EAF Vet, bulls eyed a C-141Starlifter for 6 VP (2 VP per hit, +1 per hit for variable rule). Score: Israel 3, Egypt 6 (Tricky Dick is going to have a tough time explaining this).
Seeing Egyptian lead element had done its damage, the Israelis Immelmanned away from the airfield and turned towards the second element to try to intercept the next wave of 6 Mirages. The Skilled pilots of the Egyptian lead element then circled around and started to chase the Neshers. The Egyptian Vet, went HAWK hunting, and managed to miss on his first run, while the HAWK reached out and smoked an incoming green Mirage. Score: Israel 6, Egypt 6.
The EAF Mirages bank away from the airfield in pursuit
The Israelis had a problem, they had to move towards the pack of 5 Mirages, and not give the Egyptians a ton of shots at the oncoming Neshers. So they kept an outside line, and burned towards the Egyptians, while the pair of Mirages from the first strike chased. The HAWK failed to lock on a new target, as the Egyptian Vet missed another gun run on it.
The chase is on, the bombers to the left, the Neshers in the middle, the lead element Mirages to the right. Note the smoke to the left the HAWK kill, and the Vet strafing the HAWK battery in the upper right
The Israelis Neshers then Split S into the rear of the bomber formation and got a crappy gun shot at a passing Mirage, and missed. Due to the Split S, they were unable to launch Shafrir. The Israelis added speed so they could chase the fleeing bombers (bad mistake). The chasing EAF Mirages from the lead element where close to the Neshers. The HAWK locked and smoked another Green Mirage. Score: Israel 9, Egypt 6.
To the Israeli player's horror, he realized I could only make Extreme turns (and thus unable to launch missiles), at speed, the Israelis were at an angle to cross the bomber formation, and away from the chasing Mirages. So, the Israelis ended up behind the formation, but unable to use the Shafrir. The Israeli's got a long range gun shot, and missed.
Neshers unable to get a good shot, the chasing EAF Mirages, burn to close in on them.
The EAF Vet had to Immelmann for another run at the HAWK. The HAWK locked and fired and missed, then died to the Vet.
Now, the Israelis were in real trouble, EAF Mirages on all sides and only 3 loaded ones left (one had unloaded on its own to take on the Neshers) The Israeli skilled pilot was not in position to move last, and ended up moving early in the sequence, and got into trouble, some of the trailing element Mirages had reached the airfield and where bombing, the AAA was ineffective, and the loaded Mirages made their run on the airfield. The Israelis launched their last Shafrirs, at them, one hit for 48 points (and he shook it off!), the second Shafrir fell dead off the rail. However, both bombers missed on their bombing run.
The chasing EAF Mirages, snapped around and lined up the skilled Israeli pilot and hit him twice, he shook off the first hit, and blew up on the second. Score: Israel 9, Egypt 12.
A Sky full of Mirages, before the Death of Amit (the skilled Israeli pilot), the sole loaded Mirage is the one with the gray dice.
A single loaded Mirage remained; it turned south to make his run on the airfield, with the Israeli veteran pilot on his tail. The Israeli was unable to prevent the Egyptian from dropping his bombs, but, he fired a burst and smoked the skilled Mirage. Score: Israel 15, Egypt 12.
But the bomber had dropped his bombs, if he missed the Israelis won, if he hit, they tied. He rolled boxcars, another burning Starlifter, 2 hits 6 points! Final Score: Israel 15, Egypt 18.
Final toll: 4 dead Mirage 5s, 3 green 1 skilled (All KIA). 1 dead Nesher (KIA) and 4 runway hits.
Close game everyone liked it. The Scenario can be found in the Check Your 6! Yahoo Group, in the files under: Jet Age player designed scenarios
BTW for the EAF Mirages camo, I used Vallejo Ocher Yellow as the base, with Reflective Green and French Mirage Blue, over Pale Blue.
