sign up or walk on to kurland scenario, if you dont your missing out.

[Citabria]

taking off with LW3 from a21 with a flight of 3 190a5s escorting about 4 190f8s we proceeded to v30 to patrol for russian activity.

after a short period we made contact with a flight of 3 la7s and the 190a5s shot down two while the third after loosing his alt tried to climb up to the 190f8s and they duely shot his wingtip off.

the 190a5s proceeded east of 30 to investigate large group of medium alt contacts and on the way there a lone yak apeared and atempted to draw us off. thinking the rest of the contacts were yaks i turned our 3 190s northwest to grab some alt and meanwhile the yak disengaged and retreated towards the larger group.

we gained position above the attacking force and identified them as IL2's about a force of 10 sturmoviks. our 190a5s really tore them upand in the process of doing so with so much debri flying everywhere one 190a5 pilot went into a spin to avoid wreckage and augered in. our remaining 2 190a5 dispatched the entire flight of il2s and the yak returned and we shot it down as well.

this was the only direct attack attempt on v30 and it was completely destroyed except for 1 crippled la7 that limped away with 1 wingtip missing.

after this we returned to a21 to land and form up with jb42 and jb22 who would join JDW and I in 190a5s to escort the 190f8's.

we departed from a21 and headed back to v30 and started a lengthy patrol. no attacks came our way this time since we anhialated the first. during the patrol reports came in that v29 the nearby ground vehicle base was under attack by la7s and il2's and we were given orders to proceed with all haste to v29 with our 4 190a5's. we dropped tanks and went full throttle west form v30 hoping to reach the attack in time to stop it form suceeding. lw2 was moving to assist but still 45 miles out so it would be just the 4 of us for a short period. our 190f8s were awaiting orders to drop ordnance or rtb since they were short of fuel.

as we reached v29 we spotted 4 enemy aircraft. it seemed a small attack that could be once again destroyed by 4 190s without undue risk and I lead our 190s to them with orders to maintain altitude and not get dragged low. i was flying so fast, maximum level speed was already reached and I felt quite confident in my speed and altitude, perhaps a little to confident. seeing as how my flight was behind me by a good distance i ordered them to attack the la7s if they were in position to do so while i scouted ahead to find the reported il2s whos 2-3 dots loomed temptingly in the distance. surely i can catch them i thought but i got no closer and realized they must be somthing other than il2s probably more la7s so i broke off my pursuit and turned back to my flight. as I turned I spotted an la7 below me and decided not to engage him yet since i was 10 miles or more from my flight. I then spotted a single yak bearing down fast and I went into a hard barrel roll and caught him as he overshot and blew his wing off. thats when i saw it, as I was hanging there upside down trying to get my nose back down and my speed back up i could see from my inverted and vulnerable position 6 angry yaks behind me closing in fast and cleerly less than thrilled with my latest victory...

I slammed the wep on and pushed that 190 down for all it was worth with those yaks vying for position the closest yak already opening fire at a mear 160 yards back. his close distance actually made my survival possible with the rapid roll rate of the 190a5 I rolled and pushed in negative g as tracers screamed past me I could hear bullets hitting the airframe though clearly the yak was having trouble hitting my fast rolling target. down we went screaming in a vertical dive  with yaks still in trail. as the ground came up fast i rolled my fw north and turned hard for v29, the yaks broke off...

they had a new problem, LW2 showed up and began destroying yaks in a battle that went from 25k to the deck. meanwhile I reformed with my 4 190a5s over v29 who had also been engaged with the la7s and some of the fighters from the yak group but we were clear now and grabbing altitude as fast as we could. we could see to the south of v29 a large black meelee of aircraft twisting and turning slightly above us. you could see smoke trails occasionally as aircraft went down in flames and we wepped with everything we had left to get back into the fray. though no more than minutes passed in this period of grabbing to the fight it felt like slow motion. you could see the action ahead and the dire need of the valiant pilots of LW2 who galiantly came to our rescue. we had to get there and fast. the fight became lower in altitude and we went level and made with all haste to the massive furball ahead. as they came into view i first saw two friendly 190s with a yak behind them, turning hard for this I pounced on the unaware yak and dispatched it with a quick burst of 4 20mm. wading deeper into the fight I could now see lots of yaks mixed in hard fighting with friendlies from LW2 and our small band of 4 190s split up to engage every yak we saw on a friendlies 6. I turned east to see wilbuz dragging a persistent yak he called out his predicament and I closed quickly on the yak who did not evade and died unaware he wasbeing attacked as he fixate on wilbuz, during this I got separated from my wingman JDW and turned back into the center of the furball to find him clearing the 6 of another LW2 pilot with another yak on his tail, "your not killing my wingman you bastard" i said to myself as I dove in the yak began firing on JDW, my range closed and the yak pilot suspecting trouble looked back and saw me diving in broke hard left and i turned with him pulling lead i fired with all guns in an under the nose shot that sent the yak down in flames.

the fight was going our way now, LW2 had engaged and defeated most of the yak force and with our small flight of 190s now in the fight the remaining yaks were now outnumbered and on the run, only to be run down by the luftwaffe aircraft and destroyed. with the area clear jdw and I formed back up with jb 22 and jb42 who we spotted east of us after they finished off another yak, we proceeded together back to v29 where we were given orders to return to base. we arrived safely at a21 with no losses on this second flight though I had lost one of my landing gears to the fire of one of the 6 yaks on my tail at the begining of the fight and made a 2 point and 1 wingtip landing.

[Ghosth]

Nice AA report

[Batz]

You should seen the Soviet tanks assault on 33, was fuggin awesome...

Here's my CM AAR:

The First frame of the Aces High Scenario “Kulrand-Kessel” opened with an intense Soviet artillery barrage that completely destroyed the German defensive positions east of Tukkum and succeeded in displacing most of the defenders. Immediately following the artillery barrage low flying Soviet ground attack aircraft targeted the German main line of resistance.

The accuracy of the Soviet artillery barrage initially seemed to stun the German defenders. They soon recovered and were able to get a small group of tanks into defensive positions. These defenders were soon engaged by low flying Sturmoviks.

While the artillery was still falling the remaining German defenders at Tukkum spotted a recce patrol east of Tukkum. The German’s quickly sounded the alert and began to vector ground forces, fighters, and ground attack aircraft to the area.

High above the east front of the Kessel Luftwaffe and VVS Fighters were engaged in an air battle. For a brief period the Il2s had no opposition while engaging the German defenders. This changed quickly as Luftwaffe fighters fell upon the Il2s and either killed or drove them off.

 The Germans reported VVS bombers and / or Fighters over Libau and over their defensive positions North of Tukkum. East of Tukkum the Germans spotted, engaged and destroyed a small number of Soviet tanks. In the South a small number of Soviet aircraft were spotted over Moscheiken.
 
After the initial Soviet attacks were contained and endured by the Germans defenders the Soviets seemed to pause and regroup. This gave the Germans a chance to re-deploy. Activity in the south had drawn some Luftwaffe fighters and German ground forces to the area.

Late in the day the Luftwaffe reported a large formation of Soviet fighters forming up east of Tukkum. The Luftwaffe vectored fighters to the area. From the ground the German defenders had a full view of the air battle. Following this air battle the Luftwaffe fighters had to return to base but were able to inflict a large number of casualties on the VVS. For a moment the skies over the eastern front of the Kessel were quiet.

German forward patrols soon sounded the alarm east of Tukkum. Large concentrations of Soviet Armor were pushing west. Even though the VVS failed to gain air superiority over the battle area the Luftwaffe following that engagement were in the process of re-arming. This left the small group of German ground forces blocking the approaches to Tukkum on their own.

The Soviet assault force encircled the German defenders and destroyed them, rolling right through the German fixed defensives and establishing a blocking position just east of Tukkum. The Germans attempted an armored counter attack but were beaten back by the Soviet Tankers. At this time the Germans called up their own artillery targeting their previous defensive positions.  South of Tukkum German ground forces reported a formation of low flying aircraft. The Luftwaffe sent fighters to investigate. For brief moment it looked as if the Soviets would be able to secure their gains. However, the speed of the Soviet armor assault out paced their infantry. This gave the Germans time to get some ground attack aircraft into position to attack the Soviet troop transports.

In the South the VVS were able to locate and sink the German Cruiser “Prinz Eugen”. The port facilities at Libau were hit hard. The VVS attacked Skoudas but were held off by a small number of Luftwaffe fighters.

Soviet bombers hit Windau late in the day but the damage was minimal.

Nearing the end of the day the Soviets suspended their assault.

Thus ended the first battle of Kurland.