Gents, introducing next month's FSO. Its not how it actually happened, but it could have...
June, 1945...
The problems for the Allies started early in America's involvement in the war. Succumbing to the pressures of Stalin, President Roosevelt departed from the advice of Churchill and supported an invasion of France at the earliest opportunity. In early 1942, the date was set, and plans and preparations were begun for invasion of France in the fall of 1943. What were unforeseen at the time were the losses suffered by the U.S. Navy at Midway and later in the Solomons. Mostly due to perceived poor leadership through the losses of 1942, Roosevelt lost the presidential election of 1942. President Joseph Kennedy was sworn in in January 1943, and promised a decidedly different strategy to win the war. Gone was the "Germany first, Japan second" strategy espoused by Roosevelt. Stating that the Japanese menace was the primary threat to the country, President Kennedy began to concentrate U.S. power towards the Pacific. After the Japanese invaded Australia with massed landings of troops at Darwin in late 1942 and early 1943, many of the resources intended for the invasion of France were diverted to the Pacific. Roosevelt’s plans for Lend Lease were scrapped, with all available assets focused on winning the war in the Pacific.
Meanwhile on the Eastern Front, with the Nazi's southern and western flanks secure, the Germans were able to consolidate their positions in the Urals, and fought the Russians to a stalemate.
Late 1944...In England, things began to look very grim. The Eight Air Force bombing campaign was stopped due to massive losses caused by the resurgent Luftwaffe. Daily battles were fought in the air over the English Channel with heavy losses for both sides. While the defense of Britain was never in doubt, offensive options for the Allies in Western Europe narrowed quickly. As the American campaign in the Pacific culminated, new American B-29's were being readied to be flown from bases in Ireland, Scotland, and Iceland. New long-range fighters that were designed to fight in the Pacific were trickling in to the European theater.
Hitler saw that the American juggernaut was soon to achieve victory against Japan, but sensed an opportunity to capitalize upon Allied war-weariness and possibly achieve a separate peace with Britain and the U.S. that left its European conquests intact. With President Kennedy stepping up political pressure against Britain, Hitler felt the time was ripe to begin a strategic air offensive that would force the Allies hand. His tool, an increasingly experienced Luftwaffe, flying the latest technologies from German industry.
The second Battle of Britain was about to begin...
Frame 1: 11 July, 2008
Frame 2: 18 July, 2008
Frame 3: 25 July, 2008
Scoring:
Objective based scoring will be used. 50% of each frame's score will be for air-to-air kills, with the remaining 50% being divided between 4 air-to-ground objectives each frame. Each air-to-ground objective will be worth a total of 12.5 points. Objective scores will be based on victory criteria that will be published in each frames objectives.
Air-to-Air
Air-to-air score will be worth 50 potential points each frame. The total number of aircraft that lift for each side will be tallied and added together using their respective point totals. That number is the total aircraft potential for each side. All single engined piston fighters will be worth 1 point. All Me-262's will be worth 2 points. Ar-234's will be worth 2.5 points. This scoring means that the Allies could potentially achieve greater than 50 points for total air-to-air kills. For example, if 100 German aircraft lift, 60 German aircraft are shot down, and 20 of those kills were Me-262's, it would equal 80 points. To reach the percentage score, the total points scored will be divided by total aircraft lifted. So, in this case, the allies would divide 80 by 100, for a percentage score of 80%. Then, .8 would be multiplied by 50 to reach a final air-to-air point total for the Allies of 40. If we use the same example, but 50 of those aircraft are Me-262's that are shot down, the Allies would score 110 points, which when divided by 100 would equal 110%. That percentage times 50 would give the Allies 55 air-to-air points.
Air-to-Ground
Air-to-ground score will be worth 50 potential points each frame. Each of the 4 target objectives will be worth 12.5 points to either side. The Allies and Germans will be awarded points based on victory conditions listed in each frame’s objectives. Target objectives will consist of strategic targets only. Each objective will have its own victory conditions that will define who receives points, and for what destruction criteria. Both sides will have an equal potential to score the same points for each objective.
Plane Set:
German
Me-262 (64 maximum)
Ar-234 (64 maximum, formations enabled)
Bf-109K4
Fw-190D9
Ta-152 (64 maximum)
Allied
Tempest (64 maximum)
Spit 14 (64 maximum)
P-51D
P-47N (64 maximum)
Spit 16
Special Rules:
Manual calibration will be used for bombers
Arena Settings:
--BoB Map
--Fuel Burn 1.0
--Icons Short
--.3 Ack
--Fighter and Bomber Warning Range 52,800 (10 miles)
--Tower Range 52,800 (10 Miles, To Match Warning Range)
--Visibility 17 Miles
--Wind speed will vary with altitude
--Radar Off
--Enemy Collisions On
--Friendly Collisions Off
--Killshooter Off
--Takeoff time per weekly objectives
