Speaking of "What-If" scenarios....

[Stoney]

Sax,

Do you have any resources that can be used for research on this, beyond what's available on the web?

[Saxman]

As far as what? Descriptions of a typical makeup of a V-1 site, or the actual planned use of USMC Corsairs to hit the sites?

[Dux]

I'm actually on top of this one guys.

You handle the planning and logistics, I'll take care of the targets.

[Stoney]

As far as what? Descriptions of a typical makeup of a V-1 site, or the actual planned use of USMC Corsairs to hit the sites?

No, books, articles, etc. about Project Danny.  The stuff I found on the web is pretty thin.  It would be good to do some more substantial research on this before embarking, especially if there are some books that could flesh this out.

[Saxman]

Stoney,

I'll see what I can find. First mention I found of it was actually on this board from some years back, and searching online came up with some more specific information. I'll check with Widewing especially. If it was ever in print, he either has it, or knows where to find it.

Sweet, Dux. Again, I think the only thing REALLY needed would be the V-1 launch rails, and some sort of "base" to put them on. The rest of the V-1 sites could probably be constructed from existing objects (again, I think ammo bunkers, fuel tanks, and maybe barracks would be sufficient. Hangars would be too hardened, IMO).

[ghostdancer]

Since you are interested, need to get your a strat map. The spacing of targets is key to many of events. They need to be spaced out so that the defenders are not all clumped together but still close enough so that the defenders in the middle sector could either turn to the one of the flanks and help out there but not so close that the defenders on one of the flanks can get to the other to help out.

Otherwise you start to get massive clumps of defending aircraft that become very tough nuts to crack. Sometimes that can't be helped and is dictated by the terrain and maybe might even part of the design but usually it is good to spread things out. So next step is take a look at the map for the North Sea. You thinking that terrain or BoB4?.

Same goes for the CVs .. using them will allow you to position them where needed for strikes against targets but you want to make sure they can get to alt and then get to target say by T+40. They have to hit the target by T+60 (as you know) but you want to build in a cushion of time to allow the CiC to construct battle plans that don't have their forces taking a direct route from their launch point. And in the case of CVs you want to make sure the enemy has to search for them (which is why we put them in a 3 or 4 sector containment grid.

Again usually we have these containment areas not overlapping usually so that the you don't have 2 or more groups of defenders basically formed up over and defending 2 fleets placed right on top of each other.

You really need to start taking a look at a strat map to get an idea of placing attack objectives and such. Some maps are tougher to do this on than others.

[Dux]

You thinking that terrain or BoB4?.

I am talking about the update to BoB04... BoB08 which will be ready in the fall.

[Saxman]

North Sea MAY be better, as IIRC it would give more room for the positioning of the Allied task groups, and I think I may still have a copy of the map from when my squad flew in that campaign. If not is the full-sized strat map used by the CiCs up for download on ahevents, or could you post or e-mail it to me? I sent a PM to Widewing to see if he has more information on Project Danny that may help with planning a full FSO campaign around it. I didn't ask specifically about where the targeted sites were located, but can follow up if he has more reliable information to work from.

[Saxman]

Did a quick search on Yahoo. So far the most specific details of target locations I can come up with is Eastern France as part of Operation Crossbow, so the BOB terrain would appear to be more appropriate, as far as the historical plan. However this was a brief mention in Wiki under one of the squadron's designated for the assignment (VMF-511, although similar references also appear in the Wiki pages for the other four squadrons of MAG-51) and the link in this Wiki page to Operation Crossbow - Project Danny is no longer valid.

However a list of V-1 sites from the actual Wiki article on Operation Crossbow (Project Danny is not listed) bombed by the Allies is as follows:

Abbeville (Tilley-le-Haut)
Abbeville (site in wood at Flixecourt)
Ailly
Amiens ("Wemars/Cappel")
Anderbeck
Anderbelck
Acquet
Acquet
Ardouval
Bachimont
Belle Croix
Belloy-sur-Summe
Blangermont
Bois de la Justice (#74)
Bonneton
Bremont les Hautes
Bristillerie
Cachie D'Eque
Cocques
Coubronne:
Droinville (#50)
Ferfay
Ferme du Forestal
Foręt de Croc
Gapennes
Gorenflos
Grand Parc (#107)
Herbouville
Jardins
La Glacerie
La Houssoye
Les Hauts Buissons
Les Landes
Maisoncette
Mont Candon
Mont Louis
Oisemont
Pont A Verdin
Prouville
St Philibert Ferme
Regnaville
Remaisnil
Rollez
Sottevast
Wadicourt

[ghostdancer]

Did a quick look at North Sea and it really only covers Denmark and North. France is not all on it and only a sliver of the Netherlands or is that Belgium next to Denmark?

Were there any V1 bases in Denmark?

Otherwise looks like the BoB4 terrain might be your only bet.

[Saxman]

Operation Crossbow would have covered V-1 sites in France for certain, possibly the Dutch coast, so you're right, as far as geography BOB would be the best option. To give enough range between launch sites and targets (both sides) some of the V-1 sites and alternate Allied targets, and active Axis bases would have to be further inland than they may have been historically, tho. Either that, or Allied carrier operations would be restricted to the larger bodies of water along the Normandy coast, or north of Calais.

Is the BOB map in 1:1 scale? If it's at a reduced scale for playability of flight times another option, though it may take more time to implement, would be to create a "zoomed in" map closer to a 1:1 scale to spread out objectives.

[Dux]

BoB04/BoB08 is 1:1.

[Saxman]

Ok, this would mean concentrating the Allied task groups north of Calais and along the Normandy Coast to provide them enough room to navigate, with both Axis launch points and Allied targets further inland. There MAY not be much choice but have the Allied carrier groups combined in two groups of three. This will also present an added challenge for the Allied strike packages, as there's considerably more radar to have to navigate, especially towards the Western and central ends of the map.

Another possibility is that Project Danny would have rolled off sometime after the Normandy landings, so at least part of continental Europe would be under Allied control at this time. This could open up a new defensive objective for the Allies of either the beachhead itself, or Allied convoys (represented by destroyer-only task forces) in the channel.

[Fencer51]

From what I have read on this topic, the action would have taken place after July 1944.  This would have meant that the targets of the attack would not have been those sites along the Channel Coast but those on the coast of Holland and Denmark.

http://www.adamsplanes.com/VMF-512.htm

[Delirium]

Besides, I would not put the V1 sites where they were historically, other than 'on the coast'. Finding them would be half the fun and make more sense imho.