Friday TOD - can you say Battle of Britain!!!

[Nifty]

I know you're saying "about bloody time!"   so here we go!

Kanalkampf - Channel Fight

BATTLE OF BRITAIN PHASE 1

With the Battle of France now over the Battle of Britain was about to begin. In order to invade Britain, the Germans had to have control in the air over the English Channel, otherwise the RAF and the Royal Navy would have been able to destroy their invasion force before it reached the shore.

During the opening phase of the Battle of Britain the Luftwaffe conducted what they called Kanalkampf or “Channel Fight” - attacks on shipping in the English Channel. Starting on 10 July 1940, the Luftwaffe attacked shipping convoys in the Channel and Channel Ports. They also suspected the importance of the British radar masts and attacked the stations on the South coast, damaging some of them very badly.

In this stage of the battle, the Luftwaffe was in effect probing the British defenses - looking for weaknesses before a major assault could be launched to exploit them.

The Germans made daily strikes against ship convoys. By the end of this period, the RAF was winning, at least in terms of pure numbers. The Luftwaffe had lost 248 fighters and bombers to the RAF's 148 fighters lost. While these numbers were encouraging to the RAF, it became clear that sustaining such a battle of attrition was impossible. This was not so much because of the loss of fighter craft, as the British fighter production was doing a relatively good job in maintaining fighter numbers. More importantly, the loss in qualified pilots was slowly crippling the RAF. The situation was looking grim, and the real onslaught had yet to materialize.

".......the Battle of France is over. The Battle of Britain is about to begin, upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization, upon it depends our own British life and the long continuity of our institution and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us on this island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him.....all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad sunlit uplands. But if we fail......then the whole world, including the United States......including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age.....made more sinister.....and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves......that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say 'This was their finest hour'."
WINSTON CHURCHILL, JUNE 18 1940

The first three weeks of the Battle:

Wednesday July 10th
Attack on Channel convoy. 70 bomber raid on Swansea and Falmouth. RAF Martlesham Heath in Suffolk bombed

Thursday July 11th
Attack on convoy by Ju 87's and Bf 110's intercepted by Hurricanes. Afternoon, Sptifires intercept Bf 109's, two of each shot down. Hurricanes attack 12 Heinkel 111's over Isle of Wight

Friday July 12th
Convoys attacked off southern England. Many small raids intercepted over a wide area.

Saturday July 13th
Two convoys attacked off Harwich, two raids on Dover driven off by RAF fighters, weather generally restricted operations

Sunday July 14th
Convoy near Dover damaged. British announce intention to attack German planes bearing red cross as these had been used for reconnaissance

Monday July 15th
Westland Aircraft factory at Yeovil bombed. Hurricanes spoil attack on convoy by light force of Do 17's

Tuesday July 16th
Convoys attacked off SE coast of England and NE coast of Scotland. Westland attacked again.

Wednesday July 17th
Bad weather halted most operations. Some attacks on shipping off the east coast.

Thursday July 18th
Goodwin Lightship sunk. Coastguard station at St. Margaret's Bay bombed. Minor attacks on convoys. 28 Bf 109's intercepted by 15 Spitfires

Friday July 19th
9 Defiants of N0. 141 Sqn attacked by 20 Bf 109's. 6 Defiants shot down. 70 bomber raid on Dover intercepted by 35 Spitfires and Hurricanes

Saturday July 20th
Ju 87's escorted by Bf 109's attacking convoy are intercepted by Spitfires of 501 Sqn.. Ginger Lacey, highest scoring RAF ace of the Battle makes his first Battle of Britain kill.

Sunday July 21st
Convoys in Channel attacked. Three squadrons drive off a raid by 20 Ju 87's and Bf 109's.

Monday July 22nd
Minor attacks on Channel shipping.

Tuesday July 23rd
East coast shipping attacked. Generally little activity.

Wednesday July 24th
Adolf Galland leads his Geschwader over England for the first time. Convoy in Thames Estuary and another near Dover attacked.

Thurdsay July 25th
60 Ju 87's escorted by Bf 109's attack convoy of 23 ships. Five ships sunk and five damaged. Five Spitfires and a squadron of Hurricanes intercept. In 15 minutes four German fighters are shot down.

Friday July 26th
Shipping off Isle of Wight attacked

Saturday July 27th
Dover harbour attacked twice. Belfast, Wick and Plymouth bombed

Sunday July 28th
Attack on Dover by 50 enemy bombers and 50 fighters driven off by two Hurricane and two Spitfire squadrons. South coast ports bombed.

Monday July 29th
Attack on convoy by 30 Ju 87's and 50 Bf 109's driven off. Harwich attack intercepted.

Tuesday July 30th
Bad weather hampered enemy activity. Convoys off Suffolk and Essex attacked.

Wednesday July 31st
Dover balloon barrage and south coast convoys attacked.

Thursday August 1st
Norwich bombed. Two raids intercepted off the south coast.

Friday August 2nd
Channel and east coast convoys attacked.

Believing that the British early warning system had been destroyed and the coastal towns sufficiently 'softened up' for an invasion, the Luftwaffe began the next stage of their plan. Phase 2 would be the elimination of the RAF in the air or on the ground. On 13 August (called Adlertag or Eagle Day by the German High Command), massive raids began on the airfields of 11 Group.

Allied AC
- Spitfire Mk I
- Hurricane Mk I

Axis AC
- Bf 109E
- Ju88
- Me 110C

Axis targets will include fleets and radar stations, with airfields in the later frames if things go well for the Axis.  Allied targets will be Axis planes!  

Gimme your side preferences, gents.  We'll start this one May 10th!  

[daddog]

332nd Mongrels were Axis last time and request Allied this round.

I have this spit dweeb in my squad who would have a stroke if I did not request Allied.

As always, place us where you need us for balance if required.

Also please note that starbird is now the frame C.O for our squad.

[Midnight]

412th will take either side. Put us where you need us. Figure 8 to 10 man turn-out for each frame.

[ghostdancer]

Hmm .. looks like its going to be the war of the bbs.

Let me poll my guys and get back to you on this one.

[Aub]

Groverats would prefer Axis.

Aub

[jordi]

Just Signed the DAMNED up for the Frid ay TOD.

I am the CO and DmdHorn is the XO.

We have a couple more Ddamned who are committed - or should be !

Checking thier side / ride preference.

Mike "DmdJordi" Bowman

[sling322]

We are sorry Jordi but your application has been lost in the beauraeucratic shuffle of the TOD application orifice.  Please include several pics of Andrew Jackson with your next app to ensure quick and friendly service.  

[Horn]

Originally posted by jordi
We have a couple more Damned who are committed - or should be !

Mike "DmdJordi" Bowman

Yes, I'm almost certain I should be committed.  

dh

[Sikboy]

Shills would like to fly Allied in this TOD

-Sikboy

[Wotan]

3./JG2 would prefer axis. Also bob should be set up to reflect  Phase 2 (August 8th - September 6th 1940 Attacks of RAF Airfields) and Phase 3. (September 7th - September 30th 1940 Bombing of London, Major Cities & Airfields).

Phase 1 was (July 10th - August 7th 1940) Attacks on the Channel Convoys in which stukas played a big role. Since we lack them imho we should bedin at phase 2.

Phase 4. (October 1st - October 31st 1940) Concentrated Night Bombing Tactics pretty boring for a tod imho. Night sux in ah.

Order of Battle September 15th 1940

Fighter Command Order of Battle. August 1940

Order of Battle RAF 1 August 1940

Order of Battle on August 13th 1940

CHRONOLOGY OF THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN


 

"Today we had a terrific time again, We meet a heap of Hurricanes which fly lower than we do. I am just getting ready to attack when I notice something above me and I immediately shouted over the intercom "Attention! Spitfires above us!" But they were so far away that I could begin with the attack on the Hurricanes. They were just turning away from their original course, and that sealed their fate. Almost simultaneously the four of us fired at their formation. One went on my account. The rest of the Hurricanes moved away, but then pulled up to a higher altitude. During this manoeuvre I once again caught the one on the right hand side outside. He was done for immediately, and went straight down! Now I can't say to this day what was the matter with me on this day, November 6, I wasn't sure if I wasn't quite well, or if it was my nerves which were about to break! When my second Englishman was lying down below I just wanted to go home."

[/i]

As England, despite her hopeless military situation, still shows no sign of willingness to come to terms, I have decided to prepare, and if necessary to carry out, a landing operation against her.

The aim of this operation is to eliminate the English motherland as a base from which war against Germany can be continued and, if necessary to occupy completely.

I therefore order as follows:
The landing will be in a form of a surprise crossing on a wide front from an area in the vicinity of Ramsgate to the area to the west of the Isle of Wight. Units of the Air Force will act as artillery, and units of the navy as engineers.

The possible advantages of limited operations before the general crossing (e.g. the occupation of the Isle of Wight or the county of Cornwall) are to be considered from the points of view of each branch of the Armed Forces and the results reported to me. I reserve the decision to myself.

Preparations for the entire operation must be completed by the middle of August.
The preparations must also create such conditions as will make a landing in England possible, the English Air Force must be reduced morally and physically that it is unable to deliver any significant attack on the German crossing.

 Directive No.16  

"Our method of attack would this time be in far greater numbers than before. We still did not want to engage in aerial combat over English soil because that would mean a shorter stay in actual combat, and we had to make sure that we had enough fuel to get back to our bases. By engaging combat in mid channel it meant that we could dogfight for more than twice the time and not only was it only a short distance back to base, but if we ditched, our rescue would be guaranteed.
If we attacked in large numbers, then we know that the RAF would detect this and we would draw greater numbers of fighters from their bases, then we would bring in a second wave that would give us an absolute advantage.

[/i]

Adolph Galland speaking on the onslaught of the August attacks.
 
August 8th

Scroll down until August 8th.

[skernsk]

Heh .. that TOD was written prior to 1.10 and the Hurr I, Spit I, Bf110 and 109e4.  

Now, you would think that HTC would finally get Natedog off his prettythang and include a Stuka with the other BoB planes in order to make that write up work:confused:

[Ripsnort]

Wherever you need MAG-33, place us. We've chosen more than we haven't...

[Nifty]

well, there will be a progression in targets for the LW in the TOD.  We don't have Stukas so the shipping targets will be at a minimum, and possibly only for the first frame.  Just imagine how long the writeup would have been if skernsk added in details on all the phases?  (btw, it's his writeup, I'm just running it since it's my turn up.)

It'll be fun.  It's not going to be all fighting over the channel with shipping targets.  Heck, I don't think there are enough fleets in the terrains to have that many separate targets.  

Also, there will probably be more than your typical 3 targets in this TOD.  Since the Allieds are solely fighters and 100% on the defensive (unless you guys want to use a TBM for a Blenheim.  no?  I didn't think so!) there would only be 3 total targets instead of the usual 6.  So one frame might have 4 targets for the LW, while the next might have just 3, and the last might have 5 or 6.  Whatever the case of number of targets, both sides will know what's up so we can have some fights.  

This TOD is gonna be slightly, no extremely different than what we've done in the past.  No strike objectives for one side means our automatic scoring system ain't gonna work.  So aside from knocking planes out of the sky, the victory conditions for each frame will be subjective to a degree.  For example, say the LW has to hit a shipping target, a radar installation and an airfield.  If they cause major damage to all 3, sustain minimal losses and kick the crap outta the RAF, then it'll be a overwhelming Axis victory for the frame.  If they barely touch the RAF, sustain heavy losses while still pretty much smacking the targets, it might be a draw or even a slim Allied victory for the frame.  The orders sent to the COs will have the victory conditions on them, because they'll probably change from frame to frame.  Basically I'm saying the scoring for this one isn't going to be concrete like it has in the past.  Basically concentrate on having fun and doing your assigned job well.  

[Sancho]

56th FG will go where we are needed.

[AKcurly]

It's been a long time since the AKs have requested a specific side.  However, we have a Brit in the AKs who regularly participates in TOD, so yes, please place us on the Allied side.

curly