Dan Verssen Games
B-17 Leader
Jan 8, 2019
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This game was conducted in the winter of 2019. I just came across my notes from that game and have decided to make them available here.
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Combined Bomber Operations, June 1943
Outfitting the 8th Airforce:
20th Fighter Group: P38s
31st Fighter Group: Spitfires
351st Bomber Group: B17Gs
385th Bomber Group: B17Gs
388th Bomber Group: B17Gs
389th Bomber Group: B24Ds
448th Bomber Group: B24Hs
2 Recon Assets
June Week 1:
Weather in the UK is clear, mostly cloudy over France, clear nearer Switzerland, and partly cloudy over Germany.
Recon missions are sent out ahead of operations for the week. The recon assets discover weaknesses in the approach to the Naval port on the Elbe.
Escorted by the 20th FG, the 389th and 448th BGs take off for the naval port on the Elbe, expecting heavy resistance.
Communication failures at the outset misdirect the 20th FG, meaning the B24s have to brave the strike on the Elbe unescorted. To make matters worse, despite good weather on the target-bound flight, the groups become dispersed.
Headed NE, the bombers meet the first flight of bandits. Rocket-armed BF109s take out the lead B24 of the 448th BG. The bandits then weave in-and-out of the dispersed 448th, sending down a second B24 and further disrupting the American formation. Heavy ME410s then sweep in to take advantage of the disruption caused by the BF109s. The ME heavies send down a further 9 B24s. Despite their losses, the gunners of the 448th manage to send down all of he BF109s and ME410s.
A flight of BF110s attempt to harass the 389th but are luckily unsuccessful. The green gunners of the 389th fail in turn to ward off the BF110s. The bandits reform in the rear of the 389th and manage to take down 6 of the B24Ds on the second run, before returning to their base near Hamburg.
The 389th and 448th, bloodied but in tack, tighten up their formations as they near the naval port. A second flight of BF110s appear nearer the target and target the 448th. In exchange for 6 further B24s, all of the BF110s are sent down in flames.
Over the target, evidence of British night bombing shows heavy damage to the naval port, but the enemy flak installations remain undamaged. Both bomber groups suffer further losses over the target. The 448th loses 6 B24s, the 389th 9 B24s. Despite their growing losses, the 448th manages to score a hit on the port. The incendiary bombs of the 389th miss their target. Thanks to the success of British night bombing, the hit scored by the 448th advances the naval port to "heavily damaged" status. Now out of bombs, the two bomber groups turn home.
On the homebound flight, the B24s run into one last wave of bandits: a veteran squadron of FW interceptors. The initial pass of the FW190s luckily yields no losses, but after hard pursuit, they manage to send down another half dozen bombers before returning back to Germany.
Of the original 48 B24Hs of the 448th BG, only 15 return to base with a majority of the 389th. Both groups will need to rest next week and recoup their losses.
The three other BGs with B17Gs (the 99th Bomber Wing) head out to bomb a factory in Halberstadt. Prior to take off, intel reports suggest that German priority for the target is low.
On the target-bound flight, the B17s encounter no bandits over the channel, and their British fighter escorts turn back as they reach French coast. Finally near the target, the B17s encounter novice interceptors in BF109s. Armed from above with rockets, the BF109s get a lucky strike on bombers of the 351st BG, sending down three of the B17s and dispersing the group. The bandits pass through the remainder of the formation undamaged and return without further harassing the B17s.
Over Halberstadt, the American bombers manage to avoid losses from flak. The 385th passes over the target first: 0 hits. Next comes the 351st: 1 hit. Then comes the 388th: 2 hits. One more hit and the factory would have suffered a reduction in output.
Turning back to the coast for the homebound flight, the bombers are met by a flight of FW190 interceptors. Targeting the bombers of the 388th, 6 B17s are sent down. Luckily, the bombers manage to send down all of the bandits, and the bombers return to base without suffering further loss.
Thus ends the first week.
Week 2:
At the start of the week, two new commanders arrive: fighter commander Zemke is assigned to the 31st FG and commander Roper in the 388th BG. New recon units also arrive as well.
Undertaking their own missions, the recon assets uncover weaknesses in the positions at Halberstadt and the airfield at Angers, France.
The 99th Bomber Wing then prepares to attack the factory at Halberstadt again.
German response for the mission is expected to be high as the 31st FG takes to the skies, escorting the B17s. Roper and the 388th are armed with M50A1 Incendiary Bombs. Flying the same vector as before, more bandits form up to oppose the bombers over the channel.
A mix of veteran and green FW interceptors are warded off by the Spitfires, but a flight of BF109s manage to make it through the fighter screen and target the B17s. Three Spitfires are sent down before the FWs are forced to retire. The BF109s for their part send down a couple B17s, but otherwise fail to do further damage. All bandits are warded off.
Over the Ruhr, more German bandits are intercepted by Zemke's FG. A handful of his fighters are lost to the bandits, but they luckily keep the bombers safe. Zemke turn's back, leaving the 99th bomber wing to continue the mission.
Over Halberstadt, flak losses are high. The 385th passes unscathed, the 351st loses 9, and worse hit is the 388th, which loses 15 bombers.
Despite their losses, all groups pass over the factory and manage to let-loose their payloads. The 385th scores 1 hit, the 351st 2 hits, and the 388th 0 hits. The resultant bombing leaves the factory suffering from heavy damage. Turning around, the bombers reach the channel before meeting a pack of bandits.
A group of FW190s an BF110s meet up to attack the bombers. The 110s fail to take out any bombers, and under concentrated fire from Roper's group, many of the 110s are sent down in flames.
Week 3 (at this point I started taking bulleted notes):
The 389th and 448th BGs are back in action, reinforced, and better equipped!
They take another stab at the naval port on the Elbe and this time manage to take it out! Success.
The 99th Bomber wings switches targets this week and fly out to Angers, France. The airfield their is heavily damage and the recon elements report that it's eventually abandoned by the Germans.
Week 4:
The 99th Bomber Wing returns to Halberstadt and destroys the ball-bearing factory their, finally completing a month's worth of work.
The B24s of the 389th and 448th launch a fire raid on Le Trait. Poor weather and smoke pots on the ground unfortunately yield a failure for the B24s, but global reports for the end of the month are positive. The Allies have captured Tunisia, won at Kursk, and gone on to occupy Kyiv.
July Week 1:
The B24s return to Le Trait and manage to destroy the naval positions there. The cost for success in this case was high though. Zemke's 31st FG suffers abhorrent losses, and is out of action for the remainder of the month.
The B17s return to Halberstadt and obliterate a new target: an aircraft factory.
Week 2:
The B24s fly out to La Pallice and destroy a naval port there.
The B17s fly out to Nantes and destroy an airfield there.
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At this point, I felt I'd pretty much built my bomber groups up to the point that they couldn't be defeated, so I called it a game. I'll revisit this game soon.
