WWII - 1940 - Eagle Run through

From the reviews on BGG it appears that playing RAF Battle of Britain 1940 is best played as either Eagle (Luftwaffe Solo) or 2 Player H2H. Not having an opponent, yet, These are the write ups from Playing EAGLE. I have Vassal which means that I can take this on the road with me and keep things ticking over. LION is the RAF Solo version which does appear to be mainly a responsive game and I wanted the ability to plan raids. So Eagle it is in which will hopefully generate some Scenarios for CY6.

PRELUDE TO EAGLE
This is the introductory scenario to get to grips with the game. It covers just prior to 13 August 1940.

Setting Up for Play	I confused myself for a couple of minutes sorting out the decks until I realised that all the cards are numbered and not just ones in the particular groups. It would also be useful if you were told not to use the Force Cards as I spent time looking for the rules on how these are used and couldn't find them. They are for LION only. So you only need: Target Cards 01 - 34 Raid Event Cards 91 - 131	Reminder to set aside cards for Prelude To Eagle ONLY 35 - 60 61 - 90 132 - 134 135 - 154 155 - 164
Daily Planning Phase	After shuffling the cards, I drew 10 Target cards. 4 are NO RAID due to the current strategy rating Luftflotte 3 has an easy day as has no raids assigned to it. Bad news for Luftflotte 2 (no idea if it is or isn't I have no concept for how ovestretched this will be for LF2): Major Raid against the Port of Dover Major Raid against Biggin Hill Airfield Major Raid against Hornchurch Airfield Major Raid against Kenley Airfield Major Raid against Beachy Head RDF Station Minor Raid against Hornchurch Airfield It would appear from the rules that as this is a campaign system I don't have to launch a raid against every target but can choose. The less targets I choose the easier it is to protect with Fighters (assumption on my part). However as this is a simple Scenario the VPs are harder to look at but the idea of the scenario is to introduce the player to the game and not necessarily achieve a win. As this is an introductory session I am only going to fly two missions to check how the mechanics work and then come back and playout this again (using same targets but different compositions etc). Me-109 only Freie Jagd sweep to strafe Kenley Airfield and then a bomb run against the Radar at Beachy Head using the Ju-87s! Raid 1 5 Me-109 Gruppen, 3 in HB, 1 in CE, 1 in BB Raid 2 3 Me-109 in HB 2 Me-109 in CE 2 Ju-87 in BB Weather for the Day is: 3 = Patchy Cloud	I have the following to choose from: 2 Ju-87 2 Ju-88 8 He-111 9 Do-17Z 7 Me-110 15 Me-109 6 possible raids allows me to split this into 2 time slots BUT it means that I would only have 5 Me-109 supporting each raid. This is probably a bit tight and I couldn't afford a loss. SO this means probably not having more than 2 raids per time slot and then see if I can recycle the fighters. Keeping the bombers intact does seem easier though as they can only fly once per day.
Raid Phase - Raid 1	British Detection (5) +4 for OCV, +4 for Radar, +2 Gruppen, -2 Me-109 Total + 1d6 = 13 Early Warning, Poor Intelligence. Minor Raid Rendevouz Check (4) Passed Raid Response (2) 13 Squadrons available for response however only turns into 12 counters (no 2nd for 3/11) 1 32 56 111 501 601 615 43(S) 64(S) 65(S) 75(S) 234(S) +1 11 Gp, +2 Airfield, +1d6 = 5 Minimal 7 Squadrons. I return 5 squadrons (at random) to their sectors (crossed out above). Because I declared this a Minor Raid from those left the British only send 3 squadrons to intercept (not good for the RAF, assumption), If I had declared it to a major raid then 6 would have intercepted which would, I asssume, have been harder) I end up facing the following RAF Squadrons 1, 43(S) & 64(S) NOTE: Completely messed up. REMOVE using the response priority chart. Doh! Raid 1 should have been remove 7 not take 7. So this would have been worse and only 2 squadrons to start with. However, I forgot that there were two raids this would have been 4 on the response which would have been High priority with -5 so the end result would have been that as follows. Hunter Interception 3 Squadrons vs 3 Gruppen = stay in the HB. Raid Approach Event British Altitude Advantage - No conditions apply ignore Hunter Attack (2) 3*0 + 2*4 + 1*3 = 11 Column E Rolling 1d6 = -LD ALD 1 Gruppe to CE 1 Gruppe to LL (+1 VP) 1 Gruppe Inflight 2 Sqn to LL (-2 VP) 1 Sqn to inflight (F) Raid Target Event Late Interception - Ignore as Early Warning Received Squadron Interception N/A no Squadrons. The CE Gruppe moves to BB. The HB Gruppe which moved to CE now moves to BB Squadron Attack N/A no Squadrons Bombardment 3*1 = 3 Bomb points. Move 2 columns right as no Sqns in the BB 1D6 = 5 (-2 VP) 111 & 615 Sqns disperse to Land Box (and would have lost 2 replacement points) All Gruppe to Inflight German Recovery All Me-109 move to Re-Arm Clock Check Raid Still Open start Raid 2	In terms of scenario generation not too sure what to do here. 2 Possible scenarios have been generated: We have 1 Hurricane and 2 Spitfire Squadrons up against 3 Gruppe in a straight fight which didn't go well for the RAF so the CY6 victory conditions should follow that. Second Scenario would have a ground attack scenario which sees 3 Gruppe shooting up Kenley Airfield. I don't have CY6 so don't know what do here (yet). Need to chat this with the Yahoo group.
Raid Phase - Raid 2	British Detection (6) +1 for OCV, +4 for Radar, +3 Gruppen, Total + 1d6 = 14 Sufficient Warning, Accurate Intelligence. Rendevouz Check (5) Passed Raid Response (1) 9 Squadrons possibly assigned however there are only 5 squadrons in the pool due to raid 1. 32 145 501 601 74(S) +1 11 Gp, +2 Radar, +2 Accurate & at least 1 Gruppe +1d6 = Low, -2 Squadrons. 3 Squadrons check against Accurate Intelligence with Bomber Gruppen = Yes all respond Hunter Interception 3 Squadrons vs 3 Gruppen = stay in the HB. Raid Approach Event British Altitude Advantage - No conditions apply ignore Hunter Attack (3) 3*0 + 2*3 + 1*4 = 10 Column D rolling 1D6 DDA DAL Raid Target Event Non essential Target, reduce bomb damage. Aargh Damage does not affect RADAR but at least any VP will go towards the total. Squadron Interception The spitfire intercepts one of the Ju-87s. The other Ju-87 and one CE Me-109 are not intercepted. This leaves the other CE Me-109 to be included in the combat. Squadron Attack (3) 1*0 + 1*7 + 1*2 = 9 Column E rolling 1D6 DAA -AL 1 Ju-87 Reduced stay in BB 1 Me-109 Inflight Reduced Spitfire to LL (-1 VP) Bombardment (5) 1*2 + 1*3 = 5 move 1 column left due to Patchy Cloud -1 VP only due to the Raid Card German Recovery Every one goes home for the day Clock Check Clock moves on as there are no more raids planned	Need to re-read the combat damage charts as it appears that I misinterpreted this for Raid 1. The disrupted Spitfire Squadron makes it through to the Bomber Box albeit in reduced state In terms of scenarios, This would have a small Spitfire contingent trying to get into the Ju-87s. Probably look at something requiring a jettison check as opposed to a shoot down as the RAF will be up against it. More work needed
Airfield Operations	Not being used for the introductory scenario
Calendar Update	Not being used for the introductory scenario

Overall this took the best part of evening to play as I used the VASSAL module as I was away from home. Definitely something that can be toted around to fill in the odd hours. A Word document to keep the narrative is easy to maintain. Upshot would be that the RAF are at -4 VP from just the two raids. I think the RAF were unlucky on the raid against Kenley to which disrupted the defences and peeled back the defenders against the second raid or is this my good planning (NOT!). Having just a couple of squadrons I think would have caused problems for the Ju-87 raid. A lot more needs to be played out but the mechanics are slick and the charts flow well which is good. First time I have used this particular VASSAL module which isn't necessary good for learning as the interface had to be learnt as well, but the guy who coded this gets a big thumbs up it definately made my life easier working out where things went. In Flight is an area that I want to look at again.

In terms of CY6 Scenario generation very useful tool and possibly some interesting things to be come out of it. Goes against my sensibilities though letting the Luftwaffe shoot up the airfields! but a problem facing most wargamers someone is always the bad guys.... More to follow (as usual)