Dixie vs Terminus- BoB '40 one day from many

[Dixie]

I mentioned to some people that I'd post a brief AAR from my PBEM with Terminus. We're playing the Eagle Day 1940 campaign and this is the action from the 9th September (turn 26). As I type this, I have no idea what T has planned. The 8th was a bloody day with a series of raids resulting in almost 100 LW planes shot down in return for (iirc) 57 RAF fighters. Will T' send his battered fliers up again or will he scale back his efforts to rebuild some strength?

Pre-turn screenie...

[Dixie]

0730: Radio traffic is starting to build on the continent.
0800: First RDF contact. Looks like 2 high flying recce kites at 36k.
0801: Although interception is unlikely, a section of Spitfires is scrambeled to try and catch the recce.
More radar returns, small groups of fast flying contacts. Either 110 recce or 109s on sweep missions.
The low level of radio activity points more towards these initial contacts being recce flights rather than fighters...

0900: No joy with interceptions of the recce flights, but radio activity has climbed and initial reports are being received of a raid forming over the French coast. Patrols are being scrambeled to block the likely flight paths.
0910: Several 12 Group squadrons are airborne and moving to patrol the approaches to Biggin and Kenley, 11 Group squadrons are also getting airborne and moving to patrol further towards the coast. Radio activity is dying off, so the raid looks to be fully formed. 100+ bombers with a heavy fighter escort.
0915: First actions as 109s attack a section of Polish Hurricanes and shoot one down.
0930: A few scattered combats between 109s and Hurricanes and I come off worse. The raid is heading to the north of London, actually flying over the city. Either they're targetting London itself or one of the bases to the North.
0940: More radio traffic, looks like another raid is in the making. Meanwhile Northolt is being bombed by raid 1.

[Dixie]

0945: Northolt has been hit hard, although in the air my Spitfires have started to enter the fray.
1000: The Northolt raid was harried back towards the coast. RAF fighters harried the stragglers all the way back. Losses are now 9:5 in my favour.
1000: Meanwhile, a second raid has been picked up over the coast, 150+ bombers are inbound.
1015: First combats for the second raid, once again 109s hit the Hurricanes and shoot 1 down.
1025: The Hurricanes hit back, although their orders emphasise targetting bombers 85 Sqn go after the escorts. In a well orchestrated attack a 109E is sent crashing to the ground. The kill marks the CO's 5th victory.
1055: The Germans have gone home after bombing Purfleet. The last series of clashes went in favour of the LW, due mostly to the fact that the Spitfires failed to make contact with the raids. Losses are now 10:9.


1125: Another raid, this time heading into 10 Group territory. The first clashes happen out over the Channel.
1135: 109s have once again knocked my Hurricanes about a bit. The raid looks like it's heading towards Weymouth, or more likely Weston-Super-Mare.
1140: Stukas are diving down on Weymouth Power Station. Lots of them.

[Dixie]

1145: The Stukas are on the way home, however they have proven a useful point here. Whilst they smashed up their target they also suffered quite badly to the limited AA defences around the target. There are plenty of stragglers which will hopefully be swept up as they try and limp home. Half a dozen of the bombers are also brought down by barrage balloons, they aren't just a target for the fighters to shoot down...
1200: The Stukas have proven their vulnerability once again, 247 Sqn have shot down half a dozen with their Gladiators. If enough fighters can be brought to bear then Stuka parties are great!
1300: The daytime action is done.


Summary of the daytime action...

[Dixie]

1730: More radio activity building. RAF nightfighters are getting ready to go to work tonight.
1830: RAF nightfighters are moving to their patrol areas, blocking any potential attacks on London.
1900: The raid has been detected, radio traffic has peaked and the level points towards one raid.
2030: Camberwell was bombed by the Luftwaffe, RAF nightfighters were inefective. One bomber was shot down by the FIU. Which highlights another area, the RAF nightfighter force is pretty poor. Although Beaufighters are much better than the Blenheims they replace, their success rate has been low for some reason...

[Dixie]

And the end of the day...

The 109s did well today, knocking down most of my losses, however the LW suffered heavy losses from the Stuka force. Although they were only involved in a single raid on a coastal target the type lost more aircraft than any other type.
Not a bad day all round, losses were a lot lighter than yesterday. The Spitfres mostly missed their interceptions else there would have been more Luftwaffe casualties. Spitfires do seem to do well in comparisson to their numbers, a few of the squadrons are becoming highly experienced.

[Rob Brennan UK]

Thank you Dixie for taking the time to write this , AAR's have been a tad rare here [;)]

[Dixie]

Hopefully I'll find a better turn to write about at some point, and write about it better as well.  [;)]

[mikkey]

thanks for AAR Dixie!