S3 Series

The enemy tried a feint from the northeast or thought we were out there. They had two large groups of fighters, probably 352 and 4FG but these were easily avoided by our fighters.

I gathered everyone into one pile southwest of Malta and vectored everyone for a collision with the inbound group from the Northwest. Bombers covered by a single large group of fighters. The enemy from the Northeast was in hot pursuit but could not get there prior to contact.

Our fighters smashed into the enemy bombers and made them pay a heavy price for the raid, at last count 22+ bombers. We had some losses but considering that enemy fighter strength was heavier than our own in the running battle, it was a huge success.

In the real world, it would be a smashing victory to take down such a large number of bombers. However this isn't the real world, it is S3 and it is about points.

Points-wise I have no clue how we did nor do I care much.

We smashed into them against superior numbers and flamed 2 dozen bombers while they had nearly 50 fighters on scene.

After most of our survivors landed I handed over CO duties to -dazed and headed to bed.

One more frame of the defense of Malta and I imagine it will be more of the same. Everyone in fighters, avoid the enemy sweeps and punish the bombers, again.

You did a great job for the Allies Dawger - thanks! <S>

we need to protect Malta more with a cap. otherwise were not going to have anyplace to land. I rather be near the island versus being in a furball.

When the entire RAF defensive force is engaged with bombers and fighters it is more than a CAP.

When you lose many of your fighters to enemy action defending from the primary strike, you roll what you have left to defend...

Your post A) made absolutely no sense, and B) wasn't pertinent to any thing to do with an after action report. The fact that it was full of basic grammatical errors makes even more painful to read.

Contrary to what you think, every post does not have to be posted on....just like every comment doesn't need a reply.

True but! 1. I was speaking out loud in general. 2. I don't give a crap if you can or can't stand on reading what I post.

Seeing as we are going into frame 5, having somewhere to land doesn't really matter at this point. I didn't make the frame but based on Jabo's summary you guys pulled off a 46 point victory or a 22% margin of victory (A landslide by political standards. Relevant? No, but neat). Pull it off again and we "win the war". 'Dem bombs won't kill an airfield when dead. Sure, enemy gets some fighter v fighter jollies, but we score double in the process.

That being said I doubt they will allow their fighters to be so far away frame 5. Good ole stripper routine. I'd take frame 5 but chances are I'll be asleep at the wheel, figuratively. Still want me to wing Dawger?

As a relevant response to the Frame 4 AAR, I want to 1) apologize to the AE's and all who were attached to them, (loosely or otherwise) for getting you guys too far away from action after you launched late in the frame. 2) I want to thank the AE's and everyone else who was still alive toward the last hour for your willingness to get airborne under fairly stressful circumstances, and for engaging as best we could during the final hour. I had the AE's sneaking out to the southwest and was afraid they were about to be intercepted by hunters of the 352nd. You guys did great at not being seen, and were heading toward the safe area that I wanted you. Unfortunately, when I saw a small group of Allies starting to get engaged back toward southern Malta, I gave the AE's a wrong heading to fly which continued to take them away from the fight. Once I realized I had issued an incorrect heading, I corrected and the AE's responded. I was able to get the 3 guys that were engaged to drag a whole gaggle of 109's to the southwest as the AE's were heading back to the northeast. Sure wish I had not have had the brain fart and could have gotten the AE's into the fight another 5 minutes sooner.

Dobs was suppose to be frame CO, but was unable to fulfill the role due to a real life emergency for his family. Thank you Dawger for not only stepping in, but for bringing a winning plan to the table, and for sacrificing your time on the ground rather than being in the air shooting down the bad guys.

I was in various towers late in the frame watching the enemy make bombing runs with their few remaining bombers, and couldn't help but think, "I'm glad the KON's were on our side because they would not have required a second sortie to level the place". Reading Jabo's summary confirms that the LW bomber pilots just weren't very accurate with their bombs. Could be that they missed a lot of targets because our Allied fighters were hitting them hard, and even if that is the reason, I'm still very glad that the KON's were on our side in fighters causing problems for the opposing bombers.

Salutes to all, even to those disgusting swine flying those fast 109's! It has been a very fun S3 series, hopefully for both sides.

agreed dazed. you did great for running GCI.

If your first thought is "where will we land?" you have already lost.

In this series, you dont land unless you are out of gas and everyone in your formation is out of ammo.

If one guy has ammo, everyone else should be trying to wrap the enemy fighters into hard turning, furballs on the deck and get them to spin in while that last guy with 3% 303's is making passes at them.

A standing CAP at Malta will do nothing to prevent the enemy bombers from dropping bombs on Malta.

If the enemy is foolish enough to come en mass again in bombers we will smack them hard again AWAY from Malta before they get there ( unless they have a clever fighter commander who understands remote and close escort)

We face long odds to pull out a win but we are certainly going to try....

going to the deck in a furball is immediate death and doesn't always work. its wiser to boom and zoom on enemies versus getting slow in a turning fight. that's a solid fact.