S3 Series

What a week...I am glad it is over.

On the Friday before the 'off' weekend, I partitioned over my boot drive, and was stuck in a loop of restarts and Firmware password lock screens. It wasn't until the following Wednesday that I got back up and running after re-imaging the entire drive. Reading the forums, I saw that we were running short on time for a frame 1 CO. I made one last plea on Friday and with no takers, I picked it up on Saturday morning. I wrote the orders on using my phone while hoping reinstallation of the game software, TS and Controllermate would go without a hitch. On Sunday, I reinstalled the software, finishing up around T-120.

The plan was simple, but the first few minutes were total chaos. Our radar screens were lit with blips...all similar in size and shape. Gone were the "T"s and inverted 'T's that denote AI...in their place were the regular, grey squares usually used for 'human' players. This subtle change made it difficult to tell our Jagdgeschwaders, Kampfgeschwaders from AI Drones or AI ground troops. Confounding the situation even more was when the AI Drone routines started. Blips were EVERYWHERE.

At T+0, the 4th FG fighters in England launched to CAP the Dover fields awaiting the Allied attack to close those forward fields. Luftflotte 6 rolled at T+0 from their coastal French airfield and climbed across the Channel to support the 4th. The 4th moved north then west and engaged the Allies about 20 miles NW of our English fields. They sustained early losses, but kept the RAF far enough away from the fields, disrupting their early attack. Lf6 came in and found RAF fighters and bombers and members of the 4th from all altitudes and down to the deck. The American Eagles rolled from their field in France and came across the channel for additional support to our Jagdgeschwaders.

Initially, the plan was for the combined Kampfgeschwader to attack F19, F43, C74 and to draw the RAF fighters north, away from their anticipated target area. The AE came through to help 4th and Lf6 with the engagement NW of Dover. Our fighters managed to tangle up the RAF enough for the Strikers to successfully attack and close East Church (F19). Throughout the remainder of the frame, the Jagdgeschwaders refueled/rearmed and returned to the Dover area, staging for interdiction, while the bomber groups dodged RAF to rearm and continue the attacks.

At T+15, I asked Jabo to roll the first two of four AI missions - AI 'Alpha' Ju87 Stukas were to roll from France, proceed north to their RP then come due west into F32 to attack. AI 'Beta' Ju87 Stukas were tasked to head directly to the RAF forward airfields of West Malling (F35) and Detling (F34). Status of their attacks were not relayed to the CO, but I believe some damage was detected at F32 when the Night Stalkers, Nomads and Doolittle Raiders sighted and destroyed Manston (F32), for our second closed field of the night. At T+35, I asked Jabo to roll the last two of four AI missions - Ju87 Stukas tasked to Southend (City 74). Again, no BDA was immediately available.

Mid-frame and late frame action was an organized chaos, with the Kampfgeschwaders targeting and successfully closing the RAF forward field at Dealing (F34). While the attack at 34 was going on, an element from the Night Stalkers located and reduced the English ground troops supporting the attack at the front. He achieved some successes before being run off by the RAF.

The remaining KGs then focused on closing the Radar installation at Pevensey (F89). As our KG assets entered the Pevensey airspace, English coastal watchers called out our intentions and the Air Ministry ordered remaining RAF due south for defense. Literally moments before their arrival, and as the KGs closed their fourth field, we vectored our remaining Jagdgeschwaders to the area to support our egressing bombers. The AE reached our bombers as they were running back to France with Supermarines on their tails.

Meanwhile over our fields at Dover, a Rotte from 4thFG and a Rotte+1 from Lf6 vigilantly fought seven RAF aeorplanes and forcing the Allies to return home.

We sustained substantial losses in human and AI airframes, but that is the only negative of the evening. Our fleigers closed four RAF airfields and successfully protected our own English airfields and the port / shipping at Dover. I find it strange that there was not a focused Allied attack on our forward fields.

Heafty ~S~ to you all. Well done.

Horrido!

Good wrapup, boss. It was good plan that was straightforward and used our squads' talents well.

As you observed, and as I opined on the buff AAR, we initially were in "the state of confusion", and Darryl was "the secretary of state"!!!. Still laughing at that buff goat rope, but we settled down and did some decent work.

- Remember that we have all the experienced strike/buff dweebs on the Axis Air Order of Battle. Dunno who the Allies are using. Maybe they are doing "jabo" attacks with their Hurris? So we may see most Allied buff missions done by the drones.

HINT!!! Try to look at the tgt fields ahead of time so we can close things on one pass, two at the most. Even the lites should look, as sometimes all we left standing is an outhouse or hootch.

- The lack of colors and the inverted "t" sybols is a bear for GCI, but I thot Bomb-breath and Gums done O.K.

Remember that the range is 3 freaking grids!!!! So our GCI needs to up and running at T + 0 in order to see where the enema is flying from and landing. Then we must track those gomers to see where they are going.

- Still need better coord with the little friends, so we buff pukes will work on that.

Regardless, the AE folks really helped.

- Anybody see the points for boats?

I nailed two at F74 after we closed 19, and I tink we also get credit for the pier they are anchored to.

Herr Gums sends....