S3 Series

After a major rule blunder on my part (I ok'd a NOE ingress for the Blenheims, having forgotten the rule restricting their ops to the 10-15K band) I am discounting the entirety of the first half of the frame.
It was fun and frustrating, but will not count for scoring.

So, the "official" record...

RAF sortied 2 Blenheims from East Church (F19) with a single Hurricane IIb from Hawkinge as close escort. Overhead, a pair of Spitfire Mk Vb swept ahead of the buffs. Target was the airfield at Abbeville (F111).
After a bit of cat and mouse over the Channel where the RAF was not getting the surprise entry over France it hoped for, the bombers withdrew to the north. The LW pressed the fighters covering the bombers and shot down a Spit Vb without loss. The remaining two RAF fighters landed at Hawkinge to refuel and rearm.
The Blenheims, still airborne, pressed south once again as Chain Home reports indicated the LW were heading to land. The buffs were joined by the RAF fighters, now consisting of two SpitIIa and a SpitVb.
Once again the LW was able to anticipate the RAF attack at Abbeville and cut off the bombers. Outnumbered, the defending Spitfires managed to hold the LW at bay while the bombers jettisoned their loads and fled west then north. The dogfight raged from 30K down to the deck. Three 109s were shot down for the loss of a SpitVb. The two remaining Spits fled north before additional LW fighters could join the fray.

Team Gold (Axis)
6 pilots, 10 sorties.
352nd: juice=, =wilz=, osker-, vokker, redsgt
Knights: okdoc-
Bf 109F-2: 5 sorties; 2 SpitVb shot down. 2 a/c lost.
Bf 109E-3: 5 sorties; no kills, 1 a/c lost.

Team Green (Allied)
4 pilots, 10 sorties.
4th: jedijc
RCAF: muzz--, yukone
23rd: grmpy-
Blenheim Mk4: 1 sortie with AI wingman; no kills, no grnd objects destroyed. No a/c lost, but many bullet holes counted.
Spit Vb: 4 sorties; 1 Bf 109F-2 shot down. 2 a/c lost.
Spit IIa: 3 sorties; 1 Bf 109F-2 and 1 Bf 109E-3 shot down. No a/c lost.

Scoring
Team Green scores 6 VPs for the 3 LW fighter losses, for a total after three frames of 66 VPs.
Team Gold was unable to bring down a bomber, so its total after three frames stays at 30 VPs.

See you this Sunday for frame 4. And yes, the rules will be followed!

Muzz Sir,

Hard to shoot down bombers and score any points when they either break rules & attack NOE or abort missions and RTB when a 109 is sighted.

Not really going to be a level playing field if you guys don't even try. We completed multiple missions against 2 to 1 odds in the first two frames, knowing we would lose most of the bombers. You guys are gaming the scoring rules this series with cat & mouse tactics.

Frame 3 should be a redo providing both sides with scoring opportunities. Otherwise please cancel frame 4, cause we will be a no- show.

Oskar,

The rules state, "The buffs must attempt to attack one of the four targets marked by red circles..."
Underlining is mine. This does not mean the buffs have to go all the way to the target if they are facing local numerical superiority, e.g. close escort engaged and high cons diving to the attack.

Looking at the scoring set-up, it should be clear that there is no point for buffs to press on to the target unless there is a reasonable chance of getting there. If you do manage to get there AND destroy two objects, but you and your wingman are shot down there is no net gain in scoring for your side unless you manage to shoot down some LW fighters. If you send in a pair of buffs, even if you destroy the target there is a chance of a net loss in VPs unless you are very successful in shooting down LW fighters or preventing them from reaching the buffs. Frame 1 demonstrated to all that, without a local fighter advantage, pressing on to the target is not a good idea.

In (the second half of ) frame 3 Team Green applied the lessons it had learned in the first two frames. While I appreciate you airing your concerns, I have received no correspondence from juice= indicating that the tactical behaviour of Team Green was inappropriate or that the game/scoring set-up was unfair. If you decide not to show up for frame 4, that is your choice.

Muzz,

Then what is the point of this series If bombers can turn back offering one side no scoring opportunities? Mixing it up with Allied fighters was fun, even with one-sided scoring rules & we had to fly to the English coast to find a fight.

Can't speak for Juice, but in conversations I think axis was pretty frustrated at how the frame went. Overall it's not about points, its about playability and enjoying the game.

Can't speak for other squad members but I have other things I can be doing this Sunday.

Anyway, We do appreciate the hard work Muzz. Excuse my venting. I know it's hard to design an engaging series with such small numbers on a holiday weekend.