Fighter Ace Campaign IV

From The Air Combat Wiki

Contents 1 Overview 2 Schedule 3 Battle 1 - Convoy To Murmansk 3.1 History 3.2 Battle Map 3.3 Victory Conditions 3.4 Special Rules 3.5 GB Aircraft 3.6 SU Aircraft 3.7 GE Aircraft 3.8 Battle Results 3.9 Campaign Progression 4 Battle 2 - Guadalcanal Landings 4.1 History 4.2 Battle Map 4.3 Victory Conditions 4.4 Special Rules 4.5 Planesets 4.5.1 Start of Battle 4.5.2 After 30 Minutes 4.5.3 After 60 Minutes 4.5.4 After 90 Minutes 4.5.5 After 105 Minutes 4.5.6 After 120 Minutes 4.5.7 After 150 Minutes 4.6 Plane Stats 4.7 Battle Results 4.8 Campaign Progression 5 Battle 3 - Tango in Tunisia 5.1 History 5.2 Battle Map 5.3 Victory Conditions 5.4 Special Rules 5.5 Planesets 5.5.1 Start of Battle 5.5.2 After 45 Minutes 5.5.3 After 90 Minutes 5.5.4 After 135 Minutes 5.6 Plane Stats 5.7 Battle Results 5.8 Campaign Progression 6 Summer In Sicily 6.1 History 6.2 Battle Map 6.3 Victory Conditions 6.4 Special Rules 6.5 Planesets 6.5.1 US Planes 6.5.2 GB Planes 6.5.3 GE Planes 6.6 Plane Stats 6.7 Battle Results 6.8 Campaign Progression

Overview

Fighter Ace Campaign IV is a "Best of Seven" series of battles between the Allied and Axis teams. The campaign starts in April 2008, with one battle being fought each month, until one of the teams has won a total of four battles..

The campaign will be fought under the Fighter Ace Campaign II Rules.

Schedule

The battles will alternate between Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. The reason for the different start times and days is that it gives a chance for each major time zone to have one battle in a good time for them to play. The battles and their dates are:

Battle 1 - Convoy To Murmansk - Sunday, 13 April 2008 at 9 am US ET

Battle 2 - Guadalcanal Landings - Friday, 16 May 2008 at 9 pm US ET

Battle 3 - Tango In Tunisia - Saturday, 21 June 2008 at 4 pm US ET

Battle 4 - Summer In Sicily - Sunday, 13 July 2008 at 9 am US ET

Battle 1 - Convoy To Murmansk

History

When the German Army invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, the US extended Lend-Lease aid to the Russians under the assumption that this would help keep them from collapsing while they faced the vast majority of German divisions. Aid was sent through Iran and by convoy through the Barents Sea to Arkangel and Murmansk. Convoys running from west to east were designated "PQ" convoys, while those running the other way were designated "QP". The German Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine stationed units in occupied Norway to intercept and destroy these convoys, particularly the "PQs", which carried supplies to the Russians. The most famous of these convoys was the ill-fated PQ-17, which was virtually annihilated by a combination of tenacious German attacks and poor decisions by the Royal Navy. It was only through the skill and determination of the Allied merchant seamen that about 1/3 of the ships eventually reached Russian waters, with the rest being lost to German air and naval attacks.

Battle Map

Note: JP areas are enemy to both teams.

Victory Conditions

The team with the most points after 3 hours is the winner.

Points are scored as follows:

1. Allies start with a score of -100 pts (Allies must score 100 pts to break even)

2. Allies score 10 pts for each transport north of the 60 line

3. GE scores 100 pts if the battleship ends the game north of the 60 line

4. GE scores 50 pts for each cruiser north of the 60 line

5. Allies scores 1 pt for each GE pilot lost and 1 pt for each GE plane lost

6. GE scores 1 pt for each Allied pilot lost and 1 pt for each Allied plane lost

7. Allies can score 50 pts for sinking the GE battleship and 25 pts for each GE cruiser sunk

Special Rules

1. All ground AA=6. Ship AA=2. Bomber Gunner AI=6. Gunner Clutch=Manual.

2. GB has two separate carrier groups, each with 2x CVs and 4x CA escorts. These will travel as a single group, with the CAs being given defense orders for the carriers in their group.

3. GB has 35 transports and 5 cruisers that must each be individually controlled. They must all start no closer than 1 grid apart and must each have individual paths. They can use the same waypoints, but by starting at least 1 grid apart are unlikely to travel as a close group, except by chance.

4. All GB ships must start west of the X line on the map.

5. GE has 1 battleship and 2 cruisers. They must start no closer than 1 grid apart and must have individual paths, the same as the GB ship path limitations.

6. All GE ships must start south of the 105 line on the map and west of the X line.

7. GE ships may be left out of the game entirely or may appear on the map with any delay desired by the GE command.

8. Ship speeds are approximately: transports = 25 grids per hour, cruisers and battleships = 40 grids per hour, carriers = 20 grids per hour. Each grid is 2.048 kilometers on each side.

9. Each ship group may have no more than 12 waypoints after being created. Note that if given a long distance between waypoints, ships tend to sail toward the nearest coastline and can thus take a longer route than necessary to reach the target waypoint.

10. Max bomb size = 420 kg. Torpedoes allowed. No rockets. No bombs on fighters.

GB Aircraft

Grumman Martlet Mk I

Hawker Hurricane Mk IA

Douglas Dauntless

SU Aircraft

Polikarpov I-16/28 Ishak

Lavochkin LaGG-3 Series 4

Hawker Hurricane Mk IA

Petlyakov Pe-8

GE Aircraft

Messerschmitt Bf-109E-1 Emil

Messerschmitt Bf-109E-4/B Emil

Messerschmitt Bf-110C-4/B Zerstörer

Junkers Ju-87D-3 Stuka

Heinkel He-111H-6

Battle Results

The Allied team won by a score of 1442 to 936 points. Most GB cargo ships reached their destination unmolested and the Allies clearly led on plane and pilot points.

Campaign Progression

This victory gives the Allied team an early lead in the Campaign, 1-0. The next battle will be determined by the Allied team.

Battle 2 - Guadalcanal Landings

History

Prior to the battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942, Japanese engineers landed on the island of Guadalcanal at the southeastern end of the Solomon Islands and started building an airfield. If completed, this airfield would threaten Noumea and Allied shipping lanes between the United States and Australia. On 7 August 1942 the US Marines landed on Guadalcanal to capture and hold the almost completed airfield, thus beginning a six month struggle for control of the island and its strategic airfield.

Battle Map

Note: SU areas are neutral-enemy to both teams and can be captured by either team. GB scenes are US Navy, US Marines and US Army forward airfields. US scenes are US Army rear area scenes.

Victory Conditions

The team with the most points after 3 hours is the winner.

Points are scored as follows:

300 pts for each "home" scene owned at the end of the battle

150 pts for each non-"home" scene owned at the end of the battle

100 pts for each Battleship sunk

50 pts for each Cruiser or Carrier sunk

20 pts for each Cargo ship sunk

10 pts for each tank destroyed

1 pt for each enemy plane lost

Note: JP "home" scenes are the scenes they start with, all scenes on Santa Isabel, and the scene on Russell Island. Allied "home" scenes are all scenes they start with, all scenes on Guadalcanal island, the scene on Florida Island, and the scenes on Malaita.

Special Rules

1. US Marines (GB) and JP teams have 5 triggerable tank groups of 5 Type 97 tanks each. US Army (US) has no triggerable tanks. Tanks are for offense only, no defensive tanks.

2. JP has 5 cargo ships at anchor north of New Georgia. Each JP cargo ship is escorted by 3 cruisers.

3. US Navy (GB) has 20 independent cargo ships at anchor in the bay north of Henderson Field.

4. JP has 1 carrier escorted by 2 battleships and 1 cruiser.

5. US Navy (GB) has 3 carriers, each of which is escorted by 4 cruisers.

6. JP Command may place their carrier anywhere north and west of Sakai Point and may give it any path they want it to follow.

7. Allied Command may place their carriers anywhere south and east of Henderson Field and may give them any paths they want them to follow.

8. All AA=1.

9. Bomber Gunner AI=6, Gunner Clutch=Manual.

10. Tank Speed = 2x, Ship Speed = 2.5x (normally 2x each).

11. Buildings: Armor=10, Life=25, Repair=10.

12. No rockets. No bombs on fighters.

13. 20 paratroops per team (US Army and JP) enabled at 2 hour mark (1 hour left). US Marines do not get transport planes and thus cannot carry paratroops.

14. US Mk.13 torpedos disabled at 2 hour mark (1 hour left).

15. Triggers: Capture=10, Attack=30, Defense=100 (no defensive tanks).

16. All planes get 100% fuel and ammo.

Planesets

Start of Battle

JP Planes = A6M2 Zero, D3A1 Val, B5N2 Kate, G4M2 Betty, L2D2 Tabby

USN/USMC (GB) Planes = F4F-3 Wildcat, F4F-4 Wildcat, SBD-2 Dauntless, TBF-1C Avenger, Avenger II

US Army (US) Planes = P-40C Tomahawk, B-25D Mitchell, C-47A Skytrain

After 30 Minutes

JP adds = Ki-43 Oscar

After 60 Minutes

GB adds = Tomahawk IIB

US adds = P-40E Warhawk

After 90 Minutes

JP adds= Ki-67 Peggy

GB adds = Kittyhawk IA

After 105 Minutes

JP adds = A6M5 Zero

GB adds = P-39D Airacobra

US adds = P-39D Airacobra

After 120 Minutes

JP adds = Ki-61 Tony

GB adds = Mitchell II

US adds = P-38G Lightning, Mitchell II

20 paratroops added per team

US Mk.13 torpedo removed

After 150 Minutes

The rear-most bases on Guadalcanal (Aloa Bay) and Malaita (Fossboro) will flip to US ownership if owned by GB at the 150 minute mark.

Plane Stats

Download and view the Excel spreadsheet file at http://wikipedia.ketsujin.com/images/6/6b/GuadalcanalPlaneStats.xls to see the Top Speeds and Climb Rates of all aircraft involved in the battle.

Battle Results

The Guadalcanal battle encompassed both land and sea elements, with the anti-shipping battle being pivotal in the ability of the land forces to move between islands. The Allies quickly moved forward and thwarted Axis attempts to consolidate Santa Isabel island, while simultaneously capturing all of Guadalcanal themselves. However, the Axis air forces similarly struck at the Allies and prevented an early capture of Tulagi, but were unable to stop the capture of the central airfield on Malaita.

Each side lost their transport shipping at about the half-way point in the battle, but the introduction of paratroops a short time later allowed them to continue advancing their front lines. The Allies captured Russell Island, a key base in the Axis sphere and took the southeastern scenes on Santa Isabel, but were unable to hold the latter for long. With only minutes remaining in the battle the Allies looked to have the advantage with Russell Island firmly in their control. However, the Axis was not finished and a lone troop transport was inbound from New Georgia. The transport dropped its load on Russell Island and affected the capture with 30 seconds to spare before the battle was declared over.

The final score was Axis 5357 points and the Allies 5243, resulting in one of the closest battle result in the entire campaign series. Both sides fought well and it is a shame that one side had to end up without a victory, but that is the nature of the game and the Axis team ended with a well-deserved victory.

Campaign Progression

The Axis victory at Guadalcanal evens the score in this campaign with each team having earned a single victory. The next battle will be chosen by the Axis Command and will be announced as soon as it is known.

Battle 3 - Tango in Tunisia

History

After the relatively uncontested Allied landings in Morocco and Algeria, the Allies turned their armies eastward towards Tunis and Bizerte in northeastern Tunisia. Meanwhile, the Germans and Italians quickly moved to occupy Tunisia and pour forces into the bridgehead, with the ultimate goal of halting the Allied advance in the mountains of western Tunisia and eastern Algeria. If the Allies could reach Bizerte and Tunis, they could put pressure on Rommel's Afrika Korps as it retreated from El Alamein. If not, they would face a long slog through the mud and mountains of a Tunisian winter.

Battle Map

Note: OT/SU areas are capturable. Neutral areas are off-limits. IMPORTANT: Players that use the neutral (dark purple) scenes in the south to land will be exploded by the sysop. These scenes are meant to be OFF-LIMITS and shall not be used.

Victory Conditions

The team with the most points scored after 3 hours is the winner.

Points are scored as follows:

1000 pts for each Bomber airfield owned

500 pts for each other airfield owned

250 pts for each factory owned

125 pts for each radar scene owned

50 pts for each cargo ship sunk

20 pts for each tank destroyed

-10 pts for each plane lost

-5 pts for each pilot lost

Special Rules

1. No rockets.

2. No bombs larger than 1000 kg/2000 lbs.

3. No torpedoes.

4. No paratroops for the first hour, 10 paratroops per team during the second hour, and 20 paratroops per team during the third hour.

5. Triggers are: C=30,A=40,D=45

6. Each team has 5 columns of tanks to respond to triggers. Each column is composed of 6x Shermans (US) or 6x Panthers (GE).

7. Each team has 5 Flying Columns of 10x Shermans (US) or Panthers (GE), which will spawn and choose their targets automatically. The Flying Columns will nominally launch from the five forwardmost tank factories for each team.

8. Each team has 20 cargo ships at anchor in various locations behind their rear scenes.

9. All AA=1.

10. Bomber Gunner AI=6. Gunner Clutch=Manual.

11. Player parachutes are invulnerable.

12. Players that land at the neutral scenes to the south will be exploded. DO NOT USE THESE SCENES!

Planesets

Start of Battle

Allied Planes: P-38G Lightning, P-39D Airacobra, P-40E Warhawk, Spitfire FS Vb, Hurricane IIC, Hurricane IID, A-20G Havoc, C-47A Skytrain

Axis Planes: Bf-109F Franz, Bf-109G-6/R2 Gustav, Bf-109G-6/R6 Gustav, Ju-87D Stuka, Ju-87G Stuka, He-111, Ju-52

After 45 Minutes

Allied Planes: Seafire III, Lancaster (sub for B-24 Liberator)

Axis Planes: Bf-110G Zerstörer, Ju-88

After 90 Minutes

Allied Planes: Spitfire LF Vb, B-25D Mitchell

Axis Planes: FW-190A-4 Wurger, Do-217E

After 135 Minutes

Allied Planes: Spitfire IXc, Mosquito FB VI (sub for Bristol Beaufighter VI)

Plane Stats

Download and view the Excel spreadsheet file at http://wikipedia.ketsujin.com/images/c/cd/Campaign4Battle3Planes.xls to see the Top Speeds and Climb Rates of all aircraft involved in the battle.

Battle Results

Although over 80 players signed up for the Axis team, only about 50 showed up, leaving Axis forces severely depleted and facing 2:1 odds against the Allies. With such a severe numbers disadvantage, the only thing the Axis could do was try to prevent total destruction, which they managed to do through the dedication and resolve of the pilots that stayed to fight. The final score was 45,705 pts for the Allies against 13,405 pts for the Axis team.

While numbers played a large part in the final outcome, the Allies were well organized and executed their battle plans to perfection. Even if the numbers had been even, the Axis team would have been hard-pressed to prevail against the Allied force.

Campaign Progression

This victory gives the Allies a 2-1 edge in this closely fought campaign. The next battle will take place on the island of Sicily as the Allies try to push the Germans back onto the Italian mainland and the Germans try to push the Allies back into the sea.

Summer In Sicily

History

After clearing the Axis forces out of North Africa the Allies took a short pause, then prepared another invasion force. The primary goal of this attack was the island of Sicily, which would provide a staging area for a later attack on the Italian mainland. The British landed in the southeastern portion of the island and headed north toward Messina, while the Americans landed on their left and worked their way around the western half of the island.

Battle Map

Victory Conditions

The team with the highest score after 3 hours wins the battle. Scores are calculated as follows:

• 500 pts for each bomber airfield owned
• 300 pts for each other airfield owned
• 200 pts for each factory owned
• 25 pts for each tank destroyed
• 10 pts for each enemy plane lost
• 5 pts for each enemy pilot lost

Final scores will be normalized based on the average number of players available to each team throughout the battle.

Special Rules

1. No bombs larger than 1000 kg/2000 lbs.

2. No paratroops.

3. Triggers are: D=25,C=30,A=40

4. Each team has 6 columns of tanks (3 each for US and GB, 6 for GE) to respond to triggers. Each column is composed of 6x Shermans (US/GB) or 6x Panthers (GE).

5. Each team has 2 Flying Columns (1 each for US/GB) of 10x Shermans (US/GB) or Panthers (GE), which will spawn and choose their targets automatically. The Flying Columns will nominally launch from the forwardmost tank factories for each team.

6. If either team is outnumbered by more than 20 players, they will get an additional Flying Column, which will launch from the center of their original forward area. If a team is outnumbered by more than 40 players they will get another Flying Column, for a total of 4, which will also launch from the center of their original forward area.

7. All AA=1.

8. Bomber Gunner AI=6. Gunner Clutch=Manual.

9. Player parachutes are invulnerable.

10. Buildings values are: A=100, L=100, R=67.

11. SU/OT areas are capturable. No defensive or offensive tanks for the SU/OT team.

Planesets

US Planes

P-39D Airacobra

P-40E Warhawk

P-38G Lightning

P-47D Thunderbolt

A-20G Havoc

B-25D Mitchell

C-47A Skytrain

GB Planes

Hurricane IIC

Spitfire FS Vb

Spitfire LF Vb

Seafire III

Spitfire IXc

Boston IV

Mitchell II

Mosquito FB VI (sub for Bristol Beaufighter VI)

Dakota II

GE Planes

Bf-109G-6/R2 Gustav

Bf-109G-6/R6 Gustav

Bf-110G Zerstörer

FW-190A-4 Wurger

FW-190F-8 Wurger

Ju-87D Stuka

Ju-87G Stuka

He-111

Ju-88

Ju-52

Plane Stats

Download and view the Excel spreadsheet file at http://wikipedia.ketsujin.com/images/1/1e/Battle4Planes.xls to see the Top Speeds and Climb Rates of all aircraft involved in the battle.

Battle Results

The Allied team dominated the map, capturing all scenes before time expired, earning themselves a decisive victory on the ground.

However, an error in the setup gave the Allies twice as many tank groups as the Axis team had. Because this error could have affected the outcome and because the Axis team fought on without complaint and with hardly any defections, the Axis team earned themselves a situational victory in the battle.

Campaign Progression

Because of the error in the battle setup, each team earned a victory, which gives the Allies 3 wins and the Axis team 2. The Campaign is being extended to a best-of-nine series, leaving each team equally distant from overall victory as they were before the battle.