Crusader scenario, GT58 Malta
During this particular scenario, the Axis player is authorized to have 2* Level IV, 2* Level III, 4* Level II attacks on Malta. This is why, no Italian planes are in Africa, but in Italy/Sicily. They will be back after the levels IV and III are done.
So, GT58 sees a Level IV attack on Malta.
The Allies have sent to Malta reinforcements on GT57/3: Hu II B's and Maryland for reco.
At the start of the scenario, Malta has a capacity of 14 squadrons and 24 AA.
At the end of 57/3, strategic turn, Malta built 3 levels, one each on Takali, Luqa and Halfar, plus one each on Kalafrana and Valetta.
Takali is up 6 levels plus 24 AA, Luqa is 5 levels, Safi is 5 levels and Halfar is 1 level.
Dice for the Axis is “7”, 100/200 of his planes there.
The Allies went to reco Naval Lanes: Italy to Benghasi and West Sicily to Tripoli. Nothing was to be seen regarding Benghasi (arriving from Greece actually) and Tripoli lane reported a large convoy.
So, the Well I (13) went to that lane, protected by 6* Beauf IC, 11*Hu II A, 9* Hu I.
The Axis sent 60* G50 to protect the convoy.
Result of the firefight is:
For the Allies: 3* Hu I (one recovered so 2), 2* Hu II A (one recovered so 1), 5* Well I (of which 2 by AA).
For the Axis: 12* G50 (2 recovered so only 4 real)
Loss for the convoy is 10%
8000 tons of reinforcements so 800 tons to be lost: 2* Inf, 1* Recce, 1* 75/27, 1* Inf German, 8* trucks
5600 tons of supplies, so 560 tons to be lost.
7500 tons of supplies arrived safely in Benghasi and 5040 tons of supplies in Tripoli plus the listed reinforcements: German: 11* Inf, 2* Recce, 1* 7,5 IG18, 1* 10,5 K18, 1* 15K18, 1* 5P38. Italian: 22* Inf, 1* LAA, 1* HAA, 1* 47/32, 1* 65/17, 1* 75/27, 1* 100/17 H, 2* 149, 2* 155, 2* M13/40, 68 Trucks of all types.
Protection of the island by the Allies is of: 54* Hu II B (7* 2 pilots and 2* 1 pilots)
On protection of bombers and dive-bombers on offensive cap mission for the Axis is:
39* 109 E (1* 3 pilot, 2* 2 pilots, 6* 1 pilots), 60* C200 (6* 1 pilots), 24* CR42 (3* 2 pilots)
2 waves of bombers (23* BR20 plus 15* SM79) aiming each in the first wave for the AA and 10 waves of dive-bombers aiming at airfields and strafing along the way.
Each airfield receives 3 waves (Takali, Luqa, Safi and Halfar), Takali and Luqa with one wave for AA first.
Result for the firefight is:
For the Allies: 5* Hu II B
For the Axis: 14* C200 (2 recovered so only 4 real)
First wave on Takali AA : 24 AA plus 1 column for bombers density. Dice is “42”. Losses are of 1* bomber, 2* bombers aborted and 1 fighter. For the bombers, dice is “61”, destroying 6*AA.
Second wave on Takali: 18 AA plus one column, dice is “35”. 1* dive-bomber, 1* dive-bomber aborted and 1* fighter. Dice for the Axis is “42” so minus 2 levels and minus 20% of grounded planes. Plus 5 strafed.
Third wave on Takali: 18 AA plus one column, dice is “56”. 2* dive-bombers, 2* dive-bombes aborted and 1 fighter. Dice for the Axis is “64” so minus 4 levels and minus 40 % of grounded planes. Plus 4 strafed.
On the ground are 3* Swordfish, 2* Beauf IC, 6* Hu II B, 1* Hu II A, 1* Hu I. 60% of 13 planes are 8 planes destroyed (3* Swordfish, 2* Beauf IC, 1* Hu II A, 1* Hu I, 1* Hu II B) Of the 5* Hu II B remaining, 9 are supposed to be strafed, so only the 5 present are strafed. One is recovered.
First wave on Luqa airfield against the AA, no AA present.
Second wave to the airfield plus strafing. Dice is “53” so minus 3 levels, 30 % of grounded planes and 3 strafed.
Third wave on Luqa, dice is “46” so minus 2 levels, 20 % of grounded planes and 8 strafed.
Grounded planes are :6* Maryland so 3 are destroyed. Of the 3 remaining, 11 are supposed to be strafed so only the 3 are strafed, none recovered.
The three waves on Halfar, meet no planes on ground and only an airfield with one level. One level is destroyed.
First wave on Safi airfield, dice is not necessary as no AA is on.
Second wave on the airfield plus strafing. Dice is “62” so minus 4 levels, 40% of grounded planes and 5 strafed.
Third wave on the airfield plus strafing. Dice is “16” so minus 1 level, 10% of grounded planes and 6 strafed.
Grounded planes are: 10* Hu II B. 5 are destroyed and 11 (!) of the remaining 5 are supposed to be strafed. One is recovered.
Total losses for that GT on Malta are:
6* Hu I, 4* Hu II A, 20* Hu II B, 6* Mary, 3* Sword, 5* Well I, 2* Beauf IC.
Takali: 6 levels minus 6 equal 0
Luqa: 5 levels minus 5 equal 0
Halfar: 1 level minus 1 equal 0
Safi: 5 levels minus 5 equal 0
6* AA. 18 remaining.
For the Axis, losses are as follow: 4* G50 real, 4* C200 real, 1* CR42 real. 1* BR20 real, 1* Ju 88D real, and the 10% of the Tripoli convoy.
Strategic return of planes and construction is undertaken now. Reconstruction is of one level each. So for the next strategic turn (GT59, the Well IC are not in use, only the fighters and Mary are operational.
During this particular scenario, the Axis player is authorized to have 2* Level IV, 2* Level III, 4* Level II attacks on Malta. This is why, no Italian planes are in Africa, but in Italy/Sicily. They will be back after the levels IV and III are done.
So, GT58 sees a Level IV attack on Malta.
The Allies have sent to Malta reinforcements on GT57/3: Hu II B's and Maryland for reco.
At the start of the scenario, Malta has a capacity of 14 squadrons and 24 AA.
At the end of 57/3, strategic turn, Malta built 3 levels, one each on Takali, Luqa and Halfar, plus one each on Kalafrana and Valetta.
Takali is up 6 levels plus 24 AA, Luqa is 5 levels, Safi is 5 levels and Halfar is 1 level.
Dice for the Axis is “7”, 100/200 of his planes there.
The Allies went to reco Naval Lanes: Italy to Benghasi and West Sicily to Tripoli. Nothing was to be seen regarding Benghasi (arriving from Greece actually) and Tripoli lane reported a large convoy.
So, the Well I (13) went to that lane, protected by 6* Beauf IC, 11*Hu II A, 9* Hu I.
The Axis sent 60* G50 to protect the convoy.
Result of the firefight is:
For the Allies: 3* Hu I (one recovered so 2), 2* Hu II A (one recovered so 1), 5* Well I (of which 2 by AA).
For the Axis: 12* G50 (2 recovered so only 4 real)
Loss for the convoy is 10%
8000 tons of reinforcements so 800 tons to be lost: 2* Inf, 1* Recce, 1* 75/27, 1* Inf German, 8* trucks
5600 tons of supplies, so 560 tons to be lost.
7500 tons of supplies arrived safely in Benghasi and 5040 tons of supplies in Tripoli plus the listed reinforcements: German: 11* Inf, 2* Recce, 1* 7,5 IG18, 1* 10,5 K18, 1* 15K18, 1* 5P38. Italian: 22* Inf, 1* LAA, 1* HAA, 1* 47/32, 1* 65/17, 1* 75/27, 1* 100/17 H, 2* 149, 2* 155, 2* M13/40, 68 Trucks of all types.
Protection of the island by the Allies is of: 54* Hu II B (7* 2 pilots and 2* 1 pilots)
On protection of bombers and dive-bombers on offensive cap mission for the Axis is:
39* 109 E (1* 3 pilot, 2* 2 pilots, 6* 1 pilots), 60* C200 (6* 1 pilots), 24* CR42 (3* 2 pilots)
2 waves of bombers (23* BR20 plus 15* SM79) aiming each in the first wave for the AA and 10 waves of dive-bombers aiming at airfields and strafing along the way.
Each airfield receives 3 waves (Takali, Luqa, Safi and Halfar), Takali and Luqa with one wave for AA first.
Result for the firefight is:
For the Allies: 5* Hu II B
For the Axis: 14* C200 (2 recovered so only 4 real)
First wave on Takali AA : 24 AA plus 1 column for bombers density. Dice is “42”. Losses are of 1* bomber, 2* bombers aborted and 1 fighter. For the bombers, dice is “61”, destroying 6*AA.
Second wave on Takali: 18 AA plus one column, dice is “35”. 1* dive-bomber, 1* dive-bomber aborted and 1* fighter. Dice for the Axis is “42” so minus 2 levels and minus 20% of grounded planes. Plus 5 strafed.
Third wave on Takali: 18 AA plus one column, dice is “56”. 2* dive-bombers, 2* dive-bombes aborted and 1 fighter. Dice for the Axis is “64” so minus 4 levels and minus 40 % of grounded planes. Plus 4 strafed.
On the ground are 3* Swordfish, 2* Beauf IC, 6* Hu II B, 1* Hu II A, 1* Hu I. 60% of 13 planes are 8 planes destroyed (3* Swordfish, 2* Beauf IC, 1* Hu II A, 1* Hu I, 1* Hu II B) Of the 5* Hu II B remaining, 9 are supposed to be strafed, so only the 5 present are strafed. One is recovered.
First wave on Luqa airfield against the AA, no AA present.
Second wave to the airfield plus strafing. Dice is “53” so minus 3 levels, 30 % of grounded planes and 3 strafed.
Third wave on Luqa, dice is “46” so minus 2 levels, 20 % of grounded planes and 8 strafed.
Grounded planes are :6* Maryland so 3 are destroyed. Of the 3 remaining, 11 are supposed to be strafed so only the 3 are strafed, none recovered.
The three waves on Halfar, meet no planes on ground and only an airfield with one level. One level is destroyed.
First wave on Safi airfield, dice is not necessary as no AA is on.
Second wave on the airfield plus strafing. Dice is “62” so minus 4 levels, 40% of grounded planes and 5 strafed.
Third wave on the airfield plus strafing. Dice is “16” so minus 1 level, 10% of grounded planes and 6 strafed.
Grounded planes are: 10* Hu II B. 5 are destroyed and 11 (!) of the remaining 5 are supposed to be strafed. One is recovered.
Total losses for that GT on Malta are:
6* Hu I, 4* Hu II A, 20* Hu II B, 6* Mary, 3* Sword, 5* Well I, 2* Beauf IC.
Takali: 6 levels minus 6 equal 0
Luqa: 5 levels minus 5 equal 0
Halfar: 1 level minus 1 equal 0
Safi: 5 levels minus 5 equal 0
6* AA. 18 remaining.
For the Axis, losses are as follow: 4* G50 real, 4* C200 real, 1* CR42 real. 1* BR20 real, 1* Ju 88D real, and the 10% of the Tripoli convoy.
Strategic return of planes and construction is undertaken now. Reconstruction is of one level each. So for the next strategic turn (GT59, the Well IC are not in use, only the fighters and Mary are operational.