This page describes alternative campaign settings for Fighting Wings games in addition to those described by Over the Reich (Europe '43-'45) and Achtung Spitfire (Battle of Britain). The aircraft represented in those games and in ADCs presented in Air Power magazine and on Uncle Ted's ADC Collection provide us with a wider array of campaign settings depending on your inclination or interest.
For each setting, the goal is to provide an accurate description of the types and number of aircraft involved (including TO&Es) and the types of missions flown. Where I have existing scenarios, I'll link them in too.
These pages will not be completed immediately, and will expand as time allows (submissions welcome!). I have much more information than I can enter at once. So, rather than waiting a year or so more until I had the time to enter everything I have, I decided to go with what I have. I hope you get the idea of what I wish to accomplish based on what you see here.
Visitors since 14-Oct-97:
What do I mean by campaign settings? Let me first define a couple things:
Note that ASp and OTR support Operations, but give little support for running a campaign. However, a few individuals have made efforts to produce campaign rules using FW as a means of resolving air missions.
Campaigns depict the effect of sustained combat on a unit across a series of missions. This can be done in a few ways:
Head-toHead Over Time
Among the problems of the first type (head to head over time - HHoT) is that if
you want to play a realistic campaign, you will be hard pressed to find
examples (times and places) where a few units went head-to-head. This type pf
campaign can be used to depict wider conflicts, where whole bomber groups and
several escorting squadrons went on raids to the same places or over the same
routes, but this is a wide campaign; an amount of play will depict different
units facing off against the enemy (although it is unlikely to constantly be
the same enemy unit day after day) as opposed to two units facing each other
again and again. The PBEM Battle of Britain is this type of campaign.
There are probably some historical cases where head-to-head combat occurred, such as in the Western Desert or Guadalcanal. This site will try to identify them.
The thin version of this type of campaign is simply to throw two opposing squadrons at each other. While not historically pleasing, it can be fun, because pilot development does happen for both sides.
Reinforcement rates for such a campaign depend on how historically accurate you want. The scale runs from reinforcement schedules taken from the actual units involved (which may or may not hard to document) to some random set rate, which you may wish to use for the thin version of this type of campaign.
One-Sided
An alternative is to follow one unit (or a small number of units) on one side
over time; their opponents can be historically drawn, but will most likely NOT
be the same opponents each mission - which is OK.For example, a campaign based
around an escort fighter squadron may escort different (but identical) B-17
squadrons over Europe - and face different opposing staffeln each mission; the
same ones may never show up twice. This makes sense, since they are likely to
fly to different places over different routes. This type of campaign is good to
play if you are interested in something realistic and you also want pilot
development over time.
Short Span, Narrow Field
A third type of campaign is being developed by NJ Hickman. This is where a few
selected units have related tasks over a SHORT period of time. NJ is designing
a campaign about the Bridges at Sedan (the real ones, not the ones in the ASp
scenario that is actually in Belgium); each side has tasks that occur over the
same ground, and are assigned both fighters and bombers to accomplish these
tasks. Their tasks may well interfere with each other, causing tactical combat.
For example, fighters might be assigned CAP over a mechanized column at the
same time that a flight of medium bombers flies by on their way to hit a road
junction behind them. In this case, the physical scope is narrow (to force the
opposing sides at each other in a realistic manner) and the time scope is short
(to allow the same units to interact before being reassigned elsewhere). This
type of campaign is good for showing operational decisions (which units to
assign where and when), but will not show much pilot improvement.
Here are a few scenarios that are not related to WW2 aerial combat
In 1955, Costa Rica and Nicaragua skirmished, causing confrontations between P-47N-15s vs. P-51D.
In 1969, Honduras and El Salvador fought a brief war which is notable here because it was the last time WW2-vintage prop planes fought each other. The combat involved only fighters used as both fighters and fighter-bombers.
Neither side could claim an impressive air force:
| Fuerza Aera Salvadorena Salvadoran Air Force (37 aircraft) |
Fighter-bomber sqdn | 15 FG-1D 11 P-51D |
| Transport Sqdn | 4 C-47 2 Cessna 180 5 U-17A |
|
| Recon Sqdn | 2 SNJs 1 T-34 |
|
| Fuerza Aera Hondurena Honduran Air Force |
22 assorted F4U Corsairs: -4, -5, -5N, -5NL models a few T-28s 1 Lockheed T-33 a few C-47s |
Most of the FAS Mustangs were civilian models that were remilitarized after delivery by adding guns and radios. 7 were built by the Cavalier company of Florida. They had wing tanks wich made them ungainly until 17-Jul-69. (FW effects: +1 to Bank and slip numbers, minimum turn speeds +0.5). Many did not have reflexive gunsights (on 5-/D10 before 17-Jul or 2-/D10 on or after, treat as Telescopic sight).
7 more Mustangs were delivered during the conflict from various sources.
| Date | Events |
15-Jun-69 |
The second soccer game between Honduras and El Salvador played in San Salvador ends in a Salvadoran victory, ending in violence against Honduran fans, mirroring the reported ill treatment of Salvadoran fans after the Honduran victory in Tegucigalpa. Added to this was violence against Salvadoran peasants who had squatted in sparsely-populated parts of Honduras. FAS sends off emergency purchase missions to the US and other Carribean and Central American nations looking for P-51s in a flyable state. |
26-Jun-69 |
Diplomatic relations between the two breaks off. Both sides are calling up their reserves. |
3-Jul-69 |
A Piper PA-28 Cherokee (YS-234P) is intercepted by two Honduran T-28s and forced to land. Shortly after, the crew of the Cherokee was accused of having being captured while flying a reconnaissance mission for the Salvadoran Army. During the next few days, Honduras repeatedly accuses El Salvador of violating their air space. |
12-Jul-69 |
The “Fuerza Aerea Hondureña” deploys all the FAH units, to “La Mesa” AB, in San Pedro Sula, co-located with the operational headquarters for the conflict. |
14-Jul-69 |
The Salvadorans invade Honduran territories. The FAS begins attack and bombardment flights against Honduran troop concentrations, using the FG-1Ds as FBs and the Mustangs as escort. At the same time, the C-47s are sent on several bombing missions against Tegucigalpa, rolling bombs out the cargo doors of the aircraft. The FAH’s F4U-5Ns try to intercept the C-47s, but bad weather impedes their making contact with the enemy aircraft. The C-47 missions, have more of a psychological effect than a material one, since the damages caused were minimal, due in great part, to a lack of precision in their delivery technique. |
15-Jul-69 |
The FAH strikes back. The first mission was a C-47 attacking Ilopango airport with more than 18 bombs, but causing little damage. At 04:22, three F4U-5N and an F4U-4 approached Ilopango, with their landing gear and flaps down, simulating a normal approach to the runway, trying to convince the anti-aircraft machine gunners that they were FAS FG-1Ds returning to base. Once over the runway, the aircraft broke and began their attack on the base, using bombs and rockets, but most of the weapons failed. The only exception was a 500lb. bomb dropped by Mayor Colindres which hit squarely one of the hangars. Finding no opposition from the FAS, the attacking aircraft strafed targets of opportunity, resulting in the destruction of the fuel farm at “La Union” and the Standard Oil refinery in Acajutla. An F4U-5N was damaged by AAA fire, but returned to base in San Pedro Sula. 3 F4Us attacked the Port of Acajutla. An F4U-4, piloted by Capitan Walter Lopez, suffered fuel starvation and carburator problems, and made an emergency landing in Bananera, Guatemala, where the airplane was interned. The only FAH T-33 flies recon over San Salvador. The first FAS “Long Range” mission takes place, using a Mustang and a Corsair to attack the FAH base at Toncontin in Tegucigalpa, destroying hangars and several decoys. A FAH F4U-5N took off from San Pedro Sula and pursued the two raiders, but when he was behind them, the Honduran pilot found that his cannons were inoperative. The raiders escapes unharmed. FAS T-28s begins their periodic flights over Tegucigalpa. |
17-Jul-69 |
The Salvadoran Army occupied the city of Nueva Ocotepeque, forcing the Honduran Army to flee. Two Mustangs are deployed to support Salvadoran troops, but they are intercepted by two FAH F4U-5Ns. Capitán Humberto Varela’s Mustang is shot down by Mayor Fernando Soto, becoming the last Mustang to be shot down in an air-to-air action in history. Later that same day, Mayor Soto alsoshoots down an FAS FG-1D. Over the eastern area of the conflict zone, the FAS also loses another FG-1D and a P-51D. |
18-Jul-69 |
OAS organizes a cease-fire. Sporadic clashes continue to take place until 27-Jul-69, but no more air combat. |
Both sides flew similar missions. All mission sizes were small (most no more than a element) due to the lack of forces available.
An article written by Mario Overall
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