Thu, 08 Jul 2004
Downtown D1 - Turn 8 Summary and End of Game
Turn 8 starts out favorably enough for the DRV, with an AAA ambush on the deck random event roll. Fortunately for the US, all flights on the deck are in rough hexes, so the random event is ignored.
During the US detection phase, THAN TRUNG manages to remain undetected, despite two visual sighting chanes from nearby F-4 flights. So far, things are looking up for the DRV this turn! During the DRV detection phase, US Flight 101 is detected! Perfect! It looks as if THAN TRUNG might have a chance to intercept this flight, and hopefully neuter its strike capability.
The first US movement phase then finds the three strike flights punching the afterburnings, and climbing towards their strike altitude. As US flight 105 moves its final movement point, SAM site B fires on it. The SAM misses the flight, and the pilots keep their cool and decide they don't need to perform any avoidance maneuvers. SAM site A then fires a long range shot at flight 105, hoping to discourage it into turning back. While the SAM shot is a miss, it appears as if the pilots of flight 105 thought the shot was closer than they liked. They perform a SAM avoidance maneuver, jettisoning their ordnance, they dive to the NW, and break out of formation!
During the DRV movement phase, THAN TRUNG lights up his afterburners to try and catch the tail end charlie strike flight (101), and do his best. He makes a perfect intercept approach, and bounces flight 101, who is completely surprised to notice tracers arcing about their planes. However, THAN TRUNG misses both shots on flight 101 (4 F-105Ds) and blows all of their ammo on the effort. The F-105s do not get to return fire, being severly outmaneuverd while laden with ordnance by the Mig-17s. Although no F-105s are shot down, they still jettison their ordnance, so it is a mission kill for THAN TRUNG. During the post combat procedure, both flights involved in the combat suffer aggression penalties, and are disorderd.
Finally, since there was another flight in the strike mission, it must now check for MiG panic. Amazingly, the only remaining flight in the strike package fails its MiG Panic roll, gets spooked by the attack on it companion flight, and jettisons its ordnance to get the heck out of dodge!
Well, Turn 8 was certainly a good one for the DRV. At this point in the game, with no strike flights remaining, Allan C. agrees to concede the game. Luck certainly played a roll in this scenario, and it could have progressed very differently had a few key rolls gone the opposite way. For my part, it was a very tense game. Several times, I thought that I would be completely hosed, but somehow things managed to work out just the right way for me.
Here are links for the cyberboard game file for scenario D1 and end of game map.
Finally, I'd like to thank Allan Cannamore for another great game. This is our second game as opponents, and he is as wily as they come. Keeping his strike package on the deck and in the rough until late in their flight path was a great strategy that prevented me from detecting them until much later. I look forward to our next game!
I hope you all enjoyed reading the turn postings from my point of view, and that it gave you a decent insight as to what I was thinking along the way. Please post any thoughts, comments, or praise here! I'd love to get some feedback on the scenario, and it is awfully quiet around here. If I get some feedback, then I'll most likely do this again the with next PBEM game I play.
posted at: 10:26 | path: /games/board/downtown | permanent link to this entry
Thu, 01 Jul 2004
Downtown D1 - Turn 7 Summary
During the detection phase, a US flight visually spots my flight of 2 Mig-17F's. The sneaking and skulking about on the deck bought us some time, but not quite enough to get to the strike package. Ug. The DRV detect the lead flight (#105) in the strike package, which is a good start. That means that this turn I'll be able to try and acquire the flight with very good odds of success!
During the movement phase, flight 202 skirts the Hanoi AAA defenses, and comes out unscathed. Those boys are blessed, I tell you! SAM sites E and F both fire their remaining missiles at 202, with SAM site F almost scoring a hit on the wily pilots. Sam sites E & F are now depleted of all missiles.
Then, Flight 205 swoops down on the newly detected THAN TRUNG flight, and engages it! THAN TRUNG is surprised, and US flight OLDS (revealed to b2xF4-C) pounces on the DRV flight, getting off 2 shots which THAN TRUNG somehow manages to avoid. THAN TRUNG does not get to return fire, probably happy to just bug out and still be alive. OLDS flight has depleted all of it's radar homing missiles (RHM), and both flights scatter from the dogfight hex, with THAN TRUNG becoming undetected again due to the confusion of air combat.
During my movement phase, THAN TRUNG hits the burners, stays on the deck, and finds cover just over the tree tops of some rough jungle terrain. He's still in a decent position to try and intercept the tail end of the strike package, *if* he can stay undetected for the next turn or two.
The remaining US flights then make their moves. Flights 204 and 305 surround THAN TRUNG, hoping to bounce him next turn if he is detected. SAM site C salvo fires two SAMs at flight 204, but misses. The three US strike flights make their way towards my hidden Medium AAA and Fire Can. They may have a nasty surprise waiting for them...
During the SAM Acquisition phase, SAM sites A and B both try and acquire flight 105, the lead flight of the three flight strike package. A gets a partial acquisition while B locks on fully. Very nice! Finally, in the Admin phase I turn off those SAM sites which have been depleted of all of their ammunition.
Here are links for the cyberboard game file for scenario D1 and end of turn 7 map.
posted at: 13:15 | path: /games/board/downtown | permanent link to this entry
Wed, 26 May 2004
Downtown D1 - Turn 6 Summary
Well, things are certainly starting to heat up. This turn see the SAM operators warm up a bit, so maybe the tide is changing for the DRV. We shall see!
In the random events phase, some loyal peasants with small arms notice US flight 101 streaking overhead, surely up to no good. The villager takes a couple of pot shots as the flight thunders by on the deck, to no effect.
During the detection phase, the DRV detects one more flight (305). Unfortunately, all three flights of what looks to be the strike package (flights 105, 300 and 101) remain undetected as the fly on the deck through rough terrain.
During the movement phase, Flight C dashes toward an eventual intercept with the strike flights, should he defy all odds and remain undetected. I remove Flight A from the map board (as it was a dummy flight) with the idea that I will attack flight 202 with SAM battalions E and F if it continues in its path towards Hanoi and DRV flight B.
The two US jamming flights continue to fly towards the Red River, and it appears as if they will attempt to provide a jamming screen for the strike package as it comes into strike whatever target it has been tasked with.
I then move DRV flight B over the heart of Hanoi, to see if I can draw flight 202 towars him and into Flak and SAM range.
Next, the three US strike flights continue along their path, closing in on their target. US flights 204 and 205 move into a position to strike flight C if it is detected. To add insult to injury, flight 205 goes back to an undetected status during the track phase. Uh-oh...
Finally, flight 202 moves straight towards Hanoi. It is at this time that I remove DRV flight B from play (it was a dummy), opening up SAM shot opportunities on 202. SAM battalion F fires a salvo of 2 SAMs at the flight, and the missiles streak off homing in on their target accurately. Unfortunately for the DRV, flight 202 notices the tell tale lines of smoke lacing their way up to their position, and the flight breaks hard to the left, shedding altitude at a frantic pace. The SAM avoidance maneuver prevents him from being struck by the SAMs, but it also puts him in range of the medium flak on the outskirts of Hanoi. The flight is very lucky again, and avoids any damage from the flak. Finally, SAM battalion E fires a lone SAM at the flight, hoping to achieve a better result than their comrades. Unfortunately, the SAM deviates from the target and poses no threat whatsoever. This flight must be well trained or damn lucky - I'll let you make the call!
During the SAM acquisition phase, SAM site B switches targets from the jamming flight to flight 204. It achieves a full acquisition result, so flight 204 has been lit up by two SAM sites. Finally, during the admin phase I activate two inactive light flak batteries, hoping to lure the US flights into range of my hidden fire can and flak batteries which lie to the south. I also generate a dummy flight in DRV flight C's hex. I remove flight C, and replace it with generic DRV flights D and E, noting on my log sheet that flight E is a dummy flight and that flight D is the real flight (old flight C).
Here are links for the cyberboard game file for scenario D1 and end of turn 6 map.
posted at: 13:51 | path: /games/board/downtown | permanent link to this entry
Mon, 24 May 2004
Downtown D1 - Turn 5 Summary
Sorry for the delay, however my opponent went on a well deserved vacation and thus the game was put on hold for a week or two. But now back to our regularly scheduled programming...
During the detection phase, the DRV detects two more Yankee Air Pirate flights. This is always a good thing, as it is hard to go up against undetected targets. Next up is the movement phase!
DRV flight A continues his dash into the fray, screaming over Hanoi on the deck. He has remained undetected so far, and is hoping to stay that way.
US flight 204 (targeted by 2 SAM sites) hits the burners to get out of range of one of the sites, but not before the operator of SAM site G salvos off two shots at the streaking flight. Unfortunately for the DRV, the shot is a miss. However, flight 204 isn't out of the woods yet. SAM site C also fires on the flight, but also misses!
DRV flight C streaks into the outskirts of Hanoi, positioning himself for action. Maybe.
Flight 202, also lit up like a Christmas tree by two SAM sites, kicks in the afterburners and streaks towards Downtown. SAM site E takes a shot at the flight as it appraches it in a straight line, and manages to miss. Great shooting, guys!
DRV flight C commits to making a run for what he thinks is the US strike package (the three flights on the deck). He is putting himself in harm's way by flying out of the flak's protective canopy, but he is hoping that he'll remain undetected by flying on the deck. Furthermore, he is hoping that at least at least one of the three assumed strike flights will remain detected by the time he is in a position to intercept them. The other US flights advance to new positions, with no further SAM shots possible or taken.
During the tracking phase, I lose contact with the one US flight on the deck (part of the assumed strike package), which is a bit disheartening. However, I have a few turns to detect another of them, so we will see what develops. Closing out the turn, during the SAM acquisition phase I firm up a few contacts which may prove beneficial next turn.
Here are links for the cyberboard game file for scenario D1 and end of turn 5 map.
posted at: 15:51 | path: /games/board/downtown | permanent link to this entry
Wed, 21 Apr 2004
Downtown D1 - Cyberboard Game File
By request, I am now making the cyberboard game file for scenario D1 available from my web site. If you do not already have the Downtown Gamebox required for Cyberboard, then make sure you download and install it as well. Place the gamebox file (gbx suffix) and the game file (gam suffix) in the same directory, and then open the game file using Cyberboard.
Currently, the game file contains all turns up to and including turn 4. As future turns are completed, the game file will be updated with the new moves.
posted at: 10:10 | path: /games/board/downtown | permanent link to this entry