Striking out of the deep desert, the SAS unleashed overwhelming force against lightly-defended Axis airfields. The workhorse of these raids was the humble jeep, modified for desert driving and loaded down with multiple machine guns. Using a mix of armour-piercing and tracer rounds, the SAS gunners made mincemeat of grounded aircraft.
With the sun peaking over the horizon, an SAS patrol is caught in the open. The dust cloud kicked up by the convoy draws aircraft from all around, circling like vultures over a fresh kill. Desperately attempting to fend off the enemy dive-bombers with machine guns and assorted small arms, the patrol commander calls for friendly fighter cover…
Special Rules:
This scenario uses the standard setup for Targets of Opportunity as described on page 70 of Air Strike!, with the following modifications:
Sea of Sand: Instead of dealing out random terrain cards, the battlefield is a featureless expanse of sand dunes, which count as flat terrain. Aircraft searching over the desert get an additional +1 Dice to detect targets because of the dust kicked up by the raiding party’s jeeps.
Blitz Buggies: When a target is spotted, the defending player must place a target marker as described in the special rules. However, this target marker must be a truck convoy, representing the vehicles of the SAS raiding party.
These truck convoys deploy with an additional point of light flak (for a total of 2), representing the huge number of machine guns bolted to every flat surface on the jeeps.
Suggested Forces
Attackers
Jagdgeschwader 52: One squadron of 2 elements comprising:
- 1 Bf-109F, Pilot Skill 4; 1 Bf-109F, Pilot Skill 3
- 1 Bf-109F, Pilot Skill 3; 1 Bf-109F, Pilot Skill 2
Sturzkampfgeschwader 1: One squadron of 2 elements comprising:
- 1 Ju-87B, Pilot Skill 3; 1 Ju-87B, Pilot Skill 3; 1 Ju-87B, Pilot Skill 2
- 1 Ju-87B, Pilot Skill 3; 1 Ju-87B, Pilot Skill 3; 1 Ju-87B, Pilot Skill 2
Theatre Cards: Restricted Airfields, Poorly trained opponents
Doctrine Card: Seasoned Pilots
Defenders
No.112 Squadron, RAF: One Squadron of 2 elements comprising:
- 1 Curtiss P-40E, Pilot Skill 4; 1 Curtiss P-40E, Pilot Skill 3;
- 1 Curtiss P-40E, Pilot Skill 3; 1 Curtiss P-40E, Pilot Skill 2;
Theatre Cards: Supply shortages, Battle fatigue
Doctrine Card: Wall of Lead
Air Strike!
The definite Blood Red Skies resource, Air Strike! is a rules compendium that presents all of the rules from the original Blood Red Skies starter set and adds many new ones suitable for expanded air operations: ground and sea targets, bombing, strafing and torpedo attacks, defensive flak and terrain. Jet aircraft are introduced with the MiG Alley expansion and there is additional guidance for historic and competitive play.
The book includes seven entirely new scenarios for Blood Red Skies and re-presents the five originals to bring them in line with the new rules and player feedback.
Dan Hewitson
