felipe santamaría [email protected] page 2awards and losses (see 16). (2.14) the clock track is...

Felipe Santamaría [email protected] Page 1


1. Introduction RAF is a solitaire game in which you control

British Fighter Command during the critical six weeks of the Battle of Britain. The game simulates history's greatest air campaign on a day-by-day basis. The Luftwaffe, controlled by the game system, attempts to destroy the RAF, clearing the way for Operation Sealion, the planned invasion of the British Isles. You must commit fighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force against German raiders to prevent them from bombing targets in Britain. Your forces must be used carefully to avoid fatigue and destruction. Your goal is to force Hitler to cancel Sealion.

You control counters (called units)

representing British squadrons, and the game-system controls units representing German Gruppen (groups). A squadron's or Gruppe's status (ready, fatigued, damaged, and so forth) fluctuates during the game as a result of raids, replacements, or rest. Status is indicated by where on the map (in the rest, damage, or airbase boxes) the counter is placed and by which of its two faces (front or back) is showing.

A unique card system is used to execute

Luftwaffe raids against Britain. Raids occur one after the other in an overall German strategy that is coherent, yet unpredictable. The number of raids per day is determined by the overall German effort for the day, and targets of raids, numbers of planes, and composition of the raiding forces is determined by drawing from card decks. The success or failure of British detection in each individual raid determines when, during the unfolding of the raid, you must decide how to cope with a raid.

The Sequence of Play (section 3) is the heart

of the game and is repeated every day until you win or lose. Read it carefully to understand the general flow of play. All other rules are detailed explanations of procedures in the Sequence of Play.

To play RAF select one of the three scenarios

and follow its instructions for setting up. The Battle of Britain begins on August 11 when the Luftwaffe launches its first major attacks on English coastal targets and takes about ten hours to play. This game presents all critical developments of the campaign. It ends at any time the victory conditions are met.

The Thin Blue Line begins on August 27 and

takes about five hours to play. It picks up the battle at the height of the German effort and ends on any day the victory conditions are met.

The Hardest Days begins on August 11 and

covers the German Aldertag offensive and the bombings following it. It takes about 3 hours to play and is an excellent introduction to the game. This scenario ends on August 17th.

When you have played the game once or twice, you may wish to add the optional Night Raid rules. These rules increase the roles of German bombers and British Blenheims, but lengthen the game.

2. Components RAF includes: • 134 Force, Target, and Event cards • one 16-page rule book • one die-cut counter sheet with 160 counters • one 22" x 34" game map • one six-sided die • one counter tray with lock-on lid • one game box

If any of these components are damaged or missing write West End Games (the address is in the colophon).

(2..1) Game Map

The game map depicts southern Great Britain, where many important targets are located (you will sit at the north side, facing south). England is divided into sectors, each labelled with a sector/fighter-group number. Each sector contains an airfield, a patrol circle, and various sites that are targets of raids. (Exception: London has no airfield or sector/fighter-group number.) Each raid target has a name and a symbol (see map key); each radar net also has a number. Military bases are not represented on the map. Please note that some features on the map have been moved slightly to accomodate ease of play.

A line divides England into 2 zones. The

eastern zone is susceptible to raids from Luftflotte (air fleet) 2, and the western one from Luftflotte 3 (see 8). Another line marks the range limit for German Me 109s. Printed near the corners of the map are the Luftflotte 2 and 3 airbases. South of England are the Night Raids Box, and the Channel Patrol Chart.

Printed on the map are various charts, tracks,

and tables:

(2.11) The Calendar Track has a box for each day of the battle — from August 11 to October 1, 1940. The Day marker is placed on the Calendar to in dicate the current day. • Each day has a target priority modifier underneath the date (see 14). • Each Calendar box after September 10th has Sealion start and cancel values in the upper corners (see 16). • The days after September 22 are provisional and are played only if the Sealion invasion preparations begin after September 12.


(2.12) The Reinforcement and Replace-ment Track

Is printed over the Calendar and has boxes with warplane names for entering the named units to play. The names printed with "designations" (see 2.25) are "reinforcements"; those without designations indicate available "replacements" (see 15). (2.13) The Victory Point Track has boxes numbered 0 to 35 for marking the current victory point total (see 16). In each box are two target priority modifiers. The modifier on the left is used when the victory point total is less than 0, and the modifier on the right when the total is 0 or greater (see 14). • The Victory Point Chart lists victory point awards and losses (see 16). (2.14) The Clock Track is used to mark the passage of time during each day. You move the Hour marker on the Clock Track in accordance with Event cards (see 17). (2.15) The Combat Display is divided into three boxes (the Hunt Box, Bomber Box, and Close Escort Box) to differentiate the missions of German Gruppen (see 8). (2.16)The Rest and Damage Boxes are divided by nationality and hold fatigued or damaged units. (2.17) The Weather, German Effort, Target Priority, and Raid Detection Tracks are used to record information which changes during play of the game. (2.18) The Raid Type Chart is used to determine if a German raid occurs, and whether it is major or minor (see 5). (2.19) Also found on the map are the German Effort Table, Channel Patrol Allocation Chart, and an abbreviated Sequence of Play.

(2... 2) Counters The 47 British and 86 German counters

represent the squadrons and Gruppen which took part in the campaign.

(2.21) Unit colors and sides: All units are darker on their fatigued sides than on their ready sides (see 13). British squadrons are brown, German fighter Gruppen grey, and German bombers blue.

(2.22) Airplane types: British squadrons are Spitfires, Hurricanes, Blenheims, and Gladiators. German fighter Gruppen are Me 109s and Me 110s. German bomber Gruppen are Do 17s, He 111s, Ju 87s, and Ju 88s. Two Me 110 Gruppen are marked with an asterisk to indicate they are elite units.

• The following abbreviations are used for German warplanes: Do: Dornier He: Heinkel Ju: Junker Me: Messerschmitt (2.23) Combat strength represents a unit's effectiveness in combat. A high British strength or low German strength indicates an effective unit. (2.24) Bombing strength represents the effectiveness of a German unit in bombing a target. (2.25) Designation: Every unit has a three-part Designation. British designations indicate the squadron number/sector/fighter group of the unit. German designations indicate Gruppe num-ber/Geschwader/Luftflotte of the unit. Some independent Gruppen have no Geschwader designation.

• The following abbreviations are used in designations:


British: RCAF: Royal Canadian Air Force German: EGr: Erprobungsruppe (experimental training

group) JG: Jagdgeschwader (hunting wing) KG: Kampfgeschwader (bomber wing) KGr: Kampfgruppe (bomber group) KuGr: Kustenfliegergruppe (coastal flying group) LG: Lehrgeschwader (training wing) SG: Stukageschwader (dive-bomber wing) ZG: Zerstorergeschwader (destroyer wing)

(2.26) The selector is a reference symbol ("+" or "o") which refers to combat results and event cards (see 10 & 17). (2.27) Units with an "R" on their ready side are reinforcements. (2.28) Markers: There are 27 markers used for various game functions: • Five pairs of Damage markers to indicate damag-ed radar nets and HQs (see 11.3). • Five Green Pilots markers to indicate replace-ment squadrons manned by inexperienced pilots (see 15). • Five Target Priority markers for the Target Priority Track. The five markers are printed with five target types: radar, ports, cities, industry, and airfields. • One Day marker to indicate the passage of time on the Calendar. The back of the Day marker says LF3 to LF2 to indicate Luftflotte 3 Gruppen are available to Luftflotte 2 (see 17). • The Victory Point marker indicates the current victory point total. On one side is a minus sign in-dicating a victory point total less than zero, on the other side, a plus sign, indicating a victory point total of zero or greater. • The Weather, German Effort, Sealion, Detec-tion, and Hour markers are used on the appropriate tracks. Later rules explain the placement and use of these markers.

(2.3) Cards Three types of cards are used to play RAF —

Target, Force, and Event cards. During play, keep these cards in three separate decks and draw them at the appropriate times according to the Sequence of Play; draw the top card of a deck and place it face-up beside the deck to form a discard pile. Reshuffle each deck when it is exhausted.


(2.31) Target Cards Target cards, numbered 1 to 60, are used to deter-

mine the target of each raid. Other information im-portant for determining the accuracy and speed of British detection of the raid, which British units may attempt to intercept the raid, and the route the raiders take to the target is also found on the Target cards.

(2.32) Force Cards Force cards, numbered 61 to 90, are used to deter-

mine the number and types of planes in each raid.

(2.33) Event Cards Event cards, numbered 91 to 134, mark the passage of time and reveal unexpected events. Each card has a section corresponding to the current German effort, labelled "Light", "Normal", or "All-out". The German effort determines which event occurs and how many hours pass (see 17).

(2.4) Game Scale British squadrons are composed of 10 to 15 air-

craft and German Gruppen, 25 to 30. On the map, one inch equals approximately 15 miles.

3. Sequence Of Play RAF is played in days, divided into three phases:

Daily Upkeep, Raids, and End of Day; phases are subdivided into segments. Each turn, the following

phases and segments must be performed in the order listed below.

I Daily Upkeep

1. Reinforcements and Replacements

Consult the Calendar to see if British or Ger-man replacements or German reinforcements are available and deploy them. "Green Pilots markers" (see 15.3) may be placed on British replacements, and unused replacements may upgrade the status of units in the Damage Box. Enter British reinforcements at your discretion, (see 15.1).

2. Repair

Remove all Damage markers from today's Calendar space and the matching Damage marker from the map (see 11.3).

3. Weather Forecast and Time of Day

Place the Hour marker in the "0600" box of the Clock Track. Roll one die and consult the Weather Track to determine today's weather. Place the Weather marker in the box with the modified die result. If the weather is stormy, no raids occur today; move the German Effort marker to "Light" and skip ahead to the End of Day Phase.

4. Squadron Patrol

Place any or all ready squadrons on patrol (see 4). Move Blenheims to and from the Night Patrol Box if using the optional Night Raid rules (see 18.1).

5. German Effort

Roll one die and follow the instructions on the German Effort Table to determine today's German effort. Place the German Effort marker in the appropriate box on the German Effort Track.

II Raids

The Raids Phase is repeated until the clock

reaches 1800. 1. Target Determination

Draw one Target card and cross-index today's German effort and the priority of the target on the Raid Type Chart. The strategic value on the Target card determines if a raid takes place (see 5). If "no raid" results, draw another Target card until a "minor" or "major" raid results.

2. British Detection

Roll one die and consult the Detection Track to determine the warning and intelligence ratings for this raid; the point in the Sequence of Play for selection and deployment of British squadrons to intercept the raid depends upon


the intelligence: poor, vague, or accurate. • If intelligence is poor select and deploy squadrons to intercept the raid now (see 7).

3. Gruppe Selection and Deployment

Draw one Force card to determine the number

of Gruppen in the raid (see 8).

• If intelligence is vague select and deploy squadrons to intercept the raid now. Draw another Force card to determine the types of Gruppen in the raid. Select Gruppen from their airbases and deploy them in the Combat Display and Channel Patrol according to the rules for Gruppe Selection and Deployment (see 8).

• If intelligence is accurate select and deploy squadrons to intercept the raid now.

4. Raid Event

Draw an Event card. The German effort deter-mines how many spaces to advance the Hours marker and which event takes place (see 17).

5. Raid Resolution

A. Determine which German hunters will in tercept which British squadrons. Move squadrons not intercepted from the Hunt Box to the Bomber Box (see 9.1).

B. All German fighters in the Hunt Box attack

intercepted squadrons, then leave the raid (see 12). Squadrons leave the raid or move to the Bomber Box depending on the com bat result (see 10).

C. Decide which squadrons intercept Gruppen

in the Bomber Box (see 9.2). Squadrons which do not intercept leave the raid (see 12).

D. All squadrons in the Bomber Box attack the

intercepted bombers, strafers, and all close escort fighters (see 10). All squadrons and close escort fighters leave the raid after com bat (see 12). Bombers leave or remain, depending on the combat result.

E. Gruppen remaining in the Bomber Box

bomb the raid's target (see 11). All bombers, strafers, and channel patrollers leave the raid after the target is bombed (see 12). If the target is damaged, implement the effects (see 11.3) and lose victory points.

If the Hour marker has advanced to the 1800 hours

box, proceed to the End of Day Phase; otherwise return to step 1 of Raids and carry out another raid.

III End of Day

1. Land Patrolling Squadrons

Move all squadrons in patrol circles back to the ground in their sectors.

2. Conduct British and German Relief

See 13.

3. Resolve Night Raids (optional) See 18.

4. Advance the Day marker Gain two victory points; check for Sealion

preparations, then begin the next day.

4. British Squadron Patrol During segment 4 of Daily Upkeep, or when

"Patrolling Squadrons Land" occurs on an Event card (see 17), squadrons may be placed on patrol.

(4.1) Only "ready" squadrons in their sectors on the map may be placed on patrol. Ready squadrons are those on their "ready" side (see 2.21). Fatigued squadrons and squadrons in the Rest or Damage Boxes or on the Calendar cannot patrol. (4.2) To put a squadron on patrol place it in the patrol circle of its sector or an adjacent sector. Two sectors are adjacent if they share a mutual border even if the sectors belong to different fighter groups. Example: 1/11 sector is adjacent to sectors 4/10, 2/11, 3/11 and London. London is adjacent to every sector in the 11th fighter group except 4/11. Note that sectors 2/12, 3/12, 3/10, and 4/10 are adjacent to each other. (4.3) Any number of squadrons may be stacked in a patrol circle.

5. Raid Targets Begin each Raids Phase by determining the

target of the raid. During segment 1 of Raids, draw the top Target card in the target deck to determine if a major, minor, or no raid occurs.

Procedure: A. Look at the primary target's type on the card

and refer to the Target Priority Track to deter-mine the target's current priority.


B. Cross-reference the target's priority and the current German effort on the Raid Type Chart. Read the raid type from the line with the target's strategic value.

C. If the raid is major or minor proceed to

British Detection; otherwise, continue drawing Target cards until a major or minor raid occurs.

Example: Suppose the target is the port of Plymouth (card 21, strategic value 1), and the German Effort is Normal and ports are of medium priority. Cross-reference normal and medium on the Raid Type Chart. At the cross-reference of normal and medium, the result listed for a strategic value of 1 is ' 'no raid". If the target were the port of Southampton (card 27, strategic value 2) the result would be a minor raid.

6. Raid Detection The stupidity of large formations sorting themselves out in full view of British radar was not yet realized by the Luftwaffe.

— D. Wood & D. Dempster

After a target and raid size (major or minor) are known, squadrons may intercept the raid. The actual number of Gruppen and what type of planes are conducting the raid are unknown until you determine how accurate your intelligence is and how much warning you got. These factors are determined by the Raid Detection Track and Chart (on the map). Roll one die and modify the result according to the chart. Place the Raid Detection marker in the box equal to the modified die-roll. The results consist of two ratings:

• Warning (No, Late, Medium, or Early) deter-mines from which sectors squadrons may intercept a raid (see 7). • Intelligence (Poor, Vague, or Accurate) determines the accuracy of the information you have about the raid and, therefore, when you may commit your squadrons. (see 3 and 7).

7. Squadron Commitment (7.1) When Squadrons may Commit (7.11) The segment in the Sequence of Play when squadrons may be committed to intercept a raid depends on the accuracy of your intelligence (see 6). • If the intelligence is "poor" squadrons must be committed before determining the number of Grup-pen in the raid. • If the intelligence is "vague" squadrons must commit after determining the number of

Gruppen in the raid, but before determining their type. • If the intelligence is "accurate" squadrons must commit after deploying Gruppen in the Combat Display, but before drawing an Event card. (7.12) You are never required to commit any squadrons to intercept a raid (see 9.15 and 11 for the effects of not intercepting a raid). (7.2) Eligible Squadrons

Each Target card lists sectors that are "in

range" of the target and those sectors which German Gruppen must fly over "en-route" to the target. British squadrons patrolling or on the ground in these sectors may be eligible to intercept the raid, depending upon how much warning they received from British Detection. Squadrons in the Rest and Damage Boxes or on the Replacement Track are not eligible (see 6).

• If there is "No warning", or the warning is "Late", only squadrons in patrol circles of sectors enroute may intercept the raid. • If the warning is "Medium", only squadrons patrolling or on the ground enroute, or patrolling in range may intercept. • If the warning is "Early", all squadrons on the ground or patrolling enroute or in range may intercept. Example: The Middle Wallop Airfield (Target card 7) is the target of a raid: if the detection result is No or Late warning, only squadrons patrolling in sector 4/10 are eligible. If the detection result is Medium, squadrons patrolling in sectors 3/10, 4/10, 1/11, and 3/11 and squadrons on the ground in 4/10 are eligible. If the detection result is Early warning squadrons patrolling or on the ground in sectors 3/10, 4/10, 1/11, 3/11 are eligible. (7.3) Deploying Squadrons

Move any or all eligible squadron(s) to the Hunt Box of the Combat Display, retaining its status (ready or fatigued).

8. Gruppe Selection And Deploy-ment

To select and deploy German Gruppen you draw two Force cards. The first card indicates the number of Gruppen in the raid. The second indicates the types of planes that must be selected.


Example: The Raid Type Chart indicates a minor German raid. If the first Force card drawn were number 67, the raid would have three Gruppen in it. If the second Force card were number 66, 2 Do-17s and 1 Me 109 would be selected for the raid because numbers one and two are DO-17s and number three is an Me 109. (8.1) Selecting Gruppen

The Target card states from which Luftflotte to

select Gruppen. (Note: one event allows Luftflotte 3 Gruppen to participate in Luftflotte 2 raids, see the Event Summary). Procedure: 1. Ready Gruppen in German airbases of

the appropriate Luftflotte must be selected before fatigued Gruppen, If no ready Gruppen are available, fatigued ones must be selected. Gruppen in the Night Raid Box may not be selected for day raids (see 18).

2. If no ready or fatigued Gruppen of the

type called for by the second Force card are available, substitute those of a similar type (if not enough of the fighters specified are available, for example, select any fighter; if not enough of the bombers specified are available, select any bomber; Exception: Substitute Ju 87s only if no other bombers are available). Select ready Gruppen before fatigued ones.

3. If no Gruppen of a similar type are available, do not select any of that type. In this case the size of the raid is reduced.

(8.11) When selecting Gruppen for a raid, choose equally between "o" and "+" selectors if possible.

(8.12) Elite Gruppen: Two Me 110 Gruppen are marked with an asterisk after the airplane type; these are elite units (see 2.2 for an illustration). If ready, elite Me 110 Gruppen must be selected before any other Me 110. If fatigued, elite Me 110 Gruppen must be selected after any other ready or fatigued Me 110.

(8.13) If a Target card indicates the raid is beyond the Me 109's range, no Me 109s may be selected for that raid. Substitute Me 110s for Me 109s.

(8.14) If no Gruppen are selected for a raid, the raid is a false raid. Squadrons committed to in-tercept a false raid return to their sectors (see 12). Event cards are drawn for false raids.

(8.2) Deploying Gruppen As you select Gruppen for a raid, move the

counters from their airbase to the Combat Display and place:

• Me 109s in the Hunt Box (even if substituting for Me 110s). • Me 110s in the Close Escort Box (even if substituting for Me 109s). (Exception: If no bombers are in the Bomber Box place Me 110s in the Bomber Box.) • All bomber Gruppen in the Bomber Box. (8.3) Channel Patrol Deployment

Historical Note: The Luftwaffe routinely protected

bombers returning from England with fighters patrolling the English Channel.

(8.31) After deploying all Gruppen for a raid, place additional Me 109s from the same Luftflotte in the Channel Patrol Box. • The number of Me 109s placed in the Channel Patrol Box is determined by the number of bombers in the raid (see Channel Patrol Allocation Chart on map).

• Me 109s are selected for channel patrol as for raids except Me 110s are never substituted (see 8.1).

(8.32) On a "No Warning" detection result, Me109s on channel patrol are moved to the Close Escort Box, unless the raid is beyond Me 109 range. (8.33) After the raid is complete, Me 109s on channel patrol return to their airbases fatigued or to the Rest Box (see 12).

(8.4) Channel Patrol Allocation Chart This chart is on the map in the Channel Patrol

Box.

Summary 1. German bombers always fly bomber missions

and are placed in the Bomber Box.

2. A German fighter flies one of four missions determined by its placement: hunting, close escort, strafing, or channel patrol.

3. Fighters placed in the: • Hunt Box intercept and attack squadrons. Only Me 109s hunt.


Close Escort Box support bombers attacked by squadrons. Usually Me 110s fly close escort, but, if required by an event card, Me 109s may close escort. • Bomber Box strafe the target. Me 110s strafe if the bombers are not intercepted, if no bombers are in the raid or if required by an Event card. Me 109s strafe only when on a close escort mission and the bombers are not intercepted, or if hunting Me 109s greatly outnumber intercepting squadrons (see 9.14). • Channel Patrol Box do not participate in raids unless the British Detection result is "No Warning", in which case they move to the Close Escort Box. Only Me 109s fly channel patrol.

9. Interception Interception occurs twice in resolving a raid:

when Gruppen in the Hunt Box (hunters) intercept British squadrons, and when British squadrons intercept German bombers.

(9.1) Hunters Intercept Squadrons

During step A of Raid Resolution (see 3), Ger-

man hunters intercept British Squadrons in the Hunt Box of the Combat Display.

(9.11) If no German Gruppen are in the Hunt Box move all squadrons in the Hunt Box to the Bomber Box. (9.12) If fewer Gruppen than squadrons are in the Hunt Box squadrons may be moved from the Hunt Box to the Bomber Box until the number of squadrons in the Hunt Box equals the number of Gruppen. • If no bombers are in the Bomber Box squadrons may leave the raid (see 12). Example: There are 3 Me 109s and 5 Spitfires in the Hunt Box. Two Spitfires may be moved from the Hunt Box to the Bomber Box or leave the raid. (9.13) If there are as many or more German Gruppen than British squadrons in the Hunt Box no squadrons or Gruppen are moved from the Hunt Box. (9.14)If more than twice as many German Gruppen than British squadrons are in the Hunt Box move Gruppen of your choice from the Hunt Box to the Bomber Box until there are twice as many Gruppen as squadrons in the Hunt Box. • Gruppen moved to the Bomber Box become strafers.

Example: There are 5 Me 109s and 1 Blenheim in the Hunt Box. Three Me 109s must be moved to the Bomber Box. (9.15) If no squadrons are in the Hunt Box: • All German Gruppen in the Close Escort Box are moved to the Bomber Box (and become strafers). • All German Gruppen in the Hunt Box leave the raid (see 12). • Skip steps A through D of Raid Resolution and resolve the bombing attack (step E).

(9.2) Squadrons Intercept Bombers

During step C of Raid Resolution decide which British squadrons in the Bomber Box intercept German Gruppen in the Bomber Box. Squadrons are not required to intercept bombers; they may return to their sectors (see 12).

(9.21) If the number of squadrons remaining in the Bomber Box equals or exceeds the number of Gruppen (bombers and strafing fighters) in the Bomber Box all Gruppen in the Bomber Box are attacked (see 10). (9.22) If fewer squadrons than Gruppen remain in the Bomber Box choose which Gruppen will be attacked by the squadrons. • Select a number of bombers and strafers equal to the number of squadrons in the Bomber Box. Example: There are 5 Gruppen in the bomber Box and 3 squadrons. Choose which three Gruppen will be intercepted, and move the other two aside. (9.23) If no squadrons remain in the Bomber Box, move all close escort fighters to the Bomber Box (they become strafers).

10. Air Combat Gruppen in the Hunt Box — attacking hunters — intercept British squadrons in the Hunt Box — defending squadrons — and attack them there. British squadrons which move to the Bomber Box intercept and attack German bombers; all British fighters in the Bomber Box attack all intercepted bombers, strafers, and close escort fighters. In this step squadrons are called attackers; bombers, strafers, and close escort fighters are called defenders.


(10.1) Resolving an Attack To resolve an attack: 1. Add the combat ratings of all attacking and

defending units into a total combat strength. • In a German hunter attack include only units in

the Hunt Box; do not include any units in the Bomber or Close Escort Boxes.

• In a British squadron attack on bombers in the

Bomber Box include squadrons, intercepted bombers, and strafers (see 9.2) and all Gruppen in the Close Escort Box.

2. Count the number of Gruppen in combat (the

number of hunters in a hunter attack, or intercepted bombers, strafers, and close escort fighters in a squadron attack) to determine which column of the Combat Results Table will be used.

• Cross-index the number of Gruppen with the total combat strength.

3. Roll one die, and count down from the row with

the total combat strength a number of rows equal to the modified die result. (If any participating squadrons have "Green Pilots", see 15.3, modify the result.)

4. Read the German and British combat results

in the row. The letter code result indicates damage inflicted on planes with a selector ("+", "o"), or all squadrons or Gruppen.

(10.2) Combat Damage

Refer to the Combat Damage Chart (see pullout section) to determine the effects of results on the Combat Results Table. The chart directs units to leave the raid, to move to a different box of the combat display, or to flip from ready to fatigued status.


Results affect ready and fatigued units differently (see Combat Damage Chart).

Each time a squadron or Gruppe is eliminated, adjust the Victory Point Track according to the Vic-tory Point Chart (on the map).

• Eliminated units are placed on the Calendar, ready, in a box for the next available replacement of the unit's type. • If all replacement boxes of an eliminated unit's type are filled, additional eliminated units are removed from play. Example: If, on August 11, one Hurricane squadron is eliminated, place it on the Calendar in the Hur-ricane box for August 14. (10.3) Combat Results Table

See pullout section. (104) Combat Damage Chart

See pullout section. 11. Bombing

Every effort had to be made to stop the enemy

before he bombed, not afterwards. — D. Wood & D. Dempster

Bombing Procedure All Gruppen in the Bomber Box in step E of Raid

Resolution bomb or strafe the target. Resolve as follows:

1. Total the Bombing strength of all Gruppen. If strafing fighters are included, their bombing strength may be reduced (see 11.2). 2. Locate the column with the total bombing strength on the Bombing Table. • If the weather is cloudy shift two columns to the left (but not beyond the "1" column). • If the bombers were not intercepted shift two columns to the right (but not beyond the 24+ column). 3. Roll one die and cross-reference the result with the adjusted column, to determine the number of damage points caused by the bombing. • If the result is H roll the die again. The result of the die-roll plus 1 is the amount of bomb damage. Lose victory points based on the result (see Victory Point Chart) and apply any damage points to the target (see 11.3).

(11.1) Secondary Targets Some Event cards require German bombers to

bomb a secondary target. Unless such an Event card is drawn, all Gruppen bomb the primary target. German target priorities have no effect on secondary target selection.

• An event card may require all Gruppen or Grup pen marked with a selector ("+" or "o") to bomb a secondary target. If this is the case, separate Grup pen by selector before combat. After resolving com bat conduct two bombardments. Example: At light effort, event card 93 requires Ger-man bombers with the "+" selector to bomb the secondary target. Separate the German bombers into two groups by selector. Resolve one combat against all the bombers. After combat each group bombs its own target. (11.2) Strafers

German fighters moved to the Bomber Box strafe

the target, contributing their bombing strength to the total bombing strength.

• When strafing radar, city, headquarters, or military bases, Me 110s halve their bombing strength (rounded up). Me 109s do not contribute any strength when strafing these targets.

(11.3) Bomb Damage to Targets

Damage points affect each target differently:


Radar: Radars (which actually represent entire net-works of radar stations) are damaged for a number of days equal to the damage points received. Place a Damage marker on the radar symbol on the map and the matching Damage marker on the Calendar day when the net will be repaired; the effects of damage begin immediately. When the "repair day" arrives, remove the marker from the Calendar and map. A damaged radar does not modify the die-roll

on the Detection Track and Chart. Example: Beachy Head radar receives 2 damage points on August 18. Place a Damage marker on the radar symbol on the map and the Damage marker with the same number on the August 20 space. Dur-ing the August 20 repair segment, remove both markers. Airfields: The number of damage points received is the number of squadrons in the affected sector which are reduced one status level. For each damage point, flip a ready squadron to fatigued, or move a fatigued squadron to the Rest Box, flipped to ready. Only squadrons which are not on patrol, and which did not intercept the raid, can be affected (exception: 18.13). Squadrons in Rest or Damage Boxes are not affected. You decide which of the eligible squadrons are

affected. If there are more damage points than eligible

squadrons, ignore the excess. Only one damage point may be applied per squadron.

Industry: A number of replacement squadrons on the Calendar equal to the number of damage points received are flipped from ready to fatigued. Beginning with the first available replacement, flip over squadrons in chronological order until the required number are flipped. If there are fewer squadrons than damage

points the excess damage is ignored. Headquarters: Headquarters operations are dis-rupted for a number of days equal to the number of damage points received. Place a Damage marker on the headquarters and the matching Damage marker on the Calendar; the effects of damage begin immediately. When the "repair day" arrives, remove both markers to show the headquarters has been repaired. If a Fighter Group HQ (Box or Uxbridge) is

disrupted, the total modifier added to the detection die roll for all raids against targets in the disrupted fighter group is halved, rounding up (see 6). Box is the headquarters for Fighter Group 10, and Uxbridge, for Fighter Group 11.

If Fighter Command HQ (Stanmore) is dis-

rupted, the detection modifier is halved for all raids.

If both a group headquarters and Stanmore

are damaged at the same time, no modifier is added to the detection die-roll for targets in the group.

Ports, Cities, and Military Bases: damage points have no effect on these targets. But, victory points are still lost. (11.4) Bombing Table

See pullout section.

12. Leaving A Raid Units leaving a raid as a result of combat go to

the location specified by the Combat Damage Chart (see pullout section).

(12.01) Units leave raids without being directed by the Combat Damage Chart in the following circumstances: after a false raid (see 8.14). When an Event card requires Gruppen to leave

prior to Raid Resolution. Me 109s in the Hunt Box leave if no squadrons

are in the Hunt Box (see 9.15). Squadrons may leave during hunter-squadron in-

terception (see 9.12). Squadrons may leave during squadron-bomber in-

terception (see 9.2). A Gruppe leaves after bombing a target. Me 109s leave channel patrol after raid resolution. (12.02) When a ready unit leaves a raid without being directed by the Combat Damage Chart it returns to its airbase or sector, fatigued. A fatigued unit leaving a raid is placed in the

Rest Box, fatigued. A squadron leaving a raid is no longer on

patrol. 13. Relief

A unit's status represents its preparedness to fly.

Status is downgraded by participating in a raid and being bombed. Status is upgraded through relief. A unit's status is determined by which of its two sides are up (either ready or fatigued) and its location on the map.

(13.01) Unit statuses from most prepared to least prepared, are: • In an airbase or sector, ready. • In an airbase or sector, fatigued. • In the Rest Box, ready.


• In the Rest Box, fatigued. • In the Damage Box, ready. • In the Damage Box, fatigued. (13.02) Relief occurs at the end of each day and when an event card calls for it. • When an event card calls for German relief, conduct relief only for German units. During the End of Day phase, conduct relief for units of both na-tionalities. Conduct relief as follows: 1. Flip each fatigued unit in an airbase or sector to

ready. 2. Move all ready units in the Rest Box to their air-

base or sector, fatigued. 3. Flip all fatigued units in the Rest Box to ready. 4. Move all ready units in the Damage Box to the

Rest Box, fatigued. 5. Flip all fatigued units in the Damage Box to ready. Design Note: A squadron or Gruppe in the Rest Box is waiting for injured and exhausted pilots to recover; in the Damage Box, it is waiting to receive new planes.

14. German Target Priorities A target type's priority (low, medium, or high)

represents the importance the Luftwaffe places on damaging a target of that type. Priority is assigned to five target types at the start of the game and recorded on the Target Priority Track on the map. The five target types, each with its own marker, are: airfields, cities, industry, ports, and radar. Other target types (military bases & headquarters) have no markers and are listed as secondary targets on the Target cards.

(14.1) Changing Target Priorities Two events call for a change in German target

priorities. One changes the priorities by the Calen-dar date, and the other, by accumulated victory points.

(14.11) When either type of card is drawn resolve the current raid then locate the target priority modifier. To change target priority by date use the

modifier printed on the current Calendar date. To change by victory points use one of the

modifiers printed in the current victory point total box on the Victory Point Track. If the victory point total is less than 0, use the modifier in the left column, otherwise use the modifier in the right column.

Roll one die and add the modifier. Cross-index the die result and target types on the German Target Table and move the Target Priority markers to show the new priorities.

Note: When Operation Sealion begins, it fixes the

target priorities for the remainder of the game (see 16.1).

(14.2) Terror Strategy

When changing target priorities, and the modified

die result is 7 or more, German terror strategy goes into effect. Remove Target cards 1 through 20 from the target deck and add cards 41 to 60. Shuffle the target deck. Terror strategy remains in effect for the rest of the game; target priorities may change, but the target deck does not. (If using the optional Night Raids (18), double all night raid commitment values.) (14.3) German Target Table

This table is in the pullout section.

15. Reinforcements And Repla-cements

Experienced pilots were like gold-dust, and each one lost had to be replaced by an untried man who for some time would be vulnerable, until he acquired battle know-how. Fresh squadrons, moved in to replace tired units, very often lost more aircraft and pilots than the formations they replaced.

— D. Wood & D. Dempster

Reinforcements are new units which have not entered play. German reinforcements are placed on the Calendar before the game begins and enter play on the day listed. British reinforcements enter play at your discretion.

Replacements are eliminated units which are

returned to play; place eliminated units on the Calen-dar in the first Replacement Box of the unit's type after the current day.

(15.1) Entering Replacements and

German Reinforcements (15.11) During the Reinforcement and Replace-ment segment of each turn beginning with August 14 remove all replacements and reinforcements from the current day and place them on the map in the proper airbase or sector. • If the unit is on its ready side flip it to fatigued and place it in its assigned sector or airbase. • If the unit is fatigued place it in the Damage Box, fatigued. Only replacements may be fatigued on the Calendar (see 12). • If a replacement Box is empty move a unit of matching type from the Damage Box to the Rest Box retaining its status. If no matching units are in the


Damage Box, the replacement is lost. (15.2) British Reinforcements

During the Replacement and Reinforcements seg-

ment, British reinforcements may enter play. Only one reinforcement squadron may be entered per day. To enter a British reinforcement, place the squadron of your choice in its assigned sector, fatigued. Rein-forcements cannot be assigned Green Pilots markers. British reinforcements cost victory points to enter as follows:

(15.3) British Green Pilots The Royal Air Force suffered from a shortage of

experienced pilots. As casualties mounted, Fighter Command was forced to man front line squadrons with green pilots: men with only a few hours flying time and no combat training.

(15.31) When a British replacement squadron enters play, one Green Pilots marker, -2 side up, may be placed on the squadron at your option. • Add two points to the victory point total for each Green Pilots marker that enters play. (15.32) When a squadron with a Green Pilots marker is in combat subtract the number showing on the marker from the die roll (see 10.1). • If more than one green squadron is in combat subtract all modifiers from die die roll (me modifica-tions of Green Pilot markers are cumulative). • When combat resolution is complete, flip Green Pilots markers to their -1 sides, or remove them if the -1 sides are face-up already. (15.33) Green Pilots markers stay on squadrons until they participate in two combats as attacker or defender, even if the squadron is placed in the Rest or Damage Box. The markers are removed if the squadrons are eliminated.

16. Victory And Defeat For the first time in history an attempt was made to use air power to cripple an enemy to such an ex-tent that he would not thereafter be in a position to offer any serious resistance — in fact it was even hoped that air action alone could force him to sue for peace.

— Dr. Karl Klee

Victory is determined by the accumulation or loss of victory points as indicated on the Victory Point Chart (on the map). The Victory Point Track displays the current victory point total. When you lose vic-tory points subtract the amount lost from the cur-rent total; flip the marker to the negative side, if the total is below "0". When you gain victory points add the amount gained to the current total; flip the marker to the positive side, if the total is above "0".

You win the game if Operation Sealion is cancell-

ed on or before September 22. You lose the game if Sealion occurs. The game is a draw if Sealion is cancelled after September 22. You can also win or lose the game if either airforce deteriorates to operational elimination.

(16.1) Operation Sealion

The Sealion marker begins in the September 11

box of the Calendar, marking the scheduled start of a 10-day preparation period before the invasion. Each time the Day marker advances to a box occupied by the Sealion marker, compare the victory points to the start (upper right) and cancel (upper left) values listed for that day.

(16.11) If the accumulated victory point total equals or exceeds the cancel value listed for the day, Hitler cancels Sealion and the game ends. • If Sealion is cancelled on September 11 you win a decisive victory. • If Sealion is cancelled after September 11, but on or before September 22, you win an operational victory. (16.12) If the total victory points are between the start and cancel values Hitler delays the start of the operation. • Roll one die and halve the result, rounding up. This is the number of days Sealion is postponed. Move the Sealion marker 1, 2, or 3 days along the Calendar and award yourself one victory point for each day of delay. • If Sealion is delayed beyond September 22 the game ends in a draw. (16.13) If the accumulated victory point total equals or is less than the listed start value prepartions for Sealion begin. • Flip the Sealion marker to the D-Day side and move it ten spaces along the Calendar. The Sealion marker may be moved into the provisional days on the Calendar; this is the only way the game may last beyond September 22. • Lose five victory points. • Change the German target priorities to the following:


High - Airfields and ports, Medium - Radar; Low - Cities and industry.

These priorities remain in effect until the end of the game; ignore all "Change Target Priority" events.

(16.14) When the Day marker enters the D-Day space, the game ends. If the victory point total is: • less than or equal to the start value printed in the space, the Wehrmacht invades England; the swastika looms over England: You Lose Decisively. • between the start and cancel values Sealion is cancelled. The game is a draw, but the Luftwaffe may yet eliminate the RAF. • equal to or greater than the cancel value You Win a tactical victory. Sealion is cancelled. The RAF has barely withstood the Luftwaffe's pounding.

(16.2) Airforce Elimination (16.21) If the victory point total is equal to or less than -35 at any time, You Lose Decisively; a decisive loss means the Luftwaffe controls the skies and Hitler can launch Sealion at any time secure in the knowledge the Luftwaffe will lend tactical and strategic airpower unhindered by the RAF. • If the victory point total equals or exceeds +35 at any time, You Win Decisively. A decisive victory means the RAF has gained air superiority and could launch an offensive and begin bombing targets over France. (16.3) Victory Point Chart This chart is on the map. 17. Raid Events

Each Event card list three events. The one

which takes place is determined by the day's German effort. Raid events are divided into two parts, a number and a named event. The number advances the Hour marker on the Clock Track. If the marker enters or passes the 1800 space, after resolving the current raid, proceed to the End of Day Phase. A list of events and their effects are at the back of the rule book.

18. Night Raids (Optional) Historical Note: Night raids rarely had an impact on the operation of Fighter Command, and are not detailed like the day raids. However, night raids were an effective and dramatic method for German bombers to attack cities and industrial targets with little risk of air combat.

After you have played the game several times, you may wish to add the Night Raid rules. These rules increase the use of German bombers and British Blenheims, but increase the playing time of the game slightly. Procedure: 1. Place ready Blenheims on night patrol in the Squadron Patrol segment. 2. During the Night Raid segment, determine the number of German bombers committed to night raids (18.2). 3. Check if a Blenheim intercepts and attacks a bomber (18.3). 4. Surviving Gruppen then bomb unspecified British targets (18.4). (18.1) British Night Patrol (18.11) During the Squadron Patrol segment, assign ready Blenheim squadrons to night patrol by placing them in the Night Patrol Box. • Only Blenheim squadrons may be placed on night patrol. (18.12) Squadrons in the Night Patrol Box are not required to return to their sectors during the Land Patrolling Squadrons segment (see 3) or by the "Land Patrolling Squadrons" event (see Event Summary). • A squadron may be removed from night patrol by placing it in its sector, fatigued during the Squadron Patrol segment. (18.13) Squadrons in the Night Patrol Box may not be used to intercept day raids and are considered on the ground during the day; they can be damaged by bombing (see 12.3). • If a squadron on night patrol is damaged by bombing place it in its sector, fatigued. (18.2) German Night Raid Commitment (18.21) During the Night Raids segment, roll one die and cross-reference the day's German effort and the die result on the Night Raid Commitment Table (see pullout section) to determine the number of bomber Gruppen committed from each Luftflotte. (18.22) Move the number of bombers to the Luft flotte’s Night Raid Box or back to their bases as re-quired by the German Night Raid Commitment Table.


• Select bombers as if selecting for a day raid (see 8) except fatigued Gruppen committed to night raids are flipped to ready when placed in a Night Raid Box. Select He 111s before Do 17s and Ju 88s. Never select Ju 87s for night raids. • Double the number of bombers placed in the Night Raid Box when terror strategy is in effect. • If there are more bombers in a Luftflotte Night Raid Box than the table requires return the ex-cess bombers to their airbase, ready. Example: There are 2 bombers in the Luftflotte 2 Night Raid Box, and 3 in the Luftflotte 3 Night Raid Box. German effort is "light" and you roll a 4 on the German Night Raid Commitment Table. The result is 3/2. One Gruppen must be moved to the. box from Luftflotte 2, and one from the box to its airbase in Luftflotte 3. (18.3) Night Raid Interception

and Combat The chance of a Blenheim squadron intercepting

a German night raid is remote, but possible.

Procedure: 1. Cross reference the number of Blenheims in the Night Patrol Box with the total number of bombers in both Luftflotte Night Raid Boxes on the Night Raid Interception Table (see pullout sec-tion) to determine the interception chance. 2. Roll one die. • If the die-roll is less than or equal to the in-terception chance choose one Blenheim squadron from the Night Patrol Box to intercept one Gruppen of your choice. • Only one squadron and one Gruppe have combat in a single night, regardless of the number of units involved. (18.31) If Blenheim squadron 600/6/11 is in the Night Patrol Box you may add one to the intercep tion chance after you roll the die. • If the die-roll equals the new interception chance, the 600/6/11 squadron must intercept. (18.32) Resolve squadron-bomber night attacks using the normal rules for combat. If either unit survives (is not directed to be placed in the Rest or Damage boxes), the unit returns to the Night Raid Box, ready. This is an exception to section 13.

(18.4) Night Raid Bombing After resolving night raid combat, determine the

effect of damage done to British targets by all night raiders. The bombing does not effect specific targets,

and the Bomb Damage Table is not used. Instead, total the number of Gruppen in both Night Raid Boxes and roll one die. Cross-reference the die-roll and the number of Gruppen on the Night Raid Bom-bing Table to determine bomb damage (see pullout section).

(18.5) Night Raid Commitment Table


(18.6) Night Raid Interception Table


(18.7) Night Raid Bombing Table See pullout section.

19. The Hardest Days

The Luftwaffe will use all forces at its disposal to

destroy the British air force as quickly as possible... — A. Hitler, Directive 17, August 1, 1940

Historical Note: The Germans scheduled Aldertag — Eagle Day — for August 8, 1940, but weather delayed the onslaught of the air offensive against England until August 13th. On that day the Luft-waffe bungled its offensive because of bad weather, and many units flew missions that had been cancell-ed. 1,485 sorties were flown, and 46 planes were downed by British fighters. (19.1) Cards (19.11) Divide the cards into the target deck, the force deck, and the event deck. Remove the following 28 cards and place them aside: • Target cards 41 through 60 • Force cards 87 through 90 • Event cards 131 through 134 (19.12) Shuffle each deck and place them face down next to the map. (19.2) Squadrons and Gruppen

Place all 33 squadrons not marked as rein-

forcements on the ground in their assigned sectors, ready side up. No German reinforcements or replacements enter in this scenario.

Place the 77 Gruppen not marked as rein-

forcements in their assigned airbases, ready side up.

(19.3) Target Priority Markers (19.31) Place the five Priority markers on the Target Priority Track as follows:


• Low priority: cities and industry • Medium priority: airfields • High priority: ports and radar (19.4) Other Markers Place the: Hour marker in the 0600 box Detection marker any where on the Detection Track Day marker in the August 11th box Weather marker in the clear box of the Weather

Track German Effort marker in the normal box Victory Point marker in the zero box Green Pilots markers aside for later use Damage markers aside for later use (19.5) Special Rules

The game ends after the End of Day phase of

August 17th. Compare the number of victory points accumulated to the chart below to see if you have won the game. In addition, 16.2 is in effect.

Skip the Repair, Weather, and German Effort segments on the first day.

20. The Thin Blue Line The only plan is to persevere.

— John Terraine Historical Note: Despite British aircraft production surpassing Germany, Britain's valiant few became fewer. There were not enough trained British fighter pilots despite transfers from Bomber Command. By August 27th the RCAF was flying patrols along with Polish (303) and Czechoslovakian (310) squadrons, and mixed British-Low Country squadrons.

Both sides began to learn proper tactics in the air. German pilots flew paired to intercept British squadrons, and learned to stay away from the bombers to give their machines room to maneuver. The British muddled through. Their air-ground coordination improved, but controllers and pilots added thousands of feet to observer's estimates, which allowed low-flying raids to bomb unintercepted. Eventually the battle evolved from sorting out tactics in the air to mass formations fighting a war of attrition. Enraged by bomber losses in the war of attrition, Goering ordered the Me 109s to fly close escort, depriving his pilots of their advantages.

(20.1) Cards Same as 19.1.

(20.2) Squadrons and Gruppen Place fighter Gruppe IV/JG 51/2 in its airbase

and not on the reinforcement track. Place other units as per 21.2.

(20.21) Place the following reinforcement squadrons in their sectors, ready:

Hurricanes: 249/4/10, RCAF/3/11, 310/2/12. Spitfires: 602/1/11, 72/2/11, 603/6/11.

(20.3) Target Priority Markers (20.31) Place the five Priority markers on the Target Priority Track as follows: Low priority: ports and radar Medium priority: cities and industry High priority: airfields (20.4) Other Markers

Place the Day marker in the August 27th box,

the Sealion marker in the September 11th box, and all other markers as per 19.4.

(20.5) Special Rules

Skip the Repair, Weather, and German Effort

segments on the first day.

21. The Battle Of Britain We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air...

— Winston Churchill, June 4, 1940

...So long as the enemy air force remains in being, the supreme principle of air warfare must be to attack it at every possible opportunity by day and by night, in the air and on the ground with priority over other tasks.

— Herman Goering, June 30, 1940

As England, despite her hopeless military situation, still shows no sign of willingness to come to terms, I have decided to prepare, and if necessary to carry out, a landing operation against her. The aim of this operation is to eliminate the English motherland as a base from which war against Germany can be continued and, if necessary, to occupy completely. — Adolph Hitler, Directive No. 16, July 16, 1940


Historical Note: France had fallen to conquering panzers. The British evacuated the continent at Dunkirk, leaving 450 Hurricanes and Spitfires in France. Continued British resistance stymied Hitler, who expected Great Britain to prostrate herself as France had. He decided to invade the British Isles. Reichmarschall Herman Goering, ignoring the advice of Luftwaffe staff studies which concluded Britain could not be defeated by an air campaign, promised Hitler Britain would be humilated in four weeks. The invasion was scheduled for mid-August. After the Fall of France, the British government expected pre-invasion assualts against ports and industries. She feared that after her ports were filled with wrecks and her industry in ruins, Britain's ability to resist invasion would be crippled. (21.1) Cards

Same as 19.1. (21.2) Squadrons and Gruppen (21.21) Place all 33 squadrons not marked as rein-forcements on the ground in their assigned sectors, ready side up. Example: Spitfire squadron 54/6/11 is placed anywhere in Sector 6 of Group 11 except in a patrol circle. (21.22) Place the 77 Gruppen not marked as rein forcements in their assigned airbases, ready side up. Example: Me 1091/JG 51/2 is placed in the Me 109 airbase of Luftflotte 2. (21.23) Place each reinforcement Gruppe on the Calendar in the day space for that unit. • Set reinforcement squadrons aside. (21.3) Target Priority Markers

Same as 19.3.

(21.4) Other Markers Same as 19.4, except the Sealion marker, is plac-

ed in the September 11 box.

(21.5) Special Rules Skip the Repair, Weather, and German Effort

segments on the first day.

This is my second stab at a game on the Battle of Britain and my third solitaire game design. Battle over Britain (TSR/SPI) was a big two-player simulation. Both solitaire designs, Voyage of the Pan-dora for SPI and Ambush! for Victory Games, used

programmed paragraphs, a system that is great fun to play but drives designers, developers, and editors crazy

. In RAF, I saw a unique opportunity to create a

solitaire simulation using cards and a few charts — a game that would make the British player feel ten-sion as each raid unfolds, drama as air combat takes its toll, relief with each day he keeps his squadrons operational, and appreciation as the weeks pass and German strategies shift to meet Hitler's improbable goals.

All the actual targets and strategies of the cam-

paign are in the game, as well as a few possibilities that the British feared; all these are presented in a way that keeps the player feeling it's happening for the first time. Yes, the Germans lost, and historians agree that they had very little chance of winning. But, at the time, no one on the British side (and cer-tainly not the Germans) was so sure. In the game, the player sees things from the uncertain perspec-tive of 1940.

There are three major strategic choices the Ger-

mans made historically that they may or may not make in the game. If these German choices always happened in the game (for the sake of "realism") the game would actually be less realistic; foreknowledge of their occurance would entice the British player into artificial strategies. The three choices are:

Terror Strategy: This dramatic switch from

military to civilian targets was the turning point of the campaign. Hitler ordered the Luftwaffe to con-centrate on London and other cities beginning September 7th; a big break for the RAF. With for-ward airfields and radar undisturbed, and with Ger-man bombers ranging further inland, Fighter Com-mand had plenty of time to intercept, in a big way, even while resting overworked squadrons. The player gains a similar advantage in the game if the Terror Strategy occurs, and should find victory easier.

Increase Fighter Escort: Early in the campaign,

Goering became concerned with the high ratio of bomber to fighter losses. Thus on August 19th he ordered fighters to fly close escort in greater numbers. This denied the Me 109s speed and maneuverablity, the very factors that gave them an edge in combat. If this event occurs, the player will find it easier to attack bombers and to inflict losses on close escort fighters because Me 109s will not be hunting as often.

Luftflotte 3 to Luftflotte 2: On August 27th, Ger-

man High Command decided to concentrate on targets around London in an effort to remove the RAF from southeast England entirely. Luftflotte 3 fighter support was reassigned to Luftflotte 2 airbases to support this effort and Luftflotte 3 bombers also flew over the Luftflotte 2 zone, putting a significant strain on Fighter Group 11. If this event occurs, the


Germans will seem to have a near endless supply of Gruppen to send over Group ll's area.

RAF has many unusual features that bear com-

ment. Here's the thinking behind a few:

Secondary targets: These keep you guessing.

Sure, that raid looks like it's heading for London. But can you afford to respond lightly knowing that those bombers might drop their load on Biggin Hill instead?

Split Combat Results: These allow a greater

range of combat results. In large air engagements, the forces of a given side were not hit equally up and down the line. One squadron may be destroyed while another flys through without contact.

Operation Sealion: Basing victory and defeat on

the cancellation or start of Operation Sealion is a concession to drama. It is not certain that the inva-sion would have happened even if the Royal Air Force was destroyed. However, Hitler did schedule the operation to start on September 11th, and delayed it a few times before cancelling it on September 19th, after which daylight raids against England subsided. These historical decisions are reflected in the game and certainly make clear the difference between losing and winning.

Channel Patrol: Yes, the rule is a bit of a

nuisance; however, placing Me 109s on channel patrol is necessary to create the proper ratio of fighters to bombers in German raids without giving the Germans overwhelming advantage in fighter cover.

Night Raids: Using the night raid rules rarely af-

fects the outcome of the game, just as they had lit-tle effect on the RAF historically (their dramatic ef-fect on the civilian population is outside the scope of this game, a moral question unto itself). Like Channel Patrol, the Night Raid rules provide a more historically accurate use of forces, redirecting a percentage of German bombers and British Blen-heims to a "sideshow."

Provisional British Reinforcements: Northern England, defended by Fighter Groups 12 and 13, and attacked by Luftflotte 5 (operating out of Norway and Denmark), is not in the game. Action there was so marginal that its inclusion would result in wasted cards, counters, and map space. However, the squadrons that the British redeployed (or could have redeployed) from the north to the south have been included as provisional reinforcements. If too many are brought down, the British VP total suffers to show that the north has been left unguarded. Historically, the British increased the strength of 10 and 11 Group by six squadrons during the campaign (after adjusting for withdrawal).

John H. Butterfield

Achieving victory in a solitaire game is a matter

of defeating the game system. A successful historical solitaire game permits the player to use historical tactics and have a reasonable chance of winning. Better yet, the game encourages alternative tactics. In RAF you have such an opportunity.

In the role of British Fighter Command, you must

make the same strategic and tactical decisions as Air Marshall Dowding. Should all German raids be in-tercepted? If not, should the large raids be attacked or should Fighter Command intercept only the small raids? Should British fighters be matched against par-ticular German planes? Are certain targets more im-portant to defend than others? How you respond to these and other crucial questions will determine the outcome of the game.

Before jumping head-long into The Battle of Britain

scenario, try your hand at one of the two shorter ones. Battle of Britain aficionados can use the shorter games to test whether their understanding of Fighter Command's tactics is sufficient to manage the cam-paign scenario. Those who fail this test, and those studying the battle for the first time, can use any number of short games to test tactics and experiment within the game system to develop an intelligent ap-proach to the campaign scenario. Anyone having dif-ficulty beating the victory conditions should read the books in the bibliography and compare tactics.

I'm not going to divulge the tactics necessary for

winning this game. I don't buy games to read in the Players Notes how to win the game; I want to learn how to win by playing the game. There are some points, however, you should keep in mind.

This campaign is a battle of attrition, and will not

be won on any single turn. You will have to gamble on many of your decisions. Perfect knowledge of a coming German raid is a rare event; most of your decisions will be based on partial information. In terms of victory points, the most any raid will cost you is 3 victory points. However, the results of a given raid may have far greater effects than the loss of victory points, and the decision to intercept must be weighed accordingly.

The weather is your greatest ally. A storm day

gains 2 victory points, and can easily decide the shorter scenarios. If all else fails, pray for rain.

The shorter games can be played in a single sit-

ting, and rather quickly once you are familiar with the system and sequence of play. The campaign game can be played at one time and is, perhaps, the best way to experience first-hand the effects of fatigue on Fighter Command. I plan on playing the campaign on a real time basis on the actual dates. For weather I will either use the weather outside my game room window, or delay a day and use


newspaper reports of weather from England. Either way, the game should prove interesting.

John Alsen

Each Event card list three events. The one which takes place is determined by the day's German effort. Raid events are divided into two parts, a number and a named event. The number advances the Hour marker on the Clock Track. If the marker enters or passes the 1800 space, after resolving the current raid, proceed to the End of Day Phase. 0, 1, 2, 3, etc.: Advance the Hour marker the indicated number of spaces along the Clock. If the marker is moved into or past the 1800 space resolve the current raid, then proceed to the End of Day Phase.

Change Target Priorities (Date or VP): After resolving the current raid, change the German target priorities (see 14.1). Cloudy Weather Causes Abort ("o" or "+"): If the weather is cloudy and the raid contains at least two Gruppen, those with the indicated selector fail to rendezvous and immediately leave the raid (see 12). German Relief: Before resolving the current raid, conduct relief for all Gruppen except those committed to the raid (see 13). Increase Fighter Escort: If the current victory point total is "+5" or higher, German High Command demands daylight bombing raids be protected by more fighters. Add Force cards 87-90 to the force deck, and Event cards 131-134 to the event deck; reshuffle both. Luftflotte 3 Gruppen to Luftflotte 2: If the date is Aug. 25 to Sept. 10 (inclusive), all Gruppen in Luftflotte 3 may join raids in Luftflotte 2 target areas. Flip the Day marker to its "LF3 to LF2" side. The rules of section 8 should be modified as follows:

• Select ready LF2 Gruppen before LF3 Gruppen.

• Select ready LF3 Gruppen before fatigued LF2 Gruppen.

• Select fatigued LF2 Gruppen before fatigued LF3 Gruppen. This remains in effect until drawn again after Sept. 10. Mass Rendezvous Failure ("o" or “+"): If a ma-jor raid is underway, administrative errors cause Gruppen marked with the selector to miss their rendezvous point. All Gruppen with the indicated selector immediately leave the raid (see 12). Me 109s Close Escort ("o" or " + "): Move all Me 109s with the listed selector to the Close Escort Box. If no squadrons intercept the raid or

if there are no bombers, these Me 109s become strafers and are moved to the Bomber Box. Me 110s strafe: All Me 110s in the current raid are strafing. Move all Me 110s from the Close Escort Box to the Bomber Box. Pathfinders: German airplanes with special recon-naissance equipment are flying in the current raid. When using the Bombing Table, shift the bombing strength two columns right, but not past the 24+ column Patrolling Squadron Catches Recon Flight: One of your squadrons patrolling in sector 1, 2, 6, or 7 of Group 11 catches and attacks a flight of Me 110s on a reconnaissance mission. Before resolving the current raid, move one ready, non-elite Me 110 Gruppe from any airbase to the Rest Box, fatigued. Land one squadron patrolling in the listed sectors, fatigued. If there are no ready, non-elite Me 110s Gruppen, or if no squadrons are on patrol in these sectors, ignore this event. Patrolling Squadrons Land: After resolving the current raid, move all squadrons on patrol to the ground in their sectors, flipped to fatigued. Then place any ready squadrons of your choice on patrol (see 4). Ignore this event if this is the last raid of the day. Raid on German Industries: Successful Bomber Command raids against German industry delay warplane production. Flip the next three replacement Gruppen on the Calendar from ready to fatigued. When each Gruppe arrives as replacement, place it in the Damaged Box, fatigued (see 15.1). Radio Intelligence: British intelligence picks up German radio reports concerning the next raid. Add 3 to the detection die-roll for the next raid. Secondary Target (All, " + ", or "o"): All Gruppen, or Gruppen marked with the indicated selector, bomb the secondary target listed on the target card. Gruppen with the other selector bomb the primary target. Resolve two separate bombardments, if necessary. Snap Raid by Erprobungsgruppe 210: If the Me 110 Gruppen Egr/210/2 is ready at its airbase, it car-ries out a high-speed raid. After resolving the cur-rent raid, draw a valid Target card to determine the snap raid's target. Do not draw Force or Event cards for this raid. Subtract 2 from the detection die-roll. Squadrons Intercept Blenheims: A flight of Blenheims from Bomber Command is mistaken for a German raid, and is intercepted. Immediately flip to fatigued one ready Hurricane or Spitfire squadron of your choice in Group 11. If no ready squadrons are available, move a fatigued squadron to the Rest Box, fatigued. Sudden Weather Change: If the weather is cloudy, it immediately becomes clear. If the weather is clear, it immediately becomes cloudy. Move the weather marker to reflect the change. The change effects detection and bombing (including the current raid) for the remainder of the day, but does not change the German effort.

felipe santamaría [email protected] page 2awards and losses (see 16). (2.14) the clock track is...

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