More P-40s Off the Line

I have completed the very basic scheme I am using for a pair of scenarios (Darwin A Flight and B Flight - found on the downloads page) I am hosting at CincyCon in March. These represent the 33rd Pursuit Squadron over Darwin. The planes are a bit of a compromise as some illustrations show "U. S. Army" on the undersides, while others do not. Same is true with the type of roundel used but most sources indicate the red ball and white star was used, although the red ball had been reduced in size with white paint applied in the field - I was not about to try that in 1/285 scale decals!

Additionally there should be some small plane numbers added to the tail and in some cases the front portion of the fuselage, in either black or yellow. I've not been able to source two digit numbers small enough to use. Lastly, some of the pilots had individual markings on their P-40s, but again, decals for those in 1/285 are lacking.

Keeping the scheme simple however allows a variety of early war uses - along with Darwin they could be used over Pearl Harbor or the Philippines. They will also get use as the 9th Pursuit Squadron for another action near Darwin as the 9th's planes initially had the red ball/white star national insignia.

Paints:

Vallejo - Neutral Gray (71.051), NATO Black (71.251), N 41 Dark Olive Drab (71.316), Natural Steel (70.864)

Foundry - Bavarian Cornflower Blue Light (73C)

Decals:

Flight Deck Decals

Varnish:

Army Painter Satin

Idea for a Convention Game

When I mentioned my two Darwin scenarios (that feature the 33rd Pursuit Squadron (Provisional)) on the Check Your 6! discussion group several weeks ago, one poster mentioned that the scenarios would not be enjoyable for the American players. Both situations place the outnumbered Americans in a less than ideal position, being bounced by the more numerous and more experienced Japanese. My response to the poster? Well, sometimes the historical situation just isn't balanced. When gaming in general, I often will play the lessor desired side, using what I call the XI Corps (of American Civil War infamy) mentality - the XI Corps as a whole did not perform well at Chancellorsville or Gettysburg (that is the simplistic point of view as many of the commanders and units of the XI Corps actually performed very well). My XI Corps mentality is "I cannot do worse than the XI Corps" and so if I game the less desired side, and actually do "okay" then that becomes a victory in my feeble mind. So it is with the pair of Darwin scenarios I created (and available on the Downloads page). The American players should have the mindset of seeing how well they can do in a less than ideal situation, knowing that they are probably going to lose a lot of their aircraft.

However, I was giving these two scenarios a thought the other day, and realized that there is another way to tackle the crappy situation the Americans find themselves in - to run these at a convention as two events, but require the same players sign up for both, and to have those players change sides - those players who gamed the Americans in the first session would play the Japanese in the second, and vice versa. That way the players have a chance to be both the hunters and the hunted. I would also track victory points either by side, by nationality, or by player so as to motivate the players to do as well as possible for both games. I do plan to have some sort of prizes for motivation! 

As part of this plan, I updated the scenarios a bit by changing the victory point conditions. I also now have the aircraft purchased to paint up for the Americans (P-40E) and Japanese (A6M2), beautiful prints from Flight Deck Decals. The plan to host this twin game on at CincyCon next spring.

Thoughts on CincyCon

Heading to Israel, albeit slowly

I have only been to a couple of CincyCons in the past, which is a fairly large and very well organized convention in greater Cincinnati. It has moved locations a few times over the years, but for the last last several editions has found a consistent location at the Butler County Fairgrounds in nearby Hamilton. The facility is large, with plenty of parking, and good lighting for gaming. This is also a wide variety of vendors and a flea market. The historical pickings are a little thin, but I-94 made it to the convention, and I know a few of us spent some shekels with them. Having plenty of unpainted planes already I only picked up a scenario book (the well done Under Southern Skies). My other money was spent on some food, which is also another nice aspect of CincyCon - there is a kitchen in the main gaming hall and so food can be purchased onsite at very reasonable prices.

There were plenty of historical games going on, but seemingly not enough gamers to fill them - I might suggest they reduce the number of historical games a tad so as to allow the remaining ones to fill. But that is a concern that is beyond my purview - although as a gamemaster I would want a good amount of gamers in my event.

This year saw at least five Check Your 6! games - including one I hosted and two others in which I was a participant. Alas, I did not take many pictures. I planned on waiting to see how many gamers I had play before putting together a scenario, having brought all my 1948 Arab-Israeli aircraft. Since we had four of us, including myself we just selected an aircraft, and so in the first game (we had time to play twice) I took a C-47 escorted by a Hawker Fury to bomb an Israeli airfield. Flying a C-47 is an exercise in the mundane, but I was able to get to the airfield and make a bomb run, which failed to hit. I took an engine hit while moving to the field. The turn following I purposely made an extreme turn, and caused myself go out of control, at Surface Low CAB and TAL 2! My plan was to crash into the field, but I passed the aircrew check and recovered. Yikes. At that point we called the game.

An Avia S-199

And the rarely used Beaufighter

Closing in to bomb the airfield...get that Avia away from me!

Engine hit taken, bombs released, time to get out!

The second go 'round saw a pair of Israeli Spits against a Hawker Fury and a Macchi C.205. The Egyptians soon made sheep stew out of the Spitfires, while having lower quality pilots the superior agility of the Fury and the Macchi helped negate the difference in crew quality.

One Spitfire downed, and the second in my sights...

I played an unsuccessful 1956 Arab-Israeli game, commanding a pair of MiG-15s for a few turns before getting blown out of the sky. In the evening game (Foxtrot 4 from the Check Your 6! Jet Age book) I had a pair of Skyhawks. One took a Sidewinder in the arse, but the other jettisoned its bombs and became basically a fighter, shooting down a veteran Harrier. Alas, the Brits still won the game on points.

Skyhawks over the Falklands

Overall, I would return to CincyCon as a GM - the $30.00 weekend fee being too rich for me to game with the same guys I can game with for free at the local game stores (which is also probably why many gamers I know did not attend). Offering a Saturday only fee might be a way to generate more attendance. Also, perhaps offer a $5.00 shopping badge to help get some money to the vendors. Also, I think putting all the Check Your 6! games on a pair of tables in front of the I-94 booth would be a good way to promote the game while also helping I-94 sell their products. Regardless, this is a well organized convention and the location works well, so consider making it to CincyCon next year!