Operation Herkules extension

IV/JG7_Warg · Post by **IV/JG7_Warg** » Tue May 25, 2010 4:49 am

G'day,

I've put together a rough outline of what's required to extend this campaign. Hopefully this should test our application of SEOW to the more technically challenging and complex levels. Please mull this over as a basis to work from.

Continuation of the Illustrious Blitz Campaign.

Narration.
Reported in a recent BBC radio broadcast from the drydock at French Creek, Grand Harbour, Valletta, scene of the latest air raid upon Malta.

“As the Stuka's attacked the great ship, the defenders over Malta put up a terrific, terrible and ferocious fight, but with the smoke cleared, the battle ended, the mighty Illustrious went down.”

The balance of power in the Mediteranean has fundamentally changed. Both Allied and Axis high commands have realised the implications of this and drawn up their plans. Without the Illustrious, Malta is much more vulnerable to Axis occupation. Accordingly, Axis leaders have brought their plans forward for the implementation of Operation Herkules taking advantage of this unprecedented opportunity. The British are desperately seeking to reinforce the isolated garrison at Malta.

Axis.
Authorisation has been given to the immediate launch of Operation Herkules, the occupation of Malta. A scratch force is to be assembled for the assault. Bombing raids will continue whilst the assault force is mustered further north in Italy and Sicily. The minimum mandatory shipping, army and aerial resources are still some days away. The composition of the assault forces are indicated below. Additionally, the Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica have released extra units to support the assault and are also included.

Ships – arriving from Taranto
RN Zara CA (Zara) - available 20th
RN Trento CA (Trento) - available 20th
4 x Destroyer (Soldati) - available 20th
6 x Frigate (Admiral Murgesko) - available 20th
12 x Torpedo Boat (Italian Torpedo Boat) - available 19th
5 x MFP Type I - available 24th
15 x MFP Type II - available 24th
4 x Armed Tramp Steamer - available 24th
2 x Armed Troop Transport - available 24th
2 x Armed Tanker - cargo must be fuel - available 24th
3 x Armed Trawler (Japan Fishing Boat) - available 17th
20 x Landing Barge (Daihatsu) - available 24th

Ground Forces – available in Sicily on 17th
240 x Italian Infantry
120 x German Infantry (Panzer Grenadier Infantry)
36 x Italian HQ Sect
8 x 88mm Flak 18
8 x 37mm Flak 18
16 x 20mm Oerlikon Flak 38
32 x 37mm Pak35
16 x 75mm LIG Arty (Type38 75mm Field Gun)
8 x 105mm Howitzer (Type 91 105mm Howitzer)
6 x Italian Supply Column
8 x Panzer IIF
20 x Panzer IIIG
4 x Panzer IVE
64 x M13/40
12 x 6 inch Coast Gun - restricted to Sicily & facing seeward side
6 x Spies

Aircraft – available in Sicily on 20th
45 x Ju-52 Transports - II/KGrzb1
45 x SM.75 Transports - 57 Gruppo
10 x Ju-52 Seaplane Transport
24 x Glider
40 x Bf-109E-4 Trop - III/JG77
40 x G.50 - 155 Gruppo Autonomo CT
24 x Cant Z1007 bis - 34 Stormo Bombardmento
24 x He-111 H6 - I/KG26
4 x He-111 H2 - recon with 15 Photos

Allied.
Ultra intercepts indicate Axis intentions to immediately assault and occupy Malta. We cannot allow this. The loss of the Illustrious is a serious blow, but fortunately her sister ship, the HMS Formidable is enroute to Alexandria and will be available for Malta operations. She is currently at the Suez Canal and will need a few days to load much needed fighter reinforcement cargo and sail to Malta. She will be joined by the returning HMS Argus and escorting destroyers. The fleet is expected to reach the vicinity of Malta on the 21st. Thankfully the Western Desert campaign is winding down and the RAF and Fleet Air Arm can commit 200 extra aircraft to the campaign if required. Most of these will require ship transportation to Malta.

Ships – arriving from Alexandria, Egypt
HMS Formidable CV (Formidable) - available 21st
18 x Fulmar Mk.I (800, 803 FAA Sqns)
18 x Swordfish Mk.I (810, 829 FAA Sqns)
can carry 24 x single engined fighter cargo

HMS Argus CVL (Ameer) - available 21st
9 x Fulmar Mk.I (802 FAA Sqn)
9 x Swordfish Mk.I (825 FAA Sqn)
can carry 12 x single engined fighter cargo

6 x Destroyer (O'Class) - available 21st
8 x Corvette (Rus Trawler) - available 19th
10 x MTB Boat (Vosper) - available 19th
3 x Armed Troop Transport - available 19th
6 x Armed Tramp Steamer - available 19th
3 x Armed Tanker - cargo must be fuel - available 19th
6 x Greek Fishing Boat - available 17th
20 x Lighter (US LCVP) - available 18th

Ground Forces – in Egypt from 17th for loading onto arriving vessels or aircraft
120 x Commonwealth Infantry
4 x Commonwealth HO Sect.
10 x 6 inch Coast Gun - facing seeward side on Malta
15 x Blockhouse (Concrete MG Bunker)
30 x Bunker (Bunker Type 3)
12 x 3 inch Gun AA (76mm 3K)
12 x 40mm Bofors UK
15 x 4xVickers MG AAA
30 x Vickers MG AAA
20 x 2 Pounder ATG (Rus 45mm ATG)
10 x Searchlight
2 x Supply Co. Transport
9 x A-12 Infantry (Matilda Mk.II)
18 x Vickers Mk.VI
18 x Rolls Royce AC (FAIM)
12 x Spies

Aircraft in Egypt from 17th for loading onto arriving vessels or flying onto the map at designated times
12 x Beaufighter Mk.I - 252 Sqn, RAF - available 19th
24 x Blenheim Mk.IV - 211 Sqn, RAF - available 18th
6 x Blenheim Mk.I – recon - available 18th
6 x Blenheim Mk.IF - nightfighter - available 18th
14 x C-47 Dakota - 117 Transport, RAF - available 17th
48 x Hurricane Mk.Ib Trop - 73 Sqn, RAF - ship transported
20 x Hurricane Mk.Ia Trop - 80 Sqn, RAF - ship transported
20 x Gladiator Mk.II - 112 Sqn, RAF - ship transported
26 x Buffalo Mk.I (F2A-2) - 804, 805 Sqn FAA - ship transported
8 x Martlet Mk.I (F4F-3) - ship transported
16 x Sea Gladiator - ship transported
30 x Fulmar Mk.I - must be replacement airframes for carriers
30 x Swordfish Mk.I - must be replacement airframes for carriers

Transit times.
Initially cargo can be taken onto map at specified times. For subsequent trips it takes three days to sail to Alexandria once a ship leaves the Malta map. Add another day for loading of cargo and futher three days to sail back to the Malta map. Effectively the turn around time is one week. The Axis forces are massing in northern Sicily and southern Italy and do not suffer this restriction.

Transportation and portage costs.
General rule is transport weight is 1 point for every 1000kg.

Fuel : Given that a litre of aviation fuel weighs 0.72kg, rounding up to 0.75 for extra containment costs. Apply the portage capacity of carrier multiplied by 1,000 and divided by 0.75 to arrive at the number of litres it can carry.

Armour & Vehicles: 1 point for every 1000kg.

Artillery & Ordinance: As above, but weight is doubled for ammunition and crew.

Aircraft: Single engined fighters can be carried by ships and unloaded by normal cargo rules. Those carried by aircraft carriers can be flown off. Capacity is limited by shape & size rather than weight. Is listed for each ship type as “x" AC value. All single engined aircraft have a weight of 10.

Points cost to transport
All Infantry - 2
All HQ Sect. - 1
Blockhouse - 3
Bunker - 2
88mm Flak 18 - 10
37mm Flak 18 - 3
20mm Oerlikon Flak 38 - 2
37mm Pak35 - 2
75mm LIG Arty - 3
105mm Howitzer - 9
All Supply and Engineer Columns - 15
Panzer IIF - 10
Panzer IIIG - 20
Panzer IVE - 21
M13/40 - 14
3 inch Gun AA - 5
40mm Bofors UK - 4
4xVickers MG AAA - 1
Vickers MG AAA - 1
2 Pounder ATG - 2
Searchlight - 2
A-12 Infantry - 27
Vickers Mk.VI - 6
Rolls Royce AC - 4
Spies - 1
6 inch Coast Guns - 20

Carrying Capacity.
Using a rough example of a Liberty ship with displacement weight of 14,245t and an empty weight of 3,389t. The dead weight is 10,856t. Assuming that 25% of this deadweight is used for ships ballast, etc, have used this ratio and divided by 1000 to calculate relative portage capacities of transport ships. Transport aircraft calculated from published sources.

Lighter - 0 AC - 10
Landing Barge - 0 AC - 10
Greek Fishing Boat - 0 AC - 15
Armed Trawler - 0 AC - 75
MFP Type I (380t)* - 0 AC - 140
MFP Type II (380t)* - 0 AC - 140
Armed Tramp Steamer (2000t) - 2 AC - 1500
Armed Troop Transport (3500t)** - 4 AC - 2500
Armed Troop Transport (5000t) - 6 AC - 3750
Armed Tanker (5000t)*** - 0 AC - 3750****
C-47 Dakota - 0 AC - 3
JU-52 (including seaplane variants) - 0 AC - 3
SM.75 - 0 AC - 3

* from IL2 - was also designed for combat
** specifically the Kinou, Springfjord & Rudesheimer
*** must only carry fuel supplies
**** calculated as 5,000,000 litres

Aircraft cargo conveyed by carriers.
The HMS Formidable and HMS Argus have the ability to fly aircraft into Malta. This is in addition to the vessels assigned complement of aircraft. For this to occur, the carrier must be on the Malta map. The mission is plotted to fly directly to a Malta airfield and has a 25% fuel load. Its considered that the carrier has fuel resources only for its own aircraft and must limit that given to conveyed aircraft. The mission must start or end in daylight hours. Given the short range, a Fulmar guide to Malta is not required. If the carrier departs to Egypt for further aircraft transport missions it can only return with the new aircraft in seven days time.

Aircraft sorties from off map.
These missions are allowed, but must start with 50% fuel as they are flying from Northern Sicily, Italy or Egypt.

Ship Plots.
All plots for vessels on the map are restricted to friendly territory. This restriction is lifted when it becomes evident that Axis forces have landed paratroop forces on Malta or Gozo. Until the submarine damage and movement issues are resoved in SEOW they are confined to base and cannot move. The Allied player if free to submerge them.

Nocturnal Rules.
These remain the same. Neither the RAF Beaufighters or Luftwaffe Bf-110 Zerstorers are prepared as nightfighters. Only the CR.42 CN Falco, Blenheim Mk.IF & Fulmar Mk.I are available and as single flights only. This maybe negotiated sometime later on.

Unit Points Value Table.
I won't bother to revise these tables as we've already started this campaign and the effects of this will be marginal anyway. However, I'll revise all points calculation in future campaigns that I organise.

Numbers of air, land and sea plots.
I think this should be negotiated between participants as we are expanding the scope of this campaign. I am thinking along the lines of equal numbers for Allied and Axis forces with notable increases for seabourne movement. Our low numbers of human participants should work in our favour here.

Well thats about all I can think on this for now. Am sure something else is likely to crop up sooner or later about this. Hopefully this should be enough to get started on ammendments to the Illustrious Blitz campaign rolling.

Regards,
Warg

Tanker · Post by **Tanker** » Tue May 25, 2010 12:03 pm

What time (GMT) do you gents fly this campaign?

WTE_Ikey · Post by **WTE_Ikey** » Tue May 25, 2010 6:40 pm

Hi Tanker,

quote from another post
"
But this campaign will likely be flown at very irregular hours, and at very short notice, with low pilot numbers and a variety of people admin/hosting."

Mainly Aussie evenings, so thats morning US EST & at sparrows fart if your on the west coast.
GMT: Best guess anywhere between 1200 & 1400

cheers
Ikey

WTE_Ikey · Post by **WTE_Ikey** » Tue May 25, 2010 6:53 pm

Looks good so far Warg, but I'll sit down l8r more in depth.

Any reason behind ditching the MC200s for the G50? I'm not fussed either way except we started Illustrious with the 200s.

Also has the SM.79 not been included because of torp loadout? Just interested.
From Commando Supremo: "Savoia Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero

In 1940, well over 1/2 of Italy's 1,000 bombers were SM.79s, which also turned out to be one of the best land based torpedo bombers of the war. The SM.79 was used to bomb Malta and, in the summer of 1942, had one its best successes against Operation Pedestal, the Royal Navy effort to relieve Malta. The SM.79II also saw extensive service ."

cheers
Ikey

IV/JG7_Warg · Post by **IV/JG7_Warg** » Tue May 25, 2010 8:06 pm

G'day Ikey,

The MC.200 Saetta's and SM.79 Sparviero's are already on the map and in sufficient numbers. These forces are in addition to whats already there. I relented on the G.50 Frecia's, but you'll need to keep an eye on fuel consumption when flying them. They were not noted for their range. The main problem for the Axis will be in having sufficient fuel and parking bays at the airfields. I'd envisage that with these changes the campaign will be a long, drawn out affair before the actual land, air and sea assault is launched. Is more a question of how long will it take to strangle the life out of Malta?

Regards,
Warg

II/JG77Hawk_5 · Post by **II/JG77Hawk_5** » Thu May 27, 2010 1:14 am

Looks good Warg.

The best way to test is to put it into play.

The campaign settings are currently at 10000 ltrs per freight point and is 10 times the revised setting. Maybe we just add a zero to all suggested values?

IV/JG7_Warg · Post by **IV/JG7_Warg** » Thu May 27, 2010 2:23 am

Hi5,

Yeah, that sounds okay to me. Am more concerned about getting fuel and replacement aircraft topups into my airfields. I reckon we can continue in the current format for little while as preparations for Operation Herkules take shape. Please note the dates of these reinforcements starting from the 17th and we're still on the 16th of January, 1941. Also, the earlier fighter reinforcement of twelve Hurricanes lead by a single Fulmar from the Argus still stands. I've taken this into account when I updated for the Operation Herkules plans. In the meantime, lets reach some concensus on the number of plots for red and blue to be enforced on the first mission from the 17th. Am currently downloading a HSFX 4.2 betta 2 patch which addresses the submarine issue, so you'll probably have these vessels available when we move onto it for this campaign.

Regards,
Warg

Post by **IV/JG7_4Shades** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 8:07 am

Hi guys,

In order to get Axis shipping moving, I have reduced the coastal battery weight to 16 (from 32), and increased the number of Axis flotilla moves from 1 to 3 per mission. That was my interpretation of what was actually intended. We can change back if people decide this was the wrong thing to do.

Cheers,
4S

WTE_Ikey · Post by **WTE_Ikey** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 7:26 am

From 32?

Ok where are you looking at that I dont see

Last i looked wt was 50.

PS just got home & having different connection issues, dont know where this will lead to.!

II/JG77Hawk_5 · Post by **II/JG77Hawk_5** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 8:21 pm

I would like to ask that we raise the vessel movement limit.
As per the extension note from Warg any movement until the invasion is understood to be kept to friendly waters. Based on this I am hoping we can bump this up to a level that will enable some coastal patrols and be ready for the naval reinforcements when they arrive.

How does 10 naval movements sound?

Cheers,
5

Post by **IV/JG7_4Shades** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 10:01 pm

I'm happy with that.

II/JG77Hawk_5 · Post by **II/JG77Hawk_5** » Sun Apr 24, 2011 1:13 am

Ok, I have increased sea limits to 10 each so we can both plan more naval unit movements.

If this needs to be increased later when it gets busy then that is ok with me too.

II/JG77Hawk_5 · Post by **II/JG77Hawk_5** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 5:37 am

Are any of the participants interested in adding radio stations to the mix?

I was reading Warg's campaign extension and it noted a transmission by the BBC at Valletta. We could actually have the BBC tower at Valletta now and maybe the Germans and Italians can get a couple of towers in towns they see fit? Maybe good as additional nav aid in the night and bad weather missions? Shipped in by boat?

Add some colour to the campaign. Any takers?

Post by **IV/JG7_4Shades** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 6:47 pm

Great idea!

II/JG77Hawk_5 · Post by **II/JG77Hawk_5** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 8:41 pm

OK I added German and Italian radio to the Axis ship cargo supply point and BBC radio to the Allies supply.

To get these up and running now I suggest as soon as they are dropped into map we just adjust the co-ordinates into the desired locations based on the premise that they have always been there and just off the air till now.

This saves us the logistical problems of shipping them and placing them as new installations.