The Sound of Drums - A British Hearts of Iron II AAR

I'll firebomb Scotland I tell you. I'll firebomb it to the ground...

He said, one day, drinking at the bar...
 
I would like to request any German pilots shot down over Britain are to be captured, organized into a football team and then sent to India to play against my troops.

The locals have really gotten tired of cricket and polo, so we've decided the Germans can help us learn this new one
 
 
Well that hasn't stopped me from checking for an update everyday. :mischief:
 
neither did she I suppose...
 
Hate to chivy a chap in thrall to loves young dream and all that, but get your bloody arse in gear old man.

Nothing, as the young lads are so fond of putting it, but love. I'm sure you understand.
 
You guys are all absolutely awesome, but I've been seeing this girl for over a year now so I have learnt how to write around it. It does take up a lot of time though- she had to move back to Inverness recently, so most of my life, when not spent travelling/being with her, is working slightly awkward hours to make up the time. When I have time to myself I do prefer to just collapse in a heap and play games.

Nono, the problem right now is that I'm a bit burnt-out at the moment when it comes to writing, which came at the same time as there being very little to write about (seriously, virtually nothing happens during November 1940). It's a bit silly really, for an AAR, but I'll snap out of it very soon and be properly into this.

In the meantime, I highly recommend discovering the continuing adventures of Neville Ryan, by our lovely Captain2. It has Liam Neeson in it!
 
Well after such an excellent plug I practically have to update now :p

thanks Kan, update whenever you're happy with the end result
 
Well, while we are waiting, the Ministry of Silly Walks would like to request a shipment of gas masks. We aren't currently expecting trouble, but you never know when we could find a use for them. :mischief:
 
The Sound of Drums - A British Hearts of Iron II AAR
Part Fifty-Seven​

7th November - 1st December 1940

E350tb was staring at his desk at RAF Uxbridge while German bombers flew overhead. He was wondering if he could be thankful for them, for their arrival had interrupted a rather stormy telephone conversation he had been having with the Prime Minister. For over two hours they had discussed (the Air Chief wondered if that was too polite a word) the current status of the air campaign after nearly a month of going over to the offensive.

“You can hardly expect instant results,” e350tb had said, an hour and a half ago. “Our lads have been so used to simply intercepting the enemy over friendly soil they’re not used to having to spend half an hour flying south before hitting the jerries.” He resisted the urge to point out most RAF pilots hadn’t even seen the English Channel in five months, at least not from the air.

The Prime Minister’s problem was, as far as e350tb was concerned, was that he needed results from somewhere, and the air offensive was the only possible campaign that could deliver. North Africa had been wrapped up well before the projected time, and Italy had been written off for at least a year. Norway was trapped in a stalemate, as was the Battle of the Mediterranean. All that was left was to defeat the Luftwaffe at their own game.

0232.png

Defenders of England

And on paper it looked good. The German air force equalled the RAF in size, and despite their practice of larger groups (the Luftwaffe preferred 4 air wings in a group to the RAF’s 3) would consistently fail to win any engagement. The difficulty was that the Luftwaffe had, until the fall of France, always meant to be a defensive organisation. As such they finally came into their element when e350tb had ordered an attack.

It had been expected that the RAF could clear the German fighter screen within a month, or at worst force it to withdraw to the interior or suffer heavy losses. It had been expected that Bomber Command could begin runs on the industrialised Rhineland by late November. Politicians loved expected results, e350tb thought darkly, they could just never separate them from actual results.

The offensive, since it had begun on the 5th November, had failed to push past the English Channel thanks to the German defence, and the one strategic bomber attack at Essen had seen minimal damage to the city and horrendous damage to the planes. Intelligence had been unable to verify if they had even hit Essen! Any chance of future bomber attacks were cancelled indefinitely, to be resumed depending on which side won the fighter battle.

E350tb’s thoughts were interrupted by a sudden rap on the door, and he managed to quickly compose himself as LordKestrel let himself in. The cancellation of the bomber raids had meant his job had become pretty unnecessary, and he had slipped into the simultaneous role of Air Defence Chief, which was really little more than analysing and reporting on the German raids to e350tb.

“Usual stuff, chief.” Lord Kestrel said, handing over a report. “They let loose a few bombs in east London, but were pretty much scattered before they could do any heavy damage.”

0233.png

German bombers over London

E350tb glanced over the report, which was no more than a few hastily scribbled notes on the battle that had occurred above him. It was, as LordKestrel said, the usual stuff: excellent defence on the part of the defenders, a horrendous attack on the part of the attackers. No doubt this time tomorrow he would receive a similar report as RAF fighters pushed across the Channel once more, though this time the names would be reversed.

“Very good, keep up the good work.” E350tb said, and handed the report back. He sighed suddenly, realising that the worst was yet to come.

Evidently LordKestrel noticed. “Is something wrong sir?”

“Oh nothing that need concern you. It’s just that I’m expecting a call from-” he was interrupted by, of course, the ringing of the telephone on his desk. He would like to think that the Prime Minister was simply enquiring on his health after the German raid, but he very much doubted it. As he picked up the receiver he wondered just how true those rumours were of a possible new election, and if it might mean a more understanding leader.

He severely doubted it, of course…
 
Great update, pity about the bomber offensive. Perhaps we should switch to night-time bombing?

(It's nice to be in the spotlight. :) )
 
*The follow message delivered via two tin cans connected by string from India to Britain*

I recomend that we hold off on the bombing campaign, sure we may do some damage to the Germans but they'll likely shoot down our bombers as well. If we hold our bombers in reseve while still building new ones we need only wait for the Germans to attempt some massive undertaking, such as a reconquering of Africa or something else and then smash them to pieces when they can least afford to be bombed.
 
I am just glad that the PM has woken from a dead slumber.

Sir! If the cons of the operation are too severe when compared to the pros, I say that we heed attacks to reorganised our stratergies.

The Planes, how many per type, how are they group and where are they spread out?
 
Due to extensive paper work concerning destruction of ministry property in air raids as off late, I've been unavailable to fulfill my public duties as Intelligence Minister and may for some time further.

ergo: AP class is time consuming. =P
 
For our air war I recommend the bombing of any and all radar installations on the french side of the channel. Without those the enemy fighter groups will become blind and the co-ordination of the Luftwaffe will become close to impossible. If we are to compete with the massive German army it is essential that we have complete air superiority and that we use it to maximum effect.
 
rabidveggie said:
For our air war I recommend the bombing of any and all radar installations on the french side of the channel. Without those the enemy fighter groups will become blind and the co-ordination of the Luftwaffe will become close to impossible. If we are to compete with the massive German army it is essential that we have complete air superiority and that we use it to maximum effect.
Click to expand...

Could be, but radar is a means to an end, what? Brings force to a point and all that. On the offensive we can do that. Launch a single mission. Saturate one area. Best chap on the ground, as it were. Air marshal, ideally.

Send every bugger under the marshal to one area. Hurt whoever is foolish enough to fight. Single mission. Overwhelming odds. When everyone is better repeat. They defend in 4's, attack in 8's at least.

*throwing cocktail around for emphasis, soaking chap in the next wingback armchair's Telegraph*

Bring your force to a point, dam-your-eyes! Dont fence here and there, youre not trying to tickle him. Keep your powder dry and then launch a single irresistible blow!

*matron enters the reading room of gin's club, stage left, and with the assistance of the porter takes him away to recover himself muttering indignantly about how it is easier to rebuild factories than fighters*
 
e350tb said:
Great update, pity about the bomber offensive. Perhaps we should switch to night-time bombing?
Click to expand...

Captain2 pretty much summed up my thoughts with:

Captain2 said:
I recomend that we hold off on the bombing campaign, sure we may do some damage to the Germans but they'll likely shoot down our bombers as well.
Click to expand...

I think the fighter battles will take longer than I thought. It is possible we could send the bombers to Africa and attempt a campaign against Italy?

aronnax said:
The Planes, how many per type, how are they group and where are they spread out?
Click to expand...

I'll get back to you on that soon. The quick answer is the RAF contains roughly 30 fighter wings and at least 2/3's are based in England. To compare, the Germans are focused more on interceptors, have around 30 wings and at least 2/3's are based in northern France.

IronMan2055 said:
Due to extensive paper work concerning destruction of ministry property in air raids as off late, I've been unavailable to fulfill my public duties as Intelligence Minister and may for some time further.
Click to expand...

Not to worry, we have a secondary intelligence branch to back you up when you're focused elsewhere. Some chap by the name of 'Harkness' will cover you while you're gone.

rabidveggie said:
For our air war I recommend the bombing of any and all radar installations on the french side of the channel. Without those the enemy fighter groups will become blind and the co-ordination of the Luftwaffe will become close to impossible. If we are to compete with the massive German army it is essential that we have complete air superiority and that we use it to maximum effect.
Click to expand...

I am pleased to announce the complete destruction of all German Radar sites on the French coast! You wouldn't have thought they were there in the first place :mischief:

GinandTonic said:
Could be, but radar is a means to an end, what? Brings force to a point and all that. On the offensive we can do that. Launch a single mission. Saturate one area. Best chap on the ground, as it were. Air marshal, ideally.
Click to expand...

We have to get across the Channel first, old bean. I'll be honest, the bosch hasn't given us this hard a scrap since France!

GinandTonic said:
Send every bugger under the marshal to one area. Hurt whoever is foolish enough to fight. Single mission. Overwhelming odds. When everyone is better repeat. They defend in 4's, attack in 8's at least.
Click to expand...

What are we, Russians?
 
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