Stuka Ace: Russia Mission 1

22 June 1941

Target: Soviet Airfield near Kobrin, Western Belarus
9. Staffel, III./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 “Immelmann”

Before dawn touched the eastern horizon, the twelve Ju 87s of 9. Staffel thundered down the dirt strip in eastern Poland, one after another, heavy with bombs and expectation. Oberleutnant Andreas Voss, Staffelkapitän, led from the front in the first Kette, flying with Leutnant Rohr’s and Leutnant Klüber’s Ketten tight behind him. Their target: a Red Air Force base near Kobrin, deep inside Soviet territory.

Voss’s own aircraft bore a single 1,000 kg bomb beneath its fuselage — a steel promise meant for something big, like the main hangar. The rest of the Staffel carried a mix of 500 kg and 50 kg munitions, enough to scatter devastation across the Soviet airfield like grain to the wind. Their primary task, indeed the task of the whole Luftwaffe today, was the turn the Red Air Force into scrap on the ground.

As they crossed into Russian airspace under cover of darkness, nothing stirred. No searchlights, no flak — not even a radio challenge. The border was undefended, the enemy utterly unprepared. It was exactly as the briefing had predicted, yet still somehow surreal. 

 “Nothing,” Voss muttered into his throat mic. 

 “Ivan’s still asleep.” Milo replies. "Lets hope he sleeps in a bit longer" 

 About 50 kilometers inside the border, a lone I-16 fighter emerged from the morning haze. It made a cautious approach toward the formation, but before it could threaten the Stukas, a pair of Messerschmitt Bf 110s from ZG 26 swept down from altitude. The Soviet pilot turned tail and vanished into the haze. Voss briefly wondered whether one of the Zerstörer pilots was his old comrade, Otto Brenner, now flying as part of the air superiority screen. 

With Milo keeping a sharp lookout, Voss's eyes were focused on his map to guide his staffel to their target Thanks to a steady tailwind, they reached the target area quickly. By then, the early light had begun to wash across the airfield below, revealing rows of parked aircraft — mostly biplanes and I-16s — standing in perfect order, motionless, undefended. 

Voss gave the attack command and lead them in - he would lead this attack from the front. Like the veteran combat pilot he was, he dipped his wing, identified the main target, and kept the plane rolling until he was inverted and began the dive. 

He could do it in his sleep. No tricks, no heroics - and no need for them. It was like a basic practice run and he released his bomb at an optimal altitude before starting his pull-up. 

As the Gs slammed into him like an unwelcome old friend, he hoped this was not the time that the Russian gunners would deign to notice him. They didn't. 

His bomb struck dead centre of the main hangar. The detonation of the 1000kg bomb tossed twisted sheets of metal skyward as fire erupted from the shattered building. Secondary explosions cooked off whatever was inside.

His two Kette peeled off and their bombs fell in rapid succession — hangars, fuel trucks, aircraft, barracks. There was no anti-aircraft fire, no alarms, no resistance at all. The airfield had been caught flat-footed and paid for their negligence. Andreas knew this turkey-shoot would not be repeated. 

Soviet I-16s destroyed on the ground

Below, wreckage burned in orange and black, spewing columns of dense smoke. A line of I-153s and I-16s turned into debris. Two bombs scored direct hits on fuel stores, sending shockwaves across the tarmac. Running ground staff were scythed down with the fragmentation effects of the 50kg bombs mixed into the payloads. It was a decisive first blow, and it was time to leave.

Turning west for the return leg, the Staffel remained tight and alert. But their clean escape was short-lived. 

Roaring in from the South West, likely drawn by the columns of smoke coming from the airfield, a lone I-16 roared in — possibly the same one they’d encountered earlier — and executed a direct, frontal attack into Kette 2. as the Stukas started to take evasive action, Voss saw a long stream of fire erupt from the I-16's four 7.62mm MGs surround the lead Stuka of Kette 2. Tracers stitched the air; two rounds slammed into the Stuka’s engine cowling, but the plane held course. Voss could hear the shaken voice of Leutnant Klüber over the radio.

"Keep close to your wingmen Friedrich! Your gunners will be able to mass fire when he comes about! If you split off he'll pick you off for sure!" 

"Jawohl Mein Herr. Ich bin gut- no major damage" 

 As it was, the Communist fighter broke off, unwilling to approach the massed fire of the 7 stukas. No doubt he was rattled he the morning;'s surprise attack. Voss could only hope all his friends were too, but it soon looked like that wasn't the case. Milo spotted two MiG-3s above them, positioning for an attack. These were much more dangerous opponents - highly capable and only just getting to the Soviet fighter units in number now. Voss called in the sighting and was pleased to see the distinctive shape of Me 110s angling in to intercept them. Voss was thankful to soon loose sight of them as they duelled behind him. 

A welcome friend - Me 110 Zerstorer

The last part of their egress was uneventful, but they had a bird's eye view of the front bursting into life. It looked as if every gun in the Army was firing on the Red Army border positions. The Staffel touched down in good order, one by one, tires kicking up plumes of Polish dust as mechanics ran to meet them.  Crews climbed down in silence, the adrenaline ebbing, faces pale and hands shaking. Some lit cigarettes. Others crouched beside their aircraft in quiet disbelief. 

The Staffel Sergeant Major approached up to his Stuka and pressed a mess-tin of kaffe into his hands as he climbed down. “All birds home, Herr Oberleutnant.” 

 Voss only nodded, eyes scanning eastward toward the grey sky. They had struck first. But the war was just beginning. 

Voss strode quickly to the Ops tent as the ground crews started the refuelling and rearming process. Voss needed to be on-hand to plan the next sortie, knowing he and his men would be airborne again within the hour.

BEGIN SIGNAL MESSAGE
SUBJECT: MISSION REPORT – 9./StG 2
TIME: 22.06.41 // 0655 hoursREPORT: MISSION SUCCESSFUL.

TARGET: VVS AIRFIELD - KOBRIN
STAB + KETTE 1 & 2 STRUCK PRIMARY TGT. KETTE 3 STRUCK ALT TGT 10KM SE.
SURPRISE COMPLETE.
NO FLAK, NO ALARM, NO DEFENCE.
MAIN HANGAR DEST. 8 ENEMY AIRCRAFT DESTROYED ON GROUND. MULTIPLE SECONDARY EXPLOSIONS.
ENEMY FIGHTERS DURING EGRESS INTERCEPTED BY ZG 26. NO LOSSES.
GOOD VISIBILITY. RETURN FLIGHT AS PLANNED. ALL AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY. PREPARING FOR NEW TASKING

END MESSAGE

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Game Notes

An experiment, this time flying the mission using "Storm of Steel" from Compass Games - with a view to combining with Stuka Ace.

Mission 1: June 41

Target: Russian Airfield = Zone 3

Staffel strength assigned: 7 

Staffelkapitän (1000kg bomb) + Kette 1 (Lt Rohr) & Kette 2 (Lt Klüber) (all 500kg + 4 x 50kg)

All assigned aircrew are Veteran quality - with Oblt Voss and Gunner Ace status (naturally!)

Zone 1  - nil event, no contact - Russians are asleep!

Zone 2 - +1 stress Crew White 3, 1 x I-16, chased off by Fighter cover (ZG26)

Zone 3 - Tailwind. Advanced to Target area

Zone 4 - Target! Visibility Good (0 DRM), AA Nil! (caught Ivan napping)

Attack results: W1-100, W2-100, W3-80, W4-100, W5-80, W6-60, W7-60

Average Attack Result: 82

Egress Phase

Zone 3 - No effect, Intercepted by 1 x I-16, nil fighter escort available

        I-16 frontal attack: 2 hits on W5 +5stress, +1 Stress. Flight leader ability-1 = 5 (no bail out required)

Zone 2 - Rain. nil effect. 2 x MiG-3 chased off by fighter escort

Zone 1 - Ace - 2stress to W5. Full fighter cover

Home airfield - all aircraft landed safely.

System Comparison

This game focuses on running a Staffel of up to 10 Stukas, and the aircrew who fly them. You assign them to tasks, and have to manage their wounds and damaged aircraft. Aircrew also accumulate stress, and if they don't get time off, it starts to significantly impact their effectiveness. Its an additional level I very much like.

Curiously, it doesn't include staffel formations or use of altitude which Stuka Ace does. I think the formation is something that would porte across well

In Combat and attacking, the additional detail of what is happening to the other A/C is great! Each is resolved individually to give granularity - albeit simply compared to Stuka Ace, though that process would not scale well at all.

Thats my first impressions anyway - more to follow. Once I've got a couple of missions under my belt I'll start the integration attempts!