Clash of Empires World War 2 The Battle of Britain 1940
In this article I’m going to use the Clash Battle System to recreate two important points during the Battle of Britain, Aug-Oct 1940. After the Battle of France an embattled Britain faced the real possibility of a German invasion. In order to fend off this attack the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who had already rejected any idea of a negotiated peace, prepared Britain for the struggle ahead which included increasing fighter aircraft production and improving coastal and inland defences. Meanwhile, in France while German armies prepared for embarkation, the Luftwaffe was tasked with destroying the RAF and gaining complete control of the sky over southern England and the Channel. Only then could the Royal Navy be neutralized and the audacious German invasion plan implemented.
Background
After the Battle of France Hitler assumed that Britain could be cowed into submission and that a negotiated peace was imminent. When this didn’t happen an incredulous Fuhrer gave the order for preparations to be made for the invasion of England which was codenamed Operation Sealion. However, for this invasion to succeed the Luftwaffe would need complete mastery of the sky above southern England and the Channel. To achieve this the commander of the Luftwaffe Herman Goring mustered 2800 combat aircraft of all types. These were divided between three Air Fleets the largest being Luftflotte 2 under the command of Albert Kesselring and operating from Belgium and northern France. On the opposing side British Air Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding had at his disposal an already diminished force of 650 operational fighters in 52 squadrons. These were divided into four Groups the most significant being 11 Group based at Uxbridge in southeast England. Of primary importance to Britain’s air security was the highly secret radar defence system which could detect incoming enemy aircraft and direct British fighter squadrons to intercept them. The Germans never fully appreciated the importance of radar and made no real attempt to disrupt or neutralize it.
The First Phase of the Battle of Britain began in August 1940 and consisted of a series of bombing raids upon shipping in the Channel. The German intention was to try and weaken the RAF by drawing the British fighters into combat against their numerically superior foe. However, Dowding was careful to conserve his fighter strength and therefore by the end of August the Germans moved to phase two which was the main Eagle Offensive. This began at the end of August and saw the Luftwaffe concentrate its attacks upon RAF bases and aircraft factories in southern England. During this phase British losses mounted and Fighter Command was brought to the brink of collapse. Then in September, in retaliation for a bombing raid on Berlin the previous month, an incensed Hitler ordered the Luftwaffe to make London its prime target and thus a third phase of the Eagle Offensive began. This aerial bombardment continued for all of September and reached a peak on the 15th when a thousand German bombers and 700 fighters swept over London in waves causing heavy civilian casualties. However, the pause in attacks upon RAF bases had enabled Fighter Command to recover its strength. From this point on the tide turned against the Luftwaffe which now suffered heavy losses against a resurgent RAF. By October German air raids became less intense and this final phase ended on the 12th when Hitler, having become disenchanted with the campaign, cancelled Operation Sealion and thereafter turned his attention to the east. The victory of the RAF prompted Winston Churchill to say “Never, in the field of human conflict, was so much owed by so many to so few.” The overall losses were heavy on both sides, but Germany would come to sorely miss the more than 2000 expert Luftwaffe aircrew killed or captured during its failed air campaign against Britain.
The following scenarios consider two significant episodes that occurred during the Battle of Britain and recreates them using the Clash Battle System. The first scenario deals with the largest Stuka attack of the campaign which was directed against RAF bases and took place on the 18th of August. The second scenario recreates a sortie by a single German bomber formation which formed part of the main attack of the Eagle Offensive which took place on the 15th of September. This massive assault was carried out by over a thousand German bombers and 700 fighters and was heralded by Goring as the finishing blow to Britain. In fact, substantial opposition by RAF fighters resulted in heavy German losses which shattered Luftwaffe morale and led to Hitler cancelling Operation Sealion. This momentous event is remembered and commemorated on the 15th of September each year as the “Battle of Britain Day”.
Scenario 1
Adlerangriff (Eagle Attack) Phase 2
Stuka Strike
On the 18th of August Luftflotte 3 based in France launched the largest Stuka strike of the campaign which was directed at three airfields in southern England and was part of the Luftwaffe mission to destroy the RAF. This huge formation of combat planes consisted of 109 JU87 Stuka Dive-bombers escorted by 102 Messerschmitt BF109 fighters. As they approached their targets the British radar defence system detected the strike force and directed over 70 RAF fighters, mainly Hurricanes and Spitfires, to intercept them. In the subsequent air battle a significant number of the Stukas were shot down. However, all three targets were hit and sustained heavy damage.
Using the Clash of Empires rules the battle strength and capabilities of the combatants can be shown as follows: -
An Airforce unit represents 10 operational aircraft. A unit must lose 75% of aircraft to become ineffective.
Conversion and Casualty Tables not shown.
The Luftwaffe Stuka Strike Force
The Luftwaffe is a highly capable force with a sound tactical doctrine and is equipped with effective combat aircraft. For this reason, the Stuka Strike Force is ranked as Superior in quality and get a +1 bonus to Initiative. In the game the Stuka force of 109 aircraft translates into 10 units of Dive-bombers which have a Combat Rating (CR) of ❶ and a total Fighting Bonus (FB) of +5. Due to a lack of speed and manoeuvrability Dive-bombers suffer from a -1 penalty to Initiative. For bombing operations, a Dive-bomber unit will get multiple hits on the roll of 4-5 on 1D6 which will cause 300 hit points of damage and a critical hit on the roll of 6 which will cause 300 +1D3 x100 points of damage. The Dive-bombers are supported by 102 Messerschmitt BF109 fighters which equates to 10 units. These have a CR of ❷ and +10 FB but being faster and more agile than the Stukas they get a +1 bonus to Initiative. Due to their speed, agility and firepower Fighters also get a +3 Battle Factor modifier which is added to their Battle Dice score. The Messerschmitt BF109 also has Legendary Fighter status. This means that they can reroll their lowest scoring Battle Die to get a second chance at odds or evens dice. Dive-bombers get a +1 Battle Factor modifier. All command ratings are average. The air battle is dispersed over a large area but in general the Luftwaffe Strike Force has the advantage in numbers and therefore gets a 1D6 numerical Battle Advantage.
RAF Interceptors
RAF Fighter Command’s greatest asset is the radar defence system which can detect incoming raiders on the roll of 1-5 on 1D6. The only alternative to this is “standing patrols” that can locate enemy aircraft on a roll of 1-3 only. At this early stage in the war many of the RAF pilots lack combat experience and are restricted to using tactics which put them at a disadvantage against the BF109’s. For this reason, the RAF is rated as Ordinary in quality and therefore gets no bonus to Initiative. On the plus side the RAF is equipped with two excellent fighters in the form of the rugged Hawker Hurricane and the superb Supermarine Spitfire which is easily a match for the German Messerschmitt BF109. At least 70 fighter aircraft are scrambled on the day of the attack. These consist of 2 units of Hurricanes and 5 units of Spitfires which have a CR of ❷ and +7 FB. They also get a +1 bonus to Initiative for Fighter aircraft. For air combat they get a +3 Battle Factor modifier which is added to their Battle Dice score. Because 50% or more of the aircraft are Spitfires, they also get Legendary Fighter status. This means that they can reroll their lowest scoring Battle Die to get a second chance at odds or evens dice. All command ratings are average. The three targets that the RAF fighters are protecting in this scenario are airfields which have a combined 3000 hit points inclusive of any aircraft in hangers or parked on the airfield itself. There is no effective anti-aircraft gun cover as most of the heavy artillery defences are located around London and the Thames Estuary.
Roll 1D6 for Radar and if raiders detected follow Battle Sequence.
Radar score = 5 (Incoming raiders detected and defending fighters scrambled)
Battle Sequence: -
1. Defending fighters engage escort fighters.
2. Surviving defenders engage Dive-bombers.
3. Surviving Dive-bombers drop bombs and then withdraw.
Any unit that suffers 75% or more losses becomes ineffective.
World War 2 Battle Log
The Luftwaffe Strike Force (Eagle Attack) Phase 2
Initiative | Battle Dice (Modifier) | No. of Units and CR to Fighting Bonus | Battle Bonus Normal (Enhanced) | Battle Advantage Dice | Total Score |
1. Messrs. vs. RAF Fighters
1D6 +2
3+2 = 5
| 2D6 (+3)
5 and 2(4)
5+3 = 8 | ❷ x 10 = +10 FB | No odds or evens
1D6(2D6)
1D6 = 4 | Opponent outnumbered 1D6
= 3 | 8+10+4+3 = 25
2 units lost |
2. Stukas vs. RAF Fighters
1D6 = 4 | 2D6 (+1)
5 and 2
5+1 = 6 | ❶ x 10 = +5 FB | No odds or evens
1D6(2D6) 1D6 = 3 | Opponent outnumbered 1D6
= 3 | 6+5+3+3 = 17
4 units lost |
Bombing Table (Air Raid = 20 units) (D/brs x 6 remaining)
Air Group | Target | Bombing to Hit Roll (1D6 per unit) | Scores | Air Combat & AA Losses | Damage |
Fighters x 10 (x8) | Fighters | N/A | N/A | 2 units | N/A |
D/brs x 10 (x6) | Airfields | 4-5 = 300, 6 = 300 +1D3 x100 | 6,6,5,5,3,2 | 4 units | 1700 points |
The RAF Interceptors (Defence of Airfields)
Initiative | Battle Dice (Modifier) | No. of Units and CR to Fighting Bonus | Battle Bonus Normal (Enhanced) | Battle Advantage Dice | Total Score |
1. RAF Fighters vs. Messrs.
1D6 +1
6+1 =7 | 2D6 (+3) 5 and 3
5+3 = 8 | ❷ x 7 = +7 FB | Odds Dice
1D3(1D6)
1D6 = 6 | Tactical Advantage 1D6
= 5 | 8+7+6+5 = 26
1 unit lost |
2. RAF Fighters vs. Stukas
1D6 +1
5+1 = 6 | 2D6 (+3) 4 and 1(2) 4+3 = 7 | ❷ x 6 = +6 FB
| Evens Dice
1D3(1D6)
1D6 = 3 | Tactical Advantage 1D6
= 5
| 7+6+3+5 = 21
1 unit lost |
WW2 Army Battle Bonus Calculation Table not shown.
Battle Bonus calculation determined by Air Force Type and Fighting Bonus (FB).
(#D#) = Enhanced Battle Bonus on odds or evens Battle Dice.
Battle Report: The slowly moving Luftwaffe Strike Force is detected by radar (radar score = 5) as it approaches the southeast coast. RAF fighters are scrambled to intercept the raiders and upon winning Initiative attack from above and behind shooting down 2 units of Messerschmitt BF109’s for the loss of one unit of British fighters. The RAF Interceptors then go on to engage the Stuka Dive-bombers. Again, the British win Initiative which yields a tactical advantage against the slow and vulnerable German Dive-bombers. A differential of 4 on the casualty table results in the equivalent of 4 units of Stukas being shot down or badly damaged. The RAF fighters lose 1 unit. The remaining Dive-bombers drop their bombs on their targets causing 1700 hit points of damage before withdrawing.
Scenario 2
Adlerangriff (Eagle Attack) Phase 3
On the 15th of September the main attack of the day was carried out by combat aircraft from Kesselring’s Luftflotte 2. This raid on the dockyards in the London’s East End was intended to draw out the last of the RAF fighters for a decisive engagement before the invasion which was set to commence three days afterwards. Preceded by a 100 strong fighter sweep the main bomber formations consisted of over 100 medium bombers. These Heinkel He111s and Dornier DO17s were closely supported by over 150 Messerschmitt BF109s. As soon as this aerial armada was detected Fighter Command scrambled more than 180 fighters (i.e., Spitfires and Hurricanes) which took to the sky and attacked in force. In the expansive aerial battle that followed the Luftwaffe sustained heavy losses against an opponent that was supposed to be a spent force. Furthermore, due to bad weather, the bombs that were dropped missed their targets. Thereafter, German aircrew morale plummeted and Operation Sealion was postponed indefinitely. This marked the end of Adlerangriff.
The Luftwaffe Strike Force
The Luftwaffe is still ranked as Superior in quality and therefore gets a +1 bonus to Initiative. The German medium bomber force consists of 10 units which have a Combat Rating of ❶ and a Fighting Bonus of +5. These bombers are rugged but vulnerable to monoplane fighters and for this reason suffer a -2 penalty to Initiative. In their primary bombing role, each bomber unit can score multiple hits on the roll of a 6 on 1D6. These will cause a total of 400 hit points damage. Bombers have a Battle Factor modifier of 0. The bombers are supported by 25 units of Messerschmitt BF109 fighters. These have a CR of ❷ and +25 FB but because more than half of these fighters are restricted to giving close support to the bombers, they have no bonus to Initiative. The preferred tactic of Luftwaffe fighters is to hunt freely. Fighters have a Battle Factor modifier of +3 which is added to the Battle Dice score. The Messerschmitt BF109 has Legendary Fighter status which means that they can reroll their lowest scoring Battle Die to get a second chance at odds or evens dice. All command ratings are Average and the Luftwaffe Strike Force outnumbers the RAF interceptors so get a 1D6 numerical advantage.
RAF Interceptors
Although the RAF has changed its tactics it is still rated as Ordinary in quality and therefore gets no benefit to Initiative for Airforce type. At least 180 fighter aircraft are scrambled on the day of the attack. These consist of a mix of 18 units of Hurricanes and Spitfires which have a CR of ❷ and +18 FB. They also get a +1 bonus to Initiative. Fighters have a Battle Factor modifier of +3 which is added to the Battle Dice score. Because 50% or more of the aircraft are Spitfires which have Legendary Fighter status, they can reroll their lowest scoring Battle Die to get a second chance at odds or evens dice. All command ratings are average. The fighters are defending targets in the east of London, but all of these are missed due to heavy cloud cover.
Roll 1D6 for Radar and if raiders detected follow Battle Sequence.
Radar score = 2 (Incoming raiders detected and defending fighters scrambled)
Battle Sequence: -
1. Defending fighters engage attacking fighters.
2. Surviving defenders engage bombers.
3. Surviving bombers drop bombs and then withdraw.
Any unit that suffers 75% or more losses becomes ineffective.
World War 2 Battle Log
The Luftwaffe Strike Force (Eagle Attack) Phase 3
Initiative | Battle Dice (Modifier) | No. of Units and CR to Fighting Bonus | Battle Bonus Normal (Enhanced) | Battle Advantage Dice | Total Score |
1. Messers. vs. British Fighters
1D6
= 2 | 2D6 (+3) 6 and 3
6+3 = 9 | ❷ x 25 = +25 FB | No odds or evens
3D6(4D6)
5+2+1 = 8 | Opponent outnumbered 1D6
= 3
| 9+25+8+3 = 45
Lose 7 units |
2. M/brs vs. RAF Fighters
1D6-1
4-1 = 3 | 2D6 (0)
3 and 5
| ❶ x 10 = +5 FB | Odds Dice 1D6(2D6) 5+2 = 7
| N/A | 5+5+7 = 17
Lose 7 units |
The RAF Interceptors (Defence of London)
Initiative | Battle Dice (Modifier) | No. of Units and CR to Fighting Bonus | Battle Bonus Normal (Enhanced) | Battle Advantage Dice | Total Score |
1. RAF Fighters vs. Messers.
1D6 +1
4+1 = 5
| 2D6 (+3) 4 and 4
4+3 = 7 | ❷ x 18 = +18 FB | Evens Dice
2D6(3D6)
5+4+3 = 12 | Tactical Advantage 2D6
5+4 = 9 | 7+18+12+9 = 46
Lose 4 units |
2. RAF Fighters vs. M/brs
1D6 +1
4+1 =5 | 2D6 (+3) 4 and 3
4+3 = 7 | ❷ x 14 = +14 FB | No odds or evens
1D6(2D6)
1D6 = 4
| Opponent outnumbered 1D6
Tactical Advantage 1D6
1+3 = 4 | 7+14+4+4 = 29
Lose 1 unit |
WW2 Army Battle Bonus Calculation Table not shown.
Battle Bonus calculation determined by Air Force Type and Fighting Bonus (FB).
(#D#) = Enhanced Battle Bonus on odds or evens Battle Dice.
Battle Report: The RAF Interceptors achieve a tactical advantage against the Luftwaffe Strike Force and shoot down 7 units of Messerschmitt BF109s before turning on the German Medium Bombers. These are ripped apart by the Spitfires and Hurricanes with 7 units being shot down in exchange for 1 unit of RAF Interceptors.
Historical Note: In the actual battle the number of losses were much lower than those in the game scenario. Nevertheless, the result is the same i.e., victory for the RAF and defeat for the Luftwaffe.
Sources
Curry, J. Dunn, P. 2009: Phil Dunn’s Sea Battle Games. Naval Wargaming 1650-1945. Revised Edition. Edited by John Curry as part of the History of Wargaming Project.
Dildy, C. D. 2018: Battle of Britain 1940. The Luftwaffe’s ‘Eagle Attack’. Osprey Publishing Ltd.
Dupuy, R. E. and Dupuy, T. N. 1993: The Collins Encyclopaedia of Military History. Harper Collins Publishers.
Mayer, S. L. Various Contributors. 1977: Encyclopaedia of World War II. Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited.
Article Front Page Picture
An RAF Supermarine Spitfire shooting down a German Heinkel 111 Medium Range Bomber during “The Battle of Britain”. MasPix. After Alamy (IY05614556).
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