"Rules Suggestions for WW2 Bomber Escort/Interception" Topic

Hello all. I'm an experienced gamer who is looking to expand into aerial combat. I'm specifically looking for rules that handle fighters escorting and intercepting bombers well. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you!

Off the top of my head, I'd suggest Wings At War's A Mighty Fortress: Defending the Reich. Wings At War is a ruleset out out by Tumbling Dice for their 1/600 aircraft range altho one could use other scales.

The rules are fairly simple (just a few pages) and the main mechanic is the use of action points and energy (and balancing them to prevent stalls and breaking apart). They aren't the most granular but I think they are very clever at capturing the idea of dogfighting.

wingsatwar.com/pageAMightyF.htm

There is a set of easy rules on the Junior General website. link

There was a free set in one of the old wargaming magazine called ‘MiG Alley' that I converted to WW2 for exactly that purpose with 1:300 aircraft. The game centred around a formation of six B-17s slowly making their way across the table while players (each flying one plane) tried to either shoot them down or protect them. Worked well IMO, I could dig out more on it if interested?

Had a chance to look it up, it was in Wargames Illustrated #54.

Thank you for the reccomendations! Does Check Your 6! handle this type of mission well? I'm curious because it the only aerial rule set that I've really heard of.

Check Your 6 has quite a few scenarios for fighters vs a bomber box of B-17s, so you can do that with CY6. How ever the defensive gunnery is a bit clunky.

If I may suggest something more specific that also has moving of formations around the bombers there's a series of boardgames out by GMT games that does this quite nicely.

For over Germany they have Skies Above the Reich for 109s vs US bombers and Storm Above the Reich for 190s.

They also have Skies Above Britain for Battle of Britain.

Hope this helps.

B

The 'Blue Sky' series of rules by John F. Stanoch may fit the bill. They handle large bomber formations (i.e 12 plus), escorting fighters, and attacking fighter waves.

Check out 'White Star/Blue Sky' which covers the U.S. 8th Air Force's daylight strategic bombing campaign over Europe (1942-44): TMP link

Just a couple of caveats:
You'll need a copy of 'Red Sun/Blue Sky' which contains the basic rules: TMP link

Movement is hex-based, which I know isn't everyone's cup of tea.

The Blue Sky rules and White Star supplement are available from MSD Games at: MSDgames.com They also have all the aircraft models that you'll need (and decals).

Blue Sky is the easiest set of rules out there, with Luftwaffe 1946 being just slightly more complicated (you have to track ammunition use). The Luftsturm supplement includes plenty of historical scenarios, as well as adding jets.