In Defense of Salonika: 2-Nov-40

Background: The aerial effort of the Italian offensive in Greece in November, 1940 had two types of tasks. Battlefield air support was supplied by medium bomber units based in Albania. "Strategic" attacks (bombing Greek cities) was performed by medium and heavy bomber units based near Brindisi and wandering all over Greece, sometimes escorted by fighters based in Albania. On the fourth day of the italian offensive, for the second day in a row, 10 Italian bombers (Cant Z.1007bis of 50^o Gruppo Aut BT) attacked the port of Salonika - this day escorted by 9 Fiat CR.42 Falcos of 363^a Sqda, 150^o Gruppo CT. Salonika was defended by the 8 PZL P.24s of Mira 21, who, as they had the day before, rose to fiercely defend their city. The PZLs reached the bombers before the Fiats. One bomber was forced to crash when a PZL P.24 chopped into its tail with its propeller after running out of ammunition. The fighter managed to land, with the destroyed the prop as its only damage.

Map: Ground Map

Game Length: 20 turns

Setup

• Set up Bombers in hexes 2006, 1904, 2104 at alt 16.4, Speed 4.0, in level flight, level banked.
• PZLs on intercept
• Falcos enter 2 turns later from the west edge of the board at speed 5.5 alt 17.5 in a shallow dive.

Additional Rules

National Training Standards: all average. The Greek pilots cannot include an ace.

Special Rules

1. Mira 21 contained a mixture of P.24F (2 MG, 2 20mm cannon) and P.24Gs (4 MGs). Roll a D10 for each PZL; on a 1 or 2, it is a cannon-armed P.24G (maximum of 2).
2. Greeks can make taran attacks against the bombers if out of ammo.

ADCs

• Fiat CR.42 Falco was published in Air Power #??.
• Cant Z.1007bis by Jim Caraher and PZL P.24F & G are available from Uncle Ted's.

History

The Greek defense was fierce enough that Salonika was not attacked by air for more than a month. One Cant was shot down; another was forced to crash after it tail was attacked by a PZL P.24's prop - the pilot had pressed his attack after expending all his ammo. The pilot landed safely. Additionally, 1 CR.42 was shot down.

Variants

Double Size:

• 6 Fiats CR.42, 6 PZL P.24, 6 Cant 1007bis
• All aircraft in elements of 3, 2nd element 3 hexes behind first and above it by 100 ft.
• Maximum of 3 PZL P.24Gs for the EVA player

Full Size:

• 9 Fiats CR.42, 10 Cant 1007bis, 8 PZL P.24
• Fiats in 3 vics of 3, Cants in 3 elements (4-3-3), PZLs in 3 elements (3-3-2)
• Maximum of 4 PZL P.24Gs for the EVA player

Sources

Air War for Yugoslavia, Greece, and Crete by Shores, Cull, and Malizia