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Felipe Santamara

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1. Introduction
RAF is a solitaire game in which you control
British Fighter Command during the critical six
weeks of the Battle of Britain. The game
simulates history's greatest air campaign on a
day-by-day basis. The Luftwaffe, controlled by
the game system, attempts to destroy the RAF,
clearing the way for Operation Sealion, the
planned invasion of the British Isles. You must
commit fighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force
against German raiders to prevent them from
bombing targets in Britain. Your forces must be
used carefully to avoid fatigue and destruction.
Your goal is to force Hitler to cancel Sealion.
You
control
counters
(called
units)
representing British squadrons, and the gamesystem controls units representing German
Gruppen (groups). A squadron's or Gruppe's
status (ready, fatigued, damaged, and so forth)
fluctuates during the game as a result of raids,
replacements, or rest. Status is indicated by
where on the map (in the rest, damage, or
airbase boxes) the counter is placed and by
which of its two faces (front or back) is showing.
A unique card system is used to execute
Luftwaffe raids against Britain. Raids occur one
after the other in an overall German strategy
that is coherent, yet unpredictable. The number
of raids per day is determined by the overall
German effort for the day, and targets of raids,
numbers of planes, and composition of the
raiding forces is determined by drawing from
card decks. The success or failure of British
detection in each individual raid determines
when, during the unfolding of the raid, you must
decide how to cope with a raid.
The Sequence of Play (section 3) is the heart
of the game and is repeated every day until you
win or lose. Read it carefully to understand the
general flow of play. All other rules are detailed
explanations of procedures in the Sequence of
Play.
To play RAF select one of the three scenarios
and follow its instructions for setting up. The
Battle of Britain begins on August 11 when the
Luftwaffe launches its first major attacks on
English coastal targets and takes about ten
hours to play. This game presents all critical
developments of the campaign. It ends at any
time the victory conditions are met.
The Thin Blue Line begins on August 27 and
takes about five hours to play. It picks up the
battle at the height of the German effort and
ends on any day the victory conditions are met.
The Hardest Days begins on August 11 and
covers the German Aldertag offensive and the
bombings following it. It takes about 3 hours to
play and is an excellent introduction to the
game. This scenario ends on August 17th.

Felipe Santamara

When you have played the game once or

twice, you may wish to add the optional Night
Raid rules. These rules increase the roles of
German bombers and British Blenheims, but
lengthen the game.

2. Components
RAF includes:
134 Force, Target, and Event cards
one 16-page rule book
one die-cut counter sheet with 160 counters
one 22" x 34" game map
one six-sided die
one counter tray with lock-on lid
one game box
If any of these components are damaged or
missing write West End Games (the address is
in the colophon).

(2..1) Game Map

The game map depicts southern Great Britain,
where many important targets are located (you
will sit at the north side, facing south). England
is divided into sectors, each labelled with a
sector/fighter-group number. Each sector
contains an airfield, a patrol circle, and various
sites that are targets of raids. (Exception:
London has no airfield or sector/fighter-group
number.) Each raid target has a name and a
symbol (see map key); each radar net also has
a number. Military bases are not represented on
the map. Please note that some features on the
map have been moved slightly to accomodate
ease of play.
A line divides England into 2 zones. The
eastern zone is susceptible to raids from
Luftflotte (air fleet) 2, and the western one from
Luftflotte 3 (see 8). Another line marks the range
limit for German Me 109s. Printed near the
corners of the map are the Luftflotte 2 and 3
airbases. South of England are the Night Raids
Box, and the Channel Patrol Chart.
Printed on the map are various charts, tracks,
and tables:

(2.11) The Calendar Track has a box for

each day of the battle from August 11 to
October 1, 1940.
The Day marker is placed on the Calendar to in
dicate the current day.
Each day has a target priority modifier
underneath the date (see 14).
Each Calendar box after September 10th has
Sealion start and cancel values in the upper
corners (see 16).
The days after September 22 are provisional
and are played only if the Sealion invasion
preparations begin after September 12.

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(2.12) The Reinforcement and Replacement Track

Is printed over the Calendar and has boxes with
warplane names for entering the named units to
play. The names printed with "designations"
(see 2.25) are "reinforcements"; those without
designations indicate available "replacements"
(see 15).

(2.13) The Victory Point Track has boxes

numbered 0 to 35 for marking the current victory
point total (see 16). In each box are two target
priority modifiers. The modifier on the left is
used when the victory point total is less than 0,
and the modifier on the right when the total is 0
or greater (see 14).
The Victory Point Chart lists victory point
awards and losses (see 16).

(2.14) The Clock Track is used to mark the

passage of time during each day. You move the
Hour marker on the Clock Track in accordance
with Event cards (see 17).

(2.15) The Combat Display is divided into

three boxes (the Hunt Box, Bomber Box, and
Close Escort Box) to differentiate the missions
of German Gruppen (see 8).

(2.16)The Rest and Damage Boxes are

divided by nationality and hold fatigued or
damaged units.

(2.21) Unit colors and sides: All units are

darker on their fatigued sides than on their ready
sides (see 13). British squadrons are brown,
German fighter Gruppen grey, and German
bombers blue.

(2.22) Airplane types: British squadrons are

Spitfires, Hurricanes, Blenheims, and Gladiators.
German fighter Gruppen are Me 109s and Me
110s. German bomber Gruppen are Do 17s, He
111s, Ju 87s, and Ju 88s. Two Me 110 Gruppen
are marked with an asterisk to indicate they are
elite units.

(2.17) The

Weather, German Effort,

Target Priority, and Raid Detection
Tracks are used to record information which

The following abbreviations are used for

German warplanes:

changes during play of the game.

Do: Dornier
He: Heinkel
Ju: Junker
Me: Messerschmitt

(2.18) The Raid Type Chart is used to

determine if a German raid occurs, and whether
it is major or minor (see 5).

(2.19) Also found on the map are the German

Effort Table, Channel Patrol Allocation Chart,
and an abbreviated Sequence of Play.

(2.23) Combat strength represents a unit's

effectiveness in combat. A high British strength
or low German strength indicates an effective
unit.

(2.24) Bombing strength represents the

effectiveness of a German unit in bombing a
target.

(2... 2) Counters
The 47 British and 86 German counters
represent the squadrons and Gruppen which
took part in the campaign.

(2.25) Designation: Every unit has a threepart Designation. British designations indicate
the squadron number/sector/fighter group of the
unit. German designations indicate Gruppe number/Geschwader/Luftflotte of the unit. Some
independent Gruppen have no Geschwader
designation.
The following abbreviations are used in
designations:

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British:
RCAF: Royal Canadian Air Force

German:
EGr: Erprobungsruppe (experimental training
group)
JG: Jagdgeschwader (hunting wing)
KG: Kampfgeschwader (bomber wing)
KGr: Kampfgruppe (bomber group)
KuGr: Kustenfliegergruppe (coastal flying group)
LG: Lehrgeschwader (training wing)
SG: Stukageschwader (dive-bomber wing)
ZG: Zerstorergeschwader (destroyer wing)

(2.26) The selector is a reference symbol ("+"

or "o") which refers to combat results and event
cards (see 10 & 17).

(2.27) Units with an "R" on their ready side

are reinforcements.

(2.28) Markers: There are 27 markers used for

various game functions:
Five pairs of Damage markers to indicate damaged radar nets and HQs (see 11.3).
Five Green Pilots markers to indicate replacement squadrons manned by inexperienced pilots (see
15).
Five Target Priority markers for the Target
Priority Track. The five markers are printed with
five target types: radar, ports, cities, industry, and
airfields.
One Day marker to indicate the passage of time
on the Calendar. The back of the Day marker says
LF3 to LF2 to indicate Luftflotte 3 Gruppen are
available to Luftflotte 2 (see 17).
The Victory Point marker indicates the current
victory point total. On one side is a minus sign indicating a victory point total less than zero, on the
other side, a plus sign, indicating a victory point
total of zero or greater.
The Weather, German Effort, Sealion, Detection, and Hour markers are used on the appropriate
tracks. Later rules explain the placement and use
of these markers.

Felipe Santamara

(2.3) Cards
Three types of cards are used to play RAF
Target, Force, and Event cards. During play, keep
these cards in three separate decks and draw them
at the appropriate times according to the Sequence
of Play; draw the top card of a deck and place it faceup beside the deck to form a discard pile. Reshuffle
each deck when it is exhausted.

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(2.31) Target Cards

Target cards, numbered 1 to 60, are used to determine the target of each raid. Other information important for determining the accuracy and speed of
British detection of the raid, which British units may
attempt to intercept the raid, and the route the raiders
take to the target is also found on the Target cards.

phases and segments must be performed in the

order listed below.
I Daily Upkeep
1. Reinforcements and Replacements
Consult the Calendar to see if British or German replacements or German reinforcements
are available and deploy them. "Green Pilots
markers" (see 15.3) may be placed on British
replacements, and unused replacements may
upgrade the status of units in the Damage Box.
Enter British reinforcements at your discretion,
(see 15.1).
2. Repair
Remove all Damage markers from today's
Calendar space and the matching Damage
marker from the map (see 11.3).

(2.32) Force Cards

Force cards, numbered 61 to 90, are used to determine the number and types of planes in each raid.

3. Weather Forecast and Time of Day

Place the Hour marker in the "0600" box of
the Clock Track. Roll one die and consult the
Weather Track to determine today's weather.
Place the Weather marker in the box with the
modified die result. If the weather is stormy,
no raids occur today; move the German Effort
marker to "Light" and skip ahead to the End
of Day Phase.
4. Squadron Patrol
Place any or all ready squadrons on patrol
(see 4). Move Blenheims to and from the Night
Patrol Box if using the optional Night Raid rules
(see 18.1).
5. German Effort
Roll one die and follow the instructions on
the German Effort Table to determine today's
German effort. Place the German Effort marker
in the appropriate box on the German Effort
Track.
II Raids

(2.33) Event Cards

Event cards, numbered 91 to 134, mark the passage
of time and reveal unexpected events. Each card
has a section corresponding to the current
German effort, labelled "Light", "Normal", or "Allout". The German effort determines which event
occurs and how many hours pass (see 17).

(2.4) Game Scale

British squadrons are composed of 10 to 15 aircraft and German Gruppen, 25 to 30. On the map,
one inch equals approximately 15 miles.

3. Sequence Of Play
RAF is played in days, divided into three phases:
Daily Upkeep, Raids, and End of Day; phases are
subdivided into segments. Each turn, the following

Felipe Santamara

The Raids Phase is repeated until the clock

reaches 1800.
1. Target Determination
Draw one Target card and cross-index today's
German effort and the priority of the target on
the Raid Type Chart. The strategic value on the
Target card determines if a raid takes place
(see 5). If "no raid" results, draw another
Target card until a "minor" or "major" raid
results.
2. British Detection
Roll one die and consult the Detection Track
to determine the warning and intelligence
ratings for this raid; the point in the Sequence
of Play for selection and deployment of British
squadrons to intercept the raid depends upon

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the intelligence: poor, vague, or accurate. If

intelligence is poor select and deploy
squadrons to intercept the raid now (see 7).

1. Land Patrolling Squadrons

Move all squadrons in patrol circles back to
the ground in their sectors.

3. Gruppe Selection and Deployment

Draw one Force card to determine the number
of Gruppen in the raid (see 8).
If intelligence is vague select and deploy
squadrons to intercept the raid now. Draw
another Force card to determine the types of
Gruppen in the raid. Select Gruppen from their
airbases and deploy them in the Combat
Display and Channel Patrol according to the
rules for Gruppe Selection and Deployment
(see 8).
If intelligence is accurate select and
deploy squadrons to intercept the raid
now.
4. Raid Event
Draw an Event card. The German effort determines how many spaces to advance the Hours
marker and which event takes place (see 17).
5. Raid Resolution
A. Determine which German hunters will in
tercept which British squadrons. Move
squadrons not intercepted from the Hunt Box
to the Bomber Box (see 9.1).
B. All German fighters in the Hunt Box attack
intercepted squadrons, then leave the raid
(see 12). Squadrons leave the raid or move
to the Bomber Box depending on the com
bat result (see 10).
C. Decide which squadrons intercept Gruppen
in the Bomber Box (see 9.2). Squadrons
which do not intercept leave the raid (see
12).
D. All squadrons in the Bomber Box attack the
intercepted bombers, strafers, and all close
escort fighters (see 10). All squadrons and
close escort fighters leave the raid after com
bat (see 12). Bombers leave or remain,
depending on the combat result.
E. Gruppen remaining in the Bomber Box
bomb the raid's target (see 11). All bombers,
strafers, and channel patrollers leave the raid
after the target is bombed (see 12). If the
target is damaged, implement the effects (see
11.3) and lose victory points.
If the Hour marker has advanced to the 1800 hours
box, proceed to the End of Day Phase; otherwise
return to step 1 of Raids and carry out another raid.

Felipe Santamara

III End of Day

2. Conduct British and German Relief

See 13.
3. Resolve Night Raids (optional)
See 18.
4. Advance the Day marker
Gain two victory points; check for Sealion
preparations, then begin the next day.

4. British Squadron Patrol

During segment 4 of Daily Upkeep, or when
"Patrolling Squadrons Land" occurs on an Event
card (see 17), squadrons may be placed on patrol.

(4.1) Only "ready" squadrons in their

sectors on the map may be placed on
patrol. Ready squadrons are those on their "ready"
side (see 2.21). Fatigued squadrons and
squadrons in the Rest or Damage Boxes or on the
Calendar cannot patrol.

(4.2) To put a squadron on patrol place it in

the patrol circle of its sector or an
adjacent sector.
Two sectors are adjacent if they share a mutual
border even if the sectors belong to different
fighter groups.
Example: 1/11 sector is adjacent to sectors 4/10,
2/11, 3/11 and London. London is adjacent to
every sector in the 11th fighter group except
4/11. Note that sectors 2/12, 3/12, 3/10, and 4/10
are adjacent to each other.

(4.3) Any number of squadrons may be stacked

in a patrol circle.

5. Raid Targets
Begin each Raids Phase by determining the
target of the raid. During segment 1 of Raids,
draw the top Target card in the target deck to
determine if a major, minor, or no raid occurs.
Procedure:
A.

Look at the primary target's type on the card

and refer to the Target Priority Track to
deter-mine the target's current priority.

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B.

C.

Cross-reference the target's priority and the

current German effort on the Raid Type
Chart. Read the raid type from the line with
the target's strategic value.
If the raid is major or minor proceed to
British Detection; otherwise, continue
drawing Target cards until a major or minor
raid occurs.

Example: Suppose the target is the port of

Plymouth (card 21, strategic value 1), and the
German Effort is Normal and ports are of
medium priority. Cross-reference normal and
medium on the Raid Type Chart. At the crossreference of normal and medium, the result
listed for a strategic value of 1 is ' 'no raid". If the
target were the port of Southampton (card 27,
strategic value 2) the result would be a minor
raid.

6. Raid Detection
The stupidity of large formations sorting
themselves out in full view of British radar was
not yet realized by the Luftwaffe.
D. Wood & D. Dempster
After a target and raid size (major or minor)
are known, squadrons may intercept the raid.
The actual number of Gruppen and what type of
planes are conducting the raid are unknown until
you determine how accurate your intelligence is
and how much warning you got. These factors
are determined by the Raid Detection Track and
Chart (on the map). Roll one die and modify the
result according to the chart. Place the Raid
Detection marker in the box equal to the
modified die-roll. The results consist of two
ratings:
Warning (No, Late, Medium, or Early) determines from which sectors squadrons may
intercept a raid (see 7).
Intelligence (Poor, Vague, or Accurate)
determines the accuracy of the information you
have about the raid and, therefore, when you
may commit your squadrons. (see 3 and 7).

Gruppen in the raid, but before determining their

type.
If the intelligence is "accurate" squadrons
must commit after deploying Gruppen in the
Combat Display, but before drawing an Event
card.

(7.12) You are never required to commit any

squadrons to intercept a raid (see 9.15 and 11
for the effects of not intercepting a raid).

(7.2) Eligible Squadrons

Each Target card lists sectors that are "in
range" of the target and those sectors which
German Gruppen must fly over "en-route" to the
target. British squadrons patrolling or on the
ground in these sectors may be eligible to
intercept the raid, depending upon how much
warning they received from British Detection.
Squadrons in the Rest and Damage Boxes or
on the Replacement Track are not eligible (see
6).
If there is "No warning", or the warning is
"Late", only squadrons in patrol circles of
sectors enroute may intercept the raid.
If the warning is "Medium", only squadrons
patrolling or on the ground enroute, or patrolling
in range may intercept.
If the warning is "Early", all squadrons on
the ground or patrolling enroute or in range may
intercept.
Example: The Middle Wallop Airfield (Target
card 7) is the target of a raid: if the detection
result is No or Late warning, only squadrons
patrolling in sector 4/10 are eligible. If the
detection result is Medium, squadrons patrolling
in sectors 3/10, 4/10, 1/11, and 3/11 and
squadrons on the ground in 4/10 are eligible. If
the detection result is Early warning squadrons
patrolling or on the ground in sectors 3/10, 4/10,
1/11, 3/11 are eligible.

(7.3)

7. Squadron Commitment
(7.1) When Squadrons may Commit
(7.11) The segment in the Sequence of Play
when squadrons may be committed to
intercept a raid depends on the accuracy of
your intelligence (see 6).
If the intelligence is "poor" squadrons must
be committed before determining the number of
Grup-pen in the raid.

Deploying Squadrons

Move any or all eligible squadron(s) to the

Hunt Box of the Combat Display, retaining its
status (ready or fatigued).

8. Gruppe Selection And Deployment

To select and deploy German Gruppen you
draw two Force cards. The first card indicates
the number of Gruppen in the raid. The second
indicates the types of planes that must be
selected.

If the intelligence is "vague" squadrons

must commit after determining the number of

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Example: The Raid Type Chart indicates a

minor German raid. If the first Force card drawn
were number 67, the raid would have three
Gruppen in it. If the second Force card were
number 66, 2 Do-17s and 1 Me 109 would be
selected for the raid because numbers one and
two are DO-17s and number three is an Me
109.

(8.1) Selecting Gruppen

The Target card states from which Luftflotte to
select Gruppen. (Note: one event allows
Luftflotte 3 Gruppen to participate in Luftflotte 2
raids, see the Event Summary).

2.

3.

As you select Gruppen for a raid, move the

counters from their airbase to the Combat
Display and place:
Me 109s in the Hunt Box (even if substituting
for Me 110s).
Me 110s in the Close Escort Box (even if
substituting for Me 109s). (Exception: If no
bombers are in the Bomber Box place Me 110s in
the Bomber Box.)
All bomber Gruppen in the Bomber Box.

(8.3)

Procedure:
1.

(8.2) Deploying Gruppen

Ready Gruppen in German airbases of

the appropriate Luftflotte must be
selected before fatigued Gruppen, If no
ready Gruppen are available, fatigued ones
must be selected. Gruppen in the Night
Raid Box may not be selected for day raids
(see 18).
If no ready or fatigued Gruppen of the
type called for by the second Force card
are available, substitute those of a similar
type (if not enough of the fighters specified
are available, for example, select any fighter; if
not enough of the bombers specified are
available, select any bomber; Exception:
Substitute Ju 87s only if no other bombers are
available). Select ready Gruppen before
fatigued ones.
If no Gruppen of a similar type are
available, do not select any of that type. In
this case the size of the raid is reduced.

Channel Patrol Deployment

Historical Note: The Luftwaffe routinely protected

bombers returning from England with fighters
patrolling the English Channel.

(8.31) After deploying all Gruppen for a raid,

place additional Me 109s from the same
Luftflotte in the Channel Patrol Box.
The number of Me 109s placed in the Channel
Patrol Box is determined by the number of bombers
in the raid (see Channel Patrol Allocation Chart on
map).
Me 109s are selected for channel patrol as for
raids except Me 110s are never substituted (see
8.1).

(8.32) On a "No Warning" detection result,

Me109s on channel patrol are moved to the Close
Escort Box, unless the raid is beyond Me 109
range.

(8.33) After the raid is complete, Me 109s on

equally between "o" and "+" selectors if possible.

channel patrol return to their airbases fatigued or

to the Rest Box (see 12).

(8.12) Elite Gruppen: Two Me 110 Gruppen

(8.4) Channel Patrol Allocation Chart

are marked with an asterisk after the airplane type;

these are elite units (see 2.2 for an illustration). If
ready, elite Me 110 Gruppen must be selected
before any other Me 110. If fatigued, elite Me 110
Gruppen must be selected after any other ready or
fatigued Me 110.

This chart is on the map in the Channel Patrol

Box.

(8.11) When selecting Gruppen for a raid, choose

(8.13) If a Target card indicates the raid is

Summary
1.

German bombers always fly bomber missions

and are placed in the Bomber Box.

2.

A German fighter flies one of four missions

determined by its placement: hunting, close
escort, strafing, or channel patrol.

3.

Fighters placed in the:

beyond the Me 109's range, no Me 109s may be

selected for that raid. Substitute Me 110s for Me
109s.

(8.14) If no Gruppen are selected for a raid, the

raid is a false raid. Squadrons committed to intercept a false raid return to their sectors (see
12). Event cards are drawn for false raids.

Felipe Santamara

Hunt Box intercept and attack squadrons. Only

Me 109s hunt.

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Close Escort Box support bombers attacked by

squadrons. Usually Me 110s fly close escort, but,
if required by an event card, Me 109s may close
escort.

Example: There are 5 Me 109s and 1 Blenheim

in the Hunt Box. Three Me 109s must be moved
to the Bomber Box.

Bomber Box strafe the target. Me 110s strafe

if the bombers are not intercepted, if no
bombers are in the raid or if required by an
Event card. Me 109s strafe only when on a
close escort mission and the bombers are not
intercepted, or if hunting Me 109s greatly
outnumber intercepting squadrons (see 9.14).

(9.15) If no squadrons are in the Hunt Box:

Channel Patrol Box do not participate in

raids unless the British Detection result is "No
Warning", in which case they move to the Close
Escort Box. Only Me 109s fly channel patrol.

All German Gruppen in the Close Escort Box

are moved to the Bomber Box (and become
strafers).
All German Gruppen in the Hunt Box leave
the raid (see 12).
Skip steps A through D of Raid Resolution
and resolve the bombing attack (step E).

(9.2) Squadrons Intercept Bombers

9. Interception
Interception occurs twice in resolving a raid:
when Gruppen in the Hunt Box (hunters)
intercept British squadrons, and when British
squadrons intercept German bombers.

During step C of Raid Resolution decide which

British squadrons in the Bomber Box intercept
German Gruppen in the Bomber Box.
Squadrons are not required to intercept
bombers; they may return to their sectors (see
12).

(9.1) Hunters Intercept Squadrons

(9.21) If the number of squadrons remaining

During step A of Raid Resolution (see 3), German hunters intercept British Squadrons in the
Hunt Box of the Combat Display.

in the Bomber Box equals or exceeds the

number of Gruppen (bombers and strafing
fighters) in the Bomber Box all Gruppen in the
Bomber Box are attacked (see 10).

(9.11) If no German Gruppen are in the Hunt

(9.22) If fewer squadrons than Gruppen remain

Box move all squadrons in the Hunt Box to the

Bomber Box.

in the Bomber Box choose which Gruppen will be

attacked by the squadrons.

(9.12)

Select a number of bombers and strafers equal

to the number of squadrons in the Bomber Box.

If fewer Gruppen than squadrons are

in the Hunt Box squadrons may be moved from
the Hunt Box to the Bomber Box until the
number of squadrons in the Hunt Box equals the
number of Gruppen.
If no bombers are in the Bomber Box
squadrons may leave the raid (see 12).
Example: There are 3 Me 109s and 5 Spitfires
in the Hunt Box. Two Spitfires may be moved
from the Hunt Box to the Bomber Box or leave
the raid.

(9.13) If there are as many or more German

Gruppen than British squadrons in the Hunt
Box no squadrons or Gruppen are moved from
the Hunt Box.

(9.14)If more than twice as many German

Gruppen than British squadrons are in the Hunt
Box move Gruppen of your choice from the Hunt
Box to the Bomber Box until there are twice as
many Gruppen as squadrons in the Hunt Box.

Example: There are 5 Gruppen in the bomber Box

and 3 squadrons. Choose which three Gruppen will
be intercepted, and move the other two aside.

(9.23) If no squadrons remain in the Bomber Box,

move all close escort fighters to the Bomber Box
(they become strafers).

10. Air Combat

Gruppen in the Hunt Box attacking hunters
intercept British squadrons in the Hunt Box
defending squadrons and attack them there.
British squadrons which move to the Bomber Box
intercept and attack German bombers; all British
fighters in the Bomber Box attack all intercepted
bombers, strafers, and close escort fighters. In this
step squadrons are called attackers; bombers,
strafers, and close escort fighters are called
defenders.

Gruppen moved to the Bomber Box become

strafers.

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 Cross-index the number of Gruppen with the

total combat strength.

(10.1) Resolving an Attack

To resolve an attack:
1. Add the combat ratings of all attacking and
defending units into a total combat strength.
In a German hunter attack include only units in
the Hunt Box; do not include any units in the
Bomber or Close Escort Boxes.
In a British squadron attack on bombers in the
Bomber Box include squadrons, intercepted
bombers, and strafers (see 9.2) and all Gruppen
in the Close Escort Box.
2. Count the number of Gruppen in combat (the
number of hunters in a hunter attack, or
intercepted bombers, strafers, and close escort
fighters in a squadron attack) to determine which
column of the Combat Results Table will be
used.

Felipe Santamara

3. Roll one die, and count down from the row with
the total combat strength a number of rows
equal to the modified die result. (If any
participating squadrons have "Green Pilots", see
15.3, modify the result.)
4. Read the German and British combat results
in the row. The letter code result indicates
damage inflicted on planes with a selector ("+",
"o"), or all squadrons or Gruppen.

(10.2) Combat Damage

Refer to the Combat Damage Chart (see pullout
section) to determine the effects of results on the
Combat Results Table. The chart directs units to
leave the raid, to move to a different box of the
combat display, or to flip from ready to fatigued
status.

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Page 11

1. Total the Bombing strength of all Gruppen. If

strafing fighters are included, their bombing strength
may be reduced (see 11.2).
2. Locate the column with the total bombing
strength on the Bombing Table.
If the weather is cloudy shift two columns to the
left (but not beyond the "1" column).
If the bombers were not intercepted shift two
columns to the right (but not beyond the 24+
column).
3. Roll one die and cross-reference the result with
the adjusted column, to determine the number of
damage points caused by the bombing.
If the result is H roll the die again. The result
of the die-roll plus 1 is the amount of bomb damage.
Lose victory points based on the result (see Victory
Point Chart) and apply any damage points to the
target (see 11.3).

(11.1) Secondary Targets

Results affect ready and fatigued units differently
(see Combat Damage Chart).
Each time a squadron or Gruppe is eliminated,
adjust the Victory Point Track according to the Victory Point Chart (on the map).
Eliminated units are placed on the Calendar, ready,
in a box for the next available replacement of the
unit's type.
If all replacement boxes of an eliminated unit's type
are filled, additional eliminated units are removed
from play.
Example: If, on August 11, one Hurricane squadron
is eliminated, place it on the Calendar in the Hurricane box for August 14.

Some Event cards require German bombers to

bomb a secondary target. Unless such an Event
card is drawn, all Gruppen bomb the primary target.
German target priorities have no effect on
secondary target selection.
An event card may require all Gruppen or Grup
pen marked with a selector ("+" or "o") to bomb
a secondary target. If this is the case, separate Grup
pen by selector before combat. After resolving com
bat conduct two bombardments.
Example: At light effort, event card 93 requires German bombers with the "+" selector to bomb the
secondary target. Separate the German bombers
into two groups by selector. Resolve one combat
against all the bombers. After combat each group
bombs its own target.

(11.2) Strafers
(10.3) Combat Results Table
See pullout section.

German fighters moved to the Bomber Box strafe

the target, contributing their bombing strength to the
total bombing strength.

(104) Combat Damage Chart

See pullout section.

When strafing radar, city, headquarters, or

military bases, Me 110s halve their bombing
strength (rounded up). Me 109s do not contribute
any strength when strafing these targets.

11. Bombing
Every effort had to be made to stop the enemy
before he bombed, not afterwards.
D. Wood & D. Dempster

(11.3) Bomb Damage to Targets

Bombing Procedure

Damage points
differently:

All Gruppen in the Bomber Box in step E of Raid

Resolution bomb or strafe the target. Resolve as
follows:

Felipe Santamara

felisan88@yahoo.com

affect

each

target

Page 12

Radar: Radars (which actually represent entire networks of radar stations) are damaged for a number
of days equal to the damage points received.
Place a Damage marker on the radar symbol on
the map and the matching Damage marker on the
Calendar day when the net will be repaired; the
effects of damage begin immediately. When the
"repair day" arrives, remove the marker from the
Calendar and map.
A damaged radar does not modify the die-roll
on the Detection Track and Chart.
Example: Beachy Head radar receives 2 damage
points on August 18. Place a Damage marker on the
radar symbol on the map and the Damage marker
with the same number on the August 20 space. During the August 20 repair segment, remove both
markers.
Airfields: The number of damage points received
is the number of squadrons in the affected sector
which are reduced one status level. For each
damage point, flip a ready squadron to fatigued,
or move a fatigued squadron to the Rest Box, flipped
to ready. Only squadrons which are not on patrol,
and which did not intercept the raid, can be
affected (exception: 18.13). Squadrons in Rest or
Damage Boxes are not affected.
You decide which of the eligible squadrons are
affected.
If there are more damage points than eligible
squadrons, ignore the excess. Only one damage
point may be applied per squadron.
Industry: A number of replacement squadrons on
the Calendar equal to the number of damage
points received are flipped from ready to fatigued.
Beginning with the first available replacement, flip
over squadrons in chronological order until the
required number are flipped.
If there are fewer squadrons than damage
points the excess damage is ignored.
Headquarters: Headquarters operations are disrupted for a number of days equal to the number
of damage points received. Place a Damage
marker on the headquarters and the matching
Damage marker on the Calendar; the effects of
damage begin immediately. When the "repair day"
arrives, remove both markers to show the
headquarters has been repaired.
If a Fighter Group HQ (Box or Uxbridge) is
disrupted, the total modifier added to the
detection die roll for all raids against targets in
the disrupted fighter group is halved,
rounding up (see 6). Box is the headquarters
for Fighter Group 10, and Uxbridge, for
Fighter Group 11.
If Fighter Command HQ (Stanmore) is dis-

Felipe Santamara

rupted, the detection modifier is halved for all

raids.
If both a group headquarters and Stanmore
are damaged at the same time, no modifier
is added to the detection die-roll for targets in
the group.
Ports, Cities, and Military Bases: damage points
have no effect on these targets. But, victory points
are still lost.

(11.4) Bombing Table

See pullout section.

12. Leaving A Raid

Units leaving a raid as a result of combat go to
the location specified by the Combat Damage Chart
(see pullout section).

(12.01) Units

leave raids without being

directed by the Combat Damage Chart in the
following circumstances:
after a false raid (see 8.14).
When an Event card requires Gruppen to leave
prior to Raid Resolution.
Me 109s in the Hunt Box leave if no squadrons
are in the Hunt Box (see 9.15).
Squadrons may leave during hunter-squadron interception (see 9.12).
Squadrons may leave during squadron-bomber interception (see 9.2).
A Gruppe leaves after bombing a target.
Me 109s leave channel patrol after raid resolution.

(12.02) When a ready unit leaves a raid without

being directed by the Combat Damage Chart it
returns to its airbase or sector, fatigued.
A fatigued unit leaving a raid is placed in the
Rest Box, fatigued.
A squadron leaving a raid is no longer on
patrol.

13. Relief
A unit's status represents its preparedness to fly.
Status is downgraded by participating in a raid and
being bombed. Status is upgraded through relief. A
unit's status is determined by which of its two sides
are up (either ready or fatigued) and its location on
the map.

(13.01) Unit statuses from most prepared to

least prepared, are:
In an airbase or sector, ready.
In an airbase or sector, fatigued.
In the Rest Box, ready.

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Page 13

 In the Rest Box, fatigued.

In the Damage Box, ready.
In the Damage Box, fatigued.

Roll one die and add the modifier. Cross-index

the die result and target types on the German
Target Table and move the Target Priority
markers to show the new priorities.

(13.02) Relief occurs at the end of each day

and when an event card calls for it.
When an event card calls for German relief,
conduct relief only for German units. During the End
of Day phase, conduct relief for units of both nationalities. Conduct relief as follows:
1. Flip each fatigued unit in an airbase or sector to
ready.
2. Move all ready units in the Rest Box to their airbase or sector, fatigued.
3. Flip all fatigued units in the Rest Box to ready.

Note: When Operation Sealion begins, it fixes the

target priorities for the remainder of the game (see
16.1).

(14.2) Terror Strategy

When changing target priorities, and the modified
die result is 7 or more, German terror strategy goes
into effect. Remove Target cards 1 through 20 from
the target deck and add cards 41 to 60. Shuffle the
target deck. Terror strategy remains in effect for the
rest of the game; target priorities may change, but
the target deck does not. (If using the optional Night
Raids (18), double all night raid commitment values.)

4. Move all ready units in the Damage Box to the

Rest Box, fatigued.

(14.3) German Target Table

5. Flip all fatigued units in the Damage Box to ready.

15. Reinforcements And Replacements

Design Note: A squadron or Gruppe in the Rest Box

is waiting for injured and exhausted pilots to recover; in
the Damage Box, it is waiting to receive new
planes.

14. German Target Priorities

A target type's priority (low, medium, or high)
represents the importance the Luftwaffe places on
damaging a target of that type. Priority is assigned
to five target types at the start of the game and
recorded on the Target Priority Track on the map.
The five target types, each with its own marker, are:
airfields, cities, industry, ports, and radar. Other
target types (military bases & headquarters) have no
markers and are listed as secondary targets on the
Target cards.

(14.1) Changing Target Priorities

Two events call for a change in German target
priorities. One changes the priorities by the Calendar date, and the other, by accumulated victory
points.

(14.11) When either type of card is drawn resolve

the current raid then locate the target priority
modifier.
To change target priority by date use the
modifier printed on the current Calendar date.
To change by victory points use one of the
modifiers printed in the current victory point total
box on the Victory Point Track. If the victory point
total is less than 0, use the modifier in the left
column, otherwise use the modifier in the right
column.

Felipe Santamara

This table is in the pullout section.

Experienced pilots were like gold-dust, and each one

lost had to be replaced by an untried man who for
some time would be vulnerable, until he acquired
battle know-how. Fresh squadrons, moved in to
replace tired units, very often lost more aircraft and
pilots than the formations they replaced.
D. Wood & D. Dempster
Reinforcements are new units which have not
entered play. German reinforcements are placed
on the Calendar before the game begins and enter
play on the day listed. British reinforcements enter
play at your discretion.
Replacements are eliminated units which are
returned to play; place eliminated units on the Calendar in the first Replacement Box of the unit's type
after the current day.

(15.1) Entering Replacements and

German Reinforcements
(15.11) During the Reinforcement and Replacement segment of each turn beginning with August
14 remove all replacements and reinforcements from
the current day and place them on the map in the
proper airbase or sector.
If the unit is on its ready side flip it to fatigued
and place it in its assigned sector or airbase.
If the unit is fatigued place it in the Damage Box,
fatigued. Only replacements may be fatigued on the
Calendar (see 12).
If a replacement Box is empty move a unit of
matching type from the Damage Box to the Rest Box
retaining its status. If no matching units are in the

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Page 14

Damage Box, the replacement is lost.

(15.2) British Reinforcements

During the Replacement and Reinforcements segment, British reinforcements may enter play. Only
one reinforcement squadron may be entered per day.
To enter a British reinforcement, place the squadron
of your choice in its assigned sector, fatigued. Reinforcements cannot be assigned Green Pilots
markers. British reinforcements cost victory points
to enter as follows:

Victory is determined by the accumulation or loss

of victory points as indicated on the Victory Point
Chart (on the map). The Victory Point Track displays
the current victory point total. When you lose victory points subtract the amount lost from the current total; flip the marker to the negative side, if the
total is below "0". When you gain victory points add
the amount gained to the current total; flip the
marker to the positive side, if the total is above "0".
You win the game if Operation Sealion is cancelled on or before September 22. You lose the
game if Sealion occurs. The game is a draw if
Sealion is cancelled after September 22. You can
also win or lose the game if either airforce
deteriorates to operational elimination.

(16.1) Operation Sealion

The Royal Air Force suffered from a shortage of

experienced pilots. As casualties mounted, Fighter
Command was forced to man front line squadrons
with green pilots: men with only a few hours flying
time and no combat training.

The Sealion marker begins in the September 11

box of the Calendar, marking the scheduled start of
a 10-day preparation period before the invasion.
Each time the Day marker advances to a box
occupied by the Sealion marker, compare the
victory points to the start (upper right) and cancel
(upper left) values listed for that day.

(15.31) When a British replacement squadron

(16.11) If the accumulated victory point total

(15.3) British Green Pilots

enters play, one Green Pilots marker, -2 side up,

may be placed on the squadron at your option.
Add two points to the victory point total for each
Green Pilots marker that enters play.

(15.32) When a squadron with a Green Pilots

marker is in combat subtract the number showing
on the marker from the die roll (see 10.1).
If more than one green squadron is in combat
subtract all modifiers from die die roll (me modifications of Green Pilot markers are cumulative).
When combat resolution is complete, flip Green
Pilots markers to their -1 sides, or remove them if
the -1 sides are face-up already.

(15.33)

Green Pilots markers stay on

squadrons until they participate in two combats
as attacker or defender, even if the squadron is
placed in the Rest or Damage Box. The markers
are removed if the squadrons are eliminated.

equals or exceeds the cancel value listed for

the day, Hitler cancels Sealion and the game
ends.
If Sealion is cancelled on September 11 you win
a decisive victory.
If Sealion is cancelled after September 11, but
on or before September 22, you win an
operational victory.

(16.12) If the total victory points are between

the start and cancel values Hitler delays the
start of the operation.
Roll one die and halve the result, rounding up.
This is the number of days Sealion is postponed.
Move the Sealion marker 1, 2, or 3 days along the
Calendar and award yourself one victory point for
each day of delay.
If Sealion is delayed beyond September 22
the game ends in a draw.

(16.13) If the accumulated victory point total

16. Victory And Defeat

equals or is less than the listed start value

prepartions for Sealion begin.

For the first time in history an attempt was made

to use air power to cripple an enemy to such an extent that he would not thereafter be in a position to
offer any serious resistance in fact it was even
hoped that air action alone could force him to sue
for peace.
Dr. Karl Klee

Flip the Sealion marker to the D-Day side and

move it ten spaces along the Calendar. The
Sealion marker may be moved into the provisional
days on the Calendar; this is the only way the game
may last beyond September 22.

Felipe Santamara

Lose five victory points.

Change the German target priorities to the
following:

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Page 15

High - Airfields and ports,

Medium - Radar;
Low - Cities and industry.
These priorities remain in effect until the end of
the game; ignore all "Change Target Priority"
events.

(16.14) When the Day marker enters the D-Day

space, the game ends. If the victory point total is:
less than or equal to the start value printed in
the space, the Wehrmacht invades England; the
swastika looms over England: You Lose Decisively.
between the start and cancel values Sealion is
cancelled. The game is a draw, but the Luftwaffe may
yet eliminate the RAF.

After you have played the game several

times, you may wish to add the Night Raid
rules. These rules increase the use of German
bombers and British Blenheims, but increase
the playing time of the game slightly.

Procedure:
1. Place ready Blenheims on night patrol in the
Squadron Patrol segment.

2. During the Night Raid segment, determine the

number of German bombers committed to night
raids (18.2).

3. Check if a Blenheim intercepts and attacks a

bomber (18.3).

4. Surviving Gruppen then bomb unspecified

British targets (18.4).

equal to or greater than the cancel value You

Win a tactical victory. Sealion is cancelled. The RAF
has barely withstood the Luftwaffe's pounding.

(18.1) British Night Patrol

(16.2) Airforce Elimination

(18.11) During the Squadron Patrol segment,

assign ready Blenheim squadrons to night patrol
by placing them in the Night Patrol Box.

(16.21) If the victory point total is equal to or

less than -35 at any time, You Lose Decisively; a
decisive loss means the Luftwaffe controls the skies
and Hitler can launch Sealion at any time secure
in the knowledge the Luftwaffe will lend tactical
and strategic airpower unhindered by the RAF.
If the victory point total equals or exceeds
+35 at any time, You Win Decisively. A
decisive victory means the RAF has gained air
superiority and could launch an offensive and
begin bombing targets over France.

(16.3) Victory Point Chart

Only Blenheim squadrons may be placed

on night patrol.

(18.12) Squadrons in the Night Patrol Box are

not required to return to their sectors during the
Land Patrolling Squadrons segment (see 3) or
by the "Land Patrolling Squadrons" event (see
Event Summary).
A squadron may be removed from night patrol
by placing it in its sector, fatigued during the
Squadron Patrol segment.

This chart is on the map.

(18.13) Squadrons in the Night Patrol Box may

17. Raid Events

Each Event card list three events. The one
which takes place is determined by the day's
German effort. Raid events are divided into two
parts, a number and a named event. The
number advances the Hour marker on the Clock
Track. If the marker enters or passes the 1800
space, after resolving the current raid, proceed to
the End of Day Phase. A list of events and their
effects are at the back of the rule book.

not be used to intercept day raids and are

considered on the ground during the day; they
can be damaged by bombing (see 12.3).
If a squadron on night patrol is damaged
by bombing place it in its sector, fatigued.

(18.2) German Night Raid

Commitment
(18.21) During the Night Raids segment, roll

18. Night Raids (Optional)

Historical Note: Night raids rarely had an
impact on the operation of Fighter Command,
and are not detailed like the day raids. However,
night raids were an effective and dramatic
method for German bombers to attack cities and
industrial targets with little risk of air combat.

Felipe Santamara

one die and cross-reference the day's German

effort and the die result on the Night Raid
Commitment Table (see pullout section) to
determine the number of bomber Gruppen
committed from each Luftflotte.

(18.22) Move the number of bombers to the Luft

flottes Night Raid Box or back to their bases as required by the German Night Raid Commitment
Table.

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Page 16

 Select bombers as if selecting for a day raid

(see 8) except fatigued Gruppen committed to night
raids are flipped to ready when placed in a Night
Raid Box. Select He 111s before Do 17s and Ju
88s. Never select Ju 87s for night raids.

and the Bomb Damage Table is not used. Instead,

total the number of Gruppen in both Night Raid
Boxes and roll one die. Cross-reference the die-roll
and the number of Gruppen on the Night Raid Bombing Table to determine bomb damage (see pullout
section).

Double the number of bombers placed in the

Night Raid Box when terror strategy is in effect.
If there are more bombers in a Luftflotte Night
Raid Box than the table requires return the excess bombers to their airbase, ready.
Example: There are 2 bombers in the Luftflotte 2
Night Raid Box, and 3 in the Luftflotte 3 Night Raid
Box. German effort is "light" and you roll a 4 on
the German Night Raid Commitment Table. The
result is 3/2. One Gruppen must be moved to the.
box from Luftflotte 2, and one from the box to its
airbase in Luftflotte 3.

(18.5) Night Raid

Commitment Table
See pullout section.

(18.6) Night Raid

Interception Table
See pullout section.

(18.7) Night Raid Bombing Table

See pullout section.

19. The Hardest Days

(18.3) Night Raid Interception
and Combat
The chance of a Blenheim squadron intercepting
a German night raid is remote, but possible.

Procedure:
1. Cross reference the number of Blenheims in
the Night Patrol Box with the total number of
bombers in both Luftflotte Night Raid Boxes on
the Night Raid Interception Table (see pullout section) to determine the interception chance.

The Luftwaffe will use all forces at its disposal to

destroy the British air force as quickly as possible...
A. Hitler, Directive 17, August 1, 1940
Historical Note: The Germans scheduled Aldertag
Eagle Day for August 8, 1940, but weather
delayed the onslaught of the air offensive against
England until August 13th. On that day the Luftwaffe bungled its offensive because of bad weather,
and many units flew missions that had been cancelled. 1,485 sorties were flown, and 46 planes were
downed by British fighters.

2. Roll one die.

(19.1) Cards
If the die-roll is less than or equal to the interception chance choose one Blenheim
squadron from the Night Patrol Box to intercept
one Gruppen of your choice.
Only one squadron and one Gruppe have
combat in a single night, regardless of the number
of units involved.

(18.31) If Blenheim squadron 600/6/11 is in

(19.11) Divide the cards into the target deck, the

force deck, and the event deck. Remove the
following 28 cards and place them aside:
Target cards 41 through 60
Force cards 87 through 90
Event cards 131 through 134

the Night Patrol Box you may add one to the

intercep tion chance after you roll the die.

(19.12) Shuffle each deck and place them face

If the die-roll equals the new interception

chance, the 600/6/11 squadron must intercept.

(19.2) Squadrons and Gruppen

(18.32) Resolve

squadron-bomber
night
attacks using the normal rules for combat. If
either unit survives (is not directed to be placed in
the Rest or Damage boxes), the unit returns to the
Night Raid Box, ready. This is an exception to
section 13.

down next to the map.

Place all 33 squadrons not marked as reinforcements on the ground in their assigned sectors,
ready side up. No German reinforcements or
replacements enter in this scenario.
Place the 77 Gruppen not marked as reinforcements in their assigned airbases, ready side up.

(18.4) Night Raid Bombing

(19.3) Target Priority Markers

After resolving night raid combat, determine the

effect of damage done to British targets by all night
raiders. The bombing does not effect specific targets,

(19.31) Place the five Priority markers on the Target

Priority Track as follows:

Felipe Santamara

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Page 17

 Low priority: cities and industry

Medium priority: airfields
High priority: ports and radar

(20.1) Cards
Same as 19.1.

(20.2) Squadrons and Gruppen

(19.4) Other Markers

Place fighter Gruppe IV/JG 51/2 in its airbase

and not on the reinforcement track. Place other
units as per 21.2.

Place the:
Hour marker in the 0600 box
Detection marker any where on the Detection Track
Day marker in the August 11th box
Weather marker in the clear box of the Weather
Track
German Effort marker in the normal box
Victory Point marker in the zero box
Green Pilots markers aside for later use
Damage markers aside for later use

(20.21) Place the following reinforcement

squadrons in their sectors, ready:
Hurricanes: 249/4/10, RCAF/3/11, 310/2/12.
Spitfires: 602/1/11, 72/2/11, 603/6/11.

(20.3) Target Priority Markers

(20.31) Place the five Priority markers on the

(19.5) Special Rules

Target Priority Track as follows:

The game ends after the End of Day phase of

August 17th. Compare the number of victory points
accumulated to the chart below to see if you have
won the game. In addition, 16.2 is in effect.

Low priority: ports and radar

Medium priority: cities and industry
High priority: airfields

(20.4) Other Markers

Place the Day marker in the August 27th box,
the Sealion marker in the September 11th box,
and all other markers as per 19.4.

(20.5) Special Rules

Skip the Repair, Weather, and German Effort
segments on the first day.

20. The Thin Blue Line

Skip the Repair, Weather, and German Effort

segments on the first day.

21. The Battle Of Britain

The only plan is to persevere.

John Terraine

Historical Note: Despite British aircraft production

surpassing Germany, Britain's valiant few became
fewer. There were not enough trained British fighter
pilots despite transfers from Bomber Command. By
August 27th the RCAF was flying patrols along with
Polish (303) and Czechoslovakian (310) squadrons,
and mixed British-Low Country squadrons.
Both sides began to learn proper tactics in the
air. German pilots flew paired to intercept British
squadrons, and learned to stay away from the
bombers to give their machines room to
maneuver. The British muddled through. Their
air-ground coordination improved, but controllers
and pilots added thousands of feet to observer's
estimates, which allowed low-flying raids to
bomb unintercepted. Eventually the battle
evolved from sorting out tactics in the air to
mass formations fighting a war of attrition.
Enraged by bomber losses in the war of attrition,
Goering ordered the Me 109s to fly close escort,
depriving his pilots of their advantages.

Felipe Santamara

We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in

France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans,
we shall fight with growing confidence and
growing strength in the air...
Winston Churchill, June 4,
1940
...So long as the enemy air force remains in
being, the supreme principle of air warfare must
be to attack it at every possible opportunity by
day and by night, in the air and on the ground
with priority over other tasks.
Herman Goering, June 30,
1940
As England, despite her hopeless military
situation, still shows no sign of willingness to
come to terms, I have decided to prepare, and if
necessary to carry out, a landing operation
against her. The aim of this operation is to
eliminate the English motherland as a base from
which war against Germany can be continued
and, if necessary, to occupy completely.
Adolph Hitler, Directive No. 16, July 16, 1940

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Page 18

Historical Note: France had fallen to

conquering panzers. The British evacuated the
continent at Dunkirk, leaving 450 Hurricanes and
Spitfires in France. Continued British resistance
stymied Hitler, who expected Great Britain to
prostrate herself as France had. He decided to
invade the British Isles. Reichmarschall Herman
Goering, ignoring the advice of Luftwaffe staff
studies which concluded Britain could not be
defeated by an air campaign, promised Hitler
Britain would be humilated in four weeks. The
invasion was scheduled for mid-August. After the
Fall of France, the British government expected preinvasion assualts against ports and industries. She
feared that after her ports were filled with wrecks
and her industry in ruins, Britain's ability to resist
invasion would be crippled.

(21.1) Cards
Same as 19.1.

(21.2) Squadrons and Gruppen

programmed paragraphs, a system that is great fun

to play but drives designers, developers, and editors
crazy
.
In RAF, I saw a unique opportunity to create a
solitaire simulation using cards and a few charts
a game that would make the British player feel tension as each raid unfolds, drama as air combat
takes its toll, relief with each day he keeps his
squadrons operational, and appreciation as the
weeks pass and German strategies shift to meet
Hitler's improbable goals.
All the actual targets and strategies of the campaign are in the game, as well as a few possibilities
that the British feared; all these are presented in a
way that keeps the player feeling it's happening for
the first time. Yes, the Germans lost, and historians
agree that they had very little chance of winning.
But, at the time, no one on the British side (and certainly not the Germans) was so sure. In the game,
the player sees things from the uncertain perspective of 1940.

(21.21) Place all 33 squadrons not marked as reinforcements on the ground in their assigned sectors,
ready side up.
Example: Spitfire squadron 54/6/11 is placed
anywhere in Sector 6 of Group 11 except in a patrol
circle.

(21.22) Place the 77 Gruppen not marked as rein

forcements in their assigned airbases, ready side up.
Example: Me 1091/JG 51/2 is placed in the Me 109
airbase of Luftflotte 2.

(21.23) Place each reinforcement Gruppe on

the Calendar in the day space for that unit.
Set reinforcement squadrons aside.

(21.3) Target Priority Markers

Same as 19.3.

(21.4) Other Markers

Same as 19.4, except the Sealion marker, is placed in the September 11 box.

(21.5) Special Rules

Skip the Repair, Weather, and German Effort
segments on the first day.

This is my second stab at a game on the Battle

of Britain and my third solitaire game design. Battle
over Britain (TSR/SPI) was a big two-player
simulation. Both solitaire designs, Voyage of the Pandora for SPI and Ambush! for Victory Games, used

Felipe Santamara

There are three major strategic choices the Germans made historically that they may or may not
make in the game. If these German choices always
happened in the game (for the sake of "realism")
the game would actually be less realistic;
foreknowledge of their occurance would entice the
British player into artificial strategies. The three
choices are:
Terror Strategy: This dramatic switch from
military to civilian targets was the turning point of the
campaign. Hitler ordered the Luftwaffe to concentrate on London and other cities beginning
September 7th; a big break for the RAF. With forward airfields and radar undisturbed, and with German bombers ranging further inland, Fighter Command had plenty of time to intercept, in a big way,
even while resting overworked squadrons. The player
gains a similar advantage in the game if the Terror
Strategy occurs, and should find victory easier.
Increase Fighter Escort: Early in the campaign,
Goering became concerned with the high ratio of
bomber to fighter losses. Thus on August 19th he
ordered fighters to fly close escort in greater
numbers. This denied the Me 109s speed and
maneuverablity, the very factors that gave them an
edge in combat. If this event occurs, the player will
find it easier to attack bombers and to inflict losses
on close escort fighters because Me 109s will not
be hunting as often.
Luftflotte 3 to Luftflotte 2: On August 27th, German High Command decided to concentrate on
targets around London in an effort to remove the
RAF from southeast England entirely. Luftflotte 3
fighter support was reassigned to Luftflotte 2 airbases
to support this effort and Luftflotte 3 bombers also
flew over the Luftflotte 2 zone, putting a significant
strain on Fighter Group 11. If this event occurs, the

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Germans will seem to have a near endless supply

of Gruppen to send over Group ll's area.
RAF has many unusual features that bear comment. Here's the thinking behind a few:
Secondary targets: These keep you guessing.
Sure, that raid looks like it's heading for London.
But can you afford to respond lightly knowing that
those bombers might drop their load on Biggin Hill
instead?
Split Combat Results: These allow a greater
range of combat results. In large air engagements,
the forces of a given side were not hit equally up
and down the line. One squadron may be destroyed
while another flys through without contact.
Operation Sealion: Basing victory and defeat on
the cancellation or start of Operation Sealion is a
concession to drama. It is not certain that the invasion would have happened even if the Royal Air
Force was destroyed. However, Hitler did schedule
the operation to start on September 11th, and
delayed it a few times before cancelling it on
September 19th, after which daylight raids against
England subsided. These historical decisions are
reflected in the game and certainly make clear the
difference between losing and winning.
Channel Patrol: Yes, the rule is a bit of a
nuisance; however, placing Me 109s on channel
patrol is necessary to create the proper ratio of
fighters to bombers in German raids without giving
the Germans overwhelming advantage in fighter
cover.
Night Raids: Using the night raid rules rarely affects the outcome of the game, just as they had little effect on the RAF historically (their dramatic effect on the civilian population is outside the scope
of this game, a moral question unto itself). Like
Channel Patrol, the Night Raid rules provide a more
historically accurate use of forces, redirecting a
percentage of German bombers and British Blenheims to a "sideshow."
Provisional British Reinforcements: Northern
England, defended by Fighter Groups 12 and 13, and
attacked by Luftflotte 5 (operating out of Norway and
Denmark), is not in the game. Action there was so
marginal that its inclusion would result in wasted
cards, counters, and map space. However, the
squadrons that the British redeployed (or could have
redeployed) from the north to the south have been
included as provisional reinforcements. If too many
are brought down, the British VP total suffers to
show that the north has been left unguarded.
Historically, the British increased the strength of 10
and 11 Group by six squadrons during the campaign
(after adjusting for withdrawal).
John H. Butterfield

Felipe Santamara

Achieving victory in a solitaire game is a matter

of defeating the game system. A successful historical
solitaire game permits the player to use historical
tactics and have a reasonable chance of winning.
Better yet, the game encourages alternative tactics.
In RAF you have such an opportunity.
In the role of British Fighter Command, you must
make the same strategic and tactical decisions as Air
Marshall Dowding. Should all German raids be intercepted? If not, should the large raids be attacked
or should Fighter Command intercept only the small
raids? Should British fighters be matched against particular German planes? Are certain targets more important to defend than others? How you respond to
these and other crucial questions will determine the
outcome of the game.
Before jumping head-long into The Battle of Britain
scenario, try your hand at one of the two shorter
ones. Battle of Britain aficionados can use the shorter
games to test whether their understanding of Fighter
Command's tactics is sufficient to manage the campaign scenario. Those who fail this test, and those
studying the battle for the first time, can use any
number of short games to test tactics and experiment
within the game system to develop an intelligent approach to the campaign scenario. Anyone having difficulty beating the victory conditions should read
the books in the bibliography and compare tactics.
I'm not going to divulge the tactics necessary for
winning this game. I don't buy games to read in the
Players Notes how to win the game; I want to learn
how to win by playing the game. There are some
points, however, you should keep in mind.
This campaign is a battle of attrition, and will not
be won on any single turn. You will have to gamble
on many of your decisions. Perfect knowledge of a
coming German raid is a rare event; most of your
decisions will be based on partial information. In
terms of victory points, the most any raid will cost
you is 3 victory points. However, the results of a
given raid may have far greater effects than the loss
of victory points, and the decision to intercept must
be weighed accordingly.
The weather is your greatest ally. A storm day
gains 2 victory points, and can easily decide the
shorter scenarios. If all else fails, pray for rain.
The shorter games can be played in a single sitting, and rather quickly once you are familiar with
the system and sequence of play. The campaign
game can be played at one time and is, perhaps,
the best way to experience first-hand the effects of
fatigue on Fighter Command. I plan on playing the
campaign on a real time basis on the actual dates.
For weather I will either use the weather outside
my game room window, or delay a day and use

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newspaper reports of weather from England. Either

way, the game should prove interesting.
John Alsen

Each Event card list three events. The one

which takes place is determined by the day's
German effort. Raid events are divided into two
parts, a number and a named event. The
number advances the Hour marker on the Clock
Track. If the marker enters or passes the 1800
space, after resolving the current raid, proceed
to the End of Day Phase. 0, 1, 2, 3, etc.:
Advance the Hour marker the indicated number
of spaces along the Clock. If the marker is
moved into or past the 1800 space resolve the
current raid, then proceed to the End of Day
Phase.
Change Target Priorities (Date or VP): After
resolving the current raid, change the German
target priorities (see 14.1).
Cloudy Weather Causes Abort ("o" or "+"): If
the weather is cloudy and the raid contains at
least two Gruppen, those with the indicated
selector fail to rendezvous and immediately
leave the raid (see 12).
German Relief: Before resolving the current
raid, conduct relief for all Gruppen except those
committed to the raid (see 13).
Increase Fighter Escort: If the current victory
point total is "+5" or higher, German High
Command demands daylight bombing raids be
protected by more fighters. Add Force cards 8790 to the force deck, and Event cards 131-134
to the event deck; reshuffle both.
Luftflotte 3 Gruppen to Luftflotte 2: If the date
is Aug. 25 to Sept. 10 (inclusive), all Gruppen in
Luftflotte 3 may join raids in Luftflotte 2 target
areas. Flip the Day marker to its "LF3 to LF2"
side. The rules of section 8 should be modified
as follows:
Select ready LF2 Gruppen before LF3
Gruppen.
Select ready LF3 Gruppen before fatigued
LF2 Gruppen.
Select fatigued LF2 Gruppen before fatigued
LF3 Gruppen.
This remains in effect until drawn again after
Sept. 10.
Mass Rendezvous Failure ("o" or +"): If a major raid is underway, administrative errors cause
Gruppen marked with the selector to miss their
rendezvous point. All Gruppen with the indicated
selector immediately leave the raid (see 12).
Me 109s Close Escort ("o" or " + "): Move all
Me 109s with the listed selector to the Close
Escort Box. If no squadrons intercept the raid or

Felipe Santamara

if there are no bombers, these Me 109s become

strafers and are moved to the Bomber Box.
Me 110s strafe: All Me 110s in the current raid
are strafing. Move all Me 110s from the Close
Escort Box to the Bomber Box.
Pathfinders: German airplanes with special reconnaissance equipment are flying in the current raid.
When using the Bombing Table, shift the bombing
strength two columns right, but not past the 24+
column
Patrolling Squadron Catches Recon Flight: One
of your squadrons patrolling in sector 1, 2, 6, or 7
of Group 11 catches and attacks a flight of Me 110s
on a reconnaissance mission. Before resolving the
current raid, move one ready, non-elite Me 110
Gruppe from any airbase to the Rest Box, fatigued.
Land one squadron patrolling in the listed sectors,
fatigued. If there are no ready, non-elite Me 110s
Gruppen, or if no squadrons are on patrol in these
sectors, ignore this event.
Patrolling Squadrons Land: After resolving the
current raid, move all squadrons on patrol to the
ground in their sectors, flipped to fatigued. Then
place any ready squadrons of your choice on patrol
(see 4). Ignore this event if this is the last raid of
the day.
Raid on German Industries: Successful Bomber
Command raids against German industry delay
warplane production. Flip the next three replacement
Gruppen on the Calendar from ready to fatigued.
When each Gruppe arrives as replacement,
place it in the Damaged Box, fatigued (see 15.1).
Radio Intelligence: British intelligence picks up
German radio reports concerning the next raid. Add
3 to the detection die-roll for the next raid.
Secondary Target (All, " + ", or "o"): All Gruppen,
or Gruppen marked with the indicated selector,
bomb the secondary target listed on the target
card. Gruppen with the other selector bomb the
primary target. Resolve two separate bombardments,
if necessary.
Snap Raid by Erprobungsgruppe 210: If the Me
110 Gruppen Egr/210/2 is ready at its airbase, it carries out a high-speed raid. After resolving the current raid, draw a valid Target card to determine the
snap raid's target. Do not draw Force or Event cards
for this raid. Subtract 2 from the detection die-roll.
Squadrons Intercept Blenheims: A flight of
Blenheims from Bomber Command is mistaken for
a German raid, and is intercepted. Immediately flip
to fatigued one ready Hurricane or Spitfire squadron
of your choice in Group 11. If no ready squadrons
are available, move a fatigued squadron to the Rest
Box, fatigued.
Sudden Weather Change: If the weather is cloudy,
it immediately becomes clear. If the weather is clear,
it immediately becomes cloudy. Move the weather
marker to reflect the change. The change effects
detection and bombing (including the current raid)
for the remainder of the day, but does not change
the German effort.

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Felipe Santamara

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Felipe Santamara

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Felipe Santamara

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Felipe Santamara

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