Malta Playtest

Monday was a day off for me (one of the rare times I actually get Veterans Day off), so Kevin and I decided to do a playtest of the Malta raid game we are running at the upcoming NHMGS Museum of Flight Game Day. We put the word out about the game and expected a handful of players. We were both a little surprised when eight people showed up for the game.

Players starting to gather around the table

The scenario is a straight-forward bombing run on Valetta harbor by nine Italian BR.20s, escorted by four Me-110s and intercepted by six Hurricane IICs. The bombers could choose from three different targets, although after a couple turns, it was pretty easy for the RAF players to guess where the bombers were going.

We were using David Manley's unpublished Air War 1940 rules for the game. Our previous games used relatively lightly armed fighters, so I was really interested in seeing how the cannon-armed fighters would do.

Bombers and escort enter

Planes close in

A long-range (fuzzy) shot of a fighter fly-by (no shots were exchanged)

Hurricanes and Me-110s jockeying for position

Me-110s see lots of targets

Photo just after the Me-110s blasted a Hurricane out of the sky

Hurricanes hit the bombers as they drop bombs on the floating drydock

The other bombers on their bombing run over warehouses

A Hurricane knocks down one bomber

The game went pretty well and played out fairly historical. The RAF knocked down one bomber and damaged several others (two had fuel leaks and probably would not make it home). The Me-110s shot down one Hurricane and, along with bomber defensive fire, damaged some others. The bombers did minor damage to the floating drydock (call out the painters) and moderate damage to the warehouses. We rated it a minor Axis victory. Overall everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

Kevin did a great job painting up the aircraft. The Valleta map looks really good and should be a hit at the museum game day. We are hoping for a good turnout at the museum.