Tom continues his epic play on vassal, giving us ALL the details on combat and some descriptions regarding choices made etc.

Under An Iron Sky:

Air Superiorty Phase
So, we’re moving into the stuff that author of the game calls creme de la creme of „1985” system – air rules. Yes, they’re not easy, but let’s try to handle ’em.

First, take a look at squadron counters. For Air Superiority Phase we can only use the ones with Air Combat Value. So, if the first value from the left on the counter has no number but some letter, we won’t be able to use such squadron in this phase. Remember that it’s sometimes good idea to keep some of these squadrons that have some good strike value on airports, since you might need them later to deliver strikes and support your combat.

Step 1:
„Both Players alternate in placing Air Superiority markers on the map”
According to the scenario rules, WP player has two air superiority markers, NATO player has one. They’re placing them on the board. These will be areas that we will fight for. So mind the fact that you want to control areas where you’re going to perform ground combat or where you expect enemy actions.

WP player places his air superiority marker 1 in the megahex 3021.
NATO player places his air superiority marker 2 in the megahex 2515.
WP player places his air superiority marker 3 in the megahex 3414.

Step 2:
„Both players secretly allocate Air Squadrons to Air Superiority areas where they intend to obtain Air Superior”
So, we have three possible Air Superiority areas, marked with air superiority markers 1, 2 and 3. We can send our fighters there to fight for air superiority – up to 15 squadrons to each zone. What it will give us? If we will win, our fighters will be able to intercept any air missions, attack enemy combat helicopters and protect our missions. There is more stuff they can do, like block supply for airborne and airmobile units, block ports or deny amphibious assaults, but none of these works here in this scenario for us. So let’s send our fighters. Players do this simultaneously, in secret (yes, this can be a little problematic, when you play solo – you can always make a roll and decide that side with a higher result sends its squadrons first).
So that’s how WP air superiority plan looks alike:

As you can see, WP send most of their best air force into the megahexes 1 and 2, seeing megahex 3 as a zone of less importance, so leaving DDR air force to take care of it.

Time for NATO player – he has a few air units, so he divides them into zones 1 and 2, completely ignoring zone 3. But first he has to roll for all his air units at the 127 airfield, because of the Chemical Marker there. He uses one air unit from this airfield – it’s 313 F-16 A squadron. Roll is 8, so this unit is not availble. This is bad, because it was best NATO unit. Damn these Soviet cheaters and their nasty chemical Soviet stuff!

You can see that NATO fighters, even if small in numer, are quite formidable, whem it comes to their air combat strength. Also, NATO has one AWACS which is assigned to the Megehaex 2. It is not participating in combat but it provides some nice bonus. But when it comes to numbers, WP clearly holds the advantage. Now both sides reveal their units. Each megahex has some units assigned – if there would be a zone without any units, then it’s marker would be removed from the board. Everything is ready, so we can start combat. Each megahex is resolved separately, starting with megahex one.

Megahex 1:

Step 1: Flak Fire
„Any Fixed SAM, mobile ADA, or embedded Flak with A+, A or B Rating located inside the Air Superiority Area being resolved may fire once at an enemy Air Squadron of its choice.”
So, let’s calculate the number of AA units in each zone and then let’s fire.

Remember that you can use only anti air units that are inside given megahex, not the ones that have such megahex in their range (another of my mistakes that I used to make in my first contact with this game). Also, all A+, A and B rated air defense units have to spend 1 ammo point to fire at enemy.

Megahex 1:
NATO: 2xB
WP: 2xA, 6xB

NATO fires it’s both B’s at Soviet MiG 23MLs squadrons – 3/35 and 2/35
First shot: 1/1-1 fires at 3/35, B column in the Flak Fire Table, evasion value is 8 (+4 DRM), roll is 10+4=14 (0-1), 3/35 suffers one damage. 1/1-1 spends 1 ammo point.
Second shot: 2/1-1 fires at 2/35, B column in the Flak Fire Table, evasion value is 8 (+4 DRM), roll is 15+4=19 (0-0), 3/35 is safe. 2/1-1 spends 1 ammo point.

WP targets F-15C with A, F-4E with A, and three F-104 G’s with B’s.
First shot: 1/18 fires at 55, A column in the Flak Fire Table, evasion value is 11 (+5 DRM), roll is 8+5=13 (1-0), 55 suffers one step loss. 1/18 spends 1 ammo point.
Second shot: 2/18 fires at 81, A column in the Flak Fire Table, evasion value is 10 (+5 DRM), roll is 12+5=17 (0-1), 81 suffers one damage. 2/18 spends 1 ammo point.
Third shot: 390 fires at 1/33, B column in the Flak Fire Table, evasion value is 6 (+3 DRM), roll is 5+3=8 (1-0), 1/33 suffers one step loss. 390 spends 1 ammo point.
Fourth shot: 288 fires at 3/33, B column in the Flak Fire Table, evasion value is 6 (+3 DRM), roll is 9+3=12 (0-1), 3/33 suffers one damage. 288 spends 1 ammo point.
Fifth shot: 307 fires at 2/33, B column in the Flak Fire Table, evasion value is 6 (+3 DRM), roll is 14+3=17 (0-1), 2/33 suffers one damage. 307 spends 1 ammo point.

Step 2: Assignment
„Each player secretly arranges his available Air Squadrons on the numbered boxes of the Air Superiority Combat Chart, starting with box number 1 and moving upward. When both players are ready, the Air Squadrons disposition is revealed”.

Since not a single air unit was destroyed, players arrange their squadrons and reveal them simultaneously (another hard thing to do when you play solo). This is situation after Flak Fire and assignment:

Step 3: Numerical superiority determination:
„Each Player counts the total number of undamaged Air Squadron steps involved in the current combat. If a Player has double or more steps than the other, he obtains Numerical Superiority for the whole duration of current round of combat.”
Yes, steps and undamaged only – this is something that can be easily missed (another common mistake). NATO has 5 undamaged steps, while WP has 19 undamaged steps. So WP has Numerical Superiority for all air fights in this megahex. Red hordes on air! Now, you can see that even damages are quite important here, because they can reduce the number of steps needed to gain numerical superiority.

„Each Player counts the total number of undamaged Air Squadron steps involved in the current combat. If a Player has double or more steps than the other, he obtains Numerical Superiority for the whole duration of current round of combat.”
Yes, steps and undamaged only – this is something that can be easily missed (another common mistake). NATO has 5 undamaged steps, while WP has 19 undamaged steps. So WP has Numerical Superiority for all air fights in this megahex. Red hordes on air! Now, you can see that even damages are quite important here, because they can reduce the number of steps needed to gain numerical superiority.

Step 4: Air combat
„Starting with box number 1, each Air Squadron resolve Air Combat against the enemy Air Squadron with a matching box number. Combat in a box must be completed before starting the next one.”

Air combat is quite simple (much easier to handle that, for example, in the Next War series). You just need to take defender’s Evasion value and substract it from attacker’s Air Combat Value to get column in the Air Combat Table. Then include all DRM’s and make a roll. Resolve attacks of both sides and apply the results.

Fight 1: US 53 (F-15C) vs SU 3/35 (MiG-23ML)
US Attack: 13-8=+4, DRMS: +3 (US pilot rating), -2 (SU pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage). Roll is 12-1=11 (1-0-A).
SU attack: 10-11=-1, DRMS: +2 (SU pilot rating), -3 (US pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage). Roll is 8+1=9 (No effect).
Soviet squadron suffers one step loss and is aborted.

Fight 2: US 81 (F-4E) vs SU 2/35 (MiG-23 ML)
US Attack: 11-8=+3, DRMS: +3 (US pilot rating), -2 (SU pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage). Roll is 6-1=5 (No effect).
SU attack: 10-10=0, DRMS: +2 (SU pilot rating), -3 (US pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage). Roll is 14+1=15 (0-1-A).
US squadron suffers one damage and is aborted.

Fight 3: GE 1/33 (F-104G) vs SU 1/73 (MiG-23 ML)
GE Attack: 6-8=-2, DRMS: +3 (GE pilot rating), -2 (SU pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage). Roll is 15-1=14 (0-0-A).
SU attack: 10-6=+4, DRMS: +2 (SU pilot rating), -3 (GE pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage). Roll is 11+1=12 (1-0-A).
GE squadron suffers one step loss, so it’s eliminated (second step loss), SU squadron is aborted.

Fight 4: GE 3/33 (F-104G) vs SU 3/73 (MiG-23 ML)
GE Attack: 6-8=-2, DRMS: +3 (GE pilot rating), -2 (SU pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage). Roll is 4-1=3 (No effect).
SU attack: 10-6=+4, DRMS: +2 (SU pilot rating), -3 (GE pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage). Roll is 18+1=19 (1-1-A).
GE squadron suffers one step loss, one damage and is aborted.

Fight 5: GE 2/33 (F-104G) vs SU 3/497 (SU-24M)
GE Attack: 6-9=-3, DRMS: +3 (GE pilot rating), -2 (SU pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage). Roll is 9-1=8 (No effect).
SU attack: 9-6=+3, DRMS: +2 (SU pilot rating), -3 (GE pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage). Roll is 10+1=11 (0-1-A).
GE squadron suffers one damage and is aborted.

Round one is over. NATO player has still 1 squadron, so another round is needed. Players assign their units again.

Fight 1: US 53 (F-15C) vs SU 2/35 (MiG-23ML)
US Attack: 13-8=+4, DRMS: +3 (US pilot rating), -2 (SU pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage). Roll is 10-1=9 (0-1-A).
SU attack: 10-11=-1, DRMS: +2 (SU pilot rating), -3 (US pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage). Roll is 13+1=14 (0-1-A).
Both sides are damaged and aborted.

So, no NATO units in this Air Superiority zone. WP wins air superiority and is allowed to use remaining squadrons later in the game.

Megahex 2:

Step 1: Flak Fire
NATO: 1xA
WP: None

First shot: 2/4 Hawk fires at 1/35, A column in the Flak Fire Table, evasion value is 8 (+4 DRM), roll is 12+4=16 (0-1), 3/35 suffers one damage. 2/4 spends 1 ammo point.

Step 2: Assignment
Here it goes:

Step 3: Numerical superiority determination:
NATO has 10 undamaged steps, WP has 21 undamaged steps. So WP has numerical superiority.

Step 4: Air combat

Fight 1: US 512 (F-16A) vs SU 1/35 (MiG-23ML)
US Attack: 12-8=+4, DRMS: +3 (US pilot rating), -2 (SU pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage), +2 (NATO Awacs). Roll is 8+1=9 (0-1-A).
SU attack: 10-10=0, DRMS: +2 (SU pilot rating), -3 (US pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage), -2 (NATO Awacs). Roll is 12-1=11 (0-0-A).
SU squadron is damaged, both units are aborted.

Fight 2: US 22 (F-15C) vs SU 2/73 (MiG-23ML)
US Attack: 13-8=+4, DRMS: +3 (US pilot rating), -2 (SU pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage), +2 (NATO Awacs). Roll is 13+1=14 (1-1-A).
SU attack: 10-11=-1, DRMS: +2 (SU pilot rating), -3 (US pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage), -2 (NATO Awacs). Roll is 10-1=9 (No effect).
SU squadron is damaged, suffers one step loss and is aborted.

Fight 3: US 23 (F-4E) vs SU 3/116 (Su-24M)
US Attack: 11-9=+2, DRMS: +3 (US pilot rating), -2 (SU pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage), +2 (NATO Awacs). Roll is 2+1=13 (No effect).
SU attack: 9-10=-1, DRMS: +2 (SU pilot rating), -3 (US pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage), -2 (NATO Awacs). Roll is 15-1=14 (0-1-A).
US squadron is damaged and aborted.

Fight 4: GE 1/36 (F-4F) vs SU 3/31 (MiG-23M)
GE Attack: 9-8=+1, DRMS: +3 (GE pilot rating), -2 (SU pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage), +2 (NATO Awacs). Roll is 8+1=9 (0-0-A).
SU attack: 9-10=-1, DRMS: +2 (SU pilot rating), -3 (GE pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage), -2 (NATO Awacs). Roll is 5-1=4 (No effect).
SU squadron is aborted.

Fight 5: GE 1/35 (F-4F) vs SU 2/31 (MiG-23M)
GE Attack: 9-8=+1, DRMS: +3 (GE pilot rating), -2 (SU pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage), +2 (NATO Awacs). Roll is 11+1=12 (0-1-A).
SU attack: 9-10=-1, DRMS: +2 (SU pilot rating), -3 (GE pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage), -2 (NATO Awacs). Roll is 17-1=16 (0-1-A).
Both squadrons suffer one damage and are aborted.

Round one is over. NATO player has still 2 squadrons, so another round is needed. Players assign their units again.

Fight 1: US 22 (F-15C) vs SU 3/116 (Su-24M)
US Attack: 13-9=+4, DRMS: +3 (US pilot rating), -2 (SU pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage), +2 (NATO Awacs). Roll is 15+1=16 (1-1-A).
SU attack: 9-11=-2, DRMS: +2 (SU pilot rating), -3 (US pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage), -2 (NATO Awacs). Roll is 13-1=12 (0-0-A).
SU squadron is damaged ans suffers one step loss, both units are aborted.

Fight 4: GE 1/36 (F-4F) vs SU 1/31 (MiG-23M)
GE Attack: 9-8=+1, DRMS: +3 (GE pilot rating), -2 (SU pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage), +2 (NATO Awacs). Roll is 7+1=8 (No effect).
SU attack: 9-10=-1, DRMS: +2 (SU pilot rating), -3 (GE pilot rating), -2 (WP Numerical Advantage), -2 (NATO Awacs). Roll is 14-1=13 (0-0-A).
GE squadron is aborted.

Again, no NATO units in this Air Superiority zone. WP wins air superiority and is allowed to use remaining squadrons later in the game.

Megahex 3:

Step 1: Flak Fire
NATO: None
WP: 3xB

No NATO air unit in the air superiority box, so no flak fire here.

Since there are no NATO air units, WP wins air superiority in this megahex by default. German heavens go iron with our mighty Soviet planes ruling the sky.