Operation Tagar - SAMs and MiGs
In turn 14 the action focused on the duels between Egrof flights versus the ground defenses. Launched ARMs required the shutdown of a SAM batteries and a stand off attack vs Tanta Birma resulted in a meager attack success 1 for the IAF. The decimated EAF strikers have made it to the relative safety across the Suez canal and no IAF flights are in pursuit.
The next turn started with air combat. Close to Al Kubra 4 MiG-21s are following a flight of F-4s and before they get to engage another flight of F-4s joins and shoots first. As the result of the wild shootout at tree top level one F-4 is downed, with surprisingly no losses for the MiGs! East of Suez the dodging between IAF and SAM batteries continued. In a first engagement vs the new SA-6 a IAF flight had to jettison armament. Overall this was by far the best turn for the EAF!
During the next detection phase the Israeli side got once away the upper hand and has a clear picture of the EAF air activities. The second attack on Tanta-Birma took place and an attack success 2 was scored. The departing flight was then ambushed by a medium AAA and one plane was damaged. Meantime a number of MiG CAP flights have landed at bases and recover. Turn 15 ended with a successfull bomb run vs the pontoon bridge at Suez, resulting in an success rating of 3. In a major failure of communications in the Egyptian air defense network all information on IAF flights were lost. The already tense situation becomes almost unbearable by this event.
Luckily a number of flights were quickly detected again, but not so the remaining strike flights approaching Beni Suef. This is the one outstanding IAF strike, though recon missions need still be conducted for all targets. The airfield was protected by three SAM batteries, with one out of action. Two EAF flights are almost withing striking range. But first the IAF strike flights need to be detected and then any interception by IAF CAP flights has to be unsuccessfull. Then the gap to the strike aircraft has to be closed, with the laden F-4 as fast as the dashing MiG-21 on the deck not an easy task. While EAF flight L is in a good position, it is itself threatened by IAF Cap flight Shochat. Hence turn 17 will most likely see more air combat, and the hot strike phase should be over by turn 18.
The next turn started with air combat. Close to Al Kubra 4 MiG-21s are following a flight of F-4s and before they get to engage another flight of F-4s joins and shoots first. As the result of the wild shootout at tree top level one F-4 is downed, with surprisingly no losses for the MiGs! East of Suez the dodging between IAF and SAM batteries continued. In a first engagement vs the new SA-6 a IAF flight had to jettison armament. Overall this was by far the best turn for the EAF!
During the next detection phase the Israeli side got once away the upper hand and has a clear picture of the EAF air activities. The second attack on Tanta-Birma took place and an attack success 2 was scored. The departing flight was then ambushed by a medium AAA and one plane was damaged. Meantime a number of MiG CAP flights have landed at bases and recover. Turn 15 ended with a successfull bomb run vs the pontoon bridge at Suez, resulting in an success rating of 3. In a major failure of communications in the Egyptian air defense network all information on IAF flights were lost. The already tense situation becomes almost unbearable by this event.
Luckily a number of flights were quickly detected again, but not so the remaining strike flights approaching Beni Suef. This is the one outstanding IAF strike, though recon missions need still be conducted for all targets. The airfield was protected by three SAM batteries, with one out of action. Two EAF flights are almost withing striking range. But first the IAF strike flights need to be detected and then any interception by IAF CAP flights has to be unsuccessfull. Then the gap to the strike aircraft has to be closed, with the laden F-4 as fast as the dashing MiG-21 on the deck not an easy task. While EAF flight L is in a good position, it is itself threatened by IAF Cap flight Shochat. Hence turn 17 will most likely see more air combat, and the hot strike phase should be over by turn 18.
posted by TeTeT at 8:19 PM
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