MiG Alley USMC Search and Rescue

I played a game of MiG Alley first thing this morning, using the mission cards to set up a scenario involving three sections of USMC F4U Corsairs escorting an H-51 SAR helicopter to rescue a downed pilot on the banks of the Yalu, while two flights of NKAF MiG-15's tried to stop them. This was a random mission set up, using the mission card draw system but ended up being a valid tactical scenario, the escorting Corsairs having to patrol for three turns, while the MiG's had to patrol for six and three turns respectively, South and North of the river. In the usual Victory Target and Victory Points system the North Koreans would need to shoot down four F4U's, while the USMC would have found it difficult to do so, needing to shoot down three of the MiG-15's, a tough task for piston engine fighters. With the cards and the modified objectives, however, either side could come out on top.

The game started with the USMC Corsairs and the SAR helo flying on and heading straight for the downed aircrew marker. The MiG-15 section tasked with patrolling North of the Yalu, decided to just fly up and down at Level 4 for three turns to achieve their mission objective, so played no part in the interception, which was left to the other NKAF MiG unit, which headed South to cut off the Corsairs. Two of the three flights of Corsairs moved to head them off, while the other flight stuck with the helo in case the MiG's attacked. The helo reached the downed pilot's position, but then rolled a one and was shot down, so the first VP's went to the Communists by default. 

In the meantime, the Corsairs and MiG's clashed, with the NKAF pilots fluffing their attack rolls twice and ending up with low ammo. One of the USMC pilots got in a cheeky snapshot and took down a MiG, by which time their patrol had been completed and it was time to bug out. The MiG patrol to the North of the Yalu had also completed their mission so decided to just fly along, while the remaining three MiG's tackled the fleeing USMC Corsairs, two of which made a quick exit back to the carrier via the table edge. The other four Corsairs scrambled to get away but managed to bounce and shoot down a second MiG-15 on the way out.

In the end, the NKAF scored 1VP for shooting down the SAR helo with AAA, plus another 2 VP's for completing the patrol mission, rolling a 2+1 on the D3. The USMC shot down two MiG's for a total of 4 VP's, the MiG's counting as double points, plus 2 VP's for their patrol mission, having rolled 1+1 on the D3. This handed the game to the Marine Corps despite having lost the SAR helo, with an impressive victory over the jet fighters of the North Korean People's Air Force. Despite playing on a small 3' x 4' kitchen table and having reduced the card hand to three cards with two missions, I am happy that the mission card system seems to work well, making what would have been an unwinnable game into an enjoyable one with plenty of action.

(many apologies for the crappy photos from my even more crappy North Korean mobile phone)