Harpoon 3 scenarios for the PlayersDB
Harpoon 3 scenarios for the PlayersDB
by Herman Hum » Fri Nov 24, 2006 2:10 am
New World Order Battleset #8 - Atlantic Resources - Placeholder
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Harpoon 3 scenarios for the PlayersDB
by Herman Hum » Fri Nov 24, 2006 2:11 am
New World Order Battleset #9 - The Third Gulf War - Placeholder
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Harpoon 3 scenarios for the PlayersDB
by Herman Hum » Fri Nov 24, 2006 2:12 am
New World Order Battleset #10 - Suez Confrontation - Placeholder
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Harpoon 3 scenarios for the PlayersDB
by Herman Hum » Fri Nov 24, 2006 2:12 am
New World Order Battleset #11 - Indian Ocean - Placeholder
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Harpoon 3 scenarios for the PlayersDB
by Herman Hum » Fri Nov 24, 2006 2:15 am
New World Order Series - Campaign #12 - Channel War
The 1996 conflict was the beginning of a new arms race. Many weapons slated for retirement were refurbished instead and many procurement programs were accelerated. France never truly recovered from the Iberian conflict of August, 1996. It never again fully trusted its European neighbours although it participated alongside them in the conflicts that followed with Bangladesh, India, and the New Soviet Confederation (NSC).
With the US and NSC effectively removed from participation as major players on the world stage, the EU was the sole remaining "superpower". Rivalries grew between its members in mid-2002 (especially between France and the UK) and France officially withdrew from the EU later that year. On the surface, it appeared that the disagreement was being fueled by the commonly held belief that France was failing to abide by the spirit of the 1998 Code of Conduct on foreign arms sales but some believed that the dispute had much deeper roots.
By Februry, 2003, the UK and France were battling each other with economic sanctions and embargoes and each stepped onto the slippery slope to war once more.
QUICKSAND
When the UK unilaterally declared its right to board, inspect, and impose a tariff upon all commercial shipping in the English Channel, France began providing its merchantmen with naval escorts. Shots have now been fired across the bows of ships from both navies and the situation is deteriorating rapidly. There are indications that the UK is planning to shut down the Channel to all French traffic in a matter of hours.
Author: Herman Hum, Brad Leyte
QUIVER
Once it became clear that both sides were not going to back down and that lives had been lost, the UK and France each set into motion their own secret war plans for dealing with their former ally. The first phase would concentrate on establishing air supremacy over the Channel region.
Author: Herman Hum, Brad Leyte
QUOTIENT
When war broke out, the French carrier, Charles de Gaulle, was in the North Sea, off Dogger Bank. The nearest British naval group was off of Ireland and is now steaming at high speed towards the Channel. The de Gaulle would have to enter the race to gain an advantageous position for the upcoming confrontation.
Author: Herman Hum, Brad Leyte
QUADRANT QUATRE
With the De Gaulle out of action, the British are expected to act quickly to seize control of French territorial waters. French intelligence is reporting a possible amphibious landing at a Channel port.
Author: Herman Hum, Brad Leyte
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The 1996 conflict was the beginning of a new arms race. Many weapons slated for retirement were refurbished instead and many procurement programs were accelerated. France never truly recovered from the Iberian conflict of August, 1996. It never again fully trusted its European neighbours although it participated alongside them in the conflicts that followed with Bangladesh, India, and the New Soviet Confederation (NSC).
With the US and NSC effectively removed from participation as major players on the world stage, the EU was the sole remaining "superpower". Rivalries grew between its members in mid-2002 (especially between France and the UK) and France officially withdrew from the EU later that year. On the surface, it appeared that the disagreement was being fueled by the commonly held belief that France was failing to abide by the spirit of the 1998 Code of Conduct on foreign arms sales but some believed that the dispute had much deeper roots.
By Februry, 2003, the UK and France were battling each other with economic sanctions and embargoes and each stepped onto the slippery slope to war once more.
QUICKSAND
When the UK unilaterally declared its right to board, inspect, and impose a tariff upon all commercial shipping in the English Channel, France began providing its merchantmen with naval escorts. Shots have now been fired across the bows of ships from both navies and the situation is deteriorating rapidly. There are indications that the UK is planning to shut down the Channel to all French traffic in a matter of hours.
Author: Herman Hum, Brad Leyte
QUIVER
Once it became clear that both sides were not going to back down and that lives had been lost, the UK and France each set into motion their own secret war plans for dealing with their former ally. The first phase would concentrate on establishing air supremacy over the Channel region.
Author: Herman Hum, Brad Leyte
QUOTIENT
When war broke out, the French carrier, Charles de Gaulle, was in the North Sea, off Dogger Bank. The nearest British naval group was off of Ireland and is now steaming at high speed towards the Channel. The de Gaulle would have to enter the race to gain an advantageous position for the upcoming confrontation.
Author: Herman Hum, Brad Leyte
QUADRANT QUATRE
With the De Gaulle out of action, the British are expected to act quickly to seize control of French territorial waters. French intelligence is reporting a possible amphibious landing at a Channel port.
Author: Herman Hum, Brad Leyte
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Harpoon 3 scenarios for the PlayersDB
by Herman Hum » Fri Nov 24, 2006 2:17 am
Sino-Soviet Battleset
The economic collapse of Russia and the former Soviet republics was narrowly averted by financial assistance from the western democracies. In exchange for this aid, Russia agreed to the total elimination of her nuclear arsenal. Russian military funding has dropped to an incredibly low level and many war machines had to be taken out of service. In this situation, China has seen an opportunity to emerge as the only superpower in the region. With a bold surprise attack, the PRC seeks to expand its border northwards.
OPENING MOVES
The PRC has launched an unprovoked attack on the Russian Motherland! Vladivostok, Bolshoy Kamen, and Dolinsk-Sokol lie in ruins. Only Petropavlovsk remains operational at this time. The deployed fleet elements currently only have the barest of weapons required for self-defense. You are to bring the presently deployed SSNs back to Petropavlovsk within the next 100 hours for replenishment and re-armament. They have only been loaded with limited munitions in accordance with the restricted training schedule. The attack has caught us completely by surprise.
Author: Claudio Magnatti, Herman Hum
THE HUNT FOR RED XIA
The counter-offensive is almost ready but, prior to making this move, we must eliminate the Chinese nuclear option. Thanks to strong cooperation from US intelligence, the defensive arrangement of the two Chinese nuclear sites along with the position of the Chinese SSBN has been obtained. We have prepared a coordinated attack and the Xia must be sunk within 30 minutes from the air attack on the missiles silos in order to avoid nuclear response.
Author: Claudio Magnatti, Herman Hum
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The economic collapse of Russia and the former Soviet republics was narrowly averted by financial assistance from the western democracies. In exchange for this aid, Russia agreed to the total elimination of her nuclear arsenal. Russian military funding has dropped to an incredibly low level and many war machines had to be taken out of service. In this situation, China has seen an opportunity to emerge as the only superpower in the region. With a bold surprise attack, the PRC seeks to expand its border northwards.
OPENING MOVES
The PRC has launched an unprovoked attack on the Russian Motherland! Vladivostok, Bolshoy Kamen, and Dolinsk-Sokol lie in ruins. Only Petropavlovsk remains operational at this time. The deployed fleet elements currently only have the barest of weapons required for self-defense. You are to bring the presently deployed SSNs back to Petropavlovsk within the next 100 hours for replenishment and re-armament. They have only been loaded with limited munitions in accordance with the restricted training schedule. The attack has caught us completely by surprise.
Author: Claudio Magnatti, Herman Hum
THE HUNT FOR RED XIA
The counter-offensive is almost ready but, prior to making this move, we must eliminate the Chinese nuclear option. Thanks to strong cooperation from US intelligence, the defensive arrangement of the two Chinese nuclear sites along with the position of the Chinese SSBN has been obtained. We have prepared a coordinated attack and the Xia must be sunk within 30 minutes from the air attack on the missiles silos in order to avoid nuclear response.
Author: Claudio Magnatti, Herman Hum
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Harpoon 3 scenarios for the PlayersDB
by Herman Hum » Fri Dec 22, 2006 1:16 am
Harpoon Designers Series II - GIUK Battleset
The passages of the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom [GIUK] Gap remain an intense focal point even in time of peace.
The GIUK Gap is THE single most significant choke point for Russian merchant and naval shipping. These waters are also rich with abundant fishing areas and valuable mineral deposits and disputes regarding them are common. The resources that Russia once counted on are no longer guaranteed and a hungry Bear is a dangerous thing, indeed. At the same time, the Western Democracies are scrapping their naval assets faster than they built them in the 1980s.
The potential for armed conflict remains very real.
The choke-point nature of the geography dictates that the GIUK will remain a very busy place in terms of submarines and ASW operations with land-based aircraft playing a major role. The ubiquitous Tu-95 Bear and the omnipresent P-3 Orion remain prominent and, with the proximity of numerous land bases, you will also find the Atlantique, the May, and the Nimrod; each a major player in either closing or holding open the door to the Atlantic.
In Every Clime and Place
The war between the CIS and NATO has been raging for three weeks with the CIS gaining the upper hand with their swift conquest of the nations surrounding the Norwegian Sea. Gaining access to the Atlantic in this manner, many of their hunter-killer submarine groups have been able to sortie thus harassing NATO convoys and wreaking havoc with NATO's wartime plans. SACEur has had enough and finally convinces the USN to launch an amphibious invasion of Norway to stop the flow of subs that are sinking his supplies!
In order to pull off such a daring invasion, a CVBG is pulled from escort duty and ordered to soften up the air power that the CIS has built up in Norway. The USN also pulls together all of its newest ships in the 'Gator navy. Finally, the AV-8B Harrier II+ is embarked on the Wasp-class ships. This will prove to be its debut in combat.
There is little time left for NATO. At the rate the CIS subs are sinking convoys, NATO won't last another two weeks. This invasion must be successful!
Author: Herman Hum
TRADE BARRIER
The rise of the European Community in the mid-1990's had a dramatic effect on the political and economic divisions in the world. Following the prolonged recessionary period which ran rampant throughout the world during the early 90's, the EC was the first economic body to rebound and the recovery was astonishing. What some felt was retribution towards the United States for "forty years of tyranny," the Community took steps to ensure that the Western Hemisphere took a back seat to the new world economic superpower.
Soon enough, the EC's actions against the United States and Canada led to dissension within the EC itself. Britain, still closely tied to its allies in the West, continued to ignore Continental demands to isolate the USA. Over the next several months, a new alliance slowly developed between those English-speaking nations of the world which retained close cultural links to the United Kingdom; Britain, Canada, the United States, New Zealand, and Australia, along with several smaller associates. The English Speakers Community, or ESC as it was named, thought still somewhat weaker than the overly aggressive EC, began an assertive campaign to recapture the world economic market.
In the middle sat the Russian Confederation, replacing the dead Commonwealth of Independent States. Russia was a vast, untouched market for the goods of either alliance. The EC was first to initiate open trade with their one-time enemy. Unspoken agreements became the basis for the EC's demands that the ESC remain out of northern Asia. The Russians, however, began to feel trapped in bargains and understandings to which they had never given assent. Moscow, dedicated to remaining neutral in the developing struggle between Europe and the West, announced it would send a "trade convoy" to America as a move to open new markets for its own goods.
The EC was furious and announced that such a convoy would be in violation of trade agreements. The move was seen as an affront to "Russia's European brothers," and that force would be used, if necessary, to prevent the West from receiving "European" trade goods. Russia's only response was silence and a large military escort for the ships.
Author: Herman Hum
Plug the Dike
The success of the Reformed Russian Republic in Norway increased the importance of supply interdiction in the Baltic Sea. The logistical requirements of the R3 army were enormous. Tons of supplies attempted to make transit of the shallow waters between Denmark and Norway.
The threat to these small convoys was limited in scope. Because of the success of R3 airfield strikes, the NATO aircraft that remained had adopted a defensive posture, awaiting reinforcements. The few offensive missions that NATO launched were primarily offensive counter-air and aimed at the R3 air bases. Convoys of five to seven ships were just too far down the list to merit much air attention.
The small missile boats of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Germany performed in the opening days of the war exactly as had been anticipated. They ducked out of hiding, acquired targets for their Harpoons and Otomats, launched their attacks, and died.
R3 commanders used this opportunity to try and move small quantities of sensitive materials back to research installations in the East. Only submarines remain to oppose them.
Quiet and small, if employed correctly, they are very hard to detect. The departure of the front-line R3 ASW units to the front as escorts for the R3 Carrier Battle Groups increased their effectiveness. Plugging the choke points out of the Denmark Sea provides the best opportunity to stop the transit of materials in this area.
Original author: Delwin Hinkle
Author: Herman Hum
Alone in the Snow
Sweden's neutrality lasted only as long as the Reformed Russian Republic had no need of anything that Sweden had and not a moment longer. The determined resistance of the United States' 1st Special Forces put the R3 theatre commander behind schedule by 36 hours. Behind schedule has never been a comfortable place for a Russian Commander and this commander was determined to be uncomfortable only for a very short period of time. His plan to get things moving again involved turning Norway's southern flank. But, in order to do that, staging bases closer than Germany were required. Unfortunately for Sweden, bases that fit the bill were Swedish. The remaining life of Sweden's neutrality was measured in hours.
NATO wanted to provide assistance. The problem was, other than providing advanced warning of the attack, NATO had nothing to give. The few remaining Norwegian F-16s could not be re-oriented to cover Swedish airspace without leaving the northern FEBA vulnerable. CENTAF simply had no aircraft to spare. RAF operational reserves had been released to guard the northern approaches to the UK. The German air force ceased to exist as an effective fighting force 90 seconds after the first shots were fired. Combined chemical, biological, and conventional missile, artillery, and air attacks have a tendency to do that.
Although alone in the snow, the Swedes were not without hope. Sweden had been neutral. Sweden had not been stupid. Sweden's defense expenditures had increased from 2.9% of GNP in 1987 to 4.5% of GNP in 1996. A large portion of that money was spent on the procurement of Viggens, Sweden's latest multi-role fighter aircraft. It was with the Viggens that this battle would turn.
Author: Herman Hum
NAVAL INFANTRY
The war between NATO and the CIS is in full swing, but neither side has gained an advantage over the other. CIS submarines have done well against ANTO shipping, but CIS ground forces in Europe have not matched the successes of their naval cousins. The CIS surface fleet has been kept in reserve since the leadership knows that the NATO surface combatants are more powerful than they. Early on in the war planning, it was decided that the surface fleet would be used only on special missions and recalled as quickly as possible. While this theory goes against traditional doctrine, its advantage of keeping the fleet ready to respond to threats instead of sunk is appealing to many Admirals. Therefore, the brunt of the battle was borne initially by submarines.
That is about to change. While it is true that the CIS fleet is still floating, the folly of not using it has led in many ways to the current stalemate. To break the stalemate, CIS military leaders have decided to launch a two-pronged invasion of Norway. This is called Operation Overpower. Naval air has sunk most of the Norwegian surface fleet and no large NATO surface groups are near Norway. So, the fleet assembles a huge amphibious assault force and puts to sea with a heavy escort. The amphibious invasion is to coincide with an invasion from the border area. If Bodo can be taken and held for a week, the two prongs will link up and form a new threat against mainland Europe.
As for the Norwegians, they are caught in the middle. Their Air Force has been decimated and is nearly non-existent and their surface fleet is gone. All that is left are three small submarines. While not much, it is hoped that these three subs will be enough to discourage any further action from the sea.
Original author: Mark R. Lam
Author: Herman Hum
Lend-Lease 1994
The Second Russian Revolution was not the last -- most analysts knew this. The shaky economy the Yeltsin government inherited would not be easily fixed and a people with newly found rights had a tendency to complain and even defy.
However, a disenchanted populace was not the major problem. When high-ranking military leaders decided that the new government could not manage the economy and ensure the survival of the Russian Federation, they acted. The Coup of 1994 was much better planned than its predecessor. There were no protests in the streets of Moscow and the propaganda campaign which the military broadcast convinced much of the citizenry that perhaps the generals were right.
However, everyone did not give up and when the northern regions of Russia began open conflict with the new government, the West responded with aid. The United States sent a CV Battle Group to the region and eventually began conducting strikes in support of the growing Freedom Front. When the NSC agreed that troops should be landed to support the rebellion, the US leaders could not stop their plans with the damage of the carrier. The landing must continue.
Original author: Cass M. Johnson
Author: Herman Hum
Breakout
Instead of a peaceful transition in government, the Soviet Union, instead, undergoes two very violent and aggressive overthrows in one week. In the confusion during the change of government from communism to democracy and back to communism controlled by military leaders, a general war is started against NATO countries.
Two key naval units, though, aren't told in time. The Admiral Gorshkov and the Chernova Ukraina are still docked in the Baltic shipyards. Though the whole world is caught off guard, the German Navy puts up whatever patrols it can. Most units are sunk in the initial attack, but once the situation was stabilized, a few subs and surface groups were able to take positions in the Baltic.
The two capital units of the Soviet Northern Fleet are caught between a rock and a hard place. They sail, knowing the hell that awaits them as they try to manoeuvre through the narrow straits between Denmark and Norway. Once free, though, there will be clear sailing to Murmansk as the USN and RN are not in position to do anything about it. So, the challenge is there. Are the Soviet ships up to it?
Original author: Mark R. Lam
Author: Herman Hum
Matrix Lance
Baltic Sea game of cat and mouse. The passages of the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom [GIUK] Gap remain an intense focal point even in time of peace.
This scenario is a re-make of a Harpoon Classic scenario from the Harpoon Designers Series II and has been re-made for Harpoon 3 with the consent of AGSI.
CIS
231015FEB93 CCCCCCC
From: Baltic Fleet HQ, St. Petersburg
To: Capt, Red Winter
Subj: Operation Matrix Lance
1. Acknowledge receipt status report 0200Z this date. German government confirms loss of Goteborg. Operation Matrix Shield has been terminated. NATO surface vessels are being withdrawn. U-Boat entry into your vicinity is deemed likely.
2. Objective: Continue to avoid detection. Remain within 25nm of your present position.
3. OpFor estimates: Signal intercepts and analysis suggest that German U-Boat U22 is enroute your position via the southern sector. Additional caution is advised for the northern sector as Norwegian diesel electric may be released to German Navy to prosecute mission now designated Matrix Lance.
Author: Herman Hum
Anglo-European War
The EC was the first economic system to recover from the World Recession of the 90's. However, the advantage gained was short-lived, with the US economic situation strengthening rapidly. European leaders understood that if the US was to regain its advantage in economics held since the Second World War, the European nations would continue to live under the iron fist of North American dominance. They decided that things must change.
When the complete ban on trade with North America was passed in several legislatures of the EC nations, the world was aghast. In effect, the EC declared Cold War on America and the results would be nothing short of destructive.
The war which followed, however, originated from an unusual direction. Great Britain refused to pass the non-trade agreement and began unrestricted, even forced, trade with the United States. The US quietly rendezvoused with British shipping in the mid-Atlantic and escorted the trade ships across the sea. The Americans knew that they would be in a position of authority shortly and chose not to rustle the European feathers until such time.
But, the Continental EC would have none of this. Demands for British acceptance of the trade pact were fierce, but unheeded. The French were the first to respond. If the British would not freely accept the trade pact, they would be forced to adhere.
Author: Herman Hum
PROJECT PENINSULA 94
Peninsula 94 is a series of 4 related scenarios (Recon, Ingress, Strike Ops, and Egress) representing different phases of a US multi-carrier battle group attack on the Kola Peninsula. From the Russian perspective, this is the mission the navy has trained for since its beginning: defense of the homeland.
These scenarios are related by a common order of battle and a concurrence of mission. Any discrepancies can be attributed to poor bomb damage assessment and better than expected damage control. They should be played in order and from the same side to appreciate the developing momentum an operation of this magnitude has.
Reconnaissance
From the NATO perspective, this scenario is a submariner's delight. A force of SSNs must enter Russian waters and conduct an intelligence sweep of the area prior to the arrival of the CVBG. This scenario is going to require discipline and restraint on the part of the NATO player if he hopes to be successful in the overall strategy. Many targets of opportunity may present themselves, but adherence to the Rules of Engagement is the only way to win.
From the Russian perspective, it's only a matter of time. Much of the fleet has been forced to retreat out of the North Atlantic and is now trying to re-group in the Norwegian Sea. The next logical step for NATO is an attack on the Kola Peninsula by a large CVBG which would surely be preceded by a submarine force to gather intelligence. This scenario is a large-scale ASW operation with a wrinkle, that being several unescorted capital ships in transit to re-organization points. The challenge here is force allocation. With limited first-line ASW assets, hard choices will have to be made and risks taken.
Original author: BI Hutchison
Author: Herman Hum
Ingress
This phase of the operation is probably the most nerve-wracking on a battle group command staff. Discovery now could mean fighting all the way to the target area and facing an alert enemy, or the cancellation of the mission, altogether. Emission control and long-range ASW operations are the order of the day. Russian search activity can be expected to increase as you close on the target. This scenario is primarily an escort mission and an exercise in staging. All capital ships must make it to their assigned operating area with time-on-station requirements.
From the Russian perspective, this is an offensive submarine operation. Any battle group attempting an attack on the Kola Peninsula has to enter very heavily travelled submarine routes and should be susceptible to detection. A creditable air component will be available to prosecute any surface contacts, although particular attention should be given to support groups. This scenario is designed to illustrate that there is more than one way to skin a cat. The Russian will be tempted to attack the first contact which will be heavily defended. The key here is the support group. Get to them and the operation is over.
Original author: BI Hutchison
Author: Herman Hum
Strike Operations
This is pay dirt for US forces: conduct large-scale strike operations against the home of the Red Banner Fleet. While the mission is straight-forward, this scenario promises to be a case study in contingency planning as situations change quickly in a high-threat environment. Asset allocation and formation rotation is the key to survival for surface elements in this scenario. To be successful in the strike arena of this scenario, solid adherence to the fundamentals is vital. Any deviation may have catastrophic effects on the overall plan as a carrier is useless without its aircraft.
From the Russian perspective, coastal defense has been the heart of fleet planning since its inception, though it was always expected that more high-value assets would be available for the task. The player will be expected to focus remaining assets in defense of land-based facilities. The nuclear option is available. Since no single group has the striking power to penetrate a CVBG defensive screen, coordination is the key in offensive operations.
Original author: BI Hutchison
Author: Herman Hum
Egress
For NATO, it's time to withdraw. Relentless attacks have begun to take their toll as casualties mount and magazines are down to their last reloads. Russian defenses are well aware of your approximate position and attacks are growing in size and determination. Speed is life. Return to safer waters as soon as possible. The air defense network is now operational at Keflavik, so air support will be available. This scenario will illustrate the difficulties a battle group commander will face in fighting a rear-guard action against a force receiving reinforcements. Deception should play a critical part of any strategy. Survival of the carriers is critical to future operations.
From the Russian perspective, revenge is the order of the day. Attacks by US forces have done grave damage to Red Banner Fleet facilities and eliminated much of the high-level command staff in the area. The President has committed the bulk of the naval aviation reserves in an attempt to punish the Americans. A nuclear strike is authorized, though only with cruise missiles. Any use of ballistic missiles may precipitate escalation. Early destruction of the American carriers will avert escalation so time is of the essence.
Original author: BI Hutchison
Author: Herman Hum
Matrix Siege
An exercise between the USN and Baltic naval forces. The passages of the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom [GIUK] Gap remain an intense focal point even in time of peace.
The GIUK Gap is THE single most significant choke point for Russian merchant and naval shipping. These waters are also rich with abundant fishing areas and valuable mineral deposits and disputes regarding them are common. The resources that Russian once counted on are no longer guaranteed and a hungry Bear is a dangerous thing, indeed. At the same time, the Western Democracies are scrapping their naval assets faster than they built them in the 1980s.
The potential for armed conflict remains very real.
The choke-point nature of the geography dictates that the GIUK will remain a very busy place in terms of submarines and ASW operations with land-based aircraft playing a major role. The ubiquitous Tu-95 Bear and the omnipresent P-3 Orion remain prominent and, with the proximity of numerous land bases, you will also find the Atlantique, the May, and the Nimrod; each a major player in either closing or holding open the door to the Atlantic.
United States Z 221533ZFEB96 CCCCCCCC From: CinCLant To: Capt, USS Stark Info: Capt, USS Stout Subj: Allied Training Exercise - Matrix Siege
1. Commence exercise receipt this message. Observe the time limit strictly.
2. Objective: Safe transit of your group past island of Laeso.
3. OpFor Estimated as:
3.1 Up to fifteen small vessels (PT and FFL classs) arrayed to oppose your transit. The majority are assets of Germany and Kingdom of Denmark. Caution. Group "CAT" is deployed north of your present position.
3.2 OpFor is armed with Exocet and and Penguin.
3.3 No air or submarine assets are reportedly attached to the OpFor.
Author: Herman Hum
Matrix Shield
Baltic Sea game of cat and mouse. The GIUK Gap is THE single most significant choke point for Russian merchant and naval shipping. These waters are also rich with abundant fishing areas and valuable mineral deposits and disputes regarding them are common. The resources that Russian once counted on are no longer guaranteed and a hungry Bear is a dangerous thing, indeed. At the same time, the Western Democracies are scrapping their naval assets faster than they built them in the 1980s.
From: Fleet HQ, Musko, Stockholm
To: Cmdr, K21, Goteborg
Capt, Kaszub
Info: Naval Attache, Moscow
Subj: Operation Matrix Shield
1. CIS Naval and government confirmation. A Kilo-class submarine is in your vicinity. It has been confirmed as a renegade and a contraband trader. CIS government requested assistance in his capture. Operation is designated Matrix Shield.
2. Objective: Locate and detain CIS Kilo-class submarine in your immediate vicinity. Use all means necessary.
Author: Herman Hum
Guardian
The events leading to the reformation of the old Soviet Union were numerous, anticipated by many, observed by many more, fatal for some and potentially deadly for the world. But famine, civil unrest, martial law, and dictators almost always are. The Reformed Russian Republic was neither reformed nor a republic. But it was Russian. Very Russian.
Seventeen months after the Marshals dissolved the Politburo, shot the President, and invited the Supreme Soviet to reconvene in a much cooler climate; the military machine that had been built by paranoid fathers and unleashed by older, misguided brothers was freed and pointed west. The time had come for the investment in tanks, ships, and aircraft to be redeemed.
Since the initiation of hostilities on 4 Feb, 1997, the R3 navy has enjoyed great success. Naval aviation attacks on Keflavik paved the way for a successful airborne assault. Andoya and Bodo in Norway soon followed. With newly liberated air bases allowing almost full coverage of the North Sea, the waters and skies north of England have become very unfriendly for Allied ships and aircraft. All of NATO's carriers and most NATO major surface combatants have been withdrawn to the North Atlantic to ensure the security of the sea lanes of communication. NATO command was willing to trade control of the North Sea for a period of time for a much better chance of getting the convoys of troops, tanks, and munitions that CENTAG would require across the grey seas from America to Europe.
Protection of NATO's north-eastern flank has fallen primarily to air power. Of the northern NATO bases, only Stornoway has remained operational. NATO's other air bases have fallen victim to standoff attacks from the Keflavik Bears, Badgers, and Backfires or to R3 surface action groups. NATO command's decision to re-deploy the majority of US air assets to bases in southern England to better support CENTAG has left only the RAF. The Air Vice-Marshall released the remaining reserves of the 41st Squadron and the 12th Squadron to provide tactical flexibility. A credible strike force could be mounted from Stornoway.
Original author: Delwin Hinkle
*** FLASH Traffic *** 174030Z17APR97
To: Cmdr NATO 3rd TFW, Stornoway
Cmdr NATO 5th TFW Rhein-Main
Cmdr NATO 552nd AW&CW Rhein-Main
Fr: CinCNATOAir Ref: 3rd TFW
Urgent traffic 041800Z17APR97
1. Acknowledge the loss of 3rd TFW last remaining Sentry. All theatre reserves of same are depleted. I concur with your analysis of the threat from MiG-31 equipped with new AA HARM.
2. 552nd AW&CW is directed to extend coverage to 3rd TFW Area of Operations in as much as is practical consistent with protection of CentAF air space.
3. 5th TFW is directed to provide BarCAP protection.
4. Offensive counter-air missions from 5th TFW Area of Operations are discouraged but not prohibited.
5. Offensive counter-air missions from 3rd TFW Area of Operations are encouraged so long as they are consistent with preservation of last northern NATO base in UK.
6. It is imperative that CAP protecting airfields is not breached.
Duration: 12 hours
This scenario is a re-make of a Harpoon Classic scenario from the Harpoon Designers Series II and has been re-made for Harpoon 3 with the consent of AGSI.
Author: Herman Hum
Harpoon3.6.3 users can get the:
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These scenarios can also be found on:
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The passages of the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom [GIUK] Gap remain an intense focal point even in time of peace.
The GIUK Gap is THE single most significant choke point for Russian merchant and naval shipping. These waters are also rich with abundant fishing areas and valuable mineral deposits and disputes regarding them are common. The resources that Russia once counted on are no longer guaranteed and a hungry Bear is a dangerous thing, indeed. At the same time, the Western Democracies are scrapping their naval assets faster than they built them in the 1980s.
The potential for armed conflict remains very real.
The choke-point nature of the geography dictates that the GIUK will remain a very busy place in terms of submarines and ASW operations with land-based aircraft playing a major role. The ubiquitous Tu-95 Bear and the omnipresent P-3 Orion remain prominent and, with the proximity of numerous land bases, you will also find the Atlantique, the May, and the Nimrod; each a major player in either closing or holding open the door to the Atlantic.
In Every Clime and Place
The war between the CIS and NATO has been raging for three weeks with the CIS gaining the upper hand with their swift conquest of the nations surrounding the Norwegian Sea. Gaining access to the Atlantic in this manner, many of their hunter-killer submarine groups have been able to sortie thus harassing NATO convoys and wreaking havoc with NATO's wartime plans. SACEur has had enough and finally convinces the USN to launch an amphibious invasion of Norway to stop the flow of subs that are sinking his supplies!
In order to pull off such a daring invasion, a CVBG is pulled from escort duty and ordered to soften up the air power that the CIS has built up in Norway. The USN also pulls together all of its newest ships in the 'Gator navy. Finally, the AV-8B Harrier II+ is embarked on the Wasp-class ships. This will prove to be its debut in combat.
There is little time left for NATO. At the rate the CIS subs are sinking convoys, NATO won't last another two weeks. This invasion must be successful!
Author: Herman Hum
TRADE BARRIER
The rise of the European Community in the mid-1990's had a dramatic effect on the political and economic divisions in the world. Following the prolonged recessionary period which ran rampant throughout the world during the early 90's, the EC was the first economic body to rebound and the recovery was astonishing. What some felt was retribution towards the United States for "forty years of tyranny," the Community took steps to ensure that the Western Hemisphere took a back seat to the new world economic superpower.
Soon enough, the EC's actions against the United States and Canada led to dissension within the EC itself. Britain, still closely tied to its allies in the West, continued to ignore Continental demands to isolate the USA. Over the next several months, a new alliance slowly developed between those English-speaking nations of the world which retained close cultural links to the United Kingdom; Britain, Canada, the United States, New Zealand, and Australia, along with several smaller associates. The English Speakers Community, or ESC as it was named, thought still somewhat weaker than the overly aggressive EC, began an assertive campaign to recapture the world economic market.
In the middle sat the Russian Confederation, replacing the dead Commonwealth of Independent States. Russia was a vast, untouched market for the goods of either alliance. The EC was first to initiate open trade with their one-time enemy. Unspoken agreements became the basis for the EC's demands that the ESC remain out of northern Asia. The Russians, however, began to feel trapped in bargains and understandings to which they had never given assent. Moscow, dedicated to remaining neutral in the developing struggle between Europe and the West, announced it would send a "trade convoy" to America as a move to open new markets for its own goods.
The EC was furious and announced that such a convoy would be in violation of trade agreements. The move was seen as an affront to "Russia's European brothers," and that force would be used, if necessary, to prevent the West from receiving "European" trade goods. Russia's only response was silence and a large military escort for the ships.
Author: Herman Hum
Plug the Dike
The success of the Reformed Russian Republic in Norway increased the importance of supply interdiction in the Baltic Sea. The logistical requirements of the R3 army were enormous. Tons of supplies attempted to make transit of the shallow waters between Denmark and Norway.
The threat to these small convoys was limited in scope. Because of the success of R3 airfield strikes, the NATO aircraft that remained had adopted a defensive posture, awaiting reinforcements. The few offensive missions that NATO launched were primarily offensive counter-air and aimed at the R3 air bases. Convoys of five to seven ships were just too far down the list to merit much air attention.
The small missile boats of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Germany performed in the opening days of the war exactly as had been anticipated. They ducked out of hiding, acquired targets for their Harpoons and Otomats, launched their attacks, and died.
R3 commanders used this opportunity to try and move small quantities of sensitive materials back to research installations in the East. Only submarines remain to oppose them.
Quiet and small, if employed correctly, they are very hard to detect. The departure of the front-line R3 ASW units to the front as escorts for the R3 Carrier Battle Groups increased their effectiveness. Plugging the choke points out of the Denmark Sea provides the best opportunity to stop the transit of materials in this area.
Original author: Delwin Hinkle
Author: Herman Hum
Alone in the Snow
Sweden's neutrality lasted only as long as the Reformed Russian Republic had no need of anything that Sweden had and not a moment longer. The determined resistance of the United States' 1st Special Forces put the R3 theatre commander behind schedule by 36 hours. Behind schedule has never been a comfortable place for a Russian Commander and this commander was determined to be uncomfortable only for a very short period of time. His plan to get things moving again involved turning Norway's southern flank. But, in order to do that, staging bases closer than Germany were required. Unfortunately for Sweden, bases that fit the bill were Swedish. The remaining life of Sweden's neutrality was measured in hours.
NATO wanted to provide assistance. The problem was, other than providing advanced warning of the attack, NATO had nothing to give. The few remaining Norwegian F-16s could not be re-oriented to cover Swedish airspace without leaving the northern FEBA vulnerable. CENTAF simply had no aircraft to spare. RAF operational reserves had been released to guard the northern approaches to the UK. The German air force ceased to exist as an effective fighting force 90 seconds after the first shots were fired. Combined chemical, biological, and conventional missile, artillery, and air attacks have a tendency to do that.
Although alone in the snow, the Swedes were not without hope. Sweden had been neutral. Sweden had not been stupid. Sweden's defense expenditures had increased from 2.9% of GNP in 1987 to 4.5% of GNP in 1996. A large portion of that money was spent on the procurement of Viggens, Sweden's latest multi-role fighter aircraft. It was with the Viggens that this battle would turn.
Author: Herman Hum
NAVAL INFANTRY
The war between NATO and the CIS is in full swing, but neither side has gained an advantage over the other. CIS submarines have done well against ANTO shipping, but CIS ground forces in Europe have not matched the successes of their naval cousins. The CIS surface fleet has been kept in reserve since the leadership knows that the NATO surface combatants are more powerful than they. Early on in the war planning, it was decided that the surface fleet would be used only on special missions and recalled as quickly as possible. While this theory goes against traditional doctrine, its advantage of keeping the fleet ready to respond to threats instead of sunk is appealing to many Admirals. Therefore, the brunt of the battle was borne initially by submarines.
That is about to change. While it is true that the CIS fleet is still floating, the folly of not using it has led in many ways to the current stalemate. To break the stalemate, CIS military leaders have decided to launch a two-pronged invasion of Norway. This is called Operation Overpower. Naval air has sunk most of the Norwegian surface fleet and no large NATO surface groups are near Norway. So, the fleet assembles a huge amphibious assault force and puts to sea with a heavy escort. The amphibious invasion is to coincide with an invasion from the border area. If Bodo can be taken and held for a week, the two prongs will link up and form a new threat against mainland Europe.
As for the Norwegians, they are caught in the middle. Their Air Force has been decimated and is nearly non-existent and their surface fleet is gone. All that is left are three small submarines. While not much, it is hoped that these three subs will be enough to discourage any further action from the sea.
Original author: Mark R. Lam
Author: Herman Hum
Lend-Lease 1994
The Second Russian Revolution was not the last -- most analysts knew this. The shaky economy the Yeltsin government inherited would not be easily fixed and a people with newly found rights had a tendency to complain and even defy.
However, a disenchanted populace was not the major problem. When high-ranking military leaders decided that the new government could not manage the economy and ensure the survival of the Russian Federation, they acted. The Coup of 1994 was much better planned than its predecessor. There were no protests in the streets of Moscow and the propaganda campaign which the military broadcast convinced much of the citizenry that perhaps the generals were right.
However, everyone did not give up and when the northern regions of Russia began open conflict with the new government, the West responded with aid. The United States sent a CV Battle Group to the region and eventually began conducting strikes in support of the growing Freedom Front. When the NSC agreed that troops should be landed to support the rebellion, the US leaders could not stop their plans with the damage of the carrier. The landing must continue.
Original author: Cass M. Johnson
Author: Herman Hum
Breakout
Instead of a peaceful transition in government, the Soviet Union, instead, undergoes two very violent and aggressive overthrows in one week. In the confusion during the change of government from communism to democracy and back to communism controlled by military leaders, a general war is started against NATO countries.
Two key naval units, though, aren't told in time. The Admiral Gorshkov and the Chernova Ukraina are still docked in the Baltic shipyards. Though the whole world is caught off guard, the German Navy puts up whatever patrols it can. Most units are sunk in the initial attack, but once the situation was stabilized, a few subs and surface groups were able to take positions in the Baltic.
The two capital units of the Soviet Northern Fleet are caught between a rock and a hard place. They sail, knowing the hell that awaits them as they try to manoeuvre through the narrow straits between Denmark and Norway. Once free, though, there will be clear sailing to Murmansk as the USN and RN are not in position to do anything about it. So, the challenge is there. Are the Soviet ships up to it?
Original author: Mark R. Lam
Author: Herman Hum
Matrix Lance
Baltic Sea game of cat and mouse. The passages of the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom [GIUK] Gap remain an intense focal point even in time of peace.
This scenario is a re-make of a Harpoon Classic scenario from the Harpoon Designers Series II and has been re-made for Harpoon 3 with the consent of AGSI.
CIS
231015FEB93 CCCCCCC
From: Baltic Fleet HQ, St. Petersburg
To: Capt, Red Winter
Subj: Operation Matrix Lance
1. Acknowledge receipt status report 0200Z this date. German government confirms loss of Goteborg. Operation Matrix Shield has been terminated. NATO surface vessels are being withdrawn. U-Boat entry into your vicinity is deemed likely.
2. Objective: Continue to avoid detection. Remain within 25nm of your present position.
3. OpFor estimates: Signal intercepts and analysis suggest that German U-Boat U22 is enroute your position via the southern sector. Additional caution is advised for the northern sector as Norwegian diesel electric may be released to German Navy to prosecute mission now designated Matrix Lance.
Author: Herman Hum
Anglo-European War
The EC was the first economic system to recover from the World Recession of the 90's. However, the advantage gained was short-lived, with the US economic situation strengthening rapidly. European leaders understood that if the US was to regain its advantage in economics held since the Second World War, the European nations would continue to live under the iron fist of North American dominance. They decided that things must change.
When the complete ban on trade with North America was passed in several legislatures of the EC nations, the world was aghast. In effect, the EC declared Cold War on America and the results would be nothing short of destructive.
The war which followed, however, originated from an unusual direction. Great Britain refused to pass the non-trade agreement and began unrestricted, even forced, trade with the United States. The US quietly rendezvoused with British shipping in the mid-Atlantic and escorted the trade ships across the sea. The Americans knew that they would be in a position of authority shortly and chose not to rustle the European feathers until such time.
But, the Continental EC would have none of this. Demands for British acceptance of the trade pact were fierce, but unheeded. The French were the first to respond. If the British would not freely accept the trade pact, they would be forced to adhere.
Author: Herman Hum
PROJECT PENINSULA 94
Peninsula 94 is a series of 4 related scenarios (Recon, Ingress, Strike Ops, and Egress) representing different phases of a US multi-carrier battle group attack on the Kola Peninsula. From the Russian perspective, this is the mission the navy has trained for since its beginning: defense of the homeland.
These scenarios are related by a common order of battle and a concurrence of mission. Any discrepancies can be attributed to poor bomb damage assessment and better than expected damage control. They should be played in order and from the same side to appreciate the developing momentum an operation of this magnitude has.
Reconnaissance
From the NATO perspective, this scenario is a submariner's delight. A force of SSNs must enter Russian waters and conduct an intelligence sweep of the area prior to the arrival of the CVBG. This scenario is going to require discipline and restraint on the part of the NATO player if he hopes to be successful in the overall strategy. Many targets of opportunity may present themselves, but adherence to the Rules of Engagement is the only way to win.
From the Russian perspective, it's only a matter of time. Much of the fleet has been forced to retreat out of the North Atlantic and is now trying to re-group in the Norwegian Sea. The next logical step for NATO is an attack on the Kola Peninsula by a large CVBG which would surely be preceded by a submarine force to gather intelligence. This scenario is a large-scale ASW operation with a wrinkle, that being several unescorted capital ships in transit to re-organization points. The challenge here is force allocation. With limited first-line ASW assets, hard choices will have to be made and risks taken.
Original author: BI Hutchison
Author: Herman Hum
Ingress
This phase of the operation is probably the most nerve-wracking on a battle group command staff. Discovery now could mean fighting all the way to the target area and facing an alert enemy, or the cancellation of the mission, altogether. Emission control and long-range ASW operations are the order of the day. Russian search activity can be expected to increase as you close on the target. This scenario is primarily an escort mission and an exercise in staging. All capital ships must make it to their assigned operating area with time-on-station requirements.
From the Russian perspective, this is an offensive submarine operation. Any battle group attempting an attack on the Kola Peninsula has to enter very heavily travelled submarine routes and should be susceptible to detection. A creditable air component will be available to prosecute any surface contacts, although particular attention should be given to support groups. This scenario is designed to illustrate that there is more than one way to skin a cat. The Russian will be tempted to attack the first contact which will be heavily defended. The key here is the support group. Get to them and the operation is over.
Original author: BI Hutchison
Author: Herman Hum
Strike Operations
This is pay dirt for US forces: conduct large-scale strike operations against the home of the Red Banner Fleet. While the mission is straight-forward, this scenario promises to be a case study in contingency planning as situations change quickly in a high-threat environment. Asset allocation and formation rotation is the key to survival for surface elements in this scenario. To be successful in the strike arena of this scenario, solid adherence to the fundamentals is vital. Any deviation may have catastrophic effects on the overall plan as a carrier is useless without its aircraft.
From the Russian perspective, coastal defense has been the heart of fleet planning since its inception, though it was always expected that more high-value assets would be available for the task. The player will be expected to focus remaining assets in defense of land-based facilities. The nuclear option is available. Since no single group has the striking power to penetrate a CVBG defensive screen, coordination is the key in offensive operations.
Original author: BI Hutchison
Author: Herman Hum
Egress
For NATO, it's time to withdraw. Relentless attacks have begun to take their toll as casualties mount and magazines are down to their last reloads. Russian defenses are well aware of your approximate position and attacks are growing in size and determination. Speed is life. Return to safer waters as soon as possible. The air defense network is now operational at Keflavik, so air support will be available. This scenario will illustrate the difficulties a battle group commander will face in fighting a rear-guard action against a force receiving reinforcements. Deception should play a critical part of any strategy. Survival of the carriers is critical to future operations.
From the Russian perspective, revenge is the order of the day. Attacks by US forces have done grave damage to Red Banner Fleet facilities and eliminated much of the high-level command staff in the area. The President has committed the bulk of the naval aviation reserves in an attempt to punish the Americans. A nuclear strike is authorized, though only with cruise missiles. Any use of ballistic missiles may precipitate escalation. Early destruction of the American carriers will avert escalation so time is of the essence.
Original author: BI Hutchison
Author: Herman Hum
Matrix Siege
An exercise between the USN and Baltic naval forces. The passages of the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom [GIUK] Gap remain an intense focal point even in time of peace.
The GIUK Gap is THE single most significant choke point for Russian merchant and naval shipping. These waters are also rich with abundant fishing areas and valuable mineral deposits and disputes regarding them are common. The resources that Russian once counted on are no longer guaranteed and a hungry Bear is a dangerous thing, indeed. At the same time, the Western Democracies are scrapping their naval assets faster than they built them in the 1980s.
The potential for armed conflict remains very real.
The choke-point nature of the geography dictates that the GIUK will remain a very busy place in terms of submarines and ASW operations with land-based aircraft playing a major role. The ubiquitous Tu-95 Bear and the omnipresent P-3 Orion remain prominent and, with the proximity of numerous land bases, you will also find the Atlantique, the May, and the Nimrod; each a major player in either closing or holding open the door to the Atlantic.
United States Z 221533ZFEB96 CCCCCCCC From: CinCLant To: Capt, USS Stark Info: Capt, USS Stout Subj: Allied Training Exercise - Matrix Siege
1. Commence exercise receipt this message. Observe the time limit strictly.
2. Objective: Safe transit of your group past island of Laeso.
3. OpFor Estimated as:
3.1 Up to fifteen small vessels (PT and FFL classs) arrayed to oppose your transit. The majority are assets of Germany and Kingdom of Denmark. Caution. Group "CAT" is deployed north of your present position.
3.2 OpFor is armed with Exocet and and Penguin.
3.3 No air or submarine assets are reportedly attached to the OpFor.
Author: Herman Hum
Matrix Shield
Baltic Sea game of cat and mouse. The GIUK Gap is THE single most significant choke point for Russian merchant and naval shipping. These waters are also rich with abundant fishing areas and valuable mineral deposits and disputes regarding them are common. The resources that Russian once counted on are no longer guaranteed and a hungry Bear is a dangerous thing, indeed. At the same time, the Western Democracies are scrapping their naval assets faster than they built them in the 1980s.
From: Fleet HQ, Musko, Stockholm
To: Cmdr, K21, Goteborg
Capt, Kaszub
Info: Naval Attache, Moscow
Subj: Operation Matrix Shield
1. CIS Naval and government confirmation. A Kilo-class submarine is in your vicinity. It has been confirmed as a renegade and a contraband trader. CIS government requested assistance in his capture. Operation is designated Matrix Shield.
2. Objective: Locate and detain CIS Kilo-class submarine in your immediate vicinity. Use all means necessary.
Author: Herman Hum
Guardian
The events leading to the reformation of the old Soviet Union were numerous, anticipated by many, observed by many more, fatal for some and potentially deadly for the world. But famine, civil unrest, martial law, and dictators almost always are. The Reformed Russian Republic was neither reformed nor a republic. But it was Russian. Very Russian.
Seventeen months after the Marshals dissolved the Politburo, shot the President, and invited the Supreme Soviet to reconvene in a much cooler climate; the military machine that had been built by paranoid fathers and unleashed by older, misguided brothers was freed and pointed west. The time had come for the investment in tanks, ships, and aircraft to be redeemed.
Since the initiation of hostilities on 4 Feb, 1997, the R3 navy has enjoyed great success. Naval aviation attacks on Keflavik paved the way for a successful airborne assault. Andoya and Bodo in Norway soon followed. With newly liberated air bases allowing almost full coverage of the North Sea, the waters and skies north of England have become very unfriendly for Allied ships and aircraft. All of NATO's carriers and most NATO major surface combatants have been withdrawn to the North Atlantic to ensure the security of the sea lanes of communication. NATO command was willing to trade control of the North Sea for a period of time for a much better chance of getting the convoys of troops, tanks, and munitions that CENTAG would require across the grey seas from America to Europe.
Protection of NATO's north-eastern flank has fallen primarily to air power. Of the northern NATO bases, only Stornoway has remained operational. NATO's other air bases have fallen victim to standoff attacks from the Keflavik Bears, Badgers, and Backfires or to R3 surface action groups. NATO command's decision to re-deploy the majority of US air assets to bases in southern England to better support CENTAG has left only the RAF. The Air Vice-Marshall released the remaining reserves of the 41st Squadron and the 12th Squadron to provide tactical flexibility. A credible strike force could be mounted from Stornoway.
Original author: Delwin Hinkle
*** FLASH Traffic *** 174030Z17APR97
To: Cmdr NATO 3rd TFW, Stornoway
Cmdr NATO 5th TFW Rhein-Main
Cmdr NATO 552nd AW&CW Rhein-Main
Fr: CinCNATOAir Ref: 3rd TFW
Urgent traffic 041800Z17APR97
1. Acknowledge the loss of 3rd TFW last remaining Sentry. All theatre reserves of same are depleted. I concur with your analysis of the threat from MiG-31 equipped with new AA HARM.
2. 552nd AW&CW is directed to extend coverage to 3rd TFW Area of Operations in as much as is practical consistent with protection of CentAF air space.
3. 5th TFW is directed to provide BarCAP protection.
4. Offensive counter-air missions from 5th TFW Area of Operations are discouraged but not prohibited.
5. Offensive counter-air missions from 3rd TFW Area of Operations are encouraged so long as they are consistent with preservation of last northern NATO base in UK.
6. It is imperative that CAP protecting airfields is not breached.
Duration: 12 hours
This scenario is a re-make of a Harpoon Classic scenario from the Harpoon Designers Series II and has been re-made for Harpoon 3 with the consent of AGSI.
Author: Herman Hum
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Harpoon 3 scenarios for the PlayersDB
by Herman Hum » Tue Feb 20, 2007 4:56 am
Harpoon Designers Series II - MEDC Battleset
The Mediterranean remains a hotbed of activity and strife. The old hatreds between the Semitic peoples seems to be simmering for the moment, while the old hatreds between Serbs, Croats, Dalmations, Macedonians, and Bosnians are in full flare.
With the redefinition of many national borders and the reopening of old strife, the Balkans is looking more like pre-World War I than ever before. The possibility of European Community involvement becomes more real every day, indeed, with many posing the question as "When" instead of "If." The geography of the Mediterranean basin is rife with natural choke points, and the entire basin can be effectively monitored by shore based aircraft.
The area also swarms with very small to medium sized combatants, and large numbers of diesel electric submarines. HDS-II MEDC should effectively show you just how little room there is for a Carrier Battle Group, or just how lonely it can be for a small force of surface combatants without friendly air support.
Missile Boats at Dawn
No nation in the Middle East, and perhaps not in the world, has a more effective intelligence service than the Israeli Mossad. Quiet and effective, they search out potential problems and deal with them. On occasion, the things they discover are of such magnitude that assistance is needed from other arms of the Israeli military.
Such was the case in mid-February, 1997.
Through the work of a single agent, the Mossad learned of the completion of a quantity of chemical and biological weapons in Libya. These agents of mass destruction were to be shipped to Egypt. No target had been ascribed to the weapons at this point, but the Prime Minister was a cautious man. An "accident" was to be arranged for the shipment.
Original designer: Delwin Hinkle
Author: Herman Hum
Black Sea, Black Hole
Operation Southern Swath is in full swing and going well for the CIS. In the Mediterranean theatre, CIS air power has dominated with Turkey being defeated by a combined amphibious invasion and aerial onslaught. The only Turkish units that survived the initial air campaign were those underway and not in the Black Sea. Eventually, most of these vessels ended up in Italian or French ports.
After two weeks of sitting on the sidelines, the Turks are ready to get back into the fight. To do this, they have decided to send two SS boats back into the Black Sea to generally harass the CIS Navy and, perhaps, gain some intelligence on the disposition of the CIS Mediterranean Fleet.
The CIS Navy is confident of its control over the Black Sea, but still conducts a few coastal patrols. Unfortunately, none of them picked up the submarines entering the arena. Moving through the Aegean was tough, yet accomplished with professional excellence. The subs are ready for action.
Original designer: Mark R. Lam
Author: Herman Hum
Alpha Strike 2
As the Serbian Civil War reached its fifth anniversary, the UN's decision to withhold ground troops continued to be widely debated. Although the addition of US air power was welcomed, alone, it was insufficient to turn the tide. The ground-pounder's axiom that "Air power alone cannot win a war. No airedale ever has or ever will be capable of taking and holding an acre of dirt," continued to stand the test of battle.
As a result, the Serbian Civil War was not so much a civil war as it was a thresher of human bodies and spirits. Small battles ignited and then smouldered throughout the area. There simply was no "forward edge of the battle area". For each individual, the FEBA was where he or she stood confronting the enemy at one particular tick of the clock. Humans were fed into one end of the thresher and the chaff of broken bodies, broken minds, and human souls was discharged from the other.
Of the US military services with aviation capability, the Air Force had no interest in the kind of missions required here. None were high, fast, or stealthy. The A-10 Warthogs would have been ideal had any remained in service. The confining waters and the mission profile of close air support turned the Navy off almost as fast. For a dirty knife fight in the close confines of a dark alley, only the Marines had the know-how, the equipment, and the enthusiasm for the job. "Aye-aye, sir. Semper Fi!" was their response.
This scenario is a re-make of a Harpoon Classic scenario from the Harpoon Designers Series II and has been re-made for Harpoon 3 with the consent of AGSI.
Author: Herman Hum
Original designer: Delwin Hinkle
Harpoon3.6.3 users can get the:
Complete Harpoon 3.6.3 Library
These scenarios can also be found on:
SubSim
HarPlonkHQ
The Mediterranean remains a hotbed of activity and strife. The old hatreds between the Semitic peoples seems to be simmering for the moment, while the old hatreds between Serbs, Croats, Dalmations, Macedonians, and Bosnians are in full flare.
With the redefinition of many national borders and the reopening of old strife, the Balkans is looking more like pre-World War I than ever before. The possibility of European Community involvement becomes more real every day, indeed, with many posing the question as "When" instead of "If." The geography of the Mediterranean basin is rife with natural choke points, and the entire basin can be effectively monitored by shore based aircraft.
The area also swarms with very small to medium sized combatants, and large numbers of diesel electric submarines. HDS-II MEDC should effectively show you just how little room there is for a Carrier Battle Group, or just how lonely it can be for a small force of surface combatants without friendly air support.
Missile Boats at Dawn
No nation in the Middle East, and perhaps not in the world, has a more effective intelligence service than the Israeli Mossad. Quiet and effective, they search out potential problems and deal with them. On occasion, the things they discover are of such magnitude that assistance is needed from other arms of the Israeli military.
Such was the case in mid-February, 1997.
Through the work of a single agent, the Mossad learned of the completion of a quantity of chemical and biological weapons in Libya. These agents of mass destruction were to be shipped to Egypt. No target had been ascribed to the weapons at this point, but the Prime Minister was a cautious man. An "accident" was to be arranged for the shipment.
Original designer: Delwin Hinkle
Author: Herman Hum
Black Sea, Black Hole
Operation Southern Swath is in full swing and going well for the CIS. In the Mediterranean theatre, CIS air power has dominated with Turkey being defeated by a combined amphibious invasion and aerial onslaught. The only Turkish units that survived the initial air campaign were those underway and not in the Black Sea. Eventually, most of these vessels ended up in Italian or French ports.
After two weeks of sitting on the sidelines, the Turks are ready to get back into the fight. To do this, they have decided to send two SS boats back into the Black Sea to generally harass the CIS Navy and, perhaps, gain some intelligence on the disposition of the CIS Mediterranean Fleet.
The CIS Navy is confident of its control over the Black Sea, but still conducts a few coastal patrols. Unfortunately, none of them picked up the submarines entering the arena. Moving through the Aegean was tough, yet accomplished with professional excellence. The subs are ready for action.
Original designer: Mark R. Lam
Author: Herman Hum
Alpha Strike 2
As the Serbian Civil War reached its fifth anniversary, the UN's decision to withhold ground troops continued to be widely debated. Although the addition of US air power was welcomed, alone, it was insufficient to turn the tide. The ground-pounder's axiom that "Air power alone cannot win a war. No airedale ever has or ever will be capable of taking and holding an acre of dirt," continued to stand the test of battle.
As a result, the Serbian Civil War was not so much a civil war as it was a thresher of human bodies and spirits. Small battles ignited and then smouldered throughout the area. There simply was no "forward edge of the battle area". For each individual, the FEBA was where he or she stood confronting the enemy at one particular tick of the clock. Humans were fed into one end of the thresher and the chaff of broken bodies, broken minds, and human souls was discharged from the other.
Of the US military services with aviation capability, the Air Force had no interest in the kind of missions required here. None were high, fast, or stealthy. The A-10 Warthogs would have been ideal had any remained in service. The confining waters and the mission profile of close air support turned the Navy off almost as fast. For a dirty knife fight in the close confines of a dark alley, only the Marines had the know-how, the equipment, and the enthusiasm for the job. "Aye-aye, sir. Semper Fi!" was their response.
This scenario is a re-make of a Harpoon Classic scenario from the Harpoon Designers Series II and has been re-made for Harpoon 3 with the consent of AGSI.
Author: Herman Hum
Original designer: Delwin Hinkle
Harpoon3.6.3 users can get the:
Complete Harpoon 3.6.3 Library
These scenarios can also be found on:
SubSim
HarPlonkHQ
- Herman Hum
- Captain
- Posts: 1318
- Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:32 am
Harpoon 3 scenarios for the PlayersDB
by Herman Hum » Sat Feb 24, 2007 5:04 pm
Harpoon Designers Series II - NACV Battleset
The North Atlantic remains the lonely seaborne highway between Europe and the Americas. The scenarios found in the Second Harpoon Designer's Series bear this out, and further refine the lessons on ASW learned in the GIUK Gap. The difference is the significant one of open ocean operations versus Choke Point operations. It is a very large ocean, and even large groups of ships can effectively "hide" by practicing EMCON and standing clear of the shipping lanes.
In the vast expanses of the Atlantic entire convoys are extremely difficult to find, and cooperation of aircraft and submarines becomes essential to both the hunters and the hunted. HDS-II will help you re-discover just how big the Atlantic Ocean really is.
Matrix Knight
O 221200ZFEB93 CCCCCCCC
FR: NATO HQ, Mons, Belgium
TO: Capt, USS Hartford AAS
Capt, FN S615 L'Inflexible ABS
Subj: Matrix Knight training exercise
1. Commence exercise receipt this message. Strictly observe the time limit.
2. Objectives:
2.1 French SSBN is the subject of search and destroy operations to be conducted by Royal Navy OpFor. Avoid detection for the duration of the operation. Maintain patrol zone within 25nm of your current position.
2.2 USS Hartford is to seek out and destroy a simulated Delta-class SSBN operating in your AOR.
3. OpFor estimates
3.1 Royal Navy Trafalgar, Valiant, or Swiftsure-class to be employed.
Author: Herman Hum
Alpha Strike 1
As the tide of battle in the North Atlantic turned in favour of the NATO allies, it became clear that the lynch pin was Keflavik. Without it, NATO lost the ability to track R3 submarines as they sortied into the North Atlantic to interdict the sea lanes of communication. Without it, the convoys in transit lost raid warning and attrition capability on the Backfires, Bears, and Badgers hunting them. With Keflavik, R3 gained a forward base for those same aircraft, extending their search and attack range thousands of miles further into the North Atlantic and making strikes on the ConUS a terrifying possibility. With Keflavik, in connection with the new R3 Bases at Bodo and Andoya, the North Sea became the R3 Lake.
A single CVBG was tasked to set this situation straight. The Tomcats and Hornets, supported by EA-6Bs and E-2Cs from the carrier and EF-111s and E-3s from Stornoway in England, began the process by launching a series of combat air patrols centred 75 miles south of the main runways of Keflavik. Pairs of Hornets were positioned along the threat axis to loiter undetected and silent at very low altitude. Reacting as hoped, the R3 AEW aircraft detected the Tomcats and sent most of two squadrons of Flankers and Fulcrums up to play. As the R3 aircraft crossed the coast, the Tomcats loosed a volley of Phoenix missiles. Four dozen of the most deadly air-to-air weapons in history sped towards their destinies. The Fulcrums and Flankers were not unprepared for this event and began making defensive manoeuvres and pumping out millions of electrons into the air. These counter-measures were surprisingly successful. Just over half of the R3 aircraft survived. What they were not prepared for was the appearance of a dozen Hornets, each armed with fire-and-forget AMRAAMs. Only four of the Fulcrums and one of the Flankers made it back to the runways of Keflavik.
With the air threat eliminated, all that remains is to get the strikers on target.
Original designer: Delwin Hinkle
Author: Herman Hum
CHOKE POINT - PIG BOATS 1
At first, the world considered the declaration of war nothing more than a formality -- a joke. How could Russia successfully stage a war against Spain? Sure, the Spanish had vetoed the EC trade agreement with their large eastern neighbour, but they had their reasons. The problems could be evaluated and resolved. The declaration of war, though unnecessary, was somewhat understandable. In any case, the two nations were so far removed that nothing would come of the "war" -- right?
The EC was completely shocked by the blitz the Russians conducted against the Spanish fleet. In only a few hours, the Iberian fleet ceased to exist, aside from a few patrol boats and one or two frigates. Did the remainder of the EC assist in the battle? Wasn't there a defensive agreement in the EC treaty? When Russia began assuring the EC that only the Balearic Islands would be the subject of the war, many European nations hesitated in joining the fray. The Russians were obviously angry and may actually invade the little-defended eastern borders of the Community.
Britain, however, did not hesitate. Within an hour of the initial hostilities against Spain, Britain warned the Russians to back off. Then, a Russian amphibious formation was spotted moving towards Gibraltar. With no other nations assisting, Britain ordered what few subs it had in the Western Med to battle stations. Had the British not been conducting ASW and bottom-contour mapping of the Gibraltar region, Spain would have lost the Balearic Islands. They still might.
Duration: 60 hours
Original designer: Cass M. Johnson
SHARKS OF STEEL - PIG BOATS 2
At first, the world considered the declaration of war nothing more than a formality -- a joke. How could Russia successfully stage a war against Spain? Sure, the Spanish had vetoed the EC trade agreement with their large eastern neighbour, but they had their reasons. The problems could be evaluated and resolved. The declaration of war, though unnecessary, was somewhat understandable. In any case, the two nations were so far removed that nothing would come of the "war" -- right?
The EC was completely shocked by the blitz the Russians conducted against the Spanish fleet. In only a few hours, the Iberian fleet ceased to exist, aside from a few patrol boats and one or two frigates. Did the remainder of the EC assist in the battle? Wasn't there a defensive agreement in the EC treaty? When Russia began assuring the EC that only the Balearic Islands would be the subject of the war, many European nations hesitated in joining the fray. The Russians were obviously angry and may actually invade the little-defended eastern borders of the Community.
Britain, however, did not hesitate. Within an hour of the initial hostilities against Spain, Britain warned the Russians to back off. Then, a Russian amphibious formation was spotted moving towards Gibraltar. With no other nations assisting, Britain ordered what few subs it had in the Western Med to battle stations. Had the British not been conducting ASW and bottom-contour mapping of the Gibraltar region, Spain would have lost the Balearic Islands. They still might.
Duration: 60 hours
Original designer: Cass M. Johnson
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The North Atlantic remains the lonely seaborne highway between Europe and the Americas. The scenarios found in the Second Harpoon Designer's Series bear this out, and further refine the lessons on ASW learned in the GIUK Gap. The difference is the significant one of open ocean operations versus Choke Point operations. It is a very large ocean, and even large groups of ships can effectively "hide" by practicing EMCON and standing clear of the shipping lanes.
In the vast expanses of the Atlantic entire convoys are extremely difficult to find, and cooperation of aircraft and submarines becomes essential to both the hunters and the hunted. HDS-II will help you re-discover just how big the Atlantic Ocean really is.
Matrix Knight
O 221200ZFEB93 CCCCCCCC
FR: NATO HQ, Mons, Belgium
TO: Capt, USS Hartford AAS
Capt, FN S615 L'Inflexible ABS
Subj: Matrix Knight training exercise
1. Commence exercise receipt this message. Strictly observe the time limit.
2. Objectives:
2.1 French SSBN is the subject of search and destroy operations to be conducted by Royal Navy OpFor. Avoid detection for the duration of the operation. Maintain patrol zone within 25nm of your current position.
2.2 USS Hartford is to seek out and destroy a simulated Delta-class SSBN operating in your AOR.
3. OpFor estimates
3.1 Royal Navy Trafalgar, Valiant, or Swiftsure-class to be employed.
Author: Herman Hum
Alpha Strike 1
As the tide of battle in the North Atlantic turned in favour of the NATO allies, it became clear that the lynch pin was Keflavik. Without it, NATO lost the ability to track R3 submarines as they sortied into the North Atlantic to interdict the sea lanes of communication. Without it, the convoys in transit lost raid warning and attrition capability on the Backfires, Bears, and Badgers hunting them. With Keflavik, R3 gained a forward base for those same aircraft, extending their search and attack range thousands of miles further into the North Atlantic and making strikes on the ConUS a terrifying possibility. With Keflavik, in connection with the new R3 Bases at Bodo and Andoya, the North Sea became the R3 Lake.
A single CVBG was tasked to set this situation straight. The Tomcats and Hornets, supported by EA-6Bs and E-2Cs from the carrier and EF-111s and E-3s from Stornoway in England, began the process by launching a series of combat air patrols centred 75 miles south of the main runways of Keflavik. Pairs of Hornets were positioned along the threat axis to loiter undetected and silent at very low altitude. Reacting as hoped, the R3 AEW aircraft detected the Tomcats and sent most of two squadrons of Flankers and Fulcrums up to play. As the R3 aircraft crossed the coast, the Tomcats loosed a volley of Phoenix missiles. Four dozen of the most deadly air-to-air weapons in history sped towards their destinies. The Fulcrums and Flankers were not unprepared for this event and began making defensive manoeuvres and pumping out millions of electrons into the air. These counter-measures were surprisingly successful. Just over half of the R3 aircraft survived. What they were not prepared for was the appearance of a dozen Hornets, each armed with fire-and-forget AMRAAMs. Only four of the Fulcrums and one of the Flankers made it back to the runways of Keflavik.
With the air threat eliminated, all that remains is to get the strikers on target.
Original designer: Delwin Hinkle
Author: Herman Hum
CHOKE POINT - PIG BOATS 1
At first, the world considered the declaration of war nothing more than a formality -- a joke. How could Russia successfully stage a war against Spain? Sure, the Spanish had vetoed the EC trade agreement with their large eastern neighbour, but they had their reasons. The problems could be evaluated and resolved. The declaration of war, though unnecessary, was somewhat understandable. In any case, the two nations were so far removed that nothing would come of the "war" -- right?
The EC was completely shocked by the blitz the Russians conducted against the Spanish fleet. In only a few hours, the Iberian fleet ceased to exist, aside from a few patrol boats and one or two frigates. Did the remainder of the EC assist in the battle? Wasn't there a defensive agreement in the EC treaty? When Russia began assuring the EC that only the Balearic Islands would be the subject of the war, many European nations hesitated in joining the fray. The Russians were obviously angry and may actually invade the little-defended eastern borders of the Community.
Britain, however, did not hesitate. Within an hour of the initial hostilities against Spain, Britain warned the Russians to back off. Then, a Russian amphibious formation was spotted moving towards Gibraltar. With no other nations assisting, Britain ordered what few subs it had in the Western Med to battle stations. Had the British not been conducting ASW and bottom-contour mapping of the Gibraltar region, Spain would have lost the Balearic Islands. They still might.
Duration: 60 hours
Original designer: Cass M. Johnson
SHARKS OF STEEL - PIG BOATS 2
At first, the world considered the declaration of war nothing more than a formality -- a joke. How could Russia successfully stage a war against Spain? Sure, the Spanish had vetoed the EC trade agreement with their large eastern neighbour, but they had their reasons. The problems could be evaluated and resolved. The declaration of war, though unnecessary, was somewhat understandable. In any case, the two nations were so far removed that nothing would come of the "war" -- right?
The EC was completely shocked by the blitz the Russians conducted against the Spanish fleet. In only a few hours, the Iberian fleet ceased to exist, aside from a few patrol boats and one or two frigates. Did the remainder of the EC assist in the battle? Wasn't there a defensive agreement in the EC treaty? When Russia began assuring the EC that only the Balearic Islands would be the subject of the war, many European nations hesitated in joining the fray. The Russians were obviously angry and may actually invade the little-defended eastern borders of the Community.
Britain, however, did not hesitate. Within an hour of the initial hostilities against Spain, Britain warned the Russians to back off. Then, a Russian amphibious formation was spotted moving towards Gibraltar. With no other nations assisting, Britain ordered what few subs it had in the Western Med to battle stations. Had the British not been conducting ASW and bottom-contour mapping of the Gibraltar region, Spain would have lost the Balearic Islands. They still might.
Duration: 60 hours
Original designer: Cass M. Johnson
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Harpoon 3 scenarios for the PlayersDB
by Herman Hum » Sat Mar 03, 2007 8:46 am
Hugo's Folly Battleset
Elections in the Netherlands Antilles have seen gains for the political party seeking closer ties to Venezuela and its President, Chavez.
The Government has fallen and the legal status of the islands is unclear; with Curacao an independent nation within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Aruba, and Bonaire seeking a similar status, and the three smaller islands of St. Eustatius, St. Maarten, and Saba being municipalities within the Netherlands. Early this morning, Venezuela carried out a sudden invasion of the ABC islands.
Flight of the Governor
This is the first scenario in the "Hugo's Folly" Battleset.
Elections in the Netherlands Antilles have seen gains for the political party seeking closer ties to Venezuela and its President, Chavez. The Government has fallen and the legal status of the islands is unclear; with Curacao an independent nation within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Aruba, and Bonaire seeking a similar status, and the three smaller islands of St. Eustatius, St. Maarten, and Saba being municipalities within the Netherlands. Early this morning, Venezuela carried out a sudden invasion of the ABC islands.
Venezuela has recently received deliveries of new Su-30 Flankers from Russia. Coupled with the political chaos of the current situation and the aspirations of a megalomaniac, this is a potentially volatile and lethal mixture.
Author: Herman Hum
St. Maartens
Netherlands has a standing presence in the Caribbean with an FFG (currently Van Galen), 2 companies of Royal Marines, and several Coast Guard Cutters to deter any aggression and interdict drug shipments. The 2 short companies of Royal Dutch Marines fought a gallant rear-guard action towards the airport and left the island in two Fokker patrol planes.
The Netherlands has announced that it will send a task force to retake the islands, and convened an urgent NATO meeting this morning. The NATO meeting ended in an uproar after the NATO president determined that Article 5 did not apply and recommended diplomacy to end the crisis. The Dutch ambassador announced that Netherlands was ending its NATO military mission in Afghanistan with immediate effect and that in fact the 1500 Dutch troops there were already packing. It looks like Netherlands will have to fight the first phase of the aggression alone.
Author: Freek Schepers
Assemble in the Antilles
This is the third scenario in the "Hugo's Folly" Battleset.
Elections in the Netherlands Antilles have seen gains for the political party seeking closer ties to Venezuela and its President, Chavez. The Government has fallen and the legal status of the islands is unclear; with Curacao an independent nation within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Aruba, and Bonaire seeking a similar status, and the three smaller islands of St. Eustatius, St. Maarten, and Saba being municipalities within the Netherlands. Early this morning, Venezuela carried out a sudden invasion of the ABC islands.
The Netherlands has sent a task force to the Caribbean. The fast Frigates and support ships have arrived, but the amphibs and transports are still several days away from the conflict.
Author: Freek Schepers
Liberation of Antilles
This is the fourth scenario in the "Hugo's Folly" Battleset.
Netherlands has pulled together the largest Task Force it is capable of amassing. Due to recent sales of Frigates, P-3's, and F-16s, it is numerically at a distinct disadvantage. The Dutch armed forces are counting on their technical quality and training to attain victory.
Author: Freek Schepers
Liberation of Antilles ('75)
This is the 1975 variant of the fourth scenario in the "Hugo's Folly" Battleset.
The 'elected' prime minister of Venezuela, Perez, has invaded the ABC Islands to capture and nationalise the refineries built there to process the new Venezuelan oil.
The Netherlands, still outraged over how they were forced to give up New Guinea to Indonesia 14 years ago, has decided not to invoke article 5 of the NATO charter, but to demonstrate to the world that it can take on a Banana Republic by itself.
Netherlands has pulled together the largest Task Force it is capable of amassing. This fleet comprises a mixture of soon-to-be retired units, like CG Zeven Provincien, the Utrecht-Class DDs, and recently acquired forces, such as the new flagship FFG Tromp and the Canadian versions of the F-5. The Dutch armed forces are counting on their technical quality and training to attain victory.
Author: Freek Schepers
Caribbean Happy Hour
In the last few years, Venezuela made over 4B$ in military purchases from Russia. Su-30 Flanker planes, attack helicopters, and SAMs significantly changed the balance of power in the southern Caribbean. Negotiations continue over SSKs and, in September 2008, two Tu-160 Blackjacks made a surprise visit to Venezuela and flew patrols before returning to Russia.
In summer 2008, the US re-activated the 4th Fleet to cover the Caribbean and CVBG George Washington practiced in the area before re-locating to Yokosuka, Japan. This left the Atlantic with just one carrier, Theodore Roosevelt which, in November 2008, was located in South Africa.
In November 2008, pre-planned joint exercises started between a Russian SAG, comprised of the nuclear cruiser Petr Velikiy plus an escorting destroyer, and the Venezuelan Navy. At the same time, Russia and Venezuela announced a plan to jointly exploit new oil and gas fields found near Aruba, about 60nm off the coast of Venezuela. Moreover, CIA intell received on November 12th indicated that Tu-160s had once again landed near Caracas. The threat posed by this development sparked a frantic buildup of Navy ships in the Caribbean.
Fourth fleet was equipped with a minimal number of ship which, supported by a Dutch frigate stationed in Curacao, were on drug interdiction duties.
Author: Freek Schepers
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Elections in the Netherlands Antilles have seen gains for the political party seeking closer ties to Venezuela and its President, Chavez.
The Government has fallen and the legal status of the islands is unclear; with Curacao an independent nation within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Aruba, and Bonaire seeking a similar status, and the three smaller islands of St. Eustatius, St. Maarten, and Saba being municipalities within the Netherlands. Early this morning, Venezuela carried out a sudden invasion of the ABC islands.
Flight of the Governor
This is the first scenario in the "Hugo's Folly" Battleset.
Elections in the Netherlands Antilles have seen gains for the political party seeking closer ties to Venezuela and its President, Chavez. The Government has fallen and the legal status of the islands is unclear; with Curacao an independent nation within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Aruba, and Bonaire seeking a similar status, and the three smaller islands of St. Eustatius, St. Maarten, and Saba being municipalities within the Netherlands. Early this morning, Venezuela carried out a sudden invasion of the ABC islands.
Venezuela has recently received deliveries of new Su-30 Flankers from Russia. Coupled with the political chaos of the current situation and the aspirations of a megalomaniac, this is a potentially volatile and lethal mixture.
Author: Herman Hum
St. Maartens
Netherlands has a standing presence in the Caribbean with an FFG (currently Van Galen), 2 companies of Royal Marines, and several Coast Guard Cutters to deter any aggression and interdict drug shipments. The 2 short companies of Royal Dutch Marines fought a gallant rear-guard action towards the airport and left the island in two Fokker patrol planes.
The Netherlands has announced that it will send a task force to retake the islands, and convened an urgent NATO meeting this morning. The NATO meeting ended in an uproar after the NATO president determined that Article 5 did not apply and recommended diplomacy to end the crisis. The Dutch ambassador announced that Netherlands was ending its NATO military mission in Afghanistan with immediate effect and that in fact the 1500 Dutch troops there were already packing. It looks like Netherlands will have to fight the first phase of the aggression alone.
Author: Freek Schepers
Assemble in the Antilles
This is the third scenario in the "Hugo's Folly" Battleset.
Elections in the Netherlands Antilles have seen gains for the political party seeking closer ties to Venezuela and its President, Chavez. The Government has fallen and the legal status of the islands is unclear; with Curacao an independent nation within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Aruba, and Bonaire seeking a similar status, and the three smaller islands of St. Eustatius, St. Maarten, and Saba being municipalities within the Netherlands. Early this morning, Venezuela carried out a sudden invasion of the ABC islands.
The Netherlands has sent a task force to the Caribbean. The fast Frigates and support ships have arrived, but the amphibs and transports are still several days away from the conflict.
Author: Freek Schepers
Liberation of Antilles
This is the fourth scenario in the "Hugo's Folly" Battleset.
Netherlands has pulled together the largest Task Force it is capable of amassing. Due to recent sales of Frigates, P-3's, and F-16s, it is numerically at a distinct disadvantage. The Dutch armed forces are counting on their technical quality and training to attain victory.
Author: Freek Schepers
Liberation of Antilles ('75)
This is the 1975 variant of the fourth scenario in the "Hugo's Folly" Battleset.
The 'elected' prime minister of Venezuela, Perez, has invaded the ABC Islands to capture and nationalise the refineries built there to process the new Venezuelan oil.
The Netherlands, still outraged over how they were forced to give up New Guinea to Indonesia 14 years ago, has decided not to invoke article 5 of the NATO charter, but to demonstrate to the world that it can take on a Banana Republic by itself.
Netherlands has pulled together the largest Task Force it is capable of amassing. This fleet comprises a mixture of soon-to-be retired units, like CG Zeven Provincien, the Utrecht-Class DDs, and recently acquired forces, such as the new flagship FFG Tromp and the Canadian versions of the F-5. The Dutch armed forces are counting on their technical quality and training to attain victory.
Author: Freek Schepers
Caribbean Happy Hour
In the last few years, Venezuela made over 4B$ in military purchases from Russia. Su-30 Flanker planes, attack helicopters, and SAMs significantly changed the balance of power in the southern Caribbean. Negotiations continue over SSKs and, in September 2008, two Tu-160 Blackjacks made a surprise visit to Venezuela and flew patrols before returning to Russia.
In summer 2008, the US re-activated the 4th Fleet to cover the Caribbean and CVBG George Washington practiced in the area before re-locating to Yokosuka, Japan. This left the Atlantic with just one carrier, Theodore Roosevelt which, in November 2008, was located in South Africa.
In November 2008, pre-planned joint exercises started between a Russian SAG, comprised of the nuclear cruiser Petr Velikiy plus an escorting destroyer, and the Venezuelan Navy. At the same time, Russia and Venezuela announced a plan to jointly exploit new oil and gas fields found near Aruba, about 60nm off the coast of Venezuela. Moreover, CIA intell received on November 12th indicated that Tu-160s had once again landed near Caracas. The threat posed by this development sparked a frantic buildup of Navy ships in the Caribbean.
Fourth fleet was equipped with a minimal number of ship which, supported by a Dutch frigate stationed in Curacao, were on drug interdiction duties.
Author: Freek Schepers
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Harpoon 3 scenarios for the PlayersDB
by Herman Hum » Sat Mar 10, 2007 7:23 am
Harpoon Designers Series II - IOPG Battleset
The Indian Ocean is still the artery through which the life blood of Western societies flow. The recent downsizing of Iraq's military inventory has spurred yet another arms race in the region, and the CIS "Bargain Basement Sale of Slightly Used Weapons Systems" has further complicated the situation.
The prospects for conflict here remain grave, as do the repercussions of such a conflict on the oil supplies of the West. Each of the major maritime powers maintains a naval presence here, as do the regional powers of India, Pakistan, and Iran. The Indian Ocean also offers both large stretches of open ocean and severely restrained choke points. HDS-II IOPG examines both regional conflicts and superpower interventions, based on the current and some projected force structures of those powers.
The proliferation of arms in the region also presents the prospect of a major arms supplier having to fight an enemy armed with the weapons they have supplied...
Brown Water Transit
Unlike the United States and Canada, neighbourly relations between India and Pakistan have a distinctly cold feel. India's goal to be the dominant regional power is not a secret to the other nations of the area. Of course, a fleet of submarines, three aircraft carriers, and a nuclear weapons program communicate intentions without the need for words.
Unable to afford the quantities of conventional weapons systems to constitute an effective deterrent, Pakistan has turned to devoting a growing percentage of its defense spending toward development of nuclear weapons.
Assuring safe passage for the materials required for this program is one of the highest priorities of the Pakistani armed forces.
Original designer: Delwin Hinkle
Author: Herman Hum
Surprise, Surprise!
This is the worst-case scenario for Middle East affairs. With Iran now in control of the majority of the world's oil, long silent Russia has announced a mutual defense treaty and has vowed to help protect the Gulf for their Arab friends.
U.S. forces find themselves in a very hostile world a very long way behind enemy lines. With the Russian declaration, all Russian forces operating in the area should be considered hostile. Of primary concern here should be the sub threat. All American forces should make best possible speed for Diego Garcia and the safety of U.S.-controlled air space.
From the Russian perspective, things could be much worse. A long-time Russian goal has been completed without firing a shot: that being the eviction of U.S. forces from the Persian Gulf. To stop future offensive plans, the U.S. Navy may be ordered to attack and destroy the amphibious group operating in the area.
Original designer: B.I. Hutchison
Author: Herman Hum
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The Indian Ocean is still the artery through which the life blood of Western societies flow. The recent downsizing of Iraq's military inventory has spurred yet another arms race in the region, and the CIS "Bargain Basement Sale of Slightly Used Weapons Systems" has further complicated the situation.
The prospects for conflict here remain grave, as do the repercussions of such a conflict on the oil supplies of the West. Each of the major maritime powers maintains a naval presence here, as do the regional powers of India, Pakistan, and Iran. The Indian Ocean also offers both large stretches of open ocean and severely restrained choke points. HDS-II IOPG examines both regional conflicts and superpower interventions, based on the current and some projected force structures of those powers.
The proliferation of arms in the region also presents the prospect of a major arms supplier having to fight an enemy armed with the weapons they have supplied...
Brown Water Transit
Unlike the United States and Canada, neighbourly relations between India and Pakistan have a distinctly cold feel. India's goal to be the dominant regional power is not a secret to the other nations of the area. Of course, a fleet of submarines, three aircraft carriers, and a nuclear weapons program communicate intentions without the need for words.
Unable to afford the quantities of conventional weapons systems to constitute an effective deterrent, Pakistan has turned to devoting a growing percentage of its defense spending toward development of nuclear weapons.
Assuring safe passage for the materials required for this program is one of the highest priorities of the Pakistani armed forces.
Original designer: Delwin Hinkle
Author: Herman Hum
Surprise, Surprise!
This is the worst-case scenario for Middle East affairs. With Iran now in control of the majority of the world's oil, long silent Russia has announced a mutual defense treaty and has vowed to help protect the Gulf for their Arab friends.
U.S. forces find themselves in a very hostile world a very long way behind enemy lines. With the Russian declaration, all Russian forces operating in the area should be considered hostile. Of primary concern here should be the sub threat. All American forces should make best possible speed for Diego Garcia and the safety of U.S.-controlled air space.
From the Russian perspective, things could be much worse. A long-time Russian goal has been completed without firing a shot: that being the eviction of U.S. forces from the Persian Gulf. To stop future offensive plans, the U.S. Navy may be ordered to attack and destroy the amphibious group operating in the area.
Original designer: B.I. Hutchison
Author: Herman Hum
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Harpoon 3 scenarios for the PlayersDB
by Herman Hum » Sat Mar 17, 2007 9:22 am
Falklands Battleset
On April 2, 1982, Argentine forces invaded the Falkland Islands, which had been a British colony since 1833. 25 years later, here is another look at that war as a series of what was and, what might have been.
In this one I've tried to research the units each side had and build scenario's that more or less resemble the actual historical occurrences.
Advance Subs
After the surprise Argentine invasion of the Falklands Islands, the British Defence ministry urgently ordered available Royal Navy units to the area.
As had been the case in earlier times of tensions, Britain's nuclear attack submarines, travelling continuously at high speed, would be the first warships on station. The arrival of the first submarines enabled the MoD to announce a 200nm exclusion zone around the Falkland Islands.
Argentina, meanwhile, was using her navy to reinforce the garrison in the Malvinas and to establish a blocking force for any early British units.
Author: Freek Schepers
Mid-Atlantic
By mid-May, frantic preparations had been made for the amphibious landings on the Falklands. 5th Infantry Brigade had left Southampton on the QEII May 11th with her equipment being carried on the Baltic Ferry. Forty RFA and merchant ships sailed south to support the fleet. The key strategic asset was Ascension Island; used to launch the Vulcan Black Buck missions, cross-deck and train troops, and to replenish ships.
The ships and troops needed to sail south at maximum speed to support the fleet and the upcoming amphibious landings.
Author: Freek Schepers
The Supply War
By the 20th of May, there were strong indications that invasion was imminent. Destroyers had shelled Argentine coastal garrisons and rumours were rampant that SAS troops were on the ground. During the night, an Argentine freighter was shelled by an unknown British warship in Falkland Sound.
The success of the invasion would depend largely on the British ability to re-supply the beachhead; dependant upon a supply line stretching 8000nm between the UK and the Falklands and maintained by 50 ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and a selection of leased merchant ships whose crew were being paid 150% danger pay.
Author: Freek Schepers
Advance Guards
After the surprise Argentine invasion of the Falklands Islands, the British Defence ministry urgently ordered available Royal Navy units to the area.
A mixed destroyer/frigate squadron with attached support ships had just finished operation Springtrain around Gibraltar. On April 16th, this group was the first to enter the waters around the Falklands.
Argentina, meanwhile, was using her navy to reinforce the garrison in the Malvinas and to establish a blocking force for any early British units.
Author: Freek Schepers
South Georgia
One of the first tasks of the Falkland Task Force was the liberation of South Georgia. This was considered both a practice step for the Falklands liberation, and an essential first goal to secure safe anchorages for the many support ships that were needed by the Task force.
Author: Freek Schepers
Vulcan 607
April 1982. Argentine forces had invaded the Falkland Islands. Britain needed an answer. And fast.
The idea was simple: to destroy the vital landing strip at Port Stanley. The reality was more complicated. The only aircraft that could possibly do the job was three months from being scrapped, and the distance it had to travel was four thousand miles beyond its maximum range. It would take fifteen Victor tankers and seventeen separate in-flight refuelings to get one Avro Vulcan B2 over the target, and give the crew any chance of coming back alive.
(book of Rowland White: Vulcan 607)
Author: Freek Schepers
Belgrano
The sinking of the General Belgrano on May 2nd 1982 caused the single heaviest loss of the Falklands war.
HMS Conqueror showed that Argentinean escorts could not prevent nuclear subs from killing their ships.
As a direct result of this attack, the Argentine aircraft carrier 'Veinticinco de Mayo', which had successfully detected the Task Force with her Trackers and was preparing a strike with her A-4Q Skyhawks, returned to port and played no further part in the conflict.
Author: Freek Schepers
May Day
First of May 1982 was when hostilities finally broke out around the Falklands.
South Georgia had been liberated by the British and, early in the morning, a lone Vulcan bomber cut the runway at Port Stanley in half.
The Argentineans had their army dug in around the Falklands, had attack planes dispersed around the islands, and the Air force and Navy were ready to meet the British forces.
In the next three days, the General Belgrano and Sheffield were lost, air attacks proved the effectiveness of the Sea Harriers and SAMs; but also demonstrated their limitations and damaged many ships in the task force.
Victory could go either way.
Author: Freek Schepers
San Carlos
By the 20th of May, there were strong indications that invasion was imminent. Destroyers had shelled Argentine coastal garrisons and rumours were rampant that SAS troops were on the ground. During the night, an Argentine freighter was shelled by an unknown British warship in Falkland Sound.
By daybreak, Argentinean observation posts saw the amphibious force steam into San Carlos waters.
Author: Freek Schepers
Sea King to Chile Incident
One of the most mysterious events of the war happened on May 16th, when a Sea King was found burning and abandoned near Punta Arenas airbase. The British claimed a 500nm navigation error but, after the war, it became clear that SAS Special Forces had been planning a raid to take out the Exocet-armed Super Etendard aircraft which had sunk Sheffield and Atlantic Conveyor. Speculation on the nature of this operation still ranges from SAS-Hercules aircraft landing on Rio Grande airbase in order to destroy the planes on the ground to the setting up of covert radar facilities to provide early warning for the fleet.
Fact is that Chile felt it was the next target of the Argentine junta and, therefore, open to cooperation with the British.
Author: Freek Schepers
Pebble Island
During the night of May 14th, 1982; SAS commandoes intended to attack the airfield on Pebble Island. The raid was to be carried out via helicopter from HMS Hermes, which had detached from the CVBG during the night to steam towards Pebble Island with a small escort.
While the force was still 6 hours away from their attack, American SIGINT was received which indicated that the Argentinean aircraft carrier Veinticinco de Mayo had evaded British submarines and entered the 200nm exclusion zone.
A unique carrier battle was now brewing....
Author: Freek Schepers
Independence Day
On May 25th, Argentina's Independence day, the Argentine Air Force made another all-out attack on the amphibious ships in Falkland Sound.
The near suicidal bravery of the Argentine pilots had sunk Sheffield and Ardent, and hit Argonaut, Glasgow, Antrim, Brilliant, and Broadsword with bombs that failed to explode.
The BBC broadcast a review last night which included the statement that many bombs did not explode as their arming wires were too short for the altitudes from which they were dropped. Argentine armourers are sure to be resolving this problem.
The British also started to realise that a great deal of planning preceded each Argentine attack and that Exocet missiles were generally aimed at Carriers while planes armed with bombs and rockets sought out Amphibs and warships. Decoy flights designed to draw CAP away from target areas are also employed by the FAA.
Author: Freek Schepers
Beachhead Breakout
Almost a week after the initial landings on San Carlos, UK forces broke out of their beachhead. 2nd Para captured Goose Green in a daring raid and 42 Commando started moving east towards Port Stanley while 5th Infantry Brigade was being unloaded and supplied.
A severe weather front forced most amphibious ships to withdraw to open seas and grounded all air operations. Most troops on the ground saw this as a much-needed interruption from the continuous Argentine air attacks.
Author: Freek Schepers
15.0 The Last Exocet
The Argentines believed that they had damaged Hermes in the attack of May 25, which claimed Atlantic Conveyor. With only one AM.39 missile remaining, the target needed to be selected for maximum effect: Invincible.
The Argentines knew that the British carrier was operating about 100nm east of Puerto Argentino (Port Stanley), based on where the Harriers were disappearing from the radar screen of the TPS-43. The attackers planned to bypass the British screen of ships to the south, then turn north for the final attack run.
This scenario was inspired by the situation depicted by Ed Kettler in the July 1992 SitRep publication from Clash of Arms and has been written with technical assistance provided by Facundo Bonaldi.
Many thanks to Freek Schepers for his valuable testing assistance
Author: Herman Hum and Facundo Bonaldi
15.1 The Last Exocet [Variant]
The Argentines believed that they had damaged Hermes in the attack of May 25, which claimed Atlantic Conveyor. With only one AM.39 missile remaining, the target needed to be selected for maximum effect: Invincible.
The Argentines knew that the British carrier was operating about 100nm east of Puerto Argentino (Port Stanley), based on where the Harriers were disappearing from the radar screen of the TPS-43. The attackers planned to bypass the British screen of ships to the south, then turn north for the final attack run.
This scenario was inspired by the situation depicted by Ed Kettler in the Sea of Dragons publication from Clash of Arms.
Author: Freek Schepers, Herman Hum, and Facundo Bonaldi
Bluff Cove
On June 8 1982, one of the most tragic events of the Falklands war took place. Two amphibious ships embarked with the Welsh Guards were taking too long to unload at Bluff Cove and, when daylight broke, were found and bombed by the Argentine air force with heavy loss of life.
Later investigations speak of inter-service rivalry between the British forces, and of a blatant disregard of the basic principles of amphibious operations.
Author: Freek Schepers
Parting Gift
Just before the final surrender of Argentine troops in Port Stanley, Britain receives word of frantic activity at Argentina's nuclear facilities.
The US Air Force Space Command reports the test firing of a Condor II Argentine Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile has taken place with the missile passing over the Argentine tracking station in Kings Bay, Antarctica.
Britain decides that it must act to preempt desperate last-minute Argentine actions.
Author: Freek Schepers
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
On May 1, 1982 Exocet missiles fired by Argentine Air Force Super-Etendard aircraft sank HMS Sheffield and set fire to HMS Invincible. That same afternoon, a full squadron of Mirage IIIE overwhelmed Hermes' Sea Harriers (mostly by forcing them to Bingo) and 8 Navy Skyhawks from CV Veinticinco de Mayo carried out a mission for which they had been training months prior. Flying at very low altitude and using a makeshift datalink to a Russian Tu-142 Bear MPA circling the British TF, they knew that the Type 42's Sea Dart missiles cannot lock-on. Using modified Mk83 fuses that explode when dropped from as low as 30m, eight A4s made a devastating attack and put 3x 1000lb bombs through HMS Hermes' flight deck.
After burning for hours, HMS Hermes sank during the night and, with HMS Invincible damaged, the chance of a quick liberation of the Falklands was lost.
Follow-up attacks by Daggers were unopposed by Sea Harriers and damaged 4 more ships the next day. The British Task Force withdrew to the safety of Ascension Island and limited itself to a blockade of the Argentine ports and preventing Argentine re-supply of the Falklands through the nuclear submarines on patrol within the TEZ.
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher maintained publicly that the Falklands would never be given up and swore to avenge the hundreds of British casualties. She ordered a crash program to re-commission HMS Bulwark or commission HMS Illustrious with RAF Harriers. To provide early warning and air defense, the UK started discussions with USA, Australia, and Brazil to lease a full-sized aircraft carrier and equip it with Harriers, Phantoms, and/or Gannets if pilots could be found with recent deck landing experience.
By the end of May, Britain presented evidence of the Russian Bear's role in the attack on HMS Hermes and announced the extension of the TEZ to include all Russian forces. In response, Russia started to strengthen their base in Luanda with long-range bombers and sent part of their Indian Ocean squadron to the South Atlantic
Author: Freek Schepers
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On April 2, 1982, Argentine forces invaded the Falkland Islands, which had been a British colony since 1833. 25 years later, here is another look at that war as a series of what was and, what might have been.
In this one I've tried to research the units each side had and build scenario's that more or less resemble the actual historical occurrences.
Advance Subs
After the surprise Argentine invasion of the Falklands Islands, the British Defence ministry urgently ordered available Royal Navy units to the area.
As had been the case in earlier times of tensions, Britain's nuclear attack submarines, travelling continuously at high speed, would be the first warships on station. The arrival of the first submarines enabled the MoD to announce a 200nm exclusion zone around the Falkland Islands.
Argentina, meanwhile, was using her navy to reinforce the garrison in the Malvinas and to establish a blocking force for any early British units.
Author: Freek Schepers
Mid-Atlantic
By mid-May, frantic preparations had been made for the amphibious landings on the Falklands. 5th Infantry Brigade had left Southampton on the QEII May 11th with her equipment being carried on the Baltic Ferry. Forty RFA and merchant ships sailed south to support the fleet. The key strategic asset was Ascension Island; used to launch the Vulcan Black Buck missions, cross-deck and train troops, and to replenish ships.
The ships and troops needed to sail south at maximum speed to support the fleet and the upcoming amphibious landings.
Author: Freek Schepers
The Supply War
By the 20th of May, there were strong indications that invasion was imminent. Destroyers had shelled Argentine coastal garrisons and rumours were rampant that SAS troops were on the ground. During the night, an Argentine freighter was shelled by an unknown British warship in Falkland Sound.
The success of the invasion would depend largely on the British ability to re-supply the beachhead; dependant upon a supply line stretching 8000nm between the UK and the Falklands and maintained by 50 ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and a selection of leased merchant ships whose crew were being paid 150% danger pay.
Author: Freek Schepers
Advance Guards
After the surprise Argentine invasion of the Falklands Islands, the British Defence ministry urgently ordered available Royal Navy units to the area.
A mixed destroyer/frigate squadron with attached support ships had just finished operation Springtrain around Gibraltar. On April 16th, this group was the first to enter the waters around the Falklands.
Argentina, meanwhile, was using her navy to reinforce the garrison in the Malvinas and to establish a blocking force for any early British units.
Author: Freek Schepers
South Georgia
One of the first tasks of the Falkland Task Force was the liberation of South Georgia. This was considered both a practice step for the Falklands liberation, and an essential first goal to secure safe anchorages for the many support ships that were needed by the Task force.
Author: Freek Schepers
Vulcan 607
April 1982. Argentine forces had invaded the Falkland Islands. Britain needed an answer. And fast.
The idea was simple: to destroy the vital landing strip at Port Stanley. The reality was more complicated. The only aircraft that could possibly do the job was three months from being scrapped, and the distance it had to travel was four thousand miles beyond its maximum range. It would take fifteen Victor tankers and seventeen separate in-flight refuelings to get one Avro Vulcan B2 over the target, and give the crew any chance of coming back alive.
(book of Rowland White: Vulcan 607)
Author: Freek Schepers
Belgrano
The sinking of the General Belgrano on May 2nd 1982 caused the single heaviest loss of the Falklands war.
HMS Conqueror showed that Argentinean escorts could not prevent nuclear subs from killing their ships.
As a direct result of this attack, the Argentine aircraft carrier 'Veinticinco de Mayo', which had successfully detected the Task Force with her Trackers and was preparing a strike with her A-4Q Skyhawks, returned to port and played no further part in the conflict.
Author: Freek Schepers
May Day
First of May 1982 was when hostilities finally broke out around the Falklands.
South Georgia had been liberated by the British and, early in the morning, a lone Vulcan bomber cut the runway at Port Stanley in half.
The Argentineans had their army dug in around the Falklands, had attack planes dispersed around the islands, and the Air force and Navy were ready to meet the British forces.
In the next three days, the General Belgrano and Sheffield were lost, air attacks proved the effectiveness of the Sea Harriers and SAMs; but also demonstrated their limitations and damaged many ships in the task force.
Victory could go either way.
Author: Freek Schepers
San Carlos
By the 20th of May, there were strong indications that invasion was imminent. Destroyers had shelled Argentine coastal garrisons and rumours were rampant that SAS troops were on the ground. During the night, an Argentine freighter was shelled by an unknown British warship in Falkland Sound.
By daybreak, Argentinean observation posts saw the amphibious force steam into San Carlos waters.
Author: Freek Schepers
Sea King to Chile Incident
One of the most mysterious events of the war happened on May 16th, when a Sea King was found burning and abandoned near Punta Arenas airbase. The British claimed a 500nm navigation error but, after the war, it became clear that SAS Special Forces had been planning a raid to take out the Exocet-armed Super Etendard aircraft which had sunk Sheffield and Atlantic Conveyor. Speculation on the nature of this operation still ranges from SAS-Hercules aircraft landing on Rio Grande airbase in order to destroy the planes on the ground to the setting up of covert radar facilities to provide early warning for the fleet.
Fact is that Chile felt it was the next target of the Argentine junta and, therefore, open to cooperation with the British.
Author: Freek Schepers
Pebble Island
During the night of May 14th, 1982; SAS commandoes intended to attack the airfield on Pebble Island. The raid was to be carried out via helicopter from HMS Hermes, which had detached from the CVBG during the night to steam towards Pebble Island with a small escort.
While the force was still 6 hours away from their attack, American SIGINT was received which indicated that the Argentinean aircraft carrier Veinticinco de Mayo had evaded British submarines and entered the 200nm exclusion zone.
A unique carrier battle was now brewing....
Author: Freek Schepers
Independence Day
On May 25th, Argentina's Independence day, the Argentine Air Force made another all-out attack on the amphibious ships in Falkland Sound.
The near suicidal bravery of the Argentine pilots had sunk Sheffield and Ardent, and hit Argonaut, Glasgow, Antrim, Brilliant, and Broadsword with bombs that failed to explode.
The BBC broadcast a review last night which included the statement that many bombs did not explode as their arming wires were too short for the altitudes from which they were dropped. Argentine armourers are sure to be resolving this problem.
The British also started to realise that a great deal of planning preceded each Argentine attack and that Exocet missiles were generally aimed at Carriers while planes armed with bombs and rockets sought out Amphibs and warships. Decoy flights designed to draw CAP away from target areas are also employed by the FAA.
Author: Freek Schepers
Beachhead Breakout
Almost a week after the initial landings on San Carlos, UK forces broke out of their beachhead. 2nd Para captured Goose Green in a daring raid and 42 Commando started moving east towards Port Stanley while 5th Infantry Brigade was being unloaded and supplied.
A severe weather front forced most amphibious ships to withdraw to open seas and grounded all air operations. Most troops on the ground saw this as a much-needed interruption from the continuous Argentine air attacks.
Author: Freek Schepers
15.0 The Last Exocet
The Argentines believed that they had damaged Hermes in the attack of May 25, which claimed Atlantic Conveyor. With only one AM.39 missile remaining, the target needed to be selected for maximum effect: Invincible.
The Argentines knew that the British carrier was operating about 100nm east of Puerto Argentino (Port Stanley), based on where the Harriers were disappearing from the radar screen of the TPS-43. The attackers planned to bypass the British screen of ships to the south, then turn north for the final attack run.
This scenario was inspired by the situation depicted by Ed Kettler in the July 1992 SitRep publication from Clash of Arms and has been written with technical assistance provided by Facundo Bonaldi.
Many thanks to Freek Schepers for his valuable testing assistance
Author: Herman Hum and Facundo Bonaldi
15.1 The Last Exocet [Variant]
The Argentines believed that they had damaged Hermes in the attack of May 25, which claimed Atlantic Conveyor. With only one AM.39 missile remaining, the target needed to be selected for maximum effect: Invincible.
The Argentines knew that the British carrier was operating about 100nm east of Puerto Argentino (Port Stanley), based on where the Harriers were disappearing from the radar screen of the TPS-43. The attackers planned to bypass the British screen of ships to the south, then turn north for the final attack run.
This scenario was inspired by the situation depicted by Ed Kettler in the Sea of Dragons publication from Clash of Arms.
Author: Freek Schepers, Herman Hum, and Facundo Bonaldi
Bluff Cove
On June 8 1982, one of the most tragic events of the Falklands war took place. Two amphibious ships embarked with the Welsh Guards were taking too long to unload at Bluff Cove and, when daylight broke, were found and bombed by the Argentine air force with heavy loss of life.
Later investigations speak of inter-service rivalry between the British forces, and of a blatant disregard of the basic principles of amphibious operations.
Author: Freek Schepers
Parting Gift
Just before the final surrender of Argentine troops in Port Stanley, Britain receives word of frantic activity at Argentina's nuclear facilities.
The US Air Force Space Command reports the test firing of a Condor II Argentine Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile has taken place with the missile passing over the Argentine tracking station in Kings Bay, Antarctica.
Britain decides that it must act to preempt desperate last-minute Argentine actions.
Author: Freek Schepers
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
On May 1, 1982 Exocet missiles fired by Argentine Air Force Super-Etendard aircraft sank HMS Sheffield and set fire to HMS Invincible. That same afternoon, a full squadron of Mirage IIIE overwhelmed Hermes' Sea Harriers (mostly by forcing them to Bingo) and 8 Navy Skyhawks from CV Veinticinco de Mayo carried out a mission for which they had been training months prior. Flying at very low altitude and using a makeshift datalink to a Russian Tu-142 Bear MPA circling the British TF, they knew that the Type 42's Sea Dart missiles cannot lock-on. Using modified Mk83 fuses that explode when dropped from as low as 30m, eight A4s made a devastating attack and put 3x 1000lb bombs through HMS Hermes' flight deck.
After burning for hours, HMS Hermes sank during the night and, with HMS Invincible damaged, the chance of a quick liberation of the Falklands was lost.
Follow-up attacks by Daggers were unopposed by Sea Harriers and damaged 4 more ships the next day. The British Task Force withdrew to the safety of Ascension Island and limited itself to a blockade of the Argentine ports and preventing Argentine re-supply of the Falklands through the nuclear submarines on patrol within the TEZ.
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher maintained publicly that the Falklands would never be given up and swore to avenge the hundreds of British casualties. She ordered a crash program to re-commission HMS Bulwark or commission HMS Illustrious with RAF Harriers. To provide early warning and air defense, the UK started discussions with USA, Australia, and Brazil to lease a full-sized aircraft carrier and equip it with Harriers, Phantoms, and/or Gannets if pilots could be found with recent deck landing experience.
By the end of May, Britain presented evidence of the Russian Bear's role in the attack on HMS Hermes and announced the extension of the TEZ to include all Russian forces. In response, Russia started to strengthen their base in Luanda with long-range bombers and sent part of their Indian Ocean squadron to the South Atlantic
Author: Freek Schepers
Harpoon3.6.3 users can get the:
Complete Harpoon 3.6.3 Library
These scenarios can also be found on:
SubSim
HarPlonkHQ
- Herman Hum
- Captain
- Posts: 1318
- Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:32 am
Harpoon 3 scenarios for the PlayersDB
by Herman Hum » Sat Mar 24, 2007 7:24 am
Classic GIUK Battleset
The Norwegian sea is the rectangular area enclosed by Iceland, Norway, Greenland, and the north polar icecap. It is essentially a closed body of water. It can be entered from the north by going under the ice cap or around North Cape, and from the south through the straits between Greenland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom. This latter entrance is often called the "GIUK gap".
All of these entrances can be mined, patrolled, and otherwise monitored by today's sophisticated electronic sensors.
If the Soviet Union and NATO ever go to war, the Norwegian Sea will be one of the most fought over bodies of water in history. The geography of the Atlantic and each side's strategic goals in wartime make this almost inevitable.
NATO has based its strategy on a defensive war, slowing down and attriting (using slow unit-by-unit destruction) the Soviets until they are convinced that the terrible risk they took was in vain, and they cannot fulfill their war aims. The only problem with it is that the massive Soviet Army can probably win unless massive reinforcements from the US get across to Europe quickly. Ninety-five percent of these American and Canadian troops, weapons, and supplies would have to come by sea. There are not enough aircraft in the world to move it all by air.
It takes a fast ship four or five days to cross the Atlantic, a slow ship twice that long. The war material must be unloaded at a busy port and then moved on an overloaded and probably besieged transportation system to the front. Starting the stream of reinforcements early and smoothly is one of NATO's top priorities.
In concert with this effort to move supplies, NATO naval forces would be attempting to attack Soviet forces as they advanced along the Norwegian coast (the "Northern Flank"), pinning down Soviet Naval forces and perhaps even putting them on the defensive. This might draw valuable Soviet assets away from the central front.
Finally, NATO submarines would attack "The Bastion". This is a semi-enclosed area of water, such as the Kara Sea, or under the ice, where the Northern Fleet's ballistic missile submarines would hide, escorted and shielded by nuclear attack subs, Soviet ASW aircraft, and hunter-killer groups of Soviet ASW surface ships. [These same NATO subs could also conduct Tomahawk strikes on Soviet bases on the Kola Peninsula.]
Soviet strategy is not the mirror image of NATO's. The Soviet Navy's most important mission is to support and protect the ballistic missile subs, in their Bastions, keeping them secure until they are needed, or for use as a bargaining chip for post-war negotiations.
Their second priority is to defend the homeland from strikes by NATO. To do this they will try to detect NATO units as they enter the Norwegian Sea, classify them (so that they can determine the probable threat they pose), and attack them with submarines and aircraft.
Next, they will support the Army's efforts in Norway, trying to gain sea control along the coast and providing air cover and "sealift" or cargo support. The Soviet Navy could easily support a series of small "coast-hopping" assaults, each one outflanking the defenders.
Finally, they will send submarines and long-range aircraft into the Atlantic to attack the supply convoys that NATO will send across. Although the convoys have a high priority for NATO, it is much lower for the Soviets since only a few submarines sent into the Atlantic will force NATO to commit strong forces to escorting convoys. Consider the fact that fourteen German U-Boats were able to sink 450 Allied ships between January and July of 1942!
This may change, though. Soviet and NATO doctrines are both moving away from a nuclear (short) war to a conventional (long) war strategy. The longer the war, the greater the importance of sea lines of communication become.
Both side's missions will draw them into the Norwegian Sea. It is the buffer between two enemy fleets, the highway to enemy waters, and a goal in itself.
Dawn Patrol
The coast of Norway is made up of fjords and islands with high, rocky coasts. This is a perfect place for small surface craft to operate because the rock walls make them hard to spot on radar, and the short detection ranges make their smaller SSMs more useful than in the open ocean. Additionally, there are so many fjords and other places to hide such that no navy can afford enough large craft to do the job.
Author: Herman Hum
Gauntlet
The Soviets will attempt to seize Norwegian bases in any all-out war. This will be done by physically seizing some bases and cutting off others from the rest of NATO. NATO must re-supply these bases using naval convoys. The success or failure of the convoys will be of paramount importance to both NATO and Soviet commanders.
Author: Herman Hum
Hide and Seek
Soviet submarines are a grave threat to NATO plans to re-supply Europe. For Soviet submarines to get to the convoy routes, they must pass through the narrows around Iceland. It is here that NATO can concentrate its outnumbered ASW forces in an attempt to catch and kill Soviet submarines as they make their transit to and return from the convoy routes of the North Atlantic.
Author: Herman Hum
Convoy
NATO forces in Norway require re-supply of war materials to continue resisting Soviet ground forces. These supplies can only be transported in sufficient quantity by sea. It is as important to NATO to get their merchant ships into port and unloaded as it is to the Soviets to sink the cargo before delivery.
Author: Herman Hum
Gatekeeper
The GIUK gap is one of the most important pieces of naval real estate in the world. These straits connect the Norwegian Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Because NATO owns it, Soviet forces will have to run through a barrier of ASW defenses before they can reach their targets in the Atlantic. At the beginning of the war, the Soviets are surging large numbers of submarines through the GIUK gap. It is vital to the Soviet that they get through to attack NATO convoys and naval forces operating in the Atlantic. It is easier for NATO to find and destroy these subs before they reach the open ocean. If NATO can erect a barrier of units here, they can catch some of the Soviet subs trying to get into the Atlantic to attack the units operating there. NATO will use submarines, maritime patrol aircraft, and surface ships to destroy these subs. Some Soviet subs, possibly damaged or with their torpedoes and missiles expended, will be moving north. These units are valuable to the Soviets, but not as valuable as the combat-ready subs moving south.
Author: Herman Hum
Doolitov's Raid [H3.6.3]
NATO has committed massive amounts of air power to the land campaigns in Norway and on the Central Front in Europe. As a result, the Soviets are finding it tough going in these theatres. If they can successfully strike behind the lines in much the same way the US did to Japan during World War II and inflict serious damage on the cities and NATO bases on the British Isles, NATO will be forced to withdraw air assets from the front lines to better defend the British home turf.
Author: Herman Hum
Fortress Keflavik
Iceland is a vital base for NATO anti-submarine and air defense operations. Soviet bombers operating in the Norwegian Sea or trying to reach the Atlantic can be attacked by patrol planes based at Keflavik. It is critical to the Soviets to stop these operations against them by the NATO forces based in Iceland. They will do this either by using bomber raids to reduce the effectiveness of these forces or attempting to take control of the island. Since Iceland has no armed forces of its own, and strictly limits the armed forces of the NATO countries that occupy Keflavik, an assault by Soviet forces is probable.
Author: Herman Hum
Rapier
NATO fears the overwhelming power of Soviet cruise missile attacks launched from long-range land-based bombers. Most of these bombers are concentrated in a relatively few airfields on the Kola Peninsula. This fact is not lost on NATO planners. The Soviets can expect NATO to attack these airfields with cruise missile-equipped submarines in an attempt to disrupt Soviet attacks on NATO shipping.
Author: Herman Hum
Duel
The fighting over Keflavik has been so heavy that what remains of the airfield, currently held by NATO, is unusable. At the same time, the fighting in Europe has placed demands upon available resources that preclude either side sending long-range aircraft to attack or defend Iceland. The fate of Iceland will, therefore, be decided by a decisive surface battle.
This scenario is a re-make of a Harpoon Classic scenario from the original GIUK battleset and has been re-made for Harpoon 3 with the consent of AGSI.
Author: Herman Hum
Takeover
NATO forces stationed at the air bases and ports in Norway serve as a vital block to Soviet operations in the Norwegian Sea. They can also attack Soviet units in transit as they attempt to reach the open Atlantic. A Soviet occupation of one or more bases not only reduces the threat to their forces, but also provides forward bases for their aircraft and ships. Submarines will have their transit time back to base shortened by days and short-ranged tactical aircraft can be use more effectively. It is important to NATO that any Soviet amphibious assault force be weakened before it lands. If NATO forces can sink enough troopships, the Soviets will not be able to expand the beachhead and Soviet naval assets, which are needed elsewhere, will be tied down supporting their land forces.
Author: Herman Hum
Harpoon3.6.3 users can get the:
Complete Harpoon 3.6.3 Library
These scenarios can also be found on:
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The Norwegian sea is the rectangular area enclosed by Iceland, Norway, Greenland, and the north polar icecap. It is essentially a closed body of water. It can be entered from the north by going under the ice cap or around North Cape, and from the south through the straits between Greenland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom. This latter entrance is often called the "GIUK gap".
All of these entrances can be mined, patrolled, and otherwise monitored by today's sophisticated electronic sensors.
If the Soviet Union and NATO ever go to war, the Norwegian Sea will be one of the most fought over bodies of water in history. The geography of the Atlantic and each side's strategic goals in wartime make this almost inevitable.
NATO has based its strategy on a defensive war, slowing down and attriting (using slow unit-by-unit destruction) the Soviets until they are convinced that the terrible risk they took was in vain, and they cannot fulfill their war aims. The only problem with it is that the massive Soviet Army can probably win unless massive reinforcements from the US get across to Europe quickly. Ninety-five percent of these American and Canadian troops, weapons, and supplies would have to come by sea. There are not enough aircraft in the world to move it all by air.
It takes a fast ship four or five days to cross the Atlantic, a slow ship twice that long. The war material must be unloaded at a busy port and then moved on an overloaded and probably besieged transportation system to the front. Starting the stream of reinforcements early and smoothly is one of NATO's top priorities.
In concert with this effort to move supplies, NATO naval forces would be attempting to attack Soviet forces as they advanced along the Norwegian coast (the "Northern Flank"), pinning down Soviet Naval forces and perhaps even putting them on the defensive. This might draw valuable Soviet assets away from the central front.
Finally, NATO submarines would attack "The Bastion". This is a semi-enclosed area of water, such as the Kara Sea, or under the ice, where the Northern Fleet's ballistic missile submarines would hide, escorted and shielded by nuclear attack subs, Soviet ASW aircraft, and hunter-killer groups of Soviet ASW surface ships. [These same NATO subs could also conduct Tomahawk strikes on Soviet bases on the Kola Peninsula.]
Soviet strategy is not the mirror image of NATO's. The Soviet Navy's most important mission is to support and protect the ballistic missile subs, in their Bastions, keeping them secure until they are needed, or for use as a bargaining chip for post-war negotiations.
Their second priority is to defend the homeland from strikes by NATO. To do this they will try to detect NATO units as they enter the Norwegian Sea, classify them (so that they can determine the probable threat they pose), and attack them with submarines and aircraft.
Next, they will support the Army's efforts in Norway, trying to gain sea control along the coast and providing air cover and "sealift" or cargo support. The Soviet Navy could easily support a series of small "coast-hopping" assaults, each one outflanking the defenders.
Finally, they will send submarines and long-range aircraft into the Atlantic to attack the supply convoys that NATO will send across. Although the convoys have a high priority for NATO, it is much lower for the Soviets since only a few submarines sent into the Atlantic will force NATO to commit strong forces to escorting convoys. Consider the fact that fourteen German U-Boats were able to sink 450 Allied ships between January and July of 1942!
This may change, though. Soviet and NATO doctrines are both moving away from a nuclear (short) war to a conventional (long) war strategy. The longer the war, the greater the importance of sea lines of communication become.
Both side's missions will draw them into the Norwegian Sea. It is the buffer between two enemy fleets, the highway to enemy waters, and a goal in itself.
Dawn Patrol
The coast of Norway is made up of fjords and islands with high, rocky coasts. This is a perfect place for small surface craft to operate because the rock walls make them hard to spot on radar, and the short detection ranges make their smaller SSMs more useful than in the open ocean. Additionally, there are so many fjords and other places to hide such that no navy can afford enough large craft to do the job.
Author: Herman Hum
Gauntlet
The Soviets will attempt to seize Norwegian bases in any all-out war. This will be done by physically seizing some bases and cutting off others from the rest of NATO. NATO must re-supply these bases using naval convoys. The success or failure of the convoys will be of paramount importance to both NATO and Soviet commanders.
Author: Herman Hum
Hide and Seek
Soviet submarines are a grave threat to NATO plans to re-supply Europe. For Soviet submarines to get to the convoy routes, they must pass through the narrows around Iceland. It is here that NATO can concentrate its outnumbered ASW forces in an attempt to catch and kill Soviet submarines as they make their transit to and return from the convoy routes of the North Atlantic.
Author: Herman Hum
Convoy
NATO forces in Norway require re-supply of war materials to continue resisting Soviet ground forces. These supplies can only be transported in sufficient quantity by sea. It is as important to NATO to get their merchant ships into port and unloaded as it is to the Soviets to sink the cargo before delivery.
Author: Herman Hum
Gatekeeper
The GIUK gap is one of the most important pieces of naval real estate in the world. These straits connect the Norwegian Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Because NATO owns it, Soviet forces will have to run through a barrier of ASW defenses before they can reach their targets in the Atlantic. At the beginning of the war, the Soviets are surging large numbers of submarines through the GIUK gap. It is vital to the Soviet that they get through to attack NATO convoys and naval forces operating in the Atlantic. It is easier for NATO to find and destroy these subs before they reach the open ocean. If NATO can erect a barrier of units here, they can catch some of the Soviet subs trying to get into the Atlantic to attack the units operating there. NATO will use submarines, maritime patrol aircraft, and surface ships to destroy these subs. Some Soviet subs, possibly damaged or with their torpedoes and missiles expended, will be moving north. These units are valuable to the Soviets, but not as valuable as the combat-ready subs moving south.
Author: Herman Hum
Doolitov's Raid [H3.6.3]
NATO has committed massive amounts of air power to the land campaigns in Norway and on the Central Front in Europe. As a result, the Soviets are finding it tough going in these theatres. If they can successfully strike behind the lines in much the same way the US did to Japan during World War II and inflict serious damage on the cities and NATO bases on the British Isles, NATO will be forced to withdraw air assets from the front lines to better defend the British home turf.
Author: Herman Hum
Fortress Keflavik
Iceland is a vital base for NATO anti-submarine and air defense operations. Soviet bombers operating in the Norwegian Sea or trying to reach the Atlantic can be attacked by patrol planes based at Keflavik. It is critical to the Soviets to stop these operations against them by the NATO forces based in Iceland. They will do this either by using bomber raids to reduce the effectiveness of these forces or attempting to take control of the island. Since Iceland has no armed forces of its own, and strictly limits the armed forces of the NATO countries that occupy Keflavik, an assault by Soviet forces is probable.
Author: Herman Hum
Rapier
NATO fears the overwhelming power of Soviet cruise missile attacks launched from long-range land-based bombers. Most of these bombers are concentrated in a relatively few airfields on the Kola Peninsula. This fact is not lost on NATO planners. The Soviets can expect NATO to attack these airfields with cruise missile-equipped submarines in an attempt to disrupt Soviet attacks on NATO shipping.
Author: Herman Hum
Duel
The fighting over Keflavik has been so heavy that what remains of the airfield, currently held by NATO, is unusable. At the same time, the fighting in Europe has placed demands upon available resources that preclude either side sending long-range aircraft to attack or defend Iceland. The fate of Iceland will, therefore, be decided by a decisive surface battle.
This scenario is a re-make of a Harpoon Classic scenario from the original GIUK battleset and has been re-made for Harpoon 3 with the consent of AGSI.
Author: Herman Hum
Takeover
NATO forces stationed at the air bases and ports in Norway serve as a vital block to Soviet operations in the Norwegian Sea. They can also attack Soviet units in transit as they attempt to reach the open Atlantic. A Soviet occupation of one or more bases not only reduces the threat to their forces, but also provides forward bases for their aircraft and ships. Submarines will have their transit time back to base shortened by days and short-ranged tactical aircraft can be use more effectively. It is important to NATO that any Soviet amphibious assault force be weakened before it lands. If NATO forces can sink enough troopships, the Soviets will not be able to expand the beachhead and Soviet naval assets, which are needed elsewhere, will be tied down supporting their land forces.
Author: Herman Hum
Harpoon3.6.3 users can get the:
Complete Harpoon 3.6.3 Library
These scenarios can also be found on:
SubSim
HarPlonkHQ
- Herman Hum
- Captain
- Posts: 1318
- Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:32 am
Harpoon 3 scenarios for the PlayersDB
by Herman Hum » Sat Mar 31, 2007 6:33 am
Classic NACV Battleset
If war ever breaks out in Central Europe, the United States will have to move massive amounts of men and material to Europe in order to support its NATO allies. While some of the men and material can be transported by plane, most must be transported by ship. Presently, NATO estimates that 95 percent of the total tonnage needed in a full-scale war must come by sea. Not only can a ship carry more supplies, but there are many items that will not fit on even the largest of cargo aircraft. This BattleSet explores three methods for resupplying Europe by sea during war time.
The first method, the escorted convoy, was used in World Wars I and II. This tactic involves placing a large group of merchant ships under the protection of a ring of escorts. Defensive in appearance, the convoy is actually offensive at the operational level, since it draws the enemy submarines into range of the escorting warships. Historically, more ships have survived in convoys than they have unescorted. However, convoys are inefficient for several reasons. First, organizing the convoy takes time. Once organized, the convoy sails to its destination limited by the speed of the slowest ship in the convoy. Furthermore, the simultaneous arrival of so many ships burdens the port facilities and slows the unloading.
The second method, independent steaming, was also tried in both World Wars, sometimes with success, often without. Independent steaming involves small groups of ships sailing without the benefit of escorts. Unfortunately, this method leaves these ships completely vulnerable to attack. It is, however, more efficient than the convoy method, since less time is lost to organization, and the receiving ports are not overburdened. This method also allows faster ships to take advantage of their speed.
The third method, defended sea lanes, is a new concept, untested in actual war. The increased effectiveness of modern area-search sensors, combined with a lack of available escort ships, have driven modern tactics in new directions. Rather than hunting for submarines all over the Atlantic, NATO would instead set up a transit lane, a swath of ocean about 30 miles wide running from the US coast to Europe. Merchant ships would stay inside the bounds of this lane while they crossed the Atlantic. NATO escorts would defend the merchants by defending the sea lane, attacking any submarines that approached it. In theory, this method should require fewer escorts in order to protect the same number of ships. In addition, the burden on the receiving ports is reduced since the ships will arrive in a more manageable stream.
The Soviets will attempt to block any reinforcement of Europe by a combination of submarine and long range bomber attacks. The Soviet surface fleet will almost certainly stay in the Norwegian and Barents Seas. Their ships have limited range and would be reluctant to enter an ocean basin ringed by hostile bases. In the earliest part of the war, there might be a few Soviet merchant and intelligence gathering ships left in the North Atlantic, but these ships will not last more than a few hours.
Iceland is the strategic cornerstone of the North Atlantic. Different scenarios in this BattleSet explore the effects of each side controlling this vital island. Some scenarios may thus appear to be similar, with Iceland's ownership being the only major difference between them. You will find that Iceland is the pivot upon which the fate of NATO swings.
Any Port in a Storm
Although war at sea has been raging for several days, many merchant ships have not yet made it to safe haven. Additionally, many NATO warships have not yet organized themselves into task forces. There is a race between NATO combatants to shepherd the scattered merchantmen to port and Soviet submarines to sink as many of these merchantmen as possible.
This scenario is a re-make of a Harpoon Classic scenario from the original NACV battleset and has been re-made for Harpoon 3 with the consent of AGSI.
Author: Herman Hum
War off the Eastern Seaboard
Soviet attacks off the U.S. Eastern seaboard
During the early part of a Soviet-initiated naval war, Soviet submariners can be expected to declare open season against coastal shipping off the U.S. East Coast. U.S. ports, base, and airfields would also be subject to attack from these units. These attacks can tie up valuable NATO ASW resources which are badly needed elsewhere.
Author: Herman Hum
Bears at Bay
Action in the Bay of Biscay -- Much of NATO's sea power is based in European Atlantic ports. The shallow body of water known as the Bay of Biscay is a virtual highway for merchant and naval traffic. Because shallow water makes ASW detection more difficult, Soviet submariners can attack here with a good chance of success.
Author: Herman Hum
Infiltration
Submarine Attacks on Defended Sea Lane
NATO's southern Atlantic sea lane enters the Mediterranean to provide reinforcements to southern NATO countries. Although this sea lane takes longer to travel than the direct route across the Atlantic, NATO considers its to be less prone to attack due to its greater distance from Soviet air and submarine bases.
Author: Herman Hum
Ambush
Soviet Attack on a NATO Carrier Battle Group
NATO intends to reinforce Iceland's defenses by stationing a carrier battle group in the area. Once the carrier arrives, the combination of forces at Iceland will be almost impossible to penetrate. The Soviets want to prevent this and feel that they must sink the carrier before it reaches Iceland.
Author: Herman Hum
Brawl
Major Convoy Battle, NATO Controls Keflavik
A slow-moving convoy from Norfolk to Portsmouth is to be escorted by NATO forces. For NATO, the importance of getting supplies, men, and material to Europe cannot be overstated. For the Soviets, it is just as important to prevent these supplies from reaching their destination.
Author: Herman Hum
The Southern Crossing
After the fall of Keflavik, NATO is forced to change its strategy of re-supplying Europe. The convoys will face more opposition from Soviet air and submarine units and must consequently take a more southerly route. Because the U.S. and Great Britain must devote more forces to neutralizing the new Soviet base and protecting Scotland, the French and Spanish are now forced to take greater responsibility protecting the NATO convoys.
Author: Herman Hum
Forced Issue
High Speed Convoy Battle
Large high-speed merchant ships are extremely valuable to the NATO re-supply effort. These ships carry vitally needed supplies quickly and with a higher degree of safety than do slower vessels. With Keflavik in Soviet hands, thees faster ships are even more important to NATO on long trans-Atlantic runs.
Author: Herman Hum
The Long Run
Defended Sea Lane
In an attempt to reduce losses of merchant ships, NATO has implemented a defended sea lane running from New York to Brest. By providing AAW and ASW protection, U.S. and French carrier groups are a vital element in this strategy. If the Soviets can eliminate these forces, the sea lane will become vulnerable to Soviet air and submarine attack.
Author: Herman Hum
Harpoon3.6.3 users can get the:
Complete Harpoon 3.6.3 Library
These scenarios can also be found on:
SubSim
HarPlonkHQ
If war ever breaks out in Central Europe, the United States will have to move massive amounts of men and material to Europe in order to support its NATO allies. While some of the men and material can be transported by plane, most must be transported by ship. Presently, NATO estimates that 95 percent of the total tonnage needed in a full-scale war must come by sea. Not only can a ship carry more supplies, but there are many items that will not fit on even the largest of cargo aircraft. This BattleSet explores three methods for resupplying Europe by sea during war time.
The first method, the escorted convoy, was used in World Wars I and II. This tactic involves placing a large group of merchant ships under the protection of a ring of escorts. Defensive in appearance, the convoy is actually offensive at the operational level, since it draws the enemy submarines into range of the escorting warships. Historically, more ships have survived in convoys than they have unescorted. However, convoys are inefficient for several reasons. First, organizing the convoy takes time. Once organized, the convoy sails to its destination limited by the speed of the slowest ship in the convoy. Furthermore, the simultaneous arrival of so many ships burdens the port facilities and slows the unloading.
The second method, independent steaming, was also tried in both World Wars, sometimes with success, often without. Independent steaming involves small groups of ships sailing without the benefit of escorts. Unfortunately, this method leaves these ships completely vulnerable to attack. It is, however, more efficient than the convoy method, since less time is lost to organization, and the receiving ports are not overburdened. This method also allows faster ships to take advantage of their speed.
The third method, defended sea lanes, is a new concept, untested in actual war. The increased effectiveness of modern area-search sensors, combined with a lack of available escort ships, have driven modern tactics in new directions. Rather than hunting for submarines all over the Atlantic, NATO would instead set up a transit lane, a swath of ocean about 30 miles wide running from the US coast to Europe. Merchant ships would stay inside the bounds of this lane while they crossed the Atlantic. NATO escorts would defend the merchants by defending the sea lane, attacking any submarines that approached it. In theory, this method should require fewer escorts in order to protect the same number of ships. In addition, the burden on the receiving ports is reduced since the ships will arrive in a more manageable stream.
The Soviets will attempt to block any reinforcement of Europe by a combination of submarine and long range bomber attacks. The Soviet surface fleet will almost certainly stay in the Norwegian and Barents Seas. Their ships have limited range and would be reluctant to enter an ocean basin ringed by hostile bases. In the earliest part of the war, there might be a few Soviet merchant and intelligence gathering ships left in the North Atlantic, but these ships will not last more than a few hours.
Iceland is the strategic cornerstone of the North Atlantic. Different scenarios in this BattleSet explore the effects of each side controlling this vital island. Some scenarios may thus appear to be similar, with Iceland's ownership being the only major difference between them. You will find that Iceland is the pivot upon which the fate of NATO swings.
Any Port in a Storm
Although war at sea has been raging for several days, many merchant ships have not yet made it to safe haven. Additionally, many NATO warships have not yet organized themselves into task forces. There is a race between NATO combatants to shepherd the scattered merchantmen to port and Soviet submarines to sink as many of these merchantmen as possible.
This scenario is a re-make of a Harpoon Classic scenario from the original NACV battleset and has been re-made for Harpoon 3 with the consent of AGSI.
Author: Herman Hum
War off the Eastern Seaboard
Soviet attacks off the U.S. Eastern seaboard
During the early part of a Soviet-initiated naval war, Soviet submariners can be expected to declare open season against coastal shipping off the U.S. East Coast. U.S. ports, base, and airfields would also be subject to attack from these units. These attacks can tie up valuable NATO ASW resources which are badly needed elsewhere.
Author: Herman Hum
Bears at Bay
Action in the Bay of Biscay -- Much of NATO's sea power is based in European Atlantic ports. The shallow body of water known as the Bay of Biscay is a virtual highway for merchant and naval traffic. Because shallow water makes ASW detection more difficult, Soviet submariners can attack here with a good chance of success.
Author: Herman Hum
Infiltration
Submarine Attacks on Defended Sea Lane
NATO's southern Atlantic sea lane enters the Mediterranean to provide reinforcements to southern NATO countries. Although this sea lane takes longer to travel than the direct route across the Atlantic, NATO considers its to be less prone to attack due to its greater distance from Soviet air and submarine bases.
Author: Herman Hum
Ambush
Soviet Attack on a NATO Carrier Battle Group
NATO intends to reinforce Iceland's defenses by stationing a carrier battle group in the area. Once the carrier arrives, the combination of forces at Iceland will be almost impossible to penetrate. The Soviets want to prevent this and feel that they must sink the carrier before it reaches Iceland.
Author: Herman Hum
Brawl
Major Convoy Battle, NATO Controls Keflavik
A slow-moving convoy from Norfolk to Portsmouth is to be escorted by NATO forces. For NATO, the importance of getting supplies, men, and material to Europe cannot be overstated. For the Soviets, it is just as important to prevent these supplies from reaching their destination.
Author: Herman Hum
The Southern Crossing
After the fall of Keflavik, NATO is forced to change its strategy of re-supplying Europe. The convoys will face more opposition from Soviet air and submarine units and must consequently take a more southerly route. Because the U.S. and Great Britain must devote more forces to neutralizing the new Soviet base and protecting Scotland, the French and Spanish are now forced to take greater responsibility protecting the NATO convoys.
Author: Herman Hum
Forced Issue
High Speed Convoy Battle
Large high-speed merchant ships are extremely valuable to the NATO re-supply effort. These ships carry vitally needed supplies quickly and with a higher degree of safety than do slower vessels. With Keflavik in Soviet hands, thees faster ships are even more important to NATO on long trans-Atlantic runs.
Author: Herman Hum
The Long Run
Defended Sea Lane
In an attempt to reduce losses of merchant ships, NATO has implemented a defended sea lane running from New York to Brest. By providing AAW and ASW protection, U.S. and French carrier groups are a vital element in this strategy. If the Soviets can eliminate these forces, the sea lane will become vulnerable to Soviet air and submarine attack.
Author: Herman Hum
Harpoon3.6.3 users can get the:
Complete Harpoon 3.6.3 Library
These scenarios can also be found on:
SubSim
HarPlonkHQ
- Herman Hum
- Captain
- Posts: 1318
- Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:32 am
Harpoon 3 scenarios for the PlayersDB
by Herman Hum » Sat Apr 14, 2007 3:41 am
Blue Water Navy Battleset
This series of scenarios has been inspired by Michael A. Palmer's book, "The War that Never Was", iBooks, 2003.
The approximate year of the war is the mid-1980s. For one reason or another, on July 14, 198X, the USSR has decided to initiate hostilities with a blitzkrieg-style attack into West Germany.
Mugging the Forrestal
This scenario is an interpretation of the account from Michael A. Palmer's, "The War that Never Was".
"Northern Fleet headquarters had closely monitored the movements of the Forrestal task force in the Norwegian Sea. Based on the Bakan's reports, Obnorsky's fleet command post at Severomorsk (KPF) vectored two submarines -- an Oscar II-class SSGN and a Victor II-class SSN -- from positions east of Iceland into contact with the Forrestal task force."
Author: Herman Hum
Operation RINOK-CAD
This scenario is an interpretation of the account from Michael A. Palmer's, "The War that Never Was".
"Codenamed RINOK-CAD, the Soviet plan was designed to break the Lyngen position by preventing NATO reinforcement of the Fortress region and enveloping the left flank of the Norwegian defenses. The RINOK forces included the 76th Guards Airborne division, the Leningrad Military District's Air Assault Brigade (LAAB), and the 63rd Marine Brigade. The drop of the 76th Guards at Bodo would prevent the movement of reinforcements north along the E6 from southern Norway. The LAAB would seize the airfield at Evenes and the bridge at Skanland which connected the mainland to Hinnoy Island. The five battalions of the 63rd Marine Brigade would land on Hinnoy and capture the port of Harstad, link up with the air assault brigade, and mount a division-sized drive that would threaten both the port of Narvik and the airbase at Bardufoss. Soviet frontal aviation assets would attack northern Norwegian airbases both to reduce the sortie rate of NATO interceptors and to prevent the movement of reinforcements by air into the Fortress region. The Soviet Northern Fleet, after escorting the Marine Brigade to Harstad, would establish at least temporary control in the northern Norwegian Sea and prevent the landing of NATO amphibious forces in north Norway."
Author: Herman Hum
Knife-Fight
This scenario is an interpretation of the account from Michael A. Palmer's, "The War that Never Was".
"At 0315 on the 14th, after receiving a prearranged extra low frequency (ELF) radio message to begin hostilities, the Oscar fired a pair of Type-65 wake-homing torpedoes at the Forrestal at a range of forty-five miles...
The Victor III evaded an attack by the John Rodger's SH-60B Seahawk LAMPS III, but was driven to the south of the American task force. Doing so put her squarely in the path of the Royal Navy SSN Talent.
This Trafalgar-class nuclear attack boat had departed the 2nd Submarine Squadron base at Devonport, near Plymouth, on the morning of 11 July to reinforce NATO submarines already in the Norwegian Sea. At 0306 on the 14th, the Talent, trailing a communications buoy, had received a coded VLF message--hostilities had commenced. Aware that the course of the Forrestal task force would shortly converge with that of the Talent, Captain Alan Maunde, not eager to risk an attack by "overanxious or jumpy American ASW types," decided to slow his passage north and allow the Americans to pass."
For best results, this scenario should be played with Nuclear Weapons enabled.
Author: Herman Hum
Bagel Station
This scenario is an interpretation of the account from Michael A. Palmer's, "The War that Never Was".
"Soviet anti-carrier doctrine called for coordinated strikes by surface groups, submarines, and land-based Soviet naval aviation forces. Badgers and Backfires would launch their air-to-surface missiles at maximum standoff range -- 100 to 250 miles. Soviet surface ships, in sensor contact with the American task force, would provide terminal guidance and direct the missiles to their targets. These surface ships, along with missile-armed Soviet submarines, would simultaneously launch attacks of their own. Combined action would thus flood American air, missile, and gun defenses, even the vaunted Aegis system, and destroy the targets.
Unfortunately, in the Eastern Mediterranean combined action was impossible. The Soviet Defense Council had decided, at the recommendation of the Ministry of Defense, that the war would start at 0300 hours, central European time (0400 in the eastern Mediterranean)."
Author: Herman Hum
Spanish Omelet
This scenario is an interpretation of the account from Michael A. Palmer's, "The War that Never Was".
"For the Spanish Navy, the Third World War began at 1040, when five Descubierta-class frigates of the 21st Squadron from Cartegena detected a Tango-class diesel south of Majorca."
Author: Herman Hum
A Tale of Two Carriers - Part 1
This scenario is an interpretation of the account from Michael A. Palmer's, "The War that Never Was".
"At 2300 on 13 July, the Soviet intelligence ship Zond had reported the departure from Rota of V.Adm. Joaquin Luis Martin-Ortega Grupo Aeronaval Alfa -- a task force that included the carrier Principe de Asturias and three Santa Maria (Perry)-class frigates. The Black Sea KPF immediately vectored two Soviet submarines that were in the Atlantic about 200 miles west of Rota -- a Foxtrot-class diesel, and a nuclear-powered Charlie II -- into position for attacks on the Spanish force."
Author: Herman Hum
A Tale of Two Carriers - Part 2
This scenario is an interpretation of the account from Michael A. Palmer's, "The War that Never Was".
"The French Navy was at full alert status. On 13 July, the commander-in-chief of the Mediterranean fleet VADM Jean-Claude Ricaud, had raised his flag aboard the aged carrier, Foch at Toulon. Several submarines and destroyers had already deployed to the south.
The Soviet submarine campaign in the Western Mediterranean began promisingly enough at 0345 when a Kilo-class diesel boat torpedoed the French destroyer Aconit off the north coast of Sardinia."
Author: Herman Hum
Hemphill's Ordeal
This scenario is an interpretation of the account from Michael A. Palmer's, "The War that Never Was".
"About a dozen Soviet submarines of various types, both diesel and nuclear-powered, lay athwart the sea lanes leading toward the Norwegian Sea. The Soviet Northern Fleet staff had charged its submarines with three tasks: reconnaissance for long-range SNA strikes, delaying the movement north of key American convoys and task forces, and attacking NATO ships and installations with torpedoes and missiles.
The Soviets had far better success with more traditional attacks. In the first twenty-four hours of the war, Soviet submarines and strike aircraft sank nearly half of the twenty-five ships in four convoys steaming for north Norway. By the evening of the 14th, one American destroyer, five frigates, and five freighters were at the bottom of the North Atlantic."
Author: Herman Hum
Get the Tbilisi
This scenario is an interpretation of the account from Michael A. Palmer's, "The War that Never Was".
"... A large convoy of eight Soviet cargo vessels carrying supplies and equipment had rounded the North Cape and was making its way to Harstad. Attack NATO aircraft were driven off by the Tbilisi's Flankers and Forgers. The Soviet carrier had covered the landing of the Northern Fleet's Marines at Harstad and seemed likely to safeguard the movement of the brigade's equipment and supplies to the newly established beachhead as well. Moreover, the carrier's fighters hindered movement by air of Norwegian reinforcements from the south to Bardufoss.
To Sir Owen, the continued presence of the Tbilisi in the Norwegian Sea ensured early defeat for NATO in north Norway. 'I would never have believed before the war', he confided to his naval aide, 'that one relatively small carrier could cause so many large problems.' At 0430 on the fifteenth of July, a tired GEN Peirse call CINCEASTLANT Hill-Norton at his Northwood, Middlesex, headquarters and explained the situation. 'Ben, your subs have got to get that Russian carrier out of there so my air can get to their cargo ships. Otherwise, we're facing disaster up north. My Norwegian boats can't do it alone.'
Hill-Norton was sympathetic. The ability of the Tbilisi's air group to fend off attacks from NATO land-based air and the Forrestal had surprised the Royal Navy's CINC, upset a variety of plans, and led to the wholesale destruction of Norwegian surface forces. 'Yes,' Hill-Norton responded, 'if we are going to get that carrier any time soon, our submarines will have to do the job. I'll talk to Dave.'"
"... Following the successful Soviet amphibious landing at Harstad, [Dave] Livesay had directed his submarines to focus their efforts against the well-screen Soviet supply convoy making its way along the Norwegian coast. Many of his submarines had been drawn inward toward the coast in an unsuccessful last-ditch attempt to prevent the amphibious landing on Hinnoy Island. Others had sparred, with some success, throughout D day with the Russian ASW group which screened the Tbilisi force further north. Later-arriving boats had been sent toward the North Cape, to loop around the rear of the powerful Russian task forces covering the approach of the supply convoy, and to get at the freighters, the sinking of which Hill-Norton himself had assigned top priority."
By 0600 on the fifteenth, several NATO SSNs had managed to make shallow runs and "pick up their mail," as one U.S. Navy submarine commander put it.
Author: Herman Hum
Harpoon3.6.3 users can get the:
Complete Harpoon 3.6.3 Library
These scenarios can also be found on:
SubSim
HarPlonkHQ
This series of scenarios has been inspired by Michael A. Palmer's book, "The War that Never Was", iBooks, 2003.
The approximate year of the war is the mid-1980s. For one reason or another, on July 14, 198X, the USSR has decided to initiate hostilities with a blitzkrieg-style attack into West Germany.
Mugging the Forrestal
This scenario is an interpretation of the account from Michael A. Palmer's, "The War that Never Was".
"Northern Fleet headquarters had closely monitored the movements of the Forrestal task force in the Norwegian Sea. Based on the Bakan's reports, Obnorsky's fleet command post at Severomorsk (KPF) vectored two submarines -- an Oscar II-class SSGN and a Victor II-class SSN -- from positions east of Iceland into contact with the Forrestal task force."
Author: Herman Hum
Operation RINOK-CAD
This scenario is an interpretation of the account from Michael A. Palmer's, "The War that Never Was".
"Codenamed RINOK-CAD, the Soviet plan was designed to break the Lyngen position by preventing NATO reinforcement of the Fortress region and enveloping the left flank of the Norwegian defenses. The RINOK forces included the 76th Guards Airborne division, the Leningrad Military District's Air Assault Brigade (LAAB), and the 63rd Marine Brigade. The drop of the 76th Guards at Bodo would prevent the movement of reinforcements north along the E6 from southern Norway. The LAAB would seize the airfield at Evenes and the bridge at Skanland which connected the mainland to Hinnoy Island. The five battalions of the 63rd Marine Brigade would land on Hinnoy and capture the port of Harstad, link up with the air assault brigade, and mount a division-sized drive that would threaten both the port of Narvik and the airbase at Bardufoss. Soviet frontal aviation assets would attack northern Norwegian airbases both to reduce the sortie rate of NATO interceptors and to prevent the movement of reinforcements by air into the Fortress region. The Soviet Northern Fleet, after escorting the Marine Brigade to Harstad, would establish at least temporary control in the northern Norwegian Sea and prevent the landing of NATO amphibious forces in north Norway."
Author: Herman Hum
Knife-Fight
This scenario is an interpretation of the account from Michael A. Palmer's, "The War that Never Was".
"At 0315 on the 14th, after receiving a prearranged extra low frequency (ELF) radio message to begin hostilities, the Oscar fired a pair of Type-65 wake-homing torpedoes at the Forrestal at a range of forty-five miles...
The Victor III evaded an attack by the John Rodger's SH-60B Seahawk LAMPS III, but was driven to the south of the American task force. Doing so put her squarely in the path of the Royal Navy SSN Talent.
This Trafalgar-class nuclear attack boat had departed the 2nd Submarine Squadron base at Devonport, near Plymouth, on the morning of 11 July to reinforce NATO submarines already in the Norwegian Sea. At 0306 on the 14th, the Talent, trailing a communications buoy, had received a coded VLF message--hostilities had commenced. Aware that the course of the Forrestal task force would shortly converge with that of the Talent, Captain Alan Maunde, not eager to risk an attack by "overanxious or jumpy American ASW types," decided to slow his passage north and allow the Americans to pass."
For best results, this scenario should be played with Nuclear Weapons enabled.
Author: Herman Hum
Bagel Station
This scenario is an interpretation of the account from Michael A. Palmer's, "The War that Never Was".
"Soviet anti-carrier doctrine called for coordinated strikes by surface groups, submarines, and land-based Soviet naval aviation forces. Badgers and Backfires would launch their air-to-surface missiles at maximum standoff range -- 100 to 250 miles. Soviet surface ships, in sensor contact with the American task force, would provide terminal guidance and direct the missiles to their targets. These surface ships, along with missile-armed Soviet submarines, would simultaneously launch attacks of their own. Combined action would thus flood American air, missile, and gun defenses, even the vaunted Aegis system, and destroy the targets.
Unfortunately, in the Eastern Mediterranean combined action was impossible. The Soviet Defense Council had decided, at the recommendation of the Ministry of Defense, that the war would start at 0300 hours, central European time (0400 in the eastern Mediterranean)."
Author: Herman Hum
Spanish Omelet
This scenario is an interpretation of the account from Michael A. Palmer's, "The War that Never Was".
"For the Spanish Navy, the Third World War began at 1040, when five Descubierta-class frigates of the 21st Squadron from Cartegena detected a Tango-class diesel south of Majorca."
Author: Herman Hum
A Tale of Two Carriers - Part 1
This scenario is an interpretation of the account from Michael A. Palmer's, "The War that Never Was".
"At 2300 on 13 July, the Soviet intelligence ship Zond had reported the departure from Rota of V.Adm. Joaquin Luis Martin-Ortega Grupo Aeronaval Alfa -- a task force that included the carrier Principe de Asturias and three Santa Maria (Perry)-class frigates. The Black Sea KPF immediately vectored two Soviet submarines that were in the Atlantic about 200 miles west of Rota -- a Foxtrot-class diesel, and a nuclear-powered Charlie II -- into position for attacks on the Spanish force."
Author: Herman Hum
A Tale of Two Carriers - Part 2
This scenario is an interpretation of the account from Michael A. Palmer's, "The War that Never Was".
"The French Navy was at full alert status. On 13 July, the commander-in-chief of the Mediterranean fleet VADM Jean-Claude Ricaud, had raised his flag aboard the aged carrier, Foch at Toulon. Several submarines and destroyers had already deployed to the south.
The Soviet submarine campaign in the Western Mediterranean began promisingly enough at 0345 when a Kilo-class diesel boat torpedoed the French destroyer Aconit off the north coast of Sardinia."
Author: Herman Hum
Hemphill's Ordeal
This scenario is an interpretation of the account from Michael A. Palmer's, "The War that Never Was".
"About a dozen Soviet submarines of various types, both diesel and nuclear-powered, lay athwart the sea lanes leading toward the Norwegian Sea. The Soviet Northern Fleet staff had charged its submarines with three tasks: reconnaissance for long-range SNA strikes, delaying the movement north of key American convoys and task forces, and attacking NATO ships and installations with torpedoes and missiles.
The Soviets had far better success with more traditional attacks. In the first twenty-four hours of the war, Soviet submarines and strike aircraft sank nearly half of the twenty-five ships in four convoys steaming for north Norway. By the evening of the 14th, one American destroyer, five frigates, and five freighters were at the bottom of the North Atlantic."
Author: Herman Hum
Get the Tbilisi
This scenario is an interpretation of the account from Michael A. Palmer's, "The War that Never Was".
"... A large convoy of eight Soviet cargo vessels carrying supplies and equipment had rounded the North Cape and was making its way to Harstad. Attack NATO aircraft were driven off by the Tbilisi's Flankers and Forgers. The Soviet carrier had covered the landing of the Northern Fleet's Marines at Harstad and seemed likely to safeguard the movement of the brigade's equipment and supplies to the newly established beachhead as well. Moreover, the carrier's fighters hindered movement by air of Norwegian reinforcements from the south to Bardufoss.
To Sir Owen, the continued presence of the Tbilisi in the Norwegian Sea ensured early defeat for NATO in north Norway. 'I would never have believed before the war', he confided to his naval aide, 'that one relatively small carrier could cause so many large problems.' At 0430 on the fifteenth of July, a tired GEN Peirse call CINCEASTLANT Hill-Norton at his Northwood, Middlesex, headquarters and explained the situation. 'Ben, your subs have got to get that Russian carrier out of there so my air can get to their cargo ships. Otherwise, we're facing disaster up north. My Norwegian boats can't do it alone.'
Hill-Norton was sympathetic. The ability of the Tbilisi's air group to fend off attacks from NATO land-based air and the Forrestal had surprised the Royal Navy's CINC, upset a variety of plans, and led to the wholesale destruction of Norwegian surface forces. 'Yes,' Hill-Norton responded, 'if we are going to get that carrier any time soon, our submarines will have to do the job. I'll talk to Dave.'"
"... Following the successful Soviet amphibious landing at Harstad, [Dave] Livesay had directed his submarines to focus their efforts against the well-screen Soviet supply convoy making its way along the Norwegian coast. Many of his submarines had been drawn inward toward the coast in an unsuccessful last-ditch attempt to prevent the amphibious landing on Hinnoy Island. Others had sparred, with some success, throughout D day with the Russian ASW group which screened the Tbilisi force further north. Later-arriving boats had been sent toward the North Cape, to loop around the rear of the powerful Russian task forces covering the approach of the supply convoy, and to get at the freighters, the sinking of which Hill-Norton himself had assigned top priority."
By 0600 on the fifteenth, several NATO SSNs had managed to make shallow runs and "pick up their mail," as one U.S. Navy submarine commander put it.
Author: Herman Hum
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