MEDC

Hot Start with tovarich Tupolev, JFK in the Med 1988.

Hot Start with tovarich Tupolev, JFK in the Med 1988.
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.013 and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.
This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO side or from the Red/Soviet. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.
Image: An aerial port bow view of USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67), with embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3, conducting high speed manoeuvres, circa 1989 and depicting the same air wing displayed on this scenario. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 300-CFD-DN-ST-89-02161, took by a serviceperson on duty and in consequence on public domain.
This scenario was initially based on that titled Tattletale of the Admiralty Trilogy’s recent book “High Tide” second edition.
But as usual my personal research of the scenario and my “rivet counter” syndrome made me complicated it, adding a great number of historically correct Soviet Long Range Aviation and Naval Aviation units to balance more the scenario.
The Soviet supposed strategy was to neutralize the US carrier in the Mediterranean in the first hours or the first day of an open WWIII in the 1980s.
The idea is a surprise attack from the scenario start with Soviet naval forces, trying to damage USS John F Kennedy (CV-67), exploiting the lack of readiness of her air wing the first hours of the conflict.
Later, supersonic and subsonic Tupolev bombers of many types should finish the carrier, attacking her with long range and big supersonic missiles, with the stockpile of anti-ship missiles probably exhausted after the first three attack waves or similar (as saw in the Russian Invasion of Ukraine).
Overflight of Greece and Turkiye are guaranteed by the usual Soviet nuclear menaces and blackmail against both countries, with only some few Greek empty airbases present.
The Soviet target is clear, to neutralize the US aircraft carrier.
The NATO target is even more clear, survive the aircraft carrier beyond the first day of war.
This scenario is for me balanced, winnable for both sides, and very interesting, because the very asymmetrical forces.
As sidenote are supplied two almost identical variants of the scenario, one with and one without Soviet AGI ships (adjusting the victory conditions by the presence of more ships), marking with their presence the relative zone of Soviet SSGNs and “aiding” on their anti-ship missile targeting, in case someone is using a game version previous to 2024.006.
Enrique Mas, November 24, 2024.

24 downloads

Submitted November 24, 2024

Ukrainian Falcons, August 2024. Hypothetical Scenario.

By broncepulido

Ukrainian Falcons, August 2024. Hypothetical Scenario.
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.013 and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.
This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/Ukrainian/NATO side or from the Red/Russian. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.
Image: A Ukrainian Tupolev Tu-22M3 (NATO-Codename: Backfire-C) bomber is dismantled through assistance provided by the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program implemented by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, November 12, 2002. Depend on Russia and its consecutive nuclear disarmament was probably the greatest error of the Ukrainian history. Photo by an US serviceperson on duty, and in consequence in public domain, took from Wikipedia Commons.
From the eventful year of 2014 (Mainly from the Russian invasion of Crimea) the world was beginning clearly the so-called Second Cold War, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB lieutenant colonel) was showing clearly his plan to recover the Russian Empire including previous Soviet territories for reinstitute the greatness of "his" Russia, and to guarantee his passage on the History as saviour of the Rodina.
After the massive Russian build-up of forces from late 2021 in Russia and Belarus near the Ukrainian border, NATO forces were forced to an increased and constant deployment near Ukraine and the Eastern Mediterranean, to deterrent Putin's ambition.
The probably original plan was to avoid an intervention by NATO ground forces but preventing the Russian main forces to enter Ukrainian territory, and to get this target to establish an air and sea exclusion zone around and over Ukraine.
But at last, on February 24, 2022, Russian forces invaded Ukraine against most forecast, sinking the world in a new state of international relations, as consequence of a long and failed campaign of unexpected outcomes, extended more than two years at this moment.
After that time, the Ukrainian Air Force is almost depleted of effective aircrafts, and at last at late July 2024, and after a long preparation, the first F-16AM/BM begin to arrive in Ukraine. They come from many NATO countries, mostly Denmark, Netherlands, Norway and Denmark, and were update in the early 2000, expected to receive between 79 and 129. But they came apparently supplied with older models of AIM-9M Sidewinder and AIM-120B AMRAAM, not with state of art AIM-9X-2 or AIM-120C-7.
Many speculated at the Russian invasion start about NATO establishing an air exclusion zone over Ukraine, but that time was over after the first days of war.
This scenario is very simple and mainly abstract and hypothetical, and not based in the real (secret!) placement of the Ukrainian F-16AM.
I started it as a simple test of capabilities developed in only two or three hours (After some days of thinking on it), and grow a little, and decided to publish it as tribute to the Ukrainian resistance against the invader.
Enrique Mas, August 7, 2024.

21 downloads

Submitted August 7, 2024

Black Sea Ghosts. June 2023. Historical Alternate Scenario.

By broncepulido

A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.013 and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.
This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/Ukrainian/NATO side or from the Red/Russian. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.
Image: The Soviet Project 864 Meridian-class intelligence collection ship Kareliya (SSV-535), sistership of Priazovye (437) who was involved in the receiving side of the Ukrainian mid-2023 USVs open sea strikes, steaming alongside the U.S. Navy guided missile cruiser USS Texas (CGN-39) in the First Cold War. Texas was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) for a deployment in the Western Pacific from 15 June to 16 December 1988. US Navy photo by a serviceperson on duty and in consequence on public domain, and took from Wikipedia Commons.
From the eventful year of 2014 (Mainly from the Russian invasion of Crimea) the world was beginning clearly the so-called Second Cold War, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB lieutenant colonel) was showing clearly his plan to recover the Russian Empire including previous Soviet territories for reinstitute the greatness of "his" Russia, and to guarantee his passage on the History as saviour of the Rodina.
After the massive Russian build-up of forces from late 2021 in Russia and Belarus near the Ukrainian border, NATO forces were forced to an increased and constant deployment near Ukraine and the Eastern Mediterranean, to deterrent Putin's ambition.
The probably original plan was to avoid an intervention by NATO ground forces but preventing the Russian main forces to enter Ukrainian territory, and to get this target to establish an air and sea exclusion zone around and over Ukraine.
But at last, on February 24, 2022, Russian forces invaded Ukraine against most forecast, sinking the world in a new state of international relations, as consequence of a long and failed campaign of unexpected outcomes.
On the conflict naval side, many new tactics and strategies has been employed as novelties in the Ukrainian campaign, including many that could be called of naval guerrilla warfare.
One of the novelties is the employ of USVs (Unmanned Surface Vehicles) not only against moored ships in port, but also against underway ships on open sea.
In concrete attacks on the Russian intelligence ships Ivan Khurs on May 24, and Priazovye on June 11, 2023, the first with three USVs, and the second employing six USVs.
This scenario depicts those inconclusive Ukrainian attacks against Russian AGIs in the Black Sea.
A very simple and easy scenario, at least apparently, and perhaps surprisingly balanced.
Enrique Mas, June 17, 2023.

38 downloads

Submitted June 17, 2023

Exercise Dynamic Manta 2023 (DYMA23). 27 February-10 March 2023. Historical Training Scenario.

By broncepulido

Exercise Dynamic Manta 2023 (DYMA 23), February 27-March 10, 2023. Historical Training Scenario.
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170308 new standard 1980-2025 Platform Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.
This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO side or from the Red/NATO side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.

Image: The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS James E Williams (DDG-95) flagship of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 on this time period, departs from Norfolk, Virginia, for Mediterranean NATO deployment, December 2, 2022. Photo released by Commander, US 2nd Fleet Public Affairs, took by a serviceperson on duty, and in consequence on public domain.

This text begins as the usual introduction to Dynamic Manta exercise previous years, but this time is for more real, as we are for a year living in the abyss edge.
From the eventful year of 2014 the World was beginning the so-called Second Cold War, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB lieutenant colonel) was showing clearly his plan to recover the Russian Empire and later Soviet territories for reinstitute the greatness of his Russia, and to guarantee his passage on the History as saviour of the Rodina.
At last the Russian campaign for the invasion of Ukraine started on February 24, 2022.
But was only the apex and last outcome of a succession of military actions. From May 2014 Putin was provoking in succession the Crimea, Ukraine, Donetsk, Baltic States, October 2014 Swedish submarine incursion, G-20 Brisbane meeting naval crisis, November 2014 Faslane submarine incident, frigate Yaroslav Mudryy February "Channel Dash", April 2015 Finnish submarine incursion (for many observers causing the pre-mobilization of Finland reserve forces), Russian intervention in Syria from 30 September 2015, shoot-down by Turkish F-16 fighters equipped with AIM-120 AMRAAM on 24 November 2015 of a Russian Su-24M as consequence of the repeated unlawful overflights of Turkey by Russian warplanes based in Latakia, and after two months of repeated warning, March 2016 detection by the French of a Russian submarine near Bay of Biscay and the SSBN base, the propaganda stunt of the deployment of the only one Russian aircraft carrier Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov steaming (a lot, literally) from Kola Bay towards Eastern Mediterranean from October 15, 2016, and with constant and multiple Russian overflies with military warplanes entangled in potential incidents with commercial flights in Europe, so far as at the Portuguese shores.
That without counting in other unrelated naval incidents aside the upcoming Second Cold War, just as the Iranian seizure of the merchant Maersk Tigris in 28 April 2015, the shore-based anti-ship missile attacks against the catamaran transport ex Swift (HSV-2) and US destroyers on the Red Sea in October 2016 and the ulterior retaliation, the first military operation of the Trump Administration on January 28, 2017, the MV-22B tiltrotor raid of SEAL Team 6 operating from USS Makin Island (LHD-8) against Houthi Yemen, and later on January 30, an Al-Madinah-class Saudi frigate was attacked and damaged probably by a Houthi suicide or drone boat off Al Hudaydah, Houthi Yemen. (And neither counting in great landlocked actions, as the counter-Daesh operations in Middle East).
And meanwhile, more towards Far East a less perceived and growing problem was China, as reflected in the transfer of the 60% of the USN and USAF combat forces to the Pacific Theatre of Operations from 2012, move to be completed by 2020.
The first iteration of this scenario was designed six years ago, based in the big anti-submarine exercise Dynamic Manta 2017 begun in 13 March 2017, and was not interpreted by many journalists as an answer to the latest Russian actions and menacing postures as in the case of Dynamic Mongoose 2015, as it was actually a yearly exercise. But in the current world situation was legit to think otherwise. Four years later the reality was probably those and other continuous exercises, the NATO Baltic Air Policing, and the deployment of token NATO ground forces in the Baltic States and rest of Eastern Europe, are showing to Putin's Russia the resolution to defend Europe and allies as a whole, and preventing the development of a hot war.
But from 2017 to 2022 the international situation was going worse. Increased tensions and open conflicts in Eastern Ukraine, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, the recent, fast, innovative and decisive war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the increased foreign operations of Iran, Qatar and the UAE, including proxy attacks against Saudi Arabia and the crescendo of the Turkish military power cutting ties with the Western alliances. Not an easy near future for the new President Biden and the traditional European partners.
But ... by hazard the previous lines were wrote and posted (minor corrections aside) for Dynamic Manta 2022 in February 25, 2022, just minutes before the first news of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
From then, all we live in a different and more extreme world.
But standard procedures and drills need to continue.
Nowadays Dynamic Manta 2023 is centred in Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, commanded by Rear Admiral Michael Scott Sciretta, USN, composed this time by the flagship Arleigh Burke-class Flight IIA guided missile destroyer USS James E. Williams (DDG-95), Italian Navy FREMM ASW-variant frigate Carlo Margottini F-592, Turkish Barbaros-class/Meko 200TN Track-IIA frigate Barbaros F-244, and Greek Hydra-class/Meko 200HN frigate Psara F-454), and many others air, surface and subsurface elements.
Of course this is a training exercise and actual shots, torpedoes and missiles aren't fired and nobody is hurt ... but in the alternate timeline we share now everything is possible, and that previous affirmation can be untrue.
Enrique Mas, March 25, 2023.

22 downloads

Submitted March 25, 2023

MEDC 2003 Vengeance Plus

By donaldseadog

This is a more demanding remake of the standard scenario one from the MEDC 2003 battleset "Vengeance"
In the haste to get underway the US carrier group is short handed, friends of Lybia are nosing around and possibly giving aid.
You'll need to plan IFR and carefully utilise your available strike assets. If you've played and mastered the original then this will have a few twists to extend the fun.
donaldseadog 21/Dec/2022

21 downloads

Submitted December 21, 2022

Two of Five Carriers: Battle for the Eastern Med. Late November 2022. Historical Alternate Scenario.

By broncepulido

Two of Five Carriers: Battle for the Eastern Med. Late November 2022. Historical Alternate Scenario.
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.013 and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.
This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO side or from the Red/Russian and allies side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.
Image: The Italian navy flagship, aircraft carrier ITS Cavour (CVH 550), arrives at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, March 26, 2021, deployed to the United States for its initial period of flying trials with the F-35B, and just after when the trial was completed. The Italian Navy received four F-35B in March 2022, the original prevision was to embark them from 2024, but the Russian invasion of Ukraine marked their early naval deploy in the ITS Cavour (CVH 550) from mid-2022, including also many AV-8B+ Harrier II Plus. Italian F-35A/B from March 2018 to 2022 are armed with AIM-120C5 (Meteor probably from 2027), and perhaps with the first AIM-9X-2 requested 2021 as per SIPRI (As in the case of the Norwegian F-35A, very probably IRIS-T will be not integrated on F-35). US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Mitchell Banks, a serviceperson on duty and in consequence on public domain.
From the eventful year of 2014 (Mainly from the Russian invasion of Crimea) the world was beginning clearly the so-called Second Cold War, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB lieutenant colonel) was showing clearly his plan to recover the Russian Empire including previous Soviet territories for reinstitute the greatness of "his" Russia, and to guarantee his passage on the History as saviour of the Rodina.
After the massive Russian build-up of forces from late 2021 in Russia and Belarus near the Ukrainian border, NATO forces were forced to an increased and constant deployment near Ukraine and the Eastern Mediterranean, to deterrent Putin's ambition.
The probably original plan was to avoid an intervention by NATO ground forces but preventing the Russian main forces to enter Ukrainian territory, and to get this target to establish an air and sea exclusion zone around and over Ukraine.
But at last, on February 24, 2022, Russian forces invaded Ukraine against most forecast, sinking the world in a new state of international relations, as consequence of a long and failed campaign of unexpected outcomes.
Aside air elements deployed to near NATO countries and strategic bombers in UK, and a constant monitoring of the Russian movements, after three aircraft carriers (USS Harry S Truman CVN 75, FNS Charles de Gaulle R91 and ITS Cavour CVH550) were deployed on the Eastern Mediterranean on February 2022, to keep at bay the Russian forces in Syria and the Mediterranean, and later to reinforce the possible exclusion zone and to execute offensive actions against the Russian forces in the Black Sea and Ukraine. Later, on November 2022 the forces were expanded to five deployed carriers, with USS Gerald R Ford CVN 78 (On her first deployment) and HMS Queen Elizabeth R08 in the Atlantic, and USS George W H Bush CVN 77 replacing Truman in the Mediterranean, but keeping positions near a possible unrest in Algeria. Included in the Mediterranean forces was the STANDING NATO MARITIME GROUP TWO (SNMG2), flagship USS Forrest Sherman, Italian FREMM frigate Alpino F594, Spanish AEGIS frigate Cristobal Colon F105 and German oiler Spessart A1442.
For the Russian side a great number of elements of the Northern, Pacific, Baltic and Black Sea fleets were deployed in the Mediterranean, including amphibious ships sailing to the Black Sea, dangerously depleting the reserves of all the Russian fleets, but after more than six months sailing most have been retired to their parent fleets (Excluded of course the return to Black Sea).
Also, Tu-22M3 Backfire-C with Kh-32 anti-ship missiles and MIG-31K Foxhound with Kh-47M2 Kinzhal/AS-24 Killjoy were deployed in the infamous Russian base of Khmeimim in Syria. And of course the surviving forces of the Assad regime after the 2011 civil war are in the Russian side, defending its country.
On the paper the Russian forces are weaker, but employing old Cold War era tactics could settle a surprise and propaganda blow to the Western forces.
And with Truman keeping an eye on Algeria, only the French and Italian carriers could keep at bay the residual Russian forces on Eastern Mediterranean.
Enrique Mas, November 27, 2022.

66 downloads

Submitted November 27, 2022

Black Sea Red Sharks, November 2022. Hypothetical Historical Scenario.

By broncepulido

Black Sea Red Sharks, November 2022. Hypothetical Historical Scenario.
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170308 new standard 1980-2025 Platform Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.
This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO-Ukrainian side or from the Red/Russian side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.
Image: Grain bulk carriers near Istanbul, November 2022. Author's personal photo.
After the Transnitria War of 1990-1992, the 2008 Russian invasion of Georgia and the first Russian invasion of Ukraine and its Crimea Peninsula and Donbas from 2014 the World was beginning the so-called Second Cold War or the first stages of WWIII. Against all sensible warnings and erroneous appeasement politics the President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB lieutenant colonel) was showing clearly his plan to recover the Russian Empire and later Soviet territories for reinstitute the greatness of his Russia, and to guarantee his passage on the History as saviour of the Rodina ... or more probably as a sad and sadistic clown.
At last the Russian campaign for the invasion of Ukraine started on February 24, 2022, and the surprisingly bad performance of the Russian forces, forecasting a long war, and the Western steadfast support of Ukraine surprised the world.
The two most prominent facts at strategic level on the naval side were the closure of the Bosporus strait by Turkey on February 28, and the Russian naval blockade of the Ukrainian ports from the war start, preventing the export of the very need on other world points of the Ukrainian grains.
Most of the Ukrainian navy was seized, blockaded or scuttled in port the first days of the Russian invasion.
But the more important naval actions at tactical, propaganda and boosting of the Ukrainian morale were the destruction or damage of some Russian ships, the naval use of Baryaktar TB2 drones and many retaliatory air strikes on the occupied Snake Island. And of course as the main and most outstanding action the sinking on April 14 of the guided missile cruiser Moskva, flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, probably by the action of shore launched Ukrainian indigenous R-360 Neptune anti-ship missiles, based in ISTAR information supplied by NATO from day one of the invasion, and also prior to it.
After came the yet unresolved and only partly successful bombing of the Kerch Bridge on October 8, 2022, and as other naval highpoint the four places Nordstream 1 and 2 gas pipelines sabotage on September 26, 2022. The four blasts took place just outside the Danish territorial waters, east the Island of Bornholm, an interesting touristic resort with many medieval and pseudoesoteric points of interest.
And later came the Ukrainian simultaneous attacks with UAVs (Diversion movement?) and USVs against the Russian Navy at Sevastopol, damaging the frigate Admiral Makarov and the minesweeper Ivan Golubets, preventing resting and freedom of movements to the Russian naval assets.
As absurd consequence Putin ridiculously suspended the 27 July 2022 UN created Black Sea Grain Initiative traffic with security excuses from October 29 to November 2, railing again the food flux to need countries.
This partly hypothetical scenario is based on Putin trying to stop the grain traffic in angry ways, with the bulk carrying ships escorted mainly by Turkish naval elements (The only capable navy in the Black Sea), with very limited air support in both sides to prevent escalades (Just as in others actions of the campaign).
Enrique Mas, November 12, 2022.

32 downloads

Updated November 13, 2022

The Battle for Odessa

By JSF

The Battle for Odessa, Part 1 - Ukrainian side
Version 1.1
A scenario for Harpoon Classic
Battleset : EC 2003 MEDC
Database: H2DB
by
JSF
Ukrainian forces will defend Odessa, their last remaining, port, at all costs. Massive Russian airstrikes and cruise missile attacks have reduced Ukraininan coastal defence systems and only those around Odessa are left.
Snake Island is under Russian control. Now the stage is set for the long awaited Russian amphibious assault on Odessa.

Comments and critiques welcome.

45 downloads

contemporary events based

Updated June 30, 2022

Black Death Sea, 13-14 April 2022. Hypothetical Historical Scenario.

By broncepulido

Black Death Sea, 13-14 April 2022. Hypothetical Historical Scenario.
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170308 new standard 1980-2025 Platform Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.
This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO-Ukrainian side or from the Red/Russian side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.
Image: Guided missile cruiser Moskva (Ex-Slava), lead ship of her class (Project 1164 Atlant), only partially modernized and flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet to her sinking on April 14, 2022. The bigger military unit sunk in combat after WWII. Photo by George Chernilevsky on July 22, 2009, ceded to public domain by the author and in took from Wikipedia.

After the Transnitria War of 1990-1992, the 2008 Russian invasion of Georgia and the first Russian invasion of Ukraine and its Crimea Peninsula and Donbas from 2014 the World was beginning the so-called Second Cold War or the first stages of WWIII. Against all sensible warnings and erroneous appeasement politics the President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB lieutenant colonel) was showing clearly his plan to recover the Russian Empire and later Soviet territories for reinstitute the greatness of his Russia, and to guarantee his passage on the History as saviour of the Rodina ... or more probably as a sad and sadistic clown.
At last the Russian campaign for the invasion of Ukraine started on February 24, 2022, and the surprisingly bad performance of the Russian forces, forecasting a long war, and the Western steadfast support of Ukraine surprised the world.
The two most prominent facts at strategic level on the naval side were the closure of the Bosporus strait by Turkey on February 28, and the Russian naval blockade of the Ukrainian ports from the war start, preventing the export of the very need on other world points of the Ukrainian grains.
Most of the Ukrainian navy was seized, blockaded or scuttled in port the first days of the Russian invasion.
But the more important naval actions at tactical, propaganda and boosting of the Ukrainian morale were the destruction or damage of some Russian ships, the naval use of Baryaktar TB2 drones and many retaliatory air strikes on the occupied Snake Island. And of course as the main and most outstanding action the sinking on April 14 of the guided missile cruiser Moskva, flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, probably by the action of shore launched Ukrainian indigenous R-360 Neptune anti-ship missiles, based in ISTAR information supplied by NATO from day one of the invasion, and also prior to it.
This partly hypothetical scenario is based in that last naval action, and in alternative modes of its resolution.

Enrique Mas, May 24, 2022.

71 downloads

Updated May 26, 2022

Exercise Dynamic Manta 2022 (DYMA 22), February 21-March 4, 2022. Historical Training Scenario.

By broncepulido

Exercise Dynamic Manta 2022 (DYMA 22), February 21-March 4, 2022. Historical Training Scenario.
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170308 new standard 1980-2025 Platform Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.
This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO side or from the Red/NATO side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.
Image: Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 ships, other allied ships and submarines sail in formation in the Ionian Sea off the coast of Sicily, Feb. 21, 2022, during Exercise Dynamic Manta 22 (DYMA 22) (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of the French navy by OR-8 Stephane Dzioba, and in consequence on public domain) 220221-O-NO101-1122
From the eventful year of 2014 the World was beginning the so-called Second Cold War, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB lieutenant colonel) was showing clearly his plan to recover the Russian Empire and later Soviet territories for reinstitute the greatness of his Russia, and to guarantee his passage on the History as saviour of the Rodina.
At last the Russian campaign for the invasion of Ukraine started on February 24, 2022.
But was only the apex and last outcome of a succession of military actions. From May 2014 Putin was provoking in succession the Crimea, Ukraine, Donetsk, Baltic States, October 2014 Swedish submarine incursion, G-20 Brisbane meeting naval crisis, November 2014 Faslane submarine incident, frigate Yaroslav Mudryy February "Channel Dash", April 2015 Finnish submarine incursion (for many observers causing the pre-mobilization of Finland reserve forces), Russian intervention in Syria from 30 September 2015, shoot-down by Turkish F-16 fighters equipped with AIM-120 AMRAAM on 24 November 2015 of a Russian Su-24M as consequence of the repeated unlawful overflights of Turkey by Russian warplanes based in Latakia, and after two months of repeated warning, March 2016 detection by the French of a Russian submarine near Bay of Biscay and the SSBN base, the propaganda stunt of the deployment of the only one Russian aircraft carrier Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov steaming (a lot, literally) from Kola Bay towards Eastern Mediterranean from October 15, 2016, and with constant and multiple Russian overflies with military warplanes entangled in potential incidents with commercial flights in Europe, so far as at the Portuguese shores.
That without counting in other unrelated naval incidents aside the upcoming Second Cold War, just as the Iranian seizure of the merchant Maersk Tigris in 28 April 2015, the shore-based anti-ship missile attacks against the catamaran transport ex Swift (HSV-2) and US destroyers on the Red Sea in October 2016 and the ulterior retaliation, the first military operation of the Trump Administration on January 28, 2017, the MV-22B tiltrotor raid of SEAL Team 6 operating from USS Makin Island (LHD-8) against Houthi Yemen, and later on January 30, an Al-Madinah-class Saudi frigate was attacked and damaged probably by a Houthi suicide or drone boat off Al Hudaydah, Houthi Yemen. (And neither counting in great landlocked actions, as the counter-Daesh operations in Middle East).
And meanwhile, more towards Far East a less perceived and growing problem was China, as reflected in the transfer of the 60% of the USN and USAF combat forces to the Pacific Theatre of Operations from 2012, move to be completed by 2020.
The first iteration of this scenario was designed five years ago, based in the big anti-submarine exercise Dynamic Manta 2017 begun in 13 March 2017, and was not interpreted by many journalists as an answer to the latest Russian actions and menacing postures as in the case of Dynamic Mongoose 2015, as it was actually a yearly exercise. But in the current world situation was legit to think otherwise. Four years later the reality was probably those and other continuous exercises, the NATO Baltic Air Policing, and the deployment of token NATO ground forces in the Baltic States and rest of Eastern Europe, are showing to Putin's Russia the resolution to defend Europe and allies as a whole, and preventing the development of a hot war.
But from 2017 to 2022 the international situation was going worse. Increased tensions and open conflicts in Eastern Ukraine, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, the recent, fast, innovative and decisive war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the increased foreign operations of Iran, Qatar and the UAE, including proxy attacks against Saudi Arabia and the crescendo of the Turkish military power cutting ties with the Western alliances. Not an easy near future for the new President Biden and the traditional European partners.
As novelty in Dynamic Manta 2022 the scarce presence of US warships, probably escorting the Truman carrier strike group in Eastern Mediterranean, and the presence of no less than three Spanish frigates (Including one in Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, composed this time by the flagship Italian Navy FREMM ASW-variant frigate Carlo Margottini F-592, Turkish Perry-modified frigate Goksu F-497, and Spanish Aegis ship Blas de Lezo F-103).
Of course this is a training exercise and actual shots, torpedoes and missiles aren't fired and nobody is hurt ...
Enrique Mas, February 25, 2022.

44 downloads

Submitted February 25, 2022

Three Carriers and Three Cruisers: Battle for the Eastern Med. February 2022.

By broncepulido

Three Carriers and Three Cruisers: Battle for the Eastern Med. February 2022. Historical Alternate Scenario.
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.013 and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.
This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO side or from the Red/Russian and allies side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.
Image: Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 8, the ITS Cavour Strike Group and the Charles de Gaulle Carrier Strike Group transit the Mediterranean Sea in formation, Feb. 6, 2022. The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to maintain maritime stability and security, and defend U.S., allied and partner interests in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Bela Chambers, a serviceperson on duty and in consequence on public domain).

Enough is enough.
From the eventful year of 2014 (Mainly from the Russian invasion of Crimea) the world was beginning clearly the so-called Second Cold War, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB lieutenant colonel) was showing clearly his plan to recover the Russian Empire including previous Soviet territories for reinstitute the greatness of "his" Russia, and to guarantee his passage on the History as saviour of the Rodina.
After the massive Russian build-up of forces from late 2021 in Russia and Belarus near the Ukrainian border, NATO forces were forced to an increased and constant deployment near Ukraine and the Eastern Mediterranean, to deterrent Putin's ambition.
The probably plan was to avoid an intervention by NATO ground forces but preventing the Russian main forces to enter Ukrainian territory, and to get this target to establish an air and sea exclusion zone around and over Ukraine.
Aside air elements deployed to near NATO countries (and four B-52H based in RAF Fairford (ASa), capable of both land and ship strike), and a constant monitoring of the Russian movements, three aircraft carriers (Truman, De Gaulle and Cavour, this last one mostly symbolic as was yet equipped with AV-8B+) were deployed on the Eastern Mediterranean, to keep at bay the Russian forces in Syria and the Mediterranean, and later to reinforce the exclusion zone and to execute offensive actions against the Russian forces in the Black Sea and Ukraine. Included in these forces was the USS Georgia, SSGN-729 and STANDING NATO MARITIME GROUP TWO (SNMG2), flagship Italian FREMM frigate Carlo Margottini F592.
For the Russian side a great number of elements of the Northern, Pacific, Baltic and Black Sea fleets were deployed in the Mediterranean, including amphibious ships sailing to the Black Sea, dangerously depleting the reserves of all the Russian fleets.
Also, Tu-22M3 Backfire-C with Kh-32 anti-ship missiles and MIG-31K Foxhound with Kh-47M2 Kinzhal/AS-24 Killjoy were deployed in the infamous Russian base of Khmeimim in Syria. And of course the surviving forces of the Assad regime after the 2011 civil war are in the Russian side, defending its country.
On the paper the Russian forces are weaker, but employing old Cold War era tactics could settle a surprise and propaganda blow to the Western forces.
Also, probably the doubtful Turkey and other countries could not joint the NATO ranks because Russian nuclear blackmail and other types of asymmetrical pressure.
And the things are going worse every day...
Enrique Mas, February 20, 2022.

96 downloads

Updated May 4, 2022

POLARIS 21 exercise, late 2021. Historical Training Scenario.

By broncepulido

POLARIS 21 exercise, late 2021. Historical Training Scenario.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170308 new standard 1980-2025 Platform Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.

This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO side or from the Red/"Mercury" side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.

Image: The U.S. Military Sealift Command fast combat support ship USNS Supply (T-AOE-6, lead of her class), the Italian Marina Militare frigate Federico Martinengo (F 596, FREMM-type, ASW variant) and the ubiquitous U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG-78, Burke-class Flight II, with modifications for Ballistic Missile Defence tasks and forward deployed from 2015 to Naval Station Rota, Spain) conduct a photo exercise during joint operations in the Mediterranean Sea, 22 April 2020. Photo took by a US serviceperson on duty and in consequence in public domain, took from Wikipedia Commons.

From the eventful year of 2014 the World was beginning the so-called Second Cold War, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB lieutenant colonel) was showing clearly his plan to recover the Russian Empire including previous Soviet territories for reinstitute the greatness of his Russia, and to guarantee his passage on the History as saviour of the Rodina.
And meanwhile, more towards Far East a less perceived and gradually growing problem was China, as reflected in the transfer of the 60% of the USN and USAF combat forces to the Pacific Theatre of Operations from 2012, move completed by 2020.
This time period is characterized by constant drills and exercises of the Western forces to keep its proficiency and fighting readiness.
At last, from November 25 to December 3, 2021, was developed the exercise POLARIS 21, acronym for Preparation Operationnelle en Lutte Aeromaritime, Resilience, Innovation et Superiorite (Operational Preparation on Antisubmarine Warfare, Resilience, Innovation and Superiority).
It was a mostly French exercise, but centred on a NATO near future all-out confrontation with a near-peer enemy.
Both sides reflect the exercise historical limited resources of its respective orders of battle, with slight modifications for playability.
Despite I'm the author, could say is a replayable, fun and balanced scenario, and as in the real life both sides have many paths to victory.

Of course this is a training exercise and actual shots, torpedoes and missiles aren't fired and nobody is hurt ...

Enrique Mas, December 19, 2021.

44 downloads

Updated December 19, 2021

Cold War on Cold War: Mirage IIIE vs U-2 Dragon Lady. June 1967. Historical Scenario.

By broncepulido

Cold War on Cold War: Mirage IIIE vs U-2 Dragon Lady. June 1967. Historical Scenario.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.013 and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.

This scenario is designed to be played from the Red/France side or from the Blue/US-UK side. You should play a few times first the Red side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Blue side.

Image: Article 389, serial no. 56-6722; Last of the original batch of U-2A Dragon Lady aircraft, on display at the USAF Museum. From late 1965 all (both USAF and CIA operational airframes) were painted Black Velvet colour, for visual spectre and slightly antiradar effects, and very probably this was the aspect of the very similar and probable U-2F intercepted by Pessidous, save adding two leading edge auxiliary fuel tanks and in-flight refuelling, boom type (U.S. Air Force Museum took by a serviceperson on duty and in consequence in public domain, and from Wikipedia Commons).

This is a very very tiny scenario simply developed from historical facts.
CIA and USAF clandestine U-2 flights in the Cold War were not only developed over potential enemies, also over doubtful allies.
Charles de Gaulle, as WWII reputed saviour of France, on his 1959-1969 presidential terms constructed an independent nuclear deterrent force for his country, improved the conventional forces and military industry, and quits the integrated NATO chain of command in 1966. In 1966, all French armed forces were removed from NATO's integrated military command, and all non-French NATO troops were asked to leave France (including now almost forgotten USAF bases). Eventually some forty years later France announced its return to full participation from 2009.
As consequence some others allied countries decide to learn more about the real French capabilities.
Are relatively well known the U-2 carrier operations in French territories in the Pacific Ocean (Operation Fish Hawk, May 1964, two U-2G based on USS Ranger (CV-61) to overfly Mururoa Atoll waiting for the first French H-Bomb test), and are mentioned in the 2013 declassified (and disappointing) CIA's U-2 book, from page 247, but are not these operations over France.
Apparently after previous flights the high point of these was June 1967, when a Mirage IIIE piloted by Roger Pessidous equipped with the option of a auxiliary SEPR 844 rocket engine photographed probably a U-2F almost sure near Dijon and the CEA Valduc nuclear warheads facility, ending the U-2 overflies of France.
As relevant side note outcome of this scenario, the Mirage IIIE was introduced in April 1965 (Escadron de Chasse 2/13 "Alpes"), but only from 1968 in the Dijon-Longvic based 2e Escadre de Chasse (Escadron de Chasse 1/30 "Alsace", and the very famous Escadron de Chasse 1/2 "Cicognes"), employing Mirage IIIC yet in 1967, and the SEPR 844 rocket engine was introduced only in 1967. In consequence the Pessidious' Mirage IIIE in this operation was very probably a test aircraft, not integrated in the regular units and probably unarmed.
But if the things had gone wrong ...
Enrique Mas, August 22, 2021.

30 downloads

Updated September 15, 2021

HMS Queen Elizabeth CSG21 Phase I: The Med. Early July 2021. Historical Alternate Scenario.

By broncepulido

HMS Queen Elizabeth CSG21 Phase I: The Med. Early July 2021. Historical Alternate Scenario.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.013 and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.

This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO side or from the Red/Russian side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.

Image: Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R 08) and guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97) operate in formation in the Gulf of Aden, July 12, 2021, few days after this scenario depicted actions (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason Tarleton, a serviceperson on duty and in consequence in public domain).
At last UK returns to rule the waves. After a few years delay, Carrier Strike Group 21, centred in the HMS Queen Elizabeth, carrying both British and USMC F-35B fighter-bombers, and with a multinational NATO escort, sails the first stages of her Far East tour.
Some of her escorts are returning from courtesy visits on friendly ports, or from the conflictive Black Sea, waiting to traverse the Suez Canal from Port Said.
But from the eventful year of 2014 the World was beginning the so-called Second Cold War, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB lieutenant colonel) was showing clearly his plan to recover the Russian Empire and later Soviet territories for reinstitute the greatness of his Russia, and to guarantee his passage on the History as saviour of the Rodina.
If the things go wrong, its forward deployed forces in the Mediterranean and Syria should complicate the life on board CSG21.

And the things are going wrong ...

Enrique Mas, July 18, 2021.

76 downloads

Updated July 23, 2021

Exercise Dynamic Manta 2021 (DYMA 21).

By broncepulido

Exercise Dynamic Manta 2021 (DYMA 21), February 22-March 5, 2021. Historical Training Scenario.
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170308 new standard 1980-2025 Platform Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.
This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO side or from the Red/NATO side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.
Image: December 10, 2010, USS Halsey (DDG-97) assigned to Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, sails in a formation in the Arabian Sea with the French aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle (R-91) during a photo exercise. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Spencer Mickler/Released, a serviceperson on duty and in consequence in public domain. Took from Wikipedia Commons).
From the eventful year of 2014 the World was beginning the so-called Second Cold War, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB lieutenant colonel) was showing clearly his plan to recover the Russian Empire and later Soviet territories for reinstitute the greatness of his Russia, and to guarantee his passage on the History as saviour of the Rodina.
From May 2014 Putin was provoking in succession the Crimea, Ukraine, Donetsk, Baltic States, October 2014 Swedish submarine incursion, G-20 Brisbane meeting naval crisis, November 2014 Faslane submarine incident, frigate Yaroslav Mudryy February "Channel Dash", April 2015 Finnish submarine incursion (for many observers causing the pre-mobilization of Finland reserve forces), Russian intervention in Syria from 30 September 2015, shoot-down by Turkish F-16 fighters equipped with AIM-120 AMRAAM on 24 November 2015 of a Russian Su-24M as consequence of the repeated unlawful overflights of Turkey by Russian warplanes based in Latakia, and after two months of repeated warning, March 2016 detection by the French of a Russian submarine near Bay of Biscay and the SSBN base, the propaganda stunt of the deployment of the only one Russian aircraft carrier Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov steaming (a lot, literally) from Kola Bay towards Eastern Mediterranean from October 15, 2016, and with constant and multiple Russian overflies with military warplanes entangled in potential incidents with commercial flights in Europe, so far as at the Portuguese shores.
That without counting in other unrelated naval incidents aside the upcoming Second Cold War, just as the Iranian seizure of the merchant Maersk Tigris in 28 April 2015, the shore-based anti-ship missile attacks against the catamaran transport ex Swift (HSV-2) and US destroyers on the Red Sea in October 2016 and the ulterior retaliation, the first military operation of the Trump Administration on January 28, 2017, the MV-22B tiltrotor raid of SEAL Team 6 operating from USS Makin Island (LHD-8) against Houthi Yemen, and later on January 30, an Al-Madinah-class Saudi frigate was attacked and damaged probably by a Houthi suicide or drone boat off Al Hudaydah, Houthi Yemen. (And neither counting in great landlocked actions, as the counter-Daesh operations in Middle East).
And meanwhile, more towards Far East a less perceived and growing problem was China, as reflected in the transfer of the 60% of the USN and USAF combat forces to the Pacific Theatre of Operations from 2012, move to be completed by 2020.
When the big anti-submarine exercise Dynamic Manta 2017 did begin in 13 March 2017 was not interpreted by many journalists as an answer to the latest Russian actions and menacing postures as in the case of Dynamic Mongoose 2015, as it was actually a yearly exercise. But in the current world situation was legit to think otherwise. Four years later the reality was probably those and other continuous exercises, the NATO Baltic Air Policing, and the deployment of token NATO ground forces in the Baltic States and rest of Eastern Europe, are showing to Putin's Russia the resolution to defend Europe and allies as a whole, and preventing the development of a hot war. But from 2017 to 2021 the international situation was going worse. Increased tensions and open conflicts in Eastern Ukraine, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, the recent, fast, innovative and decisive war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the increased foreign operations of Iran, Qatar and the UAE, and the crescendo of the Turkish military power cutting ties with the Western alliances. Not an easy near future for the new President Biden and the traditional European partners.
As novelty in Dynamic Manta 2021 it's not only an ASW group composed by Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (Flagship Spanish Navy Aegis ship Cristobal Colon F-105), as is also added as ASW force in transit the French CVN Charles de Gaulle (R-91) Strike Group, in Mission Clemenceau 21, and her international escort. Included in her escort are many modern French and Italian type FREMM frigates, and the ubiquitous USS Porter (DDG-78), modified and based from 2015 in Rota, Spain, for Ballistic Missile Defence tasks.
Of course this is a training exercise and actual shots, torpedoes and missiles aren't fired and nobody is hurt ...
Enrique Mas, March 6, 2021.

57 downloads

Updated September 14, 2021

Fast and Furious, Libya vs. Egypt double feature, 1977-1987

By broncepulido

Fast and Furious, Libya vs. Egypt double feature, 1977-1987.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.013 and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.
This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/Egyptian side or from the Red/Libyan side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.
Image: An undetermined Project 205U/Osa II, in a photo probably dated in 1982. (From Wikipedia Commons. Original photo National Archive# NN33300514. Took by a US serviceperson on duty, and in consequence in public domain).
A couple of mistakenly simple fast patrol boats scenarios.
The first one, settled in the 21-24 July 1977 short war between Egypt and Libya is a very simple one, with the historically scarce number of patrol missile boats in each side. Is a hypothetical scenario, was not any naval showdown in the 1977 war.
The second one is settled ten years later in Halloween 1987 after the 1986 Libyan skirmishes with the US Navy and after the delivery of the second Project 1159TR/Koni III missile corvette to Libya. Is a more complex and with unexpected details scenario, with more boats and a little helicopter support, and more difficult to master.

Enrique Mas, February 14, 2021.

29 downloads

Updated February 14, 2021

B-52 Maritime Strike 2020, Historical training scenario.

By broncepulido

B-52 Maritime Strike 2020. Historical training scenario.
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.013 and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.
This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO side or from the Red/US-Morocco side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.
Image: A B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, parks on the flightline at RAF Fairford, England, Sept. 4, 2020, three days before the simulated attacks against USS Roosevelt (DDG-80), South West of Spain. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jesse Jenny, took by a US serviceperson on duty, and in consequence in public domain).
B-52 bombers were deployed many years with anti-surface ship capability, in prevention of an all-out war with the Soviet Block. So, thirty B-52G based some with the 42nd Bombardment Wing in Loring AFB, ME, and some others with the 43rd Bombardment Wing in Andersen AFB, Guam, were equipped with the capability of load each one eight AGM-84 Harpoon from 1983 to the end of B-52G operations in 1994. After Loring AFB closed and the retirement of the last B-52G at Castle AFB, CA, the Harpoon mission was moved to the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, LA. Four B-52H models were rapidly modified (as an interim measure) from September 1994 to accept Harpoon launch control equipment pending B-52H fleet modification. By 1997, all B-52H airframes were to load and launch from eight to twelve AGM-84D Harpoon 1C, providing both the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB, ND, and the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, LA, full squadron strength capability. But that capability was deleted from B-52H in 2004 (perhaps coincidental with a covert early introduction in service of JASSM).
After the coming of Second Cold War from the continuous Russian Presidency of Vladimir Putin from 2012, and the great and fast expansion of the Chinese surface fleet, surges again the necessity of anti-surface warships elements.
In the B-52H inventory is at least from 2009 the stealthy AGM-154A JASSM with some interim anti-ship capability (first only with 12xJASSM in the underwing pylons, with other four more in the rotary bomb bay from June 2017, and with the full capacity of eight JASSM in the rotary launcher from June 2019). In 2020 B-52H is yet waiting for inventory introduction of the longer ranged and ship-attack specialized AGM-154C LRASM-A, from late 2018 in B-1B Lancer, and from November 2019 in F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
Yet without LRASM, from mid-2018 B-52H executed multiple simulated maritime strike missions from Guam near the Chinese theatre of operations and the China vindicated artificial islands, flying from Andersen AFB, Guam.
At last, on 7 September 2020, two B-52H of a detachment of six of the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, ND, based a RAF Fairford, with support of four Royal Moroccan Air Force F-16C (based at Ben Guerir, an old Transatlantic Abort Landing site for the space shuttle), attacked in exercise USS Roosevelt (DDG-80), one of the four US destroyers based for BDM (Ballistic Missile Defence) tasks in Rota, Spain, upgraded with a SeaRAM mount, 5"/62 gun, and other improved elements.
That's the simulation object of this simulation, with other few elements added, trying to capture the B-52 maritime strike essence.
Of course this is a training exercise and actual shots, torpedoes and missiles aren't fired and nobody is hurt ...
Enrique Mas, 10 October 2020.

61 downloads

Updated October 10, 2020

BBB

By rainman

Bullies Bumping Bellies- Turkey vs Egypt 2020
In the summer of 2020, the situation in eastern Libya deteriorates to the point where Egypt and Turkey feel they have to get involved. This explores what happens next. This scenario is designed primarily to be played from the Blue (Egypt) side, and is quite challenging, even for experienced players. Also can be played from Red (Turkey) quite good for beginning or intermediate players. Created with HCSE 2015.027, and playable on 2015.027 or later, so it'll be available to folks with the older version of the game. Enjoy. Duck.

40 downloads

Submitted September 9, 2020

Western Sahara Tin Can Sailors, Tagomago Ordeal, September 21, 1985. Historical Scenario.

By broncepulido

Western Sahara Tin Can Sailors, Tagomago Ordeal, September 21, 1985. Historical Scenario.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.013 and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.

Image: Spanish Armada Fletcher-class destroyer D-22 Almirante Ferrandiz (Ex USS David W. Taylor DD-551) patrolling the Western Sahara banks near Canary Islands on 1985. Photo by Francisco Tevar Banos, took from http://www.losbarcosdeeugenio.com/principal_en.html, with its webmaster authorisation, and subject to a Creative Commons license.

In this scenario, to avoid spoilers, it is better to play the Spanish/Blue side first a few times, and only after play the Polisario Front/Moroccan/Red side, and keeping in mind the special considerations scripted in the Red Orders when playing Red side.

My aim in this scenario is to capture the flavour of small and very limited conflicts, almost naval guerrilla warfare. It's also inspired by the inclusion of the Lepanto/Fletcher class destroyers in the Harpoon HCE/HUCE DataBase and of course in the vivid historical events of our Spanish recent past.
In the first eighties, when the then modern and indigenous Descubierta class frigate was introduced in the Spanish Navy, the venerable Pacific War veterans Fletcher-class destroyers (nicknamed Los Cinco Latinos) were detached from the original Destroyer Squadron 21 (On that time renamed Escort Squadron 21) homeported in Cartagena, and scattered between the different Spanish local sea commands or Zonas Maritimas.
D-21 Lepanto and D-22 Almirante Ferrandiz were from 1980 detached from the Destroyer Squadron 21 and employed on secondary roles as High Seas Patrol ship in the Canary Islands Maritime Zone (Lepanto was later transferred to the Cantabrian Sea Maritime Zone from 1983).
This scenario shows an amalgamation of a series of difficult, confuse, bad narrated, censored and much unknown incidents between the Spanish patrol forces and the Western Saharan Polisario Front and the Moroccan Forces, fighting for the control of the old province of Spanish Sahara.
As examples on 1980 Almirante Ferrandiz was apparently strafed by a Moroccan Mirage F1, and on 1985 in other incident the Anaga-class patrol gunboat Tagomago (PVZ-22) was attacked from the shore by unknown origin (Very probably Polisario Front) 12.7mm and 106mm recoilless shots, causing one dead, and Almirante Ferrandiz was called on her help.
After the Spain retreat on 26 February 1976, the Western Sahara territory was claimed by the own Saharawis integrated in the Polisario Front, by Morocco, by Algeria and by Mauritania.
Both Polisario Front and Morocco were trying to execute maritime actions as vindication of the disputed territory control, basically exerting control of the Spanish and other fishermen traditionally fishing on the Western Sahara bank. Morocco trying it with action as an apparent transnational law enforce, and Polisario Front executing attacks with inflatable boats, shore gunfire and murdering and kidnapping of fishermen and its crews.
We must remember Western Sahara economy is bases almost exclusively on fishing which employs two thirds of his labour force, but now they are suspicions about the existence of reasonably exploitable off-shore oil fields, but his exploitation is today dubious because the international law.
The European Union fishing agreements with Morocco (EU-Moroccan Fisheries Partnership Agreement, FPA) include Western Sahara. But they are many doubts about if this is adjusted to the international law, as Western Sahara is not part of the territory of Morocco under international law. As legal excuse, according to the legal services of the European Parlament, the agreement does neither include nor exclude the waters of Western Sahara from its geographical scope, and it would thus be up to Morocco to comply with its international obligations. In consequence, in order to remain in compliance with international law, the FPA should be limited to the territorial waters of Morocco proper, excluding Western Sahara.

Enrique Mas, January 2012 - November 25, 2017.

77 downloads

Submitted November 25, 2017

Operation Lancette, May 15, 1981. Historical Scenario, Updated HCDB2 version.

By broncepulido

Operation Lancette, May 15, 1981. Historical Scenario.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.013 and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.

Image: Sister ship of R98 Clemenceau, a port quarter view of the French navy's aircraft carrier R99 Foch underway during exercise Dragon Hammer 1992. On the crowed deck are present F-8E(FN) Crusader fighters (not yet F-8P), Super Etendard attack aircrafts (not yet modernized), Alizé ALM ASW aircrafts, a SA.321Gb Super Frelon assault, transport, utility and SAR helicopter of Flotille 32.F or 33.F (To 1980 employed for ASW, but replaced on that task by Lynx), and a AS.365F Dauphin 2 helicopter of Escadrille 23.S replacing Alouette III on board the French carriers from 1990 in "Pedro"/SAR tasks. May 1992 photo by PHC (Chief Photographer's Mate) Jack C. Bahm, a US serviceperson on duty, and in consequence in public domain, took from Wikipedia Commons.

This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/French side or from the Red/Soviet side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.

An apparently simple and introductory scenario based on historical facts.
In the heydays of the Cold War at a time of particular tension, two days after the Pope John Paul II assassination attempt in Rome instigated by the Bulgarian/Soviet Secret Services, was the moment of one of the most scaring naval situations in the Cold War.
Just when the R98 Clemenceau CVBG and his reduced peacetime escort was sailing from Toulon for the exercise Coriolan, was detected a submarine contact by the ASW picket (Destroyers D640 Georges Leygues and D632 Guepratte) only 50 nautical miles from Toulon and actively stalking the carrier group.
The subsequent Operation Lancette was launched, resulting in the chase of the unknown submarine continuously for more than eighteen hours and with the submarine alternating creep speeds with peaks of 28-30 knots and even passing below the Georges Leygues towed sonar array. La Royale (French Navy) employed both forward escort destroyers, Lynx helicopters and Atlantic ASW planes based in the very near BAN Nimes-Garons, and at last forced her to surfacing. Ultimately she was visually identified on surface at night from a Lynx helicopter of the Georges Leygues as a Soviet Victor-type SSN and compelled to quit the area.
But this scenario represents the possibility of the things going wrong and hot, and both sides firing in anger at the enemy forces.
This scenario also could gives an idea of the difficult submarine hunting, the difficult of hunting surface ships with submarines without long range target determination, the limited sonar ranges and convergence zone feasibility on a sea with high levels of salinity and density, the high limitations of small diesel-electric submarines employed as hunter-killers against SSN (the French SSN force was then yet two years on the future), and about the necessity of employing half of the French Aeronavale ASW forces to catch only one submarine, even when she was fortunately emplaced very near to a main ASW air base.

Enrique Mas, December 4, 2011 - October 14, 2017.

93 downloads

Updated October 15, 2017

Sea Breeze 2017 going wrong. Historical/Alternate History Scenario.

By broncepulido

Sea Breeze 2017 going wrong. Historical/Alternate History Scenario.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.012 and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.

This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO-Ukraine side or from the Red/Russia side. You should play a few times first the Blue/NATO-Ukraine side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red/Russian side.

Image: Cmdr. Peter Halvorsen, commanding officer of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64), participates in a press conference in Odessa, Ukraine, during exercise Sea Breeze 2017 July 12. Observe the shielded 12.7mm M2 machine-gun added in the extreme bow (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Weston Jones/Released, took by a service person on duty, and in consequence in public domain).

From the eventful year of 2014 the World was beginning the so-called Second Cold War, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB lieutenant colonel) was showing clearly his plan to recover the Russian Empire and later Soviet territories for reinstitute the greatness of his Russia, and to guarantee his passage on the History as saviour of the Rodina.
From May 2014 Putin was provoking in succession the Crimea, Ukraine, Donetsk, Baltic States, October 2014 Swedish submarine incursion, G-20 Brisbane meeting naval crisis, November 2014 Faslane submarine incident, frigate Yaroslav Mudryy February "Channel Dash", April 2015 Finnish submarine incursion (for many observers causing the pre-mobilization of Finland reserve forces), Russian intervention in Syria from 30 September 2015, shoot-down by Turkish F-16 fighters equipped with AIM-120 AMRAAM on 24 November 2015 of a Russian Su-24M as consequence of the repeated unlawful overflights of Turkey by Russian warplanes based in Latakia, and after two months of repeated warning, March 2016 detection by the French of a Russian submarine near Bay of Biscay and its SSBN base, the propaganda stunt of the deployment of the only one Russian aircraft carrier Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov steaming (a lot, literally) from Kola Bay towards Eastern Mediterranean from October 15, 2016, and with constant and multiple Russian overflies with military warplanes entangled in potential incidents with commercial flights in Europe, so far as at the Portuguese shores.
That without counting in other unrelated naval incidents aside the upcoming Second Cold War, just as the Iranian seizure of the merchant Maersk Tigris in 28 April 2015, the shore-based anti-ship missile attacks against the catamaran transport ex Swift (HSV-2) and US destroyers on the Red Sea in October 2016 and the ulterior retaliation, the first military operation of the Trump Administration on January 28, 2017, the MV-22B tiltrotor raid of SEAL Team 6 operating from USS Makin Island (LHD-8) against Houthi Yemen, the later January 30 incident, when an Al-Madinah-class Saudi frigate was attacked and damaged probably by a Houthi suicide or drone boat off Al Hudaydah, Houthi Yemen, and the constant and intense naval drills as Sea Shield, Dynamic Manta, Dynamic Mongoose and the new anti-ballistic missile exercise Formidable Shield 2017. (And without counting in great landlocked actions, as the complex counter-Daesh operations in Middle East).
And meanwhile, more towards Far East a less perceived and growing problem was China, as reflected in the transfer of the 60% of the USN and USAF combat forces to the Pacific Theatre of Operations from 2012, move to be completed by 2020.
For many observers the continuous and large NATO and partners military exercises shows to Russia the Western will to resist his threats, keeping a tense peace.
The Russian were also executing continuous exercises and operations, and showing them without many explanations in propaganda news reports, from Zapad-17, projected for 14-20 September 2017 to continuous ASW exercises.
Between all those events, from 10 to 22 July 2017 exercise Sea Breeze 2017 was developed in the Black Sea, with many phases and targets, and with limited NATO and Ukrainian forces.
Sea Breeze 2017 counted with 31 participant warships and 29 aircrafts of 17 nations with some 3000 personnel.
Mainly was in part an ASW exercise, in part a surface warfare exercise, in part an amphibious exercise, culminated with light forces landing in the uninhabited Tendra Spit sandbar, near Kherson, Ukraine (City named by the same placement classical antiquity region of Chersonesus).
The main ASW exercise was executed between Odessa, Ukraine, and the disputed Sevastopol, in the 2014 Russian-occupied Crimea peninsula.
Was also developed a little propaganda in Russian-controlled media about the lack of ASW capability of the Western.
But many world parts were in high tension because other causes.
Not only the Chinese vindications on "terraformed" territories in South China Sea and the USN answer with Freedom of Navigation (FON) patrol are forcing the camel back and contributing to the world turmoil, but also the incredible direct menaces of North Korean President Kim and his constant and provocative launching of ballistic missiles, overflying Japan and other habited zones.
As consequence of that instability, anything can happen in any time in any place, and probably Sea Breeze 2017 will be not an exception.

Of course this is a training exercise and actually shots, torpedoes and missiles aren't fired and nobody is hurt ... or perhaps yes.

This scenario is qualified as "historical" because the present forces are the same historically available.

Enrique Mas, October 12, 2017.

102 downloads

Submitted October 13, 2017

Operation Wooden Leg, October 1, 1985. Historical Scenario.

By broncepulido

Operation Wooden Leg, October 1, 1985. Historical Scenario.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the new HCDB2-170714 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.

Image: 120 "Desert Giants" Squadron Boeing KC-707 refuelling Israeli F-15, at the June 28, 2011, Israeli Air Force Flight Academy ranks ceremony. Took from Wikipedia Commons.

This scenario is designed to be played mostly from the Blue/Israeli side, the Red/PLO-Tunisian-Libyan is also fully playable, but perhaps not winnable.

Operation Wooden Leg was a historical strategic long-range operation of the Israeli Air Force, aimed to retaliate the PLO headquarters in Tunisia after a series of terrorist attacks the precedent weeks, aimed at Israeli citizens in Israel and Cyprus.
Was executed by the new and longer range F-15C/D Eagle/Baz, which carried approximately 2000 lbs of additional internal fuel than the previous F-15A/B. The first new model F-15C/D were received by Israel from the Peace Fox II contract, later increased by others of Peace Fox III, and active from 6 June 1982 in the 106 "Second Baz/Spearhead" Squadron.
Were employed GBU-15 TV-guided bombs, one carried by each of six F-15D (106 "Second Baz/Spearhead" Squadron), and Mk82 dumb bombs, six carried by each of two trailing F-15C (133 "Kings of the Twin Tails" Squadron).
The F-15, with national and squadron insignia and individual aircrafts names obscured with brownish waterwashed paint, were refuelled over the Mediterranean by a pair of flying-boom equipped Israeli KC-707 tankers.
The operation was a complete success, without any Israeli losses.
Could you replicate the Israeli achievement in this apparently simple scenario?

Enrique Mas, August 12, 2017.

1,406 downloads

Updated July 2, 2024

USS Porter Again, Grigorovich Aftermath, April 2017. Historical Scenario/Alternate History Scenario.

By broncepulido

A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170407 new standard 1980-2025 Platform Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.

This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/US side or from the Red/Russian side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.

Image: USS Ross (DDG-71) fires a Tomahawk land attack missile the night 7 April 2017 against the Syrian airbase of Al-Shayrat. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Robert S. Price, and in consequence in public domain, took from http://navylive.dodlive.mil/2017/04/07/u-s-navy-destroyers-launch-strikes-on-syria

In the very complex world situation of early 2017, and as consequence of a successive chain of events begun with the taking charge of Vladimir Putin as 4th President of Russia in 2012, USS Porter (DDG-78) was a very busy warship under the command of CDR Andria Slough, former deputy director for the Joint Maritime Ballistic Missile Defence Operations and Training.
After her participation in exercises Sea Shield and Dynamic Manta 2017 (Both depicted in previous Harpoon HCE/HUCE scenarios), on 6 April 2017 she and USS Ross (DDG-71) were called to launch Tomahawk missiles against the Syrian military airbase of Al-Shayrat.
Both were two of the four Burke-class destroyers forward-deployed at Naval Station Rota, Spain, for Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) tasks and SeaRAM, integrated in the new CTF-64, created in July 2015 (It was a crash program, as the four Rota destroyers are equipped with an older Aegis baseline that requires the ship to operate in a BMD mode or switch to the traditional aircraft and cruise missile defence role, and in consequence without SeaRAM are almost without self defence missiles, counting only with the Phalanx) and arriving the first ship at Rota in 24 September 2015.
The Tomahawk salvo of 59 missiles was ordered by President Trump to prevent Syria's President Assad to use again nervous agents against civilians in Syria, as employed previously a few days earlier on April 4 in the town of Khan Sheikhoun, where several dozen civilians, including many children and women, were killed by what appears to be sarin gas.
As was suspected the presence of Russian technicians in the Syrian base to be attacked, the missile strike was warned with time to Russia, the base evacuated before the arrival of the missiles, and the human victims were scarce or none.
In the attack aftermath, on 7 April 2017, agency news reports informed of the Russian Black Sea Fleet brand-new multipurpose frigate Admiral Grigorovich sailing from the Bosphorus Strait to Eastern Mediterranean, suggesting a possible Russian naval retaliation against the US ships launching the missiles.
The much-hyped in the news Admiral Grigorovich is the first Russian ship of Project 11356, a derivative of the old Project 1135/Krivak, and exported from 2003 to India as Talwar-class/Krivak V.
Of course that was a usual movement of Russian warships going to and fro, but this limited scenario speculates on the possibility of a Russian retaliation on those premises.

Enrique Mas, 9 April 2017.

346 downloads

Updated April 9, 2017

Exercise Dynamic Manta 2017 (DYMA 17), 13-24 March 2017. Historical Training Scenario.

By broncepulido

Exercise Dynamic Manta 2017 (DYMA 17), 13-24 March 2017. Historical Training Scenario.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170308 new standard 1980-2025 Platform Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.

This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO side or from the Red/NATO side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.

Image: The first day of DYMA 17 Cmdr. Andria Slough, commanding officer of USS Porter (DDG-78) seated on her open bridge observes a Sigonella-based P-8A Poseidon of VP-45 "Pelicans" when overflights the exercise ships near Catania. From left to right: Spanish replenishment oiler A-14 Pati^o, Spanish Perry-class derivative frigate F-85 Navarra, Spanish Aegis frigate F-104 Mendez Nu^ez, French ASW frigate D-642 Montcalm and Canadian ASW frigate FFH-340 St. John's. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ford Williams, in public domain and took from http://www.c6f.navy.mil/news/exercise-dynamic-manta-2017-begins

From the eventful year of 2014 the World was beginning the so-called Second Cold War, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB lieutenant colonel) was showing clearly his plan to recover the Russian Empire and later Soviet territories for reinstitute the greatness of his Russia, and to guarantee his passage on the History as saviour of the Rodina.
From May 2014 Putin was provoking in succession the Crimea, Ukraine, Donetsk, Baltic States, October 2014 Swedish submarine incursion, G-20 Brisbane meeting naval crisis, November 2014 Faslane submarine incident, frigate Yaroslav Mudryy February "Channel Dash", April 2015 Finnish submarine incursion (for many observers causing the pre-mobilization of Finland reserve forces), Russian intervention in Syria from 30 September 2015, shoot-down by Turkish F-16 fighters equipped with AIM-120 AMRAAM on 24 November 2015 of a Russian Su-24M as consequence of the repeated unlawful overflights of Turkey by Russian warplanes based in Latakia, and after two months of repeated warning, March 2016 detection by the French of a Russian submarine near Bay of Biscay and the SSBN base, the propaganda stunt of the deployment of the only one Russian aircraft carrier Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov steaming (a lot, literally) from Kola Bay towards Eastern Mediterranean from October 15, 2016, and with constant and
multiple Russian overflies with military warplanes entangled in potential incidents with commercial flights in Europe, so far as at the Portuguese shores.
That without counting in other unrelated naval incidents aside the upcoming Second Cold War, just as the Iranian seizure of the merchant Maersk Tigris in 28 April 2015, the shore-based anti-ship missile attacks against the catamaran transport ex Swift (HSV-2) and US destroyers on the Red Sea in October 2016 and the ulterior retaliation, the first military operation of the Trump Administration on January 28, 2017, the MV-22B tiltrotor raid of SEAL Team 6 operating from USS Makin Island (LHD-8) against Houthi Yemen, and later on January 30, an Al-Madinah-class Saudi frigate was attacked and damaged probably by a Houthi suicide or drone boat off Al Hudaydah, Houthi Yemen. (And neither counting in great landlocked actions, as the counter-Daesh operations in Middle East).
And meanwhile, more towards Far East a less perceived and growing problem was China, as reflected in the transfer of the 60% of the USN and USAF combat forces to the Pacific Theatre of Operations from 2012, move to be completed by 2020.
When the big anti-submarine exercise Dynamic Manta 2017 did begin in 13 March 2015 was not interpreted by many journalists as an answer to the latest Russian actions and menacing postures as in the case of Dynamic Mongoose 2015, as it was actually a yearly exercise. But in the current world situation was legit to think otherwise. Two years later the reality was probably those and other continuous exercises, the NATO Baltic Air Policing, and the deployment of token NATO ground forces in the Baltic States and rest of Eastern Europe, are showing to Putin's Russia the resolution to defend Europe and allies as a whole, and preventing the development of a hot war, despite the situation in Eastern Ukraine.

Of course this is a training exercise and actual shots, torpedoes and missiles aren't fired and nobody is hurt...

And remember, the intelligence estimates ever can be erroneous.

Enrique Mas, 19 March 2017.

150 downloads

Updated March 20, 2017

Porter, Black Sea and Sea Shield 2017, February 2017. Historical/Alternate History Scenario.

By broncepulido

Porter, Black Sea and Sea Shield 2017, February 2017. Historical/Alternate History Scenario.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170326 new standard 1980-2025 Platform Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.

Image: Number 6305, A Romanian MiG-21MF-75 Lancer C firing S-5 air-to-ground rockets during a training exercise in June 18, 2010. Photo by Miha Zamfirescu, took from Wikipedia Commons.

This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO side or from the Red/Russian side. To avoid a few spoilers you should play a few times first the Blue side, and only later play the Red side.

With the world on the brink of an open war after four years of impending Second Cold War, just after the take of possession and first days of mandate of Donald Trump from January 20, 2017, another repeated point of naval and military operations popped-up again, diverting in the headlines the situation in Eastern Ukraine. After a new intensification of the Russian operations supporting with GRAD rockets bombardment the separatist actions from January 31, 2017 in the Avdiivka sector, from February 1 to 11, 2017, NATO executed exercise Sea Shield 2017.
The exercise was probably combined with isolated Freedom of Navigation (FON) operations by USS Porter (DDG-78), first of the only four SeaRAM equipped Burke-class destroyers of CTF-64, tasked with Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) and forward based in Naval Station Rota, Spain, from April 2015.
As usual in FON operations, USS Porter was buzzed those days by probably Russian Naval Aviation Su-24M, and the exercise finished without notable incidents, in spite of the international and regional situation in Crimea and Ukraine.
This scenario explores the possibilities of something going wrong as consequence of the buzzing by Russian aircrafts, perhaps an autonomous response of SeaRAM at incoming Russian warplanes, and of a limited military conflict with the present forces: components of Sea Shield 2017 exercise, a few other Turkish elements because the internal problems and international posture of Turkey (Perhaps about change sides, after the fake failed 15 July 2016 anti-Erdogan coup, and the subsequent rarefied relations with NATO, US and Russia), Russian naval and aeronaval forces in the Black Sea, units defending the Russian-Occupied Crimea, and a few Russian Air Force elements.
Worth of remembering is, after the full of naval, military and security incidents year of 2014 the World was beginning the so-called Second Cold War. Mostly as result of President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB lieutenant colonel) actions, provoking in succession the Crimea, Ukraine, Donetsk, Baltic States, October 2014 Swedish submarine incursion, G-20 Brisbane meeting naval crisis, November 2014 Faslane submarine incident, frigate Yaroslav Mudryy February "Channel Dash", April 2015 Finnish submarine incursion (for many observers causing the pre-mobilization of Finland reserve forces), Russian intervention in Syria from 30 September 2015, shoot-down by Turkish F-16 fighters equipped with AIM-120 AMRAAM on 24 November 2015 of a Russian Su-24M as consequence of the repeated unlawful overflights of Turkey by Russian warplanes based in Latakia, and after two months of repeated warning, March 2016 detection by the French of a Russian submarine near Bay of Biscay and the SSBN base, the propaganda stunt of the de
ployment of the only one Russian aircraft carrier Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov steaming (a lot, literally) from Kola Bay towards Eastern Mediterranean from October 15, 2016, and with constant and multiple Russian overflies with military warplanes entangled in potential incidents with commercial flights in Europe, so far as at the Portuguese shores.
That without counting in other unrelated naval incidents aside the upcoming Second Cold War, just as the Iranian seizure of the merchant Maersk Tigris in 28 April 2015, the shore-based anti-ship missile attacks against the catamaran transport ex Swift (HSV-2) and US destroyers on the Red Sea in October 2016 and the ulterior retaliation, the first military operation of the Trump Administration on January 28, 2017, the MV-22B tiltrotor raid of SEAL Team 6 operating from USS Makin Island (LHD-8) against Houthi Yemen, and later on January 30, an Al-Madinah-class Saudi frigate was attacked and damaged probably by a Houthi suicide or drone boat off Al Hudaydah, Houthi Yemen. (and neither counting in great landlocked actions, as the counter-Daesh operations in Middle East).
And meanwhile, more towards Far East a less perceived and growing problem was China, as reflected in the transfer of the 60% of the USN and USAF combat forces to the Pacific Theatre of Operations from 2012, move to be completed by 2020.
In this scenario the opposed forces are limited, and in a short time must achieve an overwhelming victory against the other side, to prevent extension of the conflict showing their superior capabilities, or failing it.
The depicted Russia and NATO regional orders of battle are the most historical accurate possible at February 2017.

Enrique Mas, 12 March 2017.

402 downloads

Updated March 28, 2017

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