Though the sample size is small, the largely polarized results of the previous poll leads me to another poll.

 

One that further explores the one area where folks seem to have a greater variety of interest.

 

Many of these choices are directly from the Harpoon4 High Tide list.

 

If nothing in the above list suits your fancy, please by all means post your own suggestion.

I canz read, pick 3 so I picked 2, sharp I am today, sharp!

I once participated in a Sink The Kiev pbem, it was tense hunting down that wounded animal with the gaggle of destroyers/frigates. Good Fun.

 

First Team always peaked my interest from when it first appeared in a Harpoon Naval Review...94 I think.

 

Red Beach always cought my interest given there is a GCS/amphibious assault piece to it in a sanctioned Harpoon scenario. Not many of those beyond the Harpoon Falkland Islands module.

I'm thinking that to play players will need H4 paper rules, will this be the case?

Don

I'm thinking that to play players will need H4 paper rules, will this be the case?

 

Not in any game I would run. The object is to use the tools available (H4 being one) to help resolve engagements, but not as an iron rail upon which the game must travel.

Red Beach always cought my interest given there is a GCS/amphibious assault piece to it in a sanctioned Harpoon scenario. Not many of those beyond the Harpoon Falkland Islands module.

 

Also of interest because it can be a follow on in some respects from the David and Goliath game now ongoing.

Taking a deeper look at some of the larger High Tide scenarios that might be suitable for evolution into an MBX style wargame.

 

First off, Northern Aid ...

 

Norwegian Sea, circa June 1988

 

Soviets have made significant progress in Norway but only as far as Narvik. NATO intends to make a stand in Norway and hopefully redirect forces away from the Central Front. The carrier Roosevelt had been deployed to support operations in Norway but struck a rock off Scapa Flow and is sidelined, her wing having been forced ashore. The Soviet Northern Fleet is preoccupied in Iceland and the Baltic Fleet bottled up by minefields. 22nd MEU is embarked and having formed up with a British force south of the Faeroes, is starting a run up the coast of Norway to Trondheim.

 

Points of attraction:

 

1. An Iowa BB and F-14s (albeit shore based) (for Tony!)

2. Soviet bombers and submarines

3. Plenty of targets ... er, ships

4. Potential ground combat phase (the Marine landing! assuming they make it to the objective)

Taking a deeper look at some of the larger High Tide scenarios that might be suitable for evolution into an MBX style wargame.

 

First off, Northern Aid ...

 

At first glance the landing on this one sounds like the easy part. Will anything be afloat to land?

At first glance the landing on this one sounds like the easy part. Will anything be afloat to land?

 

Not all bad as that. There are less than 30x Sov bombers and plenty of NATO escort ships as well as Norwegian F-16s.

I worry that in relation to other games i've been involved in, the time investment for players and especially a referee is massive just tracking unit movements even where there are only a small number involved. I'd hate to think of the complexaties in managing a game with even 5+ units.

 

Maybe its just my own learning curve wiht H4.1, but i rarely have more than 3 units in any of my engagments. Full credit to you or anyone who can track more than that!

 

Some of the options look like there'd be quite a few units involved. But i liked the list of options.

I worry that in relation to other games i've been involved in, the time investment for players and especially a referee is massive just tracking unit movements even where there are only a small number involved. I'd hate to think of the complexaties in managing a game with even 5+ units. Maybe its just my own learning curve wiht H4.1, but i rarely have more than 3 units in any of my engagments. Full credit to you or anyone who can track more than that! Some of the options look like there'd be quite a few units involved. But i liked the list of options.

 

Yes, that's why I say that Harpoon paper rules would be a tool, but not something that would be used exclusively to manage the movement of the wargame. It would be very complex and very time consuming to do that.

 

Even so, most of the listed options are aimed at battles rather than theater wide war, which both Global Thunder and the ongoing War in 2012 are tackling.

Another that appeals ...

 

Red Beach, circa 16 May 1988

 

This is somewhat of a follow on to the scenario David and Goliath, which is being gamed right now under management of HG member Silent Hunter UK. STANAVFORLANT survivors from that scenario would go on to join the new battle, going into Hammerfest (Norway) to replenish just as the Soviets launch an amphibious assault at that location.

 

NATO would call upon the remnants of STANAVFORLANT, a local defense contingent (including coastal batteries!) and limited air support to turn back a Soviet invasion that includes a Sverdlov class gun cruiser, escorts and phibs.

 

The defense may hinge to some extent upon placement of a Norwegian Type 207 sub and a small contingent of fast attack missile craft. Depending on what route is chosen for the invasion, one of these two will probably be out of position.

 

One potential point of attraction for this scenario is the ground combat phase, ie. an opposed amphibious landing.

 

NATO forces would comprise an untrained Home Guard infantry company, a competent regular army infantry company, bolstered by coastal gun batteries and maybe even RBS17 Hellfire launchers, facing a reinforced Soviet naval infantry battalion and an occupation garrison.

Incoming Mail, circa July 1989

 

NATO is pushing convoys across the North Atlantic. This one, in particular, is comprised of 40 merchant ships escorted by one of three possible task groups centred on either the British carrier Invincible, the Spanish carrier Dedalo or the French carrier Clemenceau.

 

The convoy is two days out of New York, bound for Europe (of course).

 

Facing the convoy and its escorts are a regiment of Soviet Backfire bombers supported by Bear reconnaissance aircraft.

 

If that weren't bad enough, Soviet RORSATs have picked up the convoy.

 

The Invincible group would be mixed British/Canadian, the Dedalo group mixed Spanish/US, and the Clemenceau group mixed French/Dutch.

 

Will it be Sea Harriers, AV-8S Harriers or F8E(FN) Crusaders fighting off the Soviet raid?

 

Soviet victory is determined by points gained from sinking ships, while NATO victory is contingent upon keeping the Soviets from scoring points, with kills of Soviet aircraft working to deduct points from the total.

Kola Strike

 

There are two flavours of this scenario, one taking place in June 1980 and the other in June 1988.

 

Either way, the scenario models a two carrier US Navy attack on the Kola Peninsula, and more particularly, five key shore bases and facilities of the Red Banner Northern Fleet.

 

Whether the 1980 or 1988 scenario is chosen will determine in particular the order of battle (as well as the weapons available).

 

In 1980, for the US Navy:

 

A force centred on the USS Nimitz and USS John F Kennedy carrying air wings with F-14A, A-7E, A-6E, etc.

 

And the Soviet defense:

 

SA-3 SAMs, various AAA, Su-15 Flagon, MiG-23MLD Flogger K and Tu-128 Fiddler B fighters.

 

In 1988, for the US Navy:

 

A force centred on the USS Forrestal and USS Theodore Roosevelt, carrying air wings with F-14A, F/A-18A, A-7E and A-6E, etc; as well as two Improved LA class submarines with TLAMs.

 

And the Soviet defense:

 

SA-11 SAMs, various AAA, Su-27 Flanker and Su-15 Flagon fighters with potential for MiG-31 Foxhound and/or MiG-25 Foxbat to also appear.

 

Points are scored by NATO destroying a certain amount of Soviet infrastructure (measured in DP). The Soviets win by a successful defense that keeps the damage to a minimum.

Kola Strike

 

There are two flavours of this scenario, one taking place in June 1980 and the other in June 1988.

 

In 1980, for the US Navy:

 

A force centred on the USS Nimitz and USS John F Kennedy carrying air wings with F-14A, A-7E, A-6E, etc.

 

And the Soviet defense:

 

SA-3 SAMs, various AAA, Su-15 Flagon, MiG-23MLD Flogger K and Tu-128 Fiddler B fighters.

 

Sounds pretty special, Cold War glory days except no AEGIS quite yet. This is definitely tempting. I almost have to lean towards something with the amphibious landing though. As we chatted on IRC about too, being Spring and quickly leading to Summer it is tough to consider an MBX.