broncepulido

Red Spanish Main, Juny 1986. A simple and introductory scenario ... or perhaps not. Note: In this scenario, to avoid spoilers, it is better to play the US/Blue side a few times, and only after play the Soviet/Red side. 1986 was a year full of events with strategic implications, some of them very unexpected: Soviet war in Afghanistan, US retaliatory strikes on Libya against the Gaddafi's terrorist actions, Challenger disaster, launching of the Mir space station, Chernobyl atomic disaster in the Soviet Union ... Many things and alternative historical lines of action could go wrong and degenerate in an open war. The first reform of Mikhail Gorbachev, the new Secretary General of the Politburo of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, was a heavy restriction in the sales of vodka to prevent the alcoholism in the Soviet Union. This measure provocked the overthrowing of Gorbachev and a new Politburo composed exclusively by Communist Party of the Soviet Union hard-liners. As consequence, at the unexpected hostilities start some ships of the Soviet Red Banner Northern Fleet showing the flag in neighbouring fellow countries are trapped in the Spanish Main, like the long time ago vanished pirates, and they need to reach the safe haven of Havana (near YVa) in eight days or so, before the US can concentrate forces coming from the East Coast and the Northern Atlantic in the Caribbean to obliterate them. Is confirmed the presence of the nuclear-powered battlecruiser Kirov in the trapped forces, but her presence is balanced because the supposed dominance of the newly recommissioned battleship BB-61 Iowa and her surface action group, after the reactivation of the battleships by the aim of President Ronald Reagan and Secretary of the Navy John Lehman to create a 600-ship navy, and just after the correction of her deficiencies after a recent InSurv inspection. Also, Hurricane Bonnie precludes the use of land-based air assets, prevents the use of air strikes and reconnaissance planes against the Soviet ships, and masks his transit to the Cuban harbours. Key of the unnamed Air Bases: ABa, Howard AFB MPHO, USA. ACa, Guantanamo Bay MUGM, USA. ADa, Homestead KHST, USA. AXa, Roosevelt Roads TJNR, USA. AYa, Key West NAS KNQX, USA. AZa, Key West International KEYW, USA. BAa, Kingston MKJP, Jamaica. YWa, Gustavo Rizo MUBA/Baracoa, Cuba YXa, Camaguey MUCM, Cuba. YYa, Sancti Spiritus MUSS, Cuba. YZa, Santiago de Cuba MUCU, Cuba. ZAa, Cienfuegos MUCF, Cuba. ZBb, Mariel Port, Cuba. ZCa, Playa Baracoa MUPB, Cuba ZTa, La Coloma MULM, Cuba. ZUa, Havana Jose Marti MUHA, Cuba. ZVa, Santa Clara MUSC, Cuba. ZWa, Pinar del Rio/San Julian MUSJ, Cuba. ZXa, San Antonio de los Banos MUSA, Cuba. ZYa, Holguin MUHG, Cuba. ZZa, Managua MNMG, Nicaragua. The Cuban warships and submarines are represented by equivalent types of other Soviet satellite navies. Enrique Mas, October 2011 Edited: Changes 5 October 2011: a number of not used Air Bases deleted to speed-up the gameplay. ICAO designation added to the Air Bases. Unnecessary nuclear release deleted. Changes 13 October 2011: Group AKS (Kocak) restored course, speed and alternate start points. Two not used Air Bases deleted to speed-up the gameplay.

A submarine-only scenario without other diversions, inspired by some old scenario booklets of the Harpoon 3 series, good for testing submarines (specially the new ones of the HCDB-110831), submarine tactics, sonars, torpedoes and other ASW weapons. Perhaps the Western submarines are numerically over-represented, but it's reflecting the original and very reduced in number of submarines paper scenarios. Also it's configured as a vanilla scenario for lazy players wanting to enjoy a simple pastime, and with the aim of replayability thanks to the aleatority of the starting positions and of the units presence or not presence. I think it's playable at the 10 or even 30 minutes time compression ... before any contact. Scenario Background: The South Atlantic War is going very bad for the British side from a few weeks ago and the South American countries are openly supporting Argentine, menacing with the employ of military force and with the blockade of the British sea lanes southwards. As consequence most of the Royal Navy operational SSN are concentrated keeping at bay in port the other South American navies and preventing his intervention in the Argentine side. This movement has provoked the hard-line communists in the Kremlin to start a submarine feint againts the NATO forces in the GIUK gap, perceiving a good oportunity for start a war with any little casus belli as excuse and defeat the Western Alliance with the Royal Navy engaged in the South Atlantic, At the start of this covert WWIII in the North Atlantic on 1982, the bad weather and also the political uncertitude precludes the use of air and surface assets. To keep low the social unrest because the war, the opening naval actions are limitated to the discrete submarine operations, in a situation remembrance of the 1939 Phony War and of the 1994 Tom Clancy's novel Debt of Honor (where both Japan and the United States are in war against the other, but both governments are occulting the fact to his respective public opinions to prevent the collapse of the stock markets), but these underwater actions are not less decisive or murderous than on a full open war. Enrique Mas, September 2011 Note: September 2011 editions were only for best setting of submarines speeds and depths. Modification 23 December 2011: older variants of previous submarine classes replacing erroneous period variants (As Agosta (1980) replacing Agosta (1988)). Old variants of British SSN replacing some Oberon class SS. New submarine class replacing erroneous types (As Narval SS replacing Daphne SS).