broncepulido

Solving the Spratlys problem: Stennis Compromise, March 2016. Alternate History Scenario.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the Western Pacific Battleset and the HCDB-150928 1980-2015 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.

Image: An VFA-14 "Tophatters" F/A-18E Super Hornet (Squadron with the only Super Hornets with the old APG-73 radars in the CVW-9, the others have the APG-79 AESA) participates in an air power demonstration near the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) as the ship operates in the Pacific Ocean on April 24, 2013. Photo took from Wikipedia, realized by Seaman Apprentice Ignacio D. Perez U.S. Navy, a serviceman on duty and in consequence in public domain.

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

The scenario is based in current historical events, mainly the navigation of the USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) Carrier Strike Group (JCSCSG or Carrier Strike Group Three) from the Luzon Strait on the contested area from 1 to 8 March 2016. But is very improbable the political motivation in either side capable to generate an open war.
Also, one of this complex scenario aims is to show how numerous and modernized are the Chinese forces at the current times, forgetting the usual conception about they're obsolete and simple forces (but including his lack of enough naval helicopters, tankers and EW aircrafts).
Is depicted the more accurate possible Chinese order of battle (March 2016) of his South Sea Fleet, his People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) aviation elements, his People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Southern and Eastern Theatre Commands, and a few strategic elements, as AWACS or ELINT planes.
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, March 2016 detection by the French of a Russian submarine near Bay of Biscay, and with constant and multiple overflies with military warplanes entangled in potential incidents with commercial flights in Europe. That without counting in other unrelated naval incidents, just as the Iranian seizure of the Maersk Tigris in 28 April 2015 (and neither counting in landlocked actions, as the ISIS operati
ons in Middle East).
But meanwhile, more towards Far East was China a less perceived and growing problem.
In some places of the South China or East Philippine Sea multiple countries claimed Spratly Islands archipelago (Chinese: Nansha islands, Filipino: Kapuluan ng Kalayaan, Malay: Kepulauan Spratly and Vietnamese: Quan dao Truong Sa), China was for years mongering his plans and established a permanent base at least from 1987, and 1988 included a naval battle against Vietnam, the Johnson South Reef Skirmish. Also at least from 1995, as denounced by Philippines, China was building structures with military capabilities, including from 2012 more relevant structures, as the 3000+ meters long (Very Large Airport in Harpoon parameters) runway in Fiery Cross Reef (now finished, at March 2016), and more important, building artificial reefs and islands above previous simple shoals for claiming territory. At last in an undetermined date late April 2015 China claims as territorial waters the 12 nautical miles circling his "new" islands.
As the US official doctrine is Freedom of Navigation (FON) worldwide on international waters, and as in this case with fears about a decision not to send naval vessels into the zone would inadvertently help the Chinese build their own case for sovereignty in the area, some air and surface elements of US Navy begin to orbit near the Chinese claims, but not crossing the 12 nm line.
Between the first incidents were a VP-45 Pelicans' P-8A Poseidon in surveillance mission carrying a CNN TV team inside, warned by the Chinese to no flight 12 nm near of Fiery Cross Reef on 20 May 2015, and the trailing for some hours of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) by the Chinese frigate Yuncheng (571) on 11 May 2015. Late, from 26 October 2015, USS Lassen (DDG-82) implement the Freedom of Navigation (FON) near the Chinese occupied Subi and Mischief Reefs in the Spratlys, and a clash of destroyers was possible, but avoided with the humble and shy behaviour of the US side, transiting without radars illuminating or the helicopter flying.
At last, and after some months without US aircraft carriers in the region, when on 1 March 2016 the JCSCSG (Group AEC) transited the Luzon Strait, everything was possible...

Enrique Mas, 15 March 2016.

Battle of Chancellorsville: The Red Badge of Courage, March 2016. Alternate History Scenario.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition introductory scenario for the Western Pacific Battleset and the HCDB-150928 1980-2015 era Platform Database or the HCDB2-170401 new 1980-2025 era Platform Database . This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.

Image: USS Chancellorsville (CG-62) steams port side of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise in 8 July 2010. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Stephen M. Votaw, a serviceman on duty and in consequence in public domain, took from Wikipedia Commons.

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

The scenario is based in current historical events, mainly the navigation of the USS Chancellorsville (CG-62) on the contested area in late March 2016, as is the US clear aim to keep open to all maritime traffic the region sea, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. But is very improbable the political motivation in either side capable to generate an open and all-out war.
Is basically an introductory scenario, inspired by the (continuous) current events.
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, March 2016 detection by the French of a Russian submarine near Bay of Biscay, and with constant and multiple overflies with military warplanes entangled in potential incidents with commercial flights in Europe. That without counting in other unrelated naval incidents, just as the Iranian seizure of the Maersk Tigris in 28 April 2015 (and neither counting in landlocked actions, as the ISIS operati
ons in Middle East).
But meanwhile, more towards Far East was China a less perceived and growing problem.
In some places of the South China or East Philippine Sea multiple countries claimed Spratly Islands archipelago (Chinese: Nansha islands, Filipino: Kapuluan ng Kalayaan, Malay: Kepulauan Spratly and Vietnamese: Quan dao Truong Sa), China was for years mongering his plans and established a permanent base at least from 1987, and 1988 included a naval battle against Vietnam, the Johnson South Reef Skirmish. Also at least from 1995, as denounced by Philippines, China was building structures with military capabilities, including from 2012 more relevant structures, as the 3000+ meters long (Very Large Airport in Harpoon parameters) runway in Fiery Cross Reef (now finished, at March 2016), and more important, building artificial reefs and islands above previous simple shoals for claiming territory. At last in an undetermined date late April 2015 China claims as territorial waters the 12 nautical miles circling his "new" islands.
As the US official doctrine is Freedom of Navigation (FON) worldwide on international waters, and as in this case with fears about a decision not to send naval vessels into the zone would inadvertently help the Chinese build their own case for sovereignty in the area, some air and surface elements of US Navy begin to orbit near the Chinese claims, but not crossing the 12 nm line.
Between the first incidents were a VP-45 Pelicans' P-8A Poseidon in surveillance mission carrying a CNN TV team inside, warned by the Chinese to no flight 12 nm near of Fiery Cross Reef on 20 May 2015, and the trailing for some hours of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) by the Chinese frigate Yuncheng (571) on 11 May 2015. Late, from 26 October 2015, USS Lassen (DDG-82) implement the Freedom of Navigation (FON) near the Chinese occupied Subi and Mischief Reefs in the Spratlys, and a clash of destroyers was possible, but avoided with the humble and shy behaviour of the US side, transiting without radars illuminating or the helicopter flying.
Other previous very important situation, and after some months without US aircraft carriers in the region, was from 1 to 8 March 2016, when the USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) Carrier Strike Group (JCSCSG or Carrier Strike Group Three) transited the Luzon Strait on the contested area.
And the last possible incident in our timeline was the sailing of the cruiser USS Chancellorsville between Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Mansiloc Spanish historical name) and Mischief Reef on late March 2016, when was persistently trailed by Chinese frigate Yueyang (575) and the action was limited to an exchange of weather pleasantries, but other outcome was possible, re-enacting Stephen Crane's Battle of Chancellorsville-inspired The Red Badge of Courage ...

Enrique Mas, 1 April 2016.

ASW Forms, Harpoon 3 Battles of the Third World War, late August 1991.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the Western Pacific 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: Only three years later of the scenario date and to show the forces concentration level in the region, a 24 May 1994 aerial view of the United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka naval base. The ships tied up at the piers are (bottom to top) the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force destroyers Sawagiri (DD-157), Asagiri (DD-151), the helicopter carrying destroyer Kurama (DDH-144), the destroyer USS O'Brien (DD-975), the Japanese guided missile destroyer Kongo (DDG-173) and the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG-52) with VLS, first of Flight II. At the top, off to the right, is the amphibious command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19). To the far right at Berth 5 are four Japanese Yushio-class submarines. Official US Navy photo by PH1 (Photographer's Mate First Class) H. Johnson, U.S. Navy, a serviceperson on duty, and in consequence in public domain, took from Wikipedia Commons.

This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/Allied 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.

A Sea of Japan scenario inspired by some good old scenario booklets of the Harpoon 3 series of the late 1980s edited by GDW, of great value for fun testing of generic tactics and weapons. Actually is a mix-up of originally random table generated ASW operations centred scenarios, do easier as only the Computer Harpoon can provide. And also reflecting all the knowledge acquired the last years in some matters, as about Soviet/Russian and others platforms characteristics, OOBs and historical deployments.

The scenario is settled at the start of the conventional WWIII as was forecasted for the whole World for circa May 1991 and later in some of the GDW edited booklets, the opening movements and contacts, and the first days of true combat.
At August 1991, after three months of WWIII start, in the Far East Japan was keep neutral to avoid a second front for the NATO and other allied Western forces.
In the Sea of Japan trading lanes and fishing zones were maintained open and accessible, but with the months pass the tension was increasing.
At last, the Soviet Union decided to attack the Japanese maritime traffic to create a Far East second front and alleviate the pressure in the main European/North Atlantic theatre of operations.

Note: the scenario is qualified as "Historical" because the forces present in the scenario were historically deployed or very near to the zone of operations in August 1991. As example, Japanese Mitsubishi SH-60J Seahawk were first deployed just in August 1991, USS Truxtun (CGN-35) departed Bremerton for her WESTPAC deployment on 16 August 1991, and the Soviet naval vessels are those historically deployed at that time in its Pacific Fleet.

Enrique Mas, October 28, 2017.

Second Cold War ASW Warfare in the Sea of Japan, late November 2017.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the Western Pacific 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 very probably more funny, fast and furious than the precedent and similar "ASW Forms, Harpoon 3 Battles of the Third World War", settled some twenty-five years before, on late August 1991

Image: The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force anti-submarine warfare helicopter destroyer Hyuga (DDH-181) during Annual Exercise ANNUALEX 21G. On deck two SH-60J (two first ones) and two SH-60K behind, with ESM sensors relocated up in the nose middle. November 17, 2009, photo by John M. Hageman, U.S. Navy, a serviceperson on duty and in consequence in public domain, took from Wikipedia Commons.

This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/Allied 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.

An anti-submarine warfare derivative scenario from the precedent "ASW Forms, Harpoon 3 Battles of the Third World War, late August 1991", with updated and contemporary Orders of Battle and better and more realistic warships and submarines availability and deployment.
.

The scenario is settled at the start of a contemporary Second Cold War going hot because many causes, the opening movements and contacts, and the first days of true combat.
At November 2017, few weeks after the WWIII start in Europe after the Putin's Russia invasion of the Baltic States after the Zapad-17 drills and the subsequent NATO response, in the Far East Japan was keep neutral to avoid a second front for the NATO and other allied Western forces.
In the Sea of Japan trading lanes and fishing zones were maintained open and accessible, but with the months pass the tension was increasing.
At last, Russia decided to attack the Japanese maritime traffic to create a Far East second front and alleviate the pressure in the main European/North Atlantic theatre of operations.

Note: the scenario is qualified as "Historical" because the forces present in the scenario were the historically deployed or very near to the zone of operations in November 2017, including the US Navy ships forward deployed to United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka (and not damaged in recent collisions!), the most modern Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force submarines and warships, basically those from Sasebo District Fleet and Sasebo Naval Base, the Russian Pacific Fleet, and the Chinese North Sea Fleet.

Enrique Mas, October 29, 2017.

August 1988 Sea of Okhotsk skirmish, hypothetical scenario.
 
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for Western Pacific WesPac 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/Japanese 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.
Image: JMSDF DDH-141 Haruna pulls into Pearl Harbor in 2008, previously to exercise RIMPAC 2008. 26 June 2008. (Released U.S. Navy photo by Michael R. McCormick, U.S. Navy, took by a US serviceperson on duty, and in consequence in public domain).
From the WWII end Southern Kuril Islands are in dispute between the extinct Soviet Union, and later our current days Russia, and Japan.
In this simple but not easy to win scenario, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JSMDF) Third Escort Flotilla confronts elements of the historical Soviet local forces, 10th Operational Squadron, better known as Pacific Squadron.
Third Escort Flotilla comes with its historical ship composition, reflecting the concept of eight ships and six helicopters by Escort Flotilla, previously to the later eight ships and eight helicopters system after the in service entry of the Hatakaze-class. In this concept are including different indigenous designs of anti-air warfare destroyers (DDG), with different ships carrying the Standard missile launchers in fore or aft position, to cover all the formation firing arcs.
This scenario is inspired in the great Sake in the Rocks scenario by Jay Wissmann, published in Admiral Trilogy Naval SITREP 58-59. At start I pretended to simply reproduce the scenario, but soon it evolved in a very different beast and year, and after some short-term Japanese ships and helicopters upgrades present in the Database.
Enrique Mas, 29 November 2020.

The Chinese are Coming!!! (Against ARC21). Mid-2021. Hypothetical Scenario.
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for Western Pacific WesPac 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/Allied side or from the Red/Chinese side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.
Image: San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS New Orleans (LPD-18), joined by the Royal Australian Navy's Anzac-class frigate HMAS Parramatta (FFH-154), the French Navy's amphibious assault helicopter carrier FS Tonnerre (L9014), and Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force's Osumi class tank landing ship JS Osumi, transit together during exercise Jeanne D'Arc 21 (ARC-21), off the coast of Kagoshima, Japan on May 14, 2021. US Marine Corps photo by a serviceperson on duty, and in consequence on public domain).
Putting President Putin aside and his current hybrid-war generated tensions in Easter Europe, expansionist China imposes a greater military, economic and politic challenge to the Western powers and other Far East allies.
After historical periods targeted against other neighbours from 2012 China expansionism reveals itself clearer, marking an oceanic path. Beyond old vindications on nearer islands from Japan, Philippines and other countries, it's a subjacent strategy to exercise control on the Chinese sea approaches just to the second "string of pearls" (islands) and beyond, with complete domination of the sometimes named East and South china Seas.
This scenario is centred on mid-2021, when annual French training mission ARC21 arrived near Japan, and international situation degenerates hot.
The scenario reflects the complete Japanese and US order of battle in the region in 2021, and a very approximative Chinese order of battle of its Eastern Theatre Command forces, both PLAAF and PLAN (only main and selected warships), with some (air defence) PLAGF elements.
This scenario is apparently cumbersome, but easier to command than others with fewer forces. Also it was surprisingly easier to program than other a lot smaller.
Both sides forces are asymmetrical but probably balanced ... or not.
Enrique Mas, November 14, 2021.

Christmas 1943, bad day for sailing in the Far North.
 
Picture: BC Scharnhort, circa 1939. Source: Wikipedia from German Federal Archives/Kommando der Volksmarine - Bildbestand (DVM 10 Bild), Accession number DVM 10 Bild-23-63-12
 
With BB Tirpitz damaged by attack of midget submarines, BC Scharnhorst remains the only Kriegsmarine capital ship available to be utilized against the Arctic convoys from Great Britain to Soviet Union.
Admiral Fraser, Home Fleet commander, decides to set a trap to the last operational German capital ship, reinforcing the convoys escort, and using HUMINT from Norwegian agents for request information about the Scharnhorst movements.
At the closing hours of December, 25, 1943, westbound convoy RA55A was converging with eastbound convoy JW55B, near the Bear Island area, while the German group, coming from Altafjord, was approaching the area from south.
At 0755 on December, 25, 1943, Konteradmiral Erich Bey on command of BC Scharnhorst orders his accompanying DDs of the 4th Zerstorer-Flotille to explore in search of the convoys. Bad transmitted orders, bad weather and bad luck, and the BC and the DDs lost contact one with the others.
It's the time of the British trap execution ...
 
Some links:
http://www.scharnhorst-class.dk/scharnhors...rnostfront.html
http://www.naval-history.net/Cr03-56-00NorthCape.htm
http://www.9thflottilla.de/9s130.htm
For U-Boat patrols on this date:
http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_1673.html
http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/search.php
 
Enrique Mas, September 2009.

Submarines Galore 1989!!!
 
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the EC2003 Battle for GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCDB-130818 1980-2015 Era Platform Database.
 
A submarine-only scenario without other diversions, inspired by some old scenario booklets of the Harpoon 3 series, good for testing submarines, 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 randomness 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.
 
At the start of the WWIII in the North Atlantic on 1989, the bad weather and also the political incertitude precludes the use of air and surface assets. To keep low the social unrest because the war, the opening naval actions are limited 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 a full open war.
 
Modification 10 April 2011, tough victory conditions changed to (both sides): Minimum Victory Condition eight submarines sunk, Total Victory Condition twelve submarines sunk.
 
Modification 11 April 2011, increased presence probability of some subs because previous confussion about percentile addition.
 
Modification 23 December 2011: some older variants of previous submarine classes now in the DataBase replacing erroneous period variants.
 
Modification 19 May 2014: some older variants of previous submarine classes now in the DataBase replacing erroneous period variants.Modified presence probability of some subs because previous confussion about percentile addition, the probabilities are now more evently distributed between the submarines, but the probability of presence of a diesel-electric boat is now half of the probability of a nuclear boat. SSBN presence probability increased.
 
Enrique Mas, April 2011

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).

First Convoy in the Phoney War, 14-18 September 1939.
 
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the EC2003 Battle for GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCWW-101110 World Wars era Platform Database.
 
That's an essay of building an historic and realistic scenario, and as consequence, something boring for most of the time, with some moments of terror, as in the real world ASW operations, in this case in the Western Approaches. And probably most of the played scenarios will be finished with a draw. Playtesting after built the scenario reflects it is more playable in the Red/German side.
It reflects the Phoney War in all his splendour and peculiarities, with though fighting in the sea lanes, in opposition to the calm land and air fronts. It reflects also the very limited UK ASW capabilities at the war start, the approximative initial Order of Battle of the RAF Coastal Command and his historical bases (Most of the Hudson represents Anson MkI, Sunderland MkIII represents Sunderland MkI, and minor types as Stranraer, London, Lerwick or others are not represented, some Air Stations only with detachments are neither in play), merchants sailing unescorted, also is depicted OB-4 (OB stands for Liverpool - Outward (North America)) the first convoy attacked in WWII by German submarines, the great number of German submarines operating at this time in the sector (in patrol from before the hostilities, his number was later inferior because maintenance and transit times), with his approximated historical positions (Including the after the Cold War infamous U-34, who sunk the Spanish Republican submarine C
-3, my grandfather boat, in the Spanish Civil War, in the covert Operation Ursula), and also is present the fleet carrier HMS Courageous and her nimble escort, the last attempt to employ the large fleet carriers as ASW platforms ...
Ironically, in the Phoney War time period Hitler was attempting to seize the peace with Great Britain, and the objective victory reached by the Kriegsmarine sinking the Courageous was contrary to the Fuhrer interests, and dismissed by him.
 
The represented historical Coastal Command bases and squadrons are:
AXa RAF Leuchars EGQL, 233 Sqd RAF Coastal Command (Hudson MkI/II).
AYa RAF Thornaby, 224 Sqd Det (Hudson MkI/II), 220 Sqn (Hudson MkIII), 608 Sqd (30?xAnson MkI=15xHudson MkI/II).
AZa RAF Aldergrove EGAA, 224 Sqd. Det (Hudson MkI/II), 502 Sqd Anson I (30?xAnson MkI=15xHudson MkI/II).
BAa RAF Gosport, 224 Sqd (Hudson MkI/II).
BBa RAF Prestwick EGPF, 102 Sqd, 30?xWhitley MkIII (represented by MkII).
BCa RAF Thorney Island, 48 Sqd (30?xAnson MkI=15xHudson MkI/II).
BDa RAF Sullum Voe, 201 Sqd with London I, London II, Stranraer, represented by 2xSunderland III.
BEa RAF Mount Batten, 204 Sqd (8?xSunderland I represented by 4xSunderland III).
BFa RAF Bircham Newton, 201 Sqd, (30?xAnson MkI=15xHudson MkI/II).
BGa RAF Pembroke Dock, 210 and 228, Sqd, (8?xSunderland I each, represented by 4xSunderland III).
BHa RAF Warmell, 217 Sqd, Anson I (30?xAnson MkI=15xHudson MkI/II).
BIa RAF Montrose, 269 Sqd, Anson I (30?xAnson MkI=15xHudson MkI/II).
BJa RAF Detling, 500 Sqd, Anson I (30?xAnson MkI=15xHudson MkI/II).
BKa RAF Dyce EGPD, 612 Sqd, Anson I (30?xAnson MkI=15xHudson MkI/II).
Some British DD not are of the exact time period represented, but most of them are historically correct and present in the Western Approaches operations in September 1939.
The ahistorical SOSUS or CAESAR contacts on German submarines can be considered as representations of SIGINT or HUMINT detections.
 
Enrique Mas, July 2012.

The Storozhevoy Mutiny, 8-9 November 1975. Historical Scenario.
 
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the EC2003 Battle for GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCCW-130801 1950-1975 Cold War Platform Database.
 
Image: from Wikipedia Commons, his sister ship Legkiy in 1993. Description: Aerial starboard bow view of the Russian Northern Fleet Krivak I Class guided missile frigate Legkiy underway. Сторожевой корабль Лёгкий в Северной Атлантике, август 1993 года.
 
On November 8, 1975, the day after of the 58th anniversary of the October Revolution in Riga, now capital city of Latvia (the date divergence comes from the change from the old Russian calendar) , Captain Third Rank Valery Mikhailovich Sablin, son and grandson of naval officers, the political commissar of the modern Soviet ASW frigate Storozhevoy and a committed Communist, called the crew together and showed them Battleship Potemkin, Sergei Eisenstein's fiction film account of the 1905 naval mutiny in Odessa.
After the movie screening Sablin, inspired by the memory of the battleship Potemkin, and also by the presence of the near museum in Leningrad of the protected cruiser Aurora, which with her gunfire and crew had ignited the revolution of 1917, and for all his life in deeply disaccord with the current communism ruling the Soviet Union, decides to sail with the Storozhevoy to Leningrad, and broadcast a direct message to the Soviet people to start a new and pure revolution.
After a voting, crew members and officers in disagreement with his action were confined at the sonar room.
However, an officer escaped and radioed for assistance. The news reached the Kremlin and Leonid Brezhnev, who immediately issued an order to ^Bomb it and sink it^, even employing nuclear bombs if necessary.
The mutiny was masqueraded to the rest of the world as an attempt at defecting to the West. The course for Leningrad, which would lead the ship through the Swedish island of Gotland and Stockholm as the gulf of Riga is impassable to the North, closed by the islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, gave the mistaken impression that Storozhevoy was heading to Sweden instead of Leningrad. Until the end of the Cold War, Western intelligence believed that the crew was going to defect. This story inspired US author Tom Clancy to write the 1984 novel ^The Hunt for Red October^, and as consequence in a late stage the own Harpoon system, but that is another history.
 
Unnamed places are:
ZTa: Minsk/Machulishchi Airport and Air Base -/UMLI.
 
Enrique Mas, August 2013.

NATO Baltic Air Policing in action, late May 2014. Alternate history scenario.
 
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the EC2003 Battle for GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCDB-130818 1980-2015 era Platform Database.
 
Image source Wikipedia: Description: Su-27SM3 at the Celebration of the 100th anniversary of Russian Air Force. Date 12 August 2012, 16:48:23 Source http://vitalykuzmin.net/?q=node/464 Author Vitaly V. Kuzmin.
 
This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/Baltic-States-NATO side or from the Red/Belarus-Russia side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red/Belarus-Russia side if you've interest on it, but I think the victory conditions are very difficult to get for an AI-controlled Red side.
 
Years after the demise of Soviet Union, when since March 2004 the three Baltic States Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia joined NATO, the 24/7 task to police the airspace of the Baltic States (without own effective Air Forces) was conducted on three or later four-month rotation from Lithuania's First Air Base in Siauliai Airport (a little famous Soviet base because was home of the Tu-126 Moss AWACS), from 2011 called Ronald Reagan International Airport. Usual deployments consist of only four fighter aircraft and support personnel.
As a reflect of the started 21 March 2014 Ukrainian Crises the NATO Baltic Air Policy detachment in the Ronald Reagan International Airport was reinforced with a greater number of fighters.
But from the other side of the border the President of Russia Vladimir Putin was working for years in a plan to recover the Russian Empire and later Soviet territories, to reinstitute the greatness of Russia, and to guarantee his passage on the History as saviour of the Rodina.
Some months before the Crimean and Ukrainian crises, from 8 December 2013 begun the deployment of updated Su-27SM3 Russian fighters in the Belarusian 61st Fighter Air Base at Baranovichi, with all the pilots deployed qualified as Pilot First Class, and later apparently to form a full Flanker regiment to be based at Lida 206th Assault Air Base from 2015 (the Su-27 was previously retired from Belarusian service in December 2012)..
Also, deployment of advanced Iskander surface-to-surface missiles and a battery of the very impressive S-400 Triumf/SA-21 SAM in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad between Lithuania and Poland (Formerly Konigsberg in East Prussia. What better excuse to request a land bridge from Russia, nobody remember the very near Danzig Corridor and the 1939 German Ultimatum to Poland?) can give some ideas about future events. More clear even from 7 April 2014, when after only a day of occupation by Russian affine forces was proclaimed the Donetsk People's Republic, previously to the general Russian invasion of Ukraine on 10 May 2014 (date hypothetical on writing this text).
At last the Putin's plans were disclosed in late May 2014, when the Belarusian forces, acting as a Russian proxy to avoid a global conflict, and exploiting the numerous minor crises spread in the World (North Korea, Iran, Venezuela, China, India-Pakistan, Middle East, Sahel, ...) and the lack of momentum of the Obama Administration.
As response to the limited war started by Belarus with only a little support from the Russian forces based at Kaliningrad, NATO transferred the forces based in the Baltic States to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, but expelled them from NATO!, to avoid a generalized conflict.
In consequence, the Baltic States stand alone for the few first days of war, waiting for help only if they keep fighting to survive, and his cause is later supported by the Western Powers, after a political and strategic change.
 
Renamed places are:
AGa Amari AB, EEEI, Estonia.
ZHb, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
ZTa Minsk Machulishchy AB, UMLI, Belarus.
ZUa Hrodna/Grodno IA, UMMG, Belarus.
ZVa Pruzhany AB, UMNV, Belarus.
ZWa Luninets AB, BY-9934, Belarus.
ZXa Lida AB, UMDD, Belarus.
 
Notes:
Belarussian Su-25 are represented by Ukrainian Su-25.
The two MPQ-64 Sentinel radars of the LTAFADB are represented by Giraffe 75 radars.
 
Enrique Mas, April 7, 2014.

Submarines Galore 2014!!!, late May 2014, Alternate history scenario.
 
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the EC2003 Battle for GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCDB-130818 1980-2015 Era Platform Database.
 
Image from Wikipedia: Portsmouth, Va. - The nations newest and most advanced nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Virginia (SSN 774) passes the skyline of Hampton, Va., with the campus of Hampton University seen in the background, on its the way to Norfolk Naval Shipyard upon completion of Bravo sea trials. Virginia is the Navys only major combatant ready to join the fleet that was designed with the post-Cold War security environment in mind and embodies the war fighting and operational capabilities required to dominate the littorals while maintaining undersea dominance in the open ocean. August 25, 2004. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 2nd Class Christina M. Shaw(RELEASED).
 
A submarine-only scenario without other diversions, inspired on origin by some old scenario booklets of the Harpoon 3 series but very modified on this 2014 Edition, good for testing submarines (specially the new ones included after 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 doing any contact.
 
From February 21, 2014, well staged by President Putin, were unveiled and erupted multiple simultaneous crises in Ukraine, Baltic States and China. With a feeble and hesitating Obama Administration, and when the international relations and foreign policy "experts" and "analysts" were expecting for the start of a new cold war, it was very difficult for the uncoordinated and surprised Western Powers to see another path than that of the war. At least the first ten boats of the very advanced Virginia-class SSN were commissioned on less than the programmed budget and even eleven months before the scheduled date. Also, the Russian submarine fleet has not been very updated from the Cold War end, and has substantially shrunken in number. To keep low the political and social unrest because the war imminence and also because exceptionally bad weather, the opening naval actions were limited to 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 were not less decisive or murderous than a full open war.
 
Enrique Mas, May 18, 2014.

Swedish Submarine Incident October 17-24, 2014. Historical scenario/Alternate history scenario.
 
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the EC2003 Battle for GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCDB-140909 1980-2015 era Platform Database.
 
Image from Wikipedia Commons: Swedish corvette K31 Visby in Aura river in Turku during the Northern Coasts 2014 exercise public pre sail event, 31 August 2014. Author: MKFI.
 
This scenario is designed to be played mostly from the Blue/Swedish 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/Russian side if you've interest on it, but I think the victory conditions are very difficult to get for an AI-controlled Blue side.
 
Years after the demise of Soviet Union, the prudent, neutral and natively well-armed Sweden did start near 2008 to downsizing clearly his armed forces (Forsvarsmakten), retiring whole categories of weapons systems, as the useful HKP-4B/C/D Boeing Vertol Kawasaki KV-107-II (CH-46 Sea Knight-derivative) twin-rotor ASW helicopters, specially configured for shallow and difficult waters. All this despite the habitual submarine incidents that had taken place continuously since at least 1962 on the Swedish territorial shores and archipelagos, originated in Soviet clandestine activities, of which the most obvious and memorable event was the stranding of S-363 "Whiskey on the Rocks Incident" in the vicinity of the sensible naval base of Karlskrona in November 1981.
But from the other side of the Baltic Sea the President of Russia Vladimir Putin was working for years in a plan to recover the Russian Empire and later Soviet territories, to reinstitute the greatness of his Russia, to guarantee his passage on the History as saviour of the Rodina, and doing return the ghost of the past.
Some months before the Crimean and Ukrainian crises, from 8 December 2013 begun the deployment of updated Su-27SM3 Russian fighters in the Belarusian 61st Fighter Air Base at Baranovichi, with all the pilots deployed qualified as Pilot First Class, and later apparently to form a full Flanker regiment to be based at Lida 206th Assault Air Base from 2015 (the Su-27 was previously retired from Belarusian service in December 2012)..
Also, deployment of advanced Iskander surface-to-surface missiles and a battery of the very impressive S-400 Triumf/SA-21 SAM in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad between Lithuania and Poland (Formerly Konigsberg in East Prussia. What better excuse to request a land bridge from Russia, nobody remember the very near Danzig Corridor and the 1939 German Ultimatum to Poland?) can give some ideas about future events. More clear even from 7 April 2014, when after only a day of occupation by Russian affine forces was proclaimed the Donetsk People's Republic.
At last in Autumn, as another of the multiple World Crisis of 2014, in October 2014 were intensified Russian military flights with long range elements in the Pacific and Caribbean areas, Black and Baltic Seas shores and so far as the Portuguese Atlantic Coast.
But the more eye-catching and symptomatic incident on 17-24 October was the Swedish submarine chase of unidentified submerged object, with multiple but unclear sights on Kanholmsfjarden in the Stockholm archipelago and radio transmissions linked to a military site in Kaliningrad, compatible with a Russian submarine in distress. All with the addition of at least three Russian-operated civilian ships very probably equipped with submarine holding bays orbiting the near Baltic zone: NS Concord, a converted 105000 tons oil tanker sailing in circles in middle of the sea for one week, R/V Professor Logachev (an 3900 tons standard ex-AGI Project 12283M ship), and the 18425 tons LPG tanker Sibur Voronezh with very reduced IR signature, the two tankers operated at last instance by the Russian company Sovcomflot (SCF).
On this scenario the idea is to show the currently reduced ASW capabilities of the Swedish Armed Forces against a possible multiple midget submarine menace, at the same time facing and defending against some limited Russian air incursions potentially menacing the nimble Swedish surface ASW elements.
Is present the current Swedish OOB (the in service JAS.39C Gripen Block 19 (2010) and Block 20 (2012) have a slightly improved radar than plain JAS.39C, but are not yet armed with Meteor or Taurus) , and the limited Russian OOB showed in the scenario is as accurate as possible on open sources in October 2014.
 
Enrique Mas, November 2014.

Harpoon 3 Battles of the Third World War, May 1991.
 
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the EC2003 Battle for GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCDB-140909 1980-2015 era Platform Database.
 
Image: Soviet CVH Baku circa 1988. US Navy photo, from Wikipedia Commons.
 
This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/Allied 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.
 
A North Atlantic-GIUK scenario inspired by some old scenario booklets of the Harpoon 3 series of the late 1980s edited by GDW, good for testing generic tactics and weapons. Actually is a mix-up of individual sea-operations centred scenarios as only the Computer Harpoon can provide. And reflecting all the knowledge acquired the last years in some matters, as about Soviet/Russian platforms, OOBs and Soviet/Russian carrier air wings composition.
 
The scenario is settled at the start of the conventional WWIII as was forecasted in the North Atlantic for about May 1991 in some of the GDW edited booklets, the opening movements and contacts, and the first days of open combat.
 
Enrique Mas, 5 December 2014.

Sub Hunt off Faslane 2014. Historical scenario/Alternate history scenario.
 
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the EC2003 Battle for GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCDB-140909 1980-2015 era Platform Database or the New Standard HCDB2-170611 1980-2025 era Platform Database.
 
Image: Royal Air Force Sentinel R.1 visits the National Test Pilot School at Mojave, 29 October 2007. Photo by Alan Radecki. From Wikipedia Commons.
 
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/NATO side to avoid spoilers about force presence, and only later play the Red/Russian, but the victory conditions are probably difficult to get for an AI-controlled Blue side.
 
After UK did retire all the Nimrod MR.2 ASW and maritime patrol aircrafts in 2010 (and his ill-fated projected replacement Nimrod MRA.4 in 2012), the island nation was hopeless without a credible defence even of his nearest sea lanes (we can add to these very erroneous decisions others recent ones, losing full weapon capabilities in others fields, as the air-launched Sea Eagle anti-ship missile in 2000, the Sea Harrier in 2006, the Harrier in 2009 and the anti-radar ALARM missile in December 2013).
Few time later, in the event full year of 2014 the President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB operative) was showing 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 savior of the Rodina.
After provoked from May 2014 the Crimea, Ukraine, Donetsk, Baltic States, Swedish submarine incursion, G-20 Brisbane meeting naval crisis, and constant and multiple overflies with military warplanes incidents, a less published but remarkable incident happened in the seas surrounding Scotland and the approaches to strategic British SSBN base of Faslane (HMNB Clyde).
In late November 2014 the periscope of an unidentified submarine was perceived near to Faslane base, and UK was forced to request support of the Allied for get some ASW aircrafts, after the Nimrod debacle of 2010.
Two American P-3C Orion (Of VP-4 "Skinny Dragons", based at NAS Sigonella, Sicily), two Canadian CP-140 Aurora, one French Atlantique 2, and one useless for the task British Sentinel R.1 (ASTOR) were deployed to RAF Kinloss in Scotland.
The situation was not very covered by the media, probably because the temporal proximity of the October 2014 Swedish Submarine Incident, and because the incertitude of the situation.
 
Enrique Mas, 18 December 2014.

Minelaying Incursion in the Phoney War, 12-13 December 1939. Historical Scenario.
 
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the EC2003 Battle for GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCWW-101110 World Wars era Platform Database. To avoid spoilers is better to play first a few times the British/Blue side, and only after play the German/Red side.
 
Image: pre-War photos of German destroyers Z1 Leberecht Maas and Z5 Paul Jakobi, as depicted on the A503 FM30-50 booklet for identification of ships, published by the Division of Naval Inteligence of the Navy Department of the United States and as consequence in public domain. Taked from Wikipedia Commons.
 
A mining scenario based on the 12-13 December mining incursion near Newcastle by German light surface forces in the Phoney War.
Both sides have limited resources and many task to do and many paths to victory.
The present forces are all the historical correct as I can get them.
Are depicted the historical surface and subsurface naval forces, the complete RAF Coastal Command order of battle at 12 December 1939, and the on the German side in the same date the near to North Sea units of Kustenfliegergruppen, Seeaufklarungsgruppen and the only and one Tragergruppe 186 with instructional land-based aircrafts to ready Luftwaffe air crews for future naval use in the Graf Zeppelin aircraft carrier, ship who never entered in service.
 
Notes:
Some very few British DD/DE not are of the exact time period represented, but almost all of them are historically correct and present as in the operations in December 1939.
The number of aircraft in the air units of both sides are hypothetical and not strictly historical.
A very few of the German aircraft types subvariants are not historical accurate.
Some aircrafts of the RAF Coastal Command are represented by similar types because limitations in the Database:
30xAnson MkI=15xHudson MkI/II.
4xLondon I, London II, Stranraer or Skeeter represented by 1xSunderland III.
2xSunderland I represented by 1xSunderland III.
The ahistorical SOSUS or CAESAR contacts on naval units can be considered as representations of SIGINT or HUMINT detections.
 
Enrique Mas, February 2015.

Duel in the English Channel, mid-February 2015. Alternate history scenario.
 
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the EC2003 Battle for GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCDB-140909 1980-2015 era Platform Database.
 
Image: HMS Argyll in 2009, UK MoD photo, from Wikipedia Commons. Author: LA(Phot) Caz Davies.
 
This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/UK side or from the Red/Russia side. Is a very simple and introductory scenario, but you should play first a few times the Blue/UK side to avoid possible spoilers, and only later play the Red/Russia side.
 
After the eventful year of 2014 and with the World 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 savior of the Rodina.
From May 2014 Putin provoked in succession the Crimea, Ukraine, Donetsk, Baltic States, Swedish submarine incursion, G-20 Brisbane meeting naval crisis, November 2014 Faslane submarine incident, and constant and multiple overflies with military warplanes causing potential incidents with commercial flights.
After UK did retire all the Nimrod MR.2 ASW and maritime patrol aircrafts in 2010 (and his ill-fated projected replacement Nimrod MRA.4 in 2012), the island nation was hopeless without a credible defence even of his nearest sea lanes (we can add to these very erroneous decisions others recent ones, losing full weapon capabilities in others fields, as the air-launched Sea Eagle anti-ship missile in 2000, the Sea Harrier in 2006, the Harrier in 2009 and the anti-radar ALARM missile in December 2013).
Also, from near 2010 only a warships was available for "escort" foreign or potentially enemy ships sailing the English Channel.
One of the first naval incidents of 2015 was the 17 February "Channel Dash" by the Neustrashimyy-class frigate Yaroslav Mudryy, returning to her Baltiysk base near Kaliningrad.
This scenario shows as the incident did could go wrong.
 
Enrique Mas, March 2015.

Exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2015. 4-14 May 2015. Historical Training Scenario.
 
A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the EC2003 Battle for GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCDB-150502 1980-2015 era Platform Database or the HCDB2-170319 new standard 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with the Advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.
 
Image: Swedish submarine Gotland, British frigate Portland, Spanish AEGIS frigate Blas de Lezo and Dutch NH90 Caiman helicopter. US Navy photo taked off Bergen 4 May 2015 by Commander David Benham, as consequence in public domain. Retrieved from http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/photos_119170.htm
 
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.
 
After the eventful year of 2014 and the not less eventful first four months of 2015 and with the World 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 provoked 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), and constant and multiple overflies with military warplanes entangled in potential incidents with commercial flights.
When the big anti-submarine exercise Dynamic Mongoose did begin in 4 May 2015 was interpreted by many journalists as an answer to the latest Russian actions and menacing postures, but it was actually a yearly exercise. But in the current world situation was legit to think otherwise, more with the intervention in the exercise of Swedish Navy elements, probably as consequence of the Russian-attributed Swedish submarine incident of October 2014, as Sweden is not a NATO member, but did participate as partner.
 
Of course this is a training exercise and actually shots, torpedoes and missiles aren't fired and nobody is hurt ...
 
Enrique Mas, 10 May 2015.

BALTOPS 2015 going hot, 17-18 June 2015. Alternate History Scenario.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the EC2003 Battle for GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCDB-150621 1980-2015 era Platform Database.

Image: HMS Ocean in BALTOPS 2015, near the landing target of Ustka, Poland. Photo by 1st Lt. Sarah E. Burns, USMC, a US servicewoman in duty, and as consequence in public domain. Taked from Wikipedia Commons.

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

After the naval and security incidents full year of 2014 and the not less eventful first five months of 2015 and with the World beginning the so-called Second Cold War when President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB lieutenant colonel) provoked 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), and constant and multiple overflies with military warplanes entangled in potential incidents with commercial flights (even employing transport types because the shortage of true military types in the Russian forces). That without counting other unrelated naval incidents, just as the Iranian seizure of the Maersk Tigris in 28 April 2015 (and neither counting very prominent landlocked actions, as the counter-DAESH operations in Middl
e East).
When the big anti-submarine exercise Dynamic Mongoose did begin in 4 May 2015 was interpreted by many journalists as an answer to the latest Russian actions and menacing postures, but it was actually a yearly exercise. But in the current world situation was legit to think otherwise, more with the intervention in the exercise of Swedish Navy elements, probably as consequence of the Russian-attributed Swedish submarine incident of October 2014, as Sweden is not a NATO member, but did participate as partner.
Further, when the also yearly BALTOPS 2015 multipurpose and landing exercise did begin from 5 to 20 June 2015 with theoretically neutral Swedish and Finnish partner participation, the Russian State-owned media (Russia Today, Sputnik, Russia Beyond the Headlines and others) and associated Western media did begin a campaign to delegitimize the NATO exercises (BALTOPS 2015 was a complex exercise simultaneous to others as Saber Strike 2015 and Noble Jump 2015), and to justify any Russian military action.
At last, in this alternate history path, on 17 June 2015 at BALTOPS 2015 peak, the NATO and partners show of force did go erroneously a few nautical miles East, and the ships for the programmed landing in the small Polish town of Ustka (BNp, a few days previously was another training landing in Sweden, near Ravlunda, BOp) are presented just off the coastline of the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad between Lithuania and Poland (Formerly Konigsberg in East Prussia. What better excuse to request a land bridge from the Russian side, nobody remember the very near Danzig Corridor and the 1939 German Ultimatum to Poland?), and the situation goes to the boiling point very fast.
To keep his security promises to the Russian people Putin is forced to an open war and destroy the landing forces near Kaliningrad, employing all the forces in the Baltic theatre, and another very few deployed from others.
The state of readiness of the NATO forces is low, the first two days of the open conflict can count only with the forces at disposition of the current exercises, but with the complete Polish Air Force order of battle, in high state of readiness because the international situation (The Finnish Air Force will be limited to protect this homeland).
Will be vital for both sides to prevail these two first days of war, for Russia as propaganda and to show his force, for NATO and partners for resist and mobilize all the Western forces the next days, almost guaranteeing the victory against Putin's Russia.

Enrique Mas, July 4 2015.

The Krasnodar Incident, late April 2016. Historical Scenario/Alternate History Scenario.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition introductory scenario for the EC2003 Battle for the GIUK GAP Battleset and the HCDB-150928 1980-2015 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.

Image: The new diesel-electric submarine B-265 Krasnodar with the Russian Navy Saint Andrew's Cross flag raised on her commisioning day 5 November 2105 on the eve of Submariner Day, near Saint Petersburg, and before to be transferred to the Black Sea Fleet. Photo credit Mil.ru, Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, took from Wikipedia Commons.

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

The scenario is based in current historical events, mainly the Russian media propaganda stunt about a hypothetical subsurface collision between the just commissioned Russian conventional submarine Krasnodar and the Polish submarine Orzel in the Baltic Sea, in a time period when Orzel has not quitted the Gulf of Gdansk waters. This scenario depicts a derivative and open-fire limited submarine war, but is very improbable the political motivation in either side capable to generate an open and all-out war.
Is basically an introductory scenario, inspired by the (continuous) current events.
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, violation by Russian military helicopters of the Finnish and Georgian borders on 10 December 2015, March 2016 detection by the French of a Russian submarine near Bay of Biscay, violation by Russian military helicopters of the Polish border on 18 April 2016, and with constant and multiple overflies with military warplanes entangled in potential incidents with commercial and military flights in Europe. That without counting in other unrelated naval incidents, just as the Iranian seizure of the Maersk Tigris in 28 April 2015 (and neither counting in landlocked actions, as the ISIS operations in Middle East).
And all those incidents without counting more towards Far East with China as a less perceived and growing problem, and his own generated incidents. China was building structures with military capabilities, including from 2012 more relevant structures, as the 3000+ meters long (Very Large Airport in Harpoon parameters) runway in Fiery Cross Reef (now finished, at March 2016), and more important, building artificial reefs and islands above previous simple shoals for claiming territory. At last in an undetermined date late April 2015 China claims as territorial waters the 12 nautical miles circling his "new" islands.
As the US official doctrine is Freedom of Navigation (FON) worldwide on international waters (same in Baltic and Black Seas), and as in this case with fears about a decision not to send naval vessels into the zone would inadvertently help the Chinese build their own case for sovereignty in the area, some air and surface elements of US Navy begin to orbit near the Chinese claims, but not crossing the 12 nm line.
Between the first incidents were a VP-45 Pelicans' P-8A Poseidon in surveillance mission carrying a CNN TV team inside, warned by the Chinese to no flight 12 nm near of Fiery Cross Reef on 20 May 2015, and the trailing for some hours of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) by the Chinese frigate Yuncheng (571) on 11 May 2015. Late, from 26 October 2015, USS Lassen (DDG-82) implement the Freedom of Navigation (FON) near the Chinese occupied Subi and Mischief Reefs in the Spratlys, and a clash of destroyers was possible, but avoided with the humble and shy behaviour of the US side, transiting without radars illuminating or the helicopter flying, the 1 to 8 March 2016 sailing of the USS John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group on the contested area, and the sailing of the cruiser USS Chancellorsville between Scarborough Shoal and Mischief Reef on late March 2016, when was persistently trailed by Chinese frigate Yueyang (575) and the action was limited to an exchange of weather pleasantries.
In this Alternate History case, the new Polish nationalist leaders (incumbents from August and November 2015) decides the Russian subsurface navigation of Gulf of Gdansk, near the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad (containing the old Prussian cities of Konigsberg and Pillau), can't be tolerated, and will be opposed by any means necessary.

Enrique Mas, 1 May 2016.

"Diesel Boats Forever": the great USS Grenadier Soviet ballistic missile submarines chase, May 1959. Historical Scenario.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCCW-140314 Cold War 1950-1975 Platform Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.

Image: USS Grenadier (SS-525) in 1951, after the Guppy II conversion (Guppy stands for Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program) with the original stepped Portsmouth Sail (changed to a taller Northern Sail circa 1960), but probably previously to be fitted with a BQR-2 (circa 1953), and apparently with WFA (dome) and JT (abaft it) sonars on deck. US Navy photo, and in consequence in public domain, took from navysource.org.

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

Well beyond the commissioning of USS Nautilus (SSN-571) in May 1954, five years later USN can count with only six nuclear attack submarines, some of them experimental. It should wait to 1975 to see the last GUPPY conversions retired (USS Tiru, SS-416), and to 1990 to see the last operational combat-capable conventional diesel-electric decommissioned (USS Blueback, SS-581).
Also, the first US nuclear ballistic missile submarine was to start her first patrol only from November 1960 (USS George Washington, SSBN-598).
Meanwhile, from 1957 was suspected the Soviet Union has in service diesel-electric ballistic missile submarines in patrol near the US coast and of other Allies in North Atlantic.
To confirm the suspects, a drill was planned, centring four wartime period diesel-electric boats modernized to GUPPY configurations. They were also equipped with the medium-frequency long-range passive sonar BQR-2 (a direct derivative of the wartime German Balkongerat, employed in Type XXI-class submarines). But were not employed specialized hunter-killer submarines equipped with the longer range BQR-4 (Installed from 1951-1953 in seven SSK GUPPY IIA, and in three Balao Fleet Snorkel conversions near 1955, reducing the number of torpedoes and torpedo tubes)-
The four boats left their homeport of Key West, Florida, in April 1959, to conduct "special antisubmarine exercises", and were deployed somewhere in the GIUK gap.
Also were secretly deployed three maritime patrol squadrons at NAS Keflavik, Iceland.
At last, after about a month of sailing and more of 18 hours of chase, on 29 May 1959 a Soviet Zulu V-class/Project VA611 diesel-electric ballistic missile submarine, was caged in the trap and forced to surface, and some photos were took. The secretive mission was a success, and as pretended was demonstrated the presence of Soviet ballistic missile submarine in Atlantic Ocean. Was also a success of the intelligence community, and of the US strategic planning and tactical execution of anti-submarine (ASW) warfare.
And one case of Jack Daniels Old No. 7 black label Tennessee sour mash whiskey was awarded to the crew of USS Grenadier and her captain Ted Davis, by Admiral Jerauld Wright, then commander-in-chief of the Atlantic Fleet, as no unit award was presented to the boat for surfacing the Soviet ballistic-missile submarine, except a medal presented by the crew to Lt. Cmdr. Davis, made out of a mayonnaise lid and pieces of an old flag.

Enrique Mas, 27 June 2016.

HMS Montrose at BALTOPS 2016, June 2016. Historical Scenario/Alternate History Scenario.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition introductory scenario for the EC2003 Battle for the GIUK GAP Battleset and the HCDB-150928 1980-2015 era Platform Database or the HCDB2-170401 New Standard 1980-2025 Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.

Image: The new Baltic Sea Fleet Russian corvette Soobrazitelnyy with the Russian Navy Saint Andrew's Cross flag on 30 June 2012 in Saint Petersburg. Photo credit Vitaly Repin, took from Wikipedia Commons.

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

The scenario is based in current historical events, mainly a sideshow of the NATO's BALTOPS 2016 drills, in particular the close encounter between the British frigate HMS Montrose and the Russian corvette (Russian designation) Soobrazitelnyy. This scenario depicts a derivative and open-fire limited confrontation, but is very improbable the political motivation in either side capable to generate an open and all-out war.
Is basically an introductory scenario, inspired by the (continuous) current events.
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, violation by Russian military helicopters of the Finnish and Georgian borders on 10 December 2015, March 2016 detection by the French of a Russian submarine near Bay of Biscay, violation by Russian military helicopters of the Polish border on 18 April 2016, the confuse Russian submarine B-265 Krasnodar incident with Polish warships (and the consecutive Putin sack of Russian Baltic Fleet numerous
commanders) and with constant and multiple overflies with military warplanes entangled in potential incidents with commercial and military flights in Europe. That without counting in other unrelated naval incidents, just as the Iranian seizure of the Maersk Tigris in 28 April 2015 (and neither counting in landlocked actions, as the counter-Daesh operations in Middle East).
And all those incidents without counting more towards Far East with China as a less perceived and growing problem, and his own generated incidents. China was building structures with military capabilities, including from 2012 more relevant structures, as the 3000+ meters long (Very Large Airport in Harpoon parameters) runway in Fiery Cross Reef (now finished, at March 2016), and more important, building artificial reefs and islands above previous simple shoals for claiming territory. At last in an undetermined date late April 2015 China claims as territorial waters the 12 nautical miles circling his "new" islands.
As the US official doctrine is Freedom of Navigation (FON) worldwide on international waters (same in Baltic and Black Seas), and as in this case with fears about a decision not to send naval vessels into the zone would inadvertently help the Chinese build their own case for sovereignty in the area, some air and surface elements of US Navy begin to orbit near the Chinese claims, but not crossing the 12 nm line.
Between the first incidents were a VP-45 Pelicans' P-8A Poseidon in surveillance mission carrying a CNN TV team inside, warned by the Chinese to no flight 12 nm near of Fiery Cross Reef on 20 May 2015, and the trailing for some hours of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) by the Chinese frigate Yuncheng (571) on 11 May 2015. Late, from 26 October 2015, USS Lassen (DDG-82) implement the Freedom of Navigation (FON) near the Chinese occupied Subi and Mischief Reefs in the Spratlys, and a clash of destroyers was possible, but avoided with the humble and shy behaviour of the US side, transiting without radars illuminating or the helicopter flying, the 1 to 8 March 2016 sailing of the USS John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group on the contested area, and the sailing of the cruiser USS Chancellorsville between Scarborough Shoal and Mischief Reef on late March 2016, when was persistently trailed by Chinese frigate Yueyang (575) and the action was limited to an exchange of weather pleasantries.
In this Alternate History case, the confuse identification between the British and Russian warships conducts to an open fire case.

Enrique Mas, 24 July 2016.

F-35A Lightning II Learning Curve, August 2016. Introductory Scenario.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition introductory scenario for the EC2003 Battle for the GIUK GAP Battleset and the HCDB-150928 1980-2015 era Platform Database or the new HCDB2-170308 1980-2025 era Platform Databases. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.

Image: Lt. Col. George Watkins, the 34th Fighter Squadron commander, flies a combat-coded F-35A Lightning II aircraft past the control tower at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, Sept. 17, 2015. U.S. Air Force photo/Alex R. Lloyd, and in consequence in public domain. Took from www.af.mil/News/Photos.aspx?igphoto=2001294366

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

As the precedent developed scenario "F-35A Lighting II First Blood" is probably too complex to try, test and verify the supposed new characteristics and advantages of F-35, I did build this scenario with that purpose.
Is basically an introductory scenario, with the core forces reduces to an air base by side.
The historical premises are the same, and not are worth mentioned in complete extension.
Those were in essence as, with the world clearly falling in the Second Cold War, at last on August 2, 2016, was declared Initial Operative Capability (IOC) of the US Air Force F-35A of the 34th Fighter Squadron "Rude Rams" (Hill AFB).
To contain the continuous aggressive Russian force posture twelve of them were (hypothetically) fast deployed to Siauliai International Airport, Lithuania, both to show stead resolution and to prevent any other Russian offensive movement over the Baltic States, just as did against Ukraine from 2014.
The excuse for the initial Putin action was the defence of the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad between Lithuania and Poland (Formerly Konigsberg in East Prussia. What better excuse to request a land bridge from the Russian side, nobody remember the very near Danzig Corridor and the 1939 German Ultimatum to Poland?), and the situation goes to the boiling point very fast.
At last, after the NATO Warsaw Summit (8-9 July 2016), and the (hypothetical) announcement of deploy F-35A in Siauliai, Putin was forced to act.
To keep his security promises to the Russian people and keep his image of strong man, Putin is forced to an open war and destroy the NATO and partners forces near Kaliningrad, employing all the forces in the Baltic theatre, and another few deployed from others Russian Military Districts.
Will be vital for both sides to prevail these two first days of war, for Russia as propaganda and to show his force, for NATO and partners for resist and mobilize all the Western forces the next days, almost guaranteeing the victory against Putin's Russia.

Enrique Mas, 16 August 2016.

Red On Red Sub Duel, March 2017. Historical Training Scenario.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCDB2-170401 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/Russia side or from the Red/Russia side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.

Image: 19 October 2015, Russian Northern Fleet ballistic missile nuclear submarine Project 09550/Borey-class K-535 Yuriy Dolgorukiy in Gadzhiyevo/Skalisty, Murmansk Oblast. Photo by Vadim Savitskiy, official photo of Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation mil.ru/you are free to distribute and modify the file as long as you attribute Mil.ru, and 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 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 naval drills as Sea Shield and Dynamic Manta 17. (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 show 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 the Zapad-17 to as in this case an apparently limited ASW exercise between an old and a new submarine (Incidentally, Russia is planning to transfer its 1st Guards Tank Army for exercises to western Belarus in September 2017).

This is a good, fast, simply and tense scenario to introduce new players in the Harpoon basics.
Of course this is a training exercise and actual shots, torpedoes and missiles aren't fired and nobody is hurt...

Enrique Mas, 2 April 2017.