Herman
-
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by Herman
-
-
Guess that I'll have to be the voice of dissent, as usual.
If a military doesn't have some idea of how much damage an installation is likely to be able to withstand, then what has their intelligence arm been doing with all of their time before the war started?
They should have lots of that stuff squirrelled away in file cabinets, already. It might not be perfect information, but it should be close. Like some explosive experts say, "There are no problems in the world that cannot be solved by the detonation of the proper amount of explosives."
The combat elements would be establishing doctrine against various types of targets and have a pretty good idea how many of Aircraft Type X are going to be needed to suppress Target Type Y. Since we are only playing a game, this kind of stuff should be made known to the player as it is probably known to professionals in real life.
I know, it isn't anything but more wishful thinking on my part.
-
-
Of course this still leaves the question of how to set up a minefield with the editor and at what depth the mines would be most realistic/effective? My assumption is periscope depth unless I am setting up an anti-sub field, but assumptions almost always prove wrong.
I would disagree on the depth. At periscope, they might get spotted by radar and this wouldn't be realistic.
I know that in H3, subs at Deep depth cannot be detected by MAD. I don't know if this restriction applies to HCG or not. I'll be testing for it, soon. However, I think that it might be better to always move the mines to Deep depth in order ot make it more difficult for detection by player assets.
-
AAR: Syrian WMD [spoiler Alert]
A Harpoon 3 Scenario
By Scott Mackenzie
Syria is known to have Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). These weapons are Chemical, Biological and Nuclear (NBC). Syria does not have nuclear weapons yet, but is on the verge of aquiring them through the reactor facilities at Hamahs and Homs. As part of the Axis of Evil, this is the first of a triad of of scenarios designed to keep America safe in its "War against Terror".
Admiral Forrester read the Intel report one last time. Well, he thought, we've finally found where those WMDs, originally reported in Iraq, have ended up. We may not have found the weapons, themselves, but we certainly have located the technology for producing them. Those boys in the Agency finally got one right after all these years and now the USN was being called in to do what they do best - blow things up.
As always, the AEW [Airborne Early Warning] aircraft were sent aloft first to establish the radar picture over the region. With all eight aircraft available, the resolution was going to equal a High Definition television program. However, the EW [Electronic Warfare] aircraft were held back on the deck. Instead of blinding the Syrians, Adm. Forrester wanted them to come out over the Mediterannean where he could kill them more easily as they would be out of support from their GCI [Ground Controlled Intercept] radar stations. He recognized that this would be a gamble, but he also knew that the AMRAAM magazines on his carriers were limited and he wanted to save the Slammers for when his boys went downtown. In order to properly bait the trap, one CG from each CVBG was ordered to radiate. Hopefully, the thought of engaging an Aegis cruiser would simply be too tempting for the Syrians to resist.
The two carriers were re-organized into one CVBG with the extra escorts sent on towards the coast for naval gunfire bombardment of Latakia and Tartus. With only 48 hours and limited magazines, Forrester was going to need every weapon capable of deliver HE on target. This way, the helos could contribute their Hellfire AGMs more effectively. While his plan was not to level the entire country, there were only about 90 targets within the 8 complexes identified on his target list:
- Tadmur CW Facilities
- Aleppo CW Facilities
- Homs CW Facilities
- Latakia CW Facilities
- Homs Nuclear Plant
- Al Safir Scud Base
- Hamah Scud Base
- Hamah Scud Manufacturing
He planned to blast a wide hole in the IADS [integrated Air Defence System] by annihilating the defences along the coast between Latakia and Tartus. This would open a corridor to the more centrally located facilities. He intended to leave the air bases in the south unmolested and kill the Syrian air force only when it took to the air.
The eastern Mediterannean appeared to be pretty quiet. Everyone guessed that the entire world knew that something was brewing when the news on WMD was reported on CNN. A group of ships appeared to sortie from Latakia naval base. SSN Pittsburgh was assigned to identify and, if necessary, neutralize them. They were all making 34kts. so it was very unlikely that they were civilian vessels.
Slotback radar from MiG-29 Fulcrums was detected over Syria and Hornets armed with AMRAAM were sent in to sweep them from the sky. Instead of a stealthy approach, the Hornets were ordered to radiate and reveal themselves. Intelligence had reported SA-5 in the Syrian OoB and CAG was hoping that the Syrians would be trigger-happy and fire these at long range. The AMRAAMs quickly and effortlessly shot the Fulcrums and Foxbats out of the air without them even realizing that they were under attack. The SAM crews showed their nervousness and loosed their SA-5 Gammon from long range. The Hornets quickly pulled into a loop and fled on afterburner. The SA-5s did not have sufficient fuel to intercept and soon dropped into the sea. This provocative manoeuvre was repeated until the Syrians had depleted their entire Gammon inventory.
The previously unknown ships were soon identified as Osa missile boats. SSN Pittsburgh sent a Mk48 torpedo to welcome them. The charge from the Osa squadron was a valiant gesture, but it had been centuries since warfare awarded points for gallantry. Results were all that counted. One torpedo / boat was all that was necessary to wipe out the little squadron.
With local air superiority estabilished, the SEAD aircraft were sent in to turn out some lights.
They concentrated their HARMs against search and fire-control radar so that strike elements like the Vikings could deliver their payloads unmolested.
Although decimated, the Syrian air force still tried their best to inflict a propaganda victory by attacking the CVBGs with their Fencer bombers. However, the fleet's 'eyes in the sky' gave very prompt warning of their approach. The defending CAP [Combat Air Patrols] held their fire and closed to within Sidewinder range before sending them to meet their compatriots in the Fulcrums and Foxbats.
Once a breach was established, the waves of strikers poured through. These were escorted by Prowlers that degraded the SAM systems to the point of near ineffectiveness. With much of the IADS in shambles, the TLAM were finally unleashed. Instead of leading the attack with TLAM, they were held until now so that the Syrians would not have many systems left to attempt to shoot them down. These deep-strike instruments devastated the strategic targets while the aircraft continued to hammer secondary targets. The NGFS [Naval Gunfire Support] group arrived at Tartus and proceeded to level the entire area before moving up the coast to Latakia and repeating the process.
Like their predecessors over Vietnam, the aviators from the Truman and the Roosevelt cycled through wave after wave of attacks and exhausted the PGMs [Precision-Guided Munitions] before resorting to iron bombs. With virtually no opposition, the carrier air wings bombed mercilessly and left much of Syria resembling a moonscape of craters. After 46 hours, the Syrian government contacted the UN and agreed to submit to UN-supervised destruction of remaining CBR [Chemical, Biological, Radiological] weapons within the country. Once again, US naval aviation had proven itself instrumental in persuading a nation to modify its behaviour.
Congratulations to Scott on his first scenario and thanks for sharing it with the community.
-
After reading Herman's comment, it immediately occurred to me: what would anyone do after finding a single mine ? Start looking around for more, right ? It only seems natural to me that once one mine is found, the others quickly follow.
You are right if a player can quickly identify a contact as a mine, but when a sub contact is first detected, it usually just shows up as unknown. The player cannot know if it is a mine or a sub.
-
Hey Akula,
Great to see you jumping into Scen Design.
Here is a consideration for you:
There is a known minefield bug. Check it out on the bug list.
This might just be my idiosyncracy, but I think that the best mine fields might be ones consisting of a single mine. From my experience, I seem to find that when one sub unit in a group is detected, the remaining units appear to show up almost instantly afterwards. Not always, but usually pretty quickly.
This is not true in all cases. Sometimes, I am able to detect just a few mines with the others remaining hidden. I haven't done any testing for it.
-
Hey Pete,
If you like, I can try and take a look at your file and maybe both of us can run down the problem, together.
You can either mail me the file directly to me or you can post it to Files of ScenShare.
Cheers.
-
Over 350 new aircraft, ships, submarines, facilities, and weapons have been added to the PlayersDB. Get it at StrategyZoneOnline .
Features include:
- AS-4 Kitchen missiles with various ranges so that designers and players are no longer restricted to release from one range
- God's Bow ManPADs for the ROK
- New Kidd-class DDGs for the ROK
- 500lb GBU-38(V)1/B, Mjolner, SPICE, and Delilah munitions added
- Updates to USN, Chilean, Qatar, Thai, Singaporean, Burmese, Dutch, and Filipino Orders of Battle
- countless changes and improvements guaranteed not to crash any earlier scenario built with the PlayersDB
SZO file archives - Home of the Harpoon3 PlayersDB
-
49th scenario posted this year!
Another superb effort from one of the community's masters. This is the seventh scenario in his 21st Century Ocean Wars battleset.
Malakka Strait
The NATO-Russian war is 4 weeks old. Russia's naval aviation forces and US Carriers have fought several bloody battles around Japan. Japan has defended its islands well, but is now very vulnerable to the closure of its SLOC's. The Chinese navy has left port but has stayed out of the battle. The US losses in the Pacific and Atlantic theatres have forced it to withdraw the Seventh Fleet from the IO. Only Diego Garcia remains as a stronghold there. The task of providing security for the Malakka Strait has been handed over to India, Thailand, and Singapore. India and Thailand will use their baby-carriers to escort tankers through the IO. The War in the Pacific has interrupted oil shipments to Japan and China for several weeks now and resumption of the oil trade has now become a strategic imperative.
Author: Freek Schepers
This scenario requires the latest release of the PlayersDB v5.9.7
Get it via: StrategyZoneOnline, HarpGamer, SimHQ, PlayersDB Depot, SubSim, CombatAce, or Frugal's World of Simulation.
Check it out at:
SZO file archives or at -
-
AAR: Thunder Dragon [spoiler Alert]
By Brad Leyte
One of the most significant obstacles to a forced reunification between the PRC and the Republic of China (ROC, commonly referred to as Taiwan) is the US Navy. The presence of a US Navy carrier strike group in the vicinity would pose a very serious danger to PRC military action. Does the PRC possess the capability to neutralize the threat? Try it and see for yourself.
Operation Thunder Dragon was in full effect; the hunting and trapping of an entire USN carrier battlegroup. I checked my forces and found that I had a fair number of aircraft and ships. Unfortunately, most of them were near or past obsolescence. However, to paraphrase Comrade Stalin, "Quantity is a quality in and of itself."
My patrol assets were sent aloft immediately in hopes of catching a sniff of electronic emissions from the CVBG. Intelligence had reported that there was a CVBG in the area, but could not be more specific. Almost right after takeoff, the enemy emissions were detected smack in the middle of the Yellow Sea. This was both a curse and a blessing. While she was technically 'surrounded' by my airbases, most of my aircraft would not be able to reach her. Their legs were that short. Once the general area of the CVBG was established, the Maritime Patrol Aircraft [MPA] dove for the deck. They were already in the estimated envelope of the enemy SAMs. No sense in giving them easy targets.
I decided that only a full force effort would suffice in breaching the layered defences of a CVBG. Firstly, the outer air battle against AMRAAM-armed Hornets would have to be won. Then, the ring of SAMs thrown up by the Aegis escorts would be the next layer. Finally, the short-ranged point-defense missiles like Sea Sparrow and RAM [Rolling Airframe Missile] would round out the CVBG defences. They were formidable indeed.
I decided that even if many of my aircraft were obsolescent, the enemy would still need at least one missile to destroy them. Since those missiles were going to be fired regardless, they may as well kill old planes with their cadet pilots instead of the few modern planes in the PLAAF inventory. With very few standoff weapons or ARMs [Anti-Radiation Missiles], I sent the old and slow planes toward the suspected CVBG's position. They went in at high altitude with their puny radar searching desperately for the enemy. I expected the radar emissions to attract the enemy Hornets the same way that sugar attracts real Hornets. The more modern Flankers, J-10, and bombers stole in at low level and under EmCon [Emissions Control].
I was trying to coordinate a Time-Over Target [TOT] attack that would have most of my assets arriving over the target at relatively the same time in order to swamp the defences. The employment of my sacrificial lambs worked. Most of the defending Combat Air Patrols [CAPs] were drawn to them and engaged with AMRAAM from maximum range. The price was high, but not crippling. Once the AMRAAMS were depleted, my Flankers were able to close and kill the defenders with their own Alamo AAMs.
While the aircraft made their approach, the flotillas of missile boats started blinking off of the screen. They immediately turned on their radar to discover swarms of inbound Surface-to-Surface missiles [sSMs]. Without any meaningful air defences, a score of the puny boats disappeared in massive explosions and still the enemy ships were hidden.
As the bombers closed the range, a contact report was received! I wanted to precede the approach of the strikers with a salvo of ARMs in hopes of taking out some of the enemy SAM defences. However, the enemy was not co-operating with my plan. They refused to radiate their radar and thus offered no targets for my ARMs. Since I had their approximate location, I decided to coax the enemy into radiating their radar by firing a few SSMs on Bearing-Only Launch [bOL]. I was hoping that they simply could and would not ignore an inbound flight of missiles. My tactic worked well beyond my highest expectations. From a flight of eight missiles, 2 struck the DDG Hopper and killed her since the enemy had elected to remain under EmCon and was thus denied many active defences. But, with every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The enemy group was now thoroughly warned and SAMs flew from the VLS magazines.
ARMs were immediately released and one managed to hit the CVN but only did 2% damage. A flight of missile-armed JH-7s tried to close and release their Anti-Ship Missiles [AShMs] but they were quickly plucked from the sky by SAMs before they could open fire. The 'sacrificial lambs' were ordered to try and blind the enemy by shooting down his AEW and helo assets. They were wiped out, but managed to distract the SAM shooters while the Beagle bombers crept in at low altitude.
The Beagles ran through the gap created by the destruction of DDG Hopper. The commander of PLAAF Bomber Squadron 8 ordered his command of 15 Beagles to ignore the enemy and concentrate on 'putting their pickles into the target'. He and his crew died in a fireball seconds later. The rest of his command continued to close on the enemy carrier. One by one, they were torn from the sky by Sea Sparrows and Standard SAMs until there was only one left. The last Beagle doggedly flew on and had just released its bombload when it was destroyed by a SAM. The crew would never know that their stick of bombs had fallen just short of their target. All of this action was witnessed by Ensign Gai as he floated in the water after being one of the first planes shot down. He would watch the rest of the battle from this front row seat. He never knew that this battle was happening exactly 65 years after another famous battle, The Battle of Midway. The date was June 4, 2007.
After his rescue, Ensign Gai would learn that the sacrifice made by his squadron was not in vain. The enemy had exhausted many missiles to destroy Bomber Squadron Eight. A follow-on flight of Badgers were able to release their 10 AShMs which all struck the CVN and left her ablaze from bow to stern. The CVBG was basically dead in the water and limping along at only 5 knots. This allowed the flotillas of the East China Sea fleet to close the distance and launch their Seersucker and Sardine SSMs which promptly sank the now defenceless survivors. Over 7,000 sailors and airmen died this day in ironic contrast to the Incredible Victory won 65 years prior around Midway Island.
Thanks for another cool scenario. I enjoy playing the Red side. It was a huge challenge to go up against the might of a US CVBG and survive! The situation really reminded me of the old spaghetti westerns where an embattled wagon train (or Custer) is surrounded by swirling masses of indians.
Check it out on the
HarpGamer.com - Home of the HCDB. SZO file archives - Home of the Harpoon3 PlayersDB or at
-
I wonder if this might have the same implications as the sale of manufacturing equipment by Toshiba to the Soviet Union? It gave them huge advances in the quieting of their SSNs.
Chinese Nationals Held in Alleged Scheme
By GILLIAN FLACCUS
The Associated Press
Monday, November 7, 2005; 10:57 PM
SANTA ANA, Calif. -- A federal judge on Monday denied bail for two Chinese nationals accused of conspiring to steal sensitive documents on U.S. Navy warship technology and smuggle them to China.
Tai Wang Mak, a broadcast and engineering director for the Phoenix North American Chinese Channel, and his wife, Fuk Heung Li, were arrested Oct. 28 in Los Angeles as they prepared to board a flight to China.
In Li's luggage, authorities found a disk that contained information on U.S. technology designed to suppress the noise of submarine propulsion systems, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Deirdre Eliot. The disk had been encrypted with a Chinese code.
Mak's attorney, John Early, argued that prosecutors hadn't proved the information was classified and stressed that his client had not been charged with espionage.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Marc Goldman scheduled a hearing for Nov. 15, after a grand jury hears evidence in the case.
Also charged in the case are Mak's brother, Chi Mak, a naturalized U.S. citizen from China, and his wife, Rebecca Laiwah Chiu, an American of Chinese descent. The four face charges of stealing government property, aiding and abetting, transportation of stolen goods and conspiracy.
Chi Mak allegedly took computer disks from Anaheim defense contractor Power Paragon, where he was lead engineer on a sensitive research project involving Navy warships. Authorities said his wife helped copy the information. As of Monday, she had not posted the $300,000 bail set last week. Chi Mak was ordered held without bail.
Eliot said authorities recovered restricted documents on the DDX Destroyer, considered the destroyer of the future, that were marked "for official use only."
They also found two lists in Chinese asking Chi Mak to get documents about submarine torpedo technology, electromagnetic artillery systems, weapon standardization, early warning technology to detect incoming missiles and defenses against nuclear attack, Eliot said.
She said the information was to be fed to China's science and technology committee, "basically equivalent to the government itself."
Authorities believe Chi Mak has been feeding information to the committee since 1983, including highly sensitive information about Aegis warships, Eliot said.
-
Very High Altitude --- GE HCCE B09
When a plane is in flight and the player orders it to fly at a speed slower than loiter speed, the altitude displayed is VRY. I don't know if this means Very High Altitude, but the plane appears to be invincible. Nothing appears to be able to intercept it.
Manual Sonobuoy deployment --- GE HCCE B09
When an aircraft is flying at high altitude and the player orders it to manually deploy a sonobuoy with the "." hotkey, the plane dives to low altitude. However, the player must hit the "Deploy" hotkey again in order to actually deploy the sonobuoy.
Null groups --- SE HCCE B09
When using the SE, if a designer creates a group (Cntl+G) and then fails to add any units to that group, a Null Group is created. Unless it is deleted, the Empty group will remain in the scenario and crash it when a player attempts to open it with the Game Engine. This behaviour was run down and isolated in collaboration with Brad Leyte and Thomas Ponta.
MiG-17F gun engagement --- GE HCCE B09
Aircraft will not conduct 'normal' interception procedure unless manually placed in proximity of target.
-
Cruise at full speed --- GE HCCE B09
Throttle shows Cruise consumption when unit at full speed.
EW planes do not jam --- GE HCCE B09
EW aircraft that do not have a radar system will not jam enemy systems. The Jamming symbol shows up, but the aircraft are not jammed. They see everything.
SE Count bug --- GE HCCE B09
Test scenario has ViCond set at the destruction of two bases. Victory is granted after just one base is destroyed.
Shot down during landing --- GE HCCE B09
The first aircraft in a group to land are left in limbo if the last aircraft in the group is shot down before it can land.
-
Ships sail over land
Ships are sometimes able to sail over land.
EmCon at Waypoints
Aircraft will obey waypoint EmCon commands if the plane is currently either ACTIVE or PASSIVE (not intermittent). Once the aircraft receives a command to radiate Intermittently, either at the start or at a waypoint, no other EmCon commands will be accepted at future waypoints.
Hovering group moves
Group of helicopters is given a plotted path and then ordered to hover. When one of them is destroyed, the rest start moving along the path at cruise speed.
Active sonar at Creep
Active sonar from MCM vessels cannot locate an object while the MCM is moving at Creep speed. However, once the ship starts moving at Cruise Speed, the sub contact magically appears.
-
Bearing-Only Launch Weapons --- GE HCCE B09
The Staff Assistant will allow the player to attempt a BOL-attack even when no such weapons are available. Also, when weapons are available, the range circle depicted is often much larger than the range of the actual weapons.
Game crashes from flame-out --- GE HCCE B09
Game can sometimes crash when aircraft run out of fuel or flame-out.
Planes in limbo --- GE HCCE B09
Sometimes, planes land and are then made unavailable to the player. He may neither re-arm nor re-launch them.
-
Aircraft unable to locate Runways
Aircraft directly inserted into a scenario are unable to locate appropriate runways to land on their own initiative. Aircraft that normally require Large runways to launch/land will only land on Very Large runways. If only Large runways are available, they will crash. Aircraft requiring Medium runways will only land on Large runways when directly inserted. This is applicable for all aircraft directly inserted. They need a runway one size larger than the length specified in the database.
Aircraft launching from bases and aircraft ordered by the designer to land are not affected by this bug.
Facilities cannot be indexed
Subs, aircraft, and ships are indexed in the PlayersDB. Some facilities were indexed for Belarus. However, when using the SE and indexation feature and trying to select facilities for insertion, the wrong facility always appears.
Individual plane evasion
Lone aircraft will automatically evade when confronted with ANY missiles. Single fighters are unable to approach a stream of TLAM from the front. They automatically dive and attempt to evade. They are able to engage from the flanks. Groups of aircraft do not suffer from this problem.
Under-ice TLAM launch
TLAM are able to launch when under the ice cap.
Weapon ranges less than one ignored
Any weapon that has a range less than 1.0 nm, cannot be fired by the AI. However, the player is able to utilize these weapons manually and they appear to operate at the correct range. I do not know if missions created by the player will suffer this restriction, but I suspect that they will since Missions are under AI control.
Fire and land immediately
Any aircraft that fire while not assigned to a mission, will immediately land even if they have plentiful ammunition / fuel remaining.
Work-around solution: Ensure that all aircraft have at least a Plotted mission before firing.
Naval Ground Strike Mission
Ships that are grouped together and on a ground strike mission will fire missiles, but will not close on the target to engage with naval gunfire.
Work-around solution: Individual ships do not suffer from this bug. Either delete and re-insert the ships or else the group can be broken down by using the "Detach Unit" function in the Formation Editor.
-
How can someone know if a plane is armed with guns or not? I am looking in the editor and I can't tell which planes have guns and which don't. Can someone fill me in?
I was trying something out on Thunder Dragon and I can't get the MiG-17F Fresco C to intercept the American aircraft. Normally, the Staff will show me the distance and ask me if I want to intercept regardless if the plane has insufficient range to actually carry out the mission. However, I can't even get that far. I've tried to move them closer before trying to attack again, but still no luck.
Could it be that they have no armament? Can you take a look at this platform, please?
-
Autosave time setting not saved --- GE HCCE B09
The default for autosave function (Control+K) is 2 minutes. If you change this and then quit the game, upon re-start, the autosave time limit has re-set to 2 minutes. In previous versions, the new time default would be saved.
Keyhole spots submerged objects --- GE HCCE B09
Keyhole satellite is able to detect submarines and mines.
Erroneous Staff warning message --- GE HCCE B09
Staff gives false warning message for aircraft launched from Kola airfield. Fingers of Death #2 [EC2003 NACV] Red side - No blue units are within range to have the red plane under its SAM range.
Red reports to Blue --- GE HCCE B09
OpFor [Red] detects a Neutral unit and reports it to Blue.
Neutral reports to Player --- GE HCCE B09
Neutral side detects a Red unit and reports it to Player.
-
Well, I can't speak for everyone else, but IMO I don't think any of us is really looking for 100% accuracy out of the RCS model. We want believability sure, and having stuff appear out of nowhere while not 100% accurate to the RCS is both realistic and believable. Surprise attacks do happen.
And it is just a game after all, it doesn't have to be 100% accurate to be fun. Little surprises are always nice as they add another dimension to the game. Now I have to plan my strikes, plan my defense, and be sure to leave enough reserves to deal with those units that manage to completely sneak by my defenses. Its not the things you can see that hurt you, its the stuff that you don't know about that will. That happens in battle all the time.
Couldn't have said it any better. It is just a game. The fact that AEW planes and CAP can be jumped is more important than a perfect RCS model/table.
Tony makes a good point about loiter turn rate, one that I hadn't thought about much until now.That little factoid is going to really help me with my CAP in the future.
I'll be certain to plot courses back and forth towards the enemy instead of placing the CAP on a single point source. This way, at least my radar will be pointed at the enemy 50% of the time.
In a perfect world, it would be better if we could have planes on loiter could fly back and forth along the axis of their plotted path. This way, you could plot a path towards the enemy and then place the A/C on loiter. They could fly back and forth along the path even if they don't actually move away from the point. At least it would point the radar in the correct direction. Ah, but it's a nice dream....
-
"Battle Stations. Battle Stations. All hands man Battle stations. This is not a Drill!!"
We're having a Harpoon III contest and you're invited!
MATCHPLAY
Terrorist attacks on the Belgium Royal family have left the Dutch Crown Prince next in line to the throne of Belgium. Popular mourning and an uprising has quickly resulted into civil war between the French-speaking Walloons in southern Belgium and the Dutch-speaking Flemish in northern Belgium.Holland has quickly moved ground forces into Belgium to assert its claim to the throne, while France has tried unsuccessfully to mobilise the UN. But as the Israelis showed in 1967, the UN cannot operate at the pace of modern warfare…
Harpoon3 players are challenged to try this series of scenarios from either side. At the end of each game, send me the saved game file and I will send you the next scenario. It will be customised and based on the results from your previous game. Overall, there are three scenarios for each participant; three playable by France and three playable by the Dutch side.
Players' results (losses to you and your enemy, Victory Conditions met, ammo expended, and ROE violations) will be tabulated and sent to the umpire who will use the results (without knowing to whom they belong) to decide upon a winner of the competition. Brad Leyte has graciously volunteered to be the umpire in this event. Brad has been a stalwart member of the entire Harpoon community.
The opening scenario is a frantically paced air-to-air and ASuW scenario. Both sides have most of the same forces that they would have in a real life conflict. The relative proximity of the bases makes the scenario very fast and furious.
In the second and third scenarios, the players face very different challenges; from Special Forces operations to ASW/Submarine warfare and desperate attempts to reinforce depleted units.
The scenarios range from six to forty-eight hours of game time.
Contest Parameters:
- Play with Harpoon 3 GE v3.6.3
- Play with the latest PlayersDB version available http://www.strategyzoneonline.com/forums/d...?do=file&id=697
- Grab the final version of MatchPlay http://www.strategyzoneonline.com/forums/d...?do=file&id=721
- I will try to send back the next scen within a few days of receiving the saved game.
- The Umpire's verdict is final.
- Anyone may compete. If you have played the scenario before, you might want to try playing it from the other side.
- Players can compete either from French or Dutch sides. Starting from the French side is far tougher in the first scen than starting from the Dutch side. This factor will be taken into account by the Umpire.
- The length of each scenario will be listed. Either enable the AutoSave feature or else save the game as close to the end as possible. Remember, once time expires in the game engine, You Will Not Be Able To Save The Game.
- The scenarios should be played with the Autolinks option engaged and Aircraft Logistics enabled.
- If a player wins a scenario before time expires, please don't "run up the score" by ignoring the Victory message in order to play onwards.
- Loss of a scenario does not mean elimination from the competition. It may mean that the next scenario is more difficult, though. All three scenarios will be played regardless of win/loss.
- This competition will be completed by December 15th, 2005.
- The winner of the contest will receive a free upgrade of his Harpoon 3 game to the as-yet-to-be-released Harpoon3: Advanced Naval Warfare version.
- Saved games can be sent to: freek_schepers@yahoo.com and you can also post your results in this thread for the rest of the community to enjoy
- Please make your interest known in this thread
- Play with Harpoon 3 GE v3.6.3
-
I think most players who are uncomfortable with being surprised this way have become too accustomed to the "old way" of playing Harpoon Classic. They need to start thinking "outside the box", because their foe most certainly will.
I quite agree. Although the fighters might be a bit more stealthy than I would like, the fact that they can pull off some nasty surprises is quite welcome. It certainly keeps me on my toes. No longer can I keep the AEW escorts at the edge of the radar coverage. I gotta keep them damned close in or else suffer the consequences from the 'ninjas'.
-
Ministers may save cash by replacing Trident with air-launched missiles
By Colin Brown, Deputy Political Editor
Published: 01 November 2005
Ministers are considering a cheaper replacement for Britain's Trident nuclear weapons by using air-launched cruise missiles - and they hope to overcome some of the growing opposition to the system.
John Reid, the Defence Secretary, ran into fierce opposition from Labour MPs last night who protested that replacement plans were a waste of money, and the £20bn cost would be better spent on schools and hospitals.
Clare Short, the former cabinet minister, writing in The Independent today says there was "enormous unhappiness in the Parliamentary Labour Party" and asks whether the Trident issue could become the "breaking point" for loyalty to Tony Blair.
The Treasury has also warned Mr Blair that it is worried about the potential high cost of replacing Trident, and its impact on the public finances,
The Prime Minister is committed to the replacement for Britain's ageing nuclear deterrent before the next election but is facing one of his most damaging battles with his own backbench MPs over the issue. Ministry of Defence sources indicated that one option it was studying included cruise missiles with nuclear warheads that could be launched from long-range bombers.
Tomahawk cruise missiles, which cost £1m each, could be upgraded for long-range use, fitted with British-built nuclear warheads and fired from aircraft launched at a time of crisis.
Using aircraft to launch the weapons would enable the Ministry of Defence to abandon the fleet of four Trident submarines that patrol the seas and cost an estimated £700m a year to maintain. Rear-Admiral Alan Massey, assistant chief of the Navy staff, confirmed military planners were preparing for an order to put nuclear weapons on aircraft.
Mr Reid insisted decisions were yet to be taken, but MPs warned that even seeking the cheaper option of cruise missiles would not defuse their opposition.
One former minister, Michael Meacher, said: "Frankly, this is a neocon idea for using tactical nuclear weapons rather than the massive Trident system. It would simply not address our concerns."
Labour MPs said buying Tomahawk cruise missiles with a British warhead would make the world more dangerous because it could lower the nuclear threshold with tactical nuclear weapons rather than a "doomsday" deterrent such as Trident.
Mr Meacher and a string of other Labour MPs argued there should be no replacement for Trident. Mr Meacher said replacing the nuclear system would do nothing to meet the threat of world terrorism and it would make it more difficult to stop nuclear proliferation. "I don't think you can say we need nuclear weapons if we are saying to Iran you cannot have them," he said.
Ministers have disclosed to The Independent that, in spite of official denials, decisions in principle to replace Trident have already been taken and the staff needed to create a new warhead have been hired at Aldermaston base. The argument now is over the type of system that the MoD chooses to replace Trident.
The Cabinet will be expected to have a full debate and put proposals to Parliament. The upgrade of Polaris, the predecessor to Trident, was agreed in secret by the Labour cabinet.
Trident cost an estimated £12.5bn to buy and fit with British-made nuclear warheads. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: "We estimate the running cost of the Trident submarine force will average some £280m a year over its lifetime.''
Ministers are considering a cheaper replacement for Britain's Trident nuclear weapons by using air-launched cruise missiles - and they hope to overcome some of the growing opposition to the system.
John Reid, the Defence Secretary, ran into fierce opposition from Labour MPs last night who protested that replacement plans were a waste of money, and the £20bn cost would be better spent on schools and hospitals.
Clare Short, the former cabinet minister, writing in The Independent today says there was "enormous unhappiness in the Parliamentary Labour Party" and asks whether the Trident issue could become the "breaking point" for loyalty to Tony Blair.
The Treasury has also warned Mr Blair that it is worried about the potential high cost of replacing Trident, and its impact on the public finances,
The Prime Minister is committed to the replacement for Britain's ageing nuclear deterrent before the next election but is facing one of his most damaging battles with his own backbench MPs over the issue. Ministry of Defence sources indicated that one option it was studying included cruise missiles with nuclear warheads that could be launched from long-range bombers.
Tomahawk cruise missiles, which cost £1m each, could be upgraded for long-range use, fitted with British-built nuclear warheads and fired from aircraft launched at a time of crisis.
Using aircraft to launch the weapons would enable the Ministry of Defence to abandon the fleet of four Trident submarines that patrol the seas and cost an estimated £700m a year to maintain. Rear-Admiral Alan Massey, assistant chief of the Navy staff, confirmed military planners were preparing for an order to put nuclear weapons on aircraft.
-
Stuff like this has gotta make you wonder if all the weapons performance in military simulations is truly accurate under combat conditions.
Editorial from The China Post
Armed forces botch attacks
2005/11/1
In another costly botch Taiwan's submarines fired four torpedoes in two many sea maneuvers last year. In the first mock war, two were launched to sink target ships, but neither scored a hit. President Chen Shui-bian, for whom the navy held that exercise, proffered comfort and asked for another torpedo attack. Two were fired, and one of them hit the bull's eye. One hit out of four launches certainly was a costly botch. Now it's the turn of the other two services to do their shares to join an expensive club of mutual commiseration. The air force sent its best F-16 fighters and the army its helicopters to waters off Hsinchu at the end of last month to attack and sink a Korean benzene carrier, that was capsized but not adrift and of course abandoned after a disastrous collision with a much larger freighter.
Eight missiles, which cost the country at least NT$10 million, were launched but none scored a direct hit. The target ship remained capsized, not adrift and all but intact, except a couple of new small holes in the exposed bow.
But Admiral Lee Jye, minister of national defense, called the much more expensive second botch a "tactical success." Maybe. If you think the navy successfully made the other two services look just as bad as it was, that certainly was a tactical success on its part.
The fact is that Taiwan's armed forces have not been trained to use the weapons, which look more like exorbitantly expensive toys of the brass hats than ever before. There is a very legitimate and more than justifiable doubt that the defense force which failed in exercises -- with everything prearranged according to a scenario in a simulated situation -- could succeed in actual combat.
If the results of all the exercises were the guide, we are afraid, none of the warships in a Chinese armada arriving off Taiwan's coast for an invasion would be sunk. Then, what's the use of more sophisticated weapons for which Taiwan plans to spend billions of dollars?
AAR: First Contact [Spoiler Alert]
in Scenario Design & Discussion
AAR: First Contact [spoiler Alert]
By Ragnar Emsoy
Reports were received from all throughout the Norwegian Sea: many unidentified ships and aircraft were spotted closing in on the Norwegian coast. Fighters had been scrambled, but we needed to conduct a proper surface search. As four Orion P-3s of the 17th Maritime Patrol Squadron prepared to launch from Andoya, most of the unidentified contacts were localized through ESM efforts. Some contacts were easily classified as Kresta cruisers and others as Sovremenny/Hangzhou destroyers. Northern Command ordered us to ascertain the identities and intentions of these contacts.
While waiting for the P-3s to arrive on station, the F-16s aloft were ordered to close on the contacts for a visual search. Lieutenants Sivertson and Matheson soon reported 2 separate groups of fast attack craft. Each consisted of 6 Nanuchka/Osa IIs operating at high speed. Although the pilots had been scanned with radar in a hostile manner, no other action had been taken against them. The regional commander could not conclude that they had been fired upon and, according to the ROE, did not order any retaliatory action.
The Orions began to arrive on station and were able to learn additional information but were unable to classify the contacts from radar alone. The TACCO wanted to conduct a visual search. However, the aircraft commander overruled her and ordered the fighters to conduct a visual search. Major Lundh later reported that he had a suspicious feeling that day. He said, "They were all formed up in pretty columns with what appeared to be a screen of escorts. If the situation soured, the fast movers would stand a much better chance of survival. After all these years of getting of taking crap for flying an aircraft unable to break Mach 1, it is time for the fighter jocks to earn their pay."
As Lt. Sivertson's flight sped in to investigate the group nearing Andoya, many thing began to happen. Bad things. Radar had been tracking the Lt.'s plane, but now a fire control set had begun radiating and the RWR announced that a SAM had been launched and was tracking the aircraft. The Lt. immediately went to afterburner and began evasive maneuvers while punching out flares and chaff. The nearest Orion detected the launch and was now able to classify the contact definitively as a Soviet DDG Sovremenny. A Flash report was immediately sent up the chain of command to the COMNON HQ and a response was received in less than 90 seconds. However, in war, 90 seconds is a lifetime...
A Royal Navy ASW group was conducting exercises north of Andoya when the AEW helo reported multiple inbound high speed air contacts. The Commodore immediately ordered general quarters and for all ships to radiate and maneuver to unmask batteries. Secondly, he ordered a flash-priority warning to all commands. His chief of staff cut him off and told him that they had just received the warning. Damn. A penny short... All decks were to be cleared of aircraft. The helos launched immediately, but the Harriers had just been recovered from an exercise and were still in the process of fuelling. Commodore Ralston muttered, "Now I know how Nagumo felt at Midway." The escorts began launching SAMs, but there were only a pair of fire control directors on each of the Invincible and DDG Exeter and almost 30 missiles inbound. Anyone could see that 30 of a kind would beat 2 pair any day.
The frigates Phoebe and Argonaut were the first to go down. They preceded the DDG Exeter by mere seconds. The Invincible put up a valiant defense. However, even with assistance from the Exeter, there were still 6 missiles remaining when the SAMs were no longer able to engage. It only takes one to ruin your day. All 6 missiles made today Commodore Ralston's "Mother of All Bad Days". The first missile hit the hangar just above a fueled Harrier that was being wrestled labouriously by a crew into launch position. The next 5 followed in quick succession. The Invincible had fought just 97 seconds of the Third World War.
COMNON Lt. General Lium ordered NATO units to engage all Soviet forces with priority given to landing ships. He thought that he put it simply by saying, "If it flies the Soviet Red Star, It Dies." Little did the General suspect of the confusion that the specificity of his orders would create.
Lt. Siverson was approaching the group off Bodo when his radar detected the launch of several missiles. The TACCO quickly classified them as Sandbox SSMs and Gadfly SAMs. After Siverson took defensive measures and evaded, he requested weapons release and permission to attack the ship. To his dismay, the TACCO refused. Her reply, "That ship is either a Soviet Sovremenny DDG or a Chinese Hangzhou DDG. I am unable to positively classify at this time. Request denied. We are not going to run the risk of starting a war with the Red Chinese." Siverson's wingman, as always covering his leader's six position, quickly piped in with, "If that's a Chinese boat down there, somebody better tell them that they are in the wrong ocean and that getting into a war is the least of their problems! The only Chinese out here are in that restaurant on Drammensveien."
"Yeah, and in the Egg Foo Young noodles in your head, TACCO", Siverson added subconsciously. The F-16s continued to close on the target.
Meanwhile, the MTBs had unleashed a volley of Penguin missiles at the Nanuchkas and Osas. Final score of that round went to the Norwegians who sank all 12 PMs for the loss of 2 MTBs. While bringing the strike-configured flight of P-3s to the Bodo bound group, TACCO ordered the fighters to investigate the helos and send them to meet Karl Marx if they were Soviet. "Blind the *******s," she said.
Eight helos were shot down in short order. For all her shortcomings through strict adherence to orders, TACCO was brilliant. She plotted the suspect group and noticed that the thundering herd was screened only in the west, south, and east. There seemed to be no escorts in the north. She directed all of the fighters and Strike-P-3s to congregate there. On the attack, the F-16s raced in on afterburners while the P-3s cruised in cautiously. Siverson led the way and bore in on his arch-nemesis; Sovremenny/Hangzhou. When he was fired upon once again, the other F-16s were able to visually identify the main body of ships as Soviet and immediately selected amphibious assault ships as targets for their strafing runs. The Orions each selected a Ro/Ro vessel and fired their ASMs. Togther, the F-16s and Orions were able to sink 2 landing ships for an amazing zero friendly casualty rate. However, one LST remained and it was pointed directly at Bodo.
The Norwegian pilots were winchester and frustrated when the TACCO came up with brilliant idea number 2; her annual quota. She heard the reported loss of the Invincible and asked if there were any aircraft in the area with ordnance. The Harrier pilots were heading for Bodo and replied most enthusiastically that they still had full loads for their cannon but that they were _Very_ skeptical of getting close enough to the target and could they provide an escort. The Norwegian pilots reported unanimously that their weapons were totally depleted. What do you want us to do? Be living missile shields and bullet catchers?!! General Lium had been monitoring the situation and came on the radio to say,
"In armor, there is an expression. 'If you run out of fuel, become a pillbox. If you run out of ammunition, become a bunker. If you run out of hope, become a hero.' I cannot order you on this mission, but I can only say that that remaining landing ship might make the difference in the entire campaign if we can stop them butt cold. I am looking for volunteers."
To a man, the pilots of the 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron agreed. Some would rather not do so, but they were all fighter pilots and followed the creed, "It is better to die than to look bad". There would be many Heroes in the Norwegian Sea, today.
As the pilots planned their ingress from the north, two MTBs blew up a Kresta II cruiser. The back door exit lay open. The pilots slowly increased speed to full military power. The F-16s went in on afterburner again and were immediately engaged by the escorts. The agility of their aircraft prevented a single loss. However, when the escorts soon began to target the Harriers, the TACCO ordered the Vipers to match the speed of their charges. To this order, Siverson replied, "Why don’t you tell us to bend over and grab our ankles while we are at it!"
The TACCO was non-plussed. She told him that, "You get paid to do it. Not to like it." The living missile shields worked. The Harriers were able to exact a terrible revenge for the loss of their shipmates. The amphibious group arrived at Bodo without the 455th infantry regiment lost at sea. Four Vipers, Lt. Siverson's included, made the ultimate sacrifice. They were each awarded the Order of St. Olaf, Norway's highest decoration for valor.