donaldseadog

For Classic Harpoon version 2025.025, Westpac Battleset and HCDB2 170909 Database
 
There's two hypothesis for this fictitious scenario:
First, a change in USA focus and deployments has left no USN forces in the West Pacific region other than a sole SSN that is in transit after maintenance at HMAS Stirling, Western Australia.
Second, internal Taiwanese political change has led to a swift change in status with PRC who now have use of Taiwanese facilities and have announced a forward military presence in the smaller island countries of the west pacific to enhance their security and to protect infrastructure being provided by Chinese aid.
In an encounter a Philippines Navy Frigate has been sunk by the Chinese, the situation leading up to the sinking is unclear.
A small combined Australian and Singapore naval group is nearby with associated air units conducting combined exercises.
 
Picture from Wikipedia: Singapore Navy Formidable Class Frigate.
 

Photo:  Ada-class ASW corvettes of the Turkish Navy
This scenario can be played with GE version 2022.027 (matrix last release) or newer, Database HCDB2-170909 in Medc 2003 Battleset.
While Russia is still busy fighting it's war with Ukraine she has been harassing other countries with aircraft incursions, but Turkey fights back.

For play with Harpoon Classic vers 2022.027 or newer, Middle East Battleset and HCCW 140314 Database.
Israel invaded Egypt on 29 October 1956, having done so with the primary objective of re-opening the Straits of Tiran and the Gulf of Aqaba as the recent tightening of the eight-year-long Egyptian blockade further prevented Israeli passage. After issuing a joint ultimatum for a ceasefire, the United Kingdom and France joined the Israelis on 5 November, seeking to depose Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser and regain control of the Suez Canal. [from wikipedia Suez Crisis Suez Crisis - Wikipedia ]
In this scenario I've used as much as possible the platforms in use then by each country, but much reduced in numbers and non historically correct locations, and a very simplified strategic plan.
The platforms of this era (and upto say late 60's) are interesting to use with usually radar controlled gunnery as primary AA defense and non guided short ranged rocket or bombs as primary aircraft launched surface attack weapons. The lack of terrain following ac equipment prevents close formation multi ac attacks instead requiring either high exposure to detection multi ac formation or multiple effectively single ac wave skimming attacks. Even in the early 70's non formation but close proximity wave skimming attacks by A4 skyhawks was still practiced by RAN fleet air arm.

For play in HC game version 2022.027 (matrix patch) or newer. Westpac BS and using database HCWW 101110.
21 January, 1941, a Japanese invasion fleet of one light cruiser, ten destroyers, four minesweepers, three submarine chasers, three patrol boats and sixteen transport ships left Tarakan for Balikpapan, (oil rich areas of Borneo). A MLD Dornier spotted the fleet that same day, but heavy clouds with strong winds and prolonged rain prevented the plane from shadowing the fleet. On the next day, U.S. Navy submarines S-40, Pickerel, Porpoise, Saury, Spearfish and Sturgeon were ordered to intercept the fleet. Later, they were joined by Dutch submarines K-XIV and K-XVIII. Sturgeon fired several torpedoes on the convoy and reported sinking three ships. However, postwar records failed to confirm any damages to the convoy.
In this scenario a simplified version of the situation is recreated with the submarine force intercepting the south bound invasion fleet at the narrow northern entrance to the Makassar Strait.
(ScreenShot US SS Porpoise, http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08172.htm, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2030041)

Can be played game versions 2022.27 (matrix patch) and later
Play in Westpac Battleset using HCCW 140314 database.
The Sunda Straits Crisis was a two-week confrontation between the United Kingdom and Indonesia over the passage of the Illustrious-class aircraft carrier HMS Victorious through the Sunda Strait, a major waterway separating the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra, occurring between August and September 1964. The incident was part of the larger Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation, an armed conflict between Indonesia and Malaysia (with the military support of Britain) over the formation of the latter as an independent state.
On 27 August 1964, the British aircraft carrier HMS Victorious and her two destroyer escorts sailed through the Sunda Strait, an international waterway claimed by Indonesia, en route to Australia. Upset by the casual warning the British had given of the ships' impending passage through the Strait (a telephone call made two days before, which did not mention the carrier) and wary of the possibility that the British were attempting to provoke a violent response, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided two days later to prohibit the warships from making the return journey to Singapore, scheduled for the middle of September.
Infuriated by what was perceived as another affront to British prestige after the recent landings at Pontian and Labis by Indonesian volunteers in southwestern Malaysia, members of the British Cabinet, particularly Peter Thorneycroft and Louis Mountbatten, favoured sending the carrier back through the Strait in spite of the Indonesian ban. Though British naval commanders in the Far East had grave concerns that the Victorious would be indefensible while in passage, the prevailing opinion was that not to send the ship would result in an immense political defeat on both a domestic and international scale as well as the loss of rights to an important waterway. Tension mounted as the British and Indonesians each refused to bend, and as the carrier's time to sail came, war became increasingly likely.
On 10 September, however, the Indonesians proposed a way out: an alternative route through the Lombok Strait. The British took them up on this offer.
In this scenario  Peter Thorneycroft and Louis Mountbatten have their way and Victorious turns to transit the Sunda Straight while  the reinforcing carrier group Centaur speeds down from Singapore.
NOTE: to transit the exit from Sunda Strait you will need to carefully manage you group and close in the formation watching for shallowing waters.
see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunda_Straits_Crisis#Victorious_sails_from_Singapore
 

Use game version 2022.027 (matrix patch) or later in Westpac Battleset with Database HCCW 140314
The "Landing at Pontian" (17 August 1964) was an amphibious landing made by a small body of Indonesian troops in the Pontian District, Johor, Malaysia. The landing took place during the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation, an undeclared war fought between Malaysia and Indonesia during the early 1960s over the creation of a Malaysian Federation encompassing parts of northern Borneo, areas that Indonesia sought to increase its own power in Southeast Asia.
On 17 August 1964, Indonesian President Sukarno announced a 'Year of Dangerous Living' as a part of his country's Independence Day celebrations. To reinforce his point, Sukarno had ordered that a force of Indonesian troops and exiled Malaysian-Chinese land in mainland Malaysia to kick off a campaign of such invasions to create guerrilla bases in enemy territory and stir up Communist sympathizers. The effort was a failure, as targeted Malaysians proved unreceptive to Indonesian efforts and the invaders were swiftly rounded up by Anglo-Malaysian security forces.
The landing shocked the British, who had not expected such a strong and prominent step from the Indonesians, but did not incite them to respond to Sukarno's escalation of tensions. The absence of violent reply stiffened Sukarno's burgeoning resolve, and led him to continue with more landings, amphibious and airborne, throughout the fall and winter of 1964. 
The landings at Pontian, though small in scale, and unsuccessful in nature, caused a huge political crisis for Britain. The Malaysian government was infuriated, and accused the Indonesians of "blatant aggression," threatening to strike (through Britain) at their bases in Sumatra, simultaneously putting immense pressure on London to act. Though Sukarno had suffered a minor defeat, he had still managed to put the British in an extremely awkward position: if they did not retaliate, they would be seen to have lost face and to lack enough resolve to risk escalating the crisis. Retaliation, however, might bring the Confrontation towards open war, which the British were understandably unwilling to consider. The debate whether or not to act raged on in Cabinet backrooms. Lord Anthony Head proved an influential voice in the conversation, stating that interrogation had shown that more raids were impending, which would stretch British forces between the Malaysian Peninsula and Borneo, forcing an unwanted reinforcement of Southeast Asia. Head advocated preventative strikes against Indonesian bases should another raid occur.
Before the British could decide upon a policy, however, Sukarno struck again, making an airborne assault Labis in the night of 1-2 September. Though the raid was a catastrophic failure, with one of the transport planes crashing en route, and the remainder of the troops arriving scattered with little food and battered morale, the move further infuriated the Malaysians, who in turn put pressure upon the British to act. The next day, colonial secretary Duncan Sandys authorized on-site naval commander Admiral Varyl Begg to plan for strikes against Indonesian bases in Sumatra.
In this scenario the British begin their actions of retaliation in Sumatra without waiting for further Indonesian attacks.

ToolboxV.zip is for the matrix last release 2022.027.
Toolbox version 2.11+ requires GE version 2025.017 + and runs best in the 2025,025 release available here on Harpgamer
Note these install instructions which differ slightly for the different GE versions.
Your downloaded Export.DLL for Harpoon Classic is easily installed.
For Toolbox v 2.11 in game versions 2025.017 + you should create (if not already) a folder in the games standard ExportDLL folder and name it 'GE'. Then simply unzip your package into there with the toolbox.dll in the GE folder.
To disable toolbox simply move it to another folder (other than ExportDLL) or rename the file type to eg Toolbox.dllbck
For ToolboxV in game version 2022.027 unzip into the ExportDLL folder, no GE subfolder is needed.
This tool provides a window which resides in the Harpoon game window providing tools for:
manipulating air units formations within groups;
edit two air group's courses for joining;
in flight reassignment of missile targets;
deploying air groups exactly over known position of enemy unit;
capturing enemy groups;
and duplicating the message log window (so that it can replace the message log window for screen space saving).
It provides some game status information not available in the game including information on the loaded scenario, detailed list of destroyed assets and damaged assets and any victory conditions that have been met.
Attacking Neutral Penalty
Toolbox keeps track of attacks launched by the player and if any target a neutral asset (including if the asset is shown as unknown side) the player is penalised by the attacked group changing to enemy and if the attack is launched from an air group, that group will change to neutral (and RTB at bingo) so to be unavailable in short term for further action.
In most pages of toolbox player groups are selected if they are currently selected in the game. The selection can be overridden with normal mouse selections.
AirGrpForm window:
The "Search" button brings up a list of all current players groups that include air units. By selecting one of the listed group its air units will list in the next box.
By selecting one of the units you can then edit the flight level of that unit or give it an offset from the group centre position. The offset is approximately nautical miles and a combination of N/S (+is south) or E/W (+is east). If the group is in the unit window you should see the shift instantly. There is an idicator for if the unit is NOE capable or not.
To cause two air groups to join select one group in the group window and press one of the 'Grp' buttons (or use right mouse click popup menu), the group ID will be shown,then select the second group and press the second 'Grp' button, finally press the 'Join' button. The groups will be vectored to meet and join.
ASW, CAP, EW and AEW - To add a hexagon based patrol select an air group, select a non zero base size (approx NMs) then press the appropriate button ASW low alt (vlow if capable), CAP medium alt with 1 in 5 min intermittent radar and AEW at highest alt capable with 1 in 10 min intermittent radar, EW like AEW but 2 1/2 in 3 min radar. If the selected group already had a course set then the patrol will be centred on the first course point, otherwise it is centred on the groups current position.
If the group already has a multi leg course (no in course orders other than the last leg eg RTB) and the patrol size is set to zero then the course remains and the legs are populated with the loiter/hover and cruise orders plus radar as per the hex patrols.
Pause will pause the AI but still allow some game interaction, eg move game focus.
Attack window:
gives information on enemy units and groups that are visible to you. An asterisk (*) before an enemy unit name indicates that an exact fix is known. A group '00' indicated unknown size. Some experimental functions include an ability to reassign missiles' targets (if capable and in the correct guidance phase), attempt to capture certain enemy or neutral assets, 'defection' of groups and directing a group to move exactly directly over the current known position of an enemy unit (or centre of uncertainty zone if no exact fix exists).
Air Refuel window:
This adds versatility to the already good GE refueling ability. You can set the toolbox to automatically pause the game as refuel events are queued by the main program and bring up the event information. You can bring up a list of all your groups for which refueling is current and select a group to show its units' and refueling information. You can also search for a list of Air Groups that include a tanker.
Two 'manual' refueling tasks are available to supplement game refueling, you can manually "Queue" a new refuel cycle for the whole group and select the refueling unit if there are more than one (like alt+R in game but you can select which tanker unit refuels). You can also refuel tanker units from other tanker units in the group or transfer fuel internally of a tanker unit (so as to use refuel store to increase the tankers range or in reverse so as to use some of the tankers fuel for refueling). Single units can have stipulated amounts of fuel transferred without starting standard refuel cycle, so you can refuel high unit # units without waiting for the whole group to be refueled, handy if you have just joined low fuel units to a large group. In the unit information window there is information to help you estimate your refueling needs: unit endurance in minutes, unit range at current speed in nm, unit estimated range if it is split off from the refuel group (and may have a cruise speed high than the refuel group) and the nominal max range (at normal cruise speed) of the unit. The last two 'range' values allows you to estimate how much fuel can be taken up by the unit while in the refuel group.
Groups window
this provides information about units in your various groups.
Munitions window: gives a tally across mutliple sessions of the same scenario of the expenditure of your munitions, both total and aircraft only (tallied for each AC home unit).
Status Window includes four pages for Loaded game and scenario information, victory conditions achieved, damaged unit list and dead unit list
Settings window: gives instruction on using toolbox and a setting for the number of lines to show in the message window, which reproduces the in-game messages so that if you wish you can delete the std in game messages for more space.
Includes summary of handy short cut key commands.
To use the program unzip the ToolBox.dll file into the exportDLL folder of your HCE installation. For 2025.001+ GE versions install in a ExportDLL subfolder named GE. To uninstall simply move or delete the file.
The program utilises 'LazGUI.dll' code by Tony Eischens and adapted by Don Thomas.
Please direct any queries or bug reports via Harpgamer.
2175

Requires Harpoon Classic version 2022.027 (matrix patch) or later, Westpac BattleSet and HCCW 140314 database.
(Photo circa 1965 HMAS Melbourne, Vendetta and Voyager)
The Indonesia - Malaysia confrontation was an armed conflict from 1963 to 1966 that stemmed from Indonesia's opposition to the creation of the state of Malaysia from the Federation of Malaya. After Indonesian president Sukarno was deposed in 1966, the dispute ended peacefully.
The creation of Malaysia was a merger of the Federation of Malaya (now Peninsular Malaysia), Singapore and the British Crown colonies of North Borneo and Sarawak (collectively known as British Borneo, now East Malaysia) in September 1963. Vital precursors to the conflict included Indonesia's policy of confrontation against Dutch New Guinea from March to August 1962 and the Indonesia-backed Brunei revolt in December 1962. Malaysia had direct military support from the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. Indonesia had indirect support from the USSR and China, thus making it an episode of the Cold War in Asia.
The conflict was an undeclared war with most of the action occurring in the border area between Indonesia and East Malaysia on the island of Borneo (known as Kalimantan in Indonesia). However Indonesia also conducted lower intensity covert actions on the Malay Peninsula and in Singapore. The conflict was characterised by restrained and isolated ground combat, set within tactics of low-level brinkmanship. Combat was usually conducted by company- or platoon-sized operations on either side of the border.
It has been claimed that a Central Intelligence Agency memorandum of 1962 indicated that UK Prime Minister Macmillan and US President  Kennedy were increasingly alarmed by the possibility of the confrontation with Malaysia spreading, and agreed to "liquidate President Sukarno, depending on the situation and available opportunities".   [extract from Wikipedia]
In this alternative to history situation Sukarno has been removed by external efforts but rather than calm the situation it has inflamed it and resulted in more direct involvement of China and the USSR.

old zip version 5 will run in GE v 2017.05 -2022.027 and in  Matrix Patch 2022.027
version 2.1.2.1 requires beta 2023.004+
latest version 2.3 requires GE version 2025.018 to run properly
This is a modification of TonyE's lazGUI.dll.   It isn't a tool for game play per se but for those interested it does expose some of the game internals.
It adds for certain selected event types an automatic game pause when they are queued by the main program and showing information regarding the respective event. It provides certain information not seen in the game but useful for better understanding game operation. It includes game/scenario/database information handy to provide with reports to HarpGamer.
Examples of Database information is given for units selected from group list. Included is for group selected or Unit selected the UUID.
Within Start Group you have the ability to 'destroy' groups and units, should you wish to remove them from the game for testing reasons. NOTE THIS CAN CAUSE A GAME CRASH so always save the game before such action.
There are various buttons DRONE, KING which alter the loaded database annexes for selected groups as a bit of a giggle and a trial of early annex manipulation.
During start up the message is shown indicating if you are starting a new scenario, a follow on session of a saved game or a saved game out of sequence, ie you've not opened the saved game that you had last run.
If you are running add-on AARData then a table of stores consumed by each side, both general and aircraft by home unit are shown.
The size and position of the consul is retained for next game start, the information held in the file 'LAZGExtn.xml' in the HUCE folder.

 

This scenario has been written to be playable in Harpoon Classic version 2022.027 (last available Matrix Patch) and is a variation of my previous version A 2nd Taiwan Strait Crisis Escalation. 
Play in Westpac BS using HCCW-140314 DB.
On 24 and 25 August 1958 Chinese Communist (PRC) forces and Taiwanese (ROC)  forces clashed in the vicinity of Dongding Island, which the Nationalist (ROC)  troops controlled. The action was seen as an attempt by the communists to land on the island. This was the only naval and amphibious landing action during the crisis.  ROC had begun to build military installations on the island of Kinmen (Quemoy) and the Matsu archipelago, very close to the Chinese mainland.  The PRC shelled the islands of Kinmen (Quemoy) and the Matsu Islands  in an attempt to take them from Taiwan, governed by the Kuomintang (KMT), and to probe the extent of American commitment to defend the Republic of China. The conflict also involved air, naval, and amphibious operations. Then U.S. secretary of state Christian Herter reportedly described it as the "first serious nuclear crisis". The USA provided military assistance in both material, especially aircraft and artillery, and a strong naval presence including naval escorts for island replenishments.
The Communist Chinese government announced a unilateral ceasefire on 6 October 1958. However, on 20 October the PLA resumed artillery fire on Kinmen because a U.S. Navy warship had breached the PRC-declared 3 nautical miles exclusive zone from the coast of China that they claimed was a stipulation for their unilateral ceasefire agreement. 
In this scenario we play with the idea of the situation escalating, rather than subsiding. The powerful US carrier group has left and a major portion of the Taiwanese air force is in maintenance and repair. Word has it that USSR and China are getting restless
SPOILER ensure you play with nuclear release enabled
 
 

Scenario Background:
On 24 and 25 August 1958 Chinese Communist (PRC) forces and Taiwanese (ROC)  forces clashed in the vicinity of Dongding Island, which the Nationalist (ROC)  troops controlled. The action was seen as an attempt by the communists to land on the island. This was the only naval and amphibious landing action during the crisis.  ROC had begun to build military installations on the island of Kinmen (Quemoy) and the Matsu archipelago, very close to the Chinese mainland.  The PRC shelled the islands of Kinmen (Quemoy) and the Matsu Islands  in an attempt to take them from Taiwan, governed by the Kuomintang (KMT), and to probe the extent of American commitment to defend the Republic of China. The conflict also involved air, naval, and amphibious operations. Then U.S. secretary of state Christian Herter reportedly described it as the "first serious nuclear crisis". The USA provided military assistance in both material, especially aircraft and artillery, and a strong naval presence including naval escorts for island repleshments.
The Communist Chinese government announced a unilateral ceasefire on 6 October 1958. However, on 20 October the PLA resumed artillery fire on Kinmen because a U.S. Navy warship had breached the PRC-declared 3 nautical miles exclusive zone from the coast of China that they claimed was a stipulation for their unilateral ceasefire agreement. 
In this scenario we play with the idea of the situation escalating, rather than subsiding.
Use Database HCCW 140314 and for best play Game version 2025.023 or newer and ErrataGE.dll (download from harpgamer.com forum).

This file is written to run as an ExportDLL library with Harpoon Classic.
It repairs errors in the Game Engine, when possible, external of the main program.
The file ErrataGE.DLL should be loaded into the sub folder exportDLL\GE of your main installation folder (EG Matrix Games\HUCE)
version 1.001 - 2025July22 - to run in beta game engines version 2025.007 or newer and HC2025.024_ComprehensivePatch.
At game start the library searches game events looking for two types of errors that can occur effecting group air patrols in particular.
Typically if these errors continue air patrol AC will fail to return to base when low on fuel and crash. You can determine if the error is present by looking at the formation editor of a group, air patrols that are listed by ac class (eg F/A-18) instead of patrol type (eg CAP) and have the 'delete' button greyed out are in error.
A second error type is where a patrol event remains after it's unit has ceased to exist (landed or shot down) and still refers to the non existing unit.
 

This scenario is written to be played with harpoon classic version 2022.027 or newer.
To be played in Westpac Battleset using custom database HCCW-140314.
Scenario Background:
Its a few days before christmas in a fictional 1964.
There has been a continous close co operation between USSR and the Peoples Republic of China (PRC).  Pressure in other locations and internal political change has lead to a significant withdrawal of USA forces from the South East Asian area, although a retained interest in the politics.
Meanwhile negotiations between PRC and the Republic of China (ROC: Taiwan), following on from repeated incidents in the late 1950's, seem highly likely to lead to a peaceful re unification of Taiwan (Formosa) with it's parent, only a resistance group predominantly within the military stand in the way. This  group has been unofficially using military equipment via sea channels and relying on a combined presence of UK, US and democratic West Pacific countries such as Australia.  
A typical convoy of supply ships is approaching from the Pacific destined for the southern port of Tungkang. 

Scenario Background:
More and more the countries of South East Asia are co operating together in military exercises. In this scenario Japan and Australia partner up with Indonesia and the Philippines in a 4 day exercise where a beachhead has been established on a small Philippines Island by a combined Indonesia and Australian force while Japan and The Philippines are tasked with reversal of the invasion.
Notes on Platforms
The RAN FFG Newcastle is meant as an example of their project 3000 General Purpose Frigate replacing the old Anzac class. see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_general_purpose_frigate_program
 THe HC platform used is a Greek Hydra (Meko 200HN) from 2009 as an example of the Meko 200 possible choice.
The Philippines BRP Antonio Luna is meant as a representative of their Jose Rizel class of multi-role guided missile frigates, currently in service with the Philippine Navy, are a heavily modified variant of the Republic of Korea Navy's Incheon class frigates.  see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jose_Rizal-class_frigate
TO USE:
This scenario is to be run with Database HCDB2-170909 in either battleset Malacca (built in database) or the custom battleset SouthPacIslands.
It is a seek and destroy type scenario so you will best set up your patrols etc then go to a high acceleration time factor until an enemy is detected (or they detect you).

Requires HC version 2017.013 - 2022.027 Including Matrix patch 2022.027
Recent versions to run in latest beta game versions make use of further data now available to export.DLL files.
AARdata.dll is an add-on program that is activated by copying the file into the exportDLL sub-folder of Harpoon installation. To uninstall, just remove the file to another folder, change the .dll file type name or delete the file.
The DLL will produce at the close of a game or game session a txt file AARdata-(battleset file name)(scenario number).txt. (Scenario number for custom scenarios is '0').
Within the txt file the report is made up of titled sections providing:
Scenario information,
Initial Start information,
Time information for each session of play
Detailed game log messages in time order  
List of units destroyed for each side in summary and in detail
List of damaged units at time of game close and
List of changes to game time compression.
New:
When you start a scenario from its beginning, if the AARdata file for that scenario exists, it will be firstly deleted so the report is cleared of information from previous games,
AARdata.dll file version is listed in the Initial Start data.
Victory Events log summary added
Player Side added to Initial Start info section
Latest version (requiring latest Beta game versions) tracks stores expended over the course of playing the scenario thru multiple sessions.

After going to the effort of producing and sharing a HC scenrio it's very nice to see some one has gone to the trouble of producing an AAR, itself requiring quite a bit of effort. I hope this tool will help those people who already bless us with AARs, and encourage more people to share their action with us all.
Don Thomas.

IMPORTANT
This scenario is meant to be run with the accompanying file Drone.DLL installed in the harpoon ExportDLL (or ExportDLL\GE) folder and requires vers HC2025.006 or newer and database HCDB2. This library file edits certain platforms' data so as to simulate high speed surface drone swarm(5 Drones), high speed semi submerged drone swarm (5) and Malay CB90 attack boats. It also starts of one ship with damaged ssm mounts.
The scenario is a demonstration of how recent changes to HUCE will allow an author writing scenarios for the Harpoon community to be able to customise platforms from simple aspects such as damaged mounts to more complex changes effectively introducing new platforms.
Swallow Reef (also known by many other names) is one of the larger islands of the Spratley Islands Group. It is occupied by Malaysia including a small naval presence and a tourist resort servicing primarily dive parties in the surrounding reefs.
Other countries lay claim to the island (and most in the Spratley Group) with many countries fishermen having been regular visitors for hundred of years.
Many of these islands have changed 'ownership' by various means including force over recent history, and undoubtedly this will continue form time to time.
 

In WW2 to strengthen their defensive position in the South Pacific, the Japanese decided to invade and occupy Port Moresby (in New Guinea) and Tulagi (in the southeastern Solomon Islands). The plan, Operation MO, involved several major units of Japan's Combined Fleet. Two fleet carriers and a light carrier were assigned to provide air cover for the invasion forces. The U.S. learned of the Japanese plan through signals intelligence and sent two U.S. Navy carrier task forces and a joint Australian-American cruiser force to oppose the offensive.
On 3-4 May, Japanese forces invaded and occupied Tulagi, although several supporting warships were sunk or damaged in a surprise attack by  aircraft off the U.S. carrier Yorktown. Alerted to the presence of enemy aircraft carriers, the Japanese fleet carriers advanced towards the Coral Sea to locate and destroy the Allied naval forces. On the evening of 6 May, the two carrier fleets closed to within 70 nmi (81 mi; 130 km) but did not detect each other in the darkness. The next day, both fleets launched airstrikes against what they thought were the enemy fleet carriers, but both sides actually attacked other targets. The U.S. sank the Japanese light carrier Shoho, and the Japanese sank the Sims, a destroyer, and damaged the fleet oiler Neosho. On 8 May, both sides located and attacked the other's fleet carriers, leaving the Japanese fleet carrier Shokaku damaged, the U.S. fleet carrier Lexington critically damaged, and the fleet carrier Yorktown lightly damaged.
Both sides having suffered heavy aircraft losses and carriers sunk or damaged, the two forces disengaged and retired from the area. Because of the loss of carrier air cover,  the Port Moresby invasion fleet was recalled. Although the battle was a tactical victory for the Japanese in terms of ships sunk, it has been described as a strategic victory for the Allies. The battle marked the first time since the start of the war that a major Japanese advance had been turned back.
(^^^^ from wikipedia)
The relative placement of the naval forces was influenced by many circumstances including tactical decisions, weather and luck. The four scenarios provided form a series which presents the participating forces in various differing locations.
Uses Database HCWW_101110 _ https://harpgamer.com/harpforum/files/file/277-hcww-101110/
 

A medium size scenario to be played in the Malacca Battleset with it's inbuilt database (requires at least the latest official game release, plays best in latest beta from Harpgamer forum). Hypothetically India and China are at war to decide which is to be the world dominant economic power. Australia, a significant resource supply might also take part. This is a fairly pure naval encounter, no aircraft other than naval helos, a selection of destroyer, frigate and submarines are at each sides disposal.
Action occurs in the most part around the Andaman Islands between Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea.
The attached photo of type 15B DDG By Indian Navy - https://indiannavy.nic.in/content/curtain-raiser-commissioning-visakhapatnam-and-vela (direct link)https://twitter.com/indiannavy/status/1454482271667294214/photo/2, GODL-India, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=112127454

Toolbox is an add-on style program that runs within Harpoon Classic to provide extra function and information. This is a collection of three basic (low action) scenario that illustrate the various functions of the main Toolbox features.
Toolbox can be downloaded from the HarpGamer forum download section - tools.
Many thanks to TonyE for the continued development of the powerful export.dll structures that allow toolbox to operate.

 Use Database HCDB2 170909 and Westpac Battleset.

This scenario is the second in a series  in which some of the Naval Gun weapon types newly developed or being investigated are at you disposal in a large scale exercise between AUKUS members USA (Red side) and combined AU, UK and guest NZ (Blue side).
Here the Blue side has HMAS Hobart played by an Indian type 15B DDG that includes a 127/64 Oto LW mount with extended range and guided Vulcano weapons.
Compare this with the realistic Hobart included in scenario #1 of the King Series (KingASW)
 

What are the future weapons of choice for screening a surface group from enemy surface and submarine attack? Some years back it was thought that the humble naval gun was an antique, but with ever improving missile and area AA defenses new high technology artillery rounds are being studied and developed for both anti surface and subsurface attack.
This scenario is is intended to be the benchmark (current equipment) in a series  in which some of the weapon types newly developed or being investigated are at you disposal in a large scale exercise between AUKUS members USA (Red side) and combined AU, UK and guest NZ (Blue side).
HMAS Perth (39) forms the centre piece of the Blue side, along with UK Astute class SSN Arafura (Hypothetical RAN AUKUS unit) you should be able to get the upper hand over the American buddies playing Red.

Scenario Background:
In August 2023 it was announced that RAAF Tindal would be upgraded to host USAF B-52 bombers.
The AUKUS agreement from 2021 is to result in RAN obtaining US SSN attack submarines and announced 2023 upgraded maritime patrol aircraft capability will bring  upgraded P-8A Poseidon and MQ-4C Triton.
Much of the reason for these expenditures are the tension caused by the Peoples Republic of China's policy of reunification with Taiwan (Republic of China) and a desire for an Australian reach into the general South China Sea and Taiwan region.
It's june 2024, Australia and Taiwan join to seek out and neutralise suspected Chinese forces intent on a Taiwanese landing.
Use database HCDB2-170909 or newer, and custom Battleset either my SouthPacificIslands or SouthPac-Seas Named test BS
Any comments or suggestions are always appreciated, I hope you have some fun.

This Battleset is to test the idea of text in the texture file naming geographical features, in this case some of the seas and oceans.
The text is rather grainy and is not well aligned but is something that perhaps can be improved and show an idea for future more sophisticated work.
The included scenarios are to be played using Database HCDB2-170909 and toy with an upgraded australian defense capability in line with various announcements of the early 2020s.
Note for scenario 3, in order to obtain maximum surprises ensure you you have not disabled nuclear weapons.

170909
Scenario Background:
In August 2023 it was announced that RAAF Tindal would be upgraded to host USAF B-52 bombers.
In this scenario, which is aimed to be the first in a series, RAAF Tindal hosts not just the USAF B-52 but also thier long range IFR tankers, F/A-18 tankers, F22 fighters and F15 attack aircraft supported by RAAF AEW and maritime patrol and F/A18 and F-35 attack/fighter units. A small RAN surface group is present to patrol close in waters to the north.
The principal task is to provide anti shipping patrols over the numerous seas between Australia and China. Some Chinese air defense is present, but not numerous nor widespsread. Chinese submarine patrols may also be present.
An intersting aspect is the management of RAAF F35 fighters as escort units, and the difficulty in giving them sufficient range (via IFR tankers) to operate away from base.

A scenario to be played by either red or blue. There are two conflict areas, one is red surface groups hunting blue sub groups, the other is red sub hunting blue surface convoy.
The scenario has no deep design but is an extension from a simple scenario written to test ASROC style ASW weapons.
Played in the GIUK 2003 battleset using the default game HCDB database. (HCDB 150929)
The game is best played with a new beta version of HarpoonClassic vers. 2023.007 or better but should also play with the latest official patch 2022.027 from Matrix.