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File Name: Barents Sea Russian ASW Drills, June 2017. Historical Training Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 01 Jul 2017 File Category: GIUK Barents Sea Russian ASW Drills, June 2017. Historical Training Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCDB2-170611 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 Red side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Blue side. Image: The only one modernized Russian Udaloy.class destroyer, Vice-Admiral Kulakov inward bound to Portsmouth Naval Base, UK, for a five-day visit, 24 August 2012. Photo by Brian Burnell, 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, projected for 14th-20th September 2017, 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, apparently 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, 1 July 2017 Click here to download this file

File Name: Sub Hunt off Faslane 2014. Historical Scenario/Alternate History Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 18 Dec 2014 File Category: GIUK 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. Click here to download this file

File Name: Kuznetsov at Bay. 9 November 2016. Hypothetical/Historical Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 20 Nov 2016 File Category: Middle East Kuznetsov at Bay, November 9, 2016. Hypothetical/Historical Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for The Middle East Battleset and the HCDB-150928 1980-2016 era Platform Database or the HCDB2-170507 new standard 1980-2025 Platform Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later. Image: Admiral Kuznetsov on the Mediterranean in 1996. USN photo in public domain, took 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, and only later play the Red/Russian side. With the world for months keeping on the brink of an open war, just the day after the election of Donald J. Trump as 45th President of the United States on November 8, 2016, Russian media denounced the incursion of a Dutch submarine near his Admiral Kuznetsov carrier battle group on Mediterranean Sea, near Cyprus and Syria, and commenting she was repelled by the escort warships. The only one Russian aircraft carrier Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov was steaming (a lot, literally) from Kola Bay towards her Mediterranean deployment from October 15, 2016, pretending to be employed in anti-Daesh operations, but most as a propaganda and power showing stunt because her limited air wing (some ten Su-33 with SVP-24 navigation/attack system, employing 500 Kg dumb bombs, only four MIG-29KR/KUBR, and an undetermined number of Ka-52K and other helicopters). The CVBG arrived into theatre near November 4, 2016, and started limited air-to-ground attacks against supposed Daesh forces near November, 12 (a two-seater MIG-29KUBR was lost by technical issues on November 13, only a day after the symbolic strikes begun). Also, after the faked coup in Turkey by the Erdogan Administration on July, 15, 2016, employed as alibi for a pogrom between the Turkish civil and military servants, in the Universities, in the Media and in the Arts, all them accused of Gulenist Terrorists (in fact, the moderate Islamist Fethullah Gulen, now exiled at Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, was a political ally of Erdogan for near 38 years), Turkey was approaching Vladimir Putin's Russia. As consequence, in this Alternate History scenario, and to affirm the Trump declaration to go towards a 350 ships' navy and increase the compromise with NATO of the European Allies, NATO submarines are forced to show Admiral Kuznetsov to demonstrate her futility. The hostilities will be limited to the forces in theatre, and some diplomatic excuses related to Syria, confusion in cooperative orders, Freedom of Navigation, errors of navigation, and economic compensation will be provided to guarantee the situation far of the escalation and from a total conflagration. In change, Russia will lose his only aircraft carrier, an important propaganda tool, and his capability to use a high sea fleet with air cover. Remember the Second Cold War was originated middle in the second presidential term of Vladimir Putin, from May 2012. As related, after the full of naval, military and security global 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), the HMS Montrose confuse and dangerous encounter with the new Baltic Sea Fleet Russian corvette Soobrazitelnyy in middle of the BALTOPS 2016 exercise in June 2016, and with constant and multiple overflies with military warplanes entangled in potential incidents with commercial and military flights in Europe. That without counting with other unrelated naval incidents, just as the Iranian seizure of the Maersk Tigris in 28 April 2015, or the mid-October 2016 launching of anti-ship missiles against UAE and US warships from the Yemen shores and the successive retaliation with cruise missiles by US forces (and neither counting in landlocked actions, as the continuous counter-Daesh operations in Middle East). And all those incidents without counting others more towards Far East with China as a less perceived and growing problem, and his own many types 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 (finished at March 2016), and more important, building multiple artificial reefs and islands above previous simple shoals for claiming territory, and for. 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. Will be vital for both sides to prevail these two first days of theatre-limited conflict, for Russia as propaganda and to show his force keeping presence on the Eastern Mediterranean, for NATO side (less Turkey) to show resolution and positive results in the opposition against Putin's Russia just in the border of his new cryptoally the Islamist Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Enrique Mas, November 20, 2016. Click here to download this file

File Name: Exercise Dynamic Manta 2017 (DYMA 17), 13-24 March 2017. Historical Training Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 20 Mar 2017 File Category: MEDC Exercise Dynamic Manta 2017 (DYMA 17), 13-24 March 2017. Historical Training Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170308 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/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. Image: The first day of DYMA 17 Cmdr. Andria Slough, commanding officer of USS Porter (DDG-78) seated on her open bridge observes a Sigonella-based P-8A Poseidon of VP-45 "Pelicans" when overflights the exercise ships near Catania. From left to right: Spanish replenishment oiler A-14 Pati^o, Spanish Perry-class derivative frigate F-85 Navarra, Spanish Aegis frigate F-104 Mendez Nu^ez, French ASW frigate D-642 Montcalm and Canadian ASW frigate FFH-340 St. John's. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ford Williams, in public domain and took from http://www.c6f.navy.mil/news/exercise-dynamic-manta-2017-begins 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 the 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, and later on January 30, an Al-Madinah-class Saudi frigate was attacked and damaged probably by a Houthi suicide or drone boat off Al Hudaydah, Houthi Yemen. (And neither counting in great landlocked actions, as the 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. When the big anti-submarine exercise Dynamic Manta 2017 did begin in 13 March 2015 was not interpreted by many journalists as an answer to the latest Russian actions and menacing postures as in the case of Dynamic Mongoose 2015, as it was actually a yearly exercise. But in the current world situation was legit to think otherwise. Two years later the reality was probably those and other continuous exercises, the NATO Baltic Air Policing, and the deployment of token NATO ground forces in the Baltic States and rest of Eastern Europe, are showing to Putin's Russia the resolution to defend Europe and allies as a whole, and preventing the development of a hot war, despite the situation in Eastern Ukraine. Of course this is a training exercise and actual shots, torpedoes and missiles aren't fired and nobody is hurt... And remember, the intelligence estimates ever can be erroneous. Enrique Mas, 19 March 2017. Click here to download this file

File Name: Red On Red Sub Duel, March 2017. Historical Training Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 02 Apr 2017 File Category: GIUK 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. Click here to download this file

File Name: Exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2015. Historical Training Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 11 May 2015 File Category: GIUK 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. Click here to download this file

File Name: Indian Submarine Incursion 2016. Hypothetical/Historical Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 06 Dec 2016 File Category: IOPG Indian Submarine Incursion 2016. Hypothetical/Historical Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the IOPG Battleset and the new HCDB2-161204 1980-2025 era Platform Database (But because the limited employed units, it's also playable with the old HCDB- 1980-2015 era Platform Database). This simple and introductory but historical accurate scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later. Image:An Indian Shishumar-class submarine on 29 July 2006, a German-designed and build conventional diesel-electric submarine, of the successful and widely exported Type 209/1500 model. Indian Navy official photo, took from Wikipedia Commons. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/Indian side or from the Red/Pakistani side. You should play a few times first the Blue/Indian side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red/Pakistani side. After the Second Cold War originated middle in the second presidential term of Vladimir Putin from May 2012, starting in 2014 and in the successive years the world was full of naval, military and security incidents. Some were related with the Second Cold War, others not. Between those last ones the supposed Indian submarine incursion near the Pakistani shores in 14 November 2016, detected and repealed by the Pakistani Navy, was one of the most worrying. The incident was denounced by Pakistan and denied by India, and probably involved a conventional Indian diesel-electric submarine executing intelligence operations. The incident was not clear because apparently was buried in the media and forgotten few days later. At time of building this scenario no other news were released on the matter. A short list to remember them, 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), the HMS Montrose confuse and dangerous encounter with the new Baltic Sea Fleet Russian corvette Soobrazitelnyy in middle of the BALTOPS 2016 exercise in June 2016, the failed (in relation to carrier-based air strike operations) deployment of the Russian Northern Fleet Admiral Kuznetsov CVBG near the coasts of Syria from 4 November 2016 and the successive incident with a stalking Dutch submarine on 9 November, and with constant and multiple overflies with military warplanes entangled in potential incidents with commercial and military flights in Europe. That without counting with other unrelated naval incidents, just as the Iranian seizure of the Maersk Tigris in 28 April 2015, or the mid-October 2016 launching of anti-ship missiles against UAE and US warships from the Yemen shores and the successive retaliation with cruise missiles by US forces (and neither counting in landlocked actions, as the continuous counter-Daesh operations in Middle East). And all those incidents without counting those more towards Far East with China as a less perceived and growing problem, and his own many types 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 (finished at March 2016), and more important, building multiple artificial reefs and islands above previous simple shoals for claiming territory, and for. 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 the Baltic and Black Seas), and as in this case with fears about a decision about 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 claimed areas, but not crossing the 12 nm line surrounding the islands. Both Indian and Pakistani navies must prevail over the other, to show his resolution to control the Arabian Sea and the access to the main Pakistani ports, and to prevent the other side to overcome. Only eluding that unbalanced situation, probably directing towards a nuclear escalade, a major conflict could be avoided. Enrique Mas, December 6, 2016. Click here to download this file

File Name: "Diesel Boats Forever": the great USS Grenadier Soviet ballistic missile submarines chase, May 1959. Historical Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 27 Jun 2016 File Category: GIUK "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. Click here to download this file

File Name: A Dragon in South Africa, April 2015. Historical Training Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 16 Apr 2015 File Category: South Africa A Dragon in South Africa, April 2015. Historical Training Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the South Africa Battleset and the HCDB-140909 1980-2015 era Platform Database. Image: HMS Dragon in the English Channel in 30 August 2011, photo by LA(Phot) Nicky Wilson, photo taked from Wikipedia Commons and in OGL (Open Government License). This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/UK side or from the Red/South Africa side. Is a very simple and introductory scenario, inspired in the limited and criticized Type 45 ASW capabilities. In April 2015 the British Type 45 air defence-oriented destroyer HMS Dragon was in good will visit to Cape Town and played some ASW exercises against the South African submarine SAS Manthatisi, a ten years old German build and designed Type 209/1400 conventional diesel-electric submarine. As Type 45 is very criticized because her limited ASW capabilities (and many in the class also without anti-ship missiles), is a good time to essay a situation as that tested in the exercise. Of course if you sink the enemy unit you win, but is a training exercise and actually shots weren't fired and none was hurt ... Enrique Mas, April 2015 Click here to download this file

File Name: The First Convoy, September 1939 File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 18 Jul 2012 File Category: GIUK 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. Click here to download this file

File Name: Operation Lancette, 1981. Historical Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 04 Dec 2011 File Category: MEDC Operation Lancette, 15 May 1981. Historical Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the EC2003 Battle for Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB-140909 1980-2015 era Platform Database. Image: The French aircraft carrier Clemenceau (R98) underway in the Mediterranean Sea. The photo was taken by a U.S. Navy Grumman F-14A Tomcat from Fighter Squadron VF-84 Jolly Rogers, Carrier Air Wing 8 (CVW-8), from the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) using a TARPS reconnaissance pod. November 1981. Taked from Wikipedia Commons. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/French 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 simple and introductory scenario based on historical facts. In the heydays of the Cold War at a time of particular tension, two days after the Pope John Paul II assassination attempt in Rome instigated by the Bulgarian/Soviet Secret Services, was the moment of one of the most scaring naval situations in the Cold War, Just when the Clemenceau CVBG and his reduced peacetime escort was sailing from Toulon for the exercise Coriolan, was detected a submarine contact by the ASW picket (DDs Georges Leygues and Guepratte) only 50 nautical miles from Toulon and actively stalking the carrier group. The subsequent Operation Lancette was launched, resulting in the chase of the unknown submarine continuously for more than eighteen hours and with the submarine alternating creep speeds with peaks of 28-30 knots and even passing below the Georges Leygues towed sonar array. La Royale (French Navy) employed both forward escort destroyers, Lynx helicopters and Atlantic ASW planes based in the very near BAN Nimes-Garons, and at last forced she to surfacing. Ultimately she was visually identified on surface at night from a Lynx helicopter of the Georges Leygues as a Soviet Victor-type SSN and compelled to quit the area. But this scenario represents the possibility of the things going wrong and hot, and both sides firing in anger at the enemy forces. This scenario also could gives an idea of the difficult submarine hunting, the difficult of hunting surface ships with submarines without long range target determination, the limited sonar ranges and convergence zone feasibility on a sea with high levels of salinity and density, the high limitations of small diesel-electric submarines employed as hunter-killers against SSN (the French SSN force was then yet two years on the future), and about the necessity of employing half of the French Aeronavale ASW forces to catch only one submarine, even when she was fortunately emplaced very near to a main ASW air base. Key of the unnamed Air Bases: AGa BAN Nimes-Garons LFTW, France (closed on July 2011). At Nimes-Garons on this time period were based two Aeronavale ASW units, the Flotille 21F equipped with Atlantic and the Flotille 6F with Alize. Enrique Mas, December 2011. Click here to download this file

File Name: Swedish Submarine Incident October 17-24, 2014. Historical scenario/Alternate history scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 08 Nov 2014 File Category: GIUK 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. Click here to download this file