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File Name: Big Lizzie and Big George, August 2017, Historical/Alternate History Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 19 Aug 2017 File Category: GIUK Big Lizzie and Big George, August 2017, Historical/Alternate History Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCDB2-170714 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/Russia side. You should play a few times first the Blue/NATO side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red/Russian side. Image: The Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) transits alongside the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) during exercise Saxon Warrior 2017, Aug. 8. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Daniel Gaither/Released, and in consequence in public domain, took from https://www.dvidshub.net/search/?q=Saxon+Warrior+2017&filter%5Btype%5D=image&view=list&sort=publishdate&page=6 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 and intense naval drills as Sea Shield, Dynamic Manta and Dynamic Mongoose 2017. (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 (Incidentally, Russia is planning to transfer its 1st Guards Tank Army for exercises to western Belarus in September 2017), to continuous ASW exercises. Culminating in many simultaneous Naval parades as a great propaganda feast on Navy Day, July 30, in St Petersburg, Kronstadt (including some visiting Chinese warships), Kaliningrad, Novorossiysk, Sevastopol (in the illegally occupied Crimea), Vladivostok and Tartus (Syria). Between all those events, from 26 June to 16 August 2017 the new British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth steamed from Rosyth for six weeks for her first operational sea training cruise (Arriving after in Portsmouth with five Merlin ASW helicopters on desk, as forecasted in the previous HMS Queen Elizabeth scenario). First, UK Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, writing in "The Telegraph" on 27 June 2017, stated about the "dilapidated" Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, and how "the Russians will look at this ship with a little bit of envy". Two days later, in response, Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov mocked the UK's new ship, saying "The British aircraft carrier is nothing more than just a huge easy naval target". At last, to support his official claims, President Putin decided to clarify the question, ordering the Northern Fleet submarine forces to provoke an "accidental" and "confuse" incident, simulating a training error, to get the result of see HMS Queen Elizabeth in the North Sea bottom. As in the same period the tense situation was depicted in a scenario showed in the harpgamer.com website, NATO decides to escort HMS Queen Elizabeth the rest of her cruise with the forces and with the excuse of the near exercise Saxon Warrior 2017 (July 1 - August 10), centred on the USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (GHWBCSG). In opposite way, President Putin decides to maximize the probabilities of a submarine targeting training "accident" to sink HMS Queen Elizabeth, and send to compromise in this task almost all available Russian resources in the region, both Northern and Baltic Fleets, concentrated to sink the British carrier. But many world parts were in high tension because other causes. Not only the Chinese vindications on "created" territories in the South China Sea and the USN answer with Freedom of Navigation (FON) patrol are forcing the camel back, are contributing to the world turmoil, but also the incredible direct menaces of North Korean President Kim ("Grandson") to launch four ICBM to arrive some 30 Km of Andersen AFB in Guam, with a term finishing on August 15, 2017. As consequence of that instability, and to exploit that window of opportunity, with a probable back-channels Russian nuclear blackmail over Sweden, Poland, Germany and Denmark to neutralize its military forces, Putin decides to act. This scenario is qualified as "historical" because the present forces were the same historically available. Enrique Mas, August 18, 2017. Click here to download this file

File Name: Exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2017. 26 June-8 July 2017. Historical Training Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 01 Aug 2017 File Category: GIUK Exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2017. 26 June-8 July 2017. Historical Training Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the EC2003 Battle for GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCDB2-170714 new standard 1980-2025 Platform Database. This scenario is designed with the 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: Ensign Paris Bess, from Troy, Ohio, observes an Allied NH90 NFH Caiman ASW helicopter, fly over a U.S. Navy Improved Los Angeles-Class submarine from the bridge of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) at start of exercise Dynamic Mongoose 17 (DMON17) June 27, 2017. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Colbey Livingston/ Released, and in consequence in Public Domain). From the last years constant NATO and partners military exercises are a guarantee to prevent any Russia temptation to resolve with an open war its internal issues, with another military offensive action after the Georgia, Crimea and East Ukraine actions. 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 and intense naval drills as Sea Shield, Dynamic Manta and Dynamic Mongoose 2017. (And without counting in great landlocked actions, as the complex counter-Daesh operations in Middle East, nor the Chinese naval issues and challenge). 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). The exercise simulated in this scenario, Dynamic Mongoose, is an almost yearly ASW drill executed from 2012. In the 2017 edition, as novelty, were employed two sonar research vessels (depicted with similar ones in the scenario) Italy/NATO ITS NRV "Alliance" A5345 research vessel, and German Type 751-class "Planet" (With SWATH-type hull).Those were probably employed to experiment new future sonar systems, to cover the possible recuperation of the Russian submarine fleet, and the dismantling of many SOSUS stations after the Cold War end. Dynamic Mongoose 2017 was developed near Iceland, with participation of Icelandic elements, now in the way to be converted in true armed forces. Probably part of the exercise, as showed in this scenario, was to control the passage of Russian submarines between Greenland and Iceland, but this is only an informed guess. For comparison, you can play also the previous Dynamic Mongoose 2015 scenario. Of course this is a training exercise and actually shots, torpedoes and missiles aren't fired and nobody is hurt ... Enrique Mas, 1 August 2017. Click here to download this file

File Name: Reagan against China, December 2016-early 2017. Hypothetical/Historical Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 25 Jan 2017 File Category: WestPac Reagan against China (and F-35B first blood), December 2016-early 2017. Hypothetical/Historical Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Western Pacific BattleSet and the new HCDB2-170401 (Previously 170122) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later. Image: Aircraft assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 14 perform a diamond formation flyby over the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) during a Tiger Cruise air power demonstration. U.S. Navy photo of 18 October 2009 by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Torrey W. Lee/Released, and took from Wikipedia Commons. This scenario is designed to be played from the US/Blue side or from the Chinese/Red side. To avoid spoilers you should play a few times first the US/Blue side, and only later play the Chinese/Red side. The scenario is based in current historical events, mainly the steaming of the just formed Chinese aircraft carrier CV-16 Liaoning CVBG thought the Bashi Channel in the contested sea area from 26 December 2016. But it was very improbable the political motivation in either side capable to generate an open war. At least President Obama had wanted to leave to posterity and to President-Elect Trump a strange and complicated legacy, to force the new incumbent to keep a very strong and militant posture against China. Also, one of the aims of this scenario is to show how numerous and modernized are the Chinese forces at the current times, forgetting the usual conception about they're obsolete and simple forces (but depicting also his lack of enough naval helicopters, tankers and EW aircrafts). Is showed the more accurate possible Chinese order of battle (December 2016) of his three fleets attack submarine force, his People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) air elements, some very few People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) combat elements, and a few PLAAF strategic elements, as UAVs, AWACS or ELINT aircrafts. Worth of remembering is, after the full of naval, military and security incidents year of 2014 the World was beginning the so-called Second Cold War. Mostly as result of President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB lieutenant colonel) actions, provoking in succession the Crimea, Ukraine, Donetsk, Baltic States, October 2014 Swedish submarine incursion, G-20 Brisbane meeting naval crisis, November 2014 Faslane submarine incident, frigate Yaroslav Mudryy February "Channel Dash", April 2015 Finnish submarine incursion (for many observers causing the pre-mobilization of Finland reserve forces), Russian intervention in Syria from 30 September 2015, March 2016 detection by the French of a Russian submarine near Bay of Biscay, 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. That without counting in other unrelated naval incidents, just as the Iranian seizure of the Maersk Tigris in 28 April 2015 (and neither counting in landlocked actions, as the counter-ISIS operations in Middle East). But 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 Theater of Operations from 2012, move to be completed by 2020. In some places of the South China or East Philippine Sea multiple countries claimed Spratly Islands archipelago (Chinese: Nansha islands, Filipino: Kapuluan ng Kalayaan, Malay: Kepulauan Spratly and Vietnamese: Quan dao Truong Sa), China was for years mongering his plans and established a permanent base at least from 1987, and 1988 included a naval battle against Vietnam, the Johnson South Reef Skirmish. Also at least from 1995, as denounced by Philippines, China was building structures with military capabilities, including from 2012 more relevant structures, as the 3000+ meters long (Very Large Airport in Harpoon parameters) runway in Fiery Cross Reef (finished at March 2016) and other smaller finished in Mischief Reef, and more important, building artificial reefs and islands above previous simple shoals for claiming territory, and equipping them with advanced weapons. At last in an undetermined date late April 2015 China claims as territorial waters the 12 nautical miles circling his "new" islands. As the US official doctrine is Freedom of Navigation (FON) worldwide on international waters, and as in this case with fears about a decision not to send naval vessels into the zone would inadvertently help the Chinese build their own case for sovereignty in the area, some air and surface elements of US Navy begin to orbit near the Chinese claims, but not crossing the 12 nm line. Between the first incidents were a VP-45 Pelicans' P-8A Poseidon in surveillance mission carrying a CNN TV team inside, warned by the Chinese to no flight 12 nm near of Fiery Cross Reef on 20 May 2015, and the trailing for some hours of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) by the Chinese frigate Yuncheng (571) on 11 May 2015. Late, from 26 October 2015, USS Lassen (DDG-82) implement the Freedom of Navigation (FON) near the Chinese occupied Subi and Mischief Reefs in the Spratlys, and a clash of destroyers was possible, but avoided with the humble and shy behaviour of the US side, transiting without radars illuminating or the helicopter flying. Other previous very important situation, and after some months without US aircraft carriers in the region, was from 1 to 8 March 2016, when the USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) Carrier Strike Group (JCSCSG or Carrier Strike Group Three) transited the Luzon Strait on the contested area. Other possible incident in our timeline was the sailing of the cruiser USS Chancellorsville between Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Mansiloc Spanish historical name) and Mischief Reef on late March 2016, when was persistently trailed by Chinese frigate Yueyang (575) but the action was limited to an exchange of weather pleasantries. But perhaps in the December 2016 transit of the Liaoning CVBG another outcome would have been possible ... Enrique Mas, 24 January 2017. Click here to download this file

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: Clash of DDGs, Spratly Islands 26-27 October 2015. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 28 Oct 2015 File Category: WestPac Clash of DDGs, Spratly Islands 26-27 October 2015. Historical Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the Western Pacific Battleset and the HCDB-150928 1980-2015 era Platform Database or the new HCDB2-170522 New Standard 1980-2025 era 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/US side or from the Red/Chinese side. To avoid spoilers you should play a few times first the Blue side, and only later play the Red side. Image: The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen (DDG-82) during a scheduled port visit in Da Nang, Vietnam, on 7 November 2009. Cmdr. H.B. Le, commanding officer of Lassen was visiting Vietnam for the first time since he and his family fled the country in 1975. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Daniel Viramontes/Released) 091107-N-7280V-386. Photo in public domain because taked by a US serviceperson on duty and publicly released, taked from Flickr. After the full of naval, military and security incidents year of 2014 and the not less eventful first eight months of 2015, 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), and with constant and multiple overflies with military warplanes entangled in potential incidents with commercial flights in Europe. That without counting in other unrelated naval incidents, just as the Iranian seizure of the Maersk Tigris in 28 April 2015 (and neither counting in landlocked actions, as the ISIS operations in Middle East), and at last, the use by Russia of Latakia as advanced air base from operations against the opposition to the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from 30 September 2015, with unpredictable consequences. But meanwhile, more towards Far East was China a less perceived and growing problem. In some places of the South China or East Philippine Sea multiple countries claimed Spratly Islands archipelago (Chinese: Nansha islands, Filipino: Kapuluan ng Kalayaan, Malay: Kepulauan Spratly and Vietnamese: Quan dao Truong Sa), China was for years mongering his plans and established a permanent base at least from 1987, and 1988 included a naval battle against Vietnam, the Johnson South Reef Skirmish. Also at least from 1995, as denounced by Philippines, China was building structures with military capabilities, including from 2012 more relevant structures, as the 3000+ meters long (Very Large Airport in Harpoon parameters) runway in Fiery Cross Reef, and more important, building artificial reefs and islands above previous simple shoals. 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), and as in this case with fears about a decision not to send naval vessels into the zone would inadvertently help the Chinese build their own case for sovereignty in the area, some air and surface elements of US Navy begin to orbit near the Chinese claims, but not crossing the 12 nm line. Between the first incidents were a VP-45 Pelicans' P-8A Poseidon in surveillance mission carrying a CNN TV team inside, warned by the Chinese to no flight 12 nm near of Fiery Cross Reef on 20 May 2015, and the trailing for some hours of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) by the Chinese frigate Yuncheng (571) on 11 May 2015. At last, from the late hours of 26 October 2015, USS Lassen (DDG-82) implement the Freedom of Navigation (FON) near the Chinese occupied Subi and Mischief Reefs in the Spratlys, and a clash of destroyers was possible. Enrique Mas, 27 October 2015. 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: Solving the Spratlys problem: Stennis Compromise, March 2016. Alternate History Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 15 Mar 2016 File Category: WestPac Solving the Spratlys problem: Stennis Compromise, March 2016. Alternate History Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the Western Pacific Battleset and the HCDB-150928 1980-2015 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later. Image: An VFA-14 "Tophatters" F/A-18E Super Hornet (Squadron with the only Super Hornets with the old APG-73 radars in the CVW-9, the others have the APG-79 AESA) participates in an air power demonstration near the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) as the ship operates in the Pacific Ocean on April 24, 2013. Photo took from Wikipedia, realized by Seaman Apprentice Ignacio D. Perez U.S. Navy, a serviceman on duty and in consequence in public domain. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/US side or from the Red/Chinese side. To avoid spoilers you should play a few times first the Blue side, and only later play the Red side. The scenario is based in current historical events, mainly the navigation of the USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) Carrier Strike Group (JCSCSG or Carrier Strike Group Three) from the Luzon Strait on the contested area from 1 to 8 March 2016. But is very improbable the political motivation in either side capable to generate an open war. Also, one of this complex scenario aims is to show how numerous and modernized are the Chinese forces at the current times, forgetting the usual conception about they're obsolete and simple forces (but including his lack of enough naval helicopters, tankers and EW aircrafts). Is depicted the more accurate possible Chinese order of battle (March 2016) of his South Sea Fleet, his People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) aviation elements, his People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Southern and Eastern Theatre Commands, and a few strategic elements, as AWACS or ELINT planes. After the full of naval, military and security incidents year of 2014 the World was beginning the so-called Second Cold War. Mostly as result of President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB lieutenant colonel) actions, provoking in succession the Crimea, Ukraine, Donetsk, Baltic States, October 2014 Swedish submarine incursion, G-20 Brisbane meeting naval crisis, November 2014 Faslane submarine incident, frigate Yaroslav Mudryy February "Channel Dash", April 2015 Finnish submarine incursion (for many observers causing the pre-mobilization of Finland reserve forces), Russian intervention in Syria from 30 September 2015, March 2016 detection by the French of a Russian submarine near Bay of Biscay, and with constant and multiple overflies with military warplanes entangled in potential incidents with commercial flights in Europe. That without counting in other unrelated naval incidents, just as the Iranian seizure of the Maersk Tigris in 28 April 2015 (and neither counting in landlocked actions, as the ISIS operati ons in Middle East). But meanwhile, more towards Far East was China a less perceived and growing problem. In some places of the South China or East Philippine Sea multiple countries claimed Spratly Islands archipelago (Chinese: Nansha islands, Filipino: Kapuluan ng Kalayaan, Malay: Kepulauan Spratly and Vietnamese: Quan dao Truong Sa), China was for years mongering his plans and established a permanent base at least from 1987, and 1988 included a naval battle against Vietnam, the Johnson South Reef Skirmish. Also at least from 1995, as denounced by Philippines, China was building structures with military capabilities, including from 2012 more relevant structures, as the 3000+ meters long (Very Large Airport in Harpoon parameters) runway in Fiery Cross Reef (now finished, at March 2016), and more important, building artificial reefs and islands above previous simple shoals for claiming territory. At last in an undetermined date late April 2015 China claims as territorial waters the 12 nautical miles circling his "new" islands. As the US official doctrine is Freedom of Navigation (FON) worldwide on international waters, and as in this case with fears about a decision not to send naval vessels into the zone would inadvertently help the Chinese build their own case for sovereignty in the area, some air and surface elements of US Navy begin to orbit near the Chinese claims, but not crossing the 12 nm line. Between the first incidents were a VP-45 Pelicans' P-8A Poseidon in surveillance mission carrying a CNN TV team inside, warned by the Chinese to no flight 12 nm near of Fiery Cross Reef on 20 May 2015, and the trailing for some hours of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) by the Chinese frigate Yuncheng (571) on 11 May 2015. Late, from 26 October 2015, USS Lassen (DDG-82) implement the Freedom of Navigation (FON) near the Chinese occupied Subi and Mischief Reefs in the Spratlys, and a clash of destroyers was possible, but avoided with the humble and shy behaviour of the US side, transiting without radars illuminating or the helicopter flying. At last, and after some months without US aircraft carriers in the region, when on 1 March 2016 the JCSCSG (Group AEC) transited the Luzon Strait, everything was possible... Enrique Mas, 15 March 2016. Click here to download this file

File Name: F-35A Lightning II First Blood, August 2016. Hypothetical/Alternate History Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 15 Aug 2016 File Category: GIUK F-35A Lightning II First Blood, August 2016. Hypothetical/Alternate History Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition introductory scenario for the EC2003 Battle for the GIUK GAP Battleset and the HCDB-150928 1980-2015 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later. Image: U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. George Watkins, 34th Fighter Squadron commander, drops a GBU-12 laser-guided bomb from a Lockheed Martin F-35A LIghtning II (s/n 13-5075) at the Utah Test and Training Range on 25 February 2016. The 34th FS was the U.S. Air Force's first combat unit to employ munitions from the F-35A. The 34th FS is assigned to the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base Utah (USA). US Air Force photo by Jim Haseltine and in consequence in public domain. Took from Wikipedia Commons. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO and partners side or from the Red/Russia side. You should play a few times first the Blue/NATO and Partners side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red/Russia side. With the world clearly crumbling in the Second Cold War, at last on August 2, 2016, was declared Initial Operative Capability (IOC) of the US Air Force F-35A of the 34th Fighter Squadron "Rude Rams" (Hill AFB). To contain the continuous aggressive Russian force posture twelve of them were (hypothetically) fast deployed to Siauliai International Airport, Lithuania, both to show resolution and to prevent any other Russian offensive movement over the Baltic States, just as against Ukraine from 2014. 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 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 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 (and neither counting in landlocked actions, as the counter-Daesh operations in Middle East). And all those incidents without counting more towards Far East with China as a less perceived and growing problem, and his own generated incidents. China was building structures with military capabilities, including from 2012 more relevant structures, as the 3000+ meters long (Very Large Airport in Harpoon parameters) runway in Fiery Cross Reef (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. Speculatively in this scenario because the international situation many of the forces deployed in the BALTOPS 2016 exercise remained in Europe, and in high state of availability. Further, when the also yearly BALTOPS 2016 multipurpose and landing exercise did begin from 3 to 19 June 2016 (44th iteration) with theoretically neutral Swedish and Finnish partner participation, the Russian State-owned media (Russia Today, Sputnik, Russia Beyond the Headlines and others) and client Western media did begin a campaign to delegitimize the NATO exercises (BALTOPS 2016 was a complex exercise simultaneous to others as Saber Strike 2016 and Trident Joust 2016), and to justify any Russian military action. The excuse for the initial Putin action was the defence of the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad between Lithuania and Poland (Formerly Konigsberg in East Prussia. What better excuse to request a land bridge from the Russian side, nobody remember the very near Danzig Corridor and the 1939 German Ultimatum to Poland?), and the situation goes to the boiling point very fast. At last, after the NATO Warsaw Summit (8-9 July 2016), and the (hypothetical) announcement of deploy F-35A in Siauliai, Putin was forced to act. To keep his security promises to the Russian people and keep his image of strong man, Putin is forced to an open war and destroy the NATO and partners forces near Kaliningrad, employing all the forces in the Baltic theatre, and another few deployed from others Russian Military Districts. The state of readiness of the NATO forces is low, the first two days of the open conflict can count only with the remaining forces at disposition after the recent exercises, but with the complete Polish Air Force order of battle, in high state of readiness because the international situation (The Finnish Air Force will be limited to protect this homeland). Will be vital for both sides to prevail these two first days of war, for Russia as propaganda and to show his force, for NATO and partners for resist and mobilize all the Western forces the next days, almost guaranteeing the victory against Putin's Russia. Enrique Mas, August 15, 2016. Click here to download this file

File Name: F-35A Lightning II Learning Curve, August 2016. Introductory Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 16 Aug 2016 File Category: GIUK F-35A Lightning II Learning Curve, August 2016. Introductory Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition introductory scenario for the EC2003 Battle for the GIUK GAP Battleset and the HCDB-150928 1980-2015 era Platform Database or the new HCDB2-170308 1980-2025 era Platform Databases. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later. Image: Lt. Col. George Watkins, the 34th Fighter Squadron commander, flies a combat-coded F-35A Lightning II aircraft past the control tower at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, Sept. 17, 2015. U.S. Air Force photo/Alex R. Lloyd, and in consequence in public domain. Took from www.af.mil/News/Photos.aspx?igphoto=2001294366 This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO and partners side or from the Red/Russia side. You should play a few times first the Blue/NATO and Partners side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red/Russia side. As the precedent developed scenario "F-35A Lighting II First Blood" is probably too complex to try, test and verify the supposed new characteristics and advantages of F-35, I did build this scenario with that purpose. Is basically an introductory scenario, with the core forces reduces to an air base by side. The historical premises are the same, and not are worth mentioned in complete extension. Those were in essence as, with the world clearly falling in the Second Cold War, at last on August 2, 2016, was declared Initial Operative Capability (IOC) of the US Air Force F-35A of the 34th Fighter Squadron "Rude Rams" (Hill AFB). To contain the continuous aggressive Russian force posture twelve of them were (hypothetically) fast deployed to Siauliai International Airport, Lithuania, both to show stead resolution and to prevent any other Russian offensive movement over the Baltic States, just as did against Ukraine from 2014. The excuse for the initial Putin action was the defence of the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad between Lithuania and Poland (Formerly Konigsberg in East Prussia. What better excuse to request a land bridge from the Russian side, nobody remember the very near Danzig Corridor and the 1939 German Ultimatum to Poland?), and the situation goes to the boiling point very fast. At last, after the NATO Warsaw Summit (8-9 July 2016), and the (hypothetical) announcement of deploy F-35A in Siauliai, Putin was forced to act. To keep his security promises to the Russian people and keep his image of strong man, Putin is forced to an open war and destroy the NATO and partners forces near Kaliningrad, employing all the forces in the Baltic theatre, and another few deployed from others Russian Military Districts. Will be vital for both sides to prevail these two first days of war, for Russia as propaganda and to show his force, for NATO and partners for resist and mobilize all the Western forces the next days, almost guaranteeing the victory against Putin's Russia. Enrique Mas, 16 August 2016. Click here to download this file

File Name: USS Porter Again, Grigorovich Aftermath, April 2017. Historical Scenario/Alternate History Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 09 Apr 2017 File Category: MEDC A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170407 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/US side or from the Red/Russian side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side. Image: USS Ross (DDG-71) fires a Tomahawk land attack missile the night 7 April 2017 against the Syrian airbase of Al-Shayrat. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Robert S. Price, and in consequence in public domain, took from http://navylive.dodlive.mil/2017/04/07/u-s-navy-destroyers-launch-strikes-on-syria In the very complex world situation of early 2017, and as consequence of a successive chain of events begun with the taking charge of Vladimir Putin as 4th President of Russia in 2012, USS Porter (DDG-78) was a very busy warship under the command of CDR Andria Slough, former deputy director for the Joint Maritime Ballistic Missile Defence Operations and Training. After her participation in exercises Sea Shield and Dynamic Manta 2017 (Both depicted in previous Harpoon HCE/HUCE scenarios), on 6 April 2017 she and USS Ross (DDG-71) were called to launch Tomahawk missiles against the Syrian military airbase of Al-Shayrat. Both were two of the four Burke-class destroyers forward-deployed at Naval Station Rota, Spain, for Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) tasks and SeaRAM, integrated in the new CTF-64, created in July 2015 (It was a crash program, as the four Rota destroyers are equipped with an older Aegis baseline that requires the ship to operate in a BMD mode or switch to the traditional aircraft and cruise missile defence role, and in consequence without SeaRAM are almost without self defence missiles, counting only with the Phalanx) and arriving the first ship at Rota in 24 September 2015. The Tomahawk salvo of 59 missiles was ordered by President Trump to prevent Syria's President Assad to use again nervous agents against civilians in Syria, as employed previously a few days earlier on April 4 in the town of Khan Sheikhoun, where several dozen civilians, including many children and women, were killed by what appears to be sarin gas. As was suspected the presence of Russian technicians in the Syrian base to be attacked, the missile strike was warned with time to Russia, the base evacuated before the arrival of the missiles, and the human victims were scarce or none. In the attack aftermath, on 7 April 2017, agency news reports informed of the Russian Black Sea Fleet brand-new multipurpose frigate Admiral Grigorovich sailing from the Bosphorus Strait to Eastern Mediterranean, suggesting a possible Russian naval retaliation against the US ships launching the missiles. The much-hyped in the news Admiral Grigorovich is the first Russian ship of Project 11356, a derivative of the old Project 1135/Krivak, and exported from 2003 to India as Talwar-class/Krivak V. Of course that was a usual movement of Russian warships going to and fro, but this limited scenario speculates on the possibility of a Russian retaliation on those premises. Enrique Mas, 9 April 2017. 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: Battle of Chancellorsville: The Red Badge of Courage, March 2016. Alternate History Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 01 Apr 2016 File Category: WestPac Battle of Chancellorsville: The Red Badge of Courage, March 2016. Alternate History Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition introductory scenario for the Western Pacific Battleset and the HCDB-150928 1980-2015 era Platform Database or the HCDB2-170401 new 1980-2025 era Platform Database . This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later. Image: USS Chancellorsville (CG-62) steams port side of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise in 8 July 2010. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Stephen M. Votaw, a serviceman on duty and in consequence in public domain, took from Wikipedia Commons. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/US side or from the Red/Chinese side. To avoid spoilers you should play a few times first the Blue side, and only later play the Red side. The scenario is based in current historical events, mainly the navigation of the USS Chancellorsville (CG-62) on the contested area in late March 2016, as is the US clear aim to keep open to all maritime traffic the region sea, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. But is very improbable the political motivation in either side capable to generate an open and all-out war. Is basically an introductory scenario, inspired by the (continuous) current events. After the full of naval, military and security incidents year of 2014 the World was beginning the so-called Second Cold War. Mostly as result of President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB lieutenant colonel) actions, provoking in succession the Crimea, Ukraine, Donetsk, Baltic States, October 2014 Swedish submarine incursion, G-20 Brisbane meeting naval crisis, November 2014 Faslane submarine incident, frigate Yaroslav Mudryy February "Channel Dash", April 2015 Finnish submarine incursion (for many observers causing the pre-mobilization of Finland reserve forces), Russian intervention in Syria from 30 September 2015, March 2016 detection by the French of a Russian submarine near Bay of Biscay, and with constant and multiple overflies with military warplanes entangled in potential incidents with commercial flights in Europe. That without counting in other unrelated naval incidents, just as the Iranian seizure of the Maersk Tigris in 28 April 2015 (and neither counting in landlocked actions, as the ISIS operati ons in Middle East). But meanwhile, more towards Far East was China a less perceived and growing problem. In some places of the South China or East Philippine Sea multiple countries claimed Spratly Islands archipelago (Chinese: Nansha islands, Filipino: Kapuluan ng Kalayaan, Malay: Kepulauan Spratly and Vietnamese: Quan dao Truong Sa), China was for years mongering his plans and established a permanent base at least from 1987, and 1988 included a naval battle against Vietnam, the Johnson South Reef Skirmish. Also at least from 1995, as denounced by Philippines, China was building structures with military capabilities, including from 2012 more relevant structures, as the 3000+ meters long (Very Large Airport in Harpoon parameters) runway in Fiery Cross Reef (now finished, at March 2016), and more important, building artificial reefs and islands above previous simple shoals for claiming territory. At last in an undetermined date late April 2015 China claims as territorial waters the 12 nautical miles circling his "new" islands. As the US official doctrine is Freedom of Navigation (FON) worldwide on international waters, and as in this case with fears about a decision not to send naval vessels into the zone would inadvertently help the Chinese build their own case for sovereignty in the area, some air and surface elements of US Navy begin to orbit near the Chinese claims, but not crossing the 12 nm line. Between the first incidents were a VP-45 Pelicans' P-8A Poseidon in surveillance mission carrying a CNN TV team inside, warned by the Chinese to no flight 12 nm near of Fiery Cross Reef on 20 May 2015, and the trailing for some hours of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) by the Chinese frigate Yuncheng (571) on 11 May 2015. Late, from 26 October 2015, USS Lassen (DDG-82) implement the Freedom of Navigation (FON) near the Chinese occupied Subi and Mischief Reefs in the Spratlys, and a clash of destroyers was possible, but avoided with the humble and shy behaviour of the US side, transiting without radars illuminating or the helicopter flying. Other previous very important situation, and after some months without US aircraft carriers in the region, was from 1 to 8 March 2016, when the USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) Carrier Strike Group (JCSCSG or Carrier Strike Group Three) transited the Luzon Strait on the contested area. And the last possible incident in our timeline was the sailing of the cruiser USS Chancellorsville between Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Mansiloc Spanish historical name) and Mischief Reef on late March 2016, when was persistently trailed by Chinese frigate Yueyang (575) and the action was limited to an exchange of weather pleasantries, but other outcome was possible, re-enacting Stephen Crane's Battle of Chancellorsville-inspired The Red Badge of Courage ... Enrique Mas, 1 April 2016. Click here to download this file

File Name: The Krasnodar Incident, late April 2016. Historical Scenario/Alternate History Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 01 May 2016 File Category: GIUK The Krasnodar Incident, late April 2016. Historical Scenario/Alternate History Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition introductory scenario for the EC2003 Battle for the GIUK GAP Battleset and the HCDB-150928 1980-2015 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later. Image: The new diesel-electric submarine B-265 Krasnodar with the Russian Navy Saint Andrew's Cross flag raised on her commisioning day 5 November 2105 on the eve of Submariner Day, near Saint Petersburg, and before to be transferred to the Black Sea Fleet. Photo credit Mil.ru, Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, took from Wikipedia Commons. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/Polish side or from the Red/Russian side. To avoid spoilers you should play a few times first the Blue side, and only later play the Red side. The scenario is based in current historical events, mainly the Russian media propaganda stunt about a hypothetical subsurface collision between the just commissioned Russian conventional submarine Krasnodar and the Polish submarine Orzel in the Baltic Sea, in a time period when Orzel has not quitted the Gulf of Gdansk waters. This scenario depicts a derivative and open-fire limited submarine war, but is very improbable the political motivation in either side capable to generate an open and all-out war. Is basically an introductory scenario, inspired by the (continuous) current events. After the full of naval, military and security incidents year of 2014 the World was beginning the so-called Second Cold War. Mostly as result of President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB lieutenant colonel) actions, provoking in succession the Crimea, Ukraine, Donetsk, Baltic States, October 2014 Swedish submarine incursion, G-20 Brisbane meeting naval crisis, November 2014 Faslane submarine incident, frigate Yaroslav Mudryy February "Channel Dash", April 2015 Finnish submarine incursion (for many observers causing the pre-mobilization of Finland reserve forces), Russian intervention in Syria from 30 September 2015, violation by Russian military helicopters of the Finnish and Georgian borders on 10 December 2015, March 2016 detection by the French of a Russian submarine near Bay of Biscay, violation by Russian military helicopters of the Polish border on 18 April 2016, and with constant and multiple overflies with military warplanes entangled in potential incidents with commercial and military flights in Europe. That without counting in other unrelated naval incidents, just as the Iranian seizure of the Maersk Tigris in 28 April 2015 (and neither counting in landlocked actions, as the ISIS operations in Middle East). And all those incidents without counting more towards Far East with China as a less perceived and growing problem, and his own generated incidents. China was building structures with military capabilities, including from 2012 more relevant structures, as the 3000+ meters long (Very Large Airport in Harpoon parameters) runway in Fiery Cross Reef (now finished, at March 2016), and more important, building artificial reefs and islands above previous simple shoals for claiming territory. At last in an undetermined date late April 2015 China claims as territorial waters the 12 nautical miles circling his "new" islands. As the US official doctrine is Freedom of Navigation (FON) worldwide on international waters (same in Baltic and Black Seas), and as in this case with fears about a decision not to send naval vessels into the zone would inadvertently help the Chinese build their own case for sovereignty in the area, some air and surface elements of US Navy begin to orbit near the Chinese claims, but not crossing the 12 nm line. Between the first incidents were a VP-45 Pelicans' P-8A Poseidon in surveillance mission carrying a CNN TV team inside, warned by the Chinese to no flight 12 nm near of Fiery Cross Reef on 20 May 2015, and the trailing for some hours of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) by the Chinese frigate Yuncheng (571) on 11 May 2015. Late, from 26 October 2015, USS Lassen (DDG-82) implement the Freedom of Navigation (FON) near the Chinese occupied Subi and Mischief Reefs in the Spratlys, and a clash of destroyers was possible, but avoided with the humble and shy behaviour of the US side, transiting without radars illuminating or the helicopter flying, the 1 to 8 March 2016 sailing of the USS John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group on the contested area, and the sailing of the cruiser USS Chancellorsville between Scarborough Shoal and Mischief Reef on late March 2016, when was persistently trailed by Chinese frigate Yueyang (575) and the action was limited to an exchange of weather pleasantries. In this Alternate History case, the new Polish nationalist leaders (incumbents from August and November 2015) decides the Russian subsurface navigation of Gulf of Gdansk, near the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad (containing the old Prussian cities of Konigsberg and Pillau), can't be tolerated, and will be opposed by any means necessary. Enrique Mas, 1 May 2016. Click here to download this file