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View File Exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2020. Exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2020. June 29-July 20 2020. Historical Training Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the EC2003 Battle for GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.012 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/Russian side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side. Image: The US surface element in Dynamic Mongoose 2002 was the Arleigh Burke-class Flight IIA (With 5"/62 calibers Mk45 Mod 4 gun replacing the previous 5"/54) guided-missile BMD destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) conducting here a photo exercise with the Santa Maria-class frigate SPS Santa Maria (F 81) Southwest Spain, as Roosevelt transited from its homeport in Rota, to Iceland for NATO Exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2020, June 25, 2020. Roosevelt replaces USS Carney (DDG 64) after five years as part of Forward Deployed Naval Force-Europe (FDNF-E), and as the four previous ships based at Rota, has replaced her aft 20mm Phalanx mount by a SeaRAM missile mount (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Austin G. Collins/Released. Photo took by a service person on duty, 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 challenges). 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, surprising the World again with intervention in Libya airlifting across the Mediterranean Sea via the Russian Khmeimim base in Syria (but previously with Russian military contractors in Libya from 2018, of the Wagner company of Yevgeny Prigozhin). Even more confuse with the unexpected support of Turkey to the opposing side, including first line naval vessels, and airlifted elements of the Assadist Syrian National Army, dating from officially 2 January 2020 (Approbation of the intervention by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey). To clarify (or not) sides, Russia's Putin is supporting the 2014 elected House of Representatives relocated to hotels in Tobruk, and Erdogan's Turkey is supporting the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord, with the UN Security Council endorsement, and as added complication Al-Sisi's Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, as Russia, supports the Tobruk's House of Representatives government and opposes the Turkish intervention because the East Mediterranean balance of power. And Egyptian Army heavy elements wait to cross the Egypt-Libya border from 14 July 2020, when Tobruk's House of Representatives approved a motion authorising Egypt to directly intervene military in Libyan ground if needed. Dynamic Mongoose 2017 was developed near Iceland first time as is usually executed near Norway, with participation of Icelandic elements, now in the way to be converted in true armed forces. From this 2020 edition, second time in Iceland, it has been decided that the exercises will be held alternately in Iceland and Norway. Iceland will provide facilities in the security area of Keflavik Airport and the Icelandic Coast Guard will participate in the exercises. 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 sake of comparison and of the evolving forces, you can play also the previous Dynamic Mongoose 2015 and 2017 scenarios, and see the meagre elements deployed this year of Covid-19. Of course this is a training exercise and actually shots, torpedoes and missiles aren't fired and nobody is hurt ... Enrique Mas, 21 July 2020. Submitter broncepulido Submitted 07/20/2020 Category GIUK

View File Return to Origins. Overture 1989. Return to Origins. Overture 1989. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.012 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/USSR side. You should play a few times first the Blue/US side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red/USSR side. Image: A port beam view of the Belknap-class guided missile cruiser USS Biddle (CG-34) underway during Operation Desert Shield. Observe SPS-48E height-finding radar in the foremast and SPS-49(v)5 radar in the mainmast, both result of the NTU upgrade completed July 1987 (replacing previous SPS-48C and SPS-40 radars), and also Phalanx CIWS and Harpoon missile mounts (U.S. Navy photo released or took 1990-11-30 by CW02 Ed Bailey, USN/Released, took by a service person on duty, and in consequence in public domain. Took from Wikipedia Commons). This scenario is inspired in the recently released Harpoon V jumpstart scenario. After the overture movements of WWIII in May 1989, detached surface units of the carrier force striking Soviet targets at the Murmansk Oblast, steaming the Norwegian Sea, are returning South trying to evade the scarce Soviet forces on pursuit. Fight will be fast and short but hard. Enrique Mas, July 18, 2020. Submitter broncepulido Submitted 07/17/2020 Category GIUK

File Name: Porter, Black Sea and Sea Shield 2017, February 2017. Historical/Alternate History Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 12 Mar 2017 File Category: MEDC Porter, Black Sea and Sea Shield 2017, February 2017. Historical/Alternate History Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170326 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: Number 6305, A Romanian MiG-21MF-75 Lancer C firing S-5 air-to-ground rockets during a training exercise in June 18, 2010. Photo by Miha Zamfirescu, took from Wikipedia Commons. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO side or from the Red/Russian side. To avoid a few spoilers you should play a few times first the Blue side, and only later play the Red side. With the world on the brink of an open war after four years of impending Second Cold War, just after the take of possession and first days of mandate of Donald Trump from January 20, 2017, another repeated point of naval and military operations popped-up again, diverting in the headlines the situation in Eastern Ukraine. After a new intensification of the Russian operations supporting with GRAD rockets bombardment the separatist actions from January 31, 2017 in the Avdiivka sector, from February 1 to 11, 2017, NATO executed exercise Sea Shield 2017. The exercise was probably combined with isolated Freedom of Navigation (FON) operations by USS Porter (DDG-78), first of the only four SeaRAM equipped Burke-class destroyers of CTF-64, tasked with Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) and forward based in Naval Station Rota, Spain, from April 2015. As usual in FON operations, USS Porter was buzzed those days by probably Russian Naval Aviation Su-24M, and the exercise finished without notable incidents, in spite of the international and regional situation in Crimea and Ukraine. This scenario explores the possibilities of something going wrong as consequence of the buzzing by Russian aircrafts, perhaps an autonomous response of SeaRAM at incoming Russian warplanes, and of a limited military conflict with the present forces: components of Sea Shield 2017 exercise, a few other Turkish elements because the internal problems and international posture of Turkey (Perhaps about change sides, after the fake failed 15 July 2016 anti-Erdogan coup, and the subsequent rarefied relations with NATO, US and Russia), Russian naval and aeronaval forces in the Black Sea, units defending the Russian-Occupied Crimea, and a few Russian Air Force elements. 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, 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 de ployment 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. In this scenario the opposed forces are limited, and in a short time must achieve an overwhelming victory against the other side, to prevent extension of the conflict showing their superior capabilities, or failing it. The depicted Russia and NATO regional orders of battle are the most historical accurate possible at February 2017. Enrique Mas, 12 March 2017. Click here to download this file

File Name: Western Sahara Tin Can Sailors, Tagomago Ordeal, September 21, 1985. Historical Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 25 Nov 2017 File Category: MEDC Western Sahara Tin Can Sailors, Tagomago Ordeal, September 21, 1985. Historical Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.013 and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later. Image: Spanish Armada Fletcher-class destroyer D-22 Almirante Ferrandiz (Ex USS David W. Taylor DD-551) patrolling the Western Sahara banks near Canary Islands on 1985. Photo by Francisco Tevar Banos, took from http://www.losbarcosdeeugenio.com/principal_en.html, with its webmaster authorisation, and subject to a Creative Commons license. In this scenario, to avoid spoilers, it is better to play the Spanish/Blue side first a few times, and only after play the Polisario Front/Moroccan/Red side, and keeping in mind the special considerations scripted in the Red Orders when playing Red side. My aim in this scenario is to capture the flavour of small and very limited conflicts, almost naval guerrilla warfare. It's also inspired by the inclusion of the Lepanto/Fletcher class destroyers in the Harpoon HCE/HUCE DataBase and of course in the vivid historical events of our Spanish recent past. In the first eighties, when the then modern and indigenous Descubierta class frigate was introduced in the Spanish Navy, the venerable Pacific War veterans Fletcher-class destroyers (nicknamed Los Cinco Latinos) were detached from the original Destroyer Squadron 21 (On that time renamed Escort Squadron 21) homeported in Cartagena, and scattered between the different Spanish local sea commands or Zonas Maritimas. D-21 Lepanto and D-22 Almirante Ferrandiz were from 1980 detached from the Destroyer Squadron 21 and employed on secondary roles as High Seas Patrol ship in the Canary Islands Maritime Zone (Lepanto was later transferred to the Cantabrian Sea Maritime Zone from 1983). This scenario shows an amalgamation of a series of difficult, confuse, bad narrated, censored and much unknown incidents between the Spanish patrol forces and the Western Saharan Polisario Front and the Moroccan Forces, fighting for the control of the old province of Spanish Sahara. As examples on 1980 Almirante Ferrandiz was apparently strafed by a Moroccan Mirage F1, and on 1985 in other incident the Anaga-class patrol gunboat Tagomago (PVZ-22) was attacked from the shore by unknown origin (Very probably Polisario Front) 12.7mm and 106mm recoilless shots, causing one dead, and Almirante Ferrandiz was called on her help. After the Spain retreat on 26 February 1976, the Western Sahara territory was claimed by the own Saharawis integrated in the Polisario Front, by Morocco, by Algeria and by Mauritania. Both Polisario Front and Morocco were trying to execute maritime actions as vindication of the disputed territory control, basically exerting control of the Spanish and other fishermen traditionally fishing on the Western Sahara bank. Morocco trying it with action as an apparent transnational law enforce, and Polisario Front executing attacks with inflatable boats, shore gunfire and murdering and kidnapping of fishermen and its crews. We must remember Western Sahara economy is bases almost exclusively on fishing which employs two thirds of his labour force, but now they are suspicions about the existence of reasonably exploitable off-shore oil fields, but his exploitation is today dubious because the international law. The European Union fishing agreements with Morocco (EU-Moroccan Fisheries Partnership Agreement, FPA) include Western Sahara. But they are many doubts about if this is adjusted to the international law, as Western Sahara is not part of the territory of Morocco under international law. As legal excuse, according to the legal services of the European Parlament, the agreement does neither include nor exclude the waters of Western Sahara from its geographical scope, and it would thus be up to Morocco to comply with its international obligations. In consequence, in order to remain in compliance with international law, the FPA should be limited to the territorial waters of Morocco proper, excluding Western Sahara. Enrique Mas, January 2012 - November 25, 2017. Click here to download this file

File Name: A Passage to Lebanon, May 1980. Hypothetical Post-Colonial Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 20 Nov 2017 File Category: Middle East A Passage to Lebanon, May 1980. Hypothetical Post-Colonial Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for The Middle East Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.013 and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later. Image: HMS Bulwark (R08) in her last commission period 1979-1981, as ASW and assault helicopter carrier (Commando Carrier), equipped then with different Westland Sea King variants. Overflown on this photo by four Sea King, a Wessex and two Gazelle. Image courtesy of http://www.navyphotos.co.uk Navy-photos for fair use, and took in fair use from Wikipedia Commons. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/UK side or from the Red/Syrian side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side. It's probably a difficult scenario. This is a post-colonial scenario inspired in the Paul French article on SITREP #53 of October 2017. It's inspired on his scenario, but done more complex, as only Computer Harpoon can provide, doing easy the management of higher number of units and platforms. In the turmoil of the long Lebanon Civil War (1975-1990), on mid-1980 and with the events exacerbated pointly by the Bashir Gemayel efforts to consolidate all the Christian Maronite fighters factions under his leadership of the Kataeb Phalangist Party militia in the Lebanese Forces Party, United Kingdom decided to extract its last nationals and a few selected collaborators from Lebanon. With that aim, a makeshift task force is constituted on Mediterranean Sea, if possible with the support of HMS Bulwark carrying the 45 Commando Royal Marines (Ship and commando historically present in the theatre), and composed mostly of second line Royal Navy ships. As the UK permanent military forces were retired from Cyprus from 1974, as consequence of the Turkish invasion, practically only the Task Force ships and a few allied air assets are, if present, available to the British commander at RAF Akrotiri. The UK warships are mostly second line warships, as the main Royal Navy elements are deployed in the North Atlantic, to prevent the Soviet constant menace, but it's possible the presence of one or two state of art warships. The scenario is some ways similar to the 1982 South Atlantic Campaign against Argentina, with the same case of dissimilar land based air forces against a naval task force. And as explained and as in 1982, the British Task Force ships are not equipped with updated ECM and decoys. Is also showed the UK embarked fighter gap present at those times (By two years, between the HMS Ark Royal (R09) last launching of a Phantom FG.1 on 27 November 1978, and January 1981. As although the effective entry in service of Sea Harrier was on 31 March 1980, it was no aircraft carriers on sea except HMS Bulwark (R08, only with helicopters and not ready for Sea Harrier), as HMS Invincible (R05) was commissioned only on 11 July 1980, embarking 800 Naval Air Squadron first time on January 1981, to be later transferred to HMS Hermes (R12) on June 1981, who was in refit from May 1980 to May 1981), fighter gap present also now in our current times of 2017 (By ten years at least on our times, from when the latest Harrier GR.9 of the Naval Strike Wing were retired in 2010, to when F-35B comes into service on HMS Queen Elizabeth deck, scheduled for 2020). To put us in the historical situation, the previous month of April 1980 was the failed US raid in Iran Operation Eagle Claw to liberate the US hostages of the embassy in Iran, and the take over by Iranian terrorists of the Iranian embassy in London, resolved by a SAS assault on 5 May. As consequence of the regional unrest, the Syrian government of Hafez al-Assad decides can't consent the presence of an UK task force near its coastline, fearing a new Western intervention perhaps in support of Israel or of the Lebanese Forces Party (In opposition to the Syrian occupation of Lebanon 1976-2005, with Syria supporting its own pro-Syria PLA faction opposed to Israel and to the Christian Maronite forces, but with too much nuances to explain it here), and improvises an operation to prevent the positioning of the task force near Syria. The confrontation is now settled. Enrique Mas, November 19, 2017. Click here to download this file

File Name: ASW Forms, Harpoon 3 Battles of the Third World War, late August 1991. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 28 Oct 2017 File Category: WestPac ASW Forms, Harpoon 3 Battles of the Third World War, late August 1991. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the Western Pacific Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.013 and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later. Image: Only three years later of the scenario date and to show the forces concentration level in the region, a 24 May 1994 aerial view of the United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka naval base. The ships tied up at the piers are (bottom to top) the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force destroyers Sawagiri (DD-157), Asagiri (DD-151), the helicopter carrying destroyer Kurama (DDH-144), the destroyer USS O'Brien (DD-975), the Japanese guided missile destroyer Kongo (DDG-173) and the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG-52) with VLS, first of Flight II. At the top, off to the right, is the amphibious command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19). To the far right at Berth 5 are four Japanese Yushio-class submarines. Official US Navy photo by PH1 (Photographer's Mate First Class) H. Johnson, U.S. Navy, a serviceperson on duty, and in consequence in public domain, took from Wikipedia Commons. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/Allied side or from the Red/Soviet-? side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side. A Sea of Japan scenario inspired by some good old scenario booklets of the Harpoon 3 series of the late 1980s edited by GDW, of great value for fun testing of generic tactics and weapons. Actually is a mix-up of originally random table generated ASW operations centred scenarios, do easier as only the Computer Harpoon can provide. And also reflecting all the knowledge acquired the last years in some matters, as about Soviet/Russian and others platforms characteristics, OOBs and historical deployments. The scenario is settled at the start of the conventional WWIII as was forecasted for the whole World for circa May 1991 and later in some of the GDW edited booklets, the opening movements and contacts, and the first days of true combat. At August 1991, after three months of WWIII start, in the Far East Japan was keep neutral to avoid a second front for the NATO and other allied Western forces. In the Sea of Japan trading lanes and fishing zones were maintained open and accessible, but with the months pass the tension was increasing. At last, the Soviet Union decided to attack the Japanese maritime traffic to create a Far East second front and alleviate the pressure in the main European/North Atlantic theatre of operations. Note: the scenario is qualified as "Historical" because the forces present in the scenario were historically deployed or very near to the zone of operations in August 1991. As example, Japanese Mitsubishi SH-60J Seahawk were first deployed just in August 1991, USS Truxtun (CGN-35) departed Bremerton for her WESTPAC deployment on 16 August 1991, and the Soviet naval vessels are those historically deployed at that time in its Pacific Fleet. Enrique Mas, October 28, 2017. Click here to download this file

File Name: Second Cold War ASW Warfare in the Sea of Japan, late November 2017. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 29 Oct 2017 File Category: WestPac Second Cold War ASW Warfare in the Sea of Japan, late November 2017. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the Western Pacific Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.013 and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later. This scenario is very probably more funny, fast and furious than the precedent and similar "ASW Forms, Harpoon 3 Battles of the Third World War", settled some twenty-five years before, on late August 1991 Image: The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force anti-submarine warfare helicopter destroyer Hyuga (DDH-181) during Annual Exercise ANNUALEX 21G. On deck two SH-60J (two first ones) and two SH-60K behind, with ESM sensors relocated up in the nose middle. November 17, 2009, photo by John M. Hageman, U.S. Navy, a serviceperson on duty and in consequence in public domain, took from Wikipedia Commons. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/Allied side or from the Red/Russian-? side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side. An anti-submarine warfare derivative scenario from the precedent "ASW Forms, Harpoon 3 Battles of the Third World War, late August 1991", with updated and contemporary Orders of Battle and better and more realistic warships and submarines availability and deployment. . The scenario is settled at the start of a contemporary Second Cold War going hot because many causes, the opening movements and contacts, and the first days of true combat. At November 2017, few weeks after the WWIII start in Europe after the Putin's Russia invasion of the Baltic States after the Zapad-17 drills and the subsequent NATO response, in the Far East Japan was keep neutral to avoid a second front for the NATO and other allied Western forces. In the Sea of Japan trading lanes and fishing zones were maintained open and accessible, but with the months pass the tension was increasing. At last, Russia decided to attack the Japanese maritime traffic to create a Far East second front and alleviate the pressure in the main European/North Atlantic theatre of operations. Note: the scenario is qualified as "Historical" because the forces present in the scenario were the historically deployed or very near to the zone of operations in November 2017, including the US Navy ships forward deployed to United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka (and not damaged in recent collisions!), the most modern Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force submarines and warships, basically those from Sasebo District Fleet and Sasebo Naval Base, the Russian Pacific Fleet, and the Chinese North Sea Fleet. Enrique Mas, October 29, 2017. Click here to download this file

File Name: Operation Lancette, May 15, 1981. Historical Scenario, Updated HCDB2 version. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 15 Oct 2017 File Category: MEDC Operation Lancette, May 15, 1981. Historical Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.013 and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later. Image: Sister ship of R98 Clemenceau, a port quarter view of the French navy's aircraft carrier R99 Foch underway during exercise Dragon Hammer 1992. On the crowed deck are present F-8E(FN) Crusader fighters (not yet F-8P), Super Etendard attack aircrafts (not yet modernized), Alizé ALM ASW aircrafts, a SA.321Gb Super Frelon assault, transport, utility and SAR helicopter of Flotille 32.F or 33.F (To 1980 employed for ASW, but replaced on that task by Lynx), and a AS.365F Dauphin 2 helicopter of Escadrille 23.S replacing Alouette III on board the French carriers from 1990 in "Pedro"/SAR tasks. May 1992 photo by PHC (Chief Photographer's Mate) Jack C. Bahm, a US serviceperson on duty, and in consequence in public domain, took 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. An apparently 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 R98 Clemenceau CVBG and his reduced peacetime escort was sailing from Toulon for the exercise Coriolan, was detected a submarine contact by the ASW picket (Destroyers D640 Georges Leygues and D632 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 her 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. Enrique Mas, December 4, 2011 - October 14, 2017. Click here to download this file

File Name: Sea Breeze 2017 going wrong. Historical/Alternate History Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 13 Oct 2017 File Category: MEDC Sea Breeze 2017 going wrong. Historical/Alternate History Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.012 and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO-Ukraine side or from the Red/Russia side. You should play a few times first the Blue/NATO-Ukraine side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red/Russian side. Image: Cmdr. Peter Halvorsen, commanding officer of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64), participates in a press conference in Odessa, Ukraine, during exercise Sea Breeze 2017 July 12. Observe the shielded 12.7mm M2 machine-gun added in the extreme bow (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Weston Jones/Released, took by a service person on duty, and in consequence in public domain). 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, Dynamic Mongoose and the new anti-ballistic missile exercise Formidable Shield 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 shows 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 Zapad-17, projected for 14-20 September 2017 to continuous ASW exercises. Between all those events, from 10 to 22 July 2017 exercise Sea Breeze 2017 was developed in the Black Sea, with many phases and targets, and with limited NATO and Ukrainian forces. Sea Breeze 2017 counted with 31 participant warships and 29 aircrafts of 17 nations with some 3000 personnel. Mainly was in part an ASW exercise, in part a surface warfare exercise, in part an amphibious exercise, culminated with light forces landing in the uninhabited Tendra Spit sandbar, near Kherson, Ukraine (City named by the same placement classical antiquity region of Chersonesus). The main ASW exercise was executed between Odessa, Ukraine, and the disputed Sevastopol, in the 2014 Russian-occupied Crimea peninsula. Was also developed a little propaganda in Russian-controlled media about the lack of ASW capability of the Western. But many world parts were in high tension because other causes. Not only the Chinese vindications on "terraformed" territories in South China Sea and the USN answer with Freedom of Navigation (FON) patrol are forcing the camel back and contributing to the world turmoil, but also the incredible direct menaces of North Korean President Kim and his constant and provocative launching of ballistic missiles, overflying Japan and other habited zones. As consequence of that instability, anything can happen in any time in any place, and probably Sea Breeze 2017 will be not an exception. Of course this is a training exercise and actually shots, torpedoes and missiles aren't fired and nobody is hurt ... or perhaps yes. This scenario is qualified as "historical" because the present forces are the same historically available. Enrique Mas, October 12, 2017. Click here to download this file

File Name: Harpoon 3 Battles of the Third World War, May 1991. HCDB2 File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 01 Oct 2017 File Category: GIUK Harpoon 3 Battles of the Third World War, May 1991. HCDB2 version. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the EC2003 Battle for GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. Image: Soviet CVH Baku Project 11434 circa 1988 (from 1990 named Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Gorshkov. Decommissioned in 1996, heavily modified in Project 11430, and in service for India from 2013 as INS Vikramaditya), including her distintive and probably never operational massive phased-array radar Mars-Passat/Sky Watch. US Navy photo and in consequence in Public Domain, took from Wikipedia Commons. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/Allied side or from the Red/Soviet side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side. A North Atlantic-GIUK scenario inspired by some good old scenario booklets of the Harpoon 3 series of the late 1980s edited by GDW, of great value for testing generic tactics and weapons. Actually is a mix-up of individual sea-operations centred scenarios on a great sea extension as only the Computer Harpoon can provide. And reflecting all the knowledge acquired the last years in some matters, as about Soviet/Russian platforms, OOBs and Soviet/Russian carrier air wings composition. The scenario is settled at the start of the conventional WWIII as was forecasted in the North Atlantic for circa May 1991 in some of the GDW edited booklets, the opening movements and contacts, and the first days of open combat. Enrique Mas, September 30, 2017. Click here to download this file

File Name: God Save the Queen! July 2017, Historical/Hypothetical Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 16 Jul 2017 File Category: GIUK God Save the Queen! July 2017, Historical/Hypothetical 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/UK/NATO side or from the Red/Russia side. You should play a few times first the Blue/UK/NATO side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red/Russian side. Image: HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) is floated out of her dock for the first time in Rosyth, Scotland in 17 July 2014. MOD photo in Open Government License v1.0, 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 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, 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). Between all those events, on 26 June 2017 the new British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth steamed from Rosyth for six weeks for her first operational sea training cruise. 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" targeting incident with real torpedoes, simulating a training error, to get the result of see HMS Queen Elizabeth in the North Sea bottom. Enrique Mas, 16 July 2017. Click here to download this file

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

View File Operation Wooden Leg, October 1, 1985. Historical Scenario. Operation Wooden Leg, October 1, 1985. Historical Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the EC2003 Battle for the Mediterranean Battleset and the new HCDB2-170714 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later. Image: 120 "Desert Giants" Squadron Boeing KC-707 refuelling Israeli F-15, at the June 28, 2011, Israeli Air Force Flight Academy ranks ceremony. Took from Wikipedia Commons. This scenario is designed to be played mostly from the Blue/Israeli side, the Red/PLO-Tunisian-Libyan is also fully playable, but perhaps not winnable. Operation Wooden Leg was a historical strategic long-range operation of the Israeli Air Force, aimed to retaliate the PLO headquarters in Tunisia after a series of terrorist attacks the precedent weeks, aimed at Israeli citizens in Israel and Cyprus. Was executed by the new and longer range F-15C/D Eagle/Baz, which carried approximately 2000 lbs of additional internal fuel than the previous F-15A/B. The first new model F-15C/D were received by Israel from the Peace Fox II contract, later increased by others of Peace Fox III, and active from 6 June 1982 in the 106 "Second Baz/Spearhead" Squadron. Were employed GBU-15 TV-guided bombs, one carried by each of six F-15D (106 "Second Baz/Spearhead" Squadron), and Mk82 dumb bombs, six carried by each of two trailing F-15C (133 "Kings of the Twin Tails" Squadron). The F-15, with national and squadron insignia and individual aircrafts names obscured with brownish waterwashed paint, were refuelled over the Mediterranean by a pair of flying-boom equipped Israeli KC-707 tankers. The operation was a complete success, without any Israeli losses. Could you replicate the Israeli achievement in this apparently simple scenario? Enrique Mas, August 12, 2017. Submitter broncepulido Submitted 08/12/2017 Category MEDC