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File Name: Bald Eagles over Beijing, 1959. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 16 Jan 2013 File Category: WestPac Bald Eagles over Beijing, 1959. Image: a USAF very similar Martin RB-57D-2 Model 796 53-3979 collecting atmospheric data during Juniper Nuclear bomb test; Operation Hardtack I 22 July 1958 at Bikini Atoll. United States Air Force photograph. Source: Wikipedia. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the WestPac Battleset and the HCCW-120614 Cold War Platform Database. This mini-scenario is designed for play by the Taiwanese/Blue or the Chinese/Red side, to avoid spoilers is better to play first some times the Taiwanese/Blue side (But it will be very difficult for the Red human player to lose). This more than a mini-scenario is a little divertment and a historical remembrance of the historical situation depicted. Almost forgotten now, the RB-57D Bald Eagle was a very modified high altitude optical reconnaissance variant of the Martin B-57 Canberra (a American variant of the original English Electric Canberra pioneer and combat-proven jet bomber). After the operational introduction of U-2, some three RB-57D were supplied under the "Diamond Lil" program run by the Central Intelligence Agency to the 4th Squadron of the Republic of China Air Force for strategic flights over mainland China flying from the Taoyuan Airbase near Taipei, mainly aimed at Beijing and to airfields, military establishments, ports, factories and other strategic installations.. With the five batteries of SA-2a (some 62 V-750 and V-750V missiles) anti-aircraft missiles very early supplied by the Soviets and introduced in the 2nd Rocket Battalion under the command of Yue Zhenhua, the Chinese developed and settled an ambush against the high flyers near Beijing, studying his approach routes of previous flights. At last, on 7 October 1959 an RB-57 with Captain Ying Chin Wong at the controls was shot-down and the unfortunate pilot killed. After the U-2 also replaced the RB-57 in Taiwanese service and some of them were also shoot-down and his wrecks displayed as propaganda by the Beijing government, but this first incident was kept secret and forgotten by years. It was not only a proxy black operation through the Bamboo Curtain, it was also an historical hit, the first real kill in a combat situation by a surface-to-air missile, the first of many to follow the next decades. Enrique Mas, January 2013. Edited 17 January 2013: added BALD59B scenario, with a slighty chance of win by the Blue side played by the computer. Click here to download this file

File Name: The Sinking of INS Eilat, 21 October 1967, alternate scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 13 Jan 2013 File Category: Middle East The sinking of INS Eilat 1967, an alternative and hypothetical scenario. Image: Project 183R Komar-class missile boat, enhanced by Esquilo from the book of Leszek Komuda "Mały okręt rakietowy", Wydawnictwo MON, Warszawa, 1974. Source: Wikipedia. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the Middle East Battleset and the HCCW-120614 Cold War Platform Database. This scenario is designed for play by the Israeli/Blue or the Egyptian/Red side, to avoid spoilers is better to play the first time the Red/Egyptian side. In the aftermath of the Six Days War, only four months later, the Egyptian Navy achieved a technical and propaganda victory on 21 October 1967 with the sinking of the Israeli destroyer INS Eilat, the first warship sink in anger with a ship-launched anti-ship missile (In WWII some ships were sunk with anti-ship missiles, but all were air-launched), struck with three of the P-15 Termit/SS-N-2a Styx fired at her (A 75% hit rate). One of the naval skirmishes of the Arab-Israeli Wars, this historical event marked the evolution of the naval combat for the next years, and forced the Israeli Navy to retire his destroyer-size ships, and to develop more advances in missiles and electronics. The actual sinking of Eilat was a one-sided scenario, the Soviet-build and designed Project 183R Komar missile boats firing against the Israeli ships at some 13.5 nautical miles range, even yet inside the port (but is also worth of mention the exported Soviet missile boats were not equipped with ESM capable of provide targeting). In this hypothetical scenario some little elements are added or changed to do the situation playable for both sides. The embryo of the reconstructed Egyptian Air Force after the Six Days War debacle can provide some air cover, as also the Israeli Air Force, both forces with Mach 2 fighters equipped with short-range IR missiles and partly represented with a 20% of strenght, but with not all the ground strike types represented to center the scenario in the naval action. Enrique Mas, January 2013. Click here to download this file

File Name: The Capture of Ibrahim al-Awal, 1 November 1956. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 24 Dec 2012 File Category: Middle East Shore Bombardment of Haifa and the capture of Ibrahim el-Awal, 1 November 1956. Historical scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the Middle East Battleset and the HCCW-120614 Cold War Platform Database. This scenario is designed for play by the Israeli/Blue or the Egyptian/Red side, but it's a historical and very unbalanced scenario. The almost forgetted Suez Crisis or Second Arab-Israeli War was a very interesting campaign with some novelties, as the History first heliborne assault. And ever the future Syrian president al-Asad participed in the shoot-down a British Canberra PR.7! After the US refused to pay the building of the Aswan dam project, the Egyptian president Colonel Nasser decides to nationalize the Suez Canal on 26 July 1956 to pay for the dam building. British and French, interested on the recuperation of the Canal and in the freedom of navigation, signed with Israel the then and for many years secret Protocol of Sevres on late October 1956. On 29 October 1956 Israel attacks the Sinai Peninsula in the designated as Operation Kadesh. With the alibi of protect the freedom of navigation in the Canal and his approaches (and because the secret treaty with Israel), Britain and France launched an ultimatum to the fighting factions calling to withdraw from within 16 km of the Suez Canal. When Egypt refused, the British and French launched Operation Musketeer to secure the Canal zone, with the ruse of separating Egyptian and Israeli forces. Operation Musketeer, comprising a massive air strike (in part failed) from the carriers, Cyprus and Malta against the Egyptian airbases and airborne, heliborne and landing occupation, inclusive with heavy armour, of Port Said, his twin city Port Fuad and the Canal Zone. Some days later, on 7 November 1956, as both President Eisenhower, the not-alligned States and the Soviet Union strongly opposed British-French military action, was acorded a cease-fire and the Anglo-French troops retired from the Canal Zone. As a Egyptian counter-strike in the first hours of the war against Israel, the solitaire assignation of the Egyptian destroyer Ibrahim el-Awal (An old Hunt type I class frigate, previously also in service in the Nationalist China) to bombard the Israeli shore city of Haifa with the main Israeli port in the Mediterranean was almost condemned to failure because his lack of support, but only after firing some 160 shells of 4 inches on Haifa in 20 minutes. After to be rocket-fired by two Israeli Ouragans, the Ibrahim el-Awal was seized by the Israeli forces and put in service in the Israeli navy as INS Haifa. Only some hours later, with the intervention of Britain and France in secret vinculation with Israel through the Protocol of Sevres, with the alibi of protect the Suez Canal for sake of freedom of navigation, the Anglo-French strike and occupation of Port Said, his twin city Port Fuad and the Canal Zone begun. Unnamed places are: ZYp and ZVb: Baltim, Egypt. ZpX: Damietta, Egypt. Some warships and planes are represented by equivalent types of other countries. Enrique Mas, December 2012. Click here to download this file

File Name: Battle of Baltim, 9 October 1973, Historical Battle. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 18 Nov 2012 File Category: Middle East Battle of Baltim, 9 October 1973, Historical Battle. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the Middle East Battleset and the HCCW-120614 Cold War Platform Database. This scenario is designed for play by the Israeli/Blue or the Egyptian/Red side, to avoid spoilers is better to play the first time the Blue/Israeli side. On the third day of the Yom Kippur War, a couple of days after the Battle of Latakia, on the 8-9 October 1973, a confrontation between Israeli and Egyptian fast missile boats outcome the same result as the previous combat. The same ships and weapons types as in the Battle of Latakia, the Israeli side only can rely on his superior electronics, ESM, ECM and decoys to win, also, the semiactive radar guided missile Gabriel I has less range but more precision than the Soviet SS-N-2a Styx/P-15 Termit. But, if the missiles are expended and they are enemy warships remaining, the Israeli boats are better and longer ranged guns. Also, at front of the Israeli warships is the same Commander Michael Barkai, called Yoni, first arrived only with two boats on the Egyptian shores with a margin of some hours after the victory off the Syrian coast near Latakia. Up to ten missile boats assembled the Israelis north of Egypt, but as many of them have noy fully refueled after the mission in Syria they retire before the combat (of the four boats retired, only is historically determined the identity of INS Miznak, the initial flagship of Barkai). On the Egyptian side, four Osa I missile boats sortied from Alexandria to protect the Egyptian north shore, and other four sortied from Port Said to flee to Alexandria but returned when the Israeli counter-offensive stalled. Unnamed places are: ZRb and ZUp: Baltim, Egypt. ZTp: Damietta, Egypt. Enrique Mas, November 2012. Click here to download this file

File Name: The Killing of bin Laden, 1 May 2011 (Hypothetical). File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 03 May 2011 File Category: IOPG On the 2 May 2011 the World was surprised when US Government Officials informed about the killing the previous day in a daring Special Forces raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan, of Osama bin Laden, the founder and leader of the al-Qaeda islamist international terrorist network. The action was excuted mostly by DevGru (Naval Special Warfare Development Group) members, previously the SEAL Team Six and nowadays with other classified name, descended in the house by fast rope and probably in collaboration with other Special Forces/CIA/Intelligence operatives intervention and support. They were flown into Pakistan from Afghanistan by helicopter from the 160th Special Operations Air Regiment (Airborne) Night Stalkers, part of the Joint Special Operations Command, two MH-60 stealthy modified and two MH-47. One MH-60 was lost in the operation because mechanical breakdown. The helicopters probably taked-off from Bagram, Afghanistan, where is based the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing and the Special Forces aircraft can be merged stealthly with the usual resident units. The corpse of Osama bin Laden was buried in the sea the same day by the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), with the CVW-17 embarked. Edit 28 november 2012: for the start I was speculating about the bin Laden corpse ferried to CVN-70 in a C-2 Greyhound because range, load and speed reasons, but a Greyhound present in Bagram or other Stan base is too notorious and conspicuous. In the December 2012 issue of Air Forces Monthly is mentioned as widely and unofficially accepted the corpse was ferried in a more discrete V-22, doing the first and unofficial landing of the Osprey type in a carrier. At the moment of the scenario design the data about the operation are scarce, and it's not historically accurate. This scenario only pretends to be a little divertment and a little tribute to the people who ultimately has killed Bin Laden. Change 4 May 2011: 2xMH-53J Pave Low III replaced by 2xCV-22B Osprey (the last MH-53M Pave Low IV were retired in 2008). Change 8 May 2011: Title name changed from Kill to Killing, added 2xMH-47G, added 6xF-22A, added a FARP in the placement of the Tarbela Dam/Ghazi airport, suggested the first day as support for the helicopters flying from Pakistan. Change 12 May 2011: added 2xMH-60 Dark Hawk stealthy modified assault helicopters, added mention to 2xMH-47 included in the operation. Click here to download this file

File Name: Battle of the Ebro, Summer 1938, Air Operations File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 17 Oct 2009 File Category: MEDC Battle of the Ebro, Air Operations, near 14 August 1938. For use with the HCE World Wars (HCWW) database. Image: The museum at the former Spanish civil war airfield at La Sénia in the very south of the Catalonia region features this two-dimensional mock-up of the Bf 109B-2 as flown by Harro Harder, commander of Fighter Group 88 of the Legion Condor and participant at the 1936 Olympic Games. From Wikipedia Commons. Air Strikes and some AAA added in the new uploaded file. The fight for the air dominance in the first days of the II Spanish Republic last offensive. After the "coming to the sea/llegada al mar" by the Nationalist land forces in Vinaroz (15 April 1938)(ZVa), the Republic owned territory was divided in two parts. The Republican land operations initiated 25 July 1938, and were centrated in the river Ebro crossing and staigned in the take of the cross-roads town of Gandesa (ABa). 14 August 1938 marks the first encounter with the new Polikarpov I-16 Type 10 Rata/Mosca. This is a scenario only historically inspired, I regret. The fragmentary data, bad records, erroneously transcripted airfield names in very obscure and secondary places, confuse airfield denomination (as example, the mentionated case of the twin airfield of Sanjurjo/Valenzuela/Garrapinillos/Zaragoza) and constant controversial issues about everything prevents more precision in the orders of battle and number of planes employed. The aim is the same for the two sides, shot down enemy planes, to bomb enemy airbases (historically also direct support of land forces, not represented), and to obtain air supremacy to guarantee so the success in the terrestrial actions. About the command, control and communications issue, remember in this time very few planes where radio equipped. Some units and bases claimed as identified: Nationalist side: 1, 2, 3 and 5 Staffeln J/88 Legion Condor, La Cenia (ZWa) and his dispersion airfields Alcala de Chivert (ZSa) and Cati (ZRa). 1, 2, 3 and 4 Staffeln K/88 Legion Condor (He.111B-1/B-2/E-1), Sanjurjo/Valenzuela/Garrapinillos/Zaragoza (ZXa) (Actually a twin base Sanjurjo (German)/Valenzuela(Italian/Spanish), years later became Zaragoza Air Base). A/88 Legion Condor, Vinaroz (ZVa) (*). AS/88 Legion Condor and Grupo 2-G-62/73, Pollensa (ZYa). XXXV Gruppo Autonomo Mixto (-) (230 and 231 Squadriglia, BR.20), 21 Stormo Bombardamento Pesante, XXIV and XXV Gruppi "Pipistrelli" (213, 214, 215 and 216 Squadriglia, S.81) , Aviazione Legionaria, Tudela (ZTa) (*). Escuadrilla 8-E-3 (CR.32), Tudela (ZTa) (x). XXXV Gruppo Autonomo Mixto (-), 65 Squadriglia (Ba.65), Puig Moreno (ZLa). Grupo 10-G-25 (5xHe-111B-1), Leon (ZQa). X Gruppo Autonomo Caccia "Baleari" (101 and 102 Squadriglia, some elements in La Alcudia (*)(ZPa ), 8 Stormo Bombardamento Veloce, XXVII and XXVIII Gruppi "Falchi delle Baleari" (18, 52, 10 and 19 Squadriglia, S.79), Aviazione Legionaria, Son San Juan/Palma de Mallorca (ZUa). 3 Stormo Caccia (-), VI Gruppo Caccia "Gamba di Ferro" (31, 32 and 33 Squadriglia), XVI Gruppo Caccia "La Cucaracha" (24, 25 and 26 Squadriglia), 111 Stormo Bombardamento Veloce, XXIX and XXX Gruppi "Sparvieri" (280, 289, 281 and 285 Squadriglia, S.79), Aviazione Legionaria, Valenzuela/Zaragoza (ZXa). 3 Stormo Caccia (-), XXIII Gruppo Caccia "Asso di Bastoni" (18, 19 and 20 Squadriglia), Teruel (ZKa). XXII Gruppo Autonomo Oservazione Aerea "Le Linci" (120 and 128 Squadriglia, Ro-37bis), Squadriglia Autonoma Caccia e Mitragliamento "Frecce" (CR.32), Aviazione Legionaria, La Salada (ZOa) (*). II Brigada Hispana, 3-G-28, 4-G-28, 5-G-28, 6-G-28 (S.79), Valenzuela/Zaragoza (ZXa). Grupos 1-G-22, 2-G-22 (Ju-52), Valenzuela/Zaragoza (ZXa). Grupo 10-G-24 (Hs.123A-1), Tablada/Sevilla (ZZa). Grupos 2-G-3, 3-G-3 (CR.32), Escatron (ZMa). Other airfields: Son Bonet (ZNa). Republican side: Polikarpov I-16 Mosca/Rata, Grupo 21: 1 Escuadrilla de Moscas, El Vendrell (AHa). 2 Escuadrilla de Moscas, Casinos (AJa). 3 Escuadrilla de Moscas, Camporrobles (*) (AKa). 4 Escuadrilla de Moscas, Valls (ALa). 5 Escuadrilla de Moscas, El Carmoli (ADa). 6 Escuadrilla de Moscas, Barracas (*) (AMa). 7 Escuadrilla de Moscas, Pachs del Penedes (ANa). Polikarpov I-15 Chato, Grupo 26: 1 Escuadrilla de Chatos, Requena (APa). 2 Escuadrilla de Chatos, Saceruela (AQa). 3 Escuadrilla de Chatos, Alcublas (ARa). 4 Escuadrilla de Chatos, Balaguer (ASa). Tupolev SB-2 Katiuska, Grupo 24 (*): 1 Escuadrilla, Camporrobles (AKa). 2 Escuadrilla, San Clemente (AGa). 3 Escuadrilla, Banyoles (ATa). 4 Escuadrilla, Lerida (AOa). Escuadrilla de Caza Nocturna (I-15 and other types), 1 Escuadron, Grupo de Asalto 28 (Grumman G-23 Delfin), El Prat/Barcelona (AFa). Grupo 30 (R-Z), Grupo 72 (R-5), 2 Escuadron (-), Grupo de Asalto 28 (Grumman G-23 Delfin), El Carmoli (ADa). 2 Escuadron (-), Grupo de Asalto 28 (Grumman G-23 Delfin), Pozoblanco (AEa). Other airfields: Alcala de Henares (ACa), Madrid/Barajas (AAa), Manises/Valencia (AUa), La Rabasa/Alicante (AVa), Liria (ALa). (*) denotes only an informed guess about the unit/base. Some links: http://members.fortunecity.com/sanmarca/index.htm http://members.fortunecity.com/sanmarca/iindex.htm http://usuarios.lycos.es/sanmarca/ http://www.geocities.com/red_spain/ Click here to download this file