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View File Halloween 1997 WWIII, Ghosts of an Alternate Past. Hypothetical Scenario. Halloween 1997 WWIII, Ghosts of an Alternate Past. Hypothetical Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 IOPG 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/USSR. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side. Image: The flight deck of the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) on the Persian Gulf October 12, 1997, just in this scenario time period. On deck there are aircraft of her single squadron of F-14A Tomcat and her three squadrons of F/A-18C(N) Hornet, two USN, one USMC. The aircraft with the round disks over the fuselage are the AWACS aircraft with their round radar domes. The three aircraft to the left of the foremost E-2C Group II Hawkeye and directly in front of the 1st elevator (outlined in red) are two S-3B Viking and an EA-6B Prowler. The one aircraft that is directly on the first elevator/lift is an F-14A Tomcat. Also clearly visible are the catapult rails and the folded jet deflectors (which are folded up when an aircraft makes a catapult launch). The two small rectangles directly to the left of the foremost E-2C are the weapons elevators. Official U.S. Navy photo took by a serviceperson on duty and as consequence in public domain, took from Wikipedia Commons and from https://www.navysite.de/cvn/cvn68_9.ht This remaking of the old original IOPG battleset scenario "12.0 ...and then there were two" is the answer at an request by a decades long harpgamer and political science professor, about updating a scenario he employs academically to teach naval operations on introduction to strategic studios. The updating is realizad because in the current HCDB2 platforms are very actualized and corrected, the orders of battle are historically corrected, and the new game engine is clearly superior. Also, at request, are added some submarine operations. Incidentally I flash developed it in few spare hours when travelling on holidays near Mantua, Italy. Original scenario text: 12.1 Background: As the war against Turkey by Syria and Iraq raged, the Soviet Union found its own battle against Iran unwinnable because of U.S. assistance. The U.S.S.R. felt that it might be able to make the United States back down if it cut off the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf. Unfortunately, the Soviet Union had underestimated the will of the American President. The Admiral of the Fleet Kuznetsov and the escorting battlegroup found itself trapped in the Arabian Sea between the remains of the Iranian Air Force and a Nimitz-class carrier battle group. Updated by Enrique Mas, September 8, 2024. Submitter broncepulido Submitted 09/08/2024 Category IOPG  

File Name: The Red Sea Sharks, October 2016. Hypothetical/Historical Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 04 Nov 2016 File Category: Middle East The Red Sea Sharks, mid October 2016. Hypothetical/Historical Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the EC2003 The Middle East Battleset and the HCDB-150928 1980-2015 era or the new HCDB2-170207 1980-2025 era Platform Databases. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later. Image: USS Ponce September 22, 2012. Personnel assigned to the underwater unmanned vehicle (UUV) detachment of Combined Task Group 56.1.4, make preparations to launch two UUVs during a mine clearance operation as part of International Mine Countermeasures Exercise 2012 (IMCMEX 12). U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jumar T. Balacy/Released, took from Wikipedia Commons and in public domain. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/US and allies side or from the Red/Houthi Rebels and Allies side. You should play a few times first the Blue/US and allies side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red/Houthi Rebels and Allies side.: With the world on the brink of an open war after four years of impending Second Cold War, but pending of the US presidential elections and the hard and transcendent struggle between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, and with the Russian Northern Fleet reading the Admiral Kuznetsov CVBG to steam towards the Mediterranean and to support the Russian intervention in the Syria (Historically sailing from October 16, 2016, with other Russian surface forces in theatre, coming or going from the Baltic Fleet), another unexpected point of naval operations interest popped-up. On October 1, 2016, the ex Incat-built very fast (and lightly built) catamaran transport ex Swift (HSV-2), operated by the United Arab Emirates' National Marine Dredging Company (and probably employed in some special operations activities) was surprisingly attacked and badly damaged by a Houthi Rebels shore-launched C-801 or C-802 anti-ship missile, fired from the coasts of the convolute civil war Yemen, in the Red Sea near the Bad-el-Mandeb strait. The next weeks, on 9 and 12 October 2016 USS Mason (DDG-87) detected and shoot-down or deflects with decoys other attacking missiles. In retaliation, on October 13, 2016, USS Nizte (DDG-94) launched five cruise missiles against Houthis' mobile surface search radars near Ras Isa, North of Mukha, and near Khoka, neutralizing them (Probably of the Russian type Cape-M1E). At last on October 15, 2016, USS Mason detected another last but unconfirmed anti-ship missile attack from the Yemen shore. Also present in the zone were USS San Antonio (LPD-17) and USS Ponce (AFSB(I)-15), equipped with the first experimental and operational shipborne defensive LaWS laser (weapon not yet represented in the simulation). In this scenario the US and Allied ships should cross Bab-el-Mandeb strait avoiding losses and keeping presence in the zone. Houthi and other Shiite forces should neutralize the enemy ships, trying to multiply his actions through propaganda if any oppossition ship is sunk. The historical actions and ships placement are compressed in a very short period of time. Enrique Mas, November 4, 2016. Click here to download this file

File Name: The Maersk Tigris Incident. 28 April 2015. Alternate History Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 02 May 2015 File Category: Middle East The Maersk Tigris Incident, 28 April 2015. Alternate History Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the Middle East IOPG Battleset and the HCDB-140909 1980-2015 era Platform Database. Image: An MH-60S Knighthawk flies by the guided-missile destroyer USS Farragut (DDG 99) during a replenishment-at-sea evolution in the Arabian Sea on Dec. 4, 2012. The Knighthawk is attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 8 and is assigned to the Military Sealift Command USNS Bridge (T-AOE 10). DoD photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Kenneth Abbate, U.S. Navy.(Released). Origin: DoD and Wikipedia. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/US side or from the Red/Iranian side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red/Iranian side. From 28 April 2015 the container ship M/V Maersk Tigris, in operation from 2014, 62292 t DWT, chartered by the Danish company Maersk Line, world's largest container shipping company, and flagged in the Marshall Islands, which the United States bears security responsibility for, in one of the numerous 2014-2015 naval incidents, was intercepted and seized while she was transiting through the Strait of Hormuz sailing from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to Jebel Ali (a UAE port near Dubai) by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) light crafts, after some warning shots over the bridge. The ship was seized, as by the Iranian explanations, because an allegedly unresolved cargo claim over unpaid debts brought by the Iranian company Pars Talaie ten years old (is usual to seize a ship because a court order, but only anchored or in port, never sailing or in transit). But many analyst suspect is only an excuse of the theocratic Supreme Leader of Iran to justify to his people his naval capabilities, after the failure a few days earlier to use sea lanes to send weapons and support to the Yemen Revolutionary Committee and the Shia Islam's sympathizers Houthi fighters faction in the ongoing Yemen 2015 Civil War (Just near 23 April 2015 the Iranian frigate Alborz and the oiler and supply ship Bushehr were escorting nine Iranian cargo vessels off Yemen, but their access to the coast was denied by Saudi, Egyptian and American warships). After the seizure, at current times (2 May 2015) in the real world M/V Maersk Tigris is anchored in the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, waiting for the issue solution. On this alternate history scenario the IRGCN fails a first attempt to seize Maersk Tigris, the ship flies and demand support from the near US forces, doing the military engagement inevitable. Is of consideration Iran only compromises his Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) ships to seize Maersk Tigris, and not his regular Navy, probably to avoid escalation in the conflict and in case of failure use IRGCN as scapegoat, saying was IRGCN decision to seize Maersk Tigris. One of the purposes of this scenario is to capture the speed, chaos and flavour of this type of asymmetrical engagements, and to test the swarm attack theories. Enrique Mas, 2 May 2015. Click here to download this file

File Name: Operation Praying Mantis 1988, Historical Scenario File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 07 Jan 2012 File Category: Middle East Operation Praying Mantis 1988, historical engagement. Note: This scenario is designed mostly to be played from the US/Blue and it's better to play that side in first place, and to play it later from the Iranian/Red side because it can be a little frustrating and boring, but the victory is also possible. Operation Praying Mantis was the Reagan administration answer to the Irani attacks on neutral tanker shipping and inmediate consequence of the mining deployed from the LST Iran Arj against the USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG-58) on 14 April 1988. This operation is often cited as one of the five historical naval actions to decisively stablish the USN supremacy in a determined theater of operations. It also marked the U.S. Navy's first exchange of anti-ship missiles by ships. In the context of Iran-Iraq War the Tanker War phase (1984-1988) was one of the more complex post-WWII campaigns from the naval viewpoint. Both Iran and Iraq attacked oil tankers and merchant ships, including those of neutral nations, to deprive the opponent of trade earnings. As higher stage answer the Iranians might close the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping, but as United States had threatened several times to go to war if the Strait was closed the Iranians refused to take the risk,, limiting their attacks in retaliation first to Iraqi commercial ships but also extended to neutral shipping. After several Iranian attacks on Kuwaiti and other neutral shipping, the United States Navy started in March 1987 to escort Kuwaiti tankers the United States after had reflagged half of Kuwait's fleet of twenty-two tankers. In April 1987, the then Soviet Navy also started escorting Kuwaiti tankers. Praying Mantis was a one-day retaliation strike focused in oil rigs and other instalations where the Iranians small forces were based to assault the neutral and Western shipping. Those had included bases for the minelaying operations that damaged the USS Samuel B. Roberts. The US forces were organized in three groups and with air support and air defence of the CVN-65 USS Enterprise Carrier Air Wing Eleven, escorted by CGN-35 USS Truxtun and FF-1063 USS Reasoner: VF-114 Aardwarks with F-14A Tomcat. VF-213 Black Lions with F-14A Tomcat. VA-22 Fighting Redcocks with A-7E Corsair II. VA-94 Shrikes with A-7E Corsair II. VA-95 Green Lizards with A-6E/KA-6D Intruder. VAW-117 Wallbangers with E-2C Hawkeye Group 0. VAQ-135 Black Knights with EA-6B Prowler ICAP I (ICAP II from late 1988). Surface Action Group Bravo, targets Sassan and Rahkish/Rahksh oil platforms (renamed Salman and Resalat after the Islamic Revolution): DD-976 USS Merrill, with 1xSH-2F. DDG-8 USS Lynde McCormick. LPD-14 USS Trenton, with 4xAH-1T, 2xCH-46, 2xUH-1, and the USS Samuel L. Roberts SH-60B. Surface Action Group Charlie, target Sirri oil platform (renamed Nasr after the Islamic Revolution): CG-28 USS Wainwright. FFG-56 USS Simpson, with 1xSH-60 and 1xUH-60. FF-1069 USS Bagley, with 1xSH-2F. Surface Action Group Delta, composed partly of former escort ships from the Enterprise group, with target the Iranian warship FFL Sabalan, because her reputation for deliberately attacking the crew quarters of neutral ships: DDG-16 USS Joseph Strauss. DD-975 USS O'Brien, with 2xSH-2F and 1xUH-60. FFG-24 USS Jack Williams, with 2xSH-2F. The rest is history ... or not. Historical Note: This scenario represents aproximatively only the historically engaged forces, as the US side decides to not attack mainland Iran to prevent a escalade, and the Iranian response was limited to a few warships and warplanes and not launching shore-based SSM (they are contradictory reports about that) because the Iranian fears to US retaliatory strikes over mainland Iran, and as in the case of the Gadaffi's Libya on 1981 and 1986, the fear of heavy losses on his own side could weak his position as regional power (In the case of Iran we should remember was in war with Iraq on 1988, and the outcome of Praying Mantis also forced Iran to settle the peace with Iraq). In the historical aftermath, Iran losed the FFL Sahand, the PTM Joshan (after be notified many times of "stop your engines, abandon ship, I intend to sink you", Joshan launched the last operational Harpoon in the Iranian Navy againts the CG-28 USS Wainwright who decoyed it, receiving in interchange a salvo of six Standard SM-1 and one Harpoon) and some three PG type Toragh/Boghammar based in the Abu Musa Island to attack commercial shipping, and also the FFL Sabalan resulted crippled, but was returned to service on 1989. The oil platforms of Sassan and Sirri, employed as bases for the attacks on commercial shipping, rested unoperative after the previously demanded evacuation and subsequent combined attack of warships, Cobra helicopters and SEAL and USMC teams. The attack against the Rahksh oil platform was called off to ease pressure on the Iranians and denote a desire for de-escalation. The FFL Sabalan not was sunk also because when Defense Secretary Carlucci asked Admiral Crowe, then CJCS, what he thought about launch another strike to finish she, Crowe responded, "Sir, I think we've shed enough blood today". Enrique Mas, January 2012 Edited 7 January 2012 because bad characters in the text file. Click here to download this file

File Name: Operation Praying Mantis 1988, Hypothetical Scenario File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 07 Jan 2012 File Category: Middle East Operation Praying Mantis 1988, All-Out Engagement. Note: This scenario is designed mostly to be played from the US/Blue and it's better to play that side in first place, and to play it later from the Iranian/Red side because it can be a little frustrating and boring, but the victory is also possible. Operation Praying Mantis was the Reagan administration answer to the Irani attacks on neutral tanker shipping and inmediate consequence of the mining deployed from the LST Iran Arj against the USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG-58) on 14 April 1988. This operation is often cited as one of the five historical naval actions to decisively stablish the USN supremacy in a determined theater of operations. It also marked the U.S. Navy's first exchange of anti-ship missiles by ships. In the context of Iran-Iraq War the Tanker War phase (1984-1988) was one of the more complex post-WWII campaigns from the naval viewpoint. Both Iran and Iraq attacked oil tankers and merchant ships, including those of neutral nations, to deprive the opponent of trade earnings. As higher stage answer the Iranians might close the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping, but as United States had threatened several times to go to war if the Strait was closed the Iranians refused to take the risk,, limiting their attacks in retaliation first to Iraqi commercial ships but also extended to neutral shipping. After several Iranian attacks on Kuwaiti and other neutral shipping, the United States Navy started in March 1987 to escort Kuwaiti tankers the United States after had reflagged half of Kuwait's fleet of twenty-two tankers. In April 1987, the then Soviet Navy also started escorting Kuwaiti tankers. Praying Mantis was a one-day retaliation strike focused in oil rigs and other instalations where the Iranians small forces were based to assault the neutral and Western shipping. Those had included bases for the minelaying operations that damaged the USS Samuel B. Roberts. The US forces were organized in three groups and with air support and air defence of the CVN-65 USS Enterprise Carrier Air Wing Eleven, escorted by CGN-35 USS Truxtun and FF-1063 USS Reasoner: VF-114 Aardwarks with F-14A Tomcat. VF-213 Black Lions with F-14A Tomcat. VA-22 Fighting Redcocks with A-7E Corsair II. VA-94 Shrikes with A-7E Corsair II. VA-95 Green Lizards with A-6E/KA-6D Intruder. VAW-117 Wallbangers with E-2C Hawkeye Group 0. VAQ-135 Black Knights with EA-6B Prowler ICAP I (ICAP II from late 1988). Surface Action Group Bravo, targets Sassan and Rahkish/Rahksh oil platforms (renamed Salman and Resalat after the Islamic Revolution): DD-976 USS Merrill, with 1xSH-2F. DDG-8 USS Lynde McCormick. LPD-14 USS Trenton, with 4xAH-1T, 2xCH-46, 2xUH-1, and the USS Samuel L. Roberts SH-60B. Surface Action Group Charlie, target Sirri oil platform (renamed Nasr after the Islamic Revolution): CG-28 USS Wainwright. FFG-56 USS Simpson, with 1xSH-60 and 1xUH-60. FF-1069 USS Bagley, with 1xSH-2F. Surface Action Group Delta, composed partly of former escort ships from the Enterprise group, with target the Iranian warship FFL Sabalan, because her reputation for deliberately attacking the crew quarters of neutral ships: DDG-16 USS Joseph Strauss. DD-975 USS O'Brien, with 2xSH-2F and 1xUH-60. FFG-24 USS Jack Williams, with 2xSH-2F. The rest is history ... or not. Historical Note: This scenario represents a What if? scenario, with a full compromise of all the Iranian forces against the US side, without the prudence demostrated in the historical engagement. In the historical scenario the US side decided to not attack mainland Iran to prevent a escalade, and the Iranian response was limited to a few warships and warplanes and not launching shore-based SSM (they are contradictory reports about that) because the Iranian fears to US retaliatory strikes over mainland Iran, and as in the case of the Gadaffi's Libya on 1981 and 1986, the fear of heavy losses on his own side could weak his position as regional power (In the case of Iran we should remember was in war with Iraq on 1988, and the outcome of Praying Mantis also forced Iran to settle the peace with Iraq). In the historical aftermath, Iran losed the FFL Sahand, the PTM Joshan (after be notified many times of "stop your engines, abandon ship, I intend to sink you", Joshan launched the last operational Harpoon in the Iranian Navy againts the CG-28 USS Wainwright who decoyed it, receiving in interchange a salvo of six Standard SM-1 and one Harpoon) and some three PG type Toragh/Boghammar based in the Abu Musa Island to attack commercial shipping, and also the FFL Sabalan resulted crippled, but was returned to service on 1989. The oil platforms of Sassan and Sirri, employed as bases for the attacks on commercial shipping, rested unoperative after the previously demanded evacuation and subsequent combined attack of warships, Cobra helicopters and SEAL and USMC teams. The attack against the Rahksh oil platform was called off to ease pressure on the Iranians and denote a desire for de-escalation. The FFL Sabalan not was sunk also because when Defense Secretary Carlucci asked Admiral Crowe, then CJCS, what he thought about launch another strike to finish she, Crowe responded, "Sir, I think we've shed enough blood today". Enrique Mas, January 2012 Click here to download this file

File Name: Iran-Israel 2010, Survival of Israel ? File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 29 Aug 2010 File Category: Middle East Note: In this scenario, to avoid spoilers, it is compulsory to play the Israeli/Blue side a few times, and only after play the Iranian/Red side. This scenario also wants to be a study about the feasibility of a strike erasing the future nuclear capabilities of Iran. My intention in this scenario was also to reproduce the Israel and Iran OOB in 2010. Some months after the political and tactical semi-failure of the Mavi Marmara affair doctored by the IHH, a supposed Turkish Islamic charity, the Foundation for Human Rights and Freedom and Humanitarian Relief (May 31, 2010), a new Israeli coalition Government, leaded by the moderate Premier Shlomo Ben-Ami, ex- Foreign Affairs Minister and former Ambassador in Spain, very influenced by his pair of mysterious Spanish counsellors (Code-named Hello Kitty and SpongeBob SquarePants), is impelled by the Western Powers to actuate as a scapegoat and to stop the Iranian military nuclear program, doing the mission the Western Powers are afraid to do because his multiple political implications. The strike must be realised before the imminent Iranian deployment of the new and powerful S-300/SA-10 SAMs, complement of the previous deployed long-range SA-5 Gammon. Only credible and political admissible action is a conventional attack with Precision Guided Munitions, a limited and surgical strike without collateral damages will be also the only political acceptable Israeli option gullible for the mass-media. The Heyl HaAvir and the Heyl HaYam are only five days to obtain the victory, before the US and other countries will be forced reluctantly to stop the strikes because the usual pressure of unoccupied demostrators worldwide the week-end after the first strike. And the only possible income of the battle is the Total Victory, with the annihilation of at least all the designated targets: Bushehr comprising his nuclear reactor (ZPa) the Nuke Sites 1 (YSb), 2 (YRb) and 3 (YQb), the Terror Camps 1 (YDa), 2 (YCa) and 3 (YBa), and the TBM Site (YFb) (first you must to localize some of those targets). Is compulsory for Israel to no lose more than 60 planes, to avoid a propagandistic victory by Iran. Also, as a side diversion, the Israeli player must resolve the question of a undetermined number of apparent merchant ships with the manifested intention of repeat the facts of the first Gaza flotilla, supposedly waiting in front the Israeli coast, and a few armed blockade-runners. But in this time, if open hostilities with Iran are opened, the supposed civilian ships can be freely sunken. You can expect also a imminent surface-to-surface missile attack after the breakout of the hostilities. The pro-Iranian faction Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria can also provide some support to the Iranian side. The air corridors between Israel and Iran are guaranteed (for both contenders) by the disengagement of the conflict by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and mostly Iraq, a sort of terra nullius (also, after the withdraw of the US forces, lefting only a embrionary air force in Iraq). Enrique Mas, August 2010 Click here to download this file