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File Name: Beira Patrol going hot, 1966. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 02 Apr 2013 File Category: South Africa Beira Patrol going hot, March 1966. Image: HMS Eagle 1970, photograph by Isaac Newton, source: Wikipedia from the HMS Minerva (F45) web site http://www.hmsminerva.info/photos1.htm A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the South Africa Battleset and the HCCW-120614 Cold War Platform Database. This scenario is designed for play by the British/Blue or by the Combined/Red side, to avoid spoilers is better to play many times first the British/Blue side, and only after the Combined/Red side. Is a long and probably difficult scenario. If you see it too difficult playing the Blue side, you can play the provided alternate scenario with the support of the South African forces. Was it possible a naval blockade to a land-locked country? After the unilateral independence of Rhodesia in 1965 (Renamed Zimbabwe from 1980), the United Kingdom with the United Nations support, both fearing the establishment of a white minority racist government, embargoed the oil exportations to Rhodesia. The infamous Beira Patrol was established for his control by the Royal Navy. The Patrol lasted from 1966 to the Mozambique independence in 1975 as consequence of the Portuguese Carnation Revolution, with the new country government guaranteeing the sanctions to Rhodesia and the Patrol retired by UK. Initially the Beira Patrol was also equipped with aircraft carriers and late only with one or two frigates and shore-based planes (Based to 1971 in Majunga, Malagasy Republic), checking on oil tankers heading for Beira, in the Portuguese colony of Mozambique. UN Security Council Resolution 221 (1966) ridiculously limited the oil blockade to the Portuguese port of Beira in the Mozambique colony, site of the Rhodesia-connected oil pipeline terminus (And Portugal was the oldest British ally!). Absurdly as the oil can enter by other ports, as Lourenco Marques (renamed Maputo after the Mozambique independence), or with the tankers sailing in the six nautical miles Portuguese territorial waters along the Mozambican coast, from South Africa to Beira! Also, only British forces were allowed to participate in Security Council Resolution, and the UK have not enough forces to effectively establish the blockade. In this scenario the Carnation Revolution was some nine years earlier, the Mozambican independence almost instantaneous (as in 1975), some others African governments are deposed or clearly more pro-Soviet than historically, and the Soviet Union is supporting an difficult pact with the Ian Smith government, for sake of strategic interests. Note: This scenario is labelled as "Historical" because the Rhodesian, Portuguese, South African (in the alternate scenario) and UK forces are as the historically deployed at the Beira Patrol start, including the carrier air wings. Clearly the crisis was quiet and without major incidents. They are two alternative scenario files, one with and another without South Africa supporting the old British Empire remains. Unnamed places are: ZYa, Beira (Portuguese Base Aerea BA-8) airport, BEW/FQBR, Mozambique. ZXa, Lourenco Marques (Portuguese Aerodromo-Base AB-8 (confuse, not?!), now Maputo) airport, MPM/FQMA, Mozambique. ZWa, New Sarum (now Manyame) Air Force Station, HRE/FVHA, Rhodesia. ZVa, Thornhill (now Gweru-Thornhill) Air Base, GWE/FVTL, Rhodesia. ACa, Majunga (now Amborovy) airport, MJN/FMNM, Malagasy Republic. AKA, Bloemspruit AFB, BFN/FABL, South Africa. AJa, Durban AFB, DUR/FADN, South Africa. ANa, Langebaan AFS (now AFB), SBD/FALW, South Africa. AFa, Pietersburg (now Polokwane IA) AFB, PTG/FAPP, South Africa. ALa, Port Elizabeth AFB (now AFS), PLZ/FAPE, South Africa. AMa, Simon's Town Port, South Africa. AIa, Swartkop AFB, FASK, South Africa. AGa, Waterkloof AFB, WKF/FAWK, South Africa. AHa, Ysterplaat AFS, FAYP, South Africa. Enrique Mas, April 2013. Click here to download this file