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View File China in the Horn, late October 2023. Hypothetical historical scenario. China in the Horn, late October 2023. Hypothetical historical scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for The Middle East 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/Western Coalition side or from the Red/Chinese side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side. Image: USS Carney (DDG 64) while on patrol in the Mediterranean Sea Sept. 23, 2016. Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, for antiballistic missile duties and with the SeaRAM mount aft, is conducting a routine patrol in the U.S. 6th fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Weston Jones/Released, a serviceperson on duty, and in consequence on public domain, took from Wikipedia Commons). At the end of the very military convulse year of 2023, with one and a half years of Russian invasion of Ukraine, other globe points were poles of interest. This scenario is inspired in "Escape from Aden", published by Martyn Kelly in Harpoon SITREP 65, October 2023, but developing in late 2023 updated with multiple current events, and in consequence with more elements of complexity. With the almost all out campaign of Israel against Hamas after the October 7 terrorist attacks, other actors were revealed as clearly supporting Hamas. In fact, USS Carney was forced to shoot-down missiles and drones directed from Yemen to Israel through nine hours on 19 October 2023. Also, news about the deployment of not one but at least two Chinese surface groups with the alibi of fighting piracy in the Indian Ocean and from its new (from 2017) base of Port Doraleh, very near (some six nautical miles!) to the Western Forces in Ambouli increased the tensions in other world regions. In this hypothetical case, after the Chinese surprise invasion of Taiwan, the Chinese forces in the Gulf of Aden are forced to flight to the open Indian Ocean trying to escape its irremissible demise, reminiscent of the German cruisers trapped far seas worldwide in August 2014. Also, as the Western Forces are caught off guard, have at its disposition only scattered, limited and irregular random assets to prevent the Chinese flight. This scenario depicts the historical deployment of naval forces in late October 2023. Could you prevent the escape of the Chinese forces, or as Chinese commander could you escape to the open Indian Ocean, East of Socotra? Enrique Mas, November 12, 2023. Submitter broncepulido Submitted 11/12/2023 Category Middle East  

View File Three Carriers and Three Cruisers: Battle for the Eastern Med. February 2022. Three Carriers and Three Cruisers: Battle for the Eastern Med. February 2022. Historical Alternate 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. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO side or from the Red/Russian and allies side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side. Image: Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 8, the ITS Cavour Strike Group and the Charles de Gaulle Carrier Strike Group transit the Mediterranean Sea in formation, Feb. 6, 2022. The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to maintain maritime stability and security, and defend U.S., allied and partner interests in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Bela Chambers, a serviceperson on duty and in consequence on public domain). Enough is enough. From the eventful year of 2014 (Mainly from the Russian invasion of Crimea) the world was beginning clearly 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 including previous Soviet territories for reinstitute the greatness of "his" Russia, and to guarantee his passage on the History as saviour of the Rodina. After the massive Russian build-up of forces from late 2021 in Russia and Belarus near the Ukrainian border, NATO forces were forced to an increased and constant deployment near Ukraine and the Eastern Mediterranean, to deterrent Putin's ambition. The probably plan was to avoid an intervention by NATO ground forces but preventing the Russian main forces to enter Ukrainian territory, and to get this target to establish an air and sea exclusion zone around and over Ukraine. Aside air elements deployed to near NATO countries (and four B-52H based in RAF Fairford (ASa), capable of both land and ship strike), and a constant monitoring of the Russian movements, three aircraft carriers (Truman, De Gaulle and Cavour, this last one mostly symbolic as was yet equipped with AV-8B+) were deployed on the Eastern Mediterranean, to keep at bay the Russian forces in Syria and the Mediterranean, and later to reinforce the exclusion zone and to execute offensive actions against the Russian forces in the Black Sea and Ukraine. Included in these forces was the USS Georgia, SSGN-729 and STANDING NATO MARITIME GROUP TWO (SNMG2), flagship Italian FREMM frigate Carlo Margottini F592. For the Russian side a great number of elements of the Northern, Pacific, Baltic and Black Sea fleets were deployed in the Mediterranean, including amphibious ships sailing to the Black Sea, dangerously depleting the reserves of all the Russian fleets. Also, Tu-22M3 Backfire-C with Kh-32 anti-ship missiles and MIG-31K Foxhound with Kh-47M2 Kinzhal/AS-24 Killjoy were deployed in the infamous Russian base of Khmeimim in Syria. And of course the surviving forces of the Assad regime after the 2011 civil war are in the Russian side, defending its country. On the paper the Russian forces are weaker, but employing old Cold War era tactics could settle a surprise and propaganda blow to the Western forces. Also, probably the doubtful Turkey and other countries could not joint the NATO ranks because Russian nuclear blackmail and other types of asymmetrical pressure. And the things are going worse every day... Enrique Mas, February 20, 2022. Submitter broncepulido Submitted 02/20/2022 Category MEDC  

View File HMS Queen Elizabeth CSG21 Phase I: The Med. Early July 2021. Historical Alternate Scenario. HMS Queen Elizabeth CSG21 Phase I: The Med. Early July 2021. Historical Alternate 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. 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: Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R 08) and guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97) operate in formation in the Gulf of Aden, July 12, 2021, few days after this scenario depicted actions (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason Tarleton, a serviceperson on duty and in consequence in public domain). At last UK returns to rule the waves. After a few years delay, Carrier Strike Group 21, centred in the HMS Queen Elizabeth, carrying both British and USMC F-35B fighter-bombers, and with a multinational NATO escort, sails the first stages of her Far East tour. Some of her escorts are returning from courtesy visits on friendly ports, or from the conflictive Black Sea, waiting to traverse the Suez Canal from Port Said. But 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. If the things go wrong, its forward deployed forces in the Mediterranean and Syria should complicate the life on board CSG21. And the things are going wrong ... Enrique Mas, July 18, 2021. Submitter broncepulido Submitted 07/18/2021 Category MEDC

View File Ambush off Jan Mayen, August 1988. Hypothetical Scenario. 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 2017.013 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/Soviet side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side. Image: Atlantic Ocean, April 23, 2004, USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) receives ordnance from the fast combat support ship USS Seattle (AOE-3) during an ammunition onload in the Atlantic Ocean. The conventional powered aircraft carrier conducted an underway replenishment with Seattle in final preparations for a scheduled six-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. (Released U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class Joshua Karsten, USN, took by a US serviceperson on duty, and in consequence in public domain). A classic WWIII in the eighties scenario, inspired on the Battle of the Norwegian Sea scenario from the 2003 High Tide Harpoon expansion. NATO forces, centred on the USS John F Kennedy (CV-67) strike group is replenishing East of Jan Mayen Island, after execution of air strikes against Soviet installations in the Kola Peninsula. At this time the strike group is very vulnerable in case of Soviet surprise attack. Most of the carrier air wing and escort ships aircraft and helicopters are unavailable for thirty minutes because the replenishing manoeuvres, and the group surface movements are limited because the replenishment ships. The Soviet plan is just that. The general positioning of the NATO carrier group is deduced from previous strikes, and a fair amount of HUMINT and informed guesses (Soviet RORSAT satellites were neutralized in the first hours of the conflict). Soviet surface and subsurface forces are approaching the replenishment area to kill the carrier, supported by surviving air elements after two weeks of war, based both in Soviet Union and occupied northern Norway. As in the previous August 1988 Sea of Okhotsk scenario, High Tide paper rules scenario was inspirational, but the scenario building execution has changed many things, including historically updated Soviet Order of Battle and US aircraft carrier. Enrique Mas, 1 January 2021. Submitter broncepulido Submitted 01/02/2021 Category GIUK

View File August 1988 Sea of Okhotsk skirmish August 1988 Sea of Okhotsk skirmish, hypothetical scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for Western Pacific WesPac 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 designed to be played from the Blue/Japanese 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. Image: JMSDF DDH-141 Haruna pulls into Pearl Harbor in 2008, previously to exercise RIMPAC 2008. 26 June 2008. (Released U.S. Navy photo by Michael R. McCormick, U.S. Navy, took by a US serviceperson on duty, and in consequence in public domain). From the WWII end Southern Kuril Islands are in dispute between the extinct Soviet Union, and later our current days Russia, and Japan. In this simple but not easy to win scenario, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JSMDF) Third Escort Flotilla confronts elements of the historical Soviet local forces, 10th Operational Squadron, better known as Pacific Squadron. Third Escort Flotilla comes with its historical ship composition, reflecting the concept of eight ships and six helicopters by Escort Flotilla, previously to the later eight ships and eight helicopters system after the in service entry of the Hatakaze-class. In this concept are including different indigenous designs of anti-air warfare destroyers (DDG), with different ships carrying the Standard missile launchers in fore or aft position, to cover all the formation firing arcs. This scenario is inspired in the great Sake in the Rocks scenario by Jay Wissmann, published in Admiral Trilogy Naval SITREP 58-59. At start I pretended to simply reproduce the scenario, but soon it evolved in a very different beast and year, and after some short-term Japanese ships and helicopters upgrades present in the Database. Enrique Mas, 29 November 2020. Submitter broncepulido Submitted 11/29/2020 Category WestPac

View File FONOPS off Venezuela 2020. Historical/Alternate History Scenario. FONOPS off Venezuela 2020. Historical/Alternate History Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Caribbean Basin Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/US-Allied side or from the Red/Venezuela side. You should play a few times first the Blue/US-Allied side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red/Venezuela side. Image: The littoral combat ship USS Detroit (LCS-7) travels in formation with the guided missile destroyers USS Lassen (DDG-82), USS Preble (DDG-88) and USS Farragut (DDG-99), as well as a Navy P-8A aircraft while conducting maritime security operations in the Caribbean Sea, May 11, 2020. Photo By: Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Anderson W. Branch, VIRIN: 200511-N-KK394-1564Y.JPG, took by a serviceperson on duty, and in consequence in public domain. Freedom of Navigation is a principle of consuetudinary international law, relative to freedom movement of vessels of sovereign states without the interference of other states, with the exceptions provided by international law. Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPS) are operations of naval ships transits to enforce and guarantee Freedom of Navigation in dubious or contested maritime zones, and codified as in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The U.S. Navy executes freedom of navigation operations with regularity. Though the U.S. is not a signatory to UNCLOS, it broadly supports UNCLOS framework for freedom of navigation, and the Navy routinely carries out transits and other operations to demonstrate the recognized limits of claimed territorial seas, most highlighted in the South China Sea. The United States was the signatory of the 1958 version on UNCLOS which had many of the same provisions as the current treaty. When the required number of nation-states has ratified it, UNCLOS goes into effect and becomes part of international law for the entire world, including the US. UNCLOS was recognized and adhered to by the US since 1983 as part of the Reagan administration's ocean policy. US Navy FONOPS is based on UNCLOS. Venezuela has from some time ago required prior notification for military operations between its 12 nautical miles territorial seas boundary and its EEZ boundary extended to 200 nautical miles, and it has challenged U.S. government vessels in this zone. Also, the U.S. does not recognize the administration of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, favoring political opposition leader Juan Guaido instead. In 2020, and in the aftermath of the March 31-April 1 night, when the Venezuelan patrol ship Naiguata (GC-23) was sunk by ramming of the reinforced arctic hull of RNMS Resolute cruise ship with Portuguese flag, under accusations of attempt to throwing the Maduro regimen, USN persists on its FONOPS operations. Venezuela is determined in the control and identification on ships sailing its EEZ, and after the RNMS Resolute incident, the clash is almost inevitable. This scenario is qualified as "historical" because the present forces are the same historically available at August 2020. Enrique Mas, August 29, 2020. Submitter broncepulido Submitted 08/29/2020 Category Caribbean Basin

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: 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

File Name: Sub Hunt off Faslane 2014. Historical Scenario/Alternate History Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 18 Dec 2014 File Category: GIUK Sub Hunt off Faslane 2014. Historical scenario/Alternate history scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the EC2003 Battle for GIUK Gap Battleset and the HCDB-140909 1980-2015 era Platform Database or the New Standard HCDB2-170611 1980-2025 era Platform Database. Image: Royal Air Force Sentinel R.1 visits the National Test Pilot School at Mojave, 29 October 2007. Photo by Alan Radecki. From Wikipedia Commons. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO side or from the Red/Russian side. You should play a few times first the Blue/NATO side to avoid spoilers about force presence, and only later play the Red/Russian, but the victory conditions are probably difficult to get for an AI-controlled Blue side. After UK did retire all the Nimrod MR.2 ASW and maritime patrol aircrafts in 2010 (and his ill-fated projected replacement Nimrod MRA.4 in 2012), the island nation was hopeless without a credible defence even of his nearest sea lanes (we can add to these very erroneous decisions others recent ones, losing full weapon capabilities in others fields, as the air-launched Sea Eagle anti-ship missile in 2000, the Sea Harrier in 2006, the Harrier in 2009 and the anti-radar ALARM missile in December 2013). Few time later, in the event full year of 2014 the President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB operative) was showing his plan to recover the Russian Empire and later Soviet territories for reinstitute the greatness of his Russia, and to guarantee his passage on the History as savior of the Rodina. After provoked from May 2014 the Crimea, Ukraine, Donetsk, Baltic States, Swedish submarine incursion, G-20 Brisbane meeting naval crisis, and constant and multiple overflies with military warplanes incidents, a less published but remarkable incident happened in the seas surrounding Scotland and the approaches to strategic British SSBN base of Faslane (HMNB Clyde). In late November 2014 the periscope of an unidentified submarine was perceived near to Faslane base, and UK was forced to request support of the Allied for get some ASW aircrafts, after the Nimrod debacle of 2010. Two American P-3C Orion (Of VP-4 "Skinny Dragons", based at NAS Sigonella, Sicily), two Canadian CP-140 Aurora, one French Atlantique 2, and one useless for the task British Sentinel R.1 (ASTOR) were deployed to RAF Kinloss in Scotland. The situation was not very covered by the media, probably because the temporal proximity of the October 2014 Swedish Submarine Incident, and because the incertitude of the situation. Enrique Mas, 18 December 2014. Click here to download this file