Misha loves to play the Russians in all our engagements. Unfortunately, most of the scenarios invariably end in crashes due to their size. After crashing The Merge, Okhotsk, Linchpin from size, we chose 2nd Battle of Tsushima Strait, made with the Harpoon community's favourite database, the PlayersDB.

 

Misha commanded a force of surface ships desperately trying to return home to Vladivostok via the Tsushima Strait while I controlled the Japanese squadron detailed to close that very same Strait.

 

 

I didn't know what Misha had up his sleeve. I ordered the P-3 Orion and F-15J Eagle fighters aloft to ascertain the situation. The moment they detected MiG-31 Foxhound radar, they fled the scene and landed. There was no way that the Eagles could begin to challenge for aerial superiority with the Foxhounds and I wasn't intent on simply sacrificing them. Misha then launched his Bear recon aircraft and it just sat there outside of range of my destroyer flotilla; reporting its every move to headquarters. There would be a day of reckoning, my friend, but, until that time, I would simply have to grin and bear this snooper.

 

 

Further south, I suspected that his surface strike group must be close to the Tsushima Strait so I decided to try a surprise attack on the group with my AGM-130-armed Eagles in hopes of possibly killing one ship before he realized that he had been detected. They crept in at low altitude and were not detected until they rose to minimum release altitude for their weapons (1000m). At that point, they quickly energized their radar, shot down a Ka-29 Helix surveillance helo, and released their AGM-130 missiles. As they turned to flee, they dove to the deck and lit their afterburners. Their speed managed to save half of them from destruction as they were chased all the way home by the Foxhounds.

 

 

At this point, I decided that there was no way I could win under the current conditions. I could not challenge the Foxhounds since their AA-9 Amos missiles had more than double my own AIM-7 Sparrow range. So long as they and the Bears were present, I could not attack the Russian fleet as it bristled with over 30 long-ranged Sandbox and Shipwreck missiles, each with a range of over 300nm. My own Harpoons were a pitiful 75nm in range.

 

There was only one choice -- close down Vladivostok. I ordered the Escort flotilla northward for an old-fashioned bombardment mission. Under the protective SAM umbrella provided by the AEgis destroyer Kongo, they were molested by MiG-29 fighter-bombers, but were undamaged as they entered the bay. 30 minutes of naval artillery fire was sufficient to smash the hangars and revetments of the base along with several batteries of SA-12 SAMs.

 

Once the protective air cover was gone, it was an easy mission to shoot down the Recon Bears. At that point, I ordered the destroyers to shut down their radar in hopes of Russians losing them in the background noise. This would be my only chance of delivering a successful SSM strike before being annihilated by the return fire.

 

 

Meanwhile, the surviving Strike Eagles had re-armed and launched to try and pick off a ship from the Russians. Even if they were not successful, it was hoped that the AGM-130s would at least force the Russians to expend more of their SAMs. I was facing very long odds and I had to play every card I had.

 

 

The Eagles managed to make their ingress undetected. Once again, when they rose to 40nm, they were engaged. With a pair of Sparrows aimed at each of the two hovering helicopters and all AGM-130 released towards the DD Udaloy, they turned to flee the scene of the crime. This time, they took no losses, but inflicted none, either. The SAM defences of a Russian battlefleet are simply awesome.

 

At this time, we decided to call it a night. A superb game, Misha. Looking forward to its completion, soon. Thanks to HarpGamer for the user of their server.

 

Anyone looking for an MP game can drop a line here or look for us on HarpGamer pHp chat room or the HG mIRC chat room.

 

Misha and I met up in hopes of finishing the 2nd Battle of Tsushima Strait, made with the Harpoon community's favourite database, the PlayersDB.

 

With Vladvistok in flames, I denied Misha any aerial reconnaissance. I positioned flights of Eagles near his SAG and shot down every helo that tried to rise from his decks. With him essentially blinded, I order my Destroyer Flotilla to make their approach.

 

 

What I didn't realize was the number of submarines that Misha still had in his Order of Battle. A Victor II-class boat was detected on the towed array sonar from the oncoming strike fleet. A nearby P-3 Orion was ordered to intercept and destroy it. Hopefully, it would not have counter-detected my own ships. I immediately ordered the ships to a dead stop.

 

The Orion successfully destroyed the submarine, but the question remained in my mind: Had I been counter-detected? Was there a cloud of Shipwreck and Sandbox SSMs on their way? I decided to re-position my Eagles as a stop-gap measure between my ships and the Russian fleet. This would prove to be fortuitous.

 

 

Not long afterwards, another submarine was detected. Before the Orions could pounce on her, sonar reported "Transient, Transient! Missile tube firing!" I was too late. My position had been revealed. Sure enough, a second barrage of Shipwreck and Sandbox SSMs were detected rising from the Russian fleet. Damn. A multi-axis attack is truly a beautiful sight (except if you happen to be sitting on the bullseye!)

 

The Eagle flights managed to get a few. Thank goodness for that. The DDG Kongo then engaged with her SAMs and got the rest. Unfortunately, she used up her entire SAM magazine in the defense, but it allowed the flotilla to survive the onslaught. The fact that the Soviets had attacked in 3 separate waves also allowed the flotilla to escape without loss. I would not make the same mistake. I would engage with one massive strike.

 

After soaking up my defensive SAMs, the Charlie had outlived her purpose and the Orion obligingly terminated her with a Mk 46 torpedo. Now, I had the Soviet fleet hemmed in against the coast near Kyoto. However, as everyone knows, a cornered animal is the most dangerous kind, of all. This Bear still had Sunburn SSMs on his DDG Sovremennyy and a ton of SA-6 Grumbles that would be effective anti-ship weapons, too.

 

 

At this time, we called it a night. Another superb session. Looking forward to its completion this weekend. Many thanks to HarpGamer for the use of their server.

 

Anyone looking for an MP game can drop a line here or look for us on HarpGamer pHp chat room or the HG mIRC chat room.

 

Tonight, Misha and I were determined to finish the titanic 2nd Battle of Tsushima Strait, made with the Harpoon community's favourite database, the PlayersDB.

 

After the second intermission, the situation stood as follows:

 

My Destroyer flotilla was closing on the Soviet SAG [surface Action Group] after the Soviets had expended their long-ranged SSMs for no hits. My Harpoons had a range of 75m, but the Soviet SAM defences were nothing short of awesome. DDG Sovremennyy still had her full complement of Sunburn SSMs with a range of 80nm. Along with her 130mm naval gun, she was the most dangerous of the Soviet ships since that gun had greater range than the 127mm guns aboard my own ships. Although the BCGN and carriers were more tempting targets, she would be the prime target. Even with its offensive striking power mostly expended, this Soviet force would still be a hard nut to crack.

 

 

The Soviets were well screened by submarines. As the flotilla made its attack run, sonar suddenly reported an incoming torpedo. Damn! My sonar was virtually blind during the high speed attack manoeuvres and now I was paying the price. A Victor-III class sub had been laying for the group and loosed a single Type 65 torpedo. To make matters worse, the Sovremennyy added a few Sunburn SSMs to the party. The SSMs were shot down by Standard SAMS while all the ships turned to run, but the phenomenal range of the torpedo easily chased down and killed DD Hatakaze. Her 127mm guns were going to be sorely missed along with the eight Harpoons in her mounts.

 

 

The flotilla had split into two groups due to their speed differential, but both made a simultaneous attack on the Soviet squadron. I had 48 Harpoons at my disposal. I elected to fire 28 at the Sovremennyy and 12 at the BCGN. I didn't expect any to actually hit the BCGN, but I needed to soak up her potent SA-N-6 Grumble SAMs. Originally, I thought that 36 missiles should be plenty to sink the lone destroyer (I forgot that 8 sank with the Hatakaze). I could not be more wrong. Of the entire attack, the destroyer suffered a single hit. Later, I would pay dearly for my divided fire allocation later.

 

 

Once the SSMs were expended, it came down to a naval gun battle, like it did in 1905 -- nearly 90 years earlier. Misha threw everything he had at me in order to soak up my Standard SAMs and he did admirably. Upon reaching 20nm range, I fired the entire remaining inventory at his DDG Sovremennyy. Once again, the defensive SAM fire from the DDG was phenomenal and only a few struck home. Unable to destroy the enemy group, I ordered the flotilla to close for direct gunfire.

 

 

At this point, my failure to destroy the Sovremennyy came back to haunt me as she managed to sink one of my destroyers and cripple another before finally succumbing to a massed barrage from the surviving 5 destroyers. With only the CV Kuznetsov and CVH Kiev remaining, the JMSDF closed to administer the coup de grace (or so they thought).

 

 

As they came into gun range, the Kiev still sported torpedo mounts for the USET-80 and several were fired back in my direction. My ships turned to flee this new threat. I think that they would have claimed the crippled destroyer, had they been able to run to completion, but I was awarded victory for sinking 3 Soviet ships and the game ended.

 

 

What a monumental battle. It was quite surprising and exhilarating to actually re-fight Tsushima and end it, once again, with a gunnery duel. Thanks for a fantastic fight, Misha, and thanks to HarpGamer hosting it on their server.

 

Anyone looking for an MP game can drop a line here or look for us on HarpGamer pHp chat room or the HG mIRC chat room.