AAR: The Backyard - Part Two: Final Shootout [Spoiler Alert] - Scenario Design & Discussion

December 5, 200718 yr

AAR: The Backyard - Part Two: Final Shootout [spoiler Alert]

A Harpoon Classic Commander’s Edition scenario

by Ralf Koelbach

The Cold War finally went hot and furious battles arose all around the world. This Westpac scenario deals with a final US multi-carrier attack supported by Japanese forces in the Western Pacific. The US forces have neutralized all but one Soviet bases in the theatre. Now it is time to finish the job.

But beware: The Soviets have reinforced their last bastion to the utmost.

CAG Mills had fought a pretty good war up until now. His air group had helped demolish three of the four Russian Pacific bases with relatively few losses. With success had come promotion and he'd been frocked as Air Component Commander for CVBG. Now, the task force was going after the final operational Russian base, Petropavlovsk, under his direction.

The CVBG had just finished UnRep operations and both carriers were now full of beans and bullets as the Admiral ordered a cautious approach to Petropavlovsk. Admiral Humphries wanted to get as close as possible in order to reduce the flight time for his strike crews, but didn't want to accidentally run over any subs that likely lay in his path so he ordered a leisurely 14kts speed of advance while he launched his AEW and ECM birds.

As soon as they approached their stations, they reported several radar contacts from the direction of Petropavlovsk that turned out to be Bear reconnaissance aircraft accompanied by MiG-31 Foxhound escorts. Evidently, the Russians were not strong believers in either static or reactionary defences. This looked like it was going to be a hard day for the men of CTF 77.0

The snoopers were handily executed by the Tomcats after their MiG escorts were dealt with by Phoenix missiles. Unfortunately, this soaked up all the available missiles and the relief CAP [Combat Air Patrols] had not yet arrived when the follow-up flights of Backfire and Badgers appeared. The phenomenal range of the AS-6 Kingfish allowed them to launch before they could be intercepted by the Tomcats. What was originally a fairly simple exercise of shooting down inbound bombers changed into a nightmare of missile intercepts. The outbound Tomcats were forced to waste their precious AAMs on the AShMs [Anti-Ship Missiles] instead of the more valuable bombers which could now land and re-arm for future strikes. Also, once behind the curve, the subsequent enemy bomber flights were unmolested and able to reach their launch points as the Tomcat crews feverishly tried to intercept the Kingfish. Quickly, all available Hornets were scrambled for defensive fire. Unfortunately, CAG Mills had tried to re-organize his strike crews and this meant that half his forces were still re-arming and re-fueling as the Admiral stormed over from Flag Plot to ask why more interceptors were not being launched. He said, "Okay, Mills, we might survive this one, but you'd better not let it happen, again."

Fortunately, the Hornet crews had gotten quite experienced at this stage in the war and managed to bring down all the Kingfish with their Sparrows. But, with all good news, there is a downside -- nearly all the Hornets and Tomcats were now re-loading and re-arming. Only 2 depleted CAP flights remained on station when the second wave of Soviet Naval Aviation appeared on the radar screens. Once again, they were ably escorted by MiG-31 Foxhounds. There was no way to get to the bombers without first dealing with the incredibly potent fighters. The few remaining Phoenix managed to score on the Foxhounds, but their destruction meant that they were doing their job and the bombers were not molested as they reached the launch point.

Once out of long-ranged missiles, the CAP was then ordered by CAG Mills to try and intercept the bombers. When Admiral Humphries learned of this, he quickly countermanded the suicidal orders and issued new ones for them to return and re-arm before telling CAG Mills that, "It's going to be a long f***ing war. We need every swinging dick and throwing their lives away on futile missions isn't going to help." Privately, he was starting to question the sanity of his ACC and suspected that the CAP were given their hopeless orders in some vain attempt to cover up the ineptitude displayed by CAG. Imagine ordering men into a sword fight armed with only penknives. Insanity.

The Badgers and Backfire started releasing AS-4 and AS-6 just as the strike crews were launching from the catapults. This time, they were able to shoot down all of the inbound missiles, again. Once the situation had stabilized, the A-6 attack crews were released to ply their trade. A CVBG had been detected off to the northwest and that would the first target. A perfect time-over-target strike resulted in the CVHG Baku exploding before she could release more SSMs at the CTF 77.0

Unwilling to retire from the battle, the group continued towards CTF 77.0 Makishio moved to intercept this still formidable group. As she made her approach from the starboard bow, it was certainly an impressive site with all the ships arrayed in front of her. Although she would have preferred to fire from closer range, she could not expect to do so without increasing speed and likely revealing her presence. In the world of submarine warfare, you get the first shot, so make it a good one!

At her point of closest approach, Makishio fired her Harpoon missiles at the nearest Udaloy destroyer in the screen and 4 torpedoes each at CG Slava, BCGN Frunze, CG Azov and a pair each at two escorts. These cruisers were the three most dangerous targets with their multiple SA-6 mounts and Shipwreck/Sandbox SSMs. Out of weapons, she attempted to cruise out of the away. The Harpoons surprised the Udaloy and promptly sank her. The torpedoes were not detected for quite awhile and thus managed to close the range significantly. Once the torpedoes were counter-detected, the Russian formation immediately turned to flee. However, the torpedoes were running at 65kts and caught both the Slava and Frunze to leave them sinking on the high seas. The rest of the formation just kept running. Admiral Humphries ordered his staff to let them "run all the way back to Vladivostok if they want." They were a mission-kill.

Once the situation appeared to have stabilized, CAG Mills ordered his Hornet crews to, once again, re-arm for ASuW operations. Two additional KUG surface strike groups had been detected and he did not think that the Intruder squadrons would be sufficient to handle them. As the planes were mid-way through the staging process, Shipwreck missiles were, once detected on radar. Once again, Admiral Humphries asked, "Where are the interceptors and why aren't we shooting those bastards down?" When he learned the reason, he simply exploded at his soon-to-be-former ACC. "You stupid bastard! If it doesn't start with an A-, it isn't ATTACK!" said the former strike pilot. CAG Mills was promptly placed under arrest for gross incompetence and relieved of command. This was small consolation to the crews of DD Setoyuki, Shirane, Fletcher, and Kirishima as the thousand-pound warheads on the missiles slammed into their vessels.

There was nothing to do but press onwards. However, the tribulations of CTF 77 were not over, yet. Not long afterwards, the surviving screen members reported, "Transients, inbound torpedoes!" The submarines that had launched the SLCMs had now followed up with Type 65-76 torpedoes. These were monster weapons with extraordinary range. The CVBG turned to run, but it was only capable of 25 kts while their pursuers were making 50 knots. The screen, once more, bore the brunt of the attack. Frigates Ishikari, Kauffman, and the cruiser California were blown out of the water while CVN Carl Vinson sustained 70% damage, putting her out of the strike picture. With a much-depleted screen, CTF turned back towards Petropavlovsk.

The A-6 squadrons were able to sink the two newly detected KUG strike groups before turning their attention to Petropavlovsk. Instead of being distracted by the target-rich environment on the Kamchatka Peninsula, the attack crews concentrated solely on the base facilities and only suppressed the SAM defences in order to accomplish their goal. After several missions with stand-off munitions, the base was left in smouldering ruin and victory was gained.

Thanks for a magnificent playing experience. It's been years since I've had a carrier sustain such damage or lost this many ships.

Home of the Harpoon3 PlayersDB