Attached is a scenario I created. Been playing Harpoon for years, back to 360Pacific and finally decided it cannot be hard to create good scenarios. I think this is a challenge, please take a run and let me know.

 

RAS

Crete.zip

Just had a quick look at this one, and I have to say, I'm impressed. Looks very good, Richard!

 

More feedback when I have had a chance to play it.

Been playing Harpoon for years, back to 360Pacific and finally decided it cannot be hard to create good scenarios.

Famous last words....

 

I took this scenario out for a test run as the Red side since I don't get to play Red all that often.

 

In short, I had a good time of it and managed to achieve victory after about 1 day of battle. A very good conflict.

 

Since feedback was requested, I'll provide some. Please note that, IMHO, there is no right or wrong way to make a scenario. These comments are only suggestions on things you may wish to consider. They are meant to help, not hurt.

 

• The idea of a convoy in between the major bases is a good strategem. Operating at long distances is really challenging. The initial opening battle to provide AEW and CAP coverage for her cost me a few fighters. The Eurofighters did a nice job on my CAP. So did the Harriers with AIM-120C5. Once they were killed, no further air attacks were seen on the convoy. There seemed to be many a/c at Brindisi and other bases, but they don't seem to enter into play very much.
  
• The Red orders state "...get the convoy coming down the Bosporus..." but the convoy is already clear of the Bosporous and in the middle of the AEgean. Just a slight mis-match, perhaps.
  
• The Prithvi Missiles missile found on Cyprus easily demolished the UK ground unit. However, they seem to be a bit out of place. Aren't they only used by India? Perhaps SCUD or other SSM for Russian might be a more fitting match for the ground forces.
  
• The Libyan convoy/forces might need some more orders i.e. should it proceed or can it just turn back to protect the merchants? If I had a choice, I would have turned it around and run for the mainland.
  
• One mine in the minefield appears over land.
  
• All the Libyan TFs seem to be nicely proportioned and positioned. I launched an air strike on the Italian PhibRon. I think that it might be "clumped together" at a single position instead of individual patrol zones.
  
• The orders say that, "Use the small Libyan air force wisely and carefully - we may get reinforcements and help from the Russians if we hang in long enough." When I first read it, I thought that I wasn't supposed to use the Russian base. I did use it, but questioned if I was supposed to only play the game with Libyan units.
  
• I managed to achieve victory after about 1 day while the convoy was still in the southern AEgean. Was this supposed to be possible? ViCond.bmp
  
• The Bears with the Cruise missiles really smite the NATO bases. There doesn't seem to be much defense for the AI against them. The Brindisi base held out the longest with all her SAMs. Maybe you might consider a few more CAP. The 36 ALCM should be pretty easy to shoot down, I think.
  
• I ran over all the Blue subs and killed them all. Their quiet acoustic signature made sure that they got off a good shot at me, but I didn't lose anything. However, it often took all the helos in the convoy to catch and kill a single sub. You may want to check out the possibility of the player taking a course different from the one you have laid out. If the player does this, will he still meet the subs? The long duration of the scenario allows the player to virtually travel to Malta before he needs to come back to Cyprus and he's got plenty of time to do it.
  

Been playing Harpoon for years, back to 360Pacific and finally decided it cannot be hard to create good scenarios.

Famous last words....

 

I took this scenario out for a test run as the Red side since I don't get to play Red all that often.

 

In short, I had a good time of it and managed to achieve victory after about 1 day of battle. A very good conflict.

 

Since feedback was requested, I'll provide some. Please note that, IMHO, there is no right or wrong way to make a scenario. These comments are only suggestions on things you may wish to consider. They are meant to help, not hurt.

 

• The idea of a convoy in between the major bases is a good strategem. Operating at long distances is really challenging. The initial opening battle to provide AEW and CAP coverage for her cost me a few fighters. The Eurofighters did a nice job on my CAP. So did the Harriers with AIM-120C5. Once they were killed, no further air attacks were seen on the convoy. There seemed to be many a/c at Brindisi and other bases, but they don't seem to enter into play very much. I am still working on the strike issues for the Blue A/C - your results confirm they need more work, thanks.
  
• The Red orders state "...get the convoy coming down the Bosporus..." but the convoy is already clear of the Bosporous and in the middle of the AEgean. Just a slight mis-match, perhaps. Yep, I started north of the entire straits and later moved it down to where it starts now.
  
• The Prithvi Missiles missile found on Cyprus easily demolished the UK ground unit. However, they seem to be a bit out of place. Aren't they only used by India? Perhaps SCUD or other SSM for Russian might be a more fitting match for the ground forces. Yes
  
• The Libyan convoy/forces might need some more orders i.e. should it proceed or can it just turn back to protect the merchants? If I had a choice, I would have turned it around and run for the mainland.
  
• One mine in the minefield appears over land. TBF
  
• All the Libyan TFs seem to be nicely proportioned and positioned. I launched an air strike on the Italian PhibRon. I think that it might be "clumped together" at a single position instead of individual patrol zones. It is clumped, the zone assignment did not stick for the Italian group. TBF
  
• The orders say that, "Use the small Libyan air force wisely and carefully - we may get reinforcements and help from the Russians if we hang in long enough." When I first read it, I thought that I wasn't supposed to use the Russian base. I did use it, but questioned if I was supposed to only play the game with Libyan units. The russian a/c were set up with ferry loadouts and an order to ferry after a day or 2 - I could not figure out how to make the russian aircraft only available at some later point in the exercise - can that be done?
  
• I managed to achieve victory after about 1 day while the convoy was still in the southern AEgean. Was this supposed to be possible? ViCond.bmp
  
• The Bears with the Cruise missiles really smite the NATO bases. There doesn't seem to be much defense for the AI against them. The Brindisi base held out the longest with all her SAMs. Maybe you might consider a few more CAP. The 36 ALCM should be pretty easy to shoot down, I think. That surprises me
  
• I ran over all the Blue subs and killed them all. Their quiet acoustic signature made sure that they got off a good shot at me, but I didn't lose anything. However, it often took all the helos in the convoy to catch and kill a single sub. You may want to check out the possibility of the player taking a course different from the one you have laid out. If the player does this, will he still meet the subs? The long duration of the scenario allows the player to virtually travel to Malta before he needs to come back to Cyprus and he's got plenty of time to do it. That possibility is provided for....
  

 

I just really tried to create a challenge, I find it a bit hard from the Blue side even tho I know the traps...

 

Thanx for the input, I will be tweaking.

 

RAS

[*]The orders say that, "Use the small Libyan air force wisely and carefully - we may get reinforcements and help from the Russians if we hang in long enough." When I first read it, I thought that I wasn't supposed to use the Russian base. I did use it, but questioned if I was supposed to only play the game with Libyan units. The russian a/c were set up with ferry loadouts and an order to ferry after a day or 2 - I could not figure out how to make the russian aircraft only available at some later point in the exercise - can that be done?

 

I don't think it is possible to make them available later, either. It might be possible to bring them on as reinforcements.

 

For example, if you set a CAP over a base with Flankers and then order some more Flankers to ferry in later from another base, I *think* that the first base will use the additional Flankers to fill out the CAP. Perhaps one of the HC veterans could confirm whether or not this idea is functional.

 

I just ran the scenario through from the blue side and could not trigger the ViConds. Here is the final status. Both TFs arrived at Cyprus with only DDG Daring and DDG Type 42 lost.

[*]The orders say that, "Use the small Libyan air force wisely and carefully - we may get reinforcements and help from the Russians if we hang in long enough." When I first read it, I thought that I wasn't supposed to use the Russian base. I did use it, but questioned if I was supposed to only play the game with Libyan units. The russian a/c were set up with ferry loadouts and an order to ferry after a day or 2 - I could not figure out how to make the russian aircraft only available at some later point in the exercise - can that be done?

 

I don't think it is possible to make them available later, either. It might be possible to bring them on as reinforcements.

 

For example, if you set a CAP over a base with Flankers and then order some more Flankers to ferry in later from another base, I *think* that the first base will use the additional Flankers to fill out the CAP. Perhaps one of the HC veterans could confirm whether or not this idea is functional.

 

I just ran the scenario through from the blue side and could not trigger the ViConds. Here is the final status. Both TFs arrived at Cyprus with only DDG Daring and DDG Type 42 lost.

 

 

I thought that the use later problem did not have a solution - even thought maybe trying to create a message from HQ that the assets were relelased but not sure how that could work either - as to the victory conditions I left the on station at Cyprus time rather long. I have shortened it in the attached and made a few other changes to giuve the blue side a bit tougher time getting through. I did not change the name of the files, still a work in progress!

 

RAS

crete.zip