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Sink the Kiev earlier. April 1977. Historical scenario.


A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the GIUK Gap 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/NATO side or from the Red/USSR side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.

 Image: Swiftsure-class nuclear attack submarine HMS Spartan leaving HMNB Clyde, Faslane, June 1, 1993 (Photo: FOSNI PHOTS/MOD, licensed under the UK Open Government Licence version 1.0 (OGL v1.0). Took from Wikipedia Commons).

 A long time ago, in a sea world far, far away, it's a period of cold war ...

In April 1977, during Soviet exercise SEVER-77, British nuclear attack submarine HMS Swiftsure get orders for a covert operation: close the then new Soviet CVH Kiev and obtain visual and sonic data about her, and the mission was a great success.

The Soviet task force did sail off Lofoten archipelago in the Norwegian Sea and keep position to perform activities and show presence in face of one of the more clear Western allies, demonstrating the futility of any NATO opposition.

The intelligence operation executed by HMS Swiftsure demonstrated just the opposite.

In this speculative scenario, in an alternate timeline, WWIII breaks out and the UK SSN task is changed to sink the Kiev.

Can you perform it at least as good as historically did HMS Swiftsure?

 

Enrique Mas, January 21, 2023.


 

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Notes on some units:

- HMS Swiftsure torpedo load in 1977 (And in the rest of UK SSNs) should be a mix of ASW Mk23 Grog (Only with ASW capability) and unguided straight-running anti-ship Mk 8 Mod 4 (Mk VIII****). For try to simulate this, HMS Swiftsure (Entry 6393, 80/1, armed only with Mk 24 Mod 1 Tigerfish) is replaced in this scenario by HMS Warspite with older torpedoes (Valiant-class, entry 6390 with Mk 24 Mod 1 Tigerfish AND Mk8).

- Mk 24 Mod 0 Tigerfish (Estimated PH=40%) with only ASW capability were introduced in 1980, and Mk 24 Mod 1 (Estimated PH=30%) adding limited anti-surface capabilities were introduced in 1979, and both were very defective (See Admiralty Trilogy's South Atlantic War supplement, by Andy Doty).

- In consequence, to figure 1977, Blue player SHOULD EMPLOY ONLY Mk VIII** torpedoes to sink the Soviet surface ships.

- Towed Sonar 2024 in UK submarines were of very limited availability even in 1982, less even in 1977 (Probably no UK submarine equipped with it in 1977), and were not convergence zone capable See Admiralty Trilogy's South Atlantic War supplement, by Andy Doty, and his very interesting notes on UK subs sonar variants).

- Previously to her 1/1979-3/1983 refit HMS Swiftsure should be equipped with Sonar 2001BC (in lieu of Sonar 2020) and clearly without towed Sonar 2024.

- Nimrod R.1/P were based at RAF Wyton from its introduction on 1974 to 1995 (From then rebased at RAF Waddington to its retirement on 2011), ASV.21 surface search radar was replaced by weather radar in 1980, and in-flight refuelling probe added 1982, just after South Atlantic War.

Edited by broncepulido
minor text change
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