File Name: Thai10a1.zip

File Submitter: Mgellis

File Submitted: 30 Mar 2009

File Category: WestPac

DB Used: HCDB

Authors: Mark Gellis

Battleset-WPac: .scq - WPac - WestPac

 

 

THAILAND QUARREL. Naval action between Thailand and Indonesia.

 

 

 

Click here to download this file

Thanks Mark!

After Action Report: Thailand Quarrel [spoiler ALERT]

A scenario by Mark Gellis

 

Early in the game I lost the Khamrosin class patrol boat Longlom to an unseen attacker, and I had a pair of F-16s jumped by Su-30s while the Vipers were flying CAP near the Chakri group.

 

It was not an encouraging start.

 

I was able to gain a little redemption by using the P-3T Orion to lure the marauding Su-30s through the air defense envelope of the Chakri group. Radars were energised at the last minute and the Chakri took both down with Sea Sparrow.

 

Several other Indonesian air groups (mostly pairs of F-16s, but including one larger group of Hawks) attempted to approach the Chakri group, but were repelled by AV-8S Harriers.

 

Later I encountered the Ahmad Yani (ex Dutch Van Spejik) class frigates Karel Satsuitub and Slamet Riyadi, each operating alone. Because of their limited air defense, I was able on each occasion to approach closely and drop 500 lb GBU-12 Paveway laser guided bombs that finished them quickly.

 

The Thai Navy Prabrarapak missile craft Hanhak Sattru was surprised and sunk by a trio of RGM-84 Harpoons near the Greater Sunda Islands, for my second naval loss, but I encountered no further Indonesian naval activity in the Gulf of Thailand.

 

The game ended in a draw.

 

As usual, Mark has produced a small scale scenario that isn't too taxing on your time or patience but nevertheless provides enjoyable gameplay.

Mini AAR [minor SPOILER ALERT]

 

So this was an awesome scenario. I had all the forces I needed to enact a clear victory yet due to a poor command decision Red achieved minimum victory, I achieved no victory.

 

This scenario played well in about 2 hours of real life time while chatting on IRC. My first daring move was to take 30 minutes to re-arm my P-3 with the ASuW loadout instead of ASW. I feared that lost 30 minutes would doom me. In the end it didn't. Finding F-16s with nifty C5 variant AMRAAMs was a pleasant surprise, at least until I saw they have the somewhat short ranged APG-66 radar. Still I didn't lose an F-16.

 

Red struct first sinking one of my outlying ships. The attackers were not found. Soon afterwards a pair of F-16s downed a pair of Su-30 using 4 AMRAAM.

 

My surface search sweep with the P-3 was going well, it found a Red ship, I sent two Precis loadout F-16s to prosecute the contact. The F-16s had to dip into their bingo fuel reserves but sank the enemy ship and made it back to base.

 

The my better sense left me and I let the P-3 wander farther from friendly air cover. Somehow it got a sniff of pursuing fighters (ESM?) so I turned tail and ran as fast as possible. By chance the P-3 found another Red ship and being in dire straights anyway fired off two Harpoons, sinking the Red ship. Amazingly the first pair of Sidewinders missed the P-3 by which time friendly F-16s were within range of the P-3 but no enemy was yet detected. Then came the P-3's kiss of death, another pair of AIM-9P, this time one hit home and my major surface search asset was destroyed. I could have used some ASW helos as search platforms but given the search the P-3 undertook I didn't expect any more enemy ships within range.

 

At this point my strategy turned to preserving my force rather than destroying the enemies. The F-16s continued to down enemy planes, nothing got thru to attack group ABS. Then with 7 minutes to go one of my lesser ships stumbled onto a two ship enemy group, well within 57mm gun range. The 57mm let loose and Gabriels flew, the enemy lost their more capable ship but the less capable one was only damaged to 19%. I hit the Flank button and closed to 40mm range, that got us to 27% damage on the remaining enemy ship. Time ran out before the mounts could reload.

 

That was an awesome scenario Mark and it fit within my limited play time this Sunday evening, thanks again!