Jump to content

AAR: Nicobar Vengeance [Spoiler Alert]


Recommended Posts

AAR: Nicobar Vengeance [spoiler Alert]

By Mark Gellis

 

nicobarvengeance0zc.th.gif

 

How do you find a submarine that doesn't want to be found? Well, at least I had a surfeit of ASW assets. Wow, a full complement of helos on my 2 little ships; my Horn-of-Plenty was certainly overflowing.

 

Since a Bear can stay up all week, I launched it right away. I intended to ferry my fighters over to Port Blair and refuel them before going out on patrol. However, a pair F-16 lurkers were spotted approaching my ships and the Bear. As my Rules of Engagement [ROE] forbade me from initiating hostile action, my beautiful long-ranged Air-to-Air missiles were simply going to be dead weight. I moved my escorting Flankers to interpose themselves between my Bear maritime reconnaissance plane and the approaching Falcons. As good bodyguards, they set themselves up to "Catch the Bullet" for their Charge de Protection. It was a dangerous game of cat and mouse, but the Falcons let loose with 4 AIM-9L Sidewinders at near point-blank range. My pilots immediately returned fire with AA-11 Archers. Since the Archers were slaved to a helmet-mounted sight, they could be fired without requiring the pilots to be directly pointed at their targets. This meant that the Flankers could turn away more quickly after releasing their own infrared-homing missiles and this fact saved them from loss after the Falcons exploded in twin fireballs.

 

nosyfalcon6dp.th.gif

 

The Flankers retired to India for refueling while the Bear pressed onwards in hopes of locating some clue to the whereabouts of the submarine. She saw nothing but a passing freighter. Instead, she issued a Mayday call that was cut off in mid-transmission. Her last reported position was just north of Sumatra. HQ listed her as "Missing and Presumed Lost" and I still had no idea where that sub might be lurking. All that I knew was that there were lethal air defences active in the region.

 

I sent my Sea King aloft for surveillance of the local area when a sub contact was returned from ZYR Nagala. (I think it is a game bug.) So, I guess luck cuts both ways. She was in the vicinity of the last reported position of the Bear so I was expecting things to get very HOT. It turned out to be a Neutral sub (definitely a game sonar bug).

 

I had the Flankers ferry over to Port Blair, re-fuel, and then ordered them to investigate the disappearance of the Bear and look for possible survivors. They found a Searchmaster on patrol and 2 Hawk Mk 209s on a course to intercept them. Another game of chicken ensued. Once in visual range, the Hawks fired 4 AIM-9P Sidewinders at the Flankers. The Flankers returned fire and turned the Hawks into chicken soup before they went to Bingo fuel status and had to return to Bangalore. On their return leg, they stumbled over a pair of Mandau gunboats and reported them to the approaching frigates.

 

The submarine contact was reported as a Cakra Type 209. Indian intelligence knew that these subs were in the Indonesian Order of Battle. I was baffled as to why it was evaluated as neutral, but I had to watch my step in possibly firing on neutral vessels.

 

My Flankers, again, ran into a counter-air patrol of Hawk 209s over Banda Aceh. I got the distinct impression that the Indonesian military did not want any interlopers in this area. Another exchange of missiles and 2 more Indonesian pilots joined there ancestors.

 

Two Skyhawks emerged from the Indonesian airbase on a course that would take them near my approaching ships so I ordered the Combat Air Patrol [CAP] to investigate. As they came within visual range, they were engaged with gunfire so they returned fire and 2 more Indonesians would not see the next dawn.

 

mandauapproach7xl.th.gif

 

The Mandau gunboats were beginning to stir and approach my frigates. As they had exhibited no overtly hostile actions, I could not take them under fire with the superior range of my Surface-to-Surface missiles [sSMs]. Instead, I positioned my Flanker CAP between the ships in hopes of him being able to shoot down any enemy missiles should they be fired. The Mandau turned away at the last instant and a confrontation was avoided. This time.

 

My little task force continued to comb the area but could not re-establish contact with the Cakra. They did walk all over a wandering whale, but never found the sub again. Time expired and victory was denied.

 

A nice little scenario with an interesting setup. Having to perform Combat Air Patrols [CAP] at the limit of their endurance was definitely a challenge.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...