AAR: Invasion of Norway: Sub Ops

[jerseyfred]

The SSN USS Virginia's mission is to infiltrate a Norwegian fjord to disembark SEALS. As the sub was enroute sonar detected three ships eventually identified as a Udaloy, Krivak 4, and Sovremennyy all between 7 and 10 nm away.

 

The best russian passive sonar range was about 2nm while the sub had a towed array sonar with a range of 10nm. The sub launched its torps at 5 nm from the Udaloy and about 7 miles from the Sovremennyy with the Krivak in between. The Mk48 Mod 6 travelling at 65 knots easily chased down and destroyed the Krivak and Udaloy.With the tubes and wires cleared and reloaded I fired on the Sovremennyy but it was too late.

 

After seeing its two companions destroyed it made a run for it and outran the incoming torpedoes then accelarated to maximum speed and out of sensor range but also leaving the way clear for the Virginia to proceed on course.

 

Loses and expenditures

 

1 Udaloy destroyer

1 Krivak 4

6 Mk48 Mod 6

[jerseyfred]

After sinking, the Russian Surface Action Group (save for a Sovremmennyy destroyer), the USS Virginia proceeds into the fjord. Its misison is to land SEAL teams to disable the air defenses of the captures Bardufoss airbase in preparation for an airstrike.

 

Acoustic conditions, related to water depth made sonar almost unusable as she entered the fjord. There was an Akula 2 class submarine at the entrance, but the 2 simply did not detect each other. The original scenario which I designed for HC had a minefield in the fjord but it was omitted this time since I need to refresh my memory on the mine rules.

 

Virginia moved deep into the fjord and a few miles into the drop off zone, detected a very faint contact which was marked as detected on the plotting board. Sonar conditions were horrible and it took over 30 minutes before a decent solution was worked out...although no ID for the target was ever made. However, no mention of friendly subs were contained in the op orders so it was swiftly dispatched by 2 Mk48s (I dedicated this kill to Tony who made the plotting board with which I played these scenarios). The contact turned out to be a Russian Kilo only 1000 meters away!

 

With the way clear, Virginia proceeds to the drop zone for the SEALS.

 

I think the mines would have really complicated this scenario.

[pmaidhof]

Excellent discussion Fred. Please keep it coming...I'm glad that I'm not the only one.

[pmaidhof]

Fred,

 

How were you intending to "game" the insertion of the SEALs, or was it enough to just get them to the insert point (and them launch them as in HC)?

 

Although this is a differing era, the theme is close to one of my last H4 gaming effort, the take down of a fortified and SSM armed island close to the mouth of the Persian Gulf. It was/would have been relying heavily on the interfacing of Harpoon 4.1, HC, and TacOps, and some other ground warfare game systems.

 

This was the root of my initial question to you regarding the identification and classification of enemy radar and AD sites. That became the long pole in the tent for me at that time.

 

Pete

[jerseyfred]

Pete:

 

I'm working on an abstract land warfare system based on die die rolls ("Risk" style) still trying to work out the bugs and get a balance between abstraction and realism. Hits are determined by a successful attack die roll or are avoided by a successful defense die roll. Each hit reduces the strength or dp of the unit by a factor of one. Combat continues until both sides choose to stop or a side is destroyed. The goal is to simulate roughly what is happening on land realizing this is a naval warfare simulation

 

Again, still a work in progress.

[jerseyfred]

Proceeding to the SEAL dropped zone, the Virginia detected a captured Norwegian oil platform. If the primary mission is successful, her SEALS would be retaking the platform...but first, the primary mission objective, to disable the air defenses at Bardufoss must be acomplished. The Virginia reached position at 0300 hours and deployed the SEALS.

 

An hour later, the SEALs were in position. NATO's suspicions were correct, earlier in the day, the Russian planes based there attempted to strike Bodo airbase in the south. The strike was defeated and only a handful of survivors returned. However, NATO intel reported aircraft movement from the Russian bases on the Kola penninsula. The SEALs were witnessesing replacement aircraft arriving at Bardufoss. In additiion, another surprise awaited them.

 

A company of highly trained Russian troops was on high alert at the base when the two squads of SEALs arrived. In the fighting that ensued the two squads of SEALs managed to reduce the enemy company by 40% although at a heavy cost. The two squads of SEALs lost 80% of their force and the order was given to withdraw.

 

The NATO air strike would have to be replanned.

[TonyE]

Wow, an unexpected twist! The intelligence system fails the SEALs