AAR: Western Approaches [Spoiler Alert]

SPOILER ALERT

 

After Action Report.

 

Scenario: Western Approaches [21st Century Ocean Wars Battle Set]

Designer: Freek Schepers

Database: PlayersDB 6.4.9. [latest version]

Reporter: Frans Koenz [aka Taitennek]

 

Side: RUSSIA

 

SITUATION:

 

 

The war in Europe is swinging into our favour. Many convoys have been decimated by Tu-22 naval bombers and submarines. NATO has switched tactics from large convoys to small ones.

 

INTEL:

 

A 4-ship, 2-escort mini-convoy has been sighted in the Atlantic 2 days ago. Lately convoys have used Liverpool, Portsmouth, or La Rochelle as disembarkation points.

Expect strong ASW-patrols by fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. Sub threat is unknown.

 

ORDERS:

 

You are ordered to find and destroy the convoy before it reaches the safety of the protected UK coastal waters.

 

A RORSAT satellite will pass through your theatre of operation daily at 13:00.

 

In recognition of the spectacular successes achieved by your command against the convoys, you are awarded the Order of Putin.

 

 

[Putin Order]

 

Captain, we need to count on you one more time. We have received your contact report and know that you are short of torpedoes. Use them wisely and return to base after this mission.

 

VICTORY CONDITIONS:

 

Destroy 3 of the merchants;

Protect 2 of your submarines;

Scenario duration: 44 hours.

++++

 

Game date: 02 April 2004.

Game time: 12:00:00 Zulu time.

 

Akula-class Submarine underway

[Photo: USN]

 

I’m in command of 3 submarines, 2 nuclear submarines [the K-157 and K-263, both Akula-class subs], and the B-401, a conventional powered Kilo-class submarine.

Soon all three submarines picked up the first sonar contacts. At 13:00 the RORSAT flew over the area and all surface contacts and some air contacts became visible; including the enemy convoy. 4 merchants and 2 escorts, both Underwood-class Frigates of the US Navy, cruising at a distance of 340nm west of the English Channel.

 

Time to the hunt for the convoy.

 

Underwood-class frigate [Photo: USN]

 

My tactic:

 

I will move my nuclear submarines towards the French harbour La Rochelle.

 

Together they have enough torpedoes to engage the enemy convoy. The B-401 Novosibirsk will continue with her patrol in the Irish Sea and guard the entrance to Liverpool. She is fully armed and capable to attack the convoy on her own. Too bad that I have no long-distance reconnaissance aircraft to patrol on the Atlantic. I now have to rely on the sonar equipment aboard the submarines. The next fly-over of the RORSAT is scheduled for the next day at 13:00 hrs. Till that time I have to survive with my submarines. I cannot risk the loss of a single unit.

 

Several hours later [19:50:00].

 

Sonar buoys are splashing in the water around the B-401 Novosibirsk [sSK Kilo]. A rather critical situation because the submarine has no space to manoeuvre vertically. With minimum speed at maximum depth [100 meters], the B-401 slowly moves away from the sonar buoys. After 1 hour, the sonar buoys disappeared. A quick rise to periscope depth learned that a Lynx helicopter was circling at a distance of 5nm. Back at the more comfortable depth. In the meantime a new day has come. There are still aircraft nearby the B-401, but it is now 4 hours ago that the last sonar buoy was dropped.

 

Lynx helicopter of the RN

[Photo: unknown]

 

03 April 2004, 03:10:00 Zulu Time.

 

Sonar buoys were dropped again nearby the B-401. The enemy was still searching for the submarine. Amazing that this submarine still is not attacked and destroyed. The enemy ASW-capability is superior and the submarine is still in shallow waters at a depth of 90 meters.

 

Still ten hours to go before the RORSAT flies over.

 

The 2 other submarines are now cruising southwest into the Biscayan Gulf; distance: 200nm from La Rochelle. Only 3 fishing vessels are visible on the screen. 15 minutes later, another aircraft was spotted by the passive sonar of the B-401.

 

I will recommend promotion for the captain of the B-401 if he survives this operation. Perhaps he will be honoured with the Putin-Order as well… His submarine is now 90nm away from the entrance to the Irish Sea.

 

03 April 2004, 10:00:00 Zulu Time.

 

The B-401 is now in shallow waters of the Celtic Sea and creeping towards the Irish Sea. From time to time her passive sonar picked up air contacts, but she is still not detected. I am a bit concerned about an unknown surface contact at a distance of 16nm. Meanwhile the 2 other submarines have reach the coastal waters of the French Harbour La Rochelle and now ready to ambush the convoy if it is heading to La Rochelle. 3 hours left until the RORSAT will show the position of the convoy, as well as the surface vessels in the Celtic Sea.

 

SSK Kilo-class submarine [Photo:unknown]

 

03 April 2004, 13:10:00 Zulu Time.

 

The RORSAT has passed the theatre and provided all the information I need. The exact position of the convoy, as well as other surface, and airborne contacts. My concerns about the unknown surface contact near the B-401 were right; a frigate of the Royal Navy [FFG Duke, Type 23] at a distance of only 12nm.

 

Now the B-401 is not longer necessary for the operation; she must leave the Celtic Sea and return to base. It seems that she has to fight her way out to the safe depths of the Atlantic Ocean.

 

The K-157 Vepr and the K-263 Delfin are in position to intercept the convoy and her escorts. The convoy [position: 45:14N –06:03E] is heading westward and 220nm away from La Rochelle. Now it is only a matter of a few hours.

 

Type 23 Duke class frigate [Photo: RN]

 

03 April 2004, 14:13:00 Zulu Time.

 

A very short visit to periscope depth. The enemy frigate has made a sprint and is now on a distance of less than 4nm. The frigate is on an interception course with the B-401. Immediately I fired 2 torpedoes [53-63 K/KE WH].

 

The first 2 torpedoes didn’t hit, so I fired a second salvo. Bingo! The torpedoes hit the frigate. Now she is sinking. In this environment, a Kilo-class submarine is in its element.

After destroying this dangerous opponent, I plotted a course to the Atlantic.

 

Both nuclear submarines have 4 torpedoes ready and 2 more in their magazines. 12 torpedoes for 6 ships. I have to deal with 2 deadly opponents; The American Underwood-class FFG is perfectly fit for ASW-operations.

 

03 April 2004, 17:00:00 Zulu Time.

 

Time for the end run; The K-263 is now intercepting one of the frigates. The K-157 is creeping at maximum depth and waits for her turn. The convoy is less than 20nm away from my Akulas. 2 airborne contacts have been detected, probably ASW-helicopters based on the frigates. 1 Torpedo is now in the water; the K-157 is under attack. After an emergency dive to maximum depth with a speed of 35kts and the use of decoys, I managed to survive the torpedo-attack. Soon the 2 frigates were destroyed by the K-263. She took out one merchant as well. Without relevant weapons left, she leaves the area.

Now it’s up to the K-157…

 

Soon she fired torpedoes at the three remaining ships and managed to sink them all. Mission accomplished. Another glorious victory for the Soviet Navy!

 

Losses: for NATO:

 

1 Duke Type 23 FFG

2 Underwood class FFG

2 Container Ships

1 Merchant, General cargo

1 Cruise liner

 

Losses for Russia:

 

None

 

Thanks for sharing this scenario with us.:smoke:

 

Taitennek.