March 9, 201016 yr A listing of MBXs and CPXs, past, present and future. Completed One Morning in the Hof Gap (3 August 1996) Ruleset: TacOps via IRC Scenario: US battalion versus OPFOR battalion Result: Ran out of time. Game inconclusive. AAR: Here Canadian Collision (11 August 1996) Ruleset: TacOps via IRC Scenario: OPFOR, two T-80U battalions, have to escort a convoy. Canadian forces, a tank regiment have to seize an airbase. Both are going to bump into each other. An interpretation of a scenario from c.1840- the Kriegsspiel days; the very early days of war gaming, where two forces have two entirely unrelated objectives and just happen to be in the same place. Result: Canadian victory when the game was called. While losses were similar numbers, OPFOR was broken and now outnumbered 4 to 1. Comments: The game was earlier played with Kriegsspiel-era units and was a manoeuvre battle. The modern version was a bloody tank duel. Which really says something about the nature of war and how it's changed. An interesting scenario as well. AAR: Here. Crisis in Khuruchabja (17 August 1997) Ruleset: TacOps via IRC Scenario: A reinforced BTR regiment versus a reinforced US LAI battalion. The USMC had to evacuate a CNN team and UN election observers, then retreat itself, to prevent their capture by a group of Islamic Communists (the USRFKP). Result: The CNN team died via their own stupidity. The USRFKP vehicles got effectively wiped out by artillery. Their infantry largely survived. The US Marines got the UN observers out. Comments: The largest CPX yet, although the scenario became unbalanced due to modifications in the OOBs. A lot of issues, but first goes tend to produce them. Prokhorovka II Scenario: So Germany wants its eastern territories back... A German armoured battalion is tasked with seizing road and rail junctions against a Soviet force of two tank battalions. With plenty of reinforcements for both sides. This was based on the Battle of Prokhorovka in 1943, the biggest tank battle in history and a Soviet victory that ended the Nazi hopes of conquering the USSR. Result: A very bloody battle that ended in Soviet victory. Comments: An interesting analysis of tank warfare and the battle of numbers vs. technology. Enforcing the Brezhnev Doctrine Ruleset: TacOps Scenario: A combined Soviet air and land assault against a capital of a "rebellious" state defended by numerous light forces. Based loosely on the Soviet invasions of Czechoslovakia and Afghanistan. Result: The Soviets won, but took heavy losses (especially among their aircraft) and used artillery in a heavy manner. A definite PR loss. Comments: Helicopters are powerful, but easily destroyed. A lesson both the US and Soviets learned to their cost. "Chimera's TacOps MBX" (1997) Ruleset: TacOps Scenario: Two brigades from fictional countries, each picked by a side, fought against each other. Result: Unclear, but very much a trend-setter including in reporting style. Troubles in the Near Abroad (13 December 1997) Ruleset: TacOps via IRC Scenario: Three battalion Russian force and seven battalion Uzbek force (with US equipment) fight to remove a broken down SS-20 TEL (transporter erector launcher) from the middle of a town. Result: Russian victory; they got the missile out of the town, although their forces still there were wiped out. Uzbeks also took heavy casualties in the assault; the TEL had already left. Comments: An interesting example of something different. A demonstration of the problems with piecemeal assaults and using tanks in towns without infantry support. AAR: Here Battle of Brunei (1998) Ruleset: Email-based, adjudicated by Harpoon 3 computer game and TacOps to a large extent. Scenario: A combined arms affair based on a Tom Clancy short story, involving a 2008 Malaysian invasion of Brunei and the US Marines intervening. An MBX that concluded with a TacOps CPX on September 26, 1998. Involving international politics, a cast of lurkers playing other nations, espionage aplenty and MRBMs. Much of the raw data (which I'd like to read) is no longer available on the Internet. Result: US Major Victory; they would have liberated Brunei within 48 hours of the Marine landing, but due to the death of the Crown Prince, would have faced a lengthy stay in the country. Comments: A truly epic game, exceeded in scope only by Global Thunder, but with a better narrative. A game that generated several megabytes of emails and some truly audacious tactics; including sailing Malaysian frigates near merchant ships knowing that US Harpoons would probably hit the larger merchies (they did and it caused a nasty PR incident with the US commanders getting charged with war crimes); ripping bandages off a wounded person's face and threatening a nuclear strike to a conventional ballistic missile attack. AARs: Full exercise official AAR; CPX; Several players Global Thunder (January 2001 to October 2003) Ruleset: Very similar to Battle of Brunei, although using Harpoon 4 paper rules. Scenario: A three-stage (only two completed) combined-arms scenario on a global scale set in 2009/2010 where the US had to deal with 11 potential threats and figure out who was REDFOR. It turned out to be a resurgent Russia. A World Leaders game involving the other threats created some interesting side-pieces, including a Second Falklands War. Result: REDFOR victory for Stage 1. It appears that BLUFOR were winning Stage 2. Comments: A pity we don't have an AAR for the second stage. AAR: Stage 1 Team Trackless (19 February 2000) Ruleset: TacOps Scenario: Two CPXs on a scenario loosely based on the events in Mogadishu, Somalia depicted in Black Hawk Down. In the first, BLUFOR (the US) had a tracked mechanised force. In the second, they had a wheeled APC force. This was at a time there was a lot of debate about a new wheeled APC that eventually became the Stryker. OPFOR was the same both times, a light infantry force with three AA guns. Result: In the first scenario, OPFOR mauled the US forces despite very heavy casualties (85%) and got lots of footage of them doing it, although their CO got killed by his own stupidity. In the second, BLUFOR won hands down. Comments: BLUFOR learned from its mistakes in the first go, skewing the result somewhat. However, the conclusion was clear that LAVs need to avoid close combat. Useful for lessons learned from Somalia, although I'm not sure how this ran in Iraq and Afghanistan. AAR: Umpire, Players TF 1-64 CPX (7 October 2006) Ruleset: TacOps Scenario: US Army Heavy Brigade Combat Team conducts delaying action against a BMP regiment. Result: Game terminated at turn 18 due to ongoing problems with server. SadrCity MBX Scenario: Iran is smuggling a suitcase nuke through Sadr City, Baghdad. Result: Terminated early. AAR: Here Surge Into The Barents (2009) Ruleset: Forum-based Harpoon 4 Scenario: Adaptation of a scenario from the High Tide book, where four NATO SSNs have to get through a Soviet anti-submarine force and a minefield to attack two boomers. Result: The Umpire ultimately had to end the game for real-life reasons, but before that two NATO submarines were sunk, resulting in a loss for NATO. Soviet victory conditions required both boomers to survive and it is unclear if this would have occurred. AARs: In Progress The War in 2012 (2006 to present) Ruleset: Harpoon 4 Scenario: A two-part MBX involving conflicts in the Middle East (Iran and Islamic Alliance v US and Gulf Cooperation Council) Status: Ongoing, currently in first part. Subject to a lot of delays due to RL reasons. Mach Two Vampires: David & Goliath Ruleset: Forum-based Harpoon 4 Scenario: An adaptation of the High Tide scenario, where a small force of NATO frigates must defend a SOSUS station against a Soviet attack. Status: Ongoing Spring Tiger Ruleset: Harpoon 3.9.4 computer game Scenario: China vs. Taiwan. Status: Currently on hold due to lack to activity. VISTULA Training MBX Ruleset: TacOps Scenario: Operation Triton (2009 to present) Ruleset: Harpoon 4 and GCS + GCS home rules + Combat Flight Simulators Scenario: A today one-side MBX involving conflicts in Morocco North Coast (Pro Western Republic Old Spanish Morocco Protectorate v Muslim Ayatola Alliance (Algeria + Libya + Tunisia) Status: Ongoing, currently in first part. Subject to a delays due to Umpire computer problems. Website: OpTriton Upcoming Cakes from heaven (2010) Language: Spanish and English Type: Harpoon introductory AAR scenery MOD based forum Ruleset: Harpoon 4 Scenario: A contemporary-set one-side CPX involving European naval convoy vs Muslim Ayatollah Alliance (Algeria + Libya + Tunisia) Status: In Early/Recruit Stages Website: Recruiting post Frontier Protectors (2010) Languaje: Spanish and English Type: Strategic and Naval component of Operation Triton MBX Ruleset: Harpoon 4 Scenario: Addition for Strategic side of OpTr and boosting of naval component in H4 Status: In Early/Recruit Stages Website: Recruit post For forum registraction contact administrator via email to info@4thperrus.com Mach Two Vampires: Splash One Mudhen (ETA late 2010/early 2011) Ruleset: Harpoon 4 or 5 Scenario: 1993. Nelson Mandela is dead, killed when an explosives-laden plane was crashed by remote control into the South African Parliament building. With the peace process dead, the neighbouring states backed by the new Eurasian Union launch a military assault. Determined to protect South Africa's mineral wealth, the US intervenes. The only carrier group currently in the area is that of Langley, which must fight against superior enemy numbers. This scenario is a re-creation of the attack on the Novorossiysk and Varyag groups by Langley's air wing in the Barrett Tillman classic The Sixth Battle Status: In very early planning stages We Dive at Dawn (late 2011/2012) Ruleset: Combat at Sea Scenario: An adaptation of a 1943 British submarine movie called We Dive at Dawn, in which a British submarine must sneak into the Baltic to sink a German battleship undergoing sea trials. Status: In extremely early planning
March 11, 201016 yr SHUK, An interesting and potentially useful list. I'd be willing to make it a sticky once it is fleshed out. Two wargames missing from the list: (1) the ongoing Spring Tiger and (2) my proposed The Last Day (ready to go, but lacking players).
March 11, 201016 yr Author SHUK, An interesting and potentially useful list. I'd be willing to make it a sticky once it is fleshed out. That was my aim.
March 11, 201016 yr Spring Tiger? Any info on that one? Yeah, a largish China vs Taiwan wargame being run by Ronald Munie (navwarcol on Matrix forums.
March 11, 201016 yr Spring Tiger? Any info on that one? Yeah, a largish China vs Taiwan wargame being run by Ronald Munie (navwarcol on Matrix forums. Can't access that right now...what rule set/engine is being used? Thanks
March 11, 201016 yr Can't access that right now...what rule set/engine is being used? Thanks Multiplayer Harpoon 3: Advanced Naval Warfare for naval action, and Point of Attack 2 for the ground combat.
March 11, 201016 yr Global Thunder (January 2001 to October 2003) Result: REDFOR victory for Stage 1. It appears that BLUFOR were winning Stage 2. Oh, I think otherwise. USS Truman sunk Comments: A pity we don't have an AAR for the second stage. I will root around and see what I can dig up among my own records. Could be next week sometime before I do so.
March 11, 201016 yr Can't access that right now...what rule set/engine is being used? Thanks Multiplayer Harpoon 3: Advanced Naval Warfare for naval action, and Point of Attack 2 for the ground combat. Wow, POA-2. Tried to like it over the course of a number of years, most recently this past year. Not my cup of tea.
March 11, 201016 yr Author More importantly, are they taking dual-side lurkers? Yes, I'm dual lurking. Great. Who do I contact for that?
March 11, 201016 yr Great. Who do I contact for that? ... being run by Ronald Munie (navwarcol on Matrix forums).
March 12, 201016 yr Hey guys, Saw some incoming traffic on my website and discovered this thread about MBXs... I did the ENN news websites for both RikkiTikki's "Battle of Brunei" and "Global Thunder" MBXs. A link to one of the latter's pages was mentioned here (sinking of the US Carrier) and I saw some visits to that page. One interesting note is that Harpoon's own Larry Bond did a cameo as the fleet leader for the US in that engagement. And his loss of the carrier is as much to blame on being in heavy storm conditions when the Russians struck - complicating launches and fleet defense, etc - as on the overwhelming attack itself. A "video" showing that attack briefly is on the main page of the ENN edition (ENN Headline News): http://enn.electronicnewsnetwork.com/globa...er/ENN-GT-9.php Also: Team Trackless - don't know if it was related or not, but I did a "Team Trackless" website for James Dunnigan in 2000. According to the literature: "Team Trackless is a project that came about in a discussion at the U.S. STRICOM (Simulation, Training, & Instrumentation Command) and used "over the shelf" software (i.e. TacOps) to test new doctrine and tactics for the trackless - wheeled armored vehicles - brigades that the U.S. army was experimenting with at the time." In ~2002 the Stryker, a wheeled armored vehicle, was announced. http://www.strategypage.com/tt/trackless.htm And regarding "Spring Tiger" MBX: I'm on the TacOps listserve and saw this posted late last month... ...the Political Phase of the Spring Tiger MBX is over and the Operational/Firework phase is about to begin. If anyone want to join the RED side, get in touch with me off the list, or directly to the umpire (email in the link below): http://springtigermbx.tacticalevaluationandtraining.org/ ...the action can include a combination of land, naval and air ops. RED here is mainly made of China. The planning will start in the next few days. Small and big commands are up for grab (There were no CO in Phase 1) Certainly more info would be available at the included link for that MBX. I had a ton of fun doing those ENN websites - although it was a LOT of work too - which is why I continued to keep them hosted online. Regards, - Steve
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