1991 3-Day Skirmish over Iraq

1st Mission of a 3 Day Skirmish Campaign in Iraq, 1991.

Target: Communications Center in Northern Iraq. It appears to be lightly defended – intel has only uncovered a solitary 37mm AA Gun and SA-7. We can expect a minimal air threat. The distance involved cuts our weight capacity in half.

It is a four aircraft strike, led by the veteran Snake (2x AIM-9, 1x Mk84), average Fox (2x AIM-9, 1x Mk84) and Lightning (2x AIM-9, 1x AGM-65), and green Big Red (2x AIM-9, 1x AGM-65).

No Special Option used in this raid. Saving for bigger things to come.

Snake and Big Red approach from the south, while Fox and Lightning approach from the west. Bad weather over the target area creates ground clutter which will negatively (-2) affect AtG attacks launched from High Altitude. All aircraft enter at low altitude.

“Site Adjustment Event Card” determines that the target approaches are much more heavily defended than anticipated. One defensive counter is placed in each approach area. Fox and Lightning will now overfly a ZSU-23-4. Snake and Big Red have to contend with an SA-13.

Snake drops a Mk84 on the SA-13, but misses. Sa-13 random fires on Snake who evades, resulting in a +1 Stress (missile), and +1 Stress (evasion).

ZSU-23-4 attacks Fox, who evades. Result of no effect (gun) and +1 Stress (evasion).

Lightning and Big Red attack the communication center with AGM-65 Mavericks, scoring one hit.

Lightning and Fox enter the Target Area on a bombing run. The 37mm anti-aircraft gun attacks Fox, who evades. The AAA gun misses, but +1 stress to Fox. The SA-7 attacks Fox as well. Fox evades again, the missile misses, but Fox gains a +1 Stress (Fox: total +3 Stress). Fox bombs the communications center with a stick of Mk84 GP bombs. Fox rolls lights out and unmodified 10, increase to 11 with his AtG rating of +1. Three hits. The target is destroyed.

Lightning and Fox depart the target area to the west, increasing altitude to High.

“Home Bound Event Card - Coordination” indicates saving the card until the next AtA mission and adjust the die roll with a +2.

All aircraft return to the carrier safely. The mission inflicts a +3 Stress on all pilots.

Results:

Target Destroyed: +2 Victory Points.

Radar and Intel Tracks increased one.

Snake: Stress +5, Status OK.

Fox: Stress +6, Status Shaken.

Lightning: Stress +3, Status OK.

Big Red: Stress +3, Status Shaken.

Lesson Learned:

On such a long flight and with such a low estimated air threat, carry only one AIM-9 per aircraft to increase AtG ordnance load. Could have exchanged am AIM-9 for a rockeye cluster bomb unit. This mission was only successful because of a final roll of a pure 10, securing the final 3 hits needed for a four hit capacity target. Won that one by a knat's rear end.

An enjoyable game in that even a neophite such as myself could set up and play this mission to completion in about an hour.

This game can be found at dvg.com