New Command scenario: Med Conflict

April 14, 2014 · Posted in Command · Comment

Database – DB3000
Author – Doug Joos ‘djoos5’

NATO vs. Soviet Union

Date/Time: 12th March 1990
Location: Mediterranean
Playable Sides: United States

In 1990, President Gorbachev’s perestroika and glasnost did not appeal enough to the more hardline Communist party members, and so he was deposed. With control of the Soviet power back in conservative hands, the Warsaw Pact’s posture resumed its Cold War stance against NATO. The U.S. President’s efforts in trying to break the Soviets through an arms race had had a significant effect, but had caused an inverse result. The hardline Communist masters deemed it necessary to stave off the Americans through force and initiate a plan to embarrass the United States by crushing one of her vaunted carrier groups – the one within the Med.

Information gathered through KGB agents inferred that the mindset of European and US population was no longer interested in more Cold War build up. In fact, the anti-war rallies across Germany proved that the United States was no longer welcome and that all the U.S. President was doing was creating a wedge. It is assumed that if the Red Army can succeed in such a strong attack, the political ramifications would reverberate through NATO and break their will to back the United States. Once done, NATO would no longer have the unity or strength and the U.S. would be forced to pull its forces out of Europe. With no more foothold near the Soviet Union, America would pose less of a threat.

Though a threat, the nuclear option could not – would not – be taken by the United States, as they would no longer have the political currency with their former NATO allies. If they did decide to use weapons of mass destruction against the Soviet Union, they would be the pariah of civilized nations.

Before the Soviets can make their strike, the United States must be drawn out and seen to be the aggressor. To do this, the Soviets use their networks throughout the Muslim nations of Algeria, Libya and Syria. In each country, United States interests are attacked and threats from the American President ignored.

As predicted, the U.S. maritime forces are increased in alert status and the United States Marines are sent to secure the situation.

Note

This scenario provides two action groups for the United States player, along with a lone submarine. Save for course and speed, no other presets have been made. It will be the responsibility of the player to set up the CVBG defenses and air postures.

Orders for Commander United States Forces

DEFCON-2. RULES OF ENGAGEMENT OPTION BETA NOW IN EFFECT. THIS MESSAGE IS TO BE UNDERSTOOD THAT HOSTILITIES BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND NORTH AFRICAN NATIONS HAVE INITIATED. NUCLEAR OPTIONS ARE RESTRICTED UNLESS ORDERS COME FROM COMMAND AUTHORITY. TAKE ALL MEASURES CONSISTENT WITH THE SAFETY OF YOUR COMMAND.

Situation

In two separate, albeit similar events, the U.S. interests in Algeria and Libya have been attacked by what seems to be Islamic extremists. Civilians have been killed and some taken hostage. Although there are no U.S. Embassies in these Soviet allied nations, there are still business interests and because of it, the remaining U.S. citizens are threatened and being held.

President Bush has issued command to Carrier Battle Group-9 and a surface action group centered on the U.S.S. Missouri, along with two Tarawa-class amphibs, to commence actions against these rogue nations. The Tarawas will take up a position off of the coast of each country and begin rescue operations.

Although there are NATO allies in the area, they will not be participating in any of the operations staged by the U.S. Navy.

Enemy Forces

The primary threat to U.S. Forces in the Mediterranean will come from aircraft and patrol vessels off of the coast of Africa. Although both countries are allied to the Soviet Union, there is little chance that the Warsaw Pact will make any aggressive movements towards the U.S. efforts.

Friendly Forces

CVBG-9 [CVN 65-Nimitz (Nimitz), CG 52-Ticonderoga (Bunker Hill), CG 49-Ticonderoga (Vincennes), DD 963-Spruance (Stump), DD 965-Spruance (Kinkaid), FFG 9-O.H. Perry (Wadsworth), FFG 7-O.H. Perry (O.H. Perry), AOR 1-Wichita (Wichita)]

CAW: 12 F-14A, 12 F-14B, 24 F/A-18A, 10 A-6E, 4 EA-6B, 4 E-2C

SAG-386 [BB 63-Iowa (Missouri), DDG 19-C. F. Adams (Tattnail), DDG 37-Farragut (Farragut), LHA 1-Tarawa (Tarawa), LHA 2-Tarawa (Saipan), FFG 8-O.H. Perry (McInerney), FF 1052-Knox (Knox)]

SSN 702 SSN 702-Los Angeles – Flight I (Phoenix)

Primary Objective

1. U.S. SAG_386 is to approach the coasts of Algeria, at Annaba, and Libya at Benghazi. The SAG will remain in each location long enough for the United States Marines to take control of the cities and rescue any American, or NATO, civilians that are being held.

2. CVBG_9 is to transit along with the Missouri surface action group and provide any air cover needed to protect the Marine’s incursions.

Execution

At your discretion; destroy any high-value targets if they should present themselves as hostile. Do not anticipate any assistance from NATO allies.

Command & Signal

Command: USLANTCOM
Signal: EMCON StateC, unrestricted emissions

Rules of Engagement (RoE)

Only nuclear weapons are restricted unless ordered from USLANTCOM.

Note

To fulfil the mission at each of the North African cities, the player must transit the SAG to each location and have one of the Tarawa-class amphibs enter the locked reference point areas off each coast. The amphibs must remain in each area for two-hours of game time to ‘capture and rescue’ any hostages.

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New Command scenario: Sandies and Jollies

April 14, 2014 · Posted in Command · Comment

Database – CWDB
Author – Chad Wemyss ‘cwemyss’

March 1968

A US Marine Corps F-4 was shot down over southern North Vietnam and both crew members ejected. A rescue mission is on standby at Da Nang Airbase. Take command and pick up the downed aircrew!

Total Units: Approx. 40
Scenario Time: 3 hours

An F-4J from VMFA-334 working an Iron Hand mission over Route Package Two was shot down late yesterday. Both crew members ejected with only minor injures in the hills west of Dong Hoi and made contact with other aircraft before going to ground for the night.

An O-2, call sign Nail, launched just before dawn to fix the exact location of the downed crew. A rescue force is on standby at Da Nang to pick up the two men. Enemy ground forces are expected to be moving to find and capture the crew; air opposition is possible but considered unlikely. Radar coverage is provided by Red Crown (USS Chicago) in the Tonkin Gulf.

The approximate location of the two crew is marked. Once friendly aircraft are within range they will make contact via survival radio. To initiate rescue the helicopter must hover over a downed airman’s position for 60 seconds to make the pickup.

Assigned forces are as follows:

Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service
One O-2, call sign Nail
One HC-130, call sign King
One HH-53, call sign Jolly
Four AD-6, call sign Sandy

VMFA(AW)-235 Death Angels
Six F-8E, call sign Cartwheel

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New Command scenario: Great Asian War: Southwestern Front

April 14, 2014 · Posted in Command · Comment

Database – DB3000
Author – ‘Coiler’

This hypothetical future war features Southeast Asia subjected to the biggest bombardment since the Vietnam War.

The Second Sino-Vietnamese War, or Great Asian War, was marked by the PLA air forces launching the largest air campaign in mainland Asia since Operation Linebacker. In the course of this campaign, the Chinese used their fledgling carrier force to go to a location inconvenient for their land-base air force-Cambodia. You are to control the Liaoning strike group in its attacks on Vietnam’s vassal.

This is China’s first use of a carrier in anger.

Background:

Greetings, Commander, Liaoning Group. Operation Chopping Blades, the umbrella designation for PLA interdiction operations against Vietnam and its allies, has commenced. Northern Vietnam is being targeted primarily by PLAAF units in China proper, and the central and southern part of the country is being attacked from PLANAF craft from Hainan. You have been tasked with striking at Vietnam’s puppet state of Cambodia.

The Cambodians with their underfunded and outdated military were nonetheless goaded into entering the war by their Vietnamese masters, and they launched an attack against our flanks in Laos. While the army has largely dealt with the attack, additional Cambodian units are mobilizing. The mobilization must be hindered as much as possible.

Enemy Forces:

-The advanced Vietnamese aircraft have been used to defend their own country, so only their most obsolete weapons have been transferred over to Cambodia. The defense is believed to consist of SA-2 SAMs, lighter AAA, and around 20 MiG-21 interceptors-all at best slightly upgraded from the original war.

Friendly Forces:

You control the Liaoning strike group and two squadrons of J-15s for the operation.

Mission:

You are to strike at Pnomh Penn. Your primary targets are a pair of mobilization areas and parks of Cambodian armored vehicles. Cambodian air bases and defense units may be attacked to aid in the effort, but are not the priority targets.

Execution:

Fire at will. The war has progressed enough that civilian traffic has stopped.

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New Command scenario: Podengo Monday

April 14, 2014 · Posted in Command · Comment

Database – CWDB
Author – Mark Gellis

During the 1960s, FRELIMO, a rebel movement seeking to liberate Mozambique from Portugal, gained assistance from the neighboring country of Tanzania. In 1967, Tanzania formally adopted a socialist ideology.

This scenario makes two assumptions. The first is that, late in 1967, Portugal threatened to use military force against Tanzania if they continued to support FRELIMO. The second is that the Soviet Union, seeking to expand its influence in Africa, responded to the situation by offering Tanzania aid in the form of some older aircraft and warships.

By 1968, Tanzania’s military power has increased significantly. And Portugal has decided that it is necessary to take action.

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Author’s Notes

Tanzania has been set at the “Cadet” level of proficiency to model their relative lack of experience with Soviet military equipment.

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*** OPERATIONAL: IMMEDIATE ***

ATTN: Commanding Officer, Comandante Joao Belo

You are instructed to initiate OPERATION PODENGO MONDAY.

INTEL/SITREP

The Soviet Union has gone ahead and transferred warships and military aircraft to Tanzania, despite our protests in the United Nations. Our government continues to argue that, given the current situation in Mozambique and Tanzania’s support for the FRELIMO rebels.

The Tanzanian task force is currently located near Dar es Salaam.

ENEMY FORCES

Our best intelligence estimates are that at least two warships, probably Skorry-class destroyers the Soviet Union was about to decommission, have been transferred to Tanzania. In addition, Tanzania has received a number of Mig-21 fighters, and possibly other aircraft.

FRIENDLY FORCES

Your task force consists of frigates F 480 Comandante Joao Belo, F 472 Almirante Pereira da Silva, and F 473 Gago Coutinho, and the submarine S 163 Albacora.

Military aircraft at Port Amelia and Mueda have been chopped to your command.

MISSION

Our government believes the only way to prevent an escalation of the current situation is to strike first and to strike decisively. If we crush Tanzania’s naval ambitions now, and clearly demonstrate our superiority at sea, it should prevent future adventurism on their part.

Locate and destroy any and all Tanzanian naval vessels.

You are free to destroy Tanzanian aircraft if they appear to threaten your mission.

Do not attack Tanzanian ground targets.

EXECUTION

The Mozambique Channel is employed by a great deal of maritime commericial traffic. Do not attack vessels until you are certain of their identity.

Aircraft may land and refuel at Mocimboa da Praia, but no munitions are available, so they must return to their bases to rearm.

COMMAND AND SIGNAL

Command: Comandante Joao Belo
Signal: EMCON State C (Unrestricted Emissions)

Good luck!

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Community scenario pack updated – Six new scenarios

April 6, 2014 · Posted in Command · Comment

Miguel Molina has released the updated version of the Command community scenario pack. The new release includes six brand-new scenarios:

Northern Fury 1 – H Hour, 1994 : The Cold War did not end, and World War III has kicked off in February 1994. Soviet forces are attacking en masse. As commander of all Norwegian & NATO forces in Norway, you must hold the line.
Northern Fury 2 – X-Ray, 1994 : X-Ray Station was a longstanding patrol area for NATO submarines whose job it was to keep tabs on the Soviet Red Banner Northern Fleet, in particular the major surface units and the SSBNs. Several US and occasionally UK submarines were on this station for almost 30 years. Now on the eve of hostilities, a Seawolf-class submarine takes up post on X-Ray.
Northern Fury 4 – A Cold and Lonely Place, 1994 : The war is now fully underway. NATO and Soviet forces race for control of Jan Mayen island, a crucial stepping stone to Iceland.
Texas Crow, 2020 : Trinidad and Tobago, with possible Chinese backing, refused to turn over an indicted drug lord to the United States for trial. The USN has dispatched a Littoral Combat Group (LCG), including an up-armed “Block II” Independence-class LCS, to the waters around Trinidad.
Smart Bracelet, 2014 : Mexico is dealing with a drug cartel based in Guatemala. The cartel has been smuggling both drugs and weapons into Mexico. The Mexican government is determined to stop these criminal activities.
USS Baltimore CS1 – Typhoon Hell, 1983 : Following the KAL-007 shootdown in 1983, NATO-Soviet tensions have reached a fever pitch. USS Baltimore, a top-line LA-class submarine, is instructed to trail a Soviet Victor-III submarine departing the Kola. The ultimate destination: The undisclosed patrol area of the new Typhoon-class SSBN.