New Command scenario: Tempest Marlin

May 18, 2014 · Posted in Command

Author: Mark Gellis

This scenario assumes that the government of Cameroon has been overthrown in a military coup. In the months following the coup, the new leader of Cameroon has put down all resistance with extraordinary brutality. Thousands of people have been killed and hundreds of thousands have been displaced.

Three weeks ago, the new leader of Cameroon put down an uprising in the city of Douala. The military killed over one thousand people, most of them unarmed civilians. Reports have come in describing widespread use of torture against those who have been detained by the government and of the summary execution without trial of dozens of people suspected of being connected to the uprising.

The remaining rebel forces have withdrawn to the coastal town of Kribi. The United Nations is deeply concerned that the leader of Cameroon will launch an all-out attack against Kribi, with little regard for the safety of civilians. Experts fear sanctions will not work, or at least not work quickly enough to prevent tens of thousands of deaths, and that the rest of the world has a very unpleasant choice to make: take action against Cameroon now or wait and perhaps be partly responsible for the massacres that take place.

Ghana has offered the United States the use of one of its air bases. The American President has moved aircraft to Ghana and ordered a Surface Action Group (SAG) into the Gulf of Guinea. It is not clear, however, whether the Americans will respond if Cameroon moves against Kribi.

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Author’s Notes

A delta template .ini file has been included with the .zip file so that one can more easily upgrade the scenario to any future versions of the database.

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*** FLASH *** FLASH *** FLASH ***

TEMPEST MARLIN is go. Repeat. TEMPEST MARLIN is go. Execute immediately.

INTEL/SITREP

A Cameroonian armored column has just been spotted moving out of the city of Douala. It is likely that this is the beginning of the expected attack against Kribi.

Because of the widespread slaughter that took place when the military of Cameroon regained control of Douala, it is feared that the attack on Kribi may result in the deaths of thousands of innocent people. The President is determined to make sure this does not happen.

Intelligence briefings on the new leader of Cameroon suggest that having American troops on the ground, in Douala, combined with the destruction of a large segment of his army, will convince him to come to the negotiating table.

ENEMY FORCES

The armored column is believed to be at least battalion strength, but most likely consists of older units such as M-113 APCs and Cold War vintage Soviet artillery. However, Cameroon received about a dozen Type 88 tanks from China last year and has purchased SA-22 Greyhound mobile SAM units from Russia.

The armored column represents a significant portion of Cameroon’s military assets. Its destruction would be a serious blow to the leader of Cameroon.

Cameroon’s other forces consist primarily of small patrol boats and a few Alpha attack aircraft.

FRIENDLY FORCES

Your task force consists of DDG 98 Forrest Sherman, LCS 3 Fort Worth, T-AO 194 John Ericsson, JHSV 3 Millinocket, and FFG 55 Elrod.

SSN 761 Springfield is chopped to your command. She is already on station off the coast of Cameroon and awaiting your orders.

Available aircraft based at Kotoka have been chopped to your command.

Our contacts with the rebels will send you reports on what they know about the fighting as it progresses.

MISSION

Destroy the Cameroonian armored column before it attacks the town of Kribi.
Destroy Cameroonian air defense systems near Douala.
Destroy the government-held airfield at Douala.
Once the Cameroonian army has been crippled, separate Millinocket from your task force and and conduct an amphibious landing of the embarked troops at Douala. (The target area is marked on your tactical map.) At the same time, transport airborne rangers from Kotoka to Douala via C-17s.
You are free to attack any appropriate targets of opportunity.

EXECUTION

Begin your attack immediately. You only have about two hours before the armored column reaches Kribi. You are free to employ air strikes, cruise missiles strikes, or a combination of both.

After the armored column has been destroyed, you must complete the rest of your mission within 24 hours.

COMMAND AND SIGNAL

Command: Forrest Sherman
Signal: EMCON State C (Unrestricted Emissions)

Good luck and Godspeed.

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