New Command scenario: Play The Fool
Author: poaw
USN/USMC vs. PLAN
Date/Time: 20 October, 2016
Location: South China Sea
Playable Sides: USN/USMC
Introduction:
In the interest of rolling back Chinese territorial expansion an amphibious assault is launched against their outposts in the Parcel Islands, primarily the Woody Island airfield. Your mission is get the landing force in place and protect it while the Marines storm the islands.
Scenario Design Notes:
This is a medium freeform scenario. Encompassing air, surface, subsurface and land attack actions in "the future next Tuesday".
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Commander US Forces
Situation:
PACOM has decided to begin rolling back the PLAN’s possessions in the South China Sea. The course of action decided upon was an amphibious assault on the Paracel Islands, focused on capturing the aviation facilities on Woody Island intact. Such an assault will compel the PLAN’s South China Sea fleet to battle, bring their aircraft out from their IADS, and give us a staging point within 350nm of their southern coastline.
You can expect the bulk of the PLAN’s South China Sea Fleet to oppose your efforts. The Paracel Islands are geographically close to Hainan Island, and are seen as Chinese territory, militarily and politically they can’t back down from this fight they will bring the heat. Our COMSEC is still intact, but they can read a map and operational indications as well as we can, they know something is coming, just not exactly what, when, or where.
Threats:
Woody Island has an aviation contingent stationed there with a handful of fighter and attack aircraft, along with several modern SAMs and ASM batteries on the surrounding islets. The point of primary concern is the YLC-8 radar located there.
The South China Sea Fleet’s surface element primarily consists of guided missile frigates and destroyers. Expect more than one surface action group screening the approaches and looking to attack anything they think they can hurt. They have limited numbers of modern high-end AAW destroyers, but expect at least one with each SAG and plan accordingly.
There is a very large and active submarine force operating in the area, be especially wary in the littorals around the landing area. Most of the opposing submarine force is obsolete Ming-class boats, but they have a small number of modern SSKs armed with ASMs. Those can cause serious problems.
Most of the air threat will come from Hainan Island, with the Liaoning providing support. Their forces will be a mix of modern multirole aircraft and dated figher craft. There is also a contingent of heavy bombers capable of launching ASCMs stationed there.
Second Artillery Corps will be looking to kill carriers with their ASBMs, including the STOVL amphibs. Avoid detection of your carriers as much as possible, but if that becomes impossible you have several BMD capable escorts with your forces. If you suspect an attack try to consolidate your forces around them. They’ll attempt to swamp your defenses, but they will be holding back a significant portion of their missiles to cover any forces coming from Pearl Harbor.
The Liaoning will be in the area, protected by an extremely capable escort force consisting of multiple AAW destroyers and frigates along with at least one SSN. They will be the most dangerous force in theater but will likely be employed very conservatively and only allowed to support operations with it’s modest airwing and in self-defense.
Task Organization:
Bush CSG
- CVN 77 Bush
- 20x F/A-18A+
- 12x F/A-18E
- 12x F/A-18F
- 4x EA-6B
- 4x E-2D
- 11x MH-60R
- CG 58 Philippine Sea
- DDG 51 Arleigh Burke
- DDG 80 Roosevelt
- DDG 103 Truxtun
Makin Island ESG
- LHD 8 Makin Island
- 6x F-35B
- 4x AH-1Z
- 3x UH-1Y
- LHA 6 America (Sea Control)
- 20x F-35B
- DDG 72 Mahan
- LPD 22 San Diego
- LPD 23 Anchorage
- LSD 45 Comstock
- LSD 52 Pearl Harbor
Zumwalt LAG
- DDG 1000 Zumwalt
- LCS 4 Coronado (ASW)
- LCS 6 Jackson (ASW)
- LCS 7 Detroit (ASW)
Changi Airbase
- 4x P-8A
- 8x KC-130J
- 2x MQ-4C
SSN 783 Minnesota
SSN 21 Seawolf
Orders:
Get the amphibs into the landing zone, and protect them while they offload. How you do so is up to you. However DO NOT damage the airfield facilities themselves especially the runway. Sinking the Chinese carrier should be regarded as a secondary objective, but do not endanger the landings to pursue it.
Scenario Notes:
In order to perform the landings get your amphibs (excluding the USS America), into the objective area and remain there for eight hours.
You score points based on destroying aircraft, ships, and submarines
You lose points for losing aircraft, ships, submarines, with large penalties applied to losing carriers, amphibs and damaging the airfield on Woody Island.
The Liaoning is worth a significant point bonus, but is very well protected. Be sure you can spare the resources to attack it if you choose to.
Command review at GamersHall
Command was reviewed at the German gaming site GamersHall:
CMANO is a true gem for die-hard fans of hardcore Naval Warfare Simulations. Especially the issuing of orders and coordination of the units are at the heart of CMANO. The player virtually sits in the operations center and from there controls all actions. Interest in, and some basic understanding of naval warfare after 1945 are prerequisites to enjoy this item for a long time. Due to the intuitive controls and access to the tutorials, the game is easy to learn – but the complexity makes it difficult to quickly master CMANO. The improved AI and the modern graphics application make CMANO a must for Harpoon veterans.
Read the full review HERE.
New Command scenario: Cape Road
Author – Mark Gellis
Email –mgellis@gmail.com
*** OPERATIONAL: IMMEDIATE ***
ATTN: Commanding Officer, Tabar
You are instructed to initiate OPERATION CAPE ROAD.
INTEL/SITREP
Tensions between India and South Africa have increased over the last several years. Two days ago, South Africa has informed us that our fishing vessels will no longer be allowed to operate in its Exclusive Economic Zone. We intend to comply with this, but we have no intention of surrendering our right to freedom of navigation.
ENEMY FORCES
South Africa has one of the most powerful militaries in sub-Saharan Africa. Even so, it relies primarily on equipment that is at least ten years old, such as JAS 39 Gripen aircraft and Type 209 submarines. It is not clear which forces if any are operating in your area and if they represent an actual threat.
FRIENDLY FORCES
Your task force consists of the frigates Tabar (F 44) and Betwa (F 39).
MISSION
Indian fishing trawlers are moving to a rendevous point outside of South Africa’s Exclusive Economic Zone. Guide these vessels to the rendevous point and protect them from attack.
EXECUTION
It is recommended that you place one frigate ahead of the fishing boats and scout ahead for submarines and surface vessels. The other frigate should be placed behind the fishing boats to screen them from possible attacks by aircraft.
South African intentions are not very clear at the moment. It seems unlikely that South Africa wishes to actually start a war with us, but the economic difficulties that they have faced in the last decade have made them especially sensitive to the protection of their natural resources, fisheries, and so on. They may be looking for an excuse to “send a message.” If you believe their actions pose a genuine threat to Indian civilians, or Indian military forces, you are free to take what you believe to be appropriate action.
COMMAND AND SIGNAL
Command: Tabar
Signal: EMCON State C (Unrestricted Emissions)
Good luck.
Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations in the press
AWARDS / DISTINCTIONS / NOMINATIONS
War Is Boring – Best War Games of 2013: “This isn’t just a game. It’s a simulation that’s as close as many of us will ever get to real Pentagon simulation. C:MANO, as fans call it, is a real-time game that boasts an incredibly rich—and unclassified—database of the aircraft and ships of the Cold War and beyond. […] I strongly suspect that this game won’t prove any less accurate than the government’s tippity-top-secret simulations.”
Usenet (CSIPGWH) – Wargame of the Year 2013: “I had no idea just how epic this thing is.”
Eurogamer.dk – Best Simulation of 2013: “Command is already, in its v1.02 incarnation, not just a technical marvel, there are still rough spots, but certainly a technical achievement of admirable caliber, and admiration is not diminished by the fact that it is made by only four men. […] If you look a little into the future, there is no reason why this could not be the ultimate operational and tactical sea and air war simulator on the market.”
GrogHeads Readers Choice Awards 2013 – Digital Wargame of the Year and overall Digital Game of the Year: “Our Digital Wargame of the Year was certainly a worthy title holder, as Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations pulled in first place over several other acclaimed titles.”
Eurogamer.dk – Runner-up Wargame of 2014: “Command was Simulator of the Year for 2013 (we switched category). Since then its development, just as we predicted last year, has not stopped. All of the past year new free updates to the game have been made available that have refined and transformed what was already the high point of the genre. With its latest 1.06 update, this stunning sea and air-land war simulator gets even better: in particular, there are new options for flight operations (Surge and Quick-Turnaround air operations) and an even more advanced scenario editor.”
REVIEWS (v1.05 / WOTY)
Martin Wiinholt, Eurogamer.dk : “CMANO: ‘Wargame of the Year Edition’ is a perfect-10 on the road from here: there is simply no other game (or simulation) doing what this game does. Whether you want to explore the current conflict in Ukraine, create a scenario that reveals aspects of a potential conflict between China and its neighbors over the oil in the South China Sea, or you want to try to see Israel bombing Iranian nuclear facilities, CMANO can handle it. For the last year it hasn’t left my hard drive. One can never never truly ‘finish’ it – whether you are studying military history at university or if you just love the intellectual challenge of strategy and tactics, CMANO delivers on all counts. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
For this reviewer, CMANO is one of the most important wargames that have come out since the original Harpoon in 1989, and as such it should be rewarded: 10 / 10.”
Maj. Erich Swafford MD USAF (ret), Wargamer.com: “Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations belongs in the library of anyone who has even a passing interest in Air/Naval warfare, students of warfare since 1945, and also just wargamers in general who like a fun game. Like Battles of Napoleon, Combat Mission Beyond Overlord, and War in the East – this is one of those classics that will never leave my drive.
No matter what new game comes out, I always find myself coming back to CMANO because of its unrivaled ease of use and its ability to simulate events which would otherwise be totally inaccessible. This is probably the most important wargame to come out since I started in the hobby back in 1979. It’s pretty much what we all dreamed about having back then, and to now have something this professional-grade available for home use is just nothing short of amazing.”
REVIEWS (v1.00-1.04)
US Naval Institute : ““Command” will find a following not only among civilian gamers but might have value among military, government, and policy circles as a simulator of modern warfare. […] what time the designers did not spend making graphics and interface attractive were spent on building a game that depicts modern warfare on an unmatched scale. […] [This] is a game with broad appeal for everyone from casual gamers to government users looking to model unclassified, informal simulations. It likely will be the main choice for hard modern warfare simulators for years to come.”
SimHQ: “the interface is full of thoughtful details which add up to a very easy-to-use system that’s both intuitive and powerful .[…] I started playing the other night at 8pm, and my wife angrily tracked me down 4 hours later. I told her I thought I’d been playing about 45 minutes, and I meant it. She wasn’t amused, but I sure was. The game pretty much grabbed me and hasn’t let go. […] If you’re into modern military hardware, what-if matchups or historical conflict analysis, this wargame is definitely what you’ve been waiting for. […] Command is, if you’re into the subject at all, an investment in something which you will quite likely still be enjoying for many years.”
Out of Eight Reviews : “The powerful yet relatively easy-to-use scenario editor includes a map of the entire world and essentially every plane, ship, and submarine used by any country the past sixty years; it’s a tool that should be fully embraced by the community. […] The flexibility to manage what you want and automate the rest certainly expands the appeal of this realistic military simulation. The AI does a good job following directions and behaving intelligently, and provides a good opponent for the battles. […] The exhaustive unit research, flexible scenario editor, handy automated mission system, and relatively accessible interface will make Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations appeal to any fan of realistic military strategy games.”
Armchair General: “To sum up: Although the price tag might seem a bit much, this game is well worth every cent of it. If you have even a passing interest in the subject matter, then this game is for you. Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations is, without a doubt, a seriously fun, intense, involving simulation of modern naval combat with nearly infinite replay value. It is a more than worthy successor to Harpoon.”
Hub3r.com: “The amount of content provided with the game is baffling. I was blown away by the amount of details, customization to our fleet, how I could control every aspect of the scenario without ever feeling overwhelmed. That was mostly due to how the user interface works. Sure, it still needs some work when assigning missions but overall it was a pleasant surprise. Last, but not least, community help and how Warfare Sims handles it. Tons of new scenarios in a matter of months! New database stuff, its amazing! Overall, Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations is one of those games that I will pick up five or ten years from now and it will still be awesome to play. Definitely one of the best strategy / wargames released in 2013.”
Coiler at Amazon.com:“Conclusion: Since 1.01, the hardworking developers at WarfareSims have improved upon their already spectacular product. Version 1.04 of C:MANO takes a base game that was incredibly adaptable and makes it even more so.”
HistoriaGames: “Command: Modern Air / Naval Operations is a very good game, boasting attention to detail and realism pushed very high. This precision can be detrimental to players with no knowledge of modern war at sea, in the air and especially underwater, but for experienced users of this type of simulation (like Harpoon in particular or in another aspect, more focused on pure simulations like Dangerous Waters or Sub Command ), both the game and its database, make this a software title that is worth seeing.”
Gamers Hall (de): “CMANO is a true gem for die-hard fans of hardcore Naval Warfare Simulations. Especially the issuing of orders and coordination of the units are at the heart of CMANO. The player virtually sits in the operations center and from there controls all actions. Interest in, and some basic understanding of naval warfare after 1945 are prerequisites to enjoy this item for a long time. Due to the intuitive controls and access to the tutorials, the game is easy to learn – but the complexity makes it difficult to quickly master CMANO. The improved AI and the modern graphics application make CMANO a must for Harpoon veterans.”
GamingShogun: “If you are interested in war games, I think you will be pleasantly surprised just how quickly you pick up the various options and commands. Overall, Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations is an excellent warfare simulation and more than a worthy, spiritual successor to the Harpoon franchise. It features an incredibly-detailed game engine in which to wage war and a huge database of platforms, ordinance, and more with which to do it.”
Wargamer.com: “Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations may have used Harpoon as a starting point but the innovations in graphics and interface mark it as a species apart. […] This game stands heads and shoulders above any game released this year. If it is not named ‘Game of the Year’ in its genre, then that accolade is meaningless.”
Rock-Paper-Shotgun: “Turnless and sporting a seamless global map, a unit list longer than the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and the sort of radar/sonar modelling more usually associated with high-quality jet/sub sims, its 40-strong scenario selection and nicely integrated editor lets you orchestrate everything from nailbiting Red Octoberish SSN duels to quirky Cod Wars and vast multi-day Operation Noble Anvils. […] even the densest landlubber should have grasped command basics within an hour of embarking on the trio of tutorials. […] Yesterday I used authentic British technology including Sea Vixens, Gannets, and WW2-era C class destroyers to defend 1960s Kuwait from an Iraqi invasion. I participated in history’s first missile boat barney and used contemporary Spanish FFGs to face-down aggression from the uppity Moroccan Navy. If you’re a NHWLM (Novelty-Hungry Wargamer Like Myself) the scenario list [..] is an irresistible chocolate box, the editor an incomparable military chemistry set. With a unit roster and armoury that spans sixty years of history and over one hundred countries, there are few post-Korea air or naval engagements that can’t be precisely recreated.”
Canard PC (print, #284): “It leaves no doubt about its intended audience: the guys who are obsessed with the AMRAAM, the fetishists of SSBNs, the ayatollahs of Tomahawk, those who know by heart the radar ranges of all armies of the Warsaw Pact, and can discuss for hours the differences between the Rafale-M and Rafale-C with a lustful twinkle in their eyes. The amount of military hardware simulated via the huge database of the game is impressive, it is the trophies of the technowarrior in all their splendor […] No other recent title is able to simulate with the same care, detail and realism any naval battle of the last 50 years.”
Eurogamer.dk: “All things being equal, if you have the slightest interest in the genre, then it is a title that must be purchased. Without a doubt.”
Wargamer.fr: I played Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations for many hours and I have not yet explored all the opportunities. I have not touched for example laser guided bombs with designation from a ground crew or the use of satellites. This hints at the completeness and variety of techniques and tactics available to achieve one’s scenario objectives. The game is complex but it is quite possible to let the AI handle the details in order to focus on the overall strategy. If I am not for example interested in the precise management of destroyers, I order my F-16s to head towards their goal and tell them when to use their AIM-9 Sidewinders. However, even with the help of AI, to make the most of this simulation some military knowledge will obviously be asked of the player, who will however be assisted by the database or Internet sources.”
ARTICLES
Royal Aeronautical Society – Does the F-35 really suck in air combat?: “TIM ROBINSON puts virtual F-35s into perhaps the most accurate non-classified high-fidelity simulation of a future air combat clash. Who comes out on top?”
War Is Boring – How I Lost the Battle of the South China Sea: “In our simulation, it’s 2016 and both nations have continued to press their claims. Two ships of the Philippine Navy, the patrol craft BRP Emilio Jacinto and BRP Artemio Ricarde, have arrived. The potential for a shooting war is very high.
The U.S. Navy is backing up its Filipino allies: two LCSs, USS Freedom and USS Fort Worth, are both about thirty miles south of the Emilio Jacinto and Artemio Ricarde. The USS Halsey, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, is behind them at an equal distance.
The ships of the Philippine Navy have comparatively crude sensors — basically amounting to eyeballs and navigational radars — and are having a difficult time identifying all of the ship traffic in and around the shoal. There are a lot of surface contacts; some are fishing boats, and some may be… something else.”
Ekstra Bladet – Here’s the game, that Tom Clancy would have loved: “In Command a virtual admiral can fight all sorts of virtual battles – from the conflict between China and Taiwan, the first naval battle which used missiles (between Israel and Syria in 1973), or some of the many Cold War scenarios from the 1970s & 80s. You also have the opportunity to sit in the Admiral’s chair during the Falklands War, to see if you like the British against all odds to win the war against Argentina.”
Royal Aeronautical Society – A hypothetical East China Sea air combat clash: “For this test, I elected to create a simple test. What would the result of two overlapping air combat patrol zones (representing the Chinese and Japanese ADIZs) be? Would forces automatically engage? Who is likely to come out on top? Can I command my forces to minimize losses?
In the game I was able to set up reference points for both China and Japan, which would give the computer-controlled AI aircraft the boundaries to patrol. For China I gave the Chinese Air Force four J-11 (Su-27) Flanker Bs, an AEW aircraft (Y-8W/KJ-200 Balance Beam) and a reconnaissance aircraft (HZ-5 Beagle). Meanwhile the Japanese Air Self Defense Forces (JASDF) would get four F-15J+s, and a E-767 AEW aircraft for support. Each side was set to see the other as ‘unfriendly’ and would be allowed to fire on unidentified contacts breaching their ADIZ. No civilian air traffic was included in the scenario this time and the patrolling CAPs would not be allowed to investigate contacts outside their ADIZ. I would be taking the role of JASDF commander. The scenario takes place in early evening, but all times are in Zulu(GMT).”
Royal Aeronautical Society – Flight Sims in 2014: “Not a ‘flight sim’ as such, the recently released Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations is real-time PC wargame that casts the player as battlespace commander in overall charge. It is included here because its deep and authentic weapons and sensors modelling, its database of thousands or air and sea platforms from 1949-2020, and a global map allow users to simulate almost any air power clash from the late forties on. What to see how effective the TSR.2 might have been in sneaking under Soviet radar? Want to plan the first night of Operation Desert Storm? Or want to explore a hypothetical US-Chinese clash in the East China Sea. It’s all in there and CMANO is a must for any professional practitioner or amateur air power geek.”
War Is Boring – If China’s Airspace Grab Turns Violent, This Is What Could Happen: “Japan and the United States said they would not recognize the ID zone—and promptly sent in warplanes to underscore the point. U.S. B-52 bombers flew over the Senkakus, practically inviting a Chinese intervention, but Beijing’s planes stayed on the ground. Two days later, the Chinese air force flew J-11B and Su-30 fighters and a KJ-2000 radar plane into the zone.
With tensions mounting, I decided to see what might happen if the maneuvers escalated into actual combat. In my scenario, played out in the ultra-realistic computer game Command: Modern Naval/Air Operations, Beijing decides to teach Tokyo a lesson … and opens fire on the Japanese planes. When three of the world’s most high-tech air arms meet in simulated battle, the results might surprise you.”
Arcadia Prime – CMANO: South China Clash AAR: “Command is definitely a thinking man’s simulation (it’s too cool to call it a “game”). You can just jump into a scenario and start playing, but it you do that you’re asking for trouble. Command rewards the prepared player, who studies the mission objectives, assets, and threats carefully. Playing to win forces you to think like a commander, methodically planning your missions to accomplish your objectives, and how best to deal with the obstacles in your way. If you don’t research the capabilities of your assets (e.g., “What do you mean my Aegis destroyer doesn’t have Harpoons? Oh, right, it’s a Flight IIA Arleigh Burke, not a Flight I…crap”) and those of your adversaries, you can be in for some nasty surprises.
Command is a game that’s not only fun to play, it’s fun to think about when you aren’t playing it. You’ll be replaying the mission in your head afterwards, or planning the next one. And you’ll learn something about modern air/naval warfare as well.”
Sugarfree Gamer – Air Tutorial Part I: “CMANO manages to crack open [the] shell of a complex simulation, and give you the tools from a Google Earth style Geosat map to organise large scale or intimate modern warfare. Coupled with an extensive database of hardware, launch platforms, missiles, sensors, electronic counter measures and more across the eras – it really is a Military Porn lover’s wet dream.”
Sugarfree Gamer – Air Tutorial Part II: “The first time I tried it without any clue, and lots of chaos, I got 1100 points losing only four aircraft! I think that’s probably a testament to how good the sub-ordinate AI is to your mission commands. No doubt people who are willing to heavily micro-manage it all, will be able to squeeze every drop of performance and score out of the scenario. But I really enjoy the higher command side of things, and I don’t really want to be worried about the altitude of about 30 odd planes at the same time. It reminds me of the ethos behind the Panther Games’ Command Ops series where you are a conductor of the battle and you’re coaxing the very competant AI sub-ordinates to do your will.
The game is a long term investment in modern tactical warfare, with a scenario editor, a dev team who are out in the community already listening and updating the systems, with submissions to the database openly allowed – I can see this title flourishing in our small niche.”
CIMSEC – The Fourth Generation of Video Games: Professional Training Rewards beyond ‘Killstreaks’?: “Command’s ultimate benefit is its vast scale. The ability to employ nearly any naval or air unit in any corner of the globe allows players to experiment with various situations and conflicts including counter piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, transiting the Strait of Hormuz while being harassed by dozens of Iranian missile boats, counternarcotic operations off the coast of South America, and repelling Chinese A2/AD forces in the Pacific. Some units and methods work almost perfectly in some situations but fail in others. Players experience both the tactical and operational challenges in these various scenarios. Although the game lacks stunning visuals or sounds, it gives users a vast sandbox to practice a wide array of naval tactics.”
Real and Simulated Wars – Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations – ASW Exercise: “Naval warfare strains my poor tactical skills but the feeling of accomplishment, even after a not so successful Command mission, keeps me coming back for more. Today, this devil of an scenario entitled “advanced ASW (anti submarine warfare) exercise””.
Real and Simulated Wars – Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations – Report of Action for May 25, 1982 (Malvinas/Falklands War): “In this scenario (Sea of Fire) the Argentine Air Force (two flights of three A4 Skyhawks each) and the Argentine Navy (one flight of two Super Etendards) attack the HMS Coventry (type 42 destroyer) and the HMS Broadsword (type 22 frigate). Both British warships are on radar picket near the north mouth of the San Carlos Bay.”
Cry Havoc! – More Command: “While not yet perfect, Command is what I always wanted Harpoon to be but never was. I think this is what the guys at Warfaresims.com were after, and they’ve done a great job. I think this is going to be a great sandbox naval warfare sim, playable for hundreds of hours like Arma II and the Combat Mission games.”
John Guy Gollick – Some games I’ve played: “Bit of a guilty pleasure this one. This is about as detailed and hardcore a simulation you can get and yet it also makes a gripping game – especially if you are a Tom Clancy fan. Instead of flashy eye-candy you basically get a copy of the kind of display Jack Ryan stands in front of – fluorescent icons on a world map as you conduct hi-tech operations against your enemies. The verisimilitude of Command is second to none, whether you are a Norwegian sub playing cat and mouse with the Russians under the Arctic ice or trying to take out a spy satellite with missiles fired from a stealth drone (I didn’t even know you could do that). Anyone writing about modern or future intel- and cyber-based operations should check this one out.”
PREVIEWS
Information Dissemination : “I would list the names of people who have been talking to me about this game for the last year, but I feel like I would be name dropping. Needless to say the range of people involved in beta testing range from an Admiral in the US Navy to professors at the US Naval War College to some distinguished Fellows of several think tanks. […] what you guys have done is incredible, I wish all of you great success.”
Real and Simulated Wars : “The lack of micromanaging in Command has finally opened the gates of hard core naval warfare at the grand-tactical and operational levels for me. I am now commanding a naval operation instead of worrying about my patrol aircraft not climbing enough for a better radar coverage. […] This is the ultimate naval/air war game/simulator”
Eurogamer (DK): “Command is furiously ambitious […] With a map covering the whole world, relentless realism and endless opportunities to create interesting scenarios in the included editor, everything indicates that Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations will be a success among wargamers and people who are curious about how a […] war against e.g. Syria would look like from the bridge on a ship.”
SimHQ : “[..] a wealth of effort has gone in under the hood to make the game mechanics as realistic as possible. […] With the wealth of units represented, the scope of time covered, and the entire world as a playable area, the possibilities for scenarios set around any real-world or plausible engagements at sea are without limits.”
Canard PC (print, #283): “After the first mission (The Battle of Latakia in 1973), I was under the spell of the game. After the second mission (Falklands Crisis in 1982) I was excited. After the third mission (US vs Iran in the Strait of Hormuz in 2017), I was in love. […] CMANO is definitely the wargame that all the Harpoon’s fans were waiting for.”
INTERVIEWS
Interview at Real and Simulated wars
Harpoon3.6 1980 – 2015 (DB2000) Database & Scenarios
IMPORTANT NOTE: All further work on the commercial versions of computer Harpoon was suspended in mid-2013 after more than two decades. The guys behind HarpoonHQ (now WarfareSims) saw the signs of Computer Harpoon’s collapse as early as 2006 and started developing our own simulator named Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations which was released in September 2013. Since the owners of WarfareSims have been avid Harpoon fans since the late 1980s / early 1990s, we decided (on popular demand) to keep some of the Harpoon material on our new site even though we’ve now scratch-built our own product that is not related with the Harpoon franchise. The material is provided as-is and is no longer supported. WarfareSims’ time and energy is now devoted to continued development & enhancement of Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations which has similar focus as Harpoon but with a much more pronounced balance between air and naval operations.
The DB2000 Database
The DB2000 database was developed as a replacement for the original Harpoon3 database, with strong emphasis on detail, technical accuracy, consistency and thoroughness. The scenarios and database are platform independent, and will work with both PC and Macintosh versions of Harpoon 3. Hundreds of scenarios have been built by members of the community thus far, and additionally the best twenty-seven original scenarios from the CD have been updated to work with the database.
The DB2000 database spans the period between 1980 and the near future. As such, it covers the second and final “hot” period of the Cold War and comes with a large number of World War 3-based scenarios, ranging in scope from small-unit skirmishes all the way to massive multi-carrier battles and even theater-level nuclear war.
Various events of the 90’s and the first years of the 21st century (historic and fictional alike) are also covered extensively, with a wide assortments of scenarios from the Yugoslav civil war, the Kosovo operations, Desert Storm I & II and a large number of fictional China/Taiwan and India/Pakistan scenarios.
The DB2000 is justly renowned for its accuracy, detail and thorough research, and remains the standard against which any other DBs (be them original work or cheap imitations) are measured.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The “DB2000”, “Colonial Wars” and “Missile Age” databases and all their associated material remain the IP property of their respective authors.
Download DB2000 v10.0.0 Database for Harpoon3.6
updated 25 February 2007
DB2000 Battlesets and Scenarios
Gaming tips
If you’re new to Harpoon3, please visit the Getting Started Section for information on how to set up the database and scenarios. Due to all the bugs and weird behaviour in version 3.7, 3.8 and 3.9 we strongly recommend that you use version 3.6 of the game.
Getting StartedDatabase features | Harpoon3 FAQDatabase Editor | Contact UsAcknowledgments |
The Falklands War – 1982
Located 7000nm from Britain, the Falklands is the only major island group in the South Atlantic. Britain settled the islands and formally declared a colonial administration in 1842. Argentina had been laying claims to the Falklands since her independence, but when serious negotiations began in the 1960s they became dominated by the islanders’ desire to remain British. The talks continued on and off for nearly twenty years and the position of both sides hardened, and in late 1980 the islanders rejected the one remaining solution of leaseback for a fixed period. => Download Entire Battle Set => Falklands War 1982 story |
[Harpoon3.6] The Retaking of South Georgia |
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[Harpoon3.6] Falklands Area Operations |
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[Harpoon3.6] The San Carlos Landing Part 1 |
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[Harpoon3.6] The San Carlos Landing Part 2 |
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[Harpoon3.6] Initial Moves out of San Carlos |
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[Harpoon3.6] Approach to and Battle for Stanley |
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Falklands War – 2002
The old Falklands / Malvinas conflict emerges again in this hypothetical battleset designed by Alfredo C. Cuttone. Twenty years have passed since the first South Atlantic War and both sides have commissioned many new weapon systems, most of whose design has been heavily influenced by the lessons learned from the first war. => Download battleset |
[Harpoon3.6] Invasion |
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Alfredo C.Cuttone | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Return Fire |
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Alfredo C.Cuttone | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] The Siege |
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Alfredo C.Cuttone |
FOST Operational Sea Training
The Royal Navy’s Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) offers a number of Operational Sea Training packages. Basic Operational Sea Training (BOST) is a demanding but rewarding 6 week period, during which time a ship’s organisation is thoroughly trained, with the objective being to ensure that the Royal Navy ships are at the right level of operational capability. => Download battleset |
[Harpoon3.6] Cobra Loose! |
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Paul Bridge | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Vampire Vampire Vampire! |
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Paul Bridge | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Hide and Seek |
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Paul Bridge | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Thursday War |
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Paul Bridge |
Greece vs. Turkey
Senior Turkish Officials have stated that Greek plans to deploy Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs) on both Crete and Cyprus represent a dangerous escalation between the two NATO Allies. The Greek decision to deploy the missiles is despite sustained Turkish threats to destroy them if they were deployed. => Download battleset |
[Harpoon3.6] Cyprus |
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Stephen Mills | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Aegean |
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Stephen Mills |
Long Live the Shah
Suppose the Iranian revolution of 1979 did not occur. Say Saddam Hussein arranged Khomeini’s death during his exile in Iraq and that the Shah’s police were able to head off the remaining religious leaders. Iran would have remained the United States powerful ally in the region and the impressive military buildup of Iran would have continued. => Long Live the Shah story |
[Harpoon3.6] Persian Glory |
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Daniel Hayes | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Dragnet |
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Daniel Hayes | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Back Stab |
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Daniel Hayes |
New World Order
The year 2001 had some dramatic effects on the political, economic and military affairs of the world. After the invasion of Afghanistan by U.S.-led troops and the elimination of the Taliban regime, the unrest that erupted in the Near and Middle East as well as North Africa was inevitable. Peace between Israel and Palestine was never realized, and former hard-liner countries adopted a softer attitude towards their radical politics of the past… |
[Harpoon3.6] Uppercut |
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Klaus Behrmann | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Bring ‘em home |
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Klaus Behrmann | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Exfiltration |
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Klaus Behrmann |
North Star Exercises
These scenarios deal with the complexities of amphibious landings in the modern environment. In this case an extended American MEU with a DesRon in support versus a NATO opposing force in the Norwegian Sea. You will get to explore the difficulties of approaching a hostile coast through hostile waters, conducting amphibious landings, and defending a beachhead. => Download battleset |
[Harpoon3.6] Approach |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Landings |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Consolidation |
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Bundy |
PASON
The PASON (Papa & Son) battleset is Ralf Koelbach’s series of introductory scenarios aimed to walk new players through the various aspects of air & naval warfare. Highly recommended to both fresh players getting their feet wet and also seasoned vets who yearn for a return to the basics! => Download Battleset |
[Harpoon3.6] Wolves vs. Wolves |
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Ralf Koelbach | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Channel Engagement |
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Ralf Koelbach | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Mixed Doubles |
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Ralf Koelbach | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Eyes and Claws |
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Ralf Koelbach | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Eyes and Claws – The Sequel |
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Ralf Koelbach |
Red Flag
RED FLAG is an advanced aerial combat training exercise hosted at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Since 1975, air crew from the United States Air Force (USAF) and other U.S. military branches and allies take part in the exercises, each of which is six weeks in duration.Conducted in four-to-six cycles a year by the 414th Combat Training Squadron of the 57th Fighter Wing, the Red Flag exercises are very realistic aerial war games. The purpose is to train pilots from the U.S., NATO and other allied countries for real combat situations. This includes the use of “enemy” hardware and live ammunition for bombing exercises within the Nellis Air Force Range. => Download battleset |
[Harpoon3.6] Fox One |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Magnum |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Geronimo |
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Bundy |
Operation Windrose
After the collapse of the European Union, most major European nations elected governments that adopted a nationalistic policy. The abandoning of aid programs also led to a military coup in Russia, turning the country from a struggling democracy into a military dictatorship. One issue thought to be solved was suddenly back as a potential crisis: The Kaliningrad enclave. => Download battleset |
[Harpoon3.6] Approach |
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Johannes Ritter | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Exodus |
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Johannes Ritter |
Rise of the Dragon
Chinese leaders consider Taiwan a breakaway province and they have repeatedly stated in official venues they would never tolerate a declaration of independence by the island democracy. In this battleset, Beijing has decided to put muscle behind its threats, and launches a full-scale air, naval and ground assault on the small island. => Download battleset |
[Harpoon3.6] The Spratly Incident |
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Marco Cipollini | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Brothers in Arms |
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Marco Cipollini | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Invasion! |
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Marco Cipollini | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Free Taiwan Free |
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Marco Cipollini | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Fall of the Dragon |
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Marco Cipollini |
WW3 in 1989
In September 1989, Erich Honecker, afraid to loose power due to the growing unrest in East Germany, launched a Blitzkrieg-style overland assault against NATO forces in West Germany. The Soviet Union’s leader, Mikhail Gorbatchev, was overthrown in a bloody military coup two days after the attack began, and the new military junta in the Kremlin mobilized immediately to back up East German maneuvers. |
[Harpoon3.6] In times of war |
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Klaus Behrmann | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Stalker |
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Klaus Behrmann | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Alfa on the run |
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Klaus Behrmann | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Polaris Hunters |
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Klaus Behrmann | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Knocking on Heaven’s Door |
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Klaus Behrmann |
World War Three in 1987
Following a dramatic fallout in relations and sudden outbreak of war between east and west, NATO forces were not allowed the expected build up period envisioned in their planning. The result is a NATO somewhat unprepared for war, where the supreme goal is to hold off the Soviet attempts to break out into strategic locations long enough to get vital units in position to meet the threat. |
[Harpoon3.6] Red Icepick |
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Quinton van Zyl | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Pearl Harbor II |
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Quinton van Zyl | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Mediterranean Outbreak |
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Quinton van Zyl | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Red Tide |
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Quinton van Zyl | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Withdrawal from Norway |
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Quinton van Zyl | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Logistical Nightmare |
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Quinton van Zyl | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] African Sideshow |
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Quinton van Zyl |
World War Three in 1985
The time is 1985 and World War Three has broken out. Failing five-year plans and a poor harvest in the Soviet Union has put a lot of pressure on the Communist leadership. Willing to risk starting a war in order to preserve their station in society, the Soviet Central Committee engineered the conflict and blamed the West for jeopardizing the security of Soviet citizens. =>World War Three story |
[Harpoon3.6] Norway Part 1: First Contact |
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[Harpoon3.6] North Cape Part 1: Fighting Withdrawal |
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[Harpoon3.6] GIUK Gap Part 1: The Boomer Bastion Raid |
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[Harpoon3.6] Atlantic Ocean Part 1: The Surge |
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[Harpoon3.6] GIUK Gap Part 2: Rescue the Merchantmen |
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[Harpoon3.6] Norway Part 2: Silent Hunters of the Deep |
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[Harpoon3.6] Norway Part 3: Counterattack |
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[Harpoon3.6] GIUK Gap Part 3: Escort the Iowa |
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[Harpoon3.6] North Cape Part 2: Parthian Shot |
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[Harpoon3.6] GIUK Gap Part 4: Backfires! |
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[Harpoon3.6] Norway Part 4: To Help a Friend |
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[Harpoon3.6] Atlantic Ocean Part 2: Sink the Boomers! |
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[Harpoon3.6] GIUK Gap Part 5: The Trap |
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[Harpoon3.6] GIUK Gap Part 6: Arctic Typhoons |
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[Harpoon3.6] GIUK Gap Part 7: Attack on the Kirov |
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[Harpoon3.6] Atlantic Ocean Part 3: Convoy I |
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[Harpoon3.6] Atlantic Ocean Part 4: Target Conakry |
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[Harpoon3.6] GIUK Gap Part 8: The Barrier |
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[Harpoon3.6] Atlantic Ocean Part 5: Convoy II |
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[Harpoon3.6] Atlantic Ocean Part 6: RORSAT |
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[Harpoon3.6] Norway Part 11: Avengers |
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[Harpoon3.6] North Cape Part 3: Entering the Norwegian Sea |
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[Harpoon3.6] North Cape Part 4: Clash of the Titans |
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[Harpoon3.6] North Cape Part 5: UNREP |
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[Harpoon3.6] North Cape Part 6: Round Two |
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[Harpoon3.6] GIUK Gap Part 9: The Hunt for the Lama |
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[Harpoon3.6] North Cape Part 7: Return to Norway |
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[Harpoon3.6] North Cape Part 8: Landings |
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[Harpoon3.6] North Cape Part 9: Battle for Narvik |
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[Harpoon3.6] North Cape Part 10: Logistical Chain |
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[Harpoon3.6] North Cape Part 11: Visit to Finland |
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[Harpoon3.6] North Cape Part 12: Consolidation |
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[Harpoon3.6] North Cape Part 13: Enter the Lion’s Den |
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[Harpoon3.6] North Cape Part 14: Assault on the Kola Peninsula |
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[Harpoon3.6] North Cape Part 15: Return to the Kola Peninsula |
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[Harpoon3.6] SIOP Part 3: Return to the Kola Peninsula |
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[Harpoon3.6] GIUK Gap Part 15: Negotiating Chips |
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1980’s Themed Individual Scenarios
[Harpoon3.6] Another Day In The Med |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Attacking the Fortress |
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Ralf Koelbach | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Baltic Bottleneck |
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Stephen Mills | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Battle of the Philippines |
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Charles Berlemann | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Biting the Hand |
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Christopher Comars | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Block |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Bloody Iceland |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] BOOM! |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Coming Storm |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Diesel Power |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Epervier |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] In Harms Way |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Operation IRON FIST: Day One |
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Tukey | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Midatlantic Blues |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Northern Route |
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Stephen Mills | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Outbreak |
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Steve Mills | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Operation Babylon |
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Stephen M. LeBlanc | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Operation El Dorado Canyon |
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[Harpoon3.6] Race For Iceland |
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Quinton van Zyl | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Raid Commander |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Ring Of Fire |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Soiree in the Med |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] The Big Squeeze |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] >The Fighting 25th |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] To Kill a Mocking Blackbird |
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Tukey | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Viktorious |
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Bundy |
1990’s Themed Individual Scenarios
[Harpoon3.6] Adriatic Nights |
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Christopher Comars | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Battle for the Korean Straits |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Battle of the Maldives |
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Quinton van Zyl | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Blind Man’s Bluff |
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Klaus Behrmann | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Conflict in the Comoros |
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Quinton van Zyl | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Deliberate Action |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Diamonds in the Sea |
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Quinton van Zyl | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Gauntlet II |
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Chris Elliot | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Go Tell the Spartans |
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Steve Mills | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Libyan Scuds |
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Gianni Bartoli | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] On a Wing and a Prayer |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Operation Destabilise |
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Daniel Hayes | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Shallow Waters |
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Steve Mills | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Suppression |
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Luigi Varriale | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] The Essex Are Back |
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Saul H. Jacobs | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] The Novaya Zemlya Installation |
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Klaus Behrmann | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Warthog Strike |
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Stephen M. LeBlanc | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] What, No Kilos? |
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Mike Reed | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Wreckage |
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Bundy |
2000’s Themed Individual Scenarios
[Harpoon3.6] Active Engagement |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Alpha Strike! |
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Apocal | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Basic Operational Sea Training |
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Luigi Varriale | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Battle Islands |
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Klaus Behrmann | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Battle Royal |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Blue and Gold |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Buckshot |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Canary’s Cage |
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[Harpoon3.6] Caspian Monster |
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Steve Mills | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Checkmate |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Cousins |
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Gianni Bartoli | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Crossing Sabers |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Darkest Peru |
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Steve Mills | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] DeGaulle |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Desservir |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Eye of the Storm |
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Steve Mills | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Embassy Under Siege |
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Klaus Behrmann | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Envelope Tango |
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Steve Mills | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Escape from the Barents Sea |
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Luigi Varriale | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Fight or Flight |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Hanish Feud |
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Francois Guerin | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Hormuz Strait |
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Klaus Behrmann | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Iranian Weapons of Mass Destruction |
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Steve Mills | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Joint Exercise ‘02 |
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Rob Carpenter and the HHQ | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Kerguelen Station |
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Scott MacKenzie | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Kuril Salient |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Leviathan |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Los Bandidos Rojos |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Makaze |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] ODAX 2004 |
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Francois Guerin | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Run from Damascus |
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Klaus Behrmann | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Rybachiy Raiders |
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Steve Mills | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] SIMEX |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Southern Watch |
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Claudius Nissl | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Survivors of Son Tay |
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Klaus Behrmann | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Syrian Weapons of Mass Destruction |
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Scott MacKenzie | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] The Humbler |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Weekend Warriors |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] The Indonesian Crisis |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] The Kra Isthmus |
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Steve Mills | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Tigers |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Tiran Transit |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Tormenta Del Sur |
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Bundy | ||||||||||||||
[Harpoon3.6] Waking the Bear |
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Bundy |
Individual Monster (Oversized) Scenarios
DISCLAIMER: These scenarios are extremely large and may run slowly on most computers. |
[Harpoon3.6] Armageddon is a Tidal Wave |
This is a massive sub-hunt scenario inspired by Patrick Robinson’s book SCIMITAR SL-2. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] Formosa |
Due to internal unrest, Mainland China decided it could not wait any longer tore-claim the rebellious province of Taiwan. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] Red Flag 2004 |
A US CVBG/ARG has to attack two well equipped and technically sophisticated neighboring enemies. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] Return of the Air Force |
The Iranian government will release more than 200 aircraft which escaped during the Gulf War – back to Iraq. Forces in the region scramble to stop the delivery. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] The Hunt For The Nevada |
Tensions between China and Taiwan are on the rise again. Washington moves the available submarine forces into the theater, including the SSBN 733 Nevada. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] The India-Pakistan Conflict |
The crisis over Kashmir escalated. The new Indian and Pakistani leaders vowed two days ago to destroy the nuclear capabilities of the other. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] The Might of the House of Saud |
Things were changing fast in the Middle East after the Coalition left Iraq in January 2005. The House of Saud was forced to cut a deal with the opposition, and western military forces would no longer be allowed to interfere with Arabian politics and economics… | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] The Saudi Revolution |
Saudi fundamentalists, supported by Iranian subversives, has forced the Saudi King into exile. It became clear that these nations intend to pursue joint plans to eradicate the Israeli nation from the map. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] The Typhoon Defection |
The deal between China and Russia to purchase two Typhoon class SSBN together with nuclear warheads did not materialize – mainly because Beijing found a cheaper alternative: a Russian submarine captain is willing to defect with his boat. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] Wolf and Rabbit |
Since end of the 1990s, the USN is using their SSBNs more conventionally. Part of a Fleet Examination Exercise very often is one SSBN against another in a so-called Wolf and Rabbit role. | Klaus Behrmann |
Monster (Oversized) Scenarios: China Series
DISCLAIMER: These scenarios are extremely large and may run slowly on most computers. |
[Harpoon3.6] Blue Water Expedition |
China has formed a military alliance with Myanmar. This move is being opposed by most members of ASEAN. India declared that any positioning of Chinese military units on Burmese soil or in Burmese waters would be considered an unfriendly act, risking a surgical response. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] Kilos from Komsomolsk |
Russia sold six brand new Kilo class submarines to the perceived 21st decade enemy of the USA, and has promised to ensure safe delivery into Chinese waters. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] Tensions in the South China Sea |
It has been a well kept secret among the Chinese and Vietnamese forces that they have been contesting the Parcels Islands for more than a decade, with the Vietnamese leading the fray, as, apparently, they are more fierce than their opponents. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] Spratly Conflict |
It is by now believed that the shooting war over the Paracels Islands was a deviation from the real Chinese target: the Spratlys. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] Ingress |
China is attempting to move equipment into Myanmar by clandestine measures, both by air and ocean freight. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] The Akula Trap |
China, threatening to invade Taiwan, lures the U.S. 7th Fleet into a devastating trap. Three years ago the Chinese Navy secretly purchased four Akula II submarines from Russia, and now the crews are fully trained to assault an American carrier battle group. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] Armada |
China invades Taiwan in a moment when the USA have no carrier force in the region. The Taiwanese Navy, Army and Air Force are on red alert, and both America and Japan have pledged to bring in any immediate support that they can administer. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] Operation Seawolf |
The island of Taiwan was invaded a year ago, and both the USA and Japan were unable to bring in sufficient forces in time to drive the invading Chinese Army back into the sea. Now the USA is marshaling forces and trying to convince the UN to launch a counter-invasion. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] Coup de Grace |
In secret negotiations which started already three years ago, the USA and Vietnam agreed that Vietnam would provide base facilities for strikes against China and the liberation of Taiwan. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] The Liberation of China |
After months of political discussions and an expired ultimatum, the United Nations agreed to attack the Chinese invaders on Taiwan and launch at the same time a full scale attack against any military installation on mainland China. | Klaus Behrmann |
Monster (Oversized) Scenarios: Liberation of Russia
DISCLAIMER: These scenarios are extremely large and may run slowly on most computers. |
The Russian military overthrew the elected government in a bloody coup d’etat. After an uprising of the Russian population and horrendous bloodshed in the streets of all major Russian cities, the UN decided to put an end to the might of the Russian military and to install democratic forces once again. |
[Harpoon3.6] Baltic |
Move your light carrier task force/amphibious group to the Latvian coast south of the ice field and disembark your troops for an overland assault on St. Petersburg. The Baltic states have granted the UN rights of passage. Engage all Russian military bases with preemptive strikes. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] Kola |
Conduct an amphibious landing at the Kola Peninsula. Preliminary strikes against a number of bomber bases have been successful. The Russian military now needs to be defeated once and for all in order to secure a lasting peace and a democratic evolution in this country. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] Black Sea |
Part 3 deals with the assault on Rostov and Krasnodar and the attack on Moscow. Most Russian air assets have been moved to the Kola theater. However, it is estimated that both Krasnodar and Moscow will be heavily defended. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] Pacific Theater |
Our success in Europe forced the Russian military leadership to focus their main attention on the Far East. Both Vladivostok and Petropavlovsk must be considered as the last Russian bastions of major resistance. Destroy Vladivostok and Petropavlovsk. | Klaus Behrmann |
Monster (Oversized) Scenarios: Indonesian Crisis
DISCLAIMER: These scenarios are extremely large and may run slowly on most computers. |
The Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) was ousted by the military in a bloody coup d’etat. ASEAN has launched an operation to restore democracy in the country. |
[Harpoon3.6] Part 1 |
ASEAN is moving an amphibious task force towards Java for a landing in Tanjong Priok. The landing will be supported by paratroops. For ASEAN it is a difficult task, as Malaysia and Singapore have gained a bit of experience in conducting joint operations. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] Part 2 |
This part of the series deals with the approach of the supporting Thai SAG and the first military intervention of the Royal Thai Navy in modern times. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] Part 3 |
Part three of the mini-series deals with the main assault by the Singaporean and Malaysian PHIBRONs and the attempt to land paratroopers in Jakarta and Tanjong Priok. | Klaus Behrmann |
Monster (Oversized) Scenarios: New East Asian Prosperity Sphere
DISCLAIMER: These scenarios are extremely large and may run slowly on most computers. |
After the landslide victory of the Democrats in the USA in 2008, the nation immediately went into a stage of international isolation. Military spending was cut drastically. Mothballed military equipment such as two FORRESTAL class carriers were sold to Japan, warships and submarines were sold to South Korea, and so on. All this stopped all of a sudden when a militaristic government took over in Japan in the middle of 2009 and managed the unification of the Korean peninsula, again without bloodshed. In 2010 China joined the pack, and in 2011 a coalition with the name New East Asian Prosperity Sphere was born. By the end of 2011, most Southeast Asian nations were threatened to become a member of the pact or face economic isolation or war. Many of them succumbed and were relatively peacefully annexed, only Vietnam and Indonesia offered stiff resistance and came up with a real fight. The Singapore Navy and Air Force escaped to Vietnam, while Malaysia sent her navies and air forces to Java or India respectively. |
[Harpoon3.6] A cry for help |
Chinese troops are 30 km north of Hanoi, but cannot advance any longer due a tremendous partisan effort of the Vietnamese population. NEAPS troops, however, have successfully occupied the oil- and gas-rich installations in Sarawak, Brunei, Kalimantan, Irian Jaya and Sumatra. Australia, scared that NEAPS is closing up to her northern shores, intends to establish base in East Timor. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] Defeat in the Java Sea |
The Joint New East Asian Prosperity Sphere HQ for Southeast Asia has requested substantial reinforcements to ensure a successful amphibious landing near Jakarta to gain control over all of the Indonesian archipelago, but the remaining loyal Indonesian forces, together with their ANZAC and British allies, promised to offer tough resistance. | Klaus Behrmann |
[Harpoon3.6] Siberian Resources |
The New East Asian Prosperity Sphere, having gained complete control of all of Southeast Asia, is consolidated. An ultimatum has been sent to Moscow: surrender Siberia or face war. Russia decides within one hour on the appropriate answer: war. With her military still in bad shape, the world holds its breath: will the regional conflict turn into a nuclear escalation? | Klaus Behrmann |
DB2000-Rebuilt Scenarios from the Harpoon 3 CD-ROM
The scenarios on this page are original Harpoon 3 scenarios from the CD-ROM rebuilt with the DB2000 database. Improvements include a corrected Order of Battle (OoB), greatly improved Artificial Intelligence (AI) behavior plus a number of other fixes that boost realism and overall gameplay. We have AGSI’s permission to rebuild these scenarios. They are still (c) Advanced Gaming Systems Inc. (AGSI), and anyone who wants to play them must agree that there is no warranty expressed or implied to the fitness of the scenarios. |
Global Conflicts 1
[Harpoon3.6] A Naval Border War After-Action Reports [2] |
Ecuador and Peru had fought a series of small wars over the exact demarcation of their mutual border. At stake was a seemingly unimportant strip of worthless land, that is, until a huge oil bearing rock formation was discovered directly beneath the border. |
[Harpoon3.6] Assault On Zion |
Although the Israeli government and the PLO had signed a Peace Accord in 1993, by late 1994 it was obvious that little had changed. PLO hard-liners continued to launch attacks from Lebanon and Southern Syria in an attempt to force Israel to compromise by giving up more land. |
[Harpoon3.6] Break the Blockade After-Action Reports [1] |
With the collapse of the major world powers’ economies in late 1994, the EEC immediately voted to force the British into the union, by force if necessary. After a series of heated debates and several at-sea incidents, the French and German governments decided on a blockade. |
[Harpoon3.6] Dawn Patrol After-Action Reports [3] |
Norwegian and Russian missile boats encounter each other in a fast-paced engagement off the rocky Norwegian coastline. |
[Harpoon3.6] Inchon Again |
The war has begun. The North Korean Army, almost a million strong, has swarmed over the DMZ and is rapidly pushing south. Now the US Marine Corps has arrived to relieve Seoul… But can they get through in time? |
[Harpoon3.6] Okinava |
As the Western economies continued towards collapse, Japan moved forward in its desire to reassert dominance in the Far East. A naval and air blockade was placed around Okinava Island. The US government decided to respond with a show of military force. |
[Harpoon3.6] Operation Ratcatcher |
The Swedish military has decided that an aggressive defense of Swedish territorial waters is the best way to deter future intruders. Orders were issued to all fleet units that the Swedish bases of Karlskrona and Solvesborg were to be protected with a maximum use of force. |
[Harpoon3.6] White Death |
With the industrialized nations of the world struggling to put their economies back on track after the crash of 1994, most South American countries were on their own economically. The Chilean government formed several expeditions to explore the Antarctic region in search of new oil reserves. |
Global Conflicts 2
[Harpoon3.6] Those futile fjords After-Action Reports [1] |
The 2nd week of the war finds the Soviets in control of most of the major population centers in Norway. The Norwegian Navy was also forced to abandon their bases and are now hiding up and down the coast using the many fjords to mask their positions. |
Global Conflicts 3
[Harpoon3.6] Nordic Revenge |
Swedish naval commanders has noted the Soviets regular supply convoy from St. Petersburg to Kiel and determined that this group of ships would pay the butcher’s bill. |
Cold War
[Harpoon3.6] Car carrier convoy |
Predictably, when the opening shots of the Pacific Rim War were fired, merchants of all the involved countries began to scream for protection. |
[Harpoon3.6] Midway Revisited |
At least one PACRIM SAG is loose in the Pacific. Centered on the Kirov-class cruiser Frunze, this powerful group must be eliminated quickly. CINCPAC has ordered the Kitty Hawk battle group to locate and engage the Frunze SAG as soon as possible. |
[Harpoon3.6] Tremors |
The sudden outbreak of war has left many cargo vessels at sea without protection. Soviet attack submarines deployed just before the commencement of hostilities and have positioned themselves perfectly. Lightly armed trawlers are also creating havoc. |
[Harpoon3.6] Watch That First Step |
With the first war shots, DEFCON ONE status was automatic. Every submarine in the inventory that was capable of getting underway left port for the greater safety of the open sea. |
Westpac
[Harpoon3.6] Block the Oil After-Action Reports [1] |
As economic pressures increase in the countries of the old Soviet Union, the wealth and prosperity of other countries aggravate existing tensions. Russia and Japan have been disputing the ownership of the islands north of Japan since WW2. |
[Harpoon3.6] Infiltration |
As the war on the Korean Peninsula rages, small violent naval engagements erupt along the coast. North Korean sabotage and assassination teams are landed by infiltration groups along the coastline. South Korean patrol boats struggle to stem the flood. |
[Harpoon3.6] Operation Big Bash |
As the most radical proponents of Russian military expansionism gain more political power, Russia’s borders with European and Asian countries become areas of vastly increased tension. In response, the US has undertaken to eliminate all Russian naval capabilities from the Pacific Ocean. |
[Harpoon3.6] Phone Tap |
Eavesdropping on another country’s communications has been a standard method of spying in this century. This scenario postulates a tap on a Russian fiber optic cable running along the sea floor of the Sea of Okhotsk. |
[Harpoon3.6] Piracy at sea |
With limited resources, at least when compared to the possible combined forces that could be brought to bear by a multinational force, militant faction leaders have decided to wage a slower, more terroristic war in the Strait of Malacca. |
Harpoon 3 Tutorial
The tutorial text can be viewed in the simulator by selecting “Tutorial” from the PC pull-down menu while running a tutorial lesson scenario. => Download battleset |
[Harpoon3.6] Lesson 1 |
Orientation of the Harpoon 3 interface. |
[Harpoon3.6] Lesson 2 |
Plotting courses and set speed, altitude, and depth. |
[Harpoon3.6] Lesson 3 |
Use of passive and active sensors. |
[Harpoon3.6] Lesson 4 |
Ship-based weapons. |
[Harpoon3.6] Lesson 5 |
Submarine operations. |
[Harpoon3.6] Lesson 6 |
Air operations. |
[Harpoon3.6] Lesson 7 |
Mission Editor. |
[Harpoon3.6] Lesson 8 |
Formation Editor. |