Caribbean Crisis - The Showdown AAR

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Primarchx
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Caribbean Crisis - The Showdown AAR

Post by Primarchx »

Finally got around to spend some quality time with this scenario. Set in 2012 it posits that Venezuela has invaded Curaçao and Aruba, prompting the Netherlands (the Player side) to respond with a force to push the invaders out.

It's a great example of using every element of your OOB to its' utmost, because the Dutch are dealing with very potent Venezuelan resistance. The small surface group of two De Zeven Provinciën-class air defense frigates, a single Karel Doorman frigate, an oiler and the amphibious ship Rotterdam along with a single Zeeleeuw SSK are your sole naval forces. Stationed on far away (480nm+) St. Martin are a couple of dozen RNLAF F-16MLUs, a pair of KC-10s and another of C-130s.

Against this the Dutch face Venezuelan Su-30MK2 fighters and other powerful air defenses centered on double-digit SAM systems. Their navy is limited but a significant SSM threat is implied and did appear more than once. I didn't find a sub, but I suspect at least one was around.

The Dutch task force starts a distance north of the beleaguered islands, while your SSK loiters near Curaçao. Several landing zones are marked for amphibious, airmobile and/or airborne troop insertion. But the first task is recon, because there are precious few 'permanent' facilities in sight.

It doesn't take long for the first Flanker radars to appear patrolling over the mainland. The Venezualan aircraft in the DB don't appear to have any air-launched PGMs so I'm not too worried about that. But the moment I energize one of my NH-90 helo search radars to see if there are nearby surface threats the Flankers come a running. I silence the helo, put it on the deck and send it back toward home, while firing up the De Zeven Provinciën's radar and jammers. The Su-30s lose the scent and head home.

This is going to be a problem. The Su-30 is a beast. Its' radar has a huge range, it can practically speed across the entire Caribbean on AB and carries 6 AA-12 Adders (50nm). The F-16s carry AIM-120Bs (40nm) and are operating 500nm away from the nearest friendly airbase. Head to head the Su-30s will bury my Vipers. While I can try to draw them into my air defense ships' SAMs, in doing so I risk exposing the invasion fleet - which I'm not willing to do at this stage.

So, to start with, I'll have to make do with the Viper.

I decide to maintain the De Zeven Provinciën as my Red Crown PIRAZ ship. That initial helo radar sweep showed no nearby surface threats and a check of the Command DB shows that the Venezuelan air force doesn't have any ASM loadouts. The Dutch air defense frigates are very capable, with 32 ESSM and 32 SM2s, so I decide the risk is worth it. To the north of this I orbit a single, massive KC-10. This flying gas station will keep a set of two 2-ship flights of air defense F-16s on station over the Dutch fleet, flitting back and forth topping off their tanks from time to time.

Next I bring in a single F-16 with a RECCELITE Recon pod to do a pass over Curaçao. My SSK picked up radar emissions from a Styx SSM launcher covering the invasion beach so I decide we'll start further south, near the airport, and end the run near the northern invasion site to fix the SSMs. After tanking, the recce Viper hugs the deck and heads toward the island, popping up to 5k feet just as it goes feet dry near the airport. Although some ground forces are quickly found the RWR begins squawking in alarm as missiles streak in from the southern tip of the island. Making a jarring turn northward, kicking in the AB and diving for the deck, a pair of SA-17s narrowly miss the recon ship while more are seen closing in. In total six Grizzlies are evaded as the Viper comes to refuge skimming over the water off the eastern shore of the island. I decide to risk crossing Curaçao further north, popping up long enough to get an unobstructed view of any enemy forces before running home. However the invasion beach is covered by a Barak I SAM, which also does its' best to down the recon aircraft. Again judicious use of speed, altitude and vectoring, as well as chaff and DECM, get the F-16 clear with its' valuable intel.

But the battle is just beginning. A pair of Venezuelan Su-30s are streaking in from the south, hunting the recce bird and boring in at high speed. Engaging in a high Mach chase northwards the Viper pilot nervously watches his fuel gauge plunge towards E, knowing that his only chance is to get back to the tanker. And the only way that will happen is if the fleet CAP can stop the Flankers.

The intruding Su-30s are in close formation. I decide my best bet is to separate my F-16 sections enough that the enemy aircraft can only see/pursue one section at a time on radar. This allows the unmonitored section to speed quickly toward the enemy aircraft and hopefully into a good firing position before being picked up. The first time is a little clunky in execution and I suffer close-range counter-fire, but it works and two Flankers go down in flames to no Viper losses.

This tactic works pretty well and later I begin to note which section the enemy interceptors are heading for, and vector that group away so that the other section can approach undetected. I get a total of 8 kills to no losses using this method. But it's not foolproof. Once I unknowingly fly into SAM radar coverage while stalking an interceptor and it abruptly turns its' nose and shoots. Several times my F-16s just outdistance pursuing missiles in supersonic dashes and on occasion a missile approaches close enough to be seduced by chaff or DECM or just plain misses.

Just so, nothing was assured and the virtual pucker factor was pretty high.

One thing I could tell, this scenario was well built and was going to be a challenge.
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Primarchx
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RE: Caribbean Crisis - The Showdown AAR

Post by Primarchx »

So now I'm facing two dilemmas. The Flankers and now SA-17s, which I also find a battery of on the northern coast of Venezuela - close enough to cover most of Aruba - during an (almost as exciting) recon run there.

My Vipers don't have any reasonable SEAD armament, just some LGBs and MK82s. This makes getting any kind of air presence over Curaçao and Aruba very challenging.

Besides the long distance, my strike aircraft have another problem. The weather. There's a light cloud deck at 10k, which means self-designation with LGBs is a problem. They have to be at 10k to launch but can't see the target to designate. The fact that they're light clouds never seems to matter, either. So air strikes need to be more nuanced than normal, using tandem buddy lasing. Or I can use dumb bombs, which I like, too, but LGBs are more of a sure thing. There's a few JDAMs on hand but other than airbases, which I don't intend on going after, the only fixed structure target I can find early on is a radar site near Josefa Camejo airport in Venezuela.

As the tactical picture firms up I also send an NH-90 south to check for surface targets below Curaçao. Sure enough a couple of contacts pop up ... along with the obligatory Flanker response. But now I've got the workings of an op plan in place. First we need to get rid of those SAMs. I have three sites concerning me, but as luck would have it they're all coastal. So it will be up to the surface combatants to take them out. I keep the De Zeven Provinciën with the Rotterdam but detach the second air defense frigate Evertsen and the frigate Van Speijk to move forward toward Curaçao. This group will be responsible for bombarding the Barak SAM on northern Curaçao, but will need to endure the fire of the Styx battery there to do so. If this works, then it's off to hit the SA-17 battery covering Aruba. The first push will be Aruba, which has lighter defenses.

As the Evertson moves south, so to does the Zeeleeuw, on the trail of one of the Venezuelan surface combatants. Soon afterwards a Mk 48 splits an OPV apart. As expected a wave of Styx missiles appears heading toward the forward Dutch frigates, but are rapidly dispatched by ESSMs and RIM-7Ms. What isn't expected is a wave of fast-moving P-800 Oniks ASMs spotted cresting over the island toward the frigates. Disappearing below the radar horizon for a moment they appear streaking towards the Evertson. Many more SAMs fly but the assault is repulsed. Where they came from, no one can tell. Sub, perhaps?

Several 127mm shells later the Barak launcher is a smoking wreck, as is the empty Styx launcher and the Evertson group heads west to Aruba at high speed. However recon has also found the presence of 152mm guns on both islands, each capable of anti-shipping fire. These need to be cleared out before moving the ships into range. A pair of Vipers is launched from Saint Martin, tanks and flies at wavetop height toward Aruba. Popping up just within range they manage to lase and destroy the 152mm battery and dodge down behind cover before SA-17s can converge on them. This will be the last time those SAMs fire as they are also reduced to junk by naval gunfire shortly afterward.

Now the Evertson group sets its' sights on the Grizzly battery on the southern tip of Curaçao. Unlike Aruba, the SA-17 battery is close enough to cover the 152mm position, and vice versa. The two frigates have managed to ambush a pair of CASA Aviocar aircraft with surface search radars but another can show up at any time. It's decided to dash the frigates in under cover of darkness to hit the remaining SA-17s. They are spotted on their run, however, and artillery shells rain down. But the cannon have limited ammunition and only manage a handful of near misses to the ships before running dry. The Evertson depletes its' 127mm HE ammo blasting the SAM battery, but the airspace over both Curaçao and Aruba are clear of SAM threat.
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Primarchx
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RE: Caribbean Crisis - The Showdown AAR

Post by Primarchx »

The last stage is easier. With no SAM umbrella I quickly remove the remaining air search radar at Josefa Camejo (only to find another Barak SAM, which has little import). Apache gunships launched from the Rotterdam and flown at low level begin removing Venezuelan military concentrations with Hellfire and HYDRA attacks, followed by NH90 troop slicks to seize the Curaçao airport. The Rotterdam dispatches LCUs and RHIBs to selected landing sites as well. Within 24hrs all sites have been taken. However a flight of four Flankers approaches and sinks from view. Soon after an ASM strike approaches the Evertson and despite its' best efforts, it is hit by a single missile. Still combat effective it struggles to halt progressive flooding while limping back north to the rest of the fleet as the game comes to an end.

What I liked about this scenario is that the player resources are capable but still challenging to use effectively. The threat is dangerous and very well layered. I had to untangle the defenses and decide how to dismantle them. Then I'd be surprised by what I found when I took them on. The initial recon phase was invaluable in determining how to move forward. It was very challenging because it was moving into the complete unknown. The F-16 with sufficient sensors made a great recon platform. The SSK was also very helpful. It lurked well to the south at periscope depth and provided ESM updates on approaching enemy units (mainly aircraft). Speaking of ESM, no Dutch aircraft had a sufficient ESM set, just good RWR sets (so 120nm range).

SIDE: Netherlands
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
162x 127mm/54 OTO Melara Compact HECVT
113x 127mm/54 OTO Melara Compact HiCap
60x 76mm/62 Mk100 HE Burst [4 rnds]
21x AGM-114K Hellfire II
29x AIM-120B AMRAAM
1x AN/SSQ-53E DIFAR
1x AN/SSQ-62D DICASS
2x GBU-10E/B Paveway II LGB [Mk84]
6x GBU-12D/B Paveway II LGB [Mk82]
2x GBU-38(V)1/B JDAM [Mk82]
13x Generic Chaff Salvo [5x Cartridges]
84x HYDRA 70mm Rocket
4x Mk182 SRBOC Chaff [Seduction]
3x Mk48 Mod 4M
5x RGM-84D Harpoon IC
36x RIM-162B ESSM
28x RIM-66M-2 SM-2MR Blk IIIA
16x RIM-7M Sea Sparrow



SIDE: Venezuelan Ground Facilities
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------


EXPENDITURES:
------------------



SIDE: Venezuelan Air Defense
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
6x 40mm/70 Single Bofors [Flycatcher Mk1 FCR]
1x Radar (Snow Drift [9S18M1])
4x SA-17 Grizzly [9A310M1-2] TELAR
2x SA-17 Grizzly [9A39M1-2] LLV
12x Su-30MK2 Flanker G
2x Vehicle (Barak I VLS [8 Cells])
3x Vehicle (Flycatcher Mk1)
1x Vehicle (Flycatcher Mk2)
1x Vehicle (Mirador Tri-Sensor Turret)


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
8x 40mm/70 Single Bofors Burst [4 rnds, Flycatcher Mk1 FCR]
12x AA-12 Adder A [R-77, RVV-AE]
6x Barak I
28x Generic Chaff Salvo [4x Cartridges]
18x SA-17 Grizzly [9M317]



SIDE: Venezuelan Armed Services
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
2x 152mm/48 2A36 Giatsint-B Towed Howitzer
2x 152mm/48 2S19 MSTA-S
12x 7.62mm MG
21x BTR-80 APC
3x C-212-200 Aviocar [D.3B]
2x GC 21 Guaicamacuto
1x LST 4101 Atsumi
2x Mi-35M Hind
2x OV-10A Bronco
2x SSC-3 Styx TELAR [3P51]
1x T 81 Ciudad Bolivar


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
40x 152mm/48 HE Rocket Assisted
2x 76mm/62 Compact HE Burst [4 rnds]
8x AS-17 Krypton A [Kh-31A, ASM]
8x SSC-3 Styx [P-15M]
12x SSC-5 Sapless [P-800 Onyx]
jptheronmd
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Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 4:51 pm

RE: Caribbean Crisis - The Showdown AAR

Post by jptheronmd »

Thanks for the excellent AAR. I have been struggling with this scenario (which is excellent) - will give it another go. DAMN WHY AM I SO IMPATIENT! Recon!
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MR_BURNS2
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Location: Austria

RE: Caribbean Crisis - The Showdown AAR

Post by MR_BURNS2 »

Very nice review, interesting approach. [8D] I take it the random venezuelan ship spawn is still buggy.
Another fun, though risky, way to deal with some of the threats is to fly in special forces and let them laser-designate targets for the Apaches hellfires, the Apaches should be able to stay low and out of visual range the entire time, but if spotted will get killed by the venezuelan alert fighters.
Windows 7 64; Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 920 @ 2.67GHz (8 CPUs), ~2.7GHz; 6144MB RAM; NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970;


NickD
Posts: 163
Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2014 8:47 pm

RE: Caribbean Crisis - The Showdown AAR

Post by NickD »

This is a great AAR
Galahad78
Posts: 358
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2009 10:10 am

RE: Caribbean Crisis - The Showdown AAR

Post by Galahad78 »

Nice results Primarchx, I remember losing 6 Vipers in this scenario.
magi
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Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2014 1:06 am

RE: Caribbean Crisis - The Showdown AAR

Post by magi »

Really good read Primarchx..... Very thoughtful… Very tactical job you did ... I also agree this is really a very well-thought-out scenario…
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Eambar
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RE: Caribbean Crisis - The Showdown AAR

Post by Eambar »

Thanks for the AAR, excellent. Sounds like a nice scenario, might give it a go.

Cheers,
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