Alfa Wolfpack (1987)

[Zaslon]

I think that we need more scenarios where the "bad guys" are playable. Then, in this scenario you can command a wolfpack of 3 Project 705K (Lira Class, Codename:Alfa) with the support of AV-MF assests vs a NATO ASW Task group (TG 415.2), DDs and FFG, no CVs at this time.

It's a beta version, so any comment will be appreaciated.


DN-ST-84-01603

v0.71

[Patmanaut]

I´d love to use my zolotaya rybka...

[Rory Noonan]

That is bad-ass Patmanaut!!!! There was a guy on one of my ships that spent an entire deployment building and painting a U-boat; I was amazed at that but WWII isn't a strong interest for me. Cold war is where it's at for me, and your work there looks absolutely amazing.

Zaslon I'm going to play your scen this afternoon, sounds like it'll be fun [:)]

[Rory Noonan]

Some suggestions on wording:

For the description

The 'Third World War' is here.

There are offensive operations around all the globe. Norway has signed a pact with the USSR, declaring neutrality. The world is dancing (teetering is common cliche, dancing works too, your choice) on the brink of a nuclear war. At this moment both sides are only using tactical nuclear weapons at sea due to the threat of Mutally Assured Destruction.

NATO forces are trying to enter our SSBN bastions in order to destroy our SSBN fleet. Ultimately this will give NATO nuclear superiority and the freedom to launch ICBMs over our cities and force our unconditional surrender.

Victory, or death.

For the briefing

Comrade Admiral,

Your mission is locate and destroy a NATO ASW Task Group operating in the Norwegian Sea.

For this mission, the Soviet Union gives you command of the following assets:

3 Attack Submarines Lira Class [K-123, K-373 and K-493]
A pair of Tupolev Tu-95RT.
8 Tu-16K-26PM and 2 Tu-16R from 987th Naval Air Reconnaissance Regiment (987 MRAP)

Do not expose your Tu-95RT to the enemy fire. These aircraft are high value platforms for the Aviatsiya Voyenno-Morskoyo Flota (AV-MF).

Our intel information reports that the NATO ASW Task Group 415.2 is transiting from South Iceland to the Norwegian Sea. Our most recent intel reports indicate that the enemy will try to penetrate our SSBN Bastion. In order to clean the path of the ASW TG, we expect some P-3 Orions in the zone of operations.

Good Hunting, Comrade Admiral.

[Rory Noonan]

I had a quick play through. I scored terribly, but I'm chalking that up to being in a rush to get through the scen and provide feedback [;)]

K-493 will cavitate at scen start if left alone; maybe you could set the subs to either deep and creep or shallow and stop to simulate being on station waiting for orders.

Radars are set to on for the subs on Lira Patrol. Not sure if this is desired, but it gives away the sub location very quick.

Maybe delete Lira Patrol if side is human. It's a small mission and should be easily managed by a human.

Do you want to include SOSUS? I was able to be quite reckless ploughing through the ocean at full/flank to get into position. With the recon aircraft up I was able to detect the MPAs and ASW helos and steer clear of them for the most part. Adding SOSUS in would prevent that, but might make the scen too difficult.

Orion could be more deadly with EMCON set to radar off. With good ELINT it's possible to see roughly where the Orion is, and based on that anticipate where sonobouys would be laid.

Severomorsk-1 could be made into a single unit airfield to improve performance on low end machines.

Hope that helps, I look forward to playing through the scen again!

[AlexGGGG]

Recon mission, Soviet side, fails to properly navigate around the big no-nav zone; they take southern route around instead of northern. The no-nav zone should be adjusted to avoid that, possibly by expanding it in east direction.

[Zaslon]

Wow Pat, very nice Alfa.

Thanks for testing.

Changelist for v0.5
*No-Nav zone increased to avoid a South route.
*Missions for Soviet Union deleted (This was my mistake, I forgot to delete these misions).
*WRA Changed. Now the player can switch between granted or not granted in 'Use Nuclear weapons'. By default 'not granted' (because Alfas used nuclear Shkval first).
*Air bases and Naval bases changed to Single Unit.
*NATO Radars turned off.
*Lira Speed decreased at start.
*Briefing and description updated (thanks Apache85).

[tk208]

Think the victory conditions need to be adjusted, got a minor victory within the first 5 mins by sinking an FFG with the LR loadout Badgers.

Cheers.

[Zaslon]

Thanks TK208.

For v0.6 I'll adjust the points, victory conditions and the conditions trigger the end of the scenario.

[Aivlis]

Check your point-giving triggers and their associated events; the following log shows some are wrongly associated, as when it was taken both Brave and Clark were still afloat:

02/02/1987 23:07: Score changed from 0 to 350. Reason: Event Action: 'Spruance points' has been fired (part of Event: 'USS Ingersoll was destroyed')

02/02/1987 23:10: Score changed from 350 to 530. Reason: Event Action: 'Perry points' has been fired (part of Event: 'Perry was destroyed')

02/02/1987 23:10: Score changed from 530 to 710. Reason: Event Action: 'Perry points' has been fired (part of Event: 'USS Clark was destroyed')

02/02/1987 23:10: Score changed from 710 to 850. Reason: Event Action: 'Brave points' has been fired (part of Event: 'HMS Brave was destroyed')

02/02/1987 23:10: Score changed from 850 to 1000. Reason: Event Action: 'Talbot points' has been fired (part of Event: 'Talbot was destroyed')

Regarding difficulty; when not relying on the aviation, I found it almost impossible to deal with the surface group without using nuclear weapons, but that may be me being bad at sub warfare. The range on the torps is so short that by the time you have a decent firing solution a sonobuoy is bound to land nearby. On the other hand, firing a couple of Shkvals into the center of the formation and running away giggling worked wonders.

[Zaslon]

Thanks Aivlis for testing it.

v0.71 online (link in the first post).
Scores corrected. Tankers Added. End scenario event tuned. Difficult in the description set to 4/5.

Yeap, I am also a bad hunter, for this reason Badgers were added.