Don of a New Era (possible spoilers)

[LMychajluk]

This was a tough one (especially after the updates), but I finally managed to get through it with a decent score (349 - Major Victory). Note that I didn't 'initiate' hostilities, instead waiting for the Russians to be declared hostile before firing on them. Unfortunately, that meant I also didn't get the opportunity to help with the Ukrainian ground campaign much, though NATO Air Superiority was established over the Crimean Peninsula and the most of the Russian fleet cleared from the Black Sea.

There were some quirks that accounted for a few of my loses. For instance, the 2 Meltem IIIs both ran out of fuel and crashed during relatively uneventful patrols (???). I also need to be more diligent about watching my air patrols and/or setting up Prosecution areas for the AAW patrols (mostly the F-15C losses), as my CAP patrols would wander hundreds of miles away from their Patrol areas, where they would get jumped by enemy fighters or SAMs. But, if anyone has any tips on protecting the surface ships, I'm all ears. I tried destroying the Russian spy ships ASAP, then parking a Growler over each DDG, along with overhead CAP to supplement the ships own SAMs and a CAP screen to keep any strike aircraft away, but the Russians were pretty relentless in their ASuW attacks. Those SS-N-22 Sunburns are brutal, and seem to come out of nowhere. Many of the Russian ASM missiles have enough range to reach most of the Black Sea, so I think identifying the launch platforms and taking them out sooner is key. I also think there may have been another sub or two out there that I never detected, as there did seem to be a lot of missiles coming from directions where there were no surface contacts. I thought I killed one Russian sub, but I don't see it on the Russian losses list(?).

All in all, a fun scenario. Forced me to learn a lot. Going to probably work on Crimea River next.


SIDE: NATO
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
2x ATR-72-ASW [Meltem III]
1x Radar (Tall King A [P-14])
2x Radar (Coastal ACSR)
1x Radar (Bar Lock A [P-37])
10x F-15C Eagle
1x F-35A Lightning II
1x F 221 Regele Ferdinand [Type 22 Batch 2]
3x F-16CM Blk 50 Falcon [Peace Onyx III CCIP Upgr]
1x F 111 Marasesti
1x S-70B-28 Seahawk
1x F 495 Gediz [Perry, Gabya Class]
1x F 41 Drazki [Wielingen Class, Type E-71]
7x Tornado IDS [A-200C]
2x Wildcat HMA.2 [AW.159]
1x D 35 Dragon [Type 45 Batch 2]
1x Building (Control Room)
3x Building (Aegis Ashore [AN/SPY-1D(V) MFR])
3x Mk41 VLS [8 Cells]
2x F-22A Raptor
1x U-2S
2x F-16CM Blk 50 Falcon
1x F-16CM Blk 40 Falcon
2x F-16CM Blk 40 Falcon
1x F-16CJ Blk 50 Falcon [Peace Onyx IV]
5x F-15E Strike Eagle


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
85x AN/SSQ-53E DIFAR
73x AN/SSQ-62D DICASS
8x RGM-84L Harpoon II
2x RGM-84G Harpoon ICR
6x AGM-65G Maverick IR
30x AGM-88B HARM
32x Aster 30 PAAMS [GWS.45 Sea Viper]
44x Generic Chaff Salvo [5x Cartridges]
4x RIM-161B SM-3 NTW Blk IA
10x RIM-161C SM-3 NTW Blk IB
19x RIM-174A ERAM SM-6MR Blk I
36x AGM-84K SLAMER-ATA
166x AIM-120D AMRAAM P3I.4
16x Aster 15 PAAMS [GWS.45 Sea Viper]
64x Generic Chaff Salvo [8x Cartridges]
11x AIM-9X Sidewinder
4x 20mm/85 M61A1 Vulcan Burst [100 rnds]
34x AGM-88C HARM
24x AIM-120B AMRAAM
7x Generic Flare Salvo [3x Cartridges, Dual Spectral]
19x AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM P3I.3
2x AK-230 30mm/65 Twin Burst [50 rnds]
2x PK-16 Chaff [TSP-60U]
12x 25mm GAU-22/A Equalizer Burst [30 rnds]
64x RGM-109E Tomahawk Blk IV TACTOM
12x RIM-66E6 SM-1MR Blk VIB
60x RIM-162A ESSM
3x 76mm/62 Compact HE Burst [4 rnds]
5x RIM-162B ESSM
1x 127mm/54 HE-CVT [HiFrag]
3x 20mm/100 Mk15 Phalanx Blk 1B Burst [300 rnds]
14x Mk214 Sea Gnat Chaff [Seduction]
4x Mk234 Nulka
2x Mk59 Mod 0 Floating Decoy
1x 20mm/85 Mk15 Phalanx Blk 1 Burst [300 rnds]
8x RIM-7P Sea Sparrow
42x RIM-66M-2 SM-2MR Blk IIIA
24x AGM-158B JASSM-ER
1x 100mm/55 Model 1968 PFHE Burst [4 rnds]
20x AGM-88E AARGM
12x AS.34 Kormoran 1
19x Generic Chaff Salvo [4x Cartridges]
180x GBU-39/B SDB
4x Paveway IV [Mk82]
1x 114mm/55 Mk8 HE(MP)ER HE
4x Mk251 Siren Active Decoy Round
2x FDS-3 Floating Decoy
68x AGM-158A JASSM [Penetrator]
32x AGM-86D Blk II CALCM [1200lb Penetator]
6x SPICE 2000 GPS/EO [Mk84]
2x RGM-109I Tomahawk Blk IV MMT [Multi-Mission]
2x Mk46 NEARTIP Mod 5
48x GBU-54(V)1/B LJDAM [Mk82]
118x UGM-109E Tomahawk Blk IV TACTOM
8x GBU-12D/B Paveway II LGB [Mk82]
52x GBU-38(V)1/B JDAM [Mk82]
20x AGM-154C JSOW [BROACH]
75x Mk82 500lb LDGP
5x AN/ALE-50 [RT-1646/ALE]
4x AGM-65K Maverick IR
55x CBU-103 WCMD [CBU-87/B CEM, 202 x BLU-97/B Dual-Purpose Bomblets]
4x CBU-105 WCMD [CBU-97/B SFW, 10 x BLU-108/B Anti-Tank Bomblets]
24x HGK INS/GPS [NEB 2000lb Penetrator]
6x GBU-32(V)1/B JDAM [Mk83]



SIDE: Russia
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
3x Su-35S Flanker E
2x SSV Primorye [Pr.394B/994]
28x MiG-29S Fulcrum C
8x Searcher II [Forpost] UAV
1x SSV Vishnya [Pr.864 Meridian]
33x Su-24M2 Fencer D
12x Su-25SM2 Frogfoot A
4x Su-24MP Fencer F
2x MRK Nanuchka III [Pr.1234.1 Ovod]
24x Su-34 Fullback
11x Su-30SM Flanker G
4x Su-24MR Fencer E
2x Su-25SM Frogfoot A
3x MiG-31BM Foxhound
4x SSC-5 Stooge TEL [K-340P]
2x Vehicle (Band Stand [Monolit B])
4x Vehicle (1L257 Krasuha-4 Mobile Jammer+ELINT)
24x SA-21a Growler TEL
9x SA-16 Gimlet [9K310 Igla-1] MANPADS
3x Vehicle (Grave Stone [92N2])
3x Vehicle (Cheese Board [96L6])
18x SA-22 Greyhound [96K6 Pantsir-S1, KAMAZ-6560 8x8] TELAR
2x Radar (High Screen B [9S19M2 Imbir])
3x SKR Admiral Grigorovich [Pr.1135.6M]
2x Bridge (Four-lane 150 Tons)
2x MRK Bora [Pr.1239 Sivuch]
2x Radar (Bill Board B [9S15M Obzor])

[Gunner98]

But, if anyone has any tips on protecting the surface ships, I'm all ears

Best way of protecting the ships is a strong CAP and a ruthless search and strike of all SSM platforms early. Of course that means you will have to delay your help to the Ukrainians or the strikes on the Crimea... [8D]

[LMychajluk]

I had been trying to stay in an 'observer' role until open hostilities w/ NATO broke out (which usually starts with a swarm of inbound ASMs), but I guess I can try and do a bit more recon of the Russian fleet and re-position my ASuW assetts 'just in case'. The attack planes coming off the peninsula would overfly the Russian fleet, and launch thier strikes while protected by the fleet's SAMs. In honesty, I also didn't realize until later in the scenario what a threat the Nanuchka's and other minor ships that carried the SS-N-22 Sunburn were. The way I played through, I couldn't really help the Ukrainian ground troops up in Donbas because I was tied up w/ the fleet and the units in the Crimea. By the end, though, I did manage to destroy both the naval bases, and do significant damage to the airports on the Crimean Peninsula proper.

BTW, you need to add another Strike Tutorial on how to attack a surface fleet (when there's no terrain to hide behind!). Thanks for those, btw - they really helped!