Operation Scarlet Lance, 1966

[Mgellis]

My newest beta...

It's 1966 and the Cold War just got hot. Saratoga's battle group is tasked with eliminating the Soviet threat in the eastern Mediterranean. Will Egypt and Syria stay neutral or fight with the Soviets? Will nuclear release be granted? Play and find out!

As always, please let me know what you think. Suggestions on any and all aspects of the scenario--order of battle, the style of the orders, the way the Events work (or do not work), how challenging the whole thing is, etc.--are welcome.

Thanks!

[version 5 uploaded 12:40 AM EST 6/23/19]

[baboeska]

Cool scenario lay out, from a first glance only....
I thought it was nukes free from Day 1 according to doctrine of the time?
Please feel free to correct me when you believe I'm wrong.
And there should be a pair of birds ready to go with nukes, I believe?
Where are my nuclear depth charges? Are the Russian's weapons free?
Was kind of looking forward to nuking a 3rd of the earth in game, though I guess fracking and rare earth mineral mining will do that with no war required lol.

[Ancalagon451]

Fast paced, messy, bloody and you are strongly encouraged (but not outright ordered) to use nukes, I loved it.

I tried to be "clean" ant not make any mushrooms, but the enemy numbers where too high, and the technological advantage too little in this era.

So I became a son of a bitch and blasted the Egyptian airbases with one megaton bombs , I was in the process to doing same to the Syrians (unnecesarily since I later checked with the editor and they had literally run out of planes, unlike the Egyptians which still had plenty), when the Soviet surrender (if nukes fly, it cannot be called victory) message arrived.

I run it a little more after that to see if the Soviet nuclear bombers worked as intended, and I found the only little issue to report: Beta Strike doesn't have nuclear release autorization and doesn't fire, Saratoga Strike on the other hand, does have it and works as intended (it blasted the whole fleet out of the water).

Also with the current target list, Beta Strike only goes after Souda Bay (I gave them manual authoritation to release), if you want to spread the nukes don't put all the facilities in the target list, put only one facility for each missile (runways are good targets) to be used as aimpoints.

Other than that it works perfect, thank you for yet another little gem.

Ancalagon

EDIT: Looking in the editor found that the radar picket Whiskey (Canvas Bag) is in the passive EMCON ASuW mission, while the missile armed one (Long Bin) it's in the active EMCON mission. Not sure if that's deliberate or a misplacement.

[Andrea G]

Tried this one.

I absteined from using the nukes and achieved a triumph destroying the soviet subs.

As Ancalagon has already pointed out the Souda Bay strike didn't appear, while the Saratoga one did.

After all I think is welll balanced, the NATO A/Cs do not have the technological advantage to run a turkey shoot so I lost quite a few of Lightning and Skyhawks, well the latter mainly assignign them to SEAD strikes to clear the Marsa Matruh AB in preparation of the nuclear strike I was in the process of delivering. [:D]

[Randomizer]

PM sent.

-C

[Ancalagon451]

I absteined from using the nukes and achieved a triumph destroying the soviet subs

Woah, good work. I finally decided to pull the nuclear trigger when Saratoga's Phantoms literally ran out of missiles.

You must have been much more disciplined than me with the WRAs.

Ancalagon

[Schr75]

Hi mgellis

I noticed that all the Syrian Tall King radars are in the same spot, so I managed to take them all out in one strike[:D]
I think you forgot to spread them out a bit[;)]

Would you consider to ungroup the Egyptian and Syrian AD sites?
When they are grouped you don´t see the individual sites unless you are in unit view mode, and this is a bit distracting when you are trying to hit a site a group of aircraft.
I know this a matter of personal taste, but this is what I prefer.
It´s ofcourse up to you[:)]

Søren

[Andrea G]

ORIGINAL: Ancalagon451

I absteined from using the nukes and achieved a triumph destroying the soviet subs

Woah, good work. I finally decided to pull the nuclear trigger when Saratoga's Phantoms literally ran out of missiles.

You must have been much more disciplined than me with the WRAs.

Ancalagon

I set the WRA to 1 round per target, but the most important help was using the Souda Bay Phantoms to provide CAP for Sara.

It would be different with the Russian striking Souda Bay as was in the intentions of Mgellis.

I put also the Skyhawks on CAP on occasion as the gunless Phantoms can't attack enemy planes below the altitude limit of the sidewinders

[PN79]

Hello,

I have historical note that there should not be P-14 (Tall King A) radars in Egypt and Syria as both countries got them later. Soviet export chart says this:
Egypt
1970 - 2x P-14F (Tall King B)
1971 - 1x P-14F (Tall King B)

Syria
1973 - 6x P-14F (Tall King B)
1982 - 3x Oborona-14 (Tall King C)
1984 - 3x Oborona-14 (Tall King C)
1985 - 1x Oborona-14 (Tall King C)
1987 - 2x Oborona-14 (Tall King C)
1988 - 2x Oborona-14 (Tall King C)

Also Egypt had only 27 SA-75MK (SA-2B) systems by 1966 (18 in 1962 and 9 in 1963 with further deliveries from 1967).

[Mgellis]

Just uploaded version 2. Please let me know if anything else should be fixed, changed, etc. Thanks!

[Andrea G]

Also this time I managed to achieve a triumph without using nukes.
Also this time the soviet strikes on Souda and Saratoga failed to appear.
I took a look in the editor and found that there was also a naval strike from egypt which failed to activate.
Maybe because they never spotted the Saratoga group?
I switched side in editor mode and neither the soviets nor the egyptian knew the location of Sara.

Maybe add some egyptian recon missions while egypt is still unfriendly?

Also this time I emptied the magazines of sparrows and would probably be wiped out if the game didn't end, I got still 17hr to go.

EDIT The soviet strike didn't appear because the A/Cs were not ready yet, I would consider lessen the ready time or increase the level of VP needed to finish the scenario.
In any case increase the sparrows in Sara magazine please [;)]

[stolypin]

ORIGINAL: Mgellis

Just uploaded version 2. Please let me know if anything else should be fixed, changed, etc. Thanks!

I'm on it. Any scenario from the 50s or 60s will get a play from me.

[Mgellis]

Just uploaded version 3. As per some comments from Andrea G and others, I tweaked the missions, ready times, etc. a bit. I also added more Sparrows on the Saratoga...you got about 20-30 more sorties now.

Please let me know what you think. Thanks!

[Ancalagon451]

It's gonna sound a little weird but you should change the lead unit from the "Egypt-AD" group to a battery next to the coast.

Thing is that the group marker appears on the lead's unit position which, right now, is a battery on the south of the country. If the marker goes out of the screen due to zooming on the combat area, then all the range rings associated with said group dissapear.

That means right now I can only view the range rings of the Egyptian IADS if I switch to unit view and keep it that way, which is somewhat annoying. So if you could switch the lead to a unit nearer the combat area I would be much grateful.

Ancalagon

[HalfLifeExpert]

Just completed it for the first time (With version 3)

Got a Triumph score of 1200 and Victory in the War. I think the scenario is just about ready, except for the fact that I only faced three Badgers, seems like I should have faced more of a Soviet bomber threat.

Also, I would like to have the ability to attack the Soviet airbase in Grozny with one of my Skywarrior's nukes once I get authorization to use nukes. Just a thought: Make the Soviet bomber base a normal base so it can be attacked?


Here are my losses/expenditures. Once again, I want to strangle the people responsible for not putting any cannon on the F-4 Phantom......

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

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
2x F-4B Phantom II
5x A-4C Skyhawk
4x Lightning F.2A
1x D 348 Alp Arslan
2x Buccaneer S.2A


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
36x Type 17054 Active Directional [Mk1c]
190x Type 30059 LOFAR [Mk1c]
96x AN/SSQ-2 Jezebel LOFAR
88x AIM-7D Sparrow III
38x AIM-9D Sidewinder
5x Sea Slug Mk.1
25x Firestreak
5x 30mm ADEN Mk4 x 2 Burst [60 rnds]
25x 20mm Mk12 x 2 [50 rnds]
4x Mk44 Mod 1
5x AIM-9B Sidewinder
12x Mk11 Depth Charge
11x 20mm Hispano Mk5 x 2 Burst [50 rnds]
6x 114mm/45 Mk4 Twin HE
7x 40mm/60 Twin Bofors Burst [4 rnds]
11x 40mm/70 Mk7 Single Bofors Burst [4 rnds]
24x Mk13 1000lb GPB
23x AGM-12B Bullpup A
34x MIM-23A HAWK
66x Mk82 500lb LDGP
153x 127mm/38 HE-PD [HiCap]
16x RIM-2E Terrier
20x RIM-24C Tartar
2x RIM-2D Terrier [W45-0 1kT Nuclear]
15x 76mm/50 Twin Frag Burst [2 rnds]
8x 127mm/54 HE-CVT [HiFrag]



SIDE: Soviet Union
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
3x Tu-16KS Badger B
1x PLARK-659 Echo I
1x PL-640 Whiskey Canvas Bag
1x PL-665 Whiskey Long Bin
4x BPK Kashin [Pr.61]
1x PL- 613 Whiskey V


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
5x Generic Chaff Salvo [4x Cartridges]
4x 23mm AM-23 x 2 Burst [50 rnds]
1x 23mm AM-23 x 2 Burst [50 rnds]
9x Generic Acoustic Decoy
4x SS-N-3a Shaddock [P-6, ASM]
60x SA-N-1b Goa [M-1M/P Volna-M/P, 4K91 / V-601]
27x AK-726 76mm/60 Twin HE Burst [2 rnds]
2x AK-726 76mm/60 Twin Frag Burst [2 rnds]



SIDE: Egypt
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
15x MiG-21PF Fishbed D
10x MiG-19S Farmer C
12x MiG-21PFM Fishbed F
3x RKA Komar
1x MiG-21F-13 Fishbed C
1x EM Skory Mod Project 30BA


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
19x AA-2a Atoll [R-3S]
14x 30mm NR-30 x 2 Burst [20 rnds]
2x SS-N-2a Styx [P-15]
4x 30mm NR-30 Burst [10 rnds]
2x 130mm/58 Twin HE Burst [2 rnds]
31x 57mm/70 Single HE



SIDE: Neutrals
===========================================================

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


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



SIDE: Syria
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
9x MiG-21F-13 Fishbed C
10x MiG-17PF Fresco D


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
20x AA-2a Atoll [R-3S]
7x 30mm NR-30 Burst [10 rnds]

[Mgellis]

Just uploaded version 4. I think I made it a little tougher...Egyptian and Syrian planes are not worth as many points and the Soviets have more bombers. Also tweaked the position of the subs.

Please let me know what you think.

Thanks!

[stolypin]

Played version 2 and learned a valuable lesson: even if you are authorized to use nuclear weapons, you need to remind your fleet not to use them against nearby contacts. (Ordered the Saratoga and supporting ships to attack a nearby Soviet sub and they used nukes, even though torpedoes alone would have sufficed. Lost the whole fleet).

[Andrea G]

Wow version 4.0! I'm starting to get lagging [:)]

Well I played version 3 and won as in version 2 without seeing the badgers.

I will have a try with version 4

[Andrea G]

Finished version 4, things unfold much in the same way as version 2 and 3.
The soviet subs and surface group are annihilated well before the strikes from Grozny appear; in the end it would not do any difference, only a well co-ordinated strike, involving all the anti-nato assets would eventually break through the defences.
This time I fought on until the bitter end, stopped the badgers and the kangaroos near the eastern tip of Cyprus; I also nuked Marsa Matruh and Damascus, Marsa Matruh was unscathed maybe because the Bomb were dropped too low?

Here is the log

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

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
6x F-4B Phantom II
4x Lightning F.2A
1x Buccaneer S.2A
2x A-4C Skyhawk
1x RA-5C Vigilante


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
144x Type 17054 Active Directional [Mk1c]
800x Type 30059 LOFAR [Mk1c]
167x AIM-7D Sparrow III
84x AIM-9D Sidewinder
10x Mk44 Mod 1
144x Mk82 500lb LDGP
34x 30mm ADEN Mk4 x 2 Burst [60 rnds]
34x Firestreak
18x Mk11 Depth Charge
19x 20mm Mk12 x 2 [50 rnds]
22x AGM-12B Bullpup A
20x Mk13 1000lb GPB
4x AIM-9B Sidewinder
8x B28 Strategic Bomb [1.45mT Nuclear]
6x Mk46 LWT Mod 1
10x MIM-23A HAWK
350x AN/SSQ-2 Jezebel LOFAR
30x Mk83 1000lb LDGP



SIDE: Soviet Union
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
3x Tu-16KS Badger B
1x PL-640 Whiskey Canvas Bag
1x PLARK-659 Echo I
4x BPK Kashin [Pr.61]
3x PL- 613 Whiskey V
1x PLA-627A November [Kit]
3x Tu-16KSR-2 Badger G
1x PL-665 Whiskey Long Bin
1x PL-641 Foxtrot


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
51x SA-N-1b Goa [M-1M/P Volna-M/P, 4K91 / V-601]
6x Generic Chaff Salvo [4x Cartridges]
33x 23mm AM-23 x 2 Burst [50 rnds]
8x 23mm AM-23 x 2 Burst [50 rnds]
4x Generic Flare Salvo [4x Cartridges, Single Spectral]
22x Generic Acoustic Decoy
10x AK-726 76mm/60 Twin HE Burst [2 rnds]
3x AS-3 Kangaroo [Kh-20M, ASM, 800kT Nuclear]



SIDE: Egypt
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
17x MiG-21PF Fishbed D
17x MiG-19S Farmer C
1x EM Skory Mod Project 30BA
17x MiG-21PFM Fishbed F
7x MiG-21F-13 Fishbed C
3x RKA Komar
1x Whiskey II Class


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
23x AA-2a Atoll [R-3S]
25x 30mm NR-30 x 2 Burst [20 rnds]
2x 130mm/58 Twin HE Burst [2 rnds]
14x 57mm/70 Single HE
1x 490 liter Drop Tank
4x 30mm NR-30 Burst [10 rnds]
12x 25mm/80 Twin Burst [20 rnds]



SIDE: Neutrals
===========================================================

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


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



SIDE: Syria
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
12x MiG-21F-13 Fishbed C
12x MiG-17PF Fresco D
20x A/C Revetment (1x Large Aircraft)
1x Runway-Grade Taxiway (2600m)
5x Runway Access Point (Large Aircraft)
1x Runway (1400m)
1x Runway (3200m)
4x AvGas (100k Liter Underground Tank)
4x A/C Hangar (4x Large Aircraft)
1x Building (Control Tower)
8x Ammo Bunker (Surface)
4x A/C Tarmac Space (4x Very Large Aircraft)


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
12x AA-2a Atoll [R-3S]
15x 30mm NR-30 Burst [10 rnds]

[mikkey]

Mark, thanks for interesting scenario! I noticed only a minor issue - besides NATO, the playable sides are Soviet Union and Syria too. Thanks.