quote:

ORIGINAL:  Herman Hum

Facundo, Capitan Piluso, and I got together to try out Freek Scheper's new scenario Baltic Sea Struggle, made with the community's favorite database, the PlayersDB.  This Scenario has not been published and can only be found exclusively on Wolff's ANW MP Server.  This was a real treat for me since I had never before seen the scenario.  So, it would still have the surprise of the unknown and that 'new scenario smell' to it.  :)

In the winter of 2011, the tension between NATO and Russia increased.

A Russian strategic pipeline was cut during winter, causing a giant environmental disaster.  Sweden, Finland, and Russia accused each other of negligence, terrorism, and state initiated protectionism of own industry.

All three nations sent their ready squadron of patrol ships into the Baltic.

I was assigned the Swedish forces, Facundo commanded the Finns, and Mario played as the Russians.  My orders were:

Maintain neutrality and defend Swedish seaborders with Finnish and Russian waters (indicated by a sub nav-zone).

I ordered my ships to maintain radar silence and patrolled carefully along the border.  I kept my speed down so that I would not reveal myself as a naval vessels since merchantmen rarely make 25+ knots.

[img]http://forums.gamesquad.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=32581&d=1298199313&thumb=1&stc=1[/img]

During my first sweep south along the international boundary, I encountered a ship making 25kts and immediately classified it as hostile.  It was a calculated risk, but it paid off as the Bofors gun crew from Stockholm quickly riddled it.

After completing the sweep south, my three ships turned northward.  I started using intermittent radar sweeps with long periods of silence in between emanations.  On one sweep, I detected two ships traveling in close proximity.  Once again, I deduced enemy activity as though he was trying to hide in the shadow of the much larger merchantmen.  Luckily for me, my ships were armed with RBS-15f missiles and these had a data-link back to the ship. If my ships had been armed with the unguided Harpoons, I might very well have inadvertently hit the civilian.  Instead, I managed to shoot the flea off the dog's back and sink the skulker with four RBS-15F missiles.

[img]http://forums.gamesquad.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=32582&d=1298199324&thumb=1&stc=1[/img]

However, my radar emissions must have revealed my position, too.  Not long afterwards, radar reported two inbound missiles apparently materializing out of nowhere!  I gambled that there was a hostile ship just over the radar horizon so I launched a brace of RBS-15F on Bearing-Only-Launch.  Luck was with me as my guns brought down the inbound missiles.  My luck held as the outbound SSMs activated their radar and detected a ship making 41kts.  This was definitely a military vessel.  All four missiles closed on the target and destroyed her.  She tried to take me with her by firing a second salvo, but I shot down one and the other detonated in a cloud of chaff.  That was close!

[img]http://forums.gamesquad.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=32583&d=1298199334&thumb=1&stc=1[/img]

Things were going well.  I had destroyed three of the six vessels needed for victory.  However, fate would turn a blind eye to me.  As my flotilla continued to patrol the imaginary boundary, a ship was detected making 14 knots.  The Bofors crew engaged and mistakenly destroyed an innocent fishing dhow.  A board of inquiry will definitely be held.

FSG Stockholm was out of missiles so she was the ship selected to radiate intermittently.  On a second sweep, she detected a second vessel and once again engaged with guns.  This one turned out to be hostile after all.  As well, a faint target was detected on the horizon doing turns for 41kts.  This had to be another missile boat so Visby engaged with four more RBS-15F.  41knots may be fast for a boat, but is virtually standing still when compared to a missile.  The target was caught and negated.

At this point, we called it a night.  Mario had his fleet sunk, but Facundo still had one vessel survive.  I had destroyed a neutral so I deemed myself ineligible for victory.

This was a great and challenging scenario for me.  Thanks very much to Freek for writing it.  Also thanks to Facundo and Mario for a great game.

I think that there may be problem with the orders.  Everyone has basically similar orders.

Both Facundo and I wondered what would happen if no one had crossed the borders.  No one had any orders to cross them, either.  Normally, this would mean that there would be no cause for combat.  Right to the end, I kept my Swedish ships on my side of the border even though they shot 'over the line' into foreign territory.

The ViConds are pretty stringent.  Each player had to sink the three vessels of the other two players for a total of 6 ships destroyed in order to achieve victory.  I wonder if this condition might be a bit too steep.  If everyone plays a modest game, I am not certain if victory is possible.

quote:

ORIGINAL Harpooner

This is the first scenario of the Battles Of the Third World War Battleset.

Tattleate, played with H3.9.4.0 and PlayersDB.

I had started the scenario with much anxiety and after to read the Red Orders I knew that this will be a hard one.

Approach StaNavForLant and conduct tracking exercise in preparation for attack. You are to commence hostilities any time after 2300hrs and cripple a minimum of 3 ships with more than 50% damage and then make your escape at best possible speed


StaNavForlant will be integrated for at least five or six NATO frigates several armed with probably between 16 to 24 Harpoons and 4 to 12 Exocets. How I will deal against such threat with only 4 Styxs C 45 nm of range? No idea, so I push the “start/resume game” buttons knowing that probably this scenario was simply unwinnable.

Almost immediately the Smyshlenny detect 6 very strong surface contacts with the Passive Sonar. I set a course to 324 at creep speed to try to obtain better data.

At 21:15 I decide to launch my hello. The Hormone will help me a lot in my search and at 21:26 it start to make his first Visual positive ID, a Lynx SH14D followed by a Visual F72 Ariadne 10 minutes later, a FFG 25 Copeland, a F210 Emden, a Koteaner, a Zuiderkruis and being the six surface contact an AGI Primorye Intelligence Collection vessel Zond stated as Neutral.

Now we knew the face of the monster and above all, his tooth’s. 16 80nm Harpoons on the Germany ships and another 4 Harpoons on the O.H. Perry. The RN Leander had no missiles and the AO Zviderkruis was unarmed.

How to sink 3 ships of 5 plenty of AA missiles with only 4 45 nm missiles and survive if they were armed with 16 80 nm missiles? Simply impossible! So, I have to find another way to solve this problem. What was the only type of gun where we had more chances? Guns. Our  two 76mm/60 had 1,5 nm more range than the 3 76mm/62 of the US and German ships (4 nm). The only ship with better gun was the RN Leander which with his two 114mm/45 and 7,3 nm was out of range and wasn’t be a real problem for the moment because for those causalities the Leander was traveling a little far NE than the other fours ships.

Finally we had a plan; what if we can to navigate “into” the 4 ship formation which, for another geometrical causality were in a cross formation of 10 nm wide. Exactly our gun range if we could to reach the cross center
amazing!

The only problem will be if the FES formation will keeps his tight weapons conditions avoiding to start a war because the provocative’s behavior of this crazy Russian Captain meanwhile I took a good fire position between these ships and maintaining us out from the Leander guns range.

Once in position we can launch our precious 4 Styxs C at 4 nm away to any of the German ships and use the cannons against the other 2 ships. Even better, as we will positioning our ship at the center of the cross formation. Every missile they launched to us will have a real chance to miss us and hit their own ships helping us in our goal. Now, there is a certain possibility. Not to survive, but to achieve the VCs.

The mystery of course was if they will let us go into her nest. Mystery that will be soon revealed


After some zig zags and speeds calculations the Smyshlenny start his final sprint at 23:23 and at 23:45 was “in position”. The FES formation keep his distances so, every FES ship were now under our gun range with the only exception of the Leander that luckily still far to a NE position.

[IMAGE]http://forums.gamesquad.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=32672&d=1299118527[/IMAGE]

At 23:47 we launched the 4 Styxs C missiles to the Emden which 3 of them were destroyed by his AA Sea Sparrows with the hit of the four Styx C. Instantly our guns start to fire furiously against the other two ships. What happens then, was a crazy story. They start to launch missiles, the hurt Emden launched all his Harpoons, the same does the Copeland and the Korteaner. Was imposible to try to remember well how many guns fire we did. A lot because we saw explosions all around us. But the missiles were on the air too and the time at so short distances passed even faster!

The space were fully of missiles of all types, 1 Harpoon hit us follwed for another three impacts but a lot of Harpoon miss us and were flying directly to new targets and not only the Harpoons were falling over the ships, a lot of AA missiles were exploding too anywere, in our ship and theirs. The first FES ship hitten by an Harpoon was the F72 Ariadne which received no less than three impacts followed by the Kortenaer NL with two more Harpoon hits. After that we concentrated all our gun fire over the FFG 25 Copeland which start to receive one hit after another. In seconds more than 20 shells initiating an incontrollable fire


[IMAGE]http://forums.gamesquad.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=32673&d=1299118529[/IMAGE]


[IMAGE]http://forums.gamesquad.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=32672&d=1299118527[/IMAGE]


[IMAGE]http://forums.gamesquad.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=32674&d=1299118530[/IMAGE]

Nice scenario, I had enjoyed it. I had started it with out any hope and could finalize it happy and very energized. My eyes were going from one place to another as if I had in a very large scenario
my fingers pushing a button after another like if this was a shooter and not a quiet and calm game. This battle was really fast, furious and devastating.

Excellent work Herman, I’m ready now to continue with the next threat!

Harpooner / Facundo.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Herman Hum

This afternoon, Facundo Bonaldi tried out a scenario in solitaire and thought it was 'easy' to win as the Soviets so I invited him to try out the same scenario in MP. We played the traditional scenario, Dawn Patrol, made with the community's favourite database, the PlayersDB. I played as NATO while Facundo commanded what he believed to be) the superior Soviets.

The coast of Norway is made up of fjords and islands with high, rocky coasts. This is a perfect place for small surface craft to operate because the rock walls make them hard to spot on radar, and the short detection ranges make their smaller SSMs more useful than in the open ocean. Additionally, there are so many fjords and other places to hide such that no navy can afford enough large craft to do the job.

Facundo was observing radar silence like he did in his game against the AI. However, I, too was under Emissions Control [EmCon] and denying him any information. We blindly groped in the dark of night, but I had more ships and thus covered more area. PTM Vidar suddenly reported visual contact with a vessel doing 32 knots. At that speed, it could only be a naval ship and no other NATO ships were reported in the area. Immediately, the gun crew of the Bofors 57mm gun engaged and straddled her with the first salvo. She was so surprised that no return fire was received before she was ablaze from stem to stern.

Now, it was time to 'get the hell out of Dodge!' Vidar immediately went to full speed to get away from the datum point. Facundo would know that his ship had been destroyed, but not know how close his assailant might be. Vidar needed to be anywhere but here.

As she fled to the West, she soon bumped into a second ship making 40+ knots. Again, she opened fire immediately with her guns and sank this ship, too. For good measure, she fired two Penguin missiles into it to seal the deal. It looked as though Vidar might win a Battle 'E' for her actions.

The force commander decided that the two datum points given by the destruction of the enemy craft were going to point right back to his ship and ordered Vidar to break EmCon radiate. If her position was relatively known, he may as well try and locate that last missile boat.

Instead of finding a missile boat, Vidar detected inbound missiles! Since missiles do not appear out of thin air, Vidar (correctly) inferred that the enemy missile boat must be over the horizon and just out of range for her radar. She fired her remaining missiles on Bearing-Only-Launch mode in hopes of taking her attacker down with her to the grave. The SS-N-9 Siren was undeterred by Vidar's counter-measures and struck her amidships. But Vidar had the last laugh as her Penguins killed the last Soviet.

Thanks to Facundo for a great game. I hope he realizes that the an AI opponent is far less cunning and challenging than a human one.

[img]http://www.harplonkhq.com/images/mainpic.gif[/img]

quote:

ORIGINAL: hermanhum

Mario (a.k.a. CaptPiluso) came for a match and we selected a new release, David and Goliath, made with the community's favourite database, the PlayersDB.

"In a carefully planned series of attacks, the Warsaw Pact begins a war against NATO. Their goal is to seize West Germany, gutting NATO militarily and economically. The Soviets will demand a high price for Germany's return, or assimilate its industry and technology for their own use."

"The Soviet Union, battered by a series of economic disasters, has demanded substantial economic assistance from NATO and the USA. If not, it threatens, "it cannot be responsible for the peace and stability of Europe." The corrupt old men in the Kremlin expect that either way, they will win: Either they get the aid they need to stave off collapse, or they will launch an attack on NATO. They have already started a program of propaganda inside their borders, blaming all their troubles on a deliberate program of economic strangulation, all orchestrated by the West. The implied threat has not been lost on NATO, and while negotiators frantically try to satisfy almost impossible Russian demands, the military frantically mobilizes. The Soviet Defense Council has decided that the Geneva conferences are an attempt by NATO to buy time while it further tightens its economic stranglehold on the Soviet Union. Offensive operations against NATO, before they are fully mobilized, now offer the only way to alter the correlation of forces and break the economic conspiracy."

3.0 Orders:

Advance to the Andfjord area. Observe and report on Soviet naval movements and take no offensive action unless the Soviets intitiate hostilities. Use your radar and sonar to gather as much information on enemy movements as possible, as well as demonstrating NATO's presence and resolve.

StaNavForLant usually has a tanker/replenishment ship assigned, but it has topped off the force and broken off, heading south for safer waters.

Several civilian ships are attempting to evacuate foreign nationals from Norway in expectation of hostilities. Protect these vessels as best you can.

[image]http://forums.gamesquad.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=33948&d=1311189313&thumb=1&stc=1[/image]

I commanded the NATO StaNavForLant force ordered to protect the Norwegian base while Mario controlled the Soviets. Although hostilities had not yet been declared, they were deemed imminent. A cautious posture was adopted as the ships set sail towards the base. One helo was launched to check the area. Her range was limited, but at least she had radar.

[image]http://forums.gamesquad.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=33949&d=1311189314&thumb=1&stc=1[/image]

As the force made its approach, a subsurface contact was detected. Immediately afterwards, a torpedo was, too! the ships turned to run, but the torpedo was making 70 knots and the frigate could only run at 25kts. She was certainly going to lose, but she bought sufficient time to launch her helo with 2 others to prosecute the sub.

[image]http://forums.gamesquad.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=33950&d=1311189314&thumb=1&stc=1[/image]

The helo climbed aloft just as the torpedo homed in and detonated against the Type 182 torpedo decoy. Luckily, the enemy had only fired one.

[image]http://forums.gamesquad.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=33951&d=1311189315&thumb=1&stc=1[/image]

The trio of helos was quick with their revenge and a Lynx dipped close to the enemy sub and a single Mk 46 torpedo sank it. At least I could now know that war was on and that anything flying a Hammer and Sickle could be engaged. Fight's on!

The helicopter detected a Soviet missile corvette and a large group of vessels approaching. One of them was a light cruiser in the company of two Sovremennyy destroyers and other assorted craft. The corvette packed a considerable punch with 4 Sunburn missiles so I tried to trim down the opposition with a quick strike of 4 Harpoons against her. The attack was successful and the little ship went down with all her missile inventory.

[image]http://forums.gamesquad.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=33952&d=1311189315&thumb=1&stc=1[/image]

StaNavForLant arrived at the SOSUS station ahead of the Soviets and positioned themselves as a barrier. The biggest threat was the CL as she was able to pound the installation into dust. All available Harpoons were targeted on her. She soaked up the attack and kept coming like a sailing mountain of steel. She was damaged, but still able to make 24kts.

As she closed to SAM engagement range, the Perry frigate locked on and emptied her SAM batteries into the behemoth with apparently little effect. She slowed down, but just kept advancing. Several barrages of Sunburn missiles were received from the destroyers and one got through.

[image]http://forums.gamesquad.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=33953&d=1311189315&thumb=1&stc=1[/image]

Once the Standard batteries were exhausted, the Sea Sparrows were fired at the Sverdlov-class cruiser. I think she finally flooded and sank. Unfortunately, there were insufficient arms to prevent the Soviets from closing on the port. The Soviets were unable to accomplish their aims without the big gun cruiser, but so had StaNavForLant and the game ended in a draw.

Thanks to Mario for a fun match as well as to Ryan for the use of his server.

Anyone looking for an MP game can drop a line here. For complete instructions on using Wolff's Server, visit HarPlonkHQ

http://www.harplonkhq.com/images/mainpic.gif

quote:

ORIGINAL:  Herman Hum

Ryan (a.k.a. Wolff) and I saw the obituary notice [http://tinyurl.com/3zjknoq] for a long time Harpoon enthusiast, Darren Buckley.  We decided to play a scenario modified for his personal database as a tribute to his involvement with the game.  We chose Whose Islands are These, modified for the HUD3.  

LOCATION : PARACEL ISLANDS
DATE/TIME: 18 SEPTEMBER 1994, 17:20:00

    The western pacific is dotted with many small insignificant islands; however, if a country can successfully lay claim to an island, that country can place a 200 mile economic exclusion zone around the island.  All resources in that region can only be exploited by the controlling nation.
    This scenario pits the Vietnamese against China in a skirmish over the Paracel islands.  Vietnamese and Chinese governments both lay claim to these islands.  Chinese and Vietnamese warships will settle the claim.

http://forums.gamesquad.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=34002&d=1311968749&thumb=1&stc=1

I commanded the Vietnamese forces ordered to demonstrate their sovereignty over the Paracel Islands.  The Paracel patrol consisted of a pair of Petya corvettes and four Osa missile boats.  The group set course for the Paracel under the cover of darkness and radar silence.

http://forums.gamesquad.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=34003&d=1311968749&thumb=1&stc=1

The group dispersed in order to cover more territory.  The Petya corvettes led the way and stayed at the maximum range for covering missile fire from the Osa boats.

http://forums.gamesquad.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=34004&d=1311968749&thumb=1&stc=1

At the edge the Paracel Island group, one of the Petya corvettes detected radar emissions from a Jianghu frigate.  The ships closed up and moved towards the contact hoping for a cross-fix to localize the position.  Suddenly, the contact brightened up on the scope and was in visual range.  The corvette opened fire with guns and torpedoes, but was soon counter-attacked by missiles.  With her position revealed, she went radar active and detected a second ship behind the first.  As she died under a hail of missile fire, the surviving boats closed on the location.

http://forums.gamesquad.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=34001&d=1311968748&thumb=1&stc=1

The second corvette disappeared in a ball of flame without ever seeing her attacker.  The four Osa missile boats finally came upon the last position of the first corvette.  Radar warned of inbound missiles so they also activated their sensors.  Two more Jianghu frigates were found and each were immediately engaged by an Osa.

A Luda destroyer was also detected along with the research ship.  Each was engaged by a single salvo of Styx missiles as the boats turned to flee.  Hits were registered and must have been enough.  However, the Osa missile boats did not survive long enough to evaluate their attack as each was caught and destroyed by Chinese Seersucker missiles.  Even though there were no Vietnamese survivors, their aim must have been true as Victory was awarded for destroying the Chinese research vessel.

Thanks to Ryan for a good match and the use of his server.  Thanks to Darren for re-interpreting this scenario for the HUD3.  Rest in Peace.

Anyone looking for an MP game can drop a line here.  For complete instructions on using Wolff's Server, visit HarPlonkHQ

http://www.harplonkhq.com/images/mainpic.gif

quote:

ORIGINAL: Herman Hum

Donald Holland (a.k.a. pilotsk76c) was welcomed into the MP community, today. We selected a scenario favourite, Advance Guards, made with the community's favourite database, the PlayersDB.

After the surprise Argentine invasion of the Falklands Islands, the British Defence ministry urgently ordered available Royal Navy units to the area.

A mixed destroyer/frigate squadron with attached support ships had just finished operation Springtrain around Gibraltar. On April 16th, this group was the first to enter the waters around the Falklands.

Argentina, meanwhile, was using her navy to reinforce the garrison in the Malvinas and to establish a blocking force for any early British units.

http://forums.gamesquad.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=34055&d=1312496511&thumb=1&stc=1

I commanded the British forces while Donald controlled the Argentines. My forces started out widely separated. I ordered them to close on the rendezvous point.

http://forums.gamesquad.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=34056&d=1312496511&thumb=1&stc=1

Not long afterwards, sonar picked up suspicious sounds NW of my escort group. They moved to investigate and launched a helicopter to assist. Soon, the target was classified as DD Segui along with a landing ship Cabo San Antonio and Drummond-class corvette.

The contacts' position firmed up and I decided to risk a surprise attack with Exocet missiles upon the Drummond. She was also armed with Exocet and I hoped to sink her before she could fire them. Unfortunately, the missiles passed over here and locked onto the merchant vessels instead!

My surface group closed and lit her up with radar. Sheffield engaged with SeaDart SAMs eventually sinking the Drummond with no response. DD Segui was next. Her guns were a potent threat. Once the escorts were sunk, the surviving ships ran, but could not escape the guns of the pursuing British. San Antonio was lit up like a Roman candle under gunfire. A second vessel was sunk not long afterwards.

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Although the battle was going well for the surface action group, my own auxiliaries were under attack. As they steamed along, a torpedo was detected and then another! RFA Austin was blown in half before I could even react. The frigate Plymouth turned to run, but the torpedo was at point blank range and detonated in her wake. A Wasp helicopter was launched to attack the contact and a torpedo was dropped. The escorts turned back to comb the area, but no explosion was detected. The contact eventually disappeared. Hopefully, it was sunk.

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The escort group turned to make the rendezvous when it came under missile attack. Luckily, the four inbound Exocets each selected a different target. Sea Wolf was successful in bringing two of them down while the SeaCats got one more. The last one homed in on the Argentine Drummond-class corvette that was already sinking! The group turned away from this new threat and ran to bring the enemy into range of the auxiliary group which had some more Exocets.

http://forums.gamesquad.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=34059&d=1312496513&thumb=1&stc=1

A second submarine contact (or the same one as before) appeared near the support group. The Wasp was re-launched to engaged and successfully prosecuted it.

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A pair of Hercules-class destroyers and another Drummond-class corvette chased the escort group. A second wave of Exocets approached and was shot down, again. The destroyers closed to fire their SAMs. A few leaked through to score damage on Coventry and Sheffield, but neither were in fear of sinking. Coventry returned fire and crippled one of the Hercules as she limped along at 3knots.

The combined mass of escorts closed the range and engaged with gunnery to finish off the Argentine force. Although the enemy was vanquished, the loss of RFA Austin prevented me from accomplishing the mission and the game ended in a draw.

Thanks to Donald for a fine first match.

Anyone looking for an MP game can drop a line here. For complete instructions on using Wolff's Server, visit HarPlonkHQ

http://www.harplonkhq.com/images/mainpic.gif

quote:

ORIGINAL:  Cohibar

I would really like to see some more AAR-style scenario run-thorughs, as the Sierra Strike or Advanced Guard. I am really learning much from these.

quote:

ORIGINAL: CaptPiluso

I find very difficult to play this scen from USA side, only 4 F-15´s a pair of Orions and a DDG are quickly attacked and burned by lots of planes that seem to come from coastal Venezuela air bases.
I set the DDG to Puerto La Cruz and launch a P3 and then F-15´s to attack enemy planes flying near my ship,but they are quickly shot down.
Any ideas ??

quote:

ORIGINAL: Tico

Anything new on MP HCE?