New scenario: Between Ascension and the Falklands - 1982

[giantsquid]

Hello,

Here is a small scenario, inspired by one found on the old Harpoon boardgame rules.
This my first attempt to create on, so please be patient. Any comment is welcome!

Between Ascension and Falkland Island, 2nd april 1982

Royal Navy is getting stronger around Falkland island but more spares and fuel are needed from Ascension Island. A small convoy is sent out from Ascension Island to the main british task force, but aggressive argentine blue water navy operations along the line of communication are a serious threat.


Francesco

[Patmanaut]

"Between Ascención and San Carlos" was the original name, and yes, it was a great scenario I´ve played it on the old carboard Harpoon game back in 87.

Grazie Francesco!

Please, keep posting those good old scenarios

[ojms]

Just completed this but can't see the end of scenario message or an event for when you cross the line? Also they wouldn't have sent container ships as reinforcement, it would have been tankers or munition ships.

Cheers.

[giantsquid]

Thank you to both. Yes,"Between Ascención and San Carlos" was the right name! I have lost the old booklet, but I remember it was a nice balanced "what if" scenario: UK had modern ships with helicopters but Arg. had more ships, more exocets and big guns.

Things to do: set up event end scenario when you cross the line and replace containers with one tanker and one ammo ships. I will post a new version.
I playtested it in god's view and I saw the arg. behaving aggressively, sending out choppers and trying to find UK ships.
I would like to do an Arg. version but I don't know how to model the complex logic to protect the logistic ships, like making them escape while using other ship to attack the enemies.

Francesco

[giantsquid]

Ok, here is the revised version, with updated ships and victory conditions. Everything should work now.
I don't know how to make the arg. Sea King more prudent, to prevent it from being shot down by UK sam.
Let me know if it works. Thanks

[Sensei.Tokugawa]

I'll definitely give that a go, but since I have only had a chance to look at the older version as it's on another machine of mine - does it still span for over three weeks? That would make it a major naval operation in terms of its length only ( if not necessarily the size, character and amount of assets involved) as per what Milan Vego wrote in his "Operational War at Sea". Is it intentional? I once made a remark somewhere at this forum that so far CMANO covers tactical levels for all practical purposes and there are few scenarios of a genuine operational level.

According to my experience from all practically levels of wargaming is that fellow wargamers mostly yearn to jump directly into action whereas I have always liked the approach with getting the job done and preferably without firing a shot as that puts my forces in a direct danger - Navy SEAL and recon approach in general unless a direct combat action is what is ordered that is. The first is something most people are generally not interested in hence my question about an intentional aspect of such a demanding design in terms of time it requires to play through that, provided the scenario victory or defeat conditions are not meat earlier.

Anyway, I'd greet not only more southern hemisphere and the Falkland - Malvinas actions, but also more space and time to manoeuvre.

However, I am assuming that in the meantime the main body of the British task force is to support the invasion to retake the islands right?

[Rory Noonan]

Played through and enjoyed it. I managed to avoid the hostile ships by maintaining EMCON and making a bee-line for the end zone.

Some things you could look at:
Check the date - AFAIK the RN was still getting ready to set sail at this point. The first real engagements of the Naval war were around 25 April when the Santa Fe was bushwhacked by a Lynx with sea skua missiles.
Clear the message log
Rename the group - Not sure what the UK called their replenishment convoys in 1982 but they used two or three letter abbreviations (ASC - Ascencion to San Carlos for example) in WWII. The CVBG in the Falklands was CTG 317.8, so it could be named something along those lines.
Consider adding some sea skua missiles - these were used to good effect in the real Falklands war (see above)

Finally, there are a heap of other units in the scen that don't seem to be involved. You could set these to a different (allied) side if they aren't intended to be utilised.
Also the scenario runs for 3 weeks; Is this desired?

Overall very good for a first scenario.

I recently bought the Harpoon board game supplement for the Falklands, with the plan to make some similar scenarios. Great minds, eh?

[giantsquid]

OK, of course I made some error with dates.
Thanks for your suggestions.

Here is v3 version.I think I cleared everything. Added Sea Skua to uk, added more helicopter to arg. side.

I have that Harpoon 3 Falkland expansion too!
Now I'm planning a bigger versione of this one, with carrier duel. I played it with a friend many years ago with Harpoon4 rules and it was a great fun. We ended with a draw.

[giantsquid]

Here is the last version. I removed some error in events. I think is ready for release.

[Jorm]

Fun scenario

good one !!

[giantsquid]

Thanks!
I would like to make it playable from the Argentine side, but I don't know how to model the complex behaviour requested for the British shis. Argentine Navy is on a search&destroy mission, while Royal Navy must prevent clash with the enemies or, if discovered, save the support ships and accept fights only with escorts
In the bigger version that I will post I have the same problem, so it will be playable only by the british side.