CV32
Posts: 1046
Joined: 5/15/2006
From: The Rock, Canada
Status: offline
|
SPOILER ALERT!
After Action Report for 'A Nice Little Shootout'
A scenario by Pawel Kurek (PAK)
'A Nice Little Shootout' is a new HCE scenario for the EC2003 GIUK Gap battleset. I played the scenario using beta 2010.001 and the HCDB database.
Scenario Background
quote:
Joint NATO Baltic exercises "Lead Barrel" went as planned. Russia voiced its objections against NATO military operations in Lithuania/Latvia/Estonia but no one expected any serious escalation. Russian recon assets closely monitored NATO units but without any provocative activities. After achieving all objectives NATO declared exercises as finished and begun withdrawing its assets. Naval units left Gulf of Riga, split into two SAG's and sailed south to Gdansk. Air units stationed in Poland, Germany and Denmark begun moving out to their home bases. Everything changed within last 20 minutes.
Orders
As commander of the NATO (Blue) forces, you are directed to move the friendly amphibious group (AFS) southward at best speed toward safer waters along the Polish coast, while a multinational surface action group (AGS) is directed to try and rendezvous with AFS, to provide it with some better degree of protection against Russian attack.
Also, you are directed to scramble as many fighter aircraft as can be mustered from friendly bases in Denmark, Germany, and Poland in an effort to lend support.
Intelligence reports high levels of activity at Kaliningrad and in Belarus. Further strikes against NATO naval groups are expected, but the current status of Russian naval forces in the Gulf of Finland is unknown.
Despite the high level of tension, the ROE is tight and we are not to engage Russian forces unless fired upon.
What Happened
My two naval formations are about 100 nm apart in the mid Baltic, east of Kaliningrad, with the phibgru (AFS) moving south at a best speed of 17 kt and the SAG (AGS) racing north at 28 kt.
An AWACS was available at Ramstein, so I immediately dispatched it (in company with a tanker) to a position near Laage on the German Baltic coast.
Front line airfields at Malbork, Poznan and Lask held a mixture of elderly MiG-29s and new Block 50/52 F-16s, while the airfields at Laage (in Germany) held a small number of very capable Eurofighters and Tornado IDS. The Danish base at Vaerlose was truly multinational, with a grab bag of MLU F-16s, French Rafales and British Typhoons. None was available in great quantity.
I immediately launched a curtain of my most capable fighters in anticipation of an impending Russian air attack. The best of these, the Eurofighters and Typhoons, were sent to provide air cover over the retreating naval forces.
My expectations were not to be disappointed, as it wasn't long before the Russians launched a wave of heavy air strikes against my front line Polish bases.
Malbork was particularly exposed, just 99 nm from the nearest Russian airfield.
The ex Warsaw Pact MiG-29 Fulcrums didn't have much to offer in defense of the NATO line, unfortunately, and my small combat air patrol (CAP) had to flee toward Laage soon after exchanging missile fire with intruding Flankers. The presence of Russian jamming did not help.
Malbork soon took hits from anti-radar missiles, but sustained only minor damage.
F-16s arriving from other Polish bases, bolstered by Eurofighters, took a heavy toll among the attacking force of Fencers and Frogfoots.
The Russians soon turned their attention to the NATO naval forces, however, and my defenses there would be tested.
Massed raids by Fencers, Frogfoots, and Fullbacks launched a heavy antiship attack against the SAG (AGS).
In the event, the Perry class frigate General Pulaski and the light frigate Kazsub both succumbed to missile hits, despite a furious defense offered by the Dutch frigate Evertsen and the Pulaski herself.
During a second wave of attacks, before I could effectively reconstitute my air cover, Evertsen sustained heavy damage and was forced to withdraw west toward safer waters along the Swedish coast.
The survivors, both Orkan class missile craft, soon linked up with the phibgru and by this time, friendly air cover had arrived.
The momentum of the battle had shifted, and NATO aircraft now put up a solid wall of defense against further Russian intrusion.
Minimum Victory was soon awarded.
I elected to discourage further Russian hostilities by singling out their primary airfield, that at Chernyakhovsk, and give them a healthy dose of offensive counter-air.
Tornado IDS strike aircraft battered away at the considerable air defenses, including SA-20 SAM batteries, with HARM, while Rafales launched stealthy SCALP cruise missiles at the airfield.
After several sorties, the SA-20 threat had been reduced enough that F-16s could approach close enough to lob JDAMs.
In a few more hours, the remaining NATO surface ship forces had arrived in safe waters and the Russians did not elect to press further attacks against them or NATO territory.
I did not detect or encounter any Russian surface ships or submarines, though I was seriously fearful of running head long into the latter while trying to flee the battle zone with my ships.
I did not achieve Major Victory before time ran out, presumably because I did not completely destroy any Russian bases (just a wild guess on my part).
Comments
I think Pawel has done a fine job with this scenario, his professed first for HCE. Well done!
It appeared to be well researched, and balance was not bad at all.
It was in fact exactly as promised, a "fine little shootout", and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Thank you very much for sharing it!
_____________________________
Brad Leyte HC3 development group member for HCE Author of HCDB official database for HCE Harpgamer.com Co-Owner
|
Printable Version
AAR: A Nice Little Shootout - 
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread