BeirutDude
Posts: 2625
Joined: 4/27/2013
From: Jacksonville, FL, USA
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Updated to Version 1.1 in thread below...
Revenge in Beirut 1983
Created Under Version 1.14 - Build 998.9
The Time Is: 16 November 1983, 04:00 Zulu/6:00 Beirut Time
Eastern Mediterranean Sea
Playable as USN/French
10 ½ Hours Duration
Background: At 06:23 Beirut time on 23 October 1983 a terrorist suicide bomber drove a truck loaded with explosives into the USMC Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/8 headquarters building at Beirut International Airport (OLBA). The attack killed 220 Marines, 18 Sailors, 3 attached U.S Army personnel and on older Lebanese gentleman (we called him “Shuffles”) who ran a “Hey Joe” store in the building.
Almost simultaneously, the French 9th Para Chasseurs Headquarters was bombed near the port killing 58 trooper there. Historically, France and the United States took separate retaliatory actions with mixed results.
This Scenario assumes that both nations agreed on a joint reaction just before the 24th Marine Amphibious Unit (MAU) turn over on 17-19 November to both show resolve and create a safer environment for the relieving 22nd MAU. This attack will have three full (combined) carrier task forces in a battle group (1980s terminology, not today's Carrier Strike Group) with the French carrier Foch also participating. Historically, the carriers were there on or about 16 November what was lacking was resolve…
1. This is a low complexity air strike and Naval Gun Fire Support (NGFS) mission. There are a lot of targets but little time to get them.
2. Syria has reconstituted ADA/SAM/Radar units along the Beirut-Damascus Road and in the Bekaa Valley (as was done historically).
3. Only the actual carriers are present for CTF 60.1 as I did not want the support/escort units detached to become additional NGFS units. In the real world they would not have detached with a Soviet presence in the Mediterranean.
4. Only aircraft that might have participated in the strikes are present, no ASW/COD aircraft. Some of the F-14s have Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) loadouts. I also gave others CAP and escort loadouts. You WILL need to assign the TARPS missions (I use an AAW mission at low levels myself) to find targets (just like we used them in 1983).
5. The Mediterranean Amphibious Ready Group (MARG 2-83/CTF 61.1), centered on USS Iwo Jima LPH-2, is modeled as they were historically operating in support of the 24th MAU ashore. They are vulnerable to shore gunfire.
6. I set the NGFS gun line, CTF 60.2, in position but you will have to assign its mission.
7. Syrian aircraft might be flying CAP over the Bekaa Valley and certainly over Syria. The F-14 Tomcat Pheonix missile range has been restricted to 25nm to keep the Pheonix missiles from just having a field day with them. You get no points for shooting down the Syrian CAP so you just need to protect your aircraft from them. I suggest adjusting the Pheonix range in the WRA for individual aircraft/flights if the Syrian CAP become a threat.
8. Depending upon the time of your initial Air (Alpha) Strike you should be able to get two Alpha Stikes in during the day. Might not complete recovery of the second strike before the end of the scenario but that's OK. Happy hunting
Al “BeirutDude” Sandrik (ex-Beachinnole)
Al.Sandrik@gmail.com
< Message edited by BeirutDude -- 7/5/2018 1:50:35 PM >
_____________________________
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem."
PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN, 1985
I was Navy, but Assigned TAD to the 24th MAU Hq in Beirut. By far the finest period of my service!
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