Feltan
Posts: 1160
Joined: 12/5/2006
From: Kansas
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: NakedWeasel
Just for giggles I do have a modern, US CSG vs RFN CSG test scenario that demonstrates to some extent what happens when "East Meets West" in the North Sea. I started with blh42's imported Carrier Group Twelve (excellent addon!) the only major change/addition I gave the USN was adding a Seawolf and Virginia SSN to the group- (CSGs typically deploy with SSN's, so it's not really that far-fetched.) Now, for the Russians, I had to turn up the cheat matrix to full, just to give the Russians a fighting chance. I filled out the Kutz with Flankers, AND Fulcrums. One third AAW, and ASuW AC ready and waiting to pounce. I created a massive Cold War-style battle group with a Slava, a Kirov, 2X Sovremenny, 2X Udaloy, a late-model Krivak, and a Neustrashimy. Additionally, I added a Severodvinsk and Oscar II to the RFN CSG formation. Finally, just to be "sporting" about it, I provided the Russians with a buttload of land-based air assets for surveillance and AEW, and even a full squadron of Backfires and Su-34's in the hopes it would make me sweat a little. Naturally, one can see that the virtual Russian side has far more going for it, than they do in real life.
Nope. No sweat. Not even a little. In AI versus AI games, (I prefer to sit back and watch the madness) the end result will be a possible single Krypton hit against the CVN and/or an escort about 50% of the time. The entire Russian force is thoroughly destroyed resulting in game defeat 99.999% of the time. I say 99.99999% because there is a very small possibility for one of those big ASM's to leak through. But in more than a dozen games, the Russian side has never sunk the US CVN. (Their victory condition.)
As far as CMANO is concerned, the fault is probably not so much with the Kuznetsov- in the game she is new, fully-loaded, armed, and manned- as are her escorts. (To be fair, so are the American ships.) She doesn't launch half-loaded Flankers for CAP. She can be loaded with three times as many aircraft as the real-life Kuznetsov deploys with. Her screws turn for 29 knots, she doesn't leak fuel for thousands of miles in her wake. All of her virtual toilets work. Her pilots are paid and and well cared for.
The victory for the virtual USN lies with the more than ample capabilities of the 12 AIM-120D-equipped FA/18E's that I have assigned for AAW BARCAP. Though there are never more than four patroling at 200nm's from the carrier, they viciously man-handle any threat they find, and typically escape AAW engagements like NINJA-PIRATES. Whatever aircraft or missile threats they do not completely brutalize, is easy pickins for the CSG's SAMs. The other key to the USN's victory is the heavy use of the JSOW BROACH combined with AARGM's. If I change it up, and give the alpha strike Harpoons or SLAM-ERs with HARMs, the RFN group may shoot them all down, and kill up to half of the strikers- but eventually the two battle groups will close to secondary weapon range, and the US CSG blows the Russians out of the water with hundreds of combined RGM-84, and ESSMs. The Russian survivors, if any, are finished off with 127mm fire. Interestingly, the two US SSN's never fire a single torp- even within spitting range of the RFN fleet. That said, the Russian subs let loose with a massive volley of ASM's every time. The combined shock and awe effect of all those Sunburn, Shipwreck, Kitchen, Oniks and Krypton ASMs suddenly bearing down on the CVN does make me sit up and take notice, but typically all are shot down- even at less than 20 miles. 
Maybe it's the model. Maybe it's a fault in the game engine. But it's kinda crazy to watch the most powerful sea-denial force the US has ever faced, get fully trounced like a bunch of newborn kittens every single match.
I'll provide said scenario to anyone who wants a go upon request. Peace out.
The thing here is that I would not expect the Russian Federation to be successful. The thought of a CVN vs. any RFN surface force in a face-to-face conflict would be almost a foregone conclusion. While it might be an interesting exercise, I would think the Kuznetzov would more likely play a role as a helo/ASW platform under the umbrella of land-based air protecting SSBN marshaling areas.
Regards,
Feltan
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An interesting article about the Russian navy - 
The only Russian survivors were the SSN's, which blasted right past the US CSG without either side catching wind of the other. ( I watched it with God Perspective turned on. ) 
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