Black Tigers in the Baltic

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Command: Modern Operations series >> Mods and Scenarios >> Black Tigers in the Baltic

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Black Tigers in the Baltic - 7/10/2015 6:50:57 AM

jmarso

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The fictional storyline in the Black Tiger scenario pack is getting a sequel. In 2016, Russia's strongman president (Putin...) is not satisfied with heckling Ukraine. In the post U.S.-Iran War world, he's more intent than ever on breaking NATO and annexing former Soviet possessions. His latest target is Estonia, but the RAF and the Black Tigers aren't having any of it. Article V of the NATO charter is at stake, and in the post US-Iran War world, there's no line like the hard line. The politics are rooted in today's headlines, but Command is going to make it fun.

Two of the three scenarios are done (1st drafts, anyway) but I'll post the whole thing as a pack here, similar to the Black Tiger scenario pack. These missions are a little more reality-rooted than the original Black Tiger missions, but the Cactus Air Force is alive and well in 2016. F-14E Tomcat 21's, Marine F-35B's, and all the rest. Get ready to saddle up- whiskey for my men and beer for my Tomcats!

< Message edited by jmarso -- 7/10/2015 8:12:14 AM >

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RE: Black Tigers in the Baltic - 7/13/2015 5:16:39 PM

jmarso

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Here's the initial version. It's a three scenario pack and the gameplay will be familiar to those who played the original Black Tiger missions:

Scenarios 1 and 2 are short and light, contributing more to the overall story and mood than actual meat and potatoes.

Scenario 3 is the big 'un where the balloon has gone up, and where the 'Cactus Air Force' and the Black Tigers come into play. This scenario is highly fictional in nature as it employs the F-14E Tomcat 21 and an early deployment of the Marine Corps F-35B.

In scenarios I and II the player plays the part of the RAF conducting Baltic Air Policing. (That's real- google it!)
In scenario III the player plays the USN, with NATO/USAF forces as a non-player controlled ally.

The storyline here is a direct continuation of the original Black Tiger missions, but despite references to the first scenario pack it is NOT necessary to play that one before playing this one. It's a standalone story.

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< Message edited by jmarso -- 7/13/2015 6:17:24 PM >

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RE: Black Tigers in the Baltic - 7/14/2015 10:05:16 AM

Gunner98

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BTB 1, Air policing works fine. Not sure how the points are allocated. Got 5 pts after intercepting some intruders but that's it. There are some locked RPs along the Border, not sure what they are for, perhaps some points for patrolling them, not sure. So in the end a minor victory.

On to the next one tonight

B

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RE: Black Tigers in the Baltic - 7/14/2015 12:34:49 PM

Coiler12

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I'm highly skeptical of a carrier actually going into something as narrow and dangerous as the Baltic. Especially if it's chronologically after a carrier was lost in a somewhat similar narrow sea (The successful Iranian attack on the carrier in Hormuz in the first Black Tiger).

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RE: Black Tigers in the Baltic - 7/14/2015 12:49:05 PM

Primarchx

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Coiler12

I'm highly skeptical of a carrier actually going into something as narrow and dangerous as the Baltic. Especially if it's chronologically after a carrier was lost in a somewhat similar narrow sea (The successful Iranian attack on the carrier in Hormuz in the first Black Tiger).

I agree. There's no way a CVN would enter the Baltic at this stage of a conflict. If a/c were needed it would remain in the North Sea and use tankers out of the UK to stretch strike range.

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RE: Black Tigers in the Baltic - 7/14/2015 3:58:19 PM

jmarso

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Yeah, but what fun is that? :)

I could have set it up that way but then the whole scenario becomes a slog of transiting back and forth. Even more realistically, there would probably be a lot more use of land-based assets flying out of NATO ground bases rather than a carrier air wing anyway.

Like I said, a highly fictional scenario.

< Message edited by jmarso -- 7/14/2015 5:37:46 PM >

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RE: Black Tigers in the Baltic - 7/14/2015 6:38:57 PM

Gunner98

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BTB II worked well, nice little scenario. Although I agree with the comments above, especially the same CVW - On to the big one 'highly fictional' or not

.

B

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RE: Black Tigers in the Baltic - 7/14/2015 7:19:34 PM

Primarchx

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quote:

ORIGINAL: jmarso

Yeah, but what fun is that? :)

I could have set it up that way but then the whole scenario becomes a slog of transiting back and forth. Even more realistically, there would probably be a lot more use of land-based assets flying out of NATO ground bases rather than a carrier air wing anyway.

Like I said, a highly fictional scenario.

Absolutely. No harm in that. Just looks strange to me when I start it up because I'm like, "What the heck is that CSG doing there!" :>

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RE: Black Tigers in the Baltic - 7/14/2015 8:39:37 PM

jmarso

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Joined: 4/29/2015
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Gunner98

BTB 1, Air policing works fine.� Not sure how the points are allocated.� Got 5 pts after intercepting some intruders but that's it.� There are some locked RPs along the Border, not sure what they are for, perhaps some points for patrolling them, not sure.� So in the end a minor victory.

On to the next one tonight

B

The RPs on the border are for an exclusion zone that should paint intruders as unfriendly. There is a way to glean a few more points in the scenario: fly out any do a close ID pass of the bombers out in international airspace.

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RE: Black Tigers in the Baltic - 7/14/2015 11:09:07 PM

Gunner98

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BTB III - well done. Nice scenario, my CVW was maxed out from start to finish, the allied air took a beating but the Sov's fared worse.

Lost 2x Hornets, wasted a bunch of TLAMs but gained air-superiority and that ended the ground push. Needed a second strike to clean it up but that was only an hour away at end game. Those AIM-152s kick butt! Both Sov ships and a Charlie class SSGN are feeding fish, but the Brit SSN didn't last 10 min.

Comments:
-The Brit SSN got smoked pretty early, she is also out of place in these shallow waters. You may wish to consider a German 212 class, much better suited to the Baltic, or even a 209 or a Norwegian 210 class. I bet even a Danish 207 would do a good job here
-Was watching the event in the msg window and was thrown off by all the point allocating events being named '1 points:xxxxxxxxxx' even when it was worth 100 points
-In the brief you mention that if an airfield can be identified as contributing to the fight, you can attack it - but they are all 'Single Unit Airfields' which are pretty much impervious to attack. Recommend you keep the Single unit airfields and delete the comment in the brief. There are enough TLAMs to shut down one or two airfields and I don't think the scenario would work as well if that happened. Easy to justify in the political setup
-The TOW equipped S-60's were never in range of a target, was switching them all back to ASW because of the threat.
-Game ended at 450VPs (or I got the BZ msg anyway) but it was only a minor victory.

This would also be a lot of fun playing the NATO air without the CSG, you would need to add a Raptor Sqn, probably an F-15C sqn, or maybe some more Euroftrs instead, and a Blk-50 F-16 sqn for SEAD but I think it would work quite well.

Thanks.

B

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RE: Black Tigers in the Baltic - 7/16/2015 4:42:27 PM

AlexGGGG

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You know, if you want something historical or logical, that's not the scenario I would recommend. But, but, this is some huge fun. I will post some observations as I finish the set.

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RE: Black Tigers in the Baltic - 7/18/2015 6:57:51 AM

AlexGGGG

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1. 6x Hellfire-armed helos have not enough range, and are marginally useful (after ferrying to Amari where there are no missiles for them, so ferry back after each sortie).

2. Allied bombers (Tornado GR 4A) go into the area protected by the stack of SAMs (what the hell was that? 20+ SAMs on top each other?) and die horrible death before SEAD can be conducted. This is kind of useless.

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RE: Black Tigers in the Baltic - 7/26/2015 2:43:16 AM

AlexGGGG

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Gunner98,

Single unit airfields can actually be destroyed. As of the latest patch, I suppose it is the only land airfield type structure which can be destroyed as in removed from map. Multi-unit airfield, runways, access points and whatnot, can only be damaged, not removed from map.

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Post #: 13