Falklands 4 - Hunter Killer 2/5/82

[fitzpatv]

This short scenario covers the historical attack by the SSN Conqueror on the cruiser General Belgrano S of the Falklands. You can only play the British side.

Initially Conqueror is ordered to locate, report and track any major Argentine surface units. She has much better sonar than the cruiser’s two Sumner-class DDG escorts (Belgrano has none at all) but her Tigerfish torpedoes only slightly outrange the enemy ASW weapons. Argentine ASW aircraft are a potential threat, but the Alouette choppers carried by their task force lack buoys and dipping sonar, have limited endurance and are likely to be employed in pop-up mode. More worrying are Neptune MPAs, operating from land bases, but they have a considerable distance to travel to the area of operations and it will hopefully be possible to get the job done before they can intervene.

2/5/82 10:00Z (06:00L) : The first thing to do was to free Conqueror from her pre-set patrol mission. As the scenario begins, she has just detected a probable Sumner 40nm to the SW and has gone Engaged Offensive, which you don’t want. Instead, I made a cautious move to head the enemy off, while moderating my speed to get better sonar readings.

14:00Z: Four hours later, Conqueror was roughly 14nm NE of two escorts, which appeared to be sprinting and drifting. She had also detected an oiler without pinpointing her, but there was no sign of the Belgrano. At 14:10, a message (somehow, as I was just above the layer) arrived from RN HQ at Northwood, London, authorising the sub’s captain to sink the cruiser once detected.

14:25Z: The large (38,000 ton) oiler Puerto Rosales was definitively identified between the SSN and the escorts. As we were not authorised to sink her, this was very frustrating.

16:57Z: With Belgrano stubbornly refusing to appear and time running-out, I lost patience and circled round into the escorts’ baffles, then made an attack run at Cruise, as deep as possible. As the enemy were only doing four knots, this was practicable and the sub closed to sink the destroyer Piedra Bueno, which ran too late. The 50VP were enough for a Minor Victory. At this moment, we finally detected the Belgrano, some 9nm away to the W and now fleeing at 33 knots, which we couldn’t match.

With the enemy in full flight, I decided not to quit while I was ahead and chased the oiler, pausing periodically to improve my sonar fix. With the remaining DDG prioritising her own and the cruiser’s safety, the Puerto Rosales was left trailing and Conqueror was able to put her down with two pairs of Tigerfish for another 75VP and a Triumph. It was then easy enough to slip away.

Not quite the historical result, but enough in game terms. The scenario would be more challenging if the player was ONLY allowed to sink the Belgrano (due to rules of engagement).

The next one switches the player to the Argentine side for the first time.

[Eboreg]

I'll have to look into this one. Honestly though, sending the pride of the Argentine Navy running with her tail between her legs is definitely an acceptable result especially since that would her allow her to be preserved as a museum ship in the US.

[Eboreg]

Just decided to try it for myself and I almost immediately figured out that none of the U̶S̶S̶ ̶P̶h̶o̶e̶n̶i̶x̶ ARA General Belgrano's escorts had acoustic intercepts. Deciding on a "fortune favors the bold" course of action, I rushed towards the sonar contact at flank speed until I picked it up at fairly close range. Immediately slowing down to creep and switching my sonar to active, I quickly ID'd the Belgrano and her escorts and started tailing her until I got permission to fire. I then rushed ahead into a firing position off her port bow to avoid the sonars of the escort on her starboard side and all it took was 2 Tigerfishes to seal the deal.

[fitzpatv]

Nicely done!. Maybe I play a little too cautiously at times.