Nikita's War - France Enters the Fray, 1957 -- new beta for testing

[Mgellis]

A new beta, possibly the first in a series set in 1957.

The Cold War just got hot. The Soviets have attacked air bases across Europe. Submarines have ambushed NATO ships. NATO is preparing to respond. A French surface group is tasked with clearing the waters south of Sardinia.

As always, please let me know what you think. Suggestions, comments, corrections, etc. for any aspects of the scenario--units selected, phrasing of orders, gameplay, how well events work, scoring, etc.--are all welcome.

Thanks in advance!

Version 2 uploaded 8:10 PM CST October 26, 2024

Lorrain 1.JPG (262.93 KiB) Viewed 599 times

[HalfLifeExpert]

Running it now. A neat setup with some seldom used units available to the player. ASW is a real challenge without shipboard helos and Sonobuoys!

A couple of thoughts though, specifically regarding A/C available to the player:

In 1957, Algeria was still very much part of France. This would certainly mean that any coastal airports or bases would be available to French forces (and by extension NATO) at this point. With the ongoing Algerian War of Independence, the French would have certainly have had some military aircraft based there as part of their COIN campaign that would be of great help in this sudden war. Not the top-of-the-line planes of course, but some combat aircraft would be there. With this in mind:

1) Perhaps base the two PBYs out of an Algerian airbase to make them somewhat more "on the scene", especially since they're second-line aircraft that may be more likely to be deployed in Algeria rather than Metropolitan France. They would've serve a handy role in searching for ships smuggling weapons to the Algerian rebels.

2) Given that the two Soviet cruisers outrange and outgun the French ships, including the De Grasse, I think perhaps 6-8 combat aircraft for strikes on the Soviet ships could be made available at an Algerian airbase to help out. I did some quick research and it seems that some French Naval Aviation F4U Corsairs were deployed to Algeria following the Suez War (about 5-6 months before this scenario), and it seems that the French didn't finish retiring their TBM Avengers until the beginning of the 1960s. They would definitely be the sort of aircraft ideal for COIN against the Algerian Rebels that can also conduct anti ship attacks with iron bombs and rockets

I don't think we need to add enough aircraft to make the French warships superfluous, but enough to give the under-gunned De Grasse a somewhat better chance against the 6 Inch armed Soviet Cruisers. Perhaps they can only be issued Rockets and Bombs 500lb and smaller? The squadrons could also be "understrength" due to a pre-scenario rebel attack on the airbase. (It could be a completely coincidental attack that's unrelated to the surprise Soviet war)

Overall, I think this has the makings of a great scenario with combat not-too-different from WW2 Naval Warfare, especially if my suggestion of Corsairs and/or Avengers are added.

[Nikel]

Thanks for the new scenario

SPOILER ALERT. DO NOT READ IF YOU PLAN TO PLAY THE SCENARIO!


Got a Triumph with 700 points, only one of the destroyers escaped, the Osmotritelny.


After locating the first Soviet group, engaged them with the naval group and were easily destroyed, I found the escorting frigates very passive.

Then the heavy group with the cruisers, retreated the naval group NW just in case and launched the Privateers armed with M65 bombs from Toulon, was lucky enough that each of them was enough to sink one cruiser.

I thought that with the 2 cruisers sunk the 3 remnant destroyers were an easy task, but no. They are a hard nut to crack.

They damaged and left the De Grasse out of comms. I needed even the fire of the oiler to sink 2 of the destroyers.

The third run away, by that time one of the Privateers was ready to take off again and tried to sink this remaining destroyer but survived.

I thought that it was enough battle and let the time run.

Several subs fired torpedos but none of them impacted, also could not locate them precisely, ASW seems to be very difficult or I do not know how to do it.



Besides what HLE said regarding Algeria. What about Italy, is a founding member of NATO, why is it green and not blue?

AS OF: 26/04/1957 8:04:05

SIDE: France
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
1320x 105mm SK C/33
539x 127mm/54 M1948 Twin AA-VT Burst [Anti-Aircraft Common, 2 rnds]
1170x 127mm/54 M1948 Twin HE-PD Burst [HiCap, 2 rnds]
146x 40mm/60 Single Bofors Burst [2 rnds]
1676x 57mm/60 m/50D Twin Bofors HE Burst [2 rnds]
1545x 57mm/60 Model 1951 Twin HE Burst [2 rnds]
24x M65 1000lb GPB



SIDE: Soviet Union
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
1x EM Leningrad
1x EM Skory Mod Pr.30BA
1x KR Chapaev
1x KR Sverdlov [Pr.68bis]
2x MT T-43 [Pr.254K/M]
1x PB Atrek
2x SKR Riga [Pr.50 Gornostay]
1x VT Kazbek


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
4x 100mm/56 Twin HE Burst [2 rnds]
68x 130mm/58 Twin HE Burst [2 rnds]
715x 135 mm/45 Model 1938 (AP)
32x 135 mm/45 Model 1938 (HE)
44x 37mm/63 Twin Burst [20 rnds]
1x 53-39 Straight Runner
9x 53-57 Pattern Runner [NATO 53-56]
133x 57mm/81 ZIF-75 Quad DP Burst [6 rnds]



SIDE: Neutrals
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------


EXPENDITURES:
------------------

[Mgellis]

Thanks for the feedback so far.

I'm working on version 2. Added airfields at Constantine and Oran. The 2 Catalinas are now at Constantine. 6 Corsairs are at Oran (which is apparently where they were stationed...I figured it made sense that they would not initially be at Constantine), so they will have to ferry over to Constantine (which has plenty of bombs for them; they can reload about 4 times each). I've dropped two of the bombers from the French airbase and set both of them for ASW. You can rearm them with bombs if you want, though. This probably makes the scenario a little more challenging, since you don't have access to aircraft that can attack with bombs for a number of hours.

I will wait for other comments and then post version 2, probably in a day or so.

Thanks again for the help.

[HalfLifeExpert]

I've completed a playthrough of Version 1. Got an "Average" outcome after De Grasse was torpedoed in a surface attack when engaging the main Soviet surface force.

A bit frustrating that the Soviets still have surface attack torpedoes when Western ships don't. I think it's a Command engine limitation, but I REALLY want the ability to put an ASW torpedo into a disabled enemy ship at close range to finish it off. Tried doing that after rampaging through the Soviet auxiliary force, but I just wasn't able to get the torpedoes to impact. Afterall, I wanted to save my proper gun shells for the subsequent engagement with the Soviet main force.

Note that only 2 of the 4 French surface vessels, De Grasse and the destroyer Chateaurenault, have proper surface engagement guns (5 inch guns & 4.1 inch guns respectively). This makes the inclusion of some fighter-bomber support all the more imperative. I was able to sink one of the cruisers with a bomber attack and damage the other before the final surface engagement. Even though one of the bomb-armed Privateers was able to re-arm in enough time, it seems that Day/Night affecting Air ops is enabled, so I wasn't able to try and knock out that last cruiser before the surface battle.

The other two French destroyers only have dual purpose 57mm AA guns that are really best for use against the Soviet auxiliaries and minesweepers, and any Soviet sub you manage to grab on the surface.

On the ASW front, my only kill was when a Catalina was able to spot a surface or near surface Whisky and dropped a torpedo which hit. The sub surfaced, disabled, and the Catalina's other torpedo was able to finish it off.

I look forward to trying out version 2!

[Mgellis]

Just uploaded version 2. Once again, any and all feedback is welcome. Thanks!

I noticed HalfLifeExpert's remarks about the limits on night attacks...this appears to apply to the Corsairs, too. (I was very confused for a bit why they weren't taking off and then I checked the local time and said, "Oh, because it's night! Duh!"). I really like all the realism settings Command has, frustrating as they can be at times.

Here, this creates an interesting challenge for the players, I think. HalfLifeExpert is right that you are outgunned, so if you don't take out the cruisers before nightfall, you need to somehow outmaneuver them until it's dawn (you have a couple of hours in the morning of the second day to fly another sortie against them).

[HalfLifeExpert]

I've completed a playthrough of version 2. Got a Triumph with a score of 730

I was able to make very effective use of those Corsairs to neutralize the two Soviet cruisers (which did NOT ultimately make it a walk-over for the De Grasse group), though the last 2 plane sortie returned to Constantine AB after dark, and both crashed on landing.

I wrecked havoc on the Soviet Auxiliary force with the De Grasse group, after making a point to strike their escorts with Corsairs first. When I was done only the oiler and sub tender were left, but I decided to save my shells for the main battle.

When the main engagement happened, it was 3x damaged Soviet destroyers vs the De Grasse group (minus one ASW destroyer lost to a sub attack). I formed my ships into a line of battle and they engaged. All 3 Soviet vessels were ultimately destroyed, but return fire managed to almost wipe out the De Grasse's weapons and comms, leaving only one dual 5 Inch mount operational.

On the ASW front, I was able to get one Torpedo hit on the sub that sank my ASW destroyer, though it was able to escape.

Later on, I managed to detect and sink another submarine with a separate Catalina sortie.

Overall I think this is a very good scenario, with only one issue:

It takes a very long time before the Soviet main surface force starts moving. I was able to observe it at anchor off Tunisia for a long time due to the long range radar of one of my Neptunes. With war being on, I would assume they would be on the move most of the time? Perhaps enroute to meet up with the Oiler in the other group?
Also, most of the main action was outside the "designated" patrol zone in the briefing.

Once some tweaks are made to Soviet ship behavior, I think this scenario is good to go. ASW is a major challenge due to the tech of the time.

I'd advise players to use their aircraft to detect the subs on the surface and try to vector the De Grasse away from them. The French force available does not have the proper capabilities to sweep the area of subs, so they're more of an obstacle than an objective for the De Grasse group. This is not a complaint, as that can be considered an alternative challenge compared to alot of other scenarios.

[schweggy]

I played this scenario yesterday. F4U's! Cool. First mission was to get them to a base with ammo. Second mission was an ASW ring around De Grasse TG. Third mission was to get one of the Neptune's into the air and their powerful radars on so I could see what was around. I quickly located the Soviet's resupply, counter-mine and FF's to the De Grasse's south. Then located the main Soviet surface group, apparently at anchor. The ID's of all vessels was confirmed with low-level passes by the Neptune. The Privateers and Catalinas worked in tandem to sanitize the area around the French task force and almost as soon as one got on station a possible sub contact was discovered. After a lengthy period of time, and the contact failing to move, I marked it neutral and moved on.

The Corsairs were about ready by the time the first actual submarine was detected, just NE of the Task Force's position. Prosecuting it however was painful. Unless surfaced, or a positive track is held, the ASW aircraft cannot/will not fire. So the TF flees to the SW and towards the Soviet supply group.

My decision here is to use the Corsairs on the anchored Soviet surface group. With the heaviest load outs possible all six are tasked with attacking the two cruisers. This mission goes off without a hitch. Both cruisers are hit hard, but not sunk. They'll not be moving for a while either. The F4U's land and start the rearming process, but it's late in the day... might not have enough time to launch another strike until morning.

With the Soviet surface group hit pretty hard I decide to use the De Grasse TF to eliminate the Soviet supply group. It skirts another sub, dispatched by a Catalina as the TF cruises by at 12kts. The Soviets have now reversed their course and my intercept will be south and west of my current position. The battle happens at night and the two Soviet FF's are targeted first by my big guns on De Grasse and the destroyer Chateaurenault. After they're dispatched the rest of the group is wiped out.

I plot a course for the De Grasse TF to engage the sill anchored Soviet surface group to the south. As morning dawns I launch another attack with the Corsairs, this time targeting the Soviet DD's. Upon arrival I order 2 Corsairs to attack each DD. All are sunk. One Corsair still has a full load out and I direct it to one of the remaining cruisers and sink it as well. The De Grasse TF never arrived in time to engage the remaining, but badly damaged cruiser.

End result: Triumph.
============
Gameplay notes:
- The Soviet SAG cannot move if the lead ship is damaged or destroyed. Since I hit, and crippled the two cruisers the entire group could, at best, make 3kts. Once the lead was sunk it couldn't move anywhere. A limitation of CMO, but perhaps LUA code might be written to reassign the lead ship if the original one is destroyed. I've no clue how to do that, however.
- ASW work without sonobuoys is hard and frustrating.
- The Soviet supply/MCM group doesn't seem very aggressive. Would it make more sense to have the Soviet SAG out in the Med with the resupply group at anchor, waiting to carry out its mission?

A fun scenario.

[Mgellis]

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. I'm going to make a few minor tweaks (including having the cruiser SAG moving early on...harder to track that way) and then post a final version for the Community Scenario Pack.

I've also settled on a new format for the title...

Khrushchev's War, Day 1 - France Enters the Fray, 1957

...which I admit is a bit of a mouthful, but that's kind of a necessary evil when you're putting together a linked group of scenarios.

I will also soon be posting a beta for the next scenario in this campaign, featuring a lone Greek submarine on a mission to intercept a Soviet convoy. Look for it!

[HalfLifeExpert]

I've also settled on a new format for the title...

Khrushchev's War, Day 1 - France Enters the Fray, 1957

...which I admit is a bit of a mouthful, but that's kind of a necessary evil when you're putting together a linked group of scenarios.

I think that's better since "Khrushchev" makes for much quicker identification of the "Who?" than just "Nikita" does.

Afterall, it has one fewer syllable than "Kennedy", and in Cuban Missile Crisis alternate histories, no-one in their right mind would refer to "John's War".

[Nikel]

Anyone noticed too much slowdown of the game when the warships are engaged?

I mean too much considering the AU count.