1986: The Americans respond

[Shadow of the Condor]

First, to all involved in the game from design to deployment, well done!!

Having just purchased the game, I played a few missions, and wanted to try my hand at a narrative AAR. I don’t have any screenshots, but perhaps your imagination can be helpful here. I will say, all that transpires is my rendition of the actual gameplay. First, the actual game mechanics…

Campaign: Libya, 1986
Skirmish (I’m not playing the second day, just wanted one mission to build the AAR)
Pilots selected: Spider (Fast, AtG +3) and Thumper (Slow, AtA +2; AtG +2)
Target: Convoy (4 damage points)
Special Ops: 3 points
Pre-flight intel: one SA-13 in target area
Armament: see story
En route Event: Electronic Warfare: Bandits cannot attack on Turn 1
Site/Bandit deployment:
Target: Sa-13 and MiG 25
North approach: SA-13
West approach: SA-8
South approach: SA-2
East approach: ZSU-23
Return Event: Creative Procurement: +1 SOP
(I can't remember what the event was for over the target... [&:] )

I only was attacked twice – once by the MiG and once by the SA-2 in the south. Both missed, but both caused +1 stress to each pilot (Spider evaded the MiG and Thumper did not evade, but took a near miss from the SA-2).


And now, I hope you enjoy the read. I’ll do a fuller story on multiple missions in the future.



Libya, 1986

…mission minus 2 hours…carrier flight operations…

The message was decoded and the plans were set into motion. Intelligence confirmed the presence of a high-ranking terrorist leader that would be traveling in a convoy from a training facility to the Libyan command center. The target (planners never did like to give their targets identities…) would be vulnerable for a short time. Intelligence estimated that a single mobile SAM would be accompanying the convoy. The estimate was the weapon would be an SA-13 Gopher capable of engaging low altitude targets.

In the briefing room, the two pilots selected for the mission were the best available. Their callsigns were Spider and Thumper. On deck, personnel wearing red sweaters were installing two new weapons on the aircraft.

Back in the briefing room, the pilots were evaluating their route into and out of the target area. They raised an eyebrow when they heard the intelligence estimate of only one mobile SAM as a probable threat, but said nothing. Both men knew that the “target” had been accused of terrorist acts against the United States, and they also knew their opponent wasn’t totally incompetent. He had to know that he would be within range of carrier aircraft (the fact the carrier battle group was close to Libya caused the usual posturing for the cameras by the heads of state sympathetic to the “target’s” cause) and would be more ably protected. Still, the decision to send only two aircraft on the mission had to be justified with a “minimal threat” intelligence estimate.

The pilots returned their thoughts to the briefing, especially to the two new weapon systems procured by the special operations section of a nebulous department of the military. Spider, in addition to a single Sparrow and Sidewinder anti-aircraft missile, was carrying a 2,000 pound laser-guided bomb – designated GBU-10. Theoretically, it would follow a laser pointer right down to the target. He was also carrying an AGM-65 Maverick missile. After all, the laser-guided bomb was new, and a proven weapon was allocated in case the new technology on the GBU failed. Finally, his aircraft also carried an AN/ALQ-119 jammer pod.

Thumper’s aircraft was loaded with four anti-air missiles (2 Sparrows and 2 Sidewinders), along with an AGM-45 Shrike anti-radiation missile. He also carried a laser-guided bomb, but a smaller (500 pound) GBU-12.

Mission plus twenty-six…200 miles from target…

The pair of Hornets approached their target from the north. Orbiting between them and their carrier was an E2-C Hawkeye Early Warning Aircraft. Inside, the three operators were monitoring their own radars and comparing the returns with the thousands of stored tracks in an attempt to classify them. They were updating the target area when their sensitive passive radar array detected a “Smerch” radar emission. The computers onboard the plane obediently displayed the most likely platform operating the radar: a MiG-25 Foxbat interceptor. The technician called the inbound jets and alerted them of the new threat.

Mission plus thirty…150 miles from target…

Onboard the strike aircraft, their own threat warning displays were beginning to detect the MiG’s powerful beam that the Hawkeye advised them of. Spider knew he had about 50 miles before he would be in the detection envelope of the MiG, and then the maneuvering would begin. Thumper pulled in behind and a bit above Spider and they proceeded south towards the target…

Mission plus thirty-four…100 miles from target…

Onboard the MiG, the pilot was orbiting the convoy when his threat display lit up. He radioed the alert to the men on the ground…

Mission plus thirty-five…

The convoy commander was in a bad position. He was in the open on a highway when his radio relayed the message from the interceptor overhead. Fifteen miles south of his three truck convoy was a SA-2 Guideline SAM site. Traveling with his convoy was a pair of SA-13 Gopher mobile SAMs, with one deployed about twenty miles north of him. Also along, protecting the convoy was a ZSU-23 mobile anti-aircraft gun. Finally, to his west was a SA-8 Gecko mobile SAM. It was a potent force to protect the convoy and its high-value target, but they were all designed to protect against low-altitude attacks. Only the SA-2 site behind them was capable of reaching the high-altitude the Americans could, if they chose to, fly at.

Mission plus thirty-nine…35 miles from target…

Spider switched his jamming pod on, and the MiG’s display lost its resolution for a second. The radar’s tube type construction actually was a benefit in this situation, as it was capable of generating enough power to burn through the American jammer within moments…

Mission plus forty…30 miles from target…

Spider thumbed his trigger, and his lone AIM-7 Sparrow leapt away and sped toward the Mig…

The Mig reacquired the American, and also heard his warning radar alerting him to the presence of an enemy missile trying to track him.

Mission plus forty-two…twenty miles from target…

The MiG, having eluded the American missile, now fired one of his own AA-6 missiles at Spider. Thumper fired both of his AIM-7 Sparrows back at the MiG. The AA-6 missed as did one of the Sparrows. Thumper’s second missile, however, exploded alongside the Mig, shredding its wing root and sending the aircraft plummeting to earth.

Mission plus forty-three…fifteen miles from target…

While Thumper had eliminated the MiG, Spider’s attention was on the guidance system display for his Maverick missile. He fired the missile at the center of the three-truck convoy…

Meanwhile, fifteen miles south of the convoy, the operator inside the 6x6 truck of the SA-2 site’s fire control system was finally able to lock onto the Americans – a task made easier with the destruction of the MiG. One of the six missiles surrounding the fire control van ignited and sped skyward toward the intruders…

Mission plus forty-five…seven miles from target…

Spider now worked the controls for the laser ranging pod on his plane. He couldn’t really see his targets, but their images were amplified and his again aimed for the center blob on his display. The Maverick had actually hit within two hundred feet of the convoy, but the explosion was partially absorbed by a berm the trucks had just passed behind. The explosion was powerful enough, however, to leave almost all of the men stunned, while the lead truck had been literally blown over onto its side. Thumper also illuminated his own laser and both pilots released their new weapons before turning north for home.

Mission plus forty-six…

As the Americans exited the target area, the 2,000 pound bomb obliterated the soft vehicles of the convoy. Thumper’s smaller 500 pound bomb added its own explosion to the carnage. The mobile SAM commanders with the convoy had escaped destruction, but watched helplessly as the Americans never flew low enough for them to engage…

Mission plus forty-nine…

As the pair of Hornets flew north, they encountered another SA-13, who fired on them. The missile had no chance of hitting them, but Thumper fired his AGM-45 Shrike in return. Moments later, the last obstacle between the pilots and their carrier was a smoking ruin…

Mission debriefing…

The senior officers and civilian representatives of certain defense contractors sat in on the debriefing sessions. Afterwards, the verdict of this new weapon was in. More would be released to the military in anticipation of other missions in the future…

Mission plus three hours…

The reports of the airstrike were now on the cable new channels for all to see. A background shot of the carrier was replaced by a Hornet as the perky newswoman relayed yet another display of the American technological superiority.

The screen went black as the remote control turned the set off. The man then looked back at his leader, who was watching the show with him…

“You were right…”

The "target" looked thoughtful and finally spoke.

“Have the trucks replaced.”

[Erik Rutins]

Very nice, thanks for the AAR Condor!

[Holly]

That was fantastic! Please create more of these!
I'm sitting here at work, computer screen turned as far away from other people as possible, loving every minute of your AAR. Thank you!

-Holly

[Holly]

Quick question,

Why did you choose to arm both AtA and AtG weapons on the same aircraft? The negative modifiers of being weighted down with AtG bombs during AtA combat are terrible.

-Holly

[Shadow of the Condor]

Thank you Erik and Holly!

Holly, as to your question about my armament choices - with only two aircraft going in, I was hesitant about dedicating one plane for AA (Thumper) and another for ground attack (Spider). This way, if I lost the weapons on one plane, the other would still have a chance to do some damage. The negative modifiers were troubling, but I wanted the flexibility of having two chances for AtG, especially with both pilots having a + modifier for AtG.

I'm glad you enjoyed the read. I will be doing more of them - I enjoy the creation of the AARs as much as the mechanics of the gameplay.