New Scenario for testing NF10.2 Ant Eaters Revenge

[wild_Willie2]

Well, V1,8 does give me enough AMRAAM's so now I can fight my way through to Keflavik with my strike AC and can sink the Soviet fleet with the F117's but my AC are still being shot down when they try to approach Keflavik on bombing runs while my HARM's are also being shot down before they can strike the Keflavik SAM forrest so I can't even make a dent in it (even the B52 missile strike was shot down while approaching Keflavik). When I ran out of HARM missiles I had a peek at the AI hoping it would be running out of SAM missiles in the Keflavik region, only to see that not even half had been expended shooting down my missile strikes [X(]. I am currently down 150 points and might gain some more points by bombing Reykjavik with the F15's and F111's, but then I will also loose more AC to SAM's and at 5 points per loss, things add up quickly.

I can only say, holy shit Gunner, you've created a monster with this Keflavik setup [&o][&o][&o]

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
1x EF-111A Raven
5x F-117A Night Hawk
2x F-15A Eagle
6x F-15C Eagle
6x F-16CJ Blk 50 Falcon
6x F-4G Phantom II [Wild Weasel V]

SIDE: WP
===========================================================
LOSSES:
-------------------------------
3x A-50 Mainstay A
2x An-12BK-PPS Cub D
1x BPK Kresta II [Pr.1134A Berkut A]
1x EM Sovremenny I [Pr.956]
5x MiG-23ML Flogger G
10x MiG-23MLD Flogger K
7x MiG-29 Fulcrum C
7x MiG-31 Foxhound
1x Radar (Big Bird C [64N6])
1x Radar (High Screen A [9S19 Imbir])
1x Radar (Spoon Rest D [P-18])
1x SSV Balzam [Pr.1826 Rubidiy]
1x SSV Mayak [Pr.502, Intelligence Mod]
1x SSV Vishnya [Pr.864 Meridian]
3x Su-24MP Fencer F
4x Su-27P Flanker B
10x Su-27S Flanker B
7x Su-27S Flanker B
1x Vehicle (Flap Lid B [5N63S])
1x Vehicle (Paint Box [SPN-30] Jammer)

[Gunner98]

Was toying with the idea of reducing that ammo at start due to major fight with the USN from the day before, however didn’t because:

- the focus of that fight was A2A and in the direction to the USN was a limited expenditure of 50 TLAMs, so some of the LR SAMs (SA-20) would be attrited, as well as the bigger radars but I left the smaller stuff alone
- as for the ammo levels, my baseline assumption is that the units would have arrived, (mostly by two ships the day after the capture of the island, and some by air), with a basic and maintenance load. So essentially 3 days’ worth of ammo. I know the soviet doctrine was different from NATO but I'm not sure what that doctrine was, so transferred some of the basics, like this.
- made another assumption that at least one more day of supply would have arrived in the intervening week before interdiction slowed or stopped the resupply process.
- at worst, the KEF IADs would have withstood a probe during NF-8 – ‘Hold the Line’, and some poking during 9.5 – ‘Hear comes the Cavalry’. So this is really the first full scale assault. Ammo wise they would have expended some, but still have at least 2 if not 3 full days’ worth remaining.
- therefore my figuring had full ammo bustles for this scenario, and the next, but a small reduction for the 'BUFF Stampede' on night 23/24 Feb and about 60-70% for 10.5 'Sweep-up', 30-50% for 10.6 'Double Envelopment'. Each of these scenarios would see a gradual attrition of these systems as well, not just an ammo reduction.
- by the time the Amphibs & Battlewagons arrive 26/27 Feb the whole system would be degraded to about 40% and not linked by a cohesive IADS, and those systems would hold about 20-25% ammo loads.

So ended up not reducing the ammo at all for this scenario, except for the remaining SA-20, which only has a few shots left.

Got me to thinking that perhaps the USAF was using decoys? I know the USN was using the TALD from the late 80’s, but MALDs didn’t show up until the late 90’s

Honestly I was counting on the EF-111’s being more effective, they seemed to be in the earlier scenarios but I guess improved modeling has scaled their effectiveness back a bit. I suppose that some USMC EA-6B’s could be put in support from Sondrestrom, or a USAF EC-130 Compass Call and see if that works a bit better.

Could also put some SOF in play to locate some of the critical systems and make them easier to target.

Thanks for your help.

[wild_Willie2]

Hi Gunner,

I found out that when I use close escort jamming, I can get my strike eagles with the Paveways 3's just close enough to Keflavik from the north to release their laser guided weapons (8nm), but a few seconds after this point, the SAM's burn through the jamming and 90% of my strikers die while trying to turn around and run away. So to even try and take out the SAM sites and airfields in the current setup, you will need a weapons with a greater range then 10nm. But trying for a Paveway 2 (4nm) or Rockeye (1nm) run against Keflavik is guaranteed suicide in this setup.

I had some luck with strike eagles carrying GBU-15's(15nm), with some testing I found out that these can launch from the north at extreme range and get away more or less intact. But in this setup they can't carry AMRAAM's, so they will need close escorts in order to survive. Alternatively more B52's with CALCM missiles and close jamming coming from the north have a chance of punching through and hitting Keflavik AF itself. The problem with the current ability for not being able to knock out runways has already been mentioned, so you might replace the runway objectives with a few high value bunkers instead. Bunkers can be knocked out (although they need several hits by heavy weapons, just like runways) so they can stand in for runways.

So keep the current setup and replace the Paveway 2/3 eagles with GBU-15 Eagles and the Rockey eagles with heavy AMRAAM eagles and the scenario will work, although the F111 bombers are more or useless in this setup as they can't survive with their current load-out in this heavy SAM environment. You could also change their current load-out to GBU-15's and delete the GBU-15 Eagles entirely while keeping the extra AMRAAM eagles as escorts.

Your almost there, just a few more changes and the scenario will work!

keep up the good work.

W.

[Gunner98]

Thanks Willie

OK here is another cut at it. Ver 1.9

-Changed up a lot of the ammo loading
-F-15C AMRAAM Heavy (they only lose 10 min of flight time)
-F-111 about 80% GBU-15V2, the other 20% GBU-15V32(penetrator)
-F-15E 40% AMRAAM Heavy, 40% GBU-15V2, 20% GBU-15V32
-F-117 50% GBU-27, 30% HARM, 20% Maverick
-Added an EC-130E Commando Solo
-Added 2 x EC-130H Compass Call
-Added 4 x EA-6B
-Changed up the VPs so for the Runways and Taxiways you need to damage them 85%

The fine tuning continues. Thanks for your continued support

B

[wild_Willie2]

I have been running 1.9 and found this scenario a paradox. Once you have taken out the three surveillance radars on the Keflavik peninsula (what logic tells you to do), every single radar system on the island lights up and and then approaching the target region becomes extremely difficult and bombing the Keflavik runways becomes almost impossible (your bombs get shot down). The key to victory is to take out the radars on the northern arm and the Mainstays in the air and then heavily jam the single spoon rest and/or back net radar that is covering Keflavik. These radars are relatively easy to jam and this will let most of your you're ordinance hit the runways and take them out.

This version now has more then enough air to air ordinance and the heavy AMRAAM F15’s in combination with the extra jammers are basically overkill v. the Soviet fighters. You can now easily scrap the later sparrow armed F16's as there is nothing left for them to shoot down once the F15's with jammer cover come through and take down everything that flies and/or lands or lifts from the western AF's.

With the AMRAAM f15's, just adding just two prowlers (instead of four) from the start will give you sufficient jamming capacity to take down the Soviet air power and the rest of the jammers are not necessary although it would be nice to have a dedicated ELINT AC in the OOB at the start so you can sniff out the Soviet radars early on.

So, if you leave the he single spoon rest and/or back net radar on the Keflavik peninsula alive, the scenario is easily winnable with the current setup, however take the out and winning becomes extremely difficult...

W.

[Gunner98]

Thanks again Willie

Bracketing the target [:D]

- Add an RC-135W Rivet Joint - Done
- Delete 2 of the 4 prowlers - Done
- Delete the Air National Guard F-16's - Done

I'll leave the Compass Call and Commando Solo in because I think it makes sense

Am considering the following and would appreciate your thoughts:

-drop the F-15C Sqn down to AMRAAM Med again
-Adding the 'Big Bird on the Hill' back in
-changing up some of the ordinance for the Aardvarks, seems a tad unidimensional at the moment

Now that 'Big Bird' is also a trigger to light everything up (when it dies), so I could remove the Spoon Rest your talking about as a trigger and keep it as the Big Bird only. The Big Bird itself only lights up as a last resort (they like to live and get their skiing in up on that volcano[:D]).

My conundrum here is that - at some point the alarm will go up and everyone is going to join the party. Its currently triggered when certain radars get taken out.

-It could trigger on the runways getting damaged but by then the Sov commander would say 'it’s too late'.
-There could be a slightly more graduated response I suppose
-it could trigger on sinking the ships, indicating a joint IADS, but it’s unlikely the ground commander would agree to that
-It could trigger on the last SA-20 turning into a smoking hole in the ground as well

At some point however the alarm has to go up, the situation you describe isn't really as intended.

Appreciate your advice.

Edit: Only removed 1/2 the ANG Sqn - just in case

[wild_Willie2]

This is by far the most difficult scenario I have played so far (besides some of those nutcase NI scenario's where victory was just a matter of being lucky) and I would't fiddle with the current Aardvark setup to much, else Reykjavik will not be shut down. You literally need every ounce of air to ground firepower in this scenario to knock out the Keflavik airfields, the Reykjavik airfield is relatively easy to knock out but Keflavik is a true hell [&o][&o][&o]

Maybe put some more AG ordinance at the airbases, so some wild weasels can rearm? Extra HARMS would really do the trick. You really need a maddening amount of fire- and jamming power in order to suppress the warships and SAM sites around the Keflavik peninsula in order to just REACH the airfield, let alone knock it out and now I am down to using the GBU-15's to clear away the SAM sites so I can hit the AF itself....

I'll win in the end but the price will be steep...

[Gunner98]

Can't really put more HARMS on the forward airbases as they are a simple expedient to relieve you of 3 hrs of flight time, it would cost 12 hrs to get back to the real bases, reload and get forward again. Not really practicable.

However; I have a cunning plan[:D]. VMFA-115 can come on line 36hrs earlier than planned and flying out of Nuuk I can load them with HARMS & TLADS. Give them some Hurc tankers from VMGRT-253 and we might have a solution. They F-18A so no more AMRAAMs but it might tip the balance. Probly have 4 on Maint (after the move up from South Carolina), 4 on TLAD adn 4 on HARMS. They would also support BUFF Stampede, which I am starting to get concerned about.

B

[Gunner98]

OK Ver 2.0

-Played with the triggers to make the whole WP side active
-Added the 'Big Bird' back on the hill, key to the triggers
-Added an RC-135 Rivet Joint
-Added a Marine VMFA Sqn with more HARMS & TLADs
-Added some Marine Hurc tankers from a Trg sqn
-Deleted 1/2 the ANG F-16s
-Deleted 1/2 the Prowlers

More tinkering around the edges.

Enjoy

[ckfinite]

Might want to remove the S-300 missile magazines - they probably wouldn't have the space to get the transloaders/reloads in, so they'd be limited to on-TEL rounds.

[wild_Willie2]

I finally cracked the version 2.0 of this scenario,

It took a combination of careful application of HARM missiles (this version has just enough), extensive jamming and a massive CALCM strike at the southern SAM sites under cover of MALD's and all the western airfields are finally closed.

There are still way to many AMRAAM equipped F15's in the scenario, but for the rest it's fine as it. I even still have all F111's left over for use against the northern and western AF's.

Good job Gunner.

W.

[Gunner98]

ORIGINAL: ckfinite

Might want to remove the S-300 missile magazines - they probably wouldn't have the space to get the transloaders/reloads in, so they'd be limited to on-TEL rounds.

CK

Am not that familiar with the system but made the assumption that if they could get the missile launcher in they would be able to get reloads and the equipment required to do so. Is the 'transloader' that much larger than the launcher vehicle? Am playing that these systems came in by ship so that space would not be that much of an issue. Figured that would be more reasonable than An-124 lifts, which I think could carry the launcher anyway.

Curious.

B

[Gunner98]

ORIGINAL: wild_Willie2

I finally cracked the version 2.0 of this scenario,

It took a combination of careful application of HARM missiles (this version has just enough), extensive jamming and a massive CALCM strike at the southern SAM sites under cover of MALD's and all the western airfields are finally closed.

There are still way to many AMRAAM equipped F15's in the scenario, but for the rest it's fine as it. I even still have all F111's left over for use against the northern and western AF's.

Good job Gunner.

W.

Thanks,

I'll drop the F-15C sqn back down to a Medium load of AMRAAMs. Appreciate your help on this one.

B

[Gunner98]

OK guys

Here is the final, uploaded here, in the community pack thread and the original post.

Ver 2.1

-Changed F-15C back to AMRAAM Medium
-couple of ammo tweaks
-couple of briefing tweaks

Thanks for all your help

B

[Maromak]

Anyone else besides Willie cracked this one? Care to share how you did it? I am on my 8th or 9th attempt. I agree that careful planning and timing are the keys.

[wild_Willie2]

Hi Maromak,

This one is tricky, it takes constant CAP and wide range jamming on the north, west and south side of the western airfields to beat it. You also can't lose any HARM carriers in air to air combat before they can fire. First get your f117's near the warships and put two PGM's on them each. Then Knock out the central radar so everything lights up, then get your jammers close and concentrate your HARM's on the S300's first (only fire one missile at one single SAM system at a time to avoid missiles tracking the same targets) and then work your way down, you won't have enough HARM's to knock out all SAM's but just enough to take out the long range systems. later on you can use a CALCM strike under cover of MALD decoys from the north and the M84 glide bombs to finally knock out the remaining short range SAM defences. After this it’s just a matter of dropping 2-3 penetrators on each runway to knock it out (btw, you won't get a message if you knock them out, only extra scoring). You actually have enough penetrators to knock out all AF on the island.

Good luck.

[Maromak]

Thanks for the tips. I will follow your advice.

[Dannyp19]

This is probably the most difficult scenario Ive played in CMANO to date. Im on my 6th try (using V2.1) even following WW's advice I cant seem to crack it. @ 5 points a loss Im getting hammered.
Ive yet to get at the airfields, those sams are quite formidable!
Not griping, I love a challenge.
Gunner, my hats off to you. When Im playing well into the night and the Misses drags me to bed at 1AM, I know its a good one.[:D]

[Gunner98]

Glad your enjoying it Danny.

B