New Scenario for Testing: Northern Fury 10.5 Sweep up

[Gunner98]

Next in the Northern Fury Series (Simultaneous to Vagar Vengeance) and the last in preparing Iceland for the amphibious assault.

From the Description:

This scenario is playable by NATO:

You have a very busy day ahead of you which will cause your forces to split – never a good thing while a competent and resourceful enemy waits for opportunities to inflict delay and damage. Your main tasks are to: Destroy any targets that have escaped prosecution so far; Destroy 20-30 bridges to divide the island in thirds, ensuring that the other, larger bridges are undamaged; Marshal, escort, insert and support a Marine Bn as it conducts a Coup de Main operation; Sweep the Denmark Straights of Soviet submarines; Destroy facilities on Jan Mayan Island; Keep the Soviets at bay, and do so with minimal casualties. Enjoy!


I have not had a chance to test all of the teleports but have double checked them so they should work. You have a lot to do in an 18 hour scenario so it will be quite rushed but most of 2nd Fleet is pushing up behind you and need the job finished. Hope it makes for an interesting scenario.

There is a JPEG file in the Zip, could not load it into the brief but this will serve as your briefing map to help orient you.

As always very interested in your comments and critiques.

Enjoy.

B

[Gunner98]

Anything on this one guys?

[wild_Willie2]

Hi Gunner, i'll have a look at this tomorrow evening.

W.

[wild_Willie2]

I just had a quick look and my first impression is that the US CV's do not have enough fighters configured for AA combat at the beginning of this scenario. Those Su-27's are tough and will taken fighters with them when they go down.

Will get back to you about this tomorrow.

w.

[magi]

ive just started last night.... trying to figure it all out.... will work on it some more now...

do i have enough deck space to ferry all the f18's....? i think thats part of the deal....

[magi]

this is kind of complicated and i may not be the best guy for this scenario....

[Gunner98]

The bridges are all numbered originating from Ryk based on the highway.

[twwaxminer]

Gunner,

For some reason on my saved game the no-strike list has turned hostile. Even when I went into the editor and turned them back to neutral they became hostile again.

[Gunner98]

That might happen if you struck one of their installations. I can't remember the check box in the Set up side dialog about the collective response, but I should turn that off. You may want to try that and see if it works.

B

[wild_Willie2]

Hi Gunner,

I just finished your scenario and it was a good one again, I first thought that I would not have enough fighters to take on the SU-27's, but the reinforcements from Goose bay really helped.
The four A-6E's where the most critical units in this mission as their weapons are deadly against structures and their range is excellent. I also loved the cluster armed S-3B's, these where absolutely hell on the enemy ground units and could attack nine units in one go.

The only problem I found was the tendency of the USSR fighters to impale them self on my fleet air defense systems without any benefit to them, I would give them some better prosecution zones to fix this issue..
You can also delete the 12 Prowlers at Sonderstom AB, you really don't need them for this mission.

My compliments once again for a job very well done.

W.

SCORE: 349 Thriumph!
SIDE: NATO
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
1x A-6E Intruder
2x CH-124B Heltas [Sea King]
1x E-2C Hawkeye Group I
9x F/A-18C Hornet
2x F-14A Tomcat
2x F-14B Tomcat
4x F-14B Tomcat
2x F-14D Tomcat
1x Lynx HMA.8
1x S-3B Viking
1x S-70B-1 Seahawk [HS.23]





SIDE: WP
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
6x 120mm/24 2S9-1 Sviristelka Self Propelled Mortar
6x 122mm/38 D-30 2A18 Towed Howitzer
7x 23mm ZU-23-2 [BTR-ZD]
14x 7.62mm MG/Unguided Infantry Anti Tank Weapon
3x A/C Hangar (2x Medium Aircraft)
1x A/C Hangar (2x Small Aircraft)
1x AvGas (40k Liter Tank)
1x AvGas Bladder (40k Liter Tank)
18x BMD-3 [AT-5 Spandrel A] IFV
28x Bridge (Two-lane 60 Tons)
12x Building (Tents)
1x Commercial Dry-Bulk Carrier - Handysize [35,000t DWT]
1x Diesel (40k Liter Tank)
15x MiG-23ML Flogger G
20x MiG-23MLD Flogger K
10x MiG-29 Fulcrum C
11x MiG-31 Foxhound
1x PLA-671RTMK Victor III [Shchuka]
1x PLA-945A Sierra II [Kondor]
1x Radar (Box Spring [1L13-3 Nebo SV])
1x Radar (Generic 2D Air Search Radar [Short-Range])
15x SA-18 Grouse [9K38 Igla] MANPADS
4x SA-3c Goa Quad Rail
3x SA-7a Grail [9K32 Strela-2] MANPADS
2x Structure (Pier [Large, 25.1-45m])
1x Structure (Pipeline - Surface)
16x Su-24M Fencer D
1x Su-24MP Fencer F
2x Su-24MR Fencer E
7x Su-25 Frogfoot A
11x Su-27P Flanker B
8x Su-27S Flanker B
7x Su-27S Flanker B
1x Vehicle (1L257 Krasuha-4 Mobile Jammer+ELINT)
1x Vehicle (Flat Face B [P-19])
1x Vehicle (Heart Ache [SPN-1/2/3] Jammer)
1x Vehicle (Low Blow [SNR-125])
1x Vehicle (Paint Box [SPN-30] Jammer)
5x Vehicle (Truck Depot, 40x Vehicles)

[Gunner98]

Thanks Willie. Appreciate the help and the comments.

Couple quick questions if you don't mind.

Did the teleports work?
Did you have time to get the strike in on Jan Mayan?
Did the Su-24's make an appearance?
Were there any bad guys left on the island when your lift went in?
I don't see any subs in your kill list. Did any of them show their hand?
Were most of your casualties early on in the A2A fight or later during the scenario

Thanks

[AndrewJ]

Gaah! How did I miss this one coming out? Downloading now!

[wild_Willie2]

Hi Gunner,

* The Teleports did not work.
* There is plenty of time for the Jan Mayan strike, but I bodged it by assigning all my Hornets to attack a single infantry unit.. .
* You mean the Su-24 naval strike at the beginning of the scenario?, then yes.
* I did not kill all the infantry on Jan Mayan (see above).
* I killed two subs, the victor loosed two torps on the northern TF and barely missed my ships before I hit it with two blind fired ASW torps from the targeted ship (that REALLY amazed me).
* I lost most fighters early to medium into the game, after that I reconfigured most of my Tomcats with Phoenix missiles and assigned jammers to them to and then became much more effective at killing SU-27's.

W.

[AndrewJ]

I just started into this, so here's an initial report.

After receiving and reviewing my briefing I laid out my plans and missions, most of which were similar to what was laid out in the initial scenario. Eisenhower will head N at modest speed towards Jan Mayen, preceeded by its SSN, and will rely heavily on the UK tankers to make its attack. I feel the sub situation is too risky for a flank speed transit. On the other side of the island TG Algonquin will also head north, again at modest speeds. Both groups will also have an MPA sweeping the lane ahead. The main change is with the Vinson group. I'm really nervous about the Marines all alone out there, so the Vinson and the Marines will turn and steam towards each other, joining up as soon as possible before heading in towards Iceland. This takes the Vinson further away from Iceland for a while, but I can't invade if my invasion force is at the bottom of the ocean, so I think it's a risk I need to take. MPAs will also work the zone between the two groups until they meet up.

(I also confess that I use the editor to make some immediate alterations to aircraft weapons loadouts (keeping the same ready times), to suit my personal carrier 'doctrine'. EA-6s get switched from triple pod down to double pod, sacrificing some ECM performance for increased flight time. Aircraft on maritime surveillance get switched over to their ASW loadout. They can still look around while carrying torpedoes, and the ASW situation is too perilous and the enemy is too close to warrant a dedicated long-range unarmed search mission in these conditions. Ditto for the S-3s with bombs. I know they went bombing in Desert Storm, but the airwar situation is much too dangerous for that here, so now they're on ASW too. Anything carring a Mk46 torpedo gets switched over to a Mk50 if the torps are already available in the magazines, and similarly my F-14s readying for CAP get switched over from Sparrows to Phoenixes, unless they are specifically intended for a mission where long duration is the absolute priority. I think that in a high intensity hot war situation the initial advantage of using the better munition to achieve superiority pays bigger dividends than saving them for later, and I doubt that the 'good stuff' would be held back. Better munitions in the magazine aren't helpful if you've lost the planes closing to Sparrow range.)

So the scenario begins, and dammit, I'm just too darned close to Iceland! Compared to previous scenarios the Russian planes feel like they're in my lap the moment they launch. And the buggers are aggressive too. A few minutes in and my E-2s start reporting a major strike lifting off and heading for TG Algonquin. (How'd they see us? I'm betting on a CZ hit from a sub.) My two F-14s on CAP go racing north on burner to intercept, and I start launching more. But everyone's getting ready for recce and bombing, so I really don't have very much CAP, and before I know it I've launched all of it. Yep, one mighty supercarrier, and nobody's left ready with a pure AAW loadout!

The first two F-14s arrive ahead of the strike, and manage to start engaging the Su-24s with their Sparrows, but that means the Mig-23s (close to home, and fuel-rich) can burner in to effective range. The F-14s do damage, but are overwhelmed, and the Su-24s start to launch their missiles. Half my other planes are sent on anti-missile duty, and together with SAMs from the ships they manage to shoot down all the missiles (although it was a very close call with those nasty ARMs). The other half go on a supersonic chase to engage the retreating Su-24s, and they manage to get most of the formation.

However, in doing so they get close enough to antagonize the Flankers in Reykjavik, and now its my turn to run away with little fuel and few missiles, hoping to get back to the shelter of the carrier's SAMs. It's clear my planes won't entirely make it in time, so now I'm reduced to launching HARM-toting F-18s just to make use of their defensive AMRAAMs! I order incoming COD flights to divert south as the Flankers close on the carrier group, and between long-range SAM shots and the HARM shooters I just manage to shoot down the Flankers and make it back to the carrier on fumes. Up north one of the Flankers decides to have a go at my ASW helicopters in TG Algonquin, but he finally succumbs to long range SAM shots before he can engage.

Speaking of ASW helicopters, one of them gets a MAD hit on an incoming sub, heading due south towards TG Algonquin, and after multiple torpedo engagements they finally sink a Victor. I'm betting (hoping) this is the guy who spotted us.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the island the Mig-23s and Su-27s are hassling the Eisenhower's CAP, and once again my ASW and ELINT assets are forced to retire from the area. My fighters manage to deal with the situation, but the Flankers almost get into SAM range, and by the time the engagement is over I've used up almost all my ready AAW loadouts. If anything big comes out of the east end of the island I may be in trouble.

So for now I'll tighten up the formations to concentrate my SAM cover, and hope that nothing severe happens until I can recycle my fighters. I'll try bringing my MPA back in front of the Eisenhower and TG Algonquin, and maybe if they stay very low with radar off they'll get away with it. If not, I have a very nervous voyage into sub-infested waters ahead of me.

[AndrewJ]

Gathering up resources over the next hour, the Eisenhower starts sending a hodgepodge fighter sweep towards our target airport, accompanied by a TARPS bird to look for ground forces in the area. It soon becomes clear that our pilots have been over-claiming kills in previous scenarios! There are plenty of aircraft left, including a disturbing number of very capable Mig-31s. It's about this time that the quartermaster starts mentioning an embarrassing lack of Phoenixes, just when I'm facing AA-9s. (Who said it was a good idea to use them up first? [:D]) While we discuss the matter, we get to watch the trails of SAM smoke, as outlying picket ships in all three groups engage Russians who are pursuing our retreating aircraft closer to base than they should.

During the fighting the TARPS bird turns up a number of Russian forces along the coast, but it sees no signs of the tanks yet in its brief run over their suspected location. The enemy fighters force it to retreat before it can make a full sweep, however, so it can't make a comprehensive search. They're sure to be around somewhere. Hopefully we'll have time for another run with less interference.

Way up north the TR-1 had been sent to spy on Jan Mayen, rather than tangle with the Iceland defences which could easily shoot it down. It turns out that there are a bunch of Mig-23s based there, and soon the TR-1 is shadowed by a cloud of them, following impotently below, just out of extreme missile range. Buoyed by waves of hate the TR-1 turns serenely south towards Scotland, hoping that a Mig-31 isn't being sent to investigate.

I'm starting to think that I'll have to send in a big wave of strikers before the Russian air force is safely reduced, and hope that I can get in some effective ground target hits while the fighters are mixing it up. I don't have the time, or the munitions, to do this cleanly.

[Gunner98]

And you won't see an AOR for another 48 hrs game time so it can only get worse[8D]

Thanks for the feedback.

B

[magi]

it took me awhile to wrap my head around this thing... but i like it.... like andrew i changed some load outs.... i upgraded fighter loadouts... and put most in the air immediately... was able to stop the strike on my algonquin group....
my bigest problem at the moment is i have more targets to strike than i have stuff to do it with.... only into it a couple hours so ill just keep plunking away.... im even considering taking my algonquin group to shore and using navel gunfire.... oh darn their guns are kind of little...

[AndrewJ]

After a bit of time to gather the resources the battle continues.

Up north two pairs of sub-launched TLAMs deal with the SA-3 and the radar on Jan Mayan, and then all the Eisenhower's Bombcats arrive to pound the place. Of course there's the pile of Mig-23s, mostly airborne, which are ready to dispute this. Fortunately I've brought a jammer and they haven't, so the good old-fashioned Sparrow vs Apex fight goes in my favour. The targets are struck successfully, and the planes retire in good order.

Down south a major strike launched from both carriers converges on Iceland, with the A-6s from Goose Bay tanking up and following along a few minutes later. It looks like the previous fighter sweeps have knocked down enough of the enemy to weaken their response, and this time I am able to deal with their remaining fighters before the bombing begins. Our target airfield gets a lot of attention, as does a very interesting concentration of helicopters on the mainland, and some Russian artillery. I soon learn to stay above the Grouse ceiling whenever possible... The A-6s and carrier aircraft with LGBs spend a lot of their time dealing with the bridging targets, and my remaining 6 TLAMs are spent on bridges as well. A few pop-up fighters cause problems, but in most cases I can pounce on them before they do damage. During all this I manage to find the troop concentration in Iceland, but it is largely left alone for the moment.

TG Algonquin has been busy, steaming at full speed up the coast to interfere with aircraft operating out of Isafjordur. A few Mig-23s fall to their SAMs, and they even close in and sprinkle the airfield with gunfire, but by that time the base appears to be empty. I wonder how they would have done if I'd hurried them up the coast sooner, instead of slowly sub-hunting at first, or if I'd sent them to the Ryk/Kef area? Nothing stifles aircraft activity like taking off within SAM range of the enemy. For a high risk attempt, consider detaching the Tico and the Virginia from the carrier group, and running them up to the enemy airfield at flank. High risk, high reward? Or just foolishness?

Now that the ground situation has improved my CH-53s arrive to unload the Marines, who manage to find a Spetznaz team lurking in the area while they patrol around the airport. CH-46s arrive a couple of hours later during the night to help set up more equipment.

A second wave of ground attack concentrates on the Russian ground forces, completely disrupting the formation, as well as destroying a number of other secondary targets. This goes largely unopposed, and the planes retire in good order once their missions are complete.


Comments

Priority 2 targets are paying out 10 points per hit, not the 5 points indicated in their title.

Are the F-14s in Goose Bay all supposed to be set with TALD loadouts? The briefing mentions something about them bringing Phoenixes, if I understood it correctly.

I was puzzled by what was supposed to arrive on the Vinson and what was not. In the end I kept the F-14s from Goose Bay, but had the A-6s fly home again. I never did bring any of my Marine helicopters on board for staging. Was I intended to do so? (I found this part of the briefing unclear; who is supposed to be where when it's all over?)

When the Marines arrive on the island, some of them in the HQ group are on the USMC side which is neutral, and has green icons, while others in the A or B areas are on the NATO side with normal blue icons. The 'green marines' were quite puzzling at first, because they show up as yellow question mark icons instead of known units. Should these actually be on an allied side, rather than as neutrals? Later on blue icons were superimposed on them.

When the CH-46s arrive there were a number of teleports which did not seem to happen properly. I got error messages such as "Can't find Unit '1/6 AH Ammo' on Side 'USMC'", and multiple errors of the same type for not finding the AV8 Ammo. By then end of the game 1/6 Ammo had arrived as a blue NATO icon, and 1/6 Landing Zone had shown up as a green neutral icon, but none of the rest had teleported.

Were we supposed to have the AV-8s and Cobras based on the island by the end of the game? I had thought the airfield might switch sides to NATO after the Marines arrived, but this did not happen.

I noticed that while you do get points for destroying bridges and the like, no points are awarded for landing your marines or destroying the main troop concentration, despite both of these being mentioned as high priority items in the briefing. (Higher than the bridges, in fact.)

The SSGN did not fire on the TG Algonquin,even when they were in range, within the prosecution zone, and identified as enemy. The arrival of those missiles would have lost me at least 1/2 the task group, I suspect, if they had actually fired. Running the scenario from the Russian side you can see the SSGN going engaged offensive at the proper time, but it never fires.

I really dodged a bullet with those other subs. I never spotted one. If I had not gone south to escort the Marines, I would probably have had some very unpleasant encounters with them.

[magi]

"Comments

Priority 2 targets are paying out 10 points per hit, not the 5 points indicated in their title.

Are the F-14s in Goose Bay all supposed to be set with TALD loadouts? The briefing mentions something about them bringing Phoenixes, if I understood it correctly.

I was puzzled by what was supposed to arrive on the Vinson and what was not. In the end I kept the F-14s from Goose Bay, but had the A-6s fly home again. I never did bring any of my Marine helicopters on board for staging. Was I intended to do so? (I found this part of the briefing unclear; who is supposed to be where when it's all over?)

When the Marines arrive on the island, some of them in the HQ group are on the USMC side which is neutral, and has green icons, while others in the A or B areas are on the NATO side with normal blue icons. The 'green marines' were quite puzzling at first, because they show up as yellow question mark icons instead of known units. Should these actually be on an allied side, rather than as neutrals? Later on blue icons were superimposed on them.

When the CH-46s arrive there were a number of teleports which did not seem to happen properly. I got error messages such as "Can't find Unit '1/6 AH Ammo' on Side 'USMC'", and multiple errors of the same type for not finding the AV8 Ammo. By then end of the game 1/6 Ammo had arrived as a blue NATO icon, and 1/6 Landing Zone had shown up as a green neutral icon, but none of the rest had teleported.

Were we supposed to have the AV-8s and Cobras based on the island by the end of the game? I had thought the airfield might switch sides to NATO after the Marines arrived, but this did not happen."

i also am somewhat confused.....

[magi]

an annoying issue i am having with TG Wasp... is getting them to sustain cruise speed.... if i chose a cruise speed from the throttle menu... they it goes 20kt.... but the LST's are doing 16kt and fall behind... on manual override if i enter a speed or use the slider... it cuts the factor in half... 8 or 11kt.... ive been fusing with it through out game play....

ive had this problem in other scenarios.. but usually i can find a value that works for me... but i cant find what i want this time....