Custom Scenario: USA vs Chinese puppet Puerto Rico

[robphx387]

The first post is mainly just background and initial setup/plans. Next post will be the start of combat operations.

Background
China has been supporting the construction or revitalization of naval infrastructure in Africa and South America to allow for Atlantic operations. One such harbor was constructed in Puerto Rico. The PR Independence Faction has gained popularity over the years, and has forced many concessions with America, including the removal of all American military assets (but an increased Coast guard presence). In secret, the more extreme members of the independence faction have negotiated the purchase and delivery of several former US and Soviet export weapons systems from India and China, arriving on the container ships routed into the new port and to ports in sympathetic, China-aligned Venezuela. Several squadrons of Cold War era aircraft have already arrived in secret, as have more modern Chinese defensive missile systems.
As of late yesterday, the PR Independence Faction, with support of the PR Government, have seized the Coast Guard base and readied the new Puerto Rican Guard Air Force squadrons for a fight. Additional aircraft have flown in from Venezuela, the first nation to recognize Puerto Rico’s independence—the second being China. Coincidentally, Venezuela is also home to air and naval infrastructure built by the Chinese. Because of ground/space laser countermeasures, jamming, and hacking, satellite recon is unavailable. (we haven’t quite figured those out yet, maybe next time)

The scenario is being played in the simulator, using “standing orders” for both sides until contact, at which point both players will devise a battleplan with contingencies. Once both sides have their plan in place, the game master will resume the scenario in the editor until that portion of the battle is over or an event occurs which requires additional input due to lack of orders. We’ve run two other games like this but only in person, this will be the first time we try it over several days not in the same room.



Forces/Objectives:

Player 1: REDFOR_Puerto Rico: Includes PR Forces (land, air, and sea rebels), Chinese Expeditionary Air Forces, Venezuelan Air Force, and Chinese Carrier Group with 3 SSNs in support. Also, there is a squadron of ASBM equipped Strategic Bombers in theater.

Primary Objective: Harass, delay, and/or repulse the Americans until the Chinese Carrier Group and its Marine forces arrives to relieve you.

Secondary Objectives: Destroy imminent threats such as the GITMO air/naval station or any hostile sub/surface contacts.

Tertiary Objectives: ALL: Minimize loss of infrastructure or equipment. Venezuela: do not allow US forces to operate within your “Exclusion Zone” Chinese Air Expedition (includes Special Forces): Assist in the protection of PR and its military assets until the Carrier Group arrives. Chinese Carrier Group Objective: Arrive in PR with intact transports and guard the landing operations. Destroy US Naval forces if they engage.


Player 2 BLUFOR_USA: Includes 1 US Navy Carrier Battlegroup, a squadron each of b1, b2, and b52 bombers, assorted USAF and US Army/Marine fixed-wing and rotary forces, both armed and unarmed drones, and 2 CIA “civil” transports at GITMO. (b1s deployed in Europe, all others in SE USA). Also includes 3 forward-deployed SSNs (can be deployed in any direction as long as they are a minimum 275 NM distance from PR coast). Assorted ground forces included also.

Primary Objectives: Destroy or reclaim all PR military assets by surrender while minimizing US casualties and equipment loss before Chinese Battlegroup and Marine forces arrive.

Secondary Objectives: Do not fire on known Chinese or Venezuelan assets unless fired upon (contain conflict to Puerto Rico). Force Chinese Expedition to turn back with a “show of force.” Minimize civilian casualties.

Tertiary Objective: If Puerto Rico will not surrender, reclaim the territory by force using air/naval landings.



Pre-Contact Phase:


BLUFOR Plan: Use the first day to maneuver forces into position for future strikes/escorts, begin AWACS/EW/Drone patrols. By end of day, have escorted strategic bombers on standby station within JASSM range of western enemy bases. Day two: begin strikes on western bases and use stealth aircraft to destroy aircraft which try to intercept—this will pave the way for additional strikes by 2nd bomber wave and more conventional aircraft. Possible landings. Naval missiles held in reserve for high value targets missed by bombers (air defense, radars, heavy equipment, etc).

BLUFOR Operations
• Forward-deployed submarines at min distance NE of PR. Will send one toward the North shore to attempt SF insertion, other two will watch for incoming enemy naval forces from the East.
• All 12 B1s recalled from Norway to Rota (Spain). 5 U2-S also redeploying from CONUS to Rota. Will be used to patrol for Chinese Fleet.
• 10 Armed Predators Ferried to Old GITMO reserve field.
• 21 F16 readied for air to air and held in reserve at MacDill (West Florida). May move to GITMO after other moves completed and more fighters available to cover CONUS coast operations.
• 8 B2. 12 B52, 12 KC130 loaded for long range missile strikes/refueling and ferried to Key West. 21 F22s for Internal-only Anti-Air patrol and f15s for heavy intercept/CAP also ferried to Key West.
• 82nd Airborne placed on high alert (transport planes and helos loaded and ready).
• Sentry, JSTARS, and Jamming aircraft on patrol NE of GITMO, attempting to block enemy view of naval and air movements while spying on any possible enemy movements.
• Surface Fleet moving to a position ~160 NM north of GITMO to stage for operations behind AWACS and EC-130 jammers.
• CIA Gulfstream at GITMO will fly to Toussaint Louverture Airport, attempting to blend with civil air traffic while dropping off Special Operations team in Hati/Dominican Republic, where they will attempt to infiltrate by boat into PR or watch for enemy air traffic.
• Should enemy air be detected, F16s or F15s will reroute to intercept, and naval aircraft put on standby if needed.
• Should enemy naval activity be encountered, possible Orion patrols and ASW helo patrols have been established as inactive until enemy detected.


REDFOR Plan: Strike both GITMO fields as soon as possible with maximum force. Begin Sea Control patrols of Coast Guard ships and aircraft. Establish Early Warning radar patrol and Tiger patrol (to intercept incoming missiles). Flank speed surface fleet to Venezuelan waters. Submarines to the Kingston Area to ensure enemy do not flank from the west & to provide possible missile support to future targets. Attempt to draw any American pursuit in the SW region toward Venezuela to incite Venezuelan entrance into the conflict. Save ballistic missiles for saturation strike on enemy CVN when it is located.

REDFOR operations
• Raid 1: Strike on old GITMO AF/Naval Station. 26 aircraft (4 escorts, 22 bombers). Missiles will absorb enemy air defenses and strike some targets. Escorts will hopefully intercept some of the missiles fired back at our attack aircraft.
• Raid 2: Strike on New GITMO: 14 strike aircraft will finish saturating the air defenses and strike the new GITMO field.
• Raid 3: 21 stealth Chinese multirole aircraft from Venezuela will strike a combination of new/old GITMO. One pair will hold fire until exact AA emplacements discovered and attempt to destroy them. Stealth aircraft will arrive several minutes after the first two strikes to ensure any CAP is out of position.
• Raid 4: C-130 aircraft will deliver airborne troops to an area East of OLD GITMO. Should the strike fail, or enemy fighter CAP be discovered, the C130s will pull back and the mission scrubbed until further notice. Should all air/missile defenses be eliminated, C130 will continue on and arrive shortly after Raid 3, at which point the troops will secure OLD GITMO field and Port to deny it to the enemy. Follow up attacks on GITMO proper may come later.
• Surface fleet moves toward the RV point E/NE of Venezuela.
• Subs move toward the position outside Kingston.
• Tiger Patrol: 4x aircraft at a time patrol to intercept missiles or drones (out of 12 available).
• ASW Patrol:2x Helo and 2X Orion at a time patrol for subs and surface contacts (out of 12 available aircraft, each).
• CG Patrol: All CG cutters (both armed and unarmed) patrol for outer missile, drone, and sub picket and to destroy any small ships (RHIB, etc) that try to penetrate the no-go zone. (Total ships = 30).




THE NEXT part of this AAR will include the simulation of the ferry/patrol missions and the 4 REDFOR raids (as well as any immediate BLUFOR responses).



Since GITMO is only defended by some land forces and 3 AA missile systems in this scenario (one a patriot), what do we think the results of this phase will be for Red/Blu?

Also, what's the best way to do pictures for this forum? The site I used to use is no more.

[BeirutDude]

Also, what's the best way to do pictures for this forum? The site I used to use is no more.

I just use the Windows Snipping Tool and save to my drive as a JPG.

[robphx387]

POST 2: First Contact Phase
NOTE: Due to a problem getting enough aircraft with the right loadout, Raid 1 was reduced to 8 strike aircraft. It is hoped the air landing will finish the base off.

**Apparently I am not allowed to post pictures yet. I need more posts. lol. ok then. moving on . . . **

Pre Contact:
• BLUFOR: Seal recon and Demo teams arrived in Haiti en route to DR safely
• REDFOR: Possible hostile air contact detected over Hatti near civilian airport. It did not appear to spot the strike aircraft, so it was ignored during the ingress
• BLUFOR: 02:18 Zulu, recon aircraft (Sentry) detects flashes of unknown contacts behind mountains in Haiti/DR, but only single aircraft at a time.
o Radar picks up multiple weak returns between the mountains. Flight profile suggests it is not civilian traffic, too many aircraft. Probably enemy strike. F16s ordered to GITMO 02:24
o First REDFOR planes cross into maximum missile range, but no good lock yet. Holding fire for better lock or missile intercept. 6 stealth blackhawks and CIA learjet trying to scramble take off to the north to avoid the strike. Gulfstream moving north as well.
o 02:35: First AA missile launches as REFOR begin launching weapons.


CONTACT: The Battle for GITMO
• REDFOR suffers first casualty. Air Expedition squadron 3 sees a J-11 Flanker B shot down by Patriot missiles, several more follow within minutes. BLUFOR attempts to intercept 2nd wave of planes and first wave of missiles with their remaining AA missiles. Several stealth blackhawks are destroyed trying to escape GITMO.
• BLUFOR: 02:40 Zulu. The 3rd wave of missiles is starting to get through, as all AA missiles have been expended with at least a dozen REDFOR missiles in the air and several aircraft still not having expended their munitions. The last Blackhawk fleeing GITMO is shot down. Surviving Gulfstream ordered re-routed to Homestead after both GITMO Fields sustain multiple direct hits. F-16s and armed predators still en-route.
• 02:47 BLUFOR reports all AA missile batteries have survived the strike, though one HAWK is damaged. OLD GITMO field is out of action and the port still viable, NEW GITMO operational but damaged. More REDFOR aircraft inbound from the east. The ammo stores are still intact and the AA missile launchers reloading.
o A few lite AA missiles were still left available, downing 2 c130 after they dropped off their paratroopers around 02:57
• REDFOR stealth strike begins, missiles start landing unopposed at 02:59. Special attention paid to last known location of AA missile batteries.
• 03:09 Zulu: All GITMO raids completed. PR Airborne dropped without ground losses (2 c130 destroyed en route home)

Losses so far
 BLUFOR:
• 2x control towers
• All but 1 of OLD GITMO port refueling tanks
• All 6 stealth blackhawks
• 1 CIA Learjet
• 1 HAWK, 3 Patriot, and 6 Stinger missile launch units (batteries still operational at reduced capacity thanks to surviving units)
• 1 Very Large Pier
• 12 Infantry Sections
 REDFOR:
• 9 J-11D Flankers
• 2 C-130J Hercules

POST-CONTACT ASSESSMENT:



Alex (BLUFOR) is angry about the strike and readying orders for a counterattack. He feels that the damage will make operations much slower until it is repaired and revealed the weakness of such a close base is that he must constantly keep a CAP there, which draws away the f-16s he was planning to use more offensively. He sees this battle as a draw . . . if he can wipe out the airborne forces before they destroy anything.

From my end (REDFOR), it appears to be both a tactical and strategic defeat. My goal was to cripple the base or, at least, destroy the AA missiles so I could strike again and/or reinforce my airborne operation if the enemy fighters allowed. Unfortunately, I lost irreplaceable aircraft and failed to achieve all my objectives. Without air cover, resupply, and reinforcement, I don’t have any good expectations of the airborne forces defeating the remaining defenders, let alone surviving any counter-attack sure to be coming.

What do you all think? Who is winning thus far? What’s the better plan?

[robphx387]

POST 3:

So it still wont let me post pictures until after I post two more times to the forum . . . so hopefully before we hit the climax ill be able to add some pics. Anyway, on to Alex’s counter-attack.

PS. Suffering from a tough work schedule and some sudden slowdown in the scenario. It played nice and smooth for the first few hours, even with tons of aircraft and missions going, but now “fire” is at best 5-6x speed and anything else just realtime so we’ll see if I can keep this up.


PART 2 of the Battle for GITMO: the US Counter-Attack

BLUFOR STATUS
• 03:09 Zulu: USA Orders 6 b52 scrambled asap, 4 for immediate takeoff (90 minutes when ready), 2 spooky gunships also set to RV at the “bomber station” SE of Florida midway between USA and GITMO. 12 c130 with paratroops launched for GITMO from NW Florida. GITMO Defenders repositioning to defend the eastern side. Several armed drones still inbound to GITMO and the f16s have landed and are refueling there.

REDFOR STATUS
• 21 Chinese j-20 fighters rearming/refueling for follow-up strike on “New Gitmo”
• Puerto Rican infantry advancing on “Old Gitmo”


Events:
• 06:15 Zulu: US c130s arrived with paratroopers and the b52s are standing by well within strike range.
• 06:25 Zulu: US forces detect enemy infantry moving NE of Old Gitmo. US Bradley’s hold fire and call for artillery support. NOTE: at this time simulation “fire” speed slowed to less than realtime
o The drones arrive and spot additional enemy units, dispatching them with hellfires and spotting for additional artillery strikes. Enemy SAMS fire back at the drones
o 2 drones destroyed in the opening salvo, but half of the PR infantry were destroyed by long range artillery and hellfires before the US Bradleys even began to move.
o 2 Spooky Gunships were destroyed by rear-echelon SAMS which stayed hidden from the initial drone strikes, but not before destroying the second to last PR infantry unit.
o A single PR infantry unit slipped through the first line of defense and smashed a damaged garrison unit east of Old Gitmo
• 07:08 Zulu: US Forces confirm all enemy ground troops have been killed/captured
• HOWEVER: Puerto Rico’s FAC and Saboteur forces evaded detection and might still be able to assist in the next strike.


Final Casualty count:

USA:
• 2x AC130 Spooky
• 2x MQ-1B Armed Predator
• 2X Infantry Section

PR/China
• 40x Infantry Sections
• 40x Stinger MANPADS


Result According to Alex and BLUFOR (who isn’t aware of my remaining special forces): Total American Victory


Result according to me and REDFOR . . . Tactical defeat . . . but the strategic objective (destruction/denial of GITMO) is still undecided.



What do yall think? Anyone have an idea for what the next moves should be?