THE HORMUZ GAUNTLET V290

[Correcaminos]

Hello everyone!

I'm bringing you a new mission, this time dealing with a highly topical issue: the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz (thanks to Knightpawn for the original idea). I've been gathering a ton of information on the subject—with the invaluable help of Nikel (thanks for the initial testings), of course—and testing new things in the CMO editor, which I must say is absolutely wonderful for any self-respecting scenario designer.

New feature implemented (V2.5 and up)



CHANGELOG V290

Convoy Control Timing: Adjusted the transition window for the US player to take manual control of the commercial fleet, better simulating the initial chaos of civilian crews under fire.

Scoring Engine Attrition: Updated the Auto-Score LUA to accurately differentiate between surface vessels and aircraft. This resolves the "tanker" bug where losing a KC-130J refueling aircraft was incorrectly penalized as a civilian Supertanker loss.

Submarine Attrition: Corrected a scoring oversight; nuclear submarines (SSN/SSGN) now properly trigger a "Critical Asset Lost" penalty when destroyed.

Unit Nomenclature: Renamed helicopter units on the Tulsa-class LCS to prevent naming conflicts with drone assets (Stingrays), ensuring a clearer and more realistic Air Ops interface



CHANGELOG V2.7 = V270

New feature implemented (V270 and up)



][NEW MECHANICS] Engineer Insertion and Comms Repai[/b]r:
Electronic warfare and combat damage no longer mean the loss of a ship. A system has been implemented using LUA scripts that allows for the repair of communications on damaged merchant or military vessels.

If a ship loses its antennas and goes out of communication, don't give up hope! You can now regain control by sending a helicopter or Osprey directly to its position. By flying low and slow, you will insert a Marine team that will repair the systems on-site.

Commanders' Note: Carefully follow the sequence of events, alerts, and on-screen commands to ensure a successful insertion.

This time, besides the briefings and numerous HTML events, I have included a new scoring system based on the cost in millions of dollars of the ordnance expended. For example, firing a PAC-3 incurs a point penalty; if it's used to destroy a low-value target like a Shahed-136, you'll suffer a net point loss due to the cost difference. This applies to all weaponry used in the mission. However, if a target has a low economic cost but high strategic value, destroying it will still add to your overall score.

You can watch this system in action as your score updates with every weapon impact. It has been playtested several times, but I would still really appreciate it if you could share your final score logs in this thread so I can verify it's working as intended or make any necessary tweaks.




Furthermore, this mission features nearly 20 implemented events and a lot of LUA scripting (some things gave me a real headache, but after digging into it, I finally cracked it). The scenario includes a briefing that I believe explains quite clearly what the player needs to do, but if anything is confusing, please let me know and I'll correct it.

I'm sure something might have slipped past me, as I had to juggle many different fronts to get the event chain flowing exactly how I wanted. Oh, and there are a few unmentioned surprises waiting for you...

So, please report anything that seems off (unit names, typos... whatever it may be). The core of the scenario is completely finished and it is perfectly playable.


The implementation of SAR events for the rescue of pilots or crew members, which I've already developed for the TRIDENT BOREAL scenario, is still pending. In fact, the SAR units are already in place and ready, and perhaps something else might come up in this thread. But as I said, for me, the most important thing is already implemented

I look forward to your feedback, and above all, I hope you enjoy it so I can keep finding the motivation to create more missions for the community.

Thank you all very much!

[Correcaminos]

V 2.50

New feature implemented : SAR RESCUE MISSION EVENTS

[Nikel]

v2.5 tested . B1825.11

And you already posted a new version


This time a triumph with 11900 points, despite some important loses.






SPOILERS ALERT.



- There is no description.

- Briefing: civilian fishing boats are cited and apparently there are none in the scenario.

- Before you take control of the convoy, in defensive it may move nearer to Iran than it should. This happens when missiles and drones fly above. Perhaps the control to the player should happen earlier. This line appears in small font at the bottom of the message.

]] ScenEdit_SpecialMessage('USA', html_msg)

- The three DOGE color messages appear when the first ship on the convoy arrives to the respective zone. Some dangers are described, however by that time all are destroyed
I do not know if you want that more hidden units appear suddenly in Iran to attack the ships. There are references to speed, I move the convoy at flank if I can, though probably it is not recommended in mines zones

- The POTUS message perhaps a bit later, you still have plenty of time for that mission.

- Ambush messages appear, an illustrative pic in them of IRGC units?

- Abu Musa conquest. The Osprey units are at risk and suffer some loses (2). The Iranian units are destroyed from the air (A-10s, etc), and the landed Marines finish off the HQ, some time was needed. Victory message appears, also a pic would be fine in it. Perhaps the flag you used for the POTUS message. And another pic for it?

- Greater Tubn conquest. The island is much smaller, so the distance between the landed Marines and the IRGC units is shorter, and they suffer heavy losses, also the Ospreys. For some reason this time the HQ is destroyed very fast by the A-10s, and the victory message appears, however most of the IRGC units were still much alive. They are finished from the air.


- More on the convoy. 1 of the ship was stopped due to mines in the Red zone, diesel engines destroyed. The other 5 managed to arrive to the dispersal zone.
The first arrived when more than 7 hours were left. And it is then when the scenario ends in strategic victory. I continued and the other 4 arrived when there were 4 h left.
Perhaps the victory screen should appear when more tankers have arrived, not only one.


- This time the ASW was difficult and with important losses. The duel with the kilo was lost by the Charlotte and sunk.
Lewis B. Puller was hit by torpedos and severely damaged, but survived the scenario. Embarked anti-mines units were destroyed, but only the less important ones and the demining mission was done.


- No SAR event happened in this testing.

- STINGRAY named units I already commented in a pm, still there.


Full scoring log attached.

Lua history file with this text.

[TACTICS] Supertanker Group Alpha transferred to US manual control. Awaiting player navigation plot.
[+]Landing zones revealed, begin the invasion immediately
[-] Aviso: No se encontró la unidad en IRAN: AAA Plt/3 (23mm ZU-23-2 x 2) A
[MCM INTEL] Enemy mine detonated. Total cleaned: 1

AS OF: 20-Mar-26 00:36:27

SIDE: USA
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
1x F-35B Lightning II
10x FIM-92E Stinger MANPADS
1x GARC-MCM
1x Inf Plt (US Marines)
4x Infantry Section [7.62mm MG/Unguided Infantry Anti Tank Weapon]
6x MV-22B Osprey
3x Remus 600 [Mk18 Mod 2 Kingfish] UUV
2x SAM Sec (Stinger MANPADS x 5)
1x SSN 751 San Juan [Los Angeles Flight III, 688i]


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
4x 12.7mm/72 GAU-19 Minigun Burst [100 rnds]
98x 127mm/62 Mk187 HE-MFF [Mk64 HiCap Body, Mk419 Fuse]
2x 25mm GAU-22/A Equalizer Burst [30 rnds]
13x 30mm GAU-8A/B Burst [195 rnds]
10x ADC Mk2 Mod 3 Torpedo Decoy
4x ADC Mk3 Mod 1 Torpedo Countermeasure
4x ADC Mk4 Mod 1 Sonar Jammer
10x AGM-114K Hellfire II
24x AGM-65D Maverick IR
6x AGR-19A HYDRA APKWS II 70mm Rocket [WGU-59/B, Rotary Wing Launch]
58x AGR-20A HYDRA APKWS II 70mm Rocket [WGU-59/B, Fixed Wing Launch]
8x AIM-120D AMRAAM P3I.4
5x AN/SSQ-53F DIFAR
10x AN/SSQ-62E DICASS
24x FGM-148 Javelin
26x GBU-12D/B Paveway II LGB [Mk82]
23x GBU-38(V)1/B JDAM [Mk82]
36x GBU-53/B StormBreaker
67x Generic Flare Salvo [3x Cartridges, Dual Spectral]
8x Generic Unguided Anti Tank Weapon
15x MIM-104E Patriot PAC-2 GEM+
2x Mk48 Mod 7 CBASS
4x Mk54 LHT Mod 0
64x RGM-109E Tomahawk Blk IV TACTOM
12x RIM-174A ERAM SM-6 Blk I Dual I
3x RIM-174A ERAM SM-6 Blk IA Dual II
1x RUM-139C VLA [Mk54]
20x UGM-109J Tomahawk Blk V TACTOM



SIDE: IRAN
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
8x 23mm ZU-23-2
1x 901 Taregh [PL-877EKM Kilo]
3x 942 Ghadir [IS-120]
1x Behshad
2x Building (Sector Control Station)
4x C-802 Triple
2x C-802 Twin
24x CM-200 Ghader Twin
6x Fattah-2 TEL
24x Infantry Section [7.62mm MG/Unguided Infantry Anti Tank Weapon]
4x Khalij Fars [Fateh 110 Mod] TEL
4x Mine [Floating, Contact Fuze]
1x Mine [MDM-5]
12x Misagh-1 MANPADS
5x Mohajer-6 UAV
10x Peykaap II [Bavar]
3x Peykaap III [Zolfaghar]
10x Peykaap III [Zolfaghar]
1x Radar (Ghadir OTH-B)
1x Radar (Sepehr OTH-B)
6x SA-15b Gauntlet [9A331] TELAR
16x Sevom Khordad TEL
8x Sevom Khordad TELAR
5x Shahab-1 TEL
5x Shahed-129 UCAV
12x Shahed-136 TEL
2x Shahed-191 UCAV
4x Talash-4 TEL
19x Toragh [Boghammar Mod]
2x Vehicle (Bashir Radar)
2x Vehicle (C2/C3)
7x Vehicle (China Type 352 Square Tie)
2x Vehicle (Najm-802)
4x Zolfaghar Basir ASBM TEL
13x Zulfiqar Air Defense Boat


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
350x 23mm ZU-23-2 Burst [20 rnds]
6x Fattah-2 [200kg HE]
6x Fattah-2 [200kg HE] HGV
2x Generic Acoustic Decoy
1x Mine [Floating, Contact Fuze]
1x Mine [MDM-5]
1x Mine [SADAF-02]
35x Misagh-1
13x Shahed-136
2x TEST-71ME
4x YT-534-UW1 Valfajr [PT-97W]
4x Zoubin



SIDE: COMMERCIAL
===========================================================

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


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



SIDE: NATURE
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
1x Biologic Fish School


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



SIDE: CIVILIAN
===========================================================

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


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



SIDE: IRAN_HIDDEN
===========================================================

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


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

[Correcaminos]

V2.80 CHANGELOG:

[NEW] Dynamic Victory System: The scenario will no longer end abruptly when the first ship reaches the safe zone. Through a new LUA system, Command now requires at least 4 convoy ships to reach the dispersal area to declare a strategic victory. You will receive individual tactical reports as each vessel crosses Phase Line SAFEGUARD.

[TEXTS] Briefing and Description Overhaul: > * Added the missing general scenario description.

Corrected the Briefing text by removing references to "civilian fishing boats" to avoid confusion, as the area has been cleared of civilian traffic.

Removed strict speed requirements for the convoy. You are now free to manage the convoy's pace to escape the hot zone.

[BUG FIX] Cleaned up the code for the "Transfer of Control" event, removing a residual line of text (]] ScenEdit_SpecialMessage...) that erroneously appeared at the end of the message.

DESIGNER NOTES (Addressing tactical feedback):
I want to clarify a few design choices :

Convoy movement before manual control: This is working as intended. It represents the panic of civilian crews caught in a crossfire. Part of the initial challenge when you take command is bringing order to that chaos.

Warning messages (DOGE) when the coast is clear: Civilian captains don't have our "God's eye view." Even if you have cleared the coast, they are still operating under the fog of war, terrified of hidden mines or pop-up ASBMs. Furthermore, there are no magical enemy spawns. If you clear the coast before the convoy arrives, you have earned that safe passage.

Island Conquest with surviving enemy troops: The strategic objective (as stated in the POTUS message , now starts more later) is to decapitate the IRGC Command Post (HQ). Once the headquarters is destroyed, any remaining squads are considered isolated remnants that your CAS can easily mop up.

ASW Difficulty (Submarine losses): ASW in the shallow, incredibly noisy waters of Hormuz against a Kilo is a real-life nightmare. Losing a friendly sub in a close-quarters duel is a brutal, but completely realistic outcome in this Gauntlet.

STINGRAY Drones & LUA logs: I kept a couple of STINGRAY units with their original ALDMS sensors (despite the known CMO engine bug) as placeholders, hoping Matrix Games patches it in the future. I also kept the LUA text visible in the message log as it serves as internal telemetry for me (like the mine clearing counter).

[Nikel]

Thanks for the fixes in the new version

Please, note that some of the items are just descriptions of what happened in the testing, but it is not that I considered problems in your scenario.

Next time I will separate them in 2 lists.


Regarding the convoy moving in panic before you take control. I reported this because I think it is not realistic to move closer to Iran, and as we cannot control it, I think it is done by the AI, perhaps the way to minimize it was to take control a bit earlier.

T.png (96.96 KiB) Viewed 129 times

DOGE messages, just reported this in case you wanted to surprise more the player.

Losing the Los Angeles class submarine is of course my own fault indeed perfectly possible. Take a look at the SL, just in case you want to increase the points loss.

Regarding the STINGRAY, it is the name that appears in the Air Ops what I was reporting in the 2 Tulsa units, not the presence of this type of helo. As you know there are more units present.

ST.png (49.33 KiB) Viewed 133 times

[Correcaminos]

Perfect, I've changed the helicopter names, but I'll wait for someone else to report something because otherwise I'm going to drive half the forum crazy with these rapid changes. I don't know if I can do better with the convoy; handing control over to the player earlier shouldn't be a problem, but we also don't know if they'll still get defensive. We'll see. I've moved it forward a couple of hours for now.

As for the score report, I've reviewed it:


About your 11,900 points Triumph:
I have carefully reviewed the SL Hormuz v2.5.txt scoring log you attached. First of all, your management of expenditures and intercepts was outstanding. You successfully swatted down multiple ballistic threats and cleared an absurd amount of HVTs and SAM sites.

However, your scoring log revealed a hilarious "accounting error" in my LUA attrition engine!

You mentioned losing the USS Charlotte (SSN) in a close-quarters duel with the Kilo. Well, the Pentagon's accountants must have been asleep, because I forgot to include a specific penalty line for "Nuclear Submarines" in the code! When your sub sank, the engine defaulted to a generic "Friendly Asset Lost" and only deducted -100 points from your score (meanwhile, losing that single F-35 cost you -1500 points!).

So, consider yourself lucky with that 11,900 score! Thanks to your log, I have patched this in V2.80. From now on, losing a multi-billion dollar SSN will correctly trigger a "CRITICAL ASSET LOST" penalty of -3000 points.

Thanks again for the incredible playtest data. It helps balance the scenario perfectly

[Nikel]

The Tomahwks and the Patriots did the job


Detected another problem with the SL, when a KC-130J tanker is lost, is counted as a civilian supertanker

03-19-2026 11:39: Score changed from 6677 to 1677. Reason: CATASTROPHIC FAILURE: Civilian Supertanker Lost! (-5000 pts)

[Correcaminos]

The scoring engine was searching for the word 'tanker' to penalize the loss of civilian Supertankers. It turns out it also triggered when an aerial refueling 'tanker' was shot down, thinking a 300-meter long ship just fell out of the sky! I've updated the script to differentiate between type='Ship' and type='Aircraft', so the KC-130J will now correctly deduct the standard -300 pts for an aircraft loss instead of -5000."