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Scenario that explores what could have happened if TF34 was at the San Bernardino Strait during the Battle of Leyte Gulf

FINAL STEAM VERSION V290

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... 3694364270


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)

Operation Rite of Passage

Strait of Hormuz, Arabian Gulf — March 2026

Operation Rite of Passage is set on Day 24 of a US-Israeli air campaign against Iran. The skies are yours — the Iranian air force is destroyed, every major surface combatant of the Iranian conventional navy sits on the seabed, and the ballistic missile complex is in ruins. And yet the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. Over 300 merchant vessels sit idle, oil is past $100 a barrel, and Lloyd's has pulled hull-war coverage for Gulf transits.

The scenario is built around a simple premise: what happens when you've won the air war, sunk the enemy fleet, and still can't reopen a 21-mile stretch of water? Iran's asymmetric arsenal — armed speedboats hidden in coastal coves, suicide drone boats, mobile anti-ship missile launchers, mine belts, midget submarines, and underground bunkers housing systems that haven't yet moved — is largely intact, and it only takes one burning supertanker on live television to undo everything.

You command the Tripoli ARG and 31st MEU with a carrier strike group on call, land-based air out of the UAE, 40 Reapers, Army Apaches, HIMARS, and a full MCM force. The ORBAT is substantial — over 120 embarked aircraft, 12 warships. But the victory condition isn't a kill count. The President has publicly committed to declaring the Strait open within 30 hours, and the first tanker convoys will sail on his word. Damage to a tanker becomes a political catastrophe. Lose a tanker and the insurers pull coverage within hours — operation failure. Miss the deadline and the USA loses its credibility — operation failure.

This is a scenario about the gap between military dominance and strategic credibility. You have more firepower than you could ever need, but the clock, the mines, and the CNN cameras are harder enemies than anything the IRGC can throw at you.

I hope you enjoy it

Special thanks to Nikel & Correcaminos for beta testing

PS. This is my first attempt to a designing a scenario. It explores an attempt to open Hormuz from a different angle compared to the one of my friend Correcaminos just above. Actually it all started from a discussion between us of how we could leverage the current developments in CMO.