Operation Bayern, 1965

[HalfLifeExpert]

Completed this older Mark Gellis scenario today, after a few separate play sessions to complete it.

So this setup has the USSR trying to establish a 'Cuba of Africa' by installing a regime loyal to it in Tanzania in 1965. They've already provided several Combat aircraft and Air Defense systems to the East African nation, and now in December, a Soviet convoy, with naval escort, is headed to Dar es Salaam.

The Johnson Administration in Washington is livid at this, so a carrier group centered around USS Hancock is dispatched to East Africa. It's mission: Destroy the Soviet-supplied Tanzanian aircraft and other military systems, and enforce an exclusion zone for the Soviet convoy. If the Soviets cross into this zone, they are to be fired upon.

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So, I actually took some time before engaging in combat. None of my aircraft started with an Air-to-air loadout, so I needed some time to arm some F-8s and A-4s with AAMs (I have no Phantoms). The Hancock group was far enough out to sea that I could do this in safety, and for a while my only active operation was an AEW Orbit west of Hancock, in the direction of Tanzania. Because of this, I was able to get a decent enough view of all air activity over and near Tanzania.

I was then able to locate the Soviet convoy, following the East African coast southward. I prepared a first airstrike of A-4s and F-8s, with some fighter cover. While I technically struck before official authorization, I gave the order to attack when the first convoy Warship crossed into the exclusion zone.

The first wave, A-4s armed with Bullpups and Iron Bombs, was largely ineffective, despite going right for the cargo ships. Only one was able to launch it's missiles before the flight reached bingo fuel (They had been circling, waiting for attack clearance).

Nonetheless, this first attack initiated the Battle over Pemba Island:

The fighters I had dispatched to provide cover for the A-4s now found themselves in a furball with Tanzanian Mig 19s as well as Soviet Air Force Mig 21s. Both sides sent in help over the course of the battle, which featured hard maneuvering, each side trying to get good attack positions on the other.

The American F-8s had one edge over the MiGs: They possessed AIM-9C missiles, a radar guided Sidewinder. The allowed the Americans to engage with missiles head-on, which resulted in at least 4 kills in this manner.

Nonetheless, all other weapons in the battle were cannon and Heat seeking missiles, which require a rear aspect attack (skirmishes like these make me want to punch those in the 50s who thought dogfighting was coming to an end; how else are you supposed to get BEHIND an enemy fighter!?!)

After quite some time of fierce maneuvering and firing over and near Pemba Island, the final tally was:
7x MiG 19s destroyed
7x MiG 21s destroyed
0x US aircraft destroyed.

I was astounded, although one F-8 was lost to AAA from a Soviet destroyer during the battle while doing the main crippling strike on the Soviet convoy. Nonetheless, the main convoy was wiped out (5x Cargo ships, 1x close escort gun destroyer). This leaved the forward Soviet warships left (Sverdlov Gun Cruiser, Kashin DDG and an older gun destroyer).

This led to a several (in game) lull in combat. I had the initiative, and once all my aircraft were re-armed and ready, I sent in a fighter sweep to
A) Draw out more MiGs into battle for destruction
B) Provide cover to an airstrike against the now anchored Soviet Warships.

But before that, my lone submarine, USS Swordfish, got into some trouble of her own. Swordfish found herself fighting off a November SSN and a Soviet destroyer simultaneously. A pair of Torpedoes crippled and ultimately sank the destroyer, but despite hard maneuvering and a couple torpedo salvos, the November slipped away, and I ordered Swordfish to disengage and provide closer cover to Hancock.

My second fighter sweep led to another furious air battle, this one further to the south, off of Zanzibar Island.
My fighter's performance was again very good, with several more MiGs shot down, although this time, 3x A-4s that were returning to Hancock during the furball (they had Sidewinder loadouts to try and help the F-8s), were bounced by a pair of MiG 19s, and were shot down in short order. Nevertheless, US fighters had once again won the battle and cleared the immediate skies.

During the battle, I passed the scoring threshold for victory (1100 points), but I decided that "radio interference" caused me to not get the message, and continued the fight.

This time, there would be no lull, I would strike while the enemy was down.

First, I sent an Airstrike of A-4s with Bullpups against the Anchored Soviet warships, crippling the Kashin and causing heavy damage to the Sverdlov.

Next. I sent an F-8 strike against Zanzibar Airport. One F-8 blew an SA-2 site to pieces, while the other 3 pulverized over a dozen MiG-19s on the tarmac. They did received AAA fire, but none were hit.

Following up on that, I sent a flight of A-4s armed with Mk83 1000lb bombs against Mwalimu Julius K Nyerse airport.

Once again, one aircraft shredded an SA-2 site, and the others struck the Tarmac, shattering several more MiG-19 airframes, as well as 4x Soviet Badger Bombers. However, right before the A-4s had arrived, a single MiG-19 had got into the air, and was now going after the Skyhawks.
The Skyhawks engaged, and after a short fight, downed the MiG with cannon. They returned to Hancock unharmed.

The my last attack was a final strike against the Soviet warships. It was mostly a cakewalk, but a second F-8 was lost to a ship's AAA. Nonetheless, the Kashin, Sverdlov, and an older destroyer were all sunk.

The final action was one last MiG 19 launched to try and bag an American aircraft. The F-8s, now free of their bombs and rockets, engaged and destroyed the MiG with Cannon.

Obviously Cold War tensions will skyrocket (maybe even to full war) because of this, but I'm very happy with my results in this battle. Tanzania's Air Force has been completely shattered, and the Soviets suffered a massive humiliation, especially with all their in-place MiG 21s lost with no kills to show for it.

Final Score: 2020 (close to double the passing score)

Losses and Expenditures:

SIDE: United States
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LOSSES:
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2x F-8E Crusader
3x A-4E Skyhawk


EXPENDITURES:
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10x AGM-12B Bullpup A
23x AIM-9C Sidewinder
54x 20mm Mk12 x 4 [100 rnds]
25x AIM-9B Sidewinder
144x ZUNI 127mm HVAR Rocket
144x Mk83 1000lb LDGP
20x 20mm Mk12 x 2 [50 rnds]
6x Mk37 Mod 1
5x Mk27 Mod 4



SIDE: Tanzania
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LOSSES:
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40x MiG-19PM Farmer D
11x SA-2b Guideline Single Rail
6x 23mm ZU-23-2
2x Vehicle (Fan Song B [SNR-75])
2x Vehicle (Spoon Rest A [P-12])
1x Radar (Generic Air Traffic Control)


EXPENDITURES:
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12x AA-1a Alkali Mod 2 [RS-2US]
95x 23mm ZU-23-2 Burst [20 rnds]
120x 57mm ZSU-57 HE



SIDE: Soviet Union
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LOSSES:
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8x MiG-21PF Fishbed D
5x Commercial Dry-Bulk Carrier - Handysize [35,000t DWT]
2x EM Skoryy Mod [Pr.31 Besshumny]
1x EM Skory Pr.30bis
4x Tu-16K-10 Badger C
1x BPK Kashin [Pr.61]
1x KR Chapaev


EXPENDITURES:
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1x AA-2a Atoll [R-3S]
30x 57mm/81 ZIF-71 Quad DP [6 rnds]
4x 130mm/58 Twin HE Burst [2 rnds]
1x SET-53 [NATO ET-80A[60]]
52x 37mm/63 Twin Burst [20 rnds]
6x 100mm/56 Twin HE Burst [2 rnds]
1x SA-N-1b Goa [M-1M/P Volna-M/P, 4K91 / V-601]
8x AK-726 76mm/60 Twin HE Burst [2 rnds]



SIDE: Neutrals
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LOSSES:
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EXPENDITURES:
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SIDE: Nature
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LOSSES:
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EXPENDITURES:
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SIDE: Kenya
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LOSSES:
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EXPENDITURES:
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