Critique my scenario concept - China invades Papua New Guinea
Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2024 5:25 am
Critique my scenario concept!
I want to try my hand at building a fun scenario. Never done it before. To come up with the concept, I have stolen shamelessly from history (Battle of the Coral Sea, Kokoda Trail, independence of East Timor) and from other scenarios (like Brexit you Fixit).
TLDR: it's a 'hold the ground' game, ground is yours = get points, ground is enemy = lose points.
My QUESTIONS for YOU:
Critique the premise - what breaks immersion about the story?
Critique the gameplay - what will be difficult for the player, and what won't be fun?
Critique building it - what will make it hard for me to build the scenario?
***********************
The BACKGROUND STORY:
In 2022, the Solomon Islands signed a security pact with the People's Republic of China. By 2027, the PRC has built a large, multi-runway airbase on Guadalcanal.
Beginning in 2028, the endemic lawlessness in Papua New Guinea leads to a series of attacks against Chinese nationals, businesses and mining projects. Beijing concocts a plan to send in 'peacekeepers' to restore order and protect Chinese interests, but this is a pretext to essentially annex PNG. The operation is planned for execution in June 2029, at the peak of the dry season in PNG.
Australian and United States intelligence are aware of the plan. Australia is alarmed by the plan and wants a vigorous military response. The United States is more reluctant to get involved.
Sure enough, from January 2029, 100 - 150 military aircraft are flown from in from China to Guadalcanal, plus one airborne brigade. In May 2029, three surface action groups sail from China: 1 SAG escorts an amphibious invasion towards Port Moresby, 1 SAG escorts transports with A2/AD and SAM assets to Tulagi, Solomon Islands, and the third SAG is tasked with engaging enemy SAGs. China has elected not to send aircraft carriers to the theatre as it would appear too provocative. By June the three SAGs are steaming near the Solomon Islands....
Australia and the United States haven't been sitting idle however:
One marine regiment from Okinawa and several USAF squadrons from Japan have been sent to the Northern Territory, Australia, for 'training exercises'. A US SAG of 4 surface combatants is similarly conducting 'training' with the Royal Australian Navy in the Coral Sea. The RAN ain't all that much though, after years of neglect most of the fleet is alongside for maintenance. 3 surface combatants and 2 Collins submarines is all that can be mustered. A top-secret sale + delivery of 100 LRASM from USA to Australia was enacted. RAAF aircraft and an airborne-capable commando company are forward deployed to RAAF Scherger bare base in northern Queensland. Paid HUMINT assets in major PNG towns have been given covert means to report to Australia on enemy activity. Finally, an Australian Special Air Service squadron covertly entered PNG in April, and are currently secreted in safe houses around Port Moresby.
The SCENARIO:
Basically the three SAGs go on their merry way towards their targets. If any Australian unit is detected, China changes to Hostile. If China goes Hostile, nine Cargo missions activate, deploying nine Chinese airborne companies to nine strategic targets throughout PNG. Holding the targets is worth scenario points over time, for both sides. The nine targets have airfields of varying quality, or none at all. 1 hour of your ground personnel in proximity to an airfield, without enemy units nearby as well, and you gain control of the airfield.
The tenth strategic target, Port Moresby, is the goal of the Chinese amphibious brigade being deployed by sea. Port Moresby is worth more scenario points over time compared to the other nine targets.
The SAS in Port Moresby can be cargo-unloaded from the safe houses (modelled as undetectable underground bunkers that China cannot target), and walk down the road to Jacksons International Airport, and capture it. Similarly to China, Australia can sieze airfields and start flying in units.
Scenario is won by accumulating points.
Increasing points:
holding strategic targets over time
destroy enemy aircraft
destroy enemy ships and submarines
Losing points:
enemy holds strategic targets over time
lose aircraft
lose ships and submarines
If both sides have ground troops on site, the point gains cancel each other out.
The Chinese SAGs and the Guadalcanal airbase are tough targets to strike. This is made even worse when the A2/AD battery lands on Tulagi. The player must choose between proactive strikes and capturing strategic targets.
At the scenario start, China is ready to send in 3 amphibious battalions and 3 airborne battalions.
Australia starts with 3 light, air transportable (not air droppable) battalions, 1 airborne company, and the SAS in Port Moresby.
Like in Brexit Fixit, over time forces from other countries by become available. Most ground forces will need to be moved by Australian airlift, which is limited, so player has to think carefully about how to do it.
If China lands at Port Moresby, the PNG government collapses, and two remnant PNG infantry companies come under Australia command, one at Port Moresby and one at Wewak.
New Zealand signs up to fight pretty much immediately, offering 1 infantry battalion, plus air-droppable NZ SAS, and aircraft.
Later East Timor offers 2 companies, but Australia must send airlift to go get them.
Bit later France offers 1 company stationed in New Caledonia.
Perhaps miffed that France elected to fight before the US did, the US forces on 'training exercises' are placed under Australian command.
Fiji offers 1 battalion, but Australia has to go get it.
Tonga offers 1 platoon, this is a trick, player can send airlift to go pick it up, but it won't be worth it.
Very late in the game, Indonesia joins in - 18 battalions, lots of amphibious and air lift, plus combat aircraft. As the scenario is nearly completed, this may or may not be helpful. Troops stationed in West Papua are the most useful.
***********************
My QUESTIONS for YOU:
Critique the premise - what breaks immersion about the story?
Critique the gameplay - what will be difficult for the player, and what won't be fun?
Critique building it - what will make it hard for me to build the scenario?
I want to try my hand at building a fun scenario. Never done it before. To come up with the concept, I have stolen shamelessly from history (Battle of the Coral Sea, Kokoda Trail, independence of East Timor) and from other scenarios (like Brexit you Fixit).
TLDR: it's a 'hold the ground' game, ground is yours = get points, ground is enemy = lose points.
My QUESTIONS for YOU:
Critique the premise - what breaks immersion about the story?
Critique the gameplay - what will be difficult for the player, and what won't be fun?
Critique building it - what will make it hard for me to build the scenario?
***********************
The BACKGROUND STORY:
In 2022, the Solomon Islands signed a security pact with the People's Republic of China. By 2027, the PRC has built a large, multi-runway airbase on Guadalcanal.
Beginning in 2028, the endemic lawlessness in Papua New Guinea leads to a series of attacks against Chinese nationals, businesses and mining projects. Beijing concocts a plan to send in 'peacekeepers' to restore order and protect Chinese interests, but this is a pretext to essentially annex PNG. The operation is planned for execution in June 2029, at the peak of the dry season in PNG.
Australian and United States intelligence are aware of the plan. Australia is alarmed by the plan and wants a vigorous military response. The United States is more reluctant to get involved.
Sure enough, from January 2029, 100 - 150 military aircraft are flown from in from China to Guadalcanal, plus one airborne brigade. In May 2029, three surface action groups sail from China: 1 SAG escorts an amphibious invasion towards Port Moresby, 1 SAG escorts transports with A2/AD and SAM assets to Tulagi, Solomon Islands, and the third SAG is tasked with engaging enemy SAGs. China has elected not to send aircraft carriers to the theatre as it would appear too provocative. By June the three SAGs are steaming near the Solomon Islands....
Australia and the United States haven't been sitting idle however:
One marine regiment from Okinawa and several USAF squadrons from Japan have been sent to the Northern Territory, Australia, for 'training exercises'. A US SAG of 4 surface combatants is similarly conducting 'training' with the Royal Australian Navy in the Coral Sea. The RAN ain't all that much though, after years of neglect most of the fleet is alongside for maintenance. 3 surface combatants and 2 Collins submarines is all that can be mustered. A top-secret sale + delivery of 100 LRASM from USA to Australia was enacted. RAAF aircraft and an airborne-capable commando company are forward deployed to RAAF Scherger bare base in northern Queensland. Paid HUMINT assets in major PNG towns have been given covert means to report to Australia on enemy activity. Finally, an Australian Special Air Service squadron covertly entered PNG in April, and are currently secreted in safe houses around Port Moresby.
The SCENARIO:
Basically the three SAGs go on their merry way towards their targets. If any Australian unit is detected, China changes to Hostile. If China goes Hostile, nine Cargo missions activate, deploying nine Chinese airborne companies to nine strategic targets throughout PNG. Holding the targets is worth scenario points over time, for both sides. The nine targets have airfields of varying quality, or none at all. 1 hour of your ground personnel in proximity to an airfield, without enemy units nearby as well, and you gain control of the airfield.
The tenth strategic target, Port Moresby, is the goal of the Chinese amphibious brigade being deployed by sea. Port Moresby is worth more scenario points over time compared to the other nine targets.
The SAS in Port Moresby can be cargo-unloaded from the safe houses (modelled as undetectable underground bunkers that China cannot target), and walk down the road to Jacksons International Airport, and capture it. Similarly to China, Australia can sieze airfields and start flying in units.
Scenario is won by accumulating points.
Increasing points:
holding strategic targets over time
destroy enemy aircraft
destroy enemy ships and submarines
Losing points:
enemy holds strategic targets over time
lose aircraft
lose ships and submarines
If both sides have ground troops on site, the point gains cancel each other out.
The Chinese SAGs and the Guadalcanal airbase are tough targets to strike. This is made even worse when the A2/AD battery lands on Tulagi. The player must choose between proactive strikes and capturing strategic targets.
At the scenario start, China is ready to send in 3 amphibious battalions and 3 airborne battalions.
Australia starts with 3 light, air transportable (not air droppable) battalions, 1 airborne company, and the SAS in Port Moresby.
Like in Brexit Fixit, over time forces from other countries by become available. Most ground forces will need to be moved by Australian airlift, which is limited, so player has to think carefully about how to do it.
If China lands at Port Moresby, the PNG government collapses, and two remnant PNG infantry companies come under Australia command, one at Port Moresby and one at Wewak.
New Zealand signs up to fight pretty much immediately, offering 1 infantry battalion, plus air-droppable NZ SAS, and aircraft.
Later East Timor offers 2 companies, but Australia must send airlift to go get them.
Bit later France offers 1 company stationed in New Caledonia.
Perhaps miffed that France elected to fight before the US did, the US forces on 'training exercises' are placed under Australian command.
Fiji offers 1 battalion, but Australia has to go get it.
Tonga offers 1 platoon, this is a trick, player can send airlift to go pick it up, but it won't be worth it.
Very late in the game, Indonesia joins in - 18 battalions, lots of amphibious and air lift, plus combat aircraft. As the scenario is nearly completed, this may or may not be helpful. Troops stationed in West Papua are the most useful.
***********************
My QUESTIONS for YOU:
Critique the premise - what breaks immersion about the story?
Critique the gameplay - what will be difficult for the player, and what won't be fun?
Critique building it - what will make it hard for me to build the scenario?
