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I would like to share a concept for a modern-era scenario for Strategic Command based on the Russia–Ukraine War (2022–20XX).
This is not a political statement and does not take sides; it is simply an idea for how this conflict could be modeled using SC’s existing mechanics in a balanced and engine-friendly way.
The war’s operational characteristics — slow movement, entrenched lines, long-range strikes, high attrition, and morale-driven outcomes — align surprisingly well with SC’s core design philosophy.

Below is a concise outline of how such a scenario could function.

1. Strategic Framework
The conflict behaves like a prolonged, high-intensity operational campaign. Key features include:
- fortified defensive belts
- limited but meaningful maneuver
- heavy artillery and rocket employment
- drone and missile strikes shaping operational depth
- air operations constrained by strong AA
- supply and readiness dictating offensive tempo
- morale as a central factor in strategic outcomes

These elements match the SC engine without requiring any unconventional mechanics.

2. Victory Conditions (open-ended, realistic)

Russian Victory:
- Control of the territories claimed post-2022: Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson
- Ukrainian National Morale reaches 0%

OR Kiev is captured while Ukrainian morale is ≤10%

Ukrainian Victory:

- Russian National Morale reaches 0%, AND Ukraine retains Kiev, Dnipro, Odessa,

AND Russia does not secure operationally decisive territorial gains over the course of a prolonged, multi-year campaign, reflecting the open-ended nature of the real conflict.

Mutual Defeat:
Any serious conventional threat to Moscow triggers a “Nuclear Escalation – Scenario Terminated for both sides” event.
This preserves realism without requiring impossible mechanics.

3. Order of Battle (mapped to existing unit classes)
Drones → V1 Rockets (adapted)
- low cost
- expendable
- strong vs armor and logistics
-vulnerable to AA

Tactical Missiles → V2 Rockets (adapted)
- deep-strike capability
- long range (8–12 hex)
- infrastructure and morale impact
- Modern Infantry entrenchment up to 4
-strong defensive posture
- readiness/supply as critical variables

Main Battle Tanks
- powerful but vulnerable to drones/ATGMs
- high reinforcement cost
- best used in combined-arms roles

AA Systems (Patriot/S-300/S-400 analogues)
- 2–3 hex interception radius
- significant impact on drones and missiles
- Jets (4th/5th Gen)
- effective air-to-air
- limited ground attack due to AA density
- high operational value

- Elite Russian Units (Wagner)
strong offensive capability but limited availability

- North Korean Volunteer Units
under-strength
zero experience
no upgrades

4. Operational Behavior (consistent with engine limits)
- Frontline changes slowly
- Offensives require extended preparation
- Artillery and missile strikes set conditions for movement
- Drones punish unsupported armor
- AA creates well-defined “no-fly zones”
- Supply and readiness become decisive
- Urban areas serve as natural strongpoints
- Fortifications matter: modern trench systems
- Strategic morale shocks shape the long war

This generates a realistic operational rhythm without stressing the engine.

5. Technology Tree (modernized but engine-safe)
Drone Warfare
- range
- accuracy
- anti-armor payload
- swarm behavior

Missile Technology
- guidance
- range
- strategic effect
- infrastructure impact

Electronic Warfare
- spotting reduction
- drone efficiency reduction
- AA interception improvement
- aircraft AP reduction

Active Protection Systems (APS)
- mitigates drone/ATGM damage to tanks
- Logistical Modernization
- supply range
- readiness recovery
- reinforcement efficiency

These upgrades preserve SC’s structure while introducing modern operational dynamics.

6. Scripted Events (focused on operational effects):

- variations in foreign military support (MPP shifts)
- mobilization waves
- fortified line construction
- long-range strikes (e.g., Crimea Bridge)
- potential appearances of low-quality volunteer formations
- AA system deliveries
- temporary morale events

These events reproduce the evolving character of the conflict without any political framing.

7. Why This Scenario Fits Strategic Command

- The war’s tempo is slow and attritional → SC handles this well
- Morale is decisive → SC’s morale model is one of its strongest systems
- Drones and missiles map naturally onto V1/V2 mechanics
- Entrenchment and fortified lines already exist
- Long-range fires and logistics effects require no engine changes
- Asymmetric but balanced OOBs are fully feasible
- A long-duration multi-year campaign fits SC’s turn structure perfectly

In short:
This is one of the few modern conflicts that fits the SC engine naturally.

If scenario designers or modders consider the idea viable, it could add a uniquely compelling and technically coherent modern campaign to the SC community.

Morale Estimate (Mod-Adjusted Overview):

Taking into account current territorial momentum and the mod’s victory-condition logic (VP gain/loss per territory, momentum bonus/penalty):

Russia (overall morale): ~50%
Slightly boosted by incremental territorial gains, but still weighed down by cohesion and manpower issues.

Ukraine (overall morale): ~60%
Reduced from earlier highs due to recent territorial setbacks, but still above Russia due to defensive motivation and higher cohesion baseline.

In short:
Russia ~50% | Ukraine ~60%
(territorial momentum included; victory-condition modifiers applied)

I'm going to tell you right now, that the amount of work involved will be many times what you may naively think it will be at the start. And you likely won't be making a custom map for it-if you do, that will quadruple your workload. Not to discourage you, just speaking from experience.

I agree with above. Unless you can get a digital modern map of both road and terrain then can overlay the Matrix system. At the scale and number of hexes needed to build the map. Could easily take over a year.

But if you are into big projects for the fun of it, go for it. Who know this project could lead for modeling other people projects. A whole host of regional war games.

Old frat from
Tucson,
23 -> 6 c today, not a single cloud in the sky.