New Scenario: Amphibious Assault on Kharg Island (2026)

[DWReese]

Here is a scenario for testing:

This scenario represents a hypothetical amphibious assault on Kharg Island in the near future. It is based on the concept that the talks have reached an impasse, and that some ‘encouragement’ to complete the deal is necessary.

It is understood by everyone that the US would always be able to have enough force to be able to take control of the island, regardless of how well the IRGC defends it. Therefore, I have provided the game player with access to a bunch of different platforms to be able to accomplish the mission. In fairness, please refrain from using everything that you have as it will make the scenario less fun. (Generally, I like to use four aircraft, such as four A-10s.)

The Iranians know that they will ultimately lose the island, so the only way that they can win the scenario is to cause enough destruction to the invading US units.

This scenario involves the use of the MV-22 Osprey helicopters to move the marines from their ship onto the island. After that, a very interesting ground battle should take place. The scenario will end when the Iranians surrender.

There are a few things that I won’t reveal at this time, but the scenario is basically simple, if you have read the briefing and planned well. Again, I caution you not use all of your units as that would make for a very lopsided scenario.

The placement of the Iranian units is randomized at the start. The scenario must run about 5 seconds before all of the units are placed. Looking at the Iranian units before the game begins using the Scenario Editor may look daunting, but that is because about half of the units will not be present due to the randomization process.

This scenario requires the use of loading and unloading cargo, so play it only if you are familiar with that process. (It really isn’t difficult.) Additionally, I’ve added the No Navigation Zone as it may be helpful if you want game to plot your helicopters’ course,

The points are at a premium. You start at 0, and Disaster is set at 100 and below, while Triumph is set at 200, so you pretty much need to be somewhat perfect in your execution. This was done on purpose because the scenario can only be played from the US side.

Losing a helicopter or a plane will severely dimmish your chances for victory, so protect those assets. For example, losing a loaded helicopter will cost you about 50 points, so do whatever you can to protect them.

(Note: I love playing the game in the Editor mode but, as I mentioned, you can’t because of the randomization process. If you would like to use the Editor, then start the normal game; allow everything to load; let it run a minute; and then exit. Next, restart the game using the Editor and start the game using the AutoSave. You are now playing the game in the Editor mode.)

Finally, because you are responsible for loading your air assets, the game will have a long period of time where nothing is happening. Feel free to use the Flame to advance time. The entire game can be completed in about 90 minutes, or less, of actual playing time.

Let me know if you run into any difficulties. Also, I'd love to hear some feedback.

Here is the most recent scenario:

Amphibious Assault on Kharg Island (Beta 6).zip

(1013.06 KiB) Downloaded 29 times

[Nikel]

Thanks for the new scenario



Tested on B1892. Problems noticed and suggestions.




SPOILERS ALERT.




- Unfortunately could not end the scenario, some of the Iranian infantry units are well hidden or impossible to detect, even though all kind of ACs and recon systems are above them. Even tried in God mode move the Marines in front of them, but could not detect the last 2 units. I would reduce the threshold you stablished to end the scenario. And the remaining should surrender. Otherwise it may become tedious or impossible.


- Typos:

Description. Kharq. "The scenario will end will the US player".

Briefing. taht, succuss, destiniation, upn, surveilance, Ahned, Juwait, Mwaffaq (also on the map), Jordon (2 times), draops, tablulated.

SM 1. nust


- The scenario is more an Air Assault on Kharg Island than an Amphibious one.

- I would remove the "please" in the messages, so that the text are more instructions or orders and not a tutorial, unless that is your intention

- 4 selectable sides on startup.

- Hide the RPs of the NFZ on Iran.

- No loadouts except one of the Ospreys.

- The SEAL team were landed, no bug because I did it manually not in a mission.

- SM2, a destination for the marines is indicated, but there is no RP or zone on the map, I suppose this is not a problem, but just in case.

- The font is smaller in some of the SMs.

- There is a goblin, should it not be investigated?

- The Cougar PCFs only move at the beginning, later they are stopped, add them to a patrol mission so they move around along the scenario.

- Add some Zulfiqar, missile defense boats that are quite dangerous.

- Add loss of points for damaging oil units in the island, this is described but apparently is not present.

[DWReese]

Deleted

[Nikel]

Just posted some feedback

[DWReese]

Thanks for the feedback.

- Unfortunately could not end the scenario, some of the Iranian infantry units are well hidden or impossible to detect, even though all kind of ACs and recon systems are above them. Even tried in God mode move the Marines in front of them, but could not detect the last 2 units. I would reduce the threshold you stablished to end the scenario. And the remaining should surrender. Otherwise it may become tedious or impossible. One of the drones is really good at locating and identifying the enemy. I just completed a scenario, so it can be done. It is a good suggestion, however.


- Typos:

Description. Kharq. "The scenario will end will the US player".

Briefing. taht, succuss, destiniation, upn, surveilance, Ahned, Juwait, Mwaffaq (also on the map), Jordon (2 times), draops, tablulated.

SM 1. nust

Will be corrected.


- I would remove the "please" in the messages, so that the text are more instructions or orders and not a tutorial, unless that is your intention As I mentioned, it is intended to be sort of a fun, but challenging scenario. I have provided lots of assets to try different things. But, I have no problem removing "please."

- 4 selectable sides on startup. Ok

- Hide the RPs of the NFZ on Iran. Good suggestion

- No loadouts except one of the Ospreys. That Osprey shouldn't have one. They should all be waiting for instructions. I purposely did not want to provide any Loadouts. This is something that I usually do, but this time I wanted the game player to try different things.

- The SEAL team were landed, no bug because I did it manually not in a mission. Yes, I like to have the missions do the work. The bug is supposed to be fixed in the next update.

- SM2, a destination for the marines is indicated, but there is no RP or zone on the map, I suppose this is not a problem, but just in case. Again, I wanted the game player to select the spot. Since the enemy locations are randomized, the same entry spot might not always be the best. I generally attack by air, and then clear out a spot for the landing. That's the plan, anyway.

- The font is smaller in some of the SMs. Yep. I've been fighting with that. It looks great until the game starts. I'll work on that.

- There is a goblin, should it not be investigated? The orders are to avoid any fight and to complete the mission at hand. Fire only if fired upon.

- The Cougar PCFs only move at the beginning, later they are stopped, add them to a patrol mission so they move around along the scenario. Yep, another strange occurrence. They seem to work fine, and then stop during the game. Like the goblin, they are only there for tension.

- Add some Zulfiqar, missile defense boats that are quite dangerous. I will consider that.

- Add loss of points for damaging oil units in the island, this is described but apparently is not present. Yes, I noticed that today when I actually damaged one.

Thanks for the feedback. An updated version, without your suggestions, is available.

[DWReese]

Nikel

Thank you for providing your assessment and suggestions.

I have corrected the things that you sited.

I kept the name for now, but I do see your point.

Please have another look.

[Nikel]

I was suggesting exactly that, changing the name of the scenario

The second file you uploaded is a different scenario, I would delete it for another thread?


I will test beta 3.

[Nikel]

Beta 3 tested on B1892.



SPOILERS ALERT.






This time I could end the scenario and got a Triumph with 244 points

The only change in the recon drones was the selection of the Gorgon sensors for the MQ-9A, not sure this helped in the location of more enemy units.


The end was abrupt when the destruction of the enemy units from the air was still happening, and some of them still visible. Pic below.

And there were missiles in the air directed to them. Many of the surrendered units were eventually destroyed, this is the fate of war

There was no need to put Marines on the ground. Only the Recon team was there.

Perhaps this could be tweaked so that for ending the scenario, the Marines should be involved or at least on the ground?

For example such is right now the scenario, but the destruction of X enemy units will not trigger the end of the scenario, only the surrender, and then you are ordered to deploy de Marines to the island, moving them to some locations, and this trigger the end?




The attack was:

1. F-35s with AGM-154C JSOWs.

2. F-35s with Stormbreakers.

3. As there were still enemy units present, I let the AI to finish the job with the A-10s, engage opportunities Yes. This is the reason of the wasting of 3 Tomahawks from the Virginia sub, that sunk the Zulfiqar boats



- A few typos still present:

Description. Kharq.

Briefing. Mwafaq. I have no idea on how this is written properly, according to the Wikipedia is Muwaffaq. It is also wrong in the map.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muwaffaq_Salti_Air_Base

SM1. nust.


- Perhaps give the player something to do while the loadouts are readying?

- Rename the SEAL teams, they are named just Recon. Also the Virginia Class sub has no proper name. And the Marines?

- Some of the Petrochemical storage tanks in the South of the island were damaged in the attack, but still there were no point losses. Only happens if they are completely destroyed?

- The Zulfiqar play no role in the location where they end.

- Scoring log attached in case is useful.

SG.png (18.15 KiB) Viewed 854 times

KIES.png (37.4 KiB) Viewed 854 times

AS OF: 28-Aug-26 23:44:41

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

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


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
3x 30mm GAU-8A/B Burst [195 rnds]
24x AGM-154C JSOW [BROACH]
21x AGM-154C-1 JSOW [BROACH]
15x AGM-65K Maverick IR
55x AGR-20A HYDRA APKWS II 70mm Rocket [WGU-59A/B, Fixed Wing Launch]
38x GBU-53/B StormBreaker
40x Mk82 500lb AIR [Ballute]
3x UGM-109J Tomahawk Blk Va MST



SIDE: Iran
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
28x 23mm ZU-23-2
70x Infantry Section [7.62mm MG/Unguided Infantry Anti Tank Weapon]
10x Misagh-2 MANPADS
1x Radar (Bashir)
3x Zulfiqar Air Defense Boat


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
26x Misagh-2



SIDE: Oil Faciliy Structures and Airport
===========================================================

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


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



SIDE: Submersible
===========================================================

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


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

[DWReese]

Thanks again for the feedback.

I believe that your perception of the scenario, and my intentions, are possibly on different pages.

I was primarily interested in conducting an assault of the island using marines from the Ospreys, and not Tomahawk missiles. I thought that I had restricted their use, but I guess not.

Yes, it's quite easy to just simply blast the island with all kinds of assets. It's easy to win the scenario, if that is the goal, without using the marines, but that defeats the intention.

That said, the scenario was created affording the game player of using whatever assets they choose to use, so it really is up to them.

Yes, the scenario ends abruptly, when the given number of enemy units is reached. That was intentional.

I have played the game and received a Triumph on one occasion, and a Disaster the next. If you fail to eliminate the Air Shooters before the Ospreys arrive, you could easily lose an Osprey full of troops, and you will lose the game. It takes lots of coordination. Again, you could easily wipe out the island without the use of landed marines, but that defeats my intentions for the scenario.

Thanks again for your feedback.

[Nikel]

Well, the Tomahawks were an accident, not my intention.


I do not think my perception is so different of yours.

I want to clean as many enemy units as possible from the air and then land the Marines to take the island. This is what would happen in RL, I guess.


And this is what happened in the first beta, but the Marines and the recon units could not find all the enemy units, and I lost landed Marines in the clearing process. The Marines only were landed when no enemy units were visible from the air, but they were there, well hidden.

In this new beta I tried the same, was doing the cleaning from the air previous to the landing and then the scenario ended. But the Marines were nearby in the Ospreys prepared for the landings


Perhaps it is the randomization what is causing the differences between the 2 tries.

Let's wait for more tests from other players.

[DWReese]

Thanks again for your feedback. I sincerely appreciate it.

Can you try it my way and let me know what you see from there? Then we can adjust from there.

The sub never attacks anything, and a small aviation group does a preliminary attack on various units on the island. (I like to use 4 Warthogs.) I then land the marines from the Ospreys after I (hopefully) destroyed all of the AAA/SAM units. That is the trick. Those MANPADS are hard to find. If you do as I said, you should manage to get a Triumph. If you lost any of the Ospreys (or Warthogs), then your chances of winning diminish immensely.

Look at this more as a specific battle organizer as opposed to a complete scenario with things happening everywhere. That was not my intention. I only wanted to deal with safely landing the marines on Kharg, and taking possession of the island. Use of the marines and the Ospreys was an absolute part of the scenario. Everything else is either just a variable or fluff.

Thanks again.

[Nikel]

Tested with your conditions

OoB KI.png (81.3 KiB) Viewed 796 times

Marines successfully landed in a cleared zone.

OoB ML.png (64.93 KiB) Viewed 795 times

It is indeed a very interesting land battle.

The Marine snipers have more range and can infiltrate the lines and destroy easily enemy units at distance.

However they may be smashed if detected.

The snipers cannot attack the AAA units and vice versa.

But these units can attack the Marine platoons and vice versa, the AAA in land attack can be quite deadly and has a very long range and moves fast compared to the Marines.

I could conquer the island but with heavy losses, Marines and 3 of the A-10s, and no Triumph.


The Ospreys refused to support the landed Marines (when you order an auto engage), reported in a bug report.


Again this land battle is quite interesting. The question is that if you want exactly this, why to give the player so many and more powerful options?

Note also the position of the Zulfiqar boats, playing no role in the defense of the island.

OoB Z.png (66.22 KiB) Viewed 796 times

[Knightpawn]

Here is a scenario for testing:

This scenario represents a hypothetical amphibious assault on Kharg Island in the near future. It is based on the concept that the talks have reached an impasse, and that some ‘encouragement’ to complete the deal is necessary.

Amphibious Assault on Kharg Island (Beta).zip

Thanks so much for doing this! I was planning to do a similar scenario myself but I was too busy to find the time to implement it. I will go through it for sure and get back.

[DWReese]

Nikel,

As I said, in real life, the US will always attain the objective. The purpose of having so many different platforms is so that the game player can try different things. Trying to find different combinations seems to be the key. I enjoy assigning units to a mission, and then letting it play out. I can't really do that with the A-10s. Those have to be micromanaged. I send them after the SAMs and AAA. As you noted, the AAA units are deadly when they are used against ground units.

I just completed another Triumph, but it is not without a cost. And, of you fail to knock out all of the AAA and SAMs before the Ospreys begin to land, you will lose some. Losing just a couple will ruin your score.

The ground battle is fierce. It's almost like each side is smashing eggs with a hammer. You can't see the enemy until you are right next to them, and by then it's too late. That's when you can see the importance of the surveillance drones.

The sub and gun boats were never really intended to be part of the battle. They were merely there to make the sub move more cautiously, and to raise some concern on the part of the game player. Otherwise, they have no role.

It's a simple scenario that features cargo operations in the form of helicopter and boat landings. It was originally supposed to have lots of boats, but there is the bug that prohibits that, so I had to go in a different direction.

It's a fun scenario. Do everything right, and you achieve a Triumph. Mess up once or twice and it's a disaster. It's a modern day game of whack-a-mole when it comes to hunting the enemy. Of course, not knowing exactly how many there might be, and of what type, makes the scenario more interesting. I have a few more twists that I want to include, but I wanted to get this down for now.

[DWReese]

Knightpawn,

Thanks. I'm very interested in your feedback.

[Knightpawn]

That was very enjoyable but rather easy. All I did was to set up a Recon of Reapers with Gorgon sensors and Tritons which where enough to discover all AA positions. Then F35 with Storm breakers cleared everything. Ospreys inserted the Marines (Major Victory by that point) then A10s with cluster bombs eliminated some IRGC infantry with CBUs and Iran surrendered.

One thing i was considering when planning to do a similar scenario was the narrative. For example somehow damage to fuel storage should be heavily penalised and also I would think a very furious and violent reaction from iran once boots where on the island with drones, ballistic missiles and the kitchen sink against targets in Gulf States. Failure to preempt these attacks or defend against them would also be penalised.

I would also limit the availability of certain weapons - especially storm breakers and ban CBUs.

I liked the story with the SEAL insertion. Nice

Screenshot 2026-07-02 235404.png (1.53 MiB) Viewed 760 times

Screenshot 2026-07-02 235809.png (60.58 KiB) Viewed 760 times

Screenshot 2026-07-03 000020.png (313.68 KiB) Viewed 760 times

[DWReese]

Knightpawn,

Thanks for trying it out.

Yes, the scenario is easy. It's a foregone conclusion that the US can obliterate anything on the island. As you mentioned, the Tritons are extremely valuable.

I included a bunch of different platforms, just so the gamer could try the attack different ways. Personally, I have been using A-10s, but after getting a Triumph twice in a row, I just had two of my four A-10s shot down by popup MANPADS with lucky shots, and the other two were shot up by AAA. So, not every time is a Triumph possible.

I created the scenario for fun. It's randomized to make it different each time. It is not what would be called a "full-fledged" scenario in that the scope of the scenario is so limited.

Nevertheless, I find it to be small, simple, and can be completed in an hour or less. It's something entertaining for a rainy afternoon when you don't want to get too involved.

What big assets (if any) did you lose, and what were they killed by?

[Nikel]

That was very enjoyable but rather easy.

Now try again with only this OoB

And the Virgina class sub already did the job, cannot be used anymore.

[Knightpawn]

What big assets (if any) did you lose, and what were they killed by?

I just lost two infantry units that came across undetected IRCG infantry.

A feedback that I forgot: Consider adding some manpads for the defence. Not only do they add realism, they would also create a serious challenge as well.

[DWReese]

You didn't encounter any MANPADS? That's what shot down my two Warthogs?

If you don't kill them before the Ospreys get there, then they will shoot those down as well. You're right, they are deadly. There should be a significant number, but some are randomized.

I just finished another scenario and I only scored a 33, a Major Defeat. I do not micromanage the units. I allow the missions to handle things. The missions are always as good as what I can do by myself. Were you manually directing the units, or were they mission set?

EDIT: In the game that I just finished there were 10 MANPADS out of a possible 21 in my game. They can vary. I believe that the minimum guaranteed is 8 or 9. If you believe that the average of about 10 is too low, then I can increase the Appearance Percentage.