AAR: In Harm's Way [Spoiler Alert]
Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 6:59 pm
In Harm's Way [Spoiler Alert]
A Harpoon 3 scenario
By Mike Mykytyn
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I assumed command and promptly launched air patrols to survey the situation. Immediately a band of gunboats was spotted lurking in the islands in the Strait of Hormuz. Cute. Those band of pirates were in an area that was off limits to me but I knew that it would not stop them from attacking me. I would need to keep a wary eye on them so I sounded General Quarters and jamming turned on. A second helo was investigating the mass of shipping in close to Bandar Abbas. It managed to identify some other gunboats before it was blown from the sky like a clay pigeon. Bummer. Do not make that mistake again.
As we approached the Strait, the pack of gunboats sortied from their pirates' cove and attacked. I let them close the distance and easily dispatched them with gunfire since I wanted to save my missiles for more worthy targets. I thought that since their offensive range was extremely limited, I could engage them with gunfire without any risk to my command. Just as they were racing in to attack, the first wave of Silkworm missiles were detected. CIC reported: "Multiple contacts. Bearings constant. Range decreasing." 6 words to send a chill down the spine of any seaman. The AAW officer classified them as Vampires and the CG engaged with SAMs. All incoming missiles were brought down efficiently.
The second wave of Boghammer boats raced in to attack. The ships' gunnery departments were having a good day and dispatched them to meet their bretheren. Following on the heels of this attack, another wave of Vampires. Again, they were safely engaged and destroyed at a distance. We began to realize that while the boats could not place effective fire upon my task group themselves, they had no qualms about reporting our position for the shore batteries! Henceforth, they would be destroyed as soon as possible. This proved to be easier said than done.
Additional enemy patrol ships were detected near Bandar Abbas as we turned the corner. Another wave of Vampires fell from the sky. This latest batch was only defeated with the help of the DD's point defense missiles. As we were busily re-loading the guns and SeaSparrow system, another wave of missiles was inbound. True to vampire form, they drained the last of the SAMs. Men were emptying their .45s and M14s from the security detachment. Only through the profligate expenditure of every available weapon onboard the DD were they finally stopped. However, the task group was now basically defenseless. The point defense missile still had reloads available, but there must have been a computer malfunction for the display read 65277 missiles available and would no longer fire thus rendering it hors de combat. Great.
The enemy ships just skulked off Bandar Abbas and fired their missiles but would not come out. He very cannily hid himself under the cloak of the innocent neutral shipping. I knew that a Harpoon launch would be out of the question since the warhead could easily lock onto a neutral ship. A watch was kept on these cowardly enemies. They could attack us but we could not retaliate. One boat found himself separated from the thundering herd of merchants by 5 nm. and was promptly blown out of the water by a well placed Harpoon. Another came into range of the ships' guns and was exterminated by a 406mm shell. The sole survivor taunted the group but did not come out to play. He would live another day.
After rounding the Strait, the group hugged the southern shore in hopes of avoiding detection and further missile volleys. We kept our fingers crossed against the possibility of subsurface contact. Between the cowardly enemy and the SeaSparrow malfunction, a little luck may have fallen our way and we were not spotted. The Kish Island battery would have ruined our entire day. The group raced for the rendezvous area and savaged the local oil platforms and 2 more missile boats who did not return fire. Whew.
A really neat scenario. I could feel the pucker factor as the missiles were closing, my weapons were inoperative, and desperation creep in. The closest I'll get to combat but I can sympathize with the intensity as I threw everything including the kitchen sink at that last wave. Right down to the 12.7mm machine guns!
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HarpGamer.com - Home of the HCDB.
Scenario posted at hhq .
A Harpoon 3 scenario
By Mike Mykytyn
Iran has proclaimed that US warships will not be allowed into the Persian Gulf and interfere with their war with Iraq. The battleship New Jersey and her escorts will make her rethink this policy.
[center]
[/center]
I assumed command and promptly launched air patrols to survey the situation. Immediately a band of gunboats was spotted lurking in the islands in the Strait of Hormuz. Cute. Those band of pirates were in an area that was off limits to me but I knew that it would not stop them from attacking me. I would need to keep a wary eye on them so I sounded General Quarters and jamming turned on. A second helo was investigating the mass of shipping in close to Bandar Abbas. It managed to identify some other gunboats before it was blown from the sky like a clay pigeon. Bummer. Do not make that mistake again.
As we approached the Strait, the pack of gunboats sortied from their pirates' cove and attacked. I let them close the distance and easily dispatched them with gunfire since I wanted to save my missiles for more worthy targets. I thought that since their offensive range was extremely limited, I could engage them with gunfire without any risk to my command. Just as they were racing in to attack, the first wave of Silkworm missiles were detected. CIC reported: "Multiple contacts. Bearings constant. Range decreasing." 6 words to send a chill down the spine of any seaman. The AAW officer classified them as Vampires and the CG engaged with SAMs. All incoming missiles were brought down efficiently.
The second wave of Boghammer boats raced in to attack. The ships' gunnery departments were having a good day and dispatched them to meet their bretheren. Following on the heels of this attack, another wave of Vampires. Again, they were safely engaged and destroyed at a distance. We began to realize that while the boats could not place effective fire upon my task group themselves, they had no qualms about reporting our position for the shore batteries! Henceforth, they would be destroyed as soon as possible. This proved to be easier said than done.
Additional enemy patrol ships were detected near Bandar Abbas as we turned the corner. Another wave of Vampires fell from the sky. This latest batch was only defeated with the help of the DD's point defense missiles. As we were busily re-loading the guns and SeaSparrow system, another wave of missiles was inbound. True to vampire form, they drained the last of the SAMs. Men were emptying their .45s and M14s from the security detachment. Only through the profligate expenditure of every available weapon onboard the DD were they finally stopped. However, the task group was now basically defenseless. The point defense missile still had reloads available, but there must have been a computer malfunction for the display read 65277 missiles available and would no longer fire thus rendering it hors de combat. Great.
The enemy ships just skulked off Bandar Abbas and fired their missiles but would not come out. He very cannily hid himself under the cloak of the innocent neutral shipping. I knew that a Harpoon launch would be out of the question since the warhead could easily lock onto a neutral ship. A watch was kept on these cowardly enemies. They could attack us but we could not retaliate. One boat found himself separated from the thundering herd of merchants by 5 nm. and was promptly blown out of the water by a well placed Harpoon. Another came into range of the ships' guns and was exterminated by a 406mm shell. The sole survivor taunted the group but did not come out to play. He would live another day.
After rounding the Strait, the group hugged the southern shore in hopes of avoiding detection and further missile volleys. We kept our fingers crossed against the possibility of subsurface contact. Between the cowardly enemy and the SeaSparrow malfunction, a little luck may have fallen our way and we were not spotted. The Kish Island battery would have ruined our entire day. The group raced for the rendezvous area and savaged the local oil platforms and 2 more missile boats who did not return fire. Whew.
A really neat scenario. I could feel the pucker factor as the missiles were closing, my weapons were inoperative, and desperation creep in. The closest I'll get to combat but I can sympathize with the intensity as I threw everything including the kitchen sink at that last wave. Right down to the 12.7mm machine guns!
SZO file archives - Home of the Harpoon3 PlayersDB FilesOfScenShareHarpGamer.com - Home of the HCDB.Scenario posted at hhq .