Libya'85 - Crisis in Sirte Tournament Scenarios

[Crossroads]

Update 27 NOV 2016: Scenarios #1, #2 and #4 revised for both H2H and SIDEA versions.

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I have found the 1980s to be very much my sweet spot on these series, so how about some more modern action. Don't take the background story too seriously, it is all just an excuse to field Chieftains and Scimitars into the battle. And tracked Rapiers. And T-72s. Hordes of T-72s, in fact! And they all get to be blown away!



The scenarios come in two versions:

[*] SIDE A; for a chance to blow everything heading your way as the commander of the British Quick Reaction Force
[*] H2H; a first attempt at tournament scenarios.

NOTE: First versions after some vs-AI and Hot Seat testing. Not the complete product yet, please let me know how you find things! In fact, I have struggled a bit to make the play balance: you start as Libyan commander and you have all these men and equipment, and they just fall apart [:D]


There's four scenarios in this set (and the SIDE A and H2H version of each four):

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Crisis in Sirte: 1. Prelude (v2)

P. Nieminen

5 August, 1985
[Sirte, Libya] [SIDE A] [FIC] [CSL]:

Tensions flew high even before Colonel Gaddafi again claimed the Gulf of Sidre as Libyan territorial waters, sinking a British merchant to make the point. After having witnessed a set of retaliatory air strikes against his military
bases, he then stormed the British Embassy in Tripoli, taking the surviving personnel hostages. Not to give in to Gaddafi's demands, the United Kingdom soon deployed one of her Quick Reaction Forces into Mediterranean.

With part of Libyan Army now in revolt, it was quickly decided an incursion into Sirte would be called. The plan called first to secure the Port of Sirte as a location to land further reinforcements, with the final
aim of securing the Ghardabiya Air Base as a base for further strikes against forces still loyal to Gaddafi.

Soon, the elements of the QRF Air Assault Regt embarked their Chinook transports in Malta, to quickly secure Gaddafi's home city, believed to be guarded with only a weakened element of a Libyan Mech Bde as all eyes were on events taking place in Tripoli.

With gunships on their flanks, the Chiinooks took off towards Sirte, flying low under the Libyan radar and missile cover.

[Note: British Gunships deliberately without a HQ. Once they've spent their 4 missile loads, they're done.][ALL: OPT AF]



Crisis in Sirte: 2. Breakout (v2)

P. Nieminen

5 August, 1985
[Sirte, Libya] [SIDE A] [FIC] [CSL]:

With Port of Sirte secured, the pressure was on to expand and secure the bridgehead before the forces loyal to Colonel Gaddafi can react. Without a delay, the elements of the Air Assault Regt were ordered to secure the vital road networks next to city of Sirte. At the same time, the landing crafts disembarked their load into the port facilities, unloading elements of the QRF Mech Bde, with orders to push further on.

The surprised Libyan Armed Forces were now putting together a first coherent attempt at a counter attack, under strict orders by Gaddafi to throw the enemy to the sea.

Yet, the commander of the Libyan Mech Bde was aware he was still reacting to events, and was pondering whether to contain the bridgehead, rather than to go all out on the British mechanized forces now streaming out of the city.

[Note: British Gunships deliberately without a HQ. Once they've spent their 4 missile loads, they're done.] [ALL: OPT AF]


Crisis in Sirte: 3. Riptide

P. Nieminen

6 August, 1985
[Sirte, Libya] [SIDE A] [FIC] [CSL]:

Having completed their first phase of the operation, the exhausted British Quick Reaction Force settled in for the night, pulling back to the vicinity of Sirte.

Using the cover of the night, elements of the Libyan Mech Bde closed in, determined in their knowledge that if they ever want to throw the invasion force back into sea, now is the time.

On 6 August 1985 at 0430 hrs the British alarms went off: Libyans are on the move! Now they must put all they have learned on mobile defense into use, if they are to survive.

[Note: British Gunships deliberately without a HQ. Once they've spent their 4 missile loads, they're done.] [ALL: OPT AF]



Crisis in Sirte: 4. End Game (v2)

P. Nieminen

7 August, 1985
[Sirte, Libya] [SIDE A] [FIC] [CSL]:

Having survived the fierce Libyan counter attack, if just barely, the now reinforced Mech Bde of the British Quick Reaction Force moved again into attack. Not allowing the enemy any chance to catch their breath, they took immediately towards the Ghardabiya Air base. Surely, with the beating they took, there can't be many Libyan units left to defend the vital airport?

Answering to the now critical situation at the sector, the surviving elements of the Libyan Mech Bde formed smaller task forces, and sent them into hull down positions around the basin.

[Note: British Gunships deliberately without a HQ. Once they've spent their 4 missile loads, they're done.] [ALL: OPT AF]

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Download below:

[Big Ivan]

Oh Boy Crossroads![&o]

Chieftain's, yummy! Those are bad ass tanks and only second classed to the Abrams and Challengers. Got to
take a look at these scenarios. Do I hear a hint that they maybe included in the CSME tourney? Nice![:)]

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: Big Ivan

Oh Boy Crossroads![&o]

Chieftain's, yummy! Those are bad ass tanks and only second classed to the Abrams and Challengers. Got to
take a look at these scenarios. Do I hear a hint that they maybe included in the CSME tourney? Nice![:)]

Let me know how they play! I'll add them to Blitz Ladder so H2H results can be recorded. Edit: Added!

[budd]

Thx Crossroads, appreciate the new scenarios with an AI. Installed and couldnt help myself had to look at the first map, nice map, air incursion....nice, now to decide how close to the objective i can off load my troops.

[Crossroads]

Certainly budd, I prefer my vs-AI scenarios to be compact and fast, so tried to do something like that here.

Remember to stay below High altitude, or there's a chance you'll have a rendezvous with some Libyan SAM's heading your way [:D]

[budd]

Thx again Crossroads fun scenario. Some thoughts on the scenario: map could use some labels just for dress up purposes. The back door was open, i landed my troops behind the vineyard and the other group at the crossroads and wasnt really slowed up much. Anything with an armor coating got taken out by the helo's kept at nap or low, i did pop up once to high and got some fire from the hills but i just dropped down and didnt take fire again. I had the VP's by turn 7 and a DV by turn 9 so there was defiantly enough turns. One question about the helos, it said in the briefing that once they use there 4 missile loads there done, does that mean 4 shots each? I fired mine just about every turn when there was targets.
Looking forward to the next part, a big thank you again for the scenario[&o]

[Crossroads]

Thanks budd, I'll beef the Libyan defence a bit then, and add some MANPADS to make flying too close in a more dangerous affair.

The Gunship ammo limit I mentioned refers to available ATGM loads vs hard targets. After four they should be out. The Unit List has a Hollow Missile icon after two rounds to warn they are about to run out, and after four hard target missions there should be a red crosshair over the hollow missile icon.

There's a separate low ammo status for their machine guns vs soft targets, that doesn't run out. They can get on Low Combat Efficiency, marked by a hollow bullet, that is separate from the hollow missile. Both can be visible at the same time.

[budd]

Finished Breakout. Went at all three VP's at once with the main force with 3 squads of chieftains and infantry taking the due south VP's. i sent a smaller force east and a slightly bigger force west both with a squad of chieftains for fire support. Once the south VP's fell i worked clockwise towards the west VP. It was tough going at first slogging up the slopes with no good LOS up the hills. Love those chieftains[:)] I broke the MV point on turn 13, the west VP was the last to fall on turn 16. Once i cracked the south VP's i was able to get better LOS of the area. The attack helo's might be overkill, i love using them though.
Here's the turn 16 shot. Enjoyed it, looking forward to the next scenario.

[Crossroads]

Thanks budd! I agree there's more fun than play balance in these ones. Wait till you get to Riptide, nothing like ripping a full Libyan mech rest in pieces with a company force [8D]

I'll spice up the Breakout Libyans with more MANPADs and Sagger teams as well.

[budd]

In the context of the scenario I thought it was fine,the Libyans are still reacting. The difference that sticks out for me is troop quality, maybe mixing in some better quality troops for the AI in certain spots would help, Probably removing the helo's as much as I love to use them, I really only used them by the western VP, I'm talking about the attack ones not the recon.
It was fun, not every situation is fair and balanced. I always try to consider the context the designer is going for, I don't mind it when scenario designers try to make scenarios as tough as they can using terrain, choice of units and placements, and a few surprises[;)]but I don't like it when they throw tons of units at you so it turns into a turkey shoot with no tactical maneuvering and then call it a hard scenario,plenty of those out there in various games. We all know the AI limitations, I just try try to play in the context the designer had in mind, I have more fun that way.

I peeked at the next scenario, looks like ill be sitting tight, I see no reason to wander where I can't see....wait, what's that sound just beyond my LOS[:D], thanks again for making them.

[Crossroads]

I think it really comes down to the fact Chieftain is just such a superior battle tank in all aspects, only to be topped by the Challenger series. They pack a huge killing power with their AP rounds, so the Libyans really need to get close and personal with T-72s to counter that.

A skillful Libyan player, and HAL is not the most skillful around in this aspect, would maximise also the Sagger armed BMP-2s which easily knock out armored targets given a chance. The Libyan player has Gunships in H2H versions too, but here, in current version, HAL is not yet Helo aware so I did not put them there.

Thanks for the updates, keep them coming! I will update the scenarios once I have some feedback on all of them [:)]

[budd]

I getting more familiar with the modern weapon platforms, your right the chieftains kick ass. I am starting to really dislike those sagger teams, at least when there not on my side.

[Big Ivan]

Crossroads,

Here we have Crisis in the Sirte, 4.End Game. I have the British against HAL. Score is 395-Draw end of Turn 9.

The Chieftains are ruling the battlefield!

As you can see my 3 teams Black, Red & Green circles are moving full force forward. A few Libyan mech infantry units were bypassed
in order for my main attack on the airbase (Pink circle). Many T-72 are afire. Don't think HAL has much of a chance against my Chieftains
once they zero in.

[Crossroads]

Gaddafi's forces are toast, it seems [:D]

[Big Ivan]

Crossroads,

Here is the final disposition of Crisis in the Sirte 4.Endgame.

I never took the Ghardabiya Airbase but was close. Managed to gain a major victory by eliminating enough
Libyan units along with over running his artillery north of Qasr Abu Hadi just off map. HAL managed to
knock out 3 Chieftains, 2 with tank fire and 1 with ATGM from a hidden tank destroyer. My final axis of attack
by black, red and green teams is shown.

Fun little scenario to play, thanks!

[Crossroads]

Thanks for the battle report Big Ivan [:)]

[Crossroads]

Scenarios 1 and 2 have been slightly modified based on H2H playtesting.

[*] Situation 1 "Prelude" sees Libyan infantry at full strength instead of reduced strength, so they would stand out a bit more and offer more VPs while at it.
[*] Situation 2 "Breakout" sees some slight playbalance changes
[*] Situation 4 "End game" has the British Paras removed, were Fixed before, but since not used they perhaps should not be there at all.

Download in the Opening Post has been revised.

Please use the latest versions, and again, let me know how you fare!

PS Please download HOT FIX 1 Mod for fixed MANPAD teams including the Libyan MANPAD sections usedi in this scenario.

[fritzfarlig]

Endgame is very onesided for the libya, I think the scenario need a update

[Crossroads]

Endgame is very onesided for the libya, I think the scenario need a update

Thanks for the feedback as always. I think I did that with solo play in mind, where UK player could use superior force to mop up one pocket at a time. I assume you played a PBEM? It is well possible if the Libyan player combines his scattered units into one task force he will fare much better.

Or did you mean Libya player did not have a chance. That, too, might be posssible. It is a good few years ago I created and playtested it ...

What would you recommend for the next version?

[Zovs]

Are these included in any updates to the base game or need to be added on after the matter?