Act of War, 1968

[HalfLifeExpert]

Finally took a shot at this scenario.

As in reality, in January 1968, North Korean forces unexpectedly captured the Survellance ship USS Pueblo near Wonsan Harbor, but in international waters. The ship and crew are prisoners of the North Koreans.

Unlike history however, we are going in for a rescue!


So I have two carrier groups at my disposal. USS Enterprise's group is the proper carrier force, with strike and fighter aircraft, while Yorktown is an ASW carrier. I allow the pre made ASW missions to do their thing throughout the course of the scenario.

I also have 4 detached surface vessels (3 destroyers, O'Bannon, Higbee, and Collett and the cruiser Chicago) close to Wonsan to support the escape, which is being handled out of my control by US Marines who will rescue the crew, board the Pueblo, and steam out of there.

I start off by firing up all the jammers on the 4 detached vessels, as well as an ECM Skywarrior from the Enterprise, to foul up North Korean radars as much as I can.

With that done, I send my first airstrikes. I dispatch my ARM equipped Skyhawks and Intruders to attack known Radar emplacements in the immediate vicinity of Wonsan, as well as some on a general SEAD Patrol over the area. I also send some of my Phantoms on a CAP over Wonsan, making a point for all the previously mentioned aircraft to have a station altitude of 9000 feet, so as to be below SA-2 Coverage and safe from AAA. \

Simultaneously, I send Intruders and Skyhawks, escorted by Phantoms, to attack Wonsan Airbase, with the intention of destroying KPAF fighters on the ground.

Finally, I insure my surface vessels are moving at full speed toward the escape rout of the Pueblo.


The Raid on Wonsan Harbor


My SEAD attacks are pretty much a great success, with numerous radars destroyed, including that of one SA-2 Site north of Wonsan, which was the one best positioned to threaten my forces. The strike on Wonsan AB is very successful, with most of the MiG-19s destroyed on the Ground, and when the MiG-21s are scrambling to get in the Air, they are ripped to shreds by my Phantoms.

I Follow up the first attacks with surface gunfire on NK Patrol boats, sinking some, but O'Bannon takes some damage. I also dispatch some reserve Skyhawks and Intuders against the shore batteries that are the most threatening to Pueblo. This has mixed results. Some guns are neutralized quickly, others survive. I end up losing two Skyhawks to AAA. Some other strike aircraft take damage, but return to the carrier.

As all this is going on, I discover a pair of Soviet frigates in the bay of Wonsan. I avoid firing on them at first, but they open fire with AAA, so i attack them with my destroyers. One is sunk, the other is crippled and dead in the water.

Meanwhile the ASW Aircraft are able to sink at total of 3 submarines, two North Korean Whiskeys, and a Soviet Foxtrot. However, when they fly near a Soviet AGI, a MANPADS onboard knocks down one of the S-2 Trackers.

I then get news that the land part of the rescue has succeeded and the Pueblo is ready to get out of there. I send her on a near-direct course out of Wonsan at flank speed (13 knots). However, several NK PT boats exit the harbor in a northern part (which I thought was closed off by land features, so I didn't guard). They are able to get into a surface battle with Higbee and O'Bannon. Ultimately O'Bannon takes a few torpedoes and is sunk, but the PT boats are eventually wiped out.

However, one of the 122mm Coastal batteries that I was unable to knock out fires on the destroyer Collett, making several hits, knocking out the ships comms. So I quickly vector a few Skyhawks to attack with Cluster bombs, which destroys the guns, but I still can't give orders to Collett. Also around this time, during the mass confusion of several aircraft trying to land all around the two carriers, one S-2 Tracker runs out of fuel and ditches.

As the Pueblo is headed out to sea, the other North Korean Airbase, Changjin-Up, launches a great deal of aircraft toward Enterprise. They end up being Beagle bombers with MiG-21s alongside. I vector all my Phantoms against them. One Phantom is lost in a dogfight, while all the attackers are shot down ether by Phantoms or SAMs from the Enterprise Group.

Finally, as a last action. A Soviet DDG approaches the Enterprise Group. With all my aircraft re-arming on the carrier, the escorts blast it apart with gunfire. Shortly afterward, the Pueblo reaches the Safe zone.

My final score was 50 points, for a Minor Victory. This is because I had 50 points deducted for losing the O'Bannon. I don't know if that's completely fair, given the massive losses the North Koreans suffered. This was a dangerous and risky mission to begin with.

I consider this a Triumphant success.

Here are the losses and expenditures:

SIDE: North Korea
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
7x 100mm KS-19 [Cargo]
6x 122mm howitzer M1938 [Cargo]
6x 130mm/58 SM-4-1 [Cargo]
7x 76mm/30 M1902 Towed Gun, Dug-in [Cargo]
1x Ammo Shelter
6x Binoculars (Visual) [Cargo]
17x F-6A Farmer [MiG-19P Copy]
16x H-5 Beagle
4x H-5R Beagle
1x Iwon Class
20x MiG-21F-13 Fishbed C
11x MiG-21PF Fishbed D
4x MPK SO1 [Pr.201M]
2x PL- 613 Whiskey III
1x Radar (Generic Surface Search Radar)
1x SA-2b Guideline Single Rail [Cargo]
4x TK P-4 [Pr.123K]
4x TK P-6 [Pr.183]
1x Vehicle (Fan Song C [SNR-75M]) [Cargo]
5x Vehicle (Fire Can [SON-9]) [Cargo]
1x Vehicle (Spoon Rest C [P-12]) [Cargo]


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
497x 100mm KS-19 Frag
161x 122 mm howitzer M1938
180x 14.5mm/73 Twin Burst [20 rnds]
12x 14.5mm/79 ZPU-4 Quad Burst [120 rnds]
240x 25mm/60 2M-3M Twin Burst [20 rnds]
95x 25mm/60 Twin Burst [20 rnds]
11x 30mm NR-30 Burst [10 rnds]
7x 37mm/63 Twin Burst [20 rnds]
4x 45-36N
3x 490 liter Drop Tank
6x 53-56VA Pattern Runner
10x 57mm/70 Twin HE Burst [2 rnds]
346x 76mm/30 M1902
7x AA-2a Atoll [R-3S]
12x Generic Mine [Floating, Contact Fuze]
7x SA-2b Guideline [SA-75M Dvina, 11D / V-750V]
2x SS-N-2a Styx [P-15]



SIDE: United States
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
2x A-4F Skyhawk
1x DD 446 Fletcher FRAM 2
1x F-4B Phantom II
2x S-2E (S2F-3S) Tracker


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
70x 12.7mm/50 MG Burst [10 rnds]
92x 127mm/25 Mk10 AA-VT [Anti-Aircraft Common]
82x 127mm/38 AA-VT [AntiAircraft Common]
100x 127mm/38 HE-PD [HiCap]
327x 127mm/38 Twin AA-VT Burst [Anti-Aircraft Common, 2 rnds]
1092x 127mm/38 Twin HE-PD Burst [HiCap, 2 rnds]
300x 127mm/54 HE-CVT [HiFrag]
3x 127mm/54 HE-PD [HiCap]
80x 76mm/50 Twin Frag Burst [2 rnds]
112x 76mm/50 Twin HE Burst [2 rnds]
16x AGM-45A Shrike [ARM]
72x AIM-7D Sparrow III
25x AIM-9D Sidewinder
14x AN/SSQ-1 Jezebel LOFAR
102x AN/SSQ-2 Jezebel LOFAR
44x AN/SSQ-47 Julie Active Range-Only
8x CBU-59/B APAM [717 x BLU-77/B Dual-Purpose Bomblets]
6x CBU-78/B GATOR [45 x BLU-91/B Bomblets + 15 x BLU-92/B Mines]
2x FIM-43C Redeye Blk III
6x Generic Chaff Salvo [4x Cartridges]
874x HYDRA 70mm Rocket
1x Mk44 Mod 1
2x Mk46 LWT Mod 2
32x Mk77 Mod 1/2/3/4/5/6 500lb Incendiary Bomb
84x Mk81 250lb LDGP
12x Mk82 500lb LDGP
24x Mk82 500lb Snakeeye
8x RGM-8H Talos
6x RIM-24C Tartar
74x RIM-2F Terrier
20x RIM-8G Talos
9x RIM-8J Talos
3x RUR-5A Mod 4 ASROC RTT [Mk46 Mod 2]



SIDE: South Korea
===========================================================

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


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



SIDE: USS Pueblo
===========================================================

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


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
1x FIM-43C Redeye Blk III



SIDE: Soviet Union
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
1x BPK Kildin Class
1x PL-641 Foxtrot
2x SKR Riga Mod [Pr.50 Gornostay]
1x SSV Lentra
1x SSV Mirnyy [Pr.393A]


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
35x 100mm/56 Frag
19x 37mm/63 Triple Burst [30 rnds]
32x 57mm/81 ZIF-75 Quad DP Burst [6 rnds]
4x Generic Acoustic Decoy
3x SA-N-5 Grail [9M32M]
1x SET-53M [NATO ET-80A[60]]



SIDE: Biological
===========================================================

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


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



SIDE: CSAR Team
===========================================================

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


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

[Eboreg]

It's completely fair to deduct 50 points for losing the O'Bannon. One of the most decorated ships of the Pacific War and it goes down to a bunch of stupid Norks.[:'(]

[BeirutDude]

I many times/generally award more points for the loss of a U.S. asset as Americans, in general, have proven themselves to be loss adverse when not engaged in a full war. Even during Vietnam I remember the weekly body counts on the news.

[.Sirius]

ORIGINAL: HalfLifeExpert

Finally took a shot at this scenario.

As in reality, in January 1968, North Korean forces unexpectedly captured the Survellance ship USS Pueblo near Wonsan Harbor, but in international waters. The ship and crew are prisoners of the North Koreans.

Unlike history however, we are going in for a rescue!


So I have two carrier groups at my disposal. USS Enterprise's group is the proper carrier force, with strike and fighter aircraft, while Yorktown is an ASW carrier. I allow the pre made ASW missions to do their thing throughout the course of the scenario.

I also have 4 detached surface vessels (3 destroyers, O'Bannon, Higbee, and Collett and the cruiser Chicago) close to Wonsan to support the escape, which is being handled out of my control by US Marines who will rescue the crew, board the Pueblo, and steam out of there.

I start off by firing up all the jammers on the 4 detached vessels, as well as an ECM Skywarrior from the Enterprise, to foul up North Korean radars as much as I can.

With that done, I send my first airstrikes. I dispatch my ARM equipped Skyhawks and Intruders to attack known Radar emplacements in the immediate vicinity of Wonsan, as well as some on a general SEAD Patrol over the area. I also send some of my Phantoms on a CAP over Wonsan, making a point for all the previously mentioned aircraft to have a station altitude of 9000 feet, so as to be below SA-2 Coverage and safe from AAA. \

Simultaneously, I send Intruders and Skyhawks, escorted by Phantoms, to attack Wonsan Airbase, with the intention of destroying KPAF fighters on the ground.

Finally, I insure my surface vessels are moving at full speed toward the escape rout of the Pueblo.


The Raid on Wonsan Harbor


My SEAD attacks are pretty much a great success, with numerous radars destroyed, including that of one SA-2 Site north of Wonsan, which was the one best positioned to threaten my forces. The strike on Wonsan AB is very successful, with most of the MiG-19s destroyed on the Ground, and when the MiG-21s are scrambling to get in the Air, they are ripped to shreds by my Phantoms.

I Follow up the first attacks with surface gunfire on NK Patrol boats, sinking some, but O'Bannon takes some damage. I also dispatch some reserve Skyhawks and Intuders against the shore batteries that are the most threatening to Pueblo. This has mixed results. Some guns are neutralized quickly, others survive. I end up losing two Skyhawks to AAA. Some other strike aircraft take damage, but return to the carrier.

As all this is going on, I discover a pair of Soviet frigates in the bay of Wonsan. I avoid firing on them at first, but they open fire with AAA, so i attack them with my destroyers. One is sunk, the other is crippled and dead in the water.

Meanwhile the ASW Aircraft are able to sink at total of 3 submarines, two North Korean Whiskeys, and a Soviet Foxtrot. However, when they fly near a Soviet AGI, a MANPADS onboard knocks down one of the S-2 Trackers.

I then get news that the land part of the rescue has succeeded and the Pueblo is ready to get out of there. I send her on a near-direct course out of Wonsan at flank speed (13 knots). However, several NK PT boats exit the harbor in a northern part (which I thought was closed off by land features, so I didn't guard). They are able to get into a surface battle with Higbee and O'Bannon. Ultimately O'Bannon takes a few torpedoes and is sunk, but the PT boats are eventually wiped out.

However, one of the 122mm Coastal batteries that I was unable to knock out fires on the destroyer Collett, making several hits, knocking out the ships comms. So I quickly vector a few Skyhawks to attack with Cluster bombs, which destroys the guns, but I still can't give orders to Collett. Also around this time, during the mass confusion of several aircraft trying to land all around the two carriers, one S-2 Tracker runs out of fuel and ditches.

As the Pueblo is headed out to sea, the other North Korean Airbase, Changjin-Up, launches a great deal of aircraft toward Enterprise. They end up being Beagle bombers with MiG-21s alongside. I vector all my Phantoms against them. One Phantom is lost in a dogfight, while all the attackers are shot down ether by Phantoms or SAMs from the Enterprise Group.

Finally, as a last action. A Soviet DDG approaches the Enterprise Group. With all my aircraft re-arming on the carrier, the escorts blast it apart with gunfire. Shortly afterward, the Pueblo reaches the Safe zone.

My final score was 50 points, for a Minor Victory. This is because I had 50 points deducted for losing the O'Bannon. I don't know if that's completely fair, given the massive losses the North Koreans suffered. This was a dangerous and risky mission to begin with.

I consider this a Triumphant success.

Here are the losses and expenditures:

SIDE: North Korea
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
7x 100mm KS-19 [Cargo]
6x 122mm howitzer M1938 [Cargo]
6x 130mm/58 SM-4-1 [Cargo]
7x 76mm/30 M1902 Towed Gun, Dug-in [Cargo]
1x Ammo Shelter
6x Binoculars (Visual) [Cargo]
17x F-6A Farmer [MiG-19P Copy]
16x H-5 Beagle
4x H-5R Beagle
1x Iwon Class
20x MiG-21F-13 Fishbed C
11x MiG-21PF Fishbed D
4x MPK SO1 [Pr.201M]
2x PL- 613 Whiskey III
1x Radar (Generic Surface Search Radar)
1x SA-2b Guideline Single Rail [Cargo]
4x TK P-4 [Pr.123K]
4x TK P-6 [Pr.183]
1x Vehicle (Fan Song C [SNR-75M]) [Cargo]
5x Vehicle (Fire Can [SON-9]) [Cargo]
1x Vehicle (Spoon Rest C [P-12]) [Cargo]


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
497x 100mm KS-19 Frag
161x 122 mm howitzer M1938
180x 14.5mm/73 Twin Burst [20 rnds]
12x 14.5mm/79 ZPU-4 Quad Burst [120 rnds]
240x 25mm/60 2M-3M Twin Burst [20 rnds]
95x 25mm/60 Twin Burst [20 rnds]
11x 30mm NR-30 Burst [10 rnds]
7x 37mm/63 Twin Burst [20 rnds]
4x 45-36N
3x 490 liter Drop Tank
6x 53-56VA Pattern Runner
10x 57mm/70 Twin HE Burst [2 rnds]
346x 76mm/30 M1902
7x AA-2a Atoll [R-3S]
12x Generic Mine [Floating, Contact Fuze]
7x SA-2b Guideline [SA-75M Dvina, 11D / V-750V]
2x SS-N-2a Styx [P-15]



SIDE: United States
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
2x A-4F Skyhawk
1x DD 446 Fletcher FRAM 2
1x F-4B Phantom II
2x S-2E (S2F-3S) Tracker


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
70x 12.7mm/50 MG Burst [10 rnds]
92x 127mm/25 Mk10 AA-VT [Anti-Aircraft Common]
82x 127mm/38 AA-VT [AntiAircraft Common]
100x 127mm/38 HE-PD [HiCap]
327x 127mm/38 Twin AA-VT Burst [Anti-Aircraft Common, 2 rnds]
1092x 127mm/38 Twin HE-PD Burst [HiCap, 2 rnds]
300x 127mm/54 HE-CVT [HiFrag]
3x 127mm/54 HE-PD [HiCap]
80x 76mm/50 Twin Frag Burst [2 rnds]
112x 76mm/50 Twin HE Burst [2 rnds]
16x AGM-45A Shrike [ARM]
72x AIM-7D Sparrow III
25x AIM-9D Sidewinder
14x AN/SSQ-1 Jezebel LOFAR
102x AN/SSQ-2 Jezebel LOFAR
44x AN/SSQ-47 Julie Active Range-Only
8x CBU-59/B APAM [717 x BLU-77/B Dual-Purpose Bomblets]
6x CBU-78/B GATOR [45 x BLU-91/B Bomblets + 15 x BLU-92/B Mines]
2x FIM-43C Redeye Blk III
6x Generic Chaff Salvo [4x Cartridges]
874x HYDRA 70mm Rocket
1x Mk44 Mod 1
2x Mk46 LWT Mod 2
32x Mk77 Mod 1/2/3/4/5/6 500lb Incendiary Bomb
84x Mk81 250lb LDGP
12x Mk82 500lb LDGP
24x Mk82 500lb Snakeeye
8x RGM-8H Talos
6x RIM-24C Tartar
74x RIM-2F Terrier
20x RIM-8G Talos
9x RIM-8J Talos
3x RUR-5A Mod 4 ASROC RTT [Mk46 Mod 2]



SIDE: South Korea
===========================================================

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


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



SIDE: USS Pueblo
===========================================================

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


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
1x FIM-43C Redeye Blk III



SIDE: Soviet Union
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
1x BPK Kildin Class
1x PL-641 Foxtrot
2x SKR Riga Mod [Pr.50 Gornostay]
1x SSV Lentra
1x SSV Mirnyy [Pr.393A]


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
35x 100mm/56 Frag
19x 37mm/63 Triple Burst [30 rnds]
32x 57mm/81 ZIF-75 Quad DP Burst [6 rnds]
4x Generic Acoustic Decoy
3x SA-N-5 Grail [9M32M]
1x SET-53M [NATO ET-80A[60]]



SIDE: Biological
===========================================================

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


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



SIDE: CSAR Team
===========================================================

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


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

Hi thanks forthe great AAR,thats one of my scenarios:)

[Capocarro94]

ORIGINAL: .Sirius
Hi thanks forthe great AAR,thats one of my scenarios:)

Why, in the scenario, there are 3 SA-2 sites in South Korea territory??