AAR: Cuban Missile Crisis [Cuba]
By Freek Schepers



Presidente Castro was in fine form, tonight. His six hour oration was just ending with, "Y los imperialistas no pondrán un pie en Cuba". << And the Imperialists shall never set foot on Cuba >> Those words were still ringing in my ears as I read my latest orders. My mission was clearly to protect our Soviet "guests" from the Yankee pirates.

I ordered Combat Air Patrols [CAPs] to be stationed over all airbases. Four patrol boats were off-shore from Guantanamo Bay. The fact that the Imperialists took every opportunity to trail their coats in front of us was too much for me to endure. My machismo would not allow me to sit quietly while it happened so I ordered the four patrol boats to make a pass across the bay to show the Yankees that we were not afraid of them.



As my CAPs climbed to patrol altitude, they found that the Gringos were not co-operating. They maintained their provocative air patrols over international waters so I ordered my CAPs to close and engage them. Who would be able to prove that the fight had not started over Cuban waters? I sent a pair of Farmers and another pair of Frescoes to scratch a couple of annoying fleas off of base Sagua La Grande's back. My Alkali SARH AAMs proved much more effective than the American Sidewinders. A Sabre and a Starfighter were killed outright. First blood to Aerea Fuerza Cubano!

A swarm of unidentified air contacts were reported over international waters and my men salivated at the thought of combat with the Americans, but I restrained them and only released them to engage those contacts in or near Cuban air space. I knew that Key West AB had long-ranged Nike-Hercules SAMs and did not want to give the enemy a chance to test them on us.

By a stroke of luck, a U-2 flew right into one of my MiG-21 CAPs over Libertad and was shot down. I needed to kill one more for my ViConds. My luck held as the same fighting pair managed to close upon a Skyraider EW platform that was wreaking havoc on my Ground Controlled Interception [GCI] radar. They loosed their Atoll missiles and were rewarded by watching it explode in mid-air. Score 4:0 for the home team.



Another pair of Fresco had been sent north to hunt a pair of Bogeys. However, imagine their surprise when they turned on their Fire-Control Radar [FCR] only to find that they were in the midst of five enemy aircraft! However, true to their fighter pilot aggressiveness, they turned into the attack instead of running. They exchanged missiles with a Sabre without either side getting hit and turned back to engage with aerial gunnery. The fighters were escorting a Voodoo recon plane. Hopefully, they would be able to kill the Sabres for the main course and still be able to enjoy their dessert, the Voodoo. They evaded the AAMs and then slid into the Six-O'Clock position behind the enemy. The Sabre died without ever knowing what killed her followed by the unarmed Voodoo. Score was now 6-love.



My missile and gunboats found the DD Charles Badger in Gitmo Bay and unleashed their four Styx SSMs and decided that they had done their duty for the revolution and retired westward. Unfortunately, no explosions were seen or heard. I kept my CAPs close to their home bases and successfully killed all enemy fighters that encroached with very light losses for the moment. I was beginning to worry that the enemy would not try to engage me under my own radar coverage and that I might have to venture into the Florida Strait to meet my ViCond of 50 aircraft kills. I wished that he would come south to do battle. The Chinese have sage advice regarding situations like this: "Be careful for what you wish." It was indeed prophetic.



As my pilots were rejoicing their victories and their planes were being re-armed and re-fueled, the air raid sirens wailed long and hard. I had very little left with which to oppose these new strikers. Libertad AB managed to scramble sufficient interceptors to kill most of her assailants and thus survived with minimal damage to the base. However, as most of Sagua's and Holguin's defenders were out of action on the tarmac, these bases were hammered mercilessly. Sagua was almost totally flattened with only a handful of planes surviving the onslaught from Sabres based in Florida. It seems as though wave attacks were not limited to the PRC as wave after wave of attackers crashed upon Cuban shores. Holguin was similarly pulverized by Skyhawks that could only have come from as yet undetected CVBGs offshore. These three-pronged attacks were exceptionally well-timed.

I had failed to protect my Soviet guests. During the attack, some strikers attacked the Soviet IRBM sites. Evidently, the Soviet commander elected to launch his missiles rather than risk losing them. Everyone watched helplessly as the ballistic missiles rose on pillars of flame towards ConUS. This war had now crossed the nuclear threshold as IRBM strikes wiped out MacDill AFB, Norfolk, and Jacksonville. However, I still had my orders so I continued to protect the Motherland as best I could.

My bases at San Julien and Libertad were relatively unscathed so I transferred some of their defenders to Sagua and Holguin in an attempt to provide them some protection. As they were about to land, more attacks were detected from US naval aviation. They had fortuitously arrived just in time to engage and defeat this latest round of attacks. However, my eastern bases were still unprotected so I transferred yet more assets. Again, I was "rewarded" by their timely arrival to have them face more inbound strikers from the carrier battle groups. This time, they turned out to be nuclear-capable Vigilantes! I could only assume that the Gringo commander had decided to retaliate-in-kind after learning of the Soviet attack on his country.

I could not afford to allow a single attacker to release its payload. One nuclear device could render Cuba uninhabitable. As my pilots intercepted each Vigilante, I kept my fingers crossed. There would be no second chance. Luck smiled upon me this day as I was able to destroy the entire wave of nuclear-armed bombers. Within hours, I was granted "victory" even as the firestorms continued to sweep through the Continental US [ConUS].

Another exceptional scenario. Thanks for sharing it. Thanks, also, to JM Serrano for his linguistic assistance in writing this AAR.



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31st Scenario posted this year!

Freek Schepers has released his latest creation. This is scenario also uses the Colonial Wars database edited by Paul Bridge. Some players might actually still be able to remember the Indonesian crisis as the world held its breath.

OPERATION JAYA WIJAYA



When Indonesia became independent in 1949, The Netherlands held onto New Guinea, a vast island group in the east of the archipelago. The Netherlands maintained permanent army (KNIL), navy, and air force units on the islands. In the early 1960s, President Soekarno started guerrilla operations against the British in Malaysia and against the Dutch in New Guinea to force them to relinquish their colonies. Indonesia built up its military with modern Russian weapons and, in 1961, Indonesia had the strongest air force in the Southern Hemisphere while The Netherlands post-war economic position had allowed it only limited military investments.

A visit of the Dutch aircraft carrier "Karel Doorman" to the region in 1961 inflamed the situation and serious incidents started the next year. In March of 1962, Dutch patrol planes sank an Indonesian Schooner and, in July, Dutch destroyers sank the Indonesian torpedo-boat Matjan Tutul carrying soldiers to New Guinea. Dutch Neptunes intercepted and shot down some of the Mitchell bombers and Dakotas dropping paras in company strength in the jungle. During the summer, a bloody guerrilla war started between these para's and Dutch Marines in the jungle of New Guinea.

Politically, the Soviet Union was rattling its sabre in Cuba, Vietnam, and gave overt support to Indonesia (including supplying crews to Indonesia's newly built submarines). President Kennedy was very worried about the threat of Soviet influence in Indonesia with its strategic sea lanes. The Dutch Prime minister de Quai and his foreign minister Luns refused to negotiate with Soekarno and tried to make New Guinea a UN-protectorate only to face a Russian veto.

Finally, in August of 1962, Soekarno gave orders for the liberation of New Guinea by force through operation Jaya Wijaya. Merchant ships and the Indonesian navy formed up east of the Celebes and the Indonesian Air Force was deployed to forward bases. Still, the newly formed Indonesian navy faced a small, though battle-hardened Dutch navy. The operation was by no means a sure thing. This changed when Russia deployed Badger bombers and long-range submarines and dressed up their crews as Indonesian 'volunteers'. The Netherlands had good intelligence, Dutch submarines had crossed the Pacific, and, for the first time in decades, the Netherlands sent conscript troops to defend the colonies.

On August 18th, Prime Minister de Quai gave in under severe pressure from President Kennedy and agreed to hand over New Guinea to Indonesia later that year. This scenario investigates what would have happened if the Netherlands would have let the conflict erupt. Soekarno had already ordered his invasion fleet to sail from the Celebes and, although some sources maintain Soekarno had not yet achieved the 3:1 superiority in forces required, the Russian forces would have played a decisive role in the battle.

Author: Freek Schepers


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32nd Scenario posted this year!

Harold Hutchison has posted his latest creation.

Force Z



You are in command of four Australian frigates with orders to protect merchant shipping in an Indonesian exclusion zone.

Author: Harold Hutchison

This scenario uses the HutchDB and can be found in the StrategyZoneOnline File Archives

34th Scenario posted this year!

See for yourself if history could have played out differently at the Bay of Pigs. This scenario uses the Colonial Wars database edited by Paul Bridge.

Bay of Pigs



On April 14th, 1961, six ships departed a Nicaraguan training camp where they had spent months training with CIA instructors. Brigade 2506 was to land at the Bay of Pigs in southern Cuba to overthrow Castro's regime. Sixteen B-26C Invader medium-range bombers were ready in Central America to support their invasion.

Cuba's army and militia, while numerically strong, were thought to be poorly motivated and likely to switch sides when the invasion took place. Cuba's air force was poorly equipped, had low servicability, and would be destroyed on the ground by the rebel B-26s and by US strikes on the main airbases. After all, it was the CIA who had organised the invasion.

In reality, President Kennedy had inherited the operation from his predecessors and, while unwilling to pull the plug, he severely limited the support that could be given and personally ordered a veto against air strikes on Cuban airbases.

This scenario starts on April 15th 1961 and lasts 24 hours. It uses Paul Bridge's Colonial Database (v1.5 July 6th, 2005). Thanks to Paul for many database updates.

ORDERS FOR CUBA

SITUATION

CIA remains committed to the removal of the Communist government of Cuba by any means possible. President Kennedy appears to be no different from his predecessors in advocating invasion and assassination plots against our country.

The Soviet Union has reacted enthusiastically to our requests for arms and, so far, 4 MiG-15s and some shipments of Czech submachine guns have been received. Most of our air force personnel are training on MiG-15, MiG-19 fighters, and the new SA-2 SAM rockets in Russia and Czechoslovakia. Only some trainee fighter pilots and the 4 captains piloting the Migs are available to support our B26 bombers in defending Cuba.

ORDERS

Your orders are to defend Cuba against potential aggression. The timing of such aggression is expected within the next day, but be wary of attempts to draw out our forces to reduce their effectiveness.

Intel reports that the CIA has used training camps in Florida, Nicaragua and Guatemala to train a unit known as Brigade 2506. They appear to have access to military aircraft and are thought to be planning a parachute or ship insertion somewhere in Cuba.


ORDERS FOR REBELS

"Men of Brigade 2506; the liberation of our country has begun!

We will invade Cuba! Our training has honed our small arms skills, taught us how to cooperate with our air power, and made us familiar with the Landing Ships from which we will unload our tanks, our infantry companies, and our supplies. Good Luck"

<<Eyes Only Commander Brigade 2506>>

President Kennedy has personally approved the operation. U-2 reconnaissance missions have been planned. The Amphibious Landing Ship USS San Marco with two escorting destroyers will support our invasion and escort us in.

The Essex Carrier group will be flying cover missions over the beachheads enabling our unescorted B-26C bombers to level the enemy.

Author: Freek Schepers

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35th Scenario this year!

Dave Steinmeyer has posted his second scenario, BALTIC TIDE. Thanks for sharing it with us.



World War III has been raging across the globe for three days already. Casualties have been high on both sides. Where the Soviets expected to make rapid gains on land, they have not. And where NATO expected to quickly gain control of the skies above Europe, the Pact has made more than a fight of it.

At sea, there are only the quick and the dead. What were supposed to be set piece battles turned into bloodbaths with the winner being whoever fired first. While no American carriers have been sunk, yet, three have been heavily damaged in the GIUK Gap alone. One of the few things going as planned is NATO's campaign against Soviet subs in the Atlantic and North Sea. With the combination of first-class sonar, excellent signals processing, and land and ship based aircraft, NATO has been able to smother almost any sub contact they run across.

Reinforcements are being rushed into the meat grinder that is the North Atlantic. Here, at least, NATO has the advantage of unrestricted access to the sea. Any Pact units in transit to the Atlantic must pass through restricted (and often NATO-controlled) seaways.

NATO Orders: The Soviets have already sustained very heavy losses to the naval forces they had pre-positioned in the North Sea and Atlantic prior to the outbreak of hostilities. Satellite reconnaissance indicates that a major Surface Action Group will attempt to surge through the Danish Straits. In order to support this breakout, East German airborne units and Polish Marines have landed on several Danish islands. And, while Pact losses in these landing have been high, they are still stubbornly holding their positions. We also have indications of a large number of Soviet cargo aircraft marshaling at Russian airfields as well as cargo ships leaving the port of Leningrad. We believe they are trying to push supplies and equipment forward to support their efforts on the central front.

Close the Danish Straits. Do not allow the SAG to complete its transit to the North Sea.

Soviet orders: NATO surface fleets in the North Sea and around Denmark have suffered great attrition from our naval air forces. Expect only light forces to oppose your transit. The threat of NATO subs is high, however. NATO air forces and ASW units pose the greatest danger to your mission.

Get the SAG through the Danish straits and into the North Sea for follow-on commerce raider operations against the UK and the French coast.

Author: Dave Steinmeyer

This scenario requires the latest release of the PlayersDB v5.9.7

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39th Scenario this year!

Dave Steinmeyer has posted his third scenario, Power Sweep. For a guy who just started designing this year, this promises to be yet another classic. Only a handful of units, but this scenario should by no means be considered easy. Take that attitude and you'll soon find yourself on the wrong end of a 533mm torpedo!



The war has not been kind to the Soviet navy; especially their submarine forces. In order to protect their remaining submarine units, the Soviets have been forced to begin escorting their less capable boats with first-line SSNs.

In this engagement, a Soviet SSN is guarding two other units as they proceed south through the Norwegian Sea. Once the group has reached the Atlantic, the SSN will perform its own mission while the SS and SSGN attack surface shipping.

First, though, NATO will try to stop them.

Author: Dave Steinmeyer

This scenario requires the latest release of the PlayersDB v5.9.7

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49th scenario posted this year!

Another superb effort from one of the community's masters. This is the seventh scenario in his 21st Century Ocean Wars battleset.

Malakka Strait



The NATO-Russian war is 4 weeks old. Russia's naval aviation forces and US Carriers have fought several bloody battles around Japan. Japan has defended its islands well, but is now very vulnerable to the closure of its SLOC's. The Chinese navy has left port but has stayed out of the battle. The US losses in the Pacific and Atlantic theatres have forced it to withdraw the Seventh Fleet from the IO. Only Diego Garcia remains as a stronghold there. The task of providing security for the Malakka Strait has been handed over to India, Thailand, and Singapore. India and Thailand will use their baby-carriers to escort tankers through the IO. The War in the Pacific has interrupted oil shipments to Japan and China for several weeks now and resumption of the oil trade has now become a strategic imperative.

Author: Freek Schepers

This scenario requires the latest release of the PlayersDB v5.9.7

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Great to see more and more scenarios utilizing the PlayersDB. It makes the effort worthwhile.

50th, 51st, and 52nd scenarios posted!

Well, we've done it! Christmas comes early. Three new scenarios by three different authors have been released into the Harpoon community - two for Harpoon 3 and one for Harpoon Classic enthusiasts. These are the 50th, 51st, and 52nd scenarios to be posted to StrategyZoneOnline, ScenShare, FilesOfScenShare, and HarpGamer. That means 50 new scenarios have been produced for Harpoon Classic and Harpoon 3 and the year is not even over yet. Bravo, boys, and keep it up!

• Continuing on in his "Battle Ocean 90" series, Mark Gellis has posted his Hungry Lion [EC2003 NACV] scenario.
• Freek Schepers has released, Indian, the 8th scenario in his "21st Century Ocean Wars" battleset.
• Herman Hum has posted the fourth installment in the "New World Order - Cyprus Affair" battleset, Chastiser.

INDIAN OCEAN - Scenario #8 - 21st Century Ocean Wars battleset



The NATO-Russian war is 4 weeks old. Russia has suffered crippling losses to its long-range Naval aviation forces and to its submarines in the Atlantic and Pacific theatres. The US strategy of leaving the defence of the SLOCs in the IO to India, Thailand, and Singapore has failed when China, worried about its oil supply, claimed control over the Malakka Strait. The ensuing fight sank numerous oil tankers and crippled the Allied Navies in southeast Asia.

The White House and State Department are at odds whether the Chinese intervention signals an alliance between China, Russia, and several SE-Asia nations.The US Navy is rushing reserve forces into the IO to defend the critical approaches to the Persian Gulf oil fields. Reserve troop flown to SE-Asia and the Persian Gulf Region must be matched up with their pre-positioned equipment on Diego Garcia to stabilise the region.

The IO is in turmoil. Chinese naval forces have pushed through the Malakka Strait and destroyed the airbases and navy of Singapore. In a running fight, two of the escorting frigates of the Thai carrier Chakkri Nareubet have been sunk, but the carrier is still afloat and is heading for the IO. Chinese ships then entered harbour in Myanmar. India has withdrawn its forces from Port Blair after the sinking of the Viraat in the ten-degree channel by a torpedo.

Oil tanker traffic is in turmoil with many tanker destinations being changed due to the war. About 20 have been boarded by Chinese prize crews.

MISSION

Primary mission is to destroy any enemy units inside the IO. The secondary mission is to escort the AK and AKR Maritime Pre-positioned ships from Diego Garcia towards the Malakka Strait (3 ships), Persian Gulf (5 ships), and Suez Canal (4 ships).

Author: Freek Schepers

This scenario requires the latest release of the PlayersDB v5.9.7

Get it via: StrategyZoneOnline , HarpGamer , SimHQ , PlayersDB Depot , SubSim , CombatAce , or Frugal\'s World of Simulation .


CHASTISER - Scenario #4 - New World Order Campaign #2 [The Cyprus Affair]



When the NSC made good on its promise to deliver SA-10 Grumble SAM systems to the Greek Cypriots in the spring of 1995 despite Turkish protests, the stage was set for another conflict in Cyprus. The presence of the advanced weapons shifted the delicate balance of power as it put nearly all aircraft operating from the Turkish side of the island at risk.

NATO was embarrassed when regular Turkish forces stormed the island a few months later. It had not been aware of Turkey's intent to reclaim Cyprus once and for all. Hand-in-hand with the economic boom in the NSC came military modernization and revitalization; funding for which was fueled at least partly by an unprecedented level of arms exports. The NSC would no longer sit idly by while its national interests were decided by others. It launched a major attack against Turkey on June 3, 1995.

The NSC did not believe that NATO would intervene in the Cypriot affair after having been snubbed by its Turkish partner and after the beating it had received in the Baltic conflict a year earlier. The NSC was about to be proven wrong.



1. SitRep
The move to seize the Bosporous & Dardanelles was a mistake. The prospect of a modernized and ambitious New Soviet navy with a front yard on the eastern Mediterannean was too much for NATO to bear. The U.S. Sixth Fleet, standing off Italy and observing the conflict in Turkey from afar, has now been called into action. The task force will be entering an extremely hostile zone.

Yesterday, the NSC launched a major airborne assault upon the Turkish contingent in Cyprus and all indications are that the island will be firmly under NSC control by tomorrow.NSC amphibious forces have seized Turkish territory around the Bosporous & the Dardanelles. Istanbul is under siege. NSC airborne assault against Cyprus is underway and will likely be successful by tomorrow. The prospect of NSC control of these areas is unacceptable to NATO security concerns.

2. ORDERS
CVBG 5.5 - Flag Eisenhower - Proceed at best speed to Cypriot zone. Stand by for further operational orders upon arrival. A diplomatic solution is still possible but unlikely.
Author: Herman Hum, Brad Leyte

This scenario requires the latest release of the PlayersDB v5.9.7

Get it via: StrategyZoneOnline , HarpGamer , SimHQ , PlayersDB Depot , SubSim , CombatAce , or Frugal\'s World of Simulation .


HUNGRY LION – EC2003 NACV – CON90A1



It is 1990 and the world is at war. The Soviet Union has invaded and occupied Iran. The United States and its allies demanded that the Soviet Union remove its forces from Iran immediately and threatened to use force if necessary.

The Soviet Union responded with a series of lightning strikes that destroyed a large number of military bases in Europe. The Soviets then initiated a massive campaign of submarine warfare designed to cripple the West. Their goal does not appear to be to invade Europe but to leave the West so weak that it will be unable to force them out of Iran until their control of that country effectively becomes the status quo.

Blue Orders:

• Convoy AHS (Flag Bradley), Convoy AIS (Flag Scott), and Convoy ALS (Flag Wainwright) should proceed to Portsmouth. Avoid contact with enemy forces if possible, but you are cleared to defend yourselves against any threats.
• All other available surface and submarine units should patrol the sea lanes between the United States and the United Kingdom. Engage and destroy any enemy vessels or submarines you encounter.
• Air assets should provide support to the convoys and the surface action groups. Intelligence reports that the Soviets may attempt to attack British and French bases with long-range bombers. Be prepared to defend these bases.

Author: Mark Gellis
Mark\'s Scenarios

This scenario requires the latest release of the HCDB that can be found on harpgamer.com

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53rd Scenario posted this year!

Another installment in the Harpoon 3 Battleset based upon Brad Leyte's "New World Order - Cyprus Affair" series, has been released. This is starting to look like a weekly TV Serial!

SCARECROW - Scenario #5 - New World Order Campaign #2 [The Cyprus Affair]



When the NSC made good on its promise to deliver SA-10 Grumble SAM systems to the Greek Cypriots in the spring of 1995 despite Turkish protests, the stage was set for another conflict in Cyprus. The presence of the advanced weapons shifted the delicate balance of power as it put nearly all aircraft operating from the Turkish side of the island at risk.

NATO was embarrassed when regular Turkish forces stormed the island a few months later. It had not been aware of Turkey's intent to reclaim Cyprus once and for all. Hand-in-hand with the economic boom in the NSC came military modernization and revitalization; funding for which was fueled at least partly by an unprecedented level of arms exports. The NSC would no longer sit idly by while its national interests were decided by others. It launched a major attack against Turkey on June 3, 1995.

The NSC did not believe that NATO would intervene in the Cypriot affair after having been snubbed by its Turkish partner and after the beating it had received in the Baltic conflict a year earlier. The NSC was about to be proven wrong.



The first mission of the NATO task force, now known as Task Force Scarecrow, upon arrival on station between Cyprus and Crete, is to secure air and surface supremacy. This will be difficult. By now, the Turkish military is essentially non-existent, and will not be able to provide much support.

SECRET - Flash Message 1605Z190695
Fr: CinC South
To: CVBG 5.5 - Flag Eisenhower
Comd Italy HQ Naples

Subj: Conflict in Turkey - Arrival of CVBG in Cypriot zone

1. SitRep - The situation in Turkey is critical. Turkish military forces have been totally defeated and are unable to support NATO operations. Many former Turkish bases are now under NSC control. An exclusion zone has been declared against all NSC units in the area along the south coast of Turkey.

2. ORDERS - Maintain your position between Cyprus and Crete. Eject NSC surface combatants within your area and repel all intruders within the declared Exclusion Zone. Stand by for new operational orders. WarPlan Liberation Turkey is in progress.

Author: Herman Hum, Brad Leyte

This scenario requires the latest release of the PlayersDB v5.9.7

Get it via: StrategyZoneOnline , HarpGamer , SimHQ , PlayersDB Depot , SubSim , CombatAce , or Frugal\'s World of Simulation .

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HarPlonkHQ

Blast from the Past

Ever wonder how difficult it might be to have a submarine creep up onto the beach for reconnaissance? Well, here's your chance to find out. This is the first Harpoon 3 scenario that I ever wrote. It's been damaged and unavailable for most of the year, but we've finally been able to repair it and now present it to you on StrategyZoneOnline for use with the PlayersDB.

Beach Reconnaissance



Soviet submarines have scored many successes in the Atlantic convoy lanes through the profligate expenditure of torpedoes and missiles. By the third week of the war, many submarines are suspected to be low on fuel and munitions. However, the number of submarines returning to ports in the Kola Peninsula is far lower than expected.

The level of subsurface activity in the Spitzbergen area is higher than expected. Investigate and see if these anomalies are coincidental or correlated. If the Soviets can replenish away from the Kola Peninsula, this would be a significant and strategic force multiplier.

Author: Herman Hum

This scenario requires the latest release of the PlayersDB v5.9.7
Get it via: StrategyZoneOnline , HarpGamer , SimHQ , PlayersDB Depot , SubSim , CombatAce , or Frugal\'s World of Simulation .

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Convoy Raider

Try out this scenario and reprise the role of Captain Langsdorff (or at least the Russian version of him) and become the terror of all commercial vessels in the Indian Ocean. Freek Schepers has worked hard to add a new side to his latest scenario, Indian, so that it is now enjoyable from either perspective.

Indian_R



The war in the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Barentz Sea has swung in favour of the Americans. Our long-range airpower has been destroyed and our remaining tactical fighter squadrons are barely sufficient for defense of the Motherland.

However, our alliance with China has brought good results; Thailand and Indonesia have been defeated and India has suffered terrible losses and has secretly opened Cease-fire negotiations with China and Russia.

MISSION OPERATION BRESHNJEV

Your mission is to permanently destroy the US influence in the IO. You are ordered to destroy the airbase and defensive installations on Diego Garcia. Secondly, you are ordered to sink the Maritime Prepositioning ships based at DG. These ships are pre-loaded with enough armour, artillery, and stores for 2 fighting divisions now being airlifted to the IO Theatre of war. They must be destroyed. Upon completion of your mission make your way towards Cochin, India, where repair facilities will be made available under our Cease-fire agreement.

Author: Freek Schepers

This scenario requires the latest release of the PlayersDB v5.9.7
Get it via: StrategyZoneOnline , HarpGamer , SimHQ , PlayersDB Depot , SubSim , CombatAce , or Frugal\'s World of Simulation .

http://www.Gamesquad.com/forums/

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http://www.taitennek.nl

The PlayersDB Depot

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HarPlonkHQ

Its great to see that the PlayersDB is now available at more websites than ever before. Its a real success story. :thumbs_up:

The 55th new scenario of the year!

The sixth installment of "The Cyprus Affair" battleset has been released.



NEW WORLD ORDER SERIES: THE CYPRUS AFFAIR CAMPAIGN #2

When the NSC made good on its promise to deliver SA-10 Grumble SAM systems to the Greek Cypriots in the spring of 1995 despite Turkish protests, the stage was set for another conflict in Cyprus. The presence of the advanced weapons shifted the delicate balance of power as it put nearly all aircraft operating from the Turkish side of the island at risk.

NATO was embarrassed when regular Turkish forces stormed the island a few months later. It had not been aware of Turkey's intent to reclaim Cyprus once and for all. Hand-in-hand with the economic boom in the NSC came military modernization and revitalization; funding for which was fueled at least partly by an unprecedented level of arms exports. The NSC would no longer sit idly by while its national interests were decided by others. It launched a major attack against Turkey on June 3, 1995.
The NSC did not believe that NATO would intervene in the Cypriot affair after having been snubbed by its Turkish partner and after the beating it had received in the Baltic conflict the previous year.

The NSC was about to be proven wrong.
#6 TIN MAN MISSION

The Tin Man Missions comprise a series of attacks on key NSC-occupied bases in Cyprus and Turkey. The objective is to suppress enemy air defences and airfields in preparation for the liberation of these areas from NSC occupation.

Author: Herman Hum, Brad Leyte

This scenario requires the latest release of the PlayersDB v5.9.7
Get it via: StrategyZoneOnline , HarpGamer , SimHQ , PlayersDB Depot , SubSim , CombatAce , or Frugal\'s World of Simulation .

[http://www.Gamesquad.com/forums/

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The 57th new scenario of the year!

The seventh installment of "The Cyprus Affair" battleset has been released.



NEW WORLD ORDER SERIES: THE CYPRUS AFFAIR CAMPAIGN #2

When the NSC made good on its promise to deliver SA-10 Grumble SAM systems to the Greek Cypriots in the spring of 1995 despite Turkish protests, the stage was set for another conflict in Cyprus. The presence of the advanced weapons shifted the delicate balance of power as it put nearly all aircraft operating from the Turkish side of the island at risk.

NATO was embarrassed when regular Turkish forces stormed the island a few months later. It had not been aware of Turkey's intent to reclaim Cyprus once and for all. Hand-in-hand with the economic boom in the NSC came military modernization and revitalization; funding for which was fueled at least partly by an unprecedented level of arms exports. The NSC would no longer sit idly by while its national interests were decided by others. It launched a major attack against Turkey on June 3, 1995.
The NSC did not believe that NATO would intervene in the Cypriot affair after having been snubbed by its Turkish partner and after the beating it had received in the Baltic conflict the previous year.

The NSC was about to be proven wrong.

#7 LIONHEART

Pound an enemy as much as you like but you cannot seize and hold territory from ships at sea or from aircraft aloft. You must put troops on the ground. The amphibious force now approaching Turkish shores, code-named Lionheart, must be protected. The amphibious landing will be accompanied by a major airborne assault on Cyprus. It is expected that the NSC will be pulling out all the stops to destroy these assets before they can reach their destination.

Author: Herman Hum, Brad Leyte

This scenario requires the latest release of the PlayersDB v5.9.7
Get it via: StrategyZoneOnline , HarpGamer , SimHQ , PlayersDB Depot , SubSim , CombatAce , or Frugal\'s World of Simulation .

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The First new scenario of the year has just been released!

Incoming Mail is a rebuild of a scenario from the original paper rules of Harpoon as was published in "Battles of the Third World War." It is Dave's fourth scenario effort. Thanks for sharing it with the community.



The Soviets have two weapons that can reach NATO convoys in the Atlantic: submarines and long-range aircraft. Long-range bombers on the Kola peninsula can easily hunt the Atlantic. With Iceland in Soviet hands, however, they can attack at will and their range would be greatly increased.

A standard NATO convoy crossing the Atlantic would consist of 40-50 merchant ships. Eight to ten escorts and, if they are lucky, a helicopter carrier, will provide protection from submarine and air attack.

Here, a large NATO convoy has been detected by a Soviet Radar Ocean Reconnaissance Satellite (RORSAT) and Tu-95 Bear Ds are sent out to pinpoint their position. Following close behind the Bears are two squadrons of Backfire bombers.

This could be a very bad day for NATO...

Author: Dave Steinmeyer

This scenario requires the latest release of the PlayersDB v5.9.7
Always download the scenario and the Database at the same time to ensure perfect compatibility.

Get it via: StrategyZoneOnline , HarpGamer , SimHQ , PlayersDB Depot , SubSim , CombatAce , or Frugal\'s World of Simulation .

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The largest scenario ever written for Harpoon3 has now been digitally re-mastered and is hereby re-released for your enjoyment. It is the Mother of All Monster scenarios. Be forewarned. Examine the Readme.txt file carefully. The magnitude of this scenario may cause problems for your computer and should not be attempted by those with processor-challenged systems.

Axis of Evil II



The Chinese economic bubble has burst and it has fallen into recession. The economic picture is mirrored worldwide. Russia is plunged ever further into social and monetary chaos. In an effort to raise hard currency, Russian resorts to selling almost everything within its arsenal. China moves to maintain its market share and matches prices and terms. Iran takes advantage of the prices and buys from both nations. A radical fundamentalist regime very similar to the Taliban is elected in Iran. Iran announces its nuclear power status with an atmospheric test. NATO leaders unanimously demand the immediate removal of the missiles and the extradition of Bin Laden.

Author: Herman Hum, Tim Eastburn

This scenario requires the latest release of the PlayersDB v5.9.7
Get it via: StrategyZoneOnline , HarpGamer , SimHQ , PlayersDB Depot , SubSim , CombatAce , or Frugal\'s World of Simulation .

http://www.Gamesquad.com/forums/

Home of the Harpoon3 PlayersDB

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The PlayersDB Depot

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HarPlonkHQ

The full and complete "MatchPlay" battleset is now available!



The second and third rounds of the "MatchPlay" battleset have been publicly released. These four scenarios have previously been unavailable to the Harpoon public. Now that the PlayersDB contest is complete, they are hereby posted for your enjoyment.

Anyone interested in playing the battleset as a consecutive / connected series is welcome to play the first scenario in the series and send in the results to Freek Schepers at freek_schepers@yahoo.com and he will send out the next scenario in the series and customize it to your losses in the previous round.

MATCHPLAY
Terrorist attacks on the Belgium Royal family have left the Dutch Crown Prince next in line to the throne of Belgium. Popular mourning and an uprising has quickly resulted into civil war between the French-speaking Walloons in southern Belgium and the Dutch-speaking Flemish in northern Belgium. Holland has quickly moved ground forces into Belgium to assert its claim to the throne, while France has tried unsuccessfully to mobilise the UN. But, as the Israelis showed in 1967, the UN cannot operate at the pace of modern warfare…


ROUND 2:

ANTI-CARRIER PLAY
Second in the MATCHPLAY battleset, playable from the Dutch side.To reinforce the French fleet, the Carrier Charles de Gaulle is moving from the Mediterranean to Brest. The UN has stopped all combat and your mission is to sink Charles de Gaulle using your remaining Dutch submarines


CARRIER PLAY
Second in the MATCHPLAY battleset playable from French sideUN has enforced a ceasefire after a day of 'hyperwar'. The French Department of Defence has announced that around 60 Dutch F-16 fighters and a frigate have been destroyed. While the Dutch divisions in Belgium have been hit hard, reinforcements have taken their place and Flanders is firmly in Dutch hands. BDA suggests that our air strikes have destroyed the revetments, tarmacs, and hangars on Florennes and destroyed all Belgian F-16s based there on the ground. The amphibious landings on Walcheren failed within sight of the objective. All four landing ships were damaged and Jeanne d'Arc had to be towed clear of the area and is now in drydock in Brest. A shock has gone through the French press as the losses are becoming apparent; 150 (one hundred and fifty!) of our best front-line fighters destroyed, as well as two of the priceless E2 and E3 AEW planes! Never in the history of French warfare has there been such a bloody defeat against an enemy that, apart from a recent struggle with Norway over oil (See OILFIRE.SCN), has only practiced war, not waged it.The Navy has been hard hit, as well. Apart from the damage to Jeanne d'Arc, 10 Frigates and Destroyers were lost. The 10 Rafale fighters have done well before they were shot down and a few replacements have even been found straight off the production lines.The worst stain on France's honour has been that the damaged heavy lift vessels packed with Marines have had to surrender and become prisoners of war in Belgium.

ROUND 3:

SUB PLAY
Third of the MATCHPLAY battleset playable from the German (allies of France) side.The Charles de Gaulle has safely entered Brest after sinking two Dutch submarines, but losing a frigate, her last Rafale, and one of our two remaining Hawkeye's. All point-defence weapons were used up in our last action and both sides, astonished by the supremacy of defensive firepower, refrained from gun actions and withdrew. One Achilles' heel remains that we can exploit; the Dutch are totally reliant on merchant traffic to Rotterdam and Antwerp. Unfortunately, our amphibious landing on Walcheren to close the entrance to both ports failed and France lacks the resources to implement a Maritime blockade of the North Sea.


SPECIAL OPS PLAY
Third of the MATCHPLAY battleset, playable from the Dutch side.Netherlands has lost a lot of F-16s against France, but most pilots have bailed out over friendly territory and are fit to fly. Belgian F-16s, captured intact, are being readied for operations.Denmark also flies 62 F-16MLUs, based on two bases in Skrydstrup and Aalborg. A daring plan has been developed to raid the Danish airbase of Skrydstrup, neutralise the defences, bring in pilots and maintenance crews by plane, and fly the aircraft to Netherlands.

Author: Freek Schepers

These scenarios require the latest release of the PlayersDB v5.9.7
Get it via: StrategyZoneOnline , HarpGamer , SimHQ , PlayersDB Depot , SubSim , CombatAce , or Frugal\'s World of Simulation .

http://www.Gamesquad.com/forums/

Home of the Harpoon3 PlayersDB

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/FilesOfScenShare/

http://www.taitennek.nl

The PlayersDB Depot

http://www.HarPlonkHQ.com

HarPlonkHQ

The 3rd new scenario of the year!

The eighth and final installment of "The Cyprus Affair" battleset has been released.



NEW WORLD ORDER SERIES: THE CYPRUS AFFAIR CAMPAIGN #2

When the NSC made good on its promise to deliver SA-10 Grumble SAM systems to the Greek Cypriots in the spring of 1995 despite Turkish protests, the stage was set for another conflict in Cyprus. The presence of the advanced weapons shifted the delicate balance of power as it put nearly all aircraft operating from the Turkish side of the island at risk.

NATO was embarrassed when regular Turkish forces stormed the island a few months later. It had not been aware of Turkey's intent to reclaim Cyprus once and for all. Hand-in-hand with the economic boom in the NSC came military modernization and revitalization; funding for which was fueled at least partly by an unprecedented level of arms exports. The NSC would no longer sit idly by while its national interests were decided by others. It launched a major attack against Turkey on June 3, 1995.
The NSC did not believe that NATO would intervene in the Cypriot affair after having been snubbed by its Turkish partner and after the beating it had received in the Baltic conflict the previous year.

The NSC was about to be proven wrong.

#8 OPERATION WIZARD

Although numerically plentiful, the NSC ground forces are relatively poorly trained. The operation to re-take Turkey is going well, although it is considered bloody. Cyprus has already been re-claimed. The U.S. learned valuable lessons from Desert Storm, including the following rule: it makes no sense not to finish the job. Task Force Scarecrow has moved into the Aegean and more aircraft are being ferried to newly re-built airbases in Turkey for the upcoming operation. The mission: destroy the NSC Black Sea Fleet and neutralize neighbouring military facilities in the Crimea.

Author: Herman Hum, Brad Leyte

This scenario requires the latest release of the PlayersDB v5.9.7
Get it via: StrategyZoneOnline , HarpGamer , SimHQ , PlayersDB Depot , SubSim , CombatAce , or Frugal\'s World of Simulation .

http://www.Gamesquad.com/forums/

Home of the Harpoon3 PlayersDB

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/FilesOfScenShare/

http://www.taitennek.nl

The PlayersDB Depot

http://www.HarPlonkHQ.com

HarPlonkHQ

The 23rd new scenario of the year!



The True North Strong and Free

When President Gorbachev was notified in 1989 of a plot to bring down the Berlin Wall later that year, he made several crucial strategic decisions. The Russian President decided to suppress the East-German Revolt, speed up the privatisation and efficiency-focus in the Russian state industries, and invest in maintenance, spare parts, and training for the military.

For President Bush and his successors, the emergence of an Eastern European market and the stabilisation of the Middle East meant they could peacefully cooperate with, though quietly dislike, Russia. However, Europe found itself more and more at odds with President Gorbachev and his direct successor Putin. At the end of 2003, NATO found itself opposing a high quality Russian military.

Icelandic politicians had ended the defence pact with the US and closed Kevlavik AFB.

Annual years of bumper grain crops in the mechanised Russian agricultural industry effectively competed with Canada's farmers, reducing tax income, and limiting investments in Canada's armed forces.

Furthermore, Canadians increasingly resented passage of unannounced American submarines and icebreakers through the Davis Strait and Perry Channel into the Arctic Ocean.

In the late 1990's Canada took over control of the Northern Warning System of radar sites in Canada, automated the stations to reduce costs, and opened the North Bay Signals Centre [operated jointly with NATO, but under Canadian authority]. Automation of the radar sites meant that their nearby airstrips were closed and only four Forward-Operating-Locations for Canada's Hornets remained.

Early November, NATO detected 25 Russian Tank and Infantry Divisions moving into East-Germany on pre-announced 'Mutual friendship exercises'. Russian submarines also surged into the Atlantic one week ago, and the possibility exists that Russia is also trying to bypass the G-I-UK gap by sending subs through Canada's North.

Tensions are rising and the first line of defence of North America in Canada's North seems flimsy at best.

Hours ago, the UK reported torpedo attacks on patrolling submarines in the Atlantic. Casualties are unknown.

The Canadian Government has announced that it will deploy the Air Force forward to the FOLs. It has asked the US to provide AEW and tanker support and authorised flights over Canada by US planes.

Author: Freek Schepers


http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/bomber/range.gif

This scenario requires the latest release of the PlayersDB v5.9.7
Get it via: StrategyZoneOnline , HarpGamer , SimHQ , PlayersDB Depot , SubSim , CombatAce , or Frugal\'s World of Simulation .

http://www.Gamesquad.com/forums/

Home of the Harpoon3 PlayersDB

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/FilesOfScenShare/

http://www.taitennek.nl

The PlayersDB Depot

http://www.HarPlonkHQ.com

HarPlonkHQ