The scenario lasts 30 hours and starts at 7.00 AM.
Player side is NATO, with several escort and radar picket
groups,plus a Royal Navy CVBG centred on Eagle, while the
USN presence is a CVBG centred on Saratoga.
The action takes place in the Eastern Mediterranean with opposition
from the Black Sea Fleet and a considerable number of air
bases from Libya Syria and so on. NATO airbases are on Malta
,Cyprus and Crete.
You are tasked with escorting two convoys ( outside your control)
to Malta and Crete.
At game start TG 17.1 set on a path to escort SC SHMA 917
to Malta while TG 17.2 escorted SC NYSB 442 to Crete.
SS Orpheus plotted a northerly course into the Aegean at
periscope depth.
SS Sea Lion off Cyprus headed SE at creep speed and periscope
depth.
SSN Tinosa set off in a generally Northerly direction.
Both CVBG's headed primarily towards Crete having set AEW
Radar patrols. A considerable number of combat air patrols
were also established.
Game starts at 7.00.
7.50 one enemy task Group located to the North West of Benghazi,
4 Buccaneers scramble. A large surface group is some way to
the North of Orpheus, the Combat Air Patrols are generally
having some success.
8.36 Buccaneer strike causes widespread but moderate damage.
8.58 Cruiser section located West of Cyprus and closing.
4 Corsairs from Saratoga launch while 5 Hunters based at Akrotiri
set off also.
Another squadron to North East of Souda found to be closing
at flank speed. Intruders with Walleyes loaded scrambled when
available.
9.46 Strikes on the Zhandov KR Group sink it plus damage
many others.
9.50 The Group bound for Souda identified as including Dzerhinsky.
Initial strike from Corsairs takes losses but causes moderate
damage to most.
Supporting Shrike SEAD work from two Corsairs generally a
failure.
The intruder Walleye strike however sinks this entire group.
Sufficent ordnance remaining to continue Northbound and locate
the group closing on Orpheus. Meanwhile 4 Martel armed Buccaneers
carry out a follow up strike on the group near Benghazi.
10.16 The intruders class the Northernmost group as a TF
centred on Moskva. Walleyes strike Moskva and several escorts.
10.20 Cyprus under air attack, all available Javelins are
scrambled.
10.36 Akrotiri hit by air strikes.
10.42 Multiple inbound Vampires at Eagle group.
10.48 Missiles classed as multiple Shaddock inbound from
the West, while multiple Scrubber from the South. Scrubbers
assumed to be from the Benghazi group so the Martel strikes
must have been a significant failure, Shaddocks assumed to
be launched from an Echo.
10.49 Eagle takes 2 hits from Shaddocks and two from Scrubber.
damage at 21% rising to 23% due to fire.
12.16 Shaddocks from the Moskva Group inbound to the USCVBG.
12.31 Saratoga has taken three hits and is at 31% damage.
12.38 A follow up shaddock strike ,presumably from reloads.
Only one gets through but hits Intrepid who takes 48% damage
and is on fire.
13.26 Intrepid never recovers from the fires and eventually
sinks.
14.29 Malta hit by air strikes.
16.46 Serious raid by Badgers. The raid takes heavy losses
but Souda is hit badly and multiple Kelts get through to hit
Saratoga. Saratoga at 72% damage.
19.10 The remainder of the Moskva group run over the top
of Orpheus. Moskva looks to have sunk after the initial walleye
strike.
Torpedoes believed to hit both remaining vessels .
20.23 Recon planes set to assess BDA on the group are somewhat
dismayed to find both ships are in good condition and certainly
capable of shooting down the recce planes. After some manouvreing
Orpheus does dispatch both vessels.
24.00 Until the end of day one the action quietened down
to a large extent. The combat air patrols having now been
whittled down tended to be very patchy at best. Akrotiri and
Malta reduced still further by Paratroop strikes on the bases.
Any remaining damaged enemy surface vessels finished off as
Corsairs and Buccaneers reloaded.
Day 2 , 4.44 Paratroop drops continuing although taking heavy
losses too. One submarine located at periscope depth by a
Lightning overflying it !
Despite the valiant efforts of a wasp HAS 1 helicopter the
submarine couldn't be found. There should be an ASW variant
of the Lightning......
Convoys now close to their respective ports. Escorting groups
set to sweep the waters ahead of them while radar pickets
where available set up. Some snoopers detected and shot down,
usually before being able to attack.
At 12.59 the Victory triggered.
I particularly like the way this scenario starts off as inoffensive
with little indication of just how busy you will be on that
first day. The various cruiser type squadrons are hard to
stop in their tracks while the strike on Eagle looked impressive
with so many missiles from various directions.
Things inevitably quieten down eventually as both sides run
lower on aircraft but the initial day will keep you plenty
busy.
