Note: See the article on Kamikazes in Harpoon on page 32 for new rules that are to be used with this scenario. In the 1980s, in response to attacks on neutral supertankers in the Iran-Iraq war, the United States began Operation Earnest Will, escorting re-flagged supertankers in the Persian Gulf. One of the more notable incidents involved the cruiser Vincennes , which was caught up in a fight with Iranian Boghammars. In the confusion, an Iranian Airbus was misidentified as an F-14 preparing for a kamikaze attack. Vincennes fired two SM2 missiles and destroyed the airliner, killing 290 passengers and crew. This scenario is best suited for two players plus an umpire, who controls neutral shipping. In the absence of an umpire, the American player will control the neutral shipping. Location: The Strait of Hormuz, 1730 hours. Environment: Conditions are the same for both the 1988 and 2005 scenarios. Initial visibility 85% . Sea state 1, wind 4 knots from 205°. Sunrise 0530, sunset 1830 local. American Tactical Situation: A small U. S. Navy surface action group is patrolling in the Strait of Hormuz to protect neutral merchant traffic in the middle of hostilities in the Persian Gulf. American Forces: 1988 Scenario: USS Vincennes CG-49 (Ticonderoga -class cruiser) w/2 SH-60B, USS Sides FFG-14 (Oliver Hazard Perry -class frigate) w/2 SH-60B, USS Elmer Montgomery FF-1082 (Knox -class frigate) w/1 SH-2F. Helicopter loadouts at player discretion. 2005 Scenario: USS Princeton CG-59 (Bunker Hill -class cruiser) w/2 MH-60R, USS Bulkeley DDG-84 (Arleigh Burke -class destroyer – Flight IIA) ) w/2 MH-60R, USS Hurricane PC-3, USS Chinook PC-9, USS Whirlwind PC-11 (all three Cyclone -class PC) . Helicopter loadouts at player's discretion. Additional units at random (see Special Rules) . Air units: From Khasab, Oman (26°11.0' N, 56°E) : 6 RQ-1A Predators, 2 RQ-4A Global Hawk, 8 AH-64A Apache. Predator loadouts at player's discretion (either two AGM-114B Hell . re or two seven-round 70mm Hydra rocket pods). Helicopter loadouts at player discretion. From Thumrait AB, Oman (17°40.0’ N, 54° 1.5’E) ) : 12 F/A-18E (VMFA-232) , 6 S-3B (VS-38 det. ), 8 AV-8B+(VMA-214 det. ) . F/A-18E and AV-8B+loadouts at player discretion. S-3Bs may be configured as tankers or with iron bombs (Mk82s) . American Orders: Patrol the Strait of Hormuz to deter Iranian aggression against shipping. Do not fire unless an American naval vessel or neutral merchant vessel is fired upon, or unless the safety of your command is at grave risk. Hot pursuit is authorized – all the way into the hangar. American Setup: Naval forces are deployed as the player chooses, provided they are: 1. In international waters and 2. Within the area described by a triangle connecting Bandar-e Lengeb, Iran;Sirik, Iran;and Bandar Abbas, Iran. One helicopter may be aloft at the start of the scenario. Others may be at five-or fifteen-minute alert. For the 2005 Scenario: Two F/A-18E, two AV-8B+, and one S- 3B may be airborne. The rest of the F/A-18Es and AV-8B+Harriers, and half (rounding down) the remaining S-3Bs are on fifteen minute alert. The other half of the S-3Bs are on thirty-minute alert. American Victory Conditions: 1988: Decisive Victory: No merchant vessel takes more than 25% damage, no American naval vessel is damaged, no helicopter is lost, and the Iranians have no propaganda victories. Tactical Victory: No more than three merchant vessels suffer more than 25% damage, no merchant vessel suffers 50% or more damage, no more than one American helicopter is lost, no American ship suffers more than 25% damage, and the Iranians have no propaganda victories. Marginal Victory: One American ship suffers more than 25% damage, two or more American helicopters are lost, two or more merchant vessels suffer 50% or more damage. Draw: Any of the above victory conditions are met, but the Iranians score a propaganda victory (see Special Rules) . 2005: Decisive Victory: No merchant vessel takes more than 25% damage, no American naval vessel is damaged, no aircraft or helicopters are lost (not counting UAVs) , and the Iranians have no propaganda victories. Tactical Victory: No more than three merchant vessels suffer more than 25% damage, no merchant vessel suffers 50% or more damage, no more than four American aircraft or helicopters are lost (excluding UAVs) , no American ship suffers more than 25% damage, and the Iranians have no propaganda victories. Marginal Victory: One American ship suffers more than 25% damage, five or more American aircraft or helicopters are lost (not including UAVs) , two or more merchant vessels suffer 50% or more damage. Draw: Any of the above victory conditions are met, but the Iranians score a propaganda victory (see Special Rules) . Iranian Forces: 1988 Scenario: 12 Boghammar-class patrol craft. 4 HY-2A (CSS-2 Seersucker) batteries (@2 launchers) . Three Hawk batteries (@4 launchers) . Air units: (from Bandar Abbas, Iran) 8 F-5E, 12 F-4E, 8 F-14A. Aircraft loadouts at player's discretion. 2005 Scenario: Babr (Improved Babr - class DDG) w/8 C801 and 8 SM-1, Sabalan (Sa'am -class FFG) w/Sea Killer and C802 missiles, 4 Houdong-class PTG (PRC) , 16 Boghammar-class patrol craft. 4 HY-4 (CSS-7 Sadsack) batteries (@2 launchers) . Two SA-10 batteries (@4 launchers) , 3 Hawk batteries (@4 launchers) , 2 SA-6b batteries (@4 launchers) . Additional units at random (see Special Rules) . Air units: (from Bandar Abbas, Iran) 8 F-4E, 12 Su-24 Fencer, 8 F-14A, 12 MiG- 29 Fulcrum, 8 Mirage F. 1C. Loadouts at player's discretion. Martyrdom air unit: 24 Shenyang J-6 with two 1, 000 kg bombs, 8 F-5E with two Mk83 bombs, 10 T-33A. Martyrdom naval unit: 12 Boghammar- class patrol boats with explosives. Iranian Orders: Attack merchant shipping in the Gulf. If the Americans interfere, drive them off. Iranian Setup: 1988 Scenario: Place the Boghammars 8 to 11 miles off the Iranian coast (in Iranian waters) and within 30 miles of Bandar Abbas. Roll 3D10 +35% to get the number of flyable aircraft, rounding down. 50% of flyable aircraft ready for immediate launch. Rest ready in 60 minutes. 2005 Scenario: Place the Boghammars 8 to 11 miles off the Iranian coast (in Iranian waters) and within 30 miles of Bandar Abbas. Babr , Sabalan , and the missile boats anywhere in Iranian or international waters within the triangle described in the American setup. Iranian Victory Conditions: 1988 Scenario: Decisive Victory: Sink one American warship (or cause 50% or more damage to all American warships) and cause 50% or more damage to six or more merchant vessels. Tactical Victory: Inflict at least 50% damage on four or more merchant vessels and one American warship (or 25% or more damage to two warships) . Marginal Victory: Inflict at least 25% damage on four or more merchant vessels and one American warship. Draw: Damage merchant vessels, but fail to damage an American warship. 2005 Scenario: Decisive Victory: Sink at least one American warship (or inflict 50% damage on two American warships) and inflict 50% or more damage to at least six merchant vessels. Tactical Victory: Inflict at least 50% damage on one American warship (or at least 25% damage to two American warships) and inflict 50% damage at least four merchant vessels. Marginal Victory: Inflict at least 25% damage on one American warship and at least four merchant vessels. Draw: Damage merchant vessels, but fail to damage an American warship. Note: The Cyclone -class PCs are to be considered together as one American warship. Neutral Shipping/Civil Aviation: D10+6 merchant vessels (a zero on the D10 means ten) – half will be supertankers, , the other half will be container ships, LNG tankers, or cargo vessels (Roll D10: 1-3 container ship, 4-7 LNG tanker, 8-10 cargo ship) . 3D10 fishing trawlers. D6+6 airliners from Bandar Abbas. Supertanker: 65000 tons, 16 kts, 300 DP LNG tanker: 40000 tons, 18 kts, 196 DP Container ship: 25000 tons, 18 kts, 266 DP Cargo ship: 20000 tons, 18 kts, 225 DP Neutral Setup: The neutral ships are deployed in international waters in the Strait of Hormuz. Special Rules: 1. Before the start of the 2005 scenario, Iranian player rolls D10 to find out if additional units are assigned: 0-2: No additional units. 3-7: Add either Alvand (Sa'am -class FFG) , with same modifications as Sabalan and two Kaman -class PTC w/4 C802 missiles OR a Russian Project 877EKM SS (Kilo-class) . 8-9 adds both options from a roll of 3-7 and four more Houdong-class PTG, OR two Russian Project 877EKM SS (Kilo-class) and four Kaman -class PTG. The Iranian player must tell the American player whether he has received additional units or not. If the Iranian player has additional units, then the U. S. player may add one of the following packages: Package A: USS Hewitt DD-966 and USS Oldendorf DD-972 (Improved Spruance -class DDs) w/Mk29 NATO Sea Sparrow launcher replaced by 16-cell Mk41 VLS w/64 RIM-162 ESSM and each carrying 2 MH-60R;USS Antrim FFG- 20 and USS Stark FFG-31 (Oliver Hazard Perry -class FFGs) retaining the Mk13 missile launcher, adding A(21) 1 Mk49 RAM launcher, and carrying 2 MH-60R each. Package B: USS Hyman G. Rickover SSN-709 (Los Angeles -class attack submarine) , USS Stethem DDG-63 (Arleigh Burke -class DDG) , and USS Hewitt DD- 966 (Improved Spruance -class DD) w/Mk29 NATO Sea Sparrow launcher replaced by 16-cell Mk41 VLS w/64 RIM-162 ESSM and each carrying 2 MH-60R. Package C: USS Stethem DDG-63 (Arleigh Burke -class DDG) and USS Hewitt DD-966 and USS Oldendorf DD-972 (Improved Spruance -class DDs) w/Mk29 NATO Sea Sparrow launcher replaced by 16-cell Mk41 VLS w/64 RIM-162 ESSM and carrying 2 MH-60R. 2. An Iranian Propaganda Victory will be declared if the American player Fires first without adequate provocation (determined by the umpire) Shoots down a civilian airliner. . Accidentally damages two or more neutral merchant vessels. Sinks more than two neutral fishing trawlers. Has aircrew captured. 3. If an aircraft or helicopter is shot down within 15 miles of the Iranian coast, there is a 50% chance of each aircrew ejecting/surviving the crash. If the aircrew ejects/survives, there is a 5% chance of capture. 4. After every Iranian attack on a merchant vessel, the American player will be informed of the attack in the next D6*10 minutes by the umpire. The map: I used the map in the Hammond New Century World Atlas of Southwest Asia . I checked a link provided from the HarpoonHQ.com forums and found this map from 1980: http: //www.lib.utexas. edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/hormuz_80. jpg ANNEX A Improved Babr (ex-U. S. Allen M. Sumner FRAM-II) DDG Displacement: 2200 tons In class: 2 Acoustic Counterm: None In service: 1973 ECM: 1 st Gen. ESM: 1 st Gen. Propulsion: Steam Crew: 290 Size Class: Small Signature: Small/Noisy Weapons: ROF F/A(2) 2 127mm/38 Mk 30 C/USA PB&SB(4) 2 C-801 w/4 missiles D/PRC PB&PQ/SB&SQ(4) 2 Standard SM-1 box launchers D/USA A(2) 1 ZU-23 C/Russia PB/SB(3) 2 Mk32 324mm TT w/3 Mk46 F/USA Aft Pad(1) 1 AB-212 B/Italy Sensors: SPS-10, SPS-29 L/USA SQS-42 M/USA Remarks: Upgraded with C801s and modi . cations to SM-1 box launchers. Damage Point and Speed Breakdown: Dam. Points: 0 18 35 53 63 70 Surf Speed: 30 23 15 8 0 sunk Cyclone PC Displacement: 328. 5 tons In Class: 14 Acoustic Counterm: None In Service: 1993 Electronic Counterm: 2 nd Gen. D ESM: 3 rd Gen. Propulsion: Diesel Crew: 28 Size Class: VSmall Signature: VSmall/Noisy Weapons: F(1) 1 Mk 38 Bushmaster 25mm/87 C A(1+1) 1 Mk 38 Bushmaster 25mm/87 +Mk19 40mm AGL C PW/SW(1) 2 12. 7mm machine guns C P/S(1) 2 Mk 19 40mm AGL See remarks PQ/SQ(1) 2 7. 62 machine guns C Sensors: SPS-55, SPS-59 J SQS-30 M Remarks: Special operations patrol craft. Can carry 8 SEALs/Green Berets. Mk 19 AGL has range of 1.25 nautical miles, causes 1 dp, with .35 surf PH (0- 50% ), .15 surf PH (51-100% ) , FC mode OP. Damage and Speed Breakdown: Dam Pts: 0 4 8 12 14 16 Surf Speed: 35 26 18 9 0 Sunk BT Back to The Naval Sitrep # 27 Table of Contents Back to Naval Sitrep List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List & copy Copyright 2004 by Larry Bond and Clash of Arms. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history and related articles are available at http://www.magweb.com