Harpoon Scenario:
Sea of Fire

A Kuril Islands Mini-Campaign

Scenario 2: Collision

By Matt Irsik

The Japanese were able to open up a path for their amphibious force and the landing was carried off with little opposition. However, once the Japanese forces were landed, the Russians (with their own seaborne reinforcements) were able to concentrate their troops against the beach-head. As Russian attacks from the air and land continued on the beachhead, the situation for the Japanese troops became desperate, and then the weather turned sour. While the poor weather stopped the Russian land attacks, it also stopped Japanese reinforcement attempts and allowed Russian submarines to move back into the area again. With their beachhead under intense pressure, the Japanese decided to use an "end-run" amphibious attack instead of simply reinforcing the beachhead area.

Setup:

The Russian Urup CAP sets up anywhere over the island of Urup at medium altitude. The Russian Strike Force can be requested at any time and will arrive 20 + D10 tactical turns later through Russian Aircraft Entry Area 1. The Russian Surface Action Group and submarine forces may set up anywhere within 30 nm of the island of Urup. The Japanese CAP Flight and Patrol Flight can enter through Japanese Aircraft Entry Area 1 anytime during the scenario. The entry time for Strike Group 1 must be planned prior to the start of the scenario, it enters the map through Japanese Aircraft Entry Area 2 after at least 30 tactical turns have passed. Japanese Task Group 5.2 can be set up anywhere up to 60 nm from the bottom edge of the map. Japanese Sub Group 1 can be set up anywhere up to 60 nm from the bottom edge of the map. The formation, heading, sensor status, and depth/altitude for all units is at the discretion of the controlling player.

Environment:

1000 local time, stormy weather, 100% overcast, visibility is limited to 2 nm, sonar performance is 50% (within 15 nm of shore it is 25%), there are no CZs, Sea State 5, wind from 260° at 30 kts.

Russian Forces:

Urup CAP: 4 MiG-29 (each with 2 AA-10C &; 4 AA-11)

Strike Force A: 4 Su-27 (each with 2 AA-8, 2 AA-10C & 2 AA-11), 2 Su-24 (each with 2 AS-14, 2 AS-9 & 2 AA-11), 2 Su-24 (each with 2 AS-9, & 4 KAB-500L), and 4 MiG-27 (each with 2 AS-10, 4 PKT-250 CBU, and 2 AA-8)

Surface Action Group 1.1: Burnyy (Sovremennyy DDG) with 1 Ka-25 Hormone B, Grozyaschiy (Krivak II FF), Admiral Spirodonov and Admiral Tributs (Udaloy DD) with 2 Ka-27 Helix A each.

Sub Group 1: K-530 (Oscar II SSGN)
Sub Group 2: Draken (Bars [Akula] SSN)

Russian Orders:

Intelligence predicts that the Japanese beachhead on Urup will be eliminated within the next 24 hours if no reinforcements arrive. Stop any Japanese attempts to reinforce their troops.

Japanese Forces:

CAP Flight: 4 F-15J (each with 4 AIM-120, 4 AlM-9M)
Patrol Flight: 1 P-3C (with 2 Harpoon and 8 Mk46)
Strike Group 1: 4 F-15J (each with 4 AlM-120, 4 AIM-9M and), 2 F-4EJ (each with 3 AIM-7F, 4 AIM-9M, 2 GBU-10C, 6 Mk82, and 1 ALQ-119) and 2 F-4EJ (each with 3 AIM-7F, 4 AIM-9M, 6 AGM-65A, 6 Mk82 and 1 ALQ-119)

Task Group 5.2: Kurama (Shirane DDH) with 3 SH-60J, Sawakaze (Tachikaze DDG), Setoyuki (Hatsuyuki DD), Nagatsuki (Takatsuki DD), Hatakaze (Hatakaze DDG) with 1 SH-60J, Miura, Ojika, Satsuma (Miura LSTs), and 1 Generic Freighter
Sub Group 1: Takeshio (Yushio SS)

Japanese Orders:

The troops on Urup are in a desperate situation. Escort the amphibious group to the designated landing area. Intelligence reports that the Russians will make a major effort to intercept your task group with air, surface and submarine units that are assembling in the area. The amphibious group must get through, or we may be forced to accept a cease-fire on less than favorable terms.

Special Rules:

Rules 1 and 2 from Scenario 1 also apply to Scenario 2.

3) All Japanese aircraft (except the P-3C) will be refueled by tankers prior to entering the combat area and have full tanks when they enter the map.

Victory Conditions:

The scenario ends at 1800 local time. Victory is determined by the success of the Japanese landings. At the end of the scenario, the Japanese player rolls D100 to see if the amphibious landing is successful. The base chance for success is 5% modified for each amphibious ship within 2 nm of the landing area as follows:

    each Miura class LST damaged £ 50% = +25%,
    each Miura class LST damaged > 50% but not sunk) = + 15%,
    the freighter damaged £ 50% = +35%,
    the freighter damaged > 50% (but not sunk) = +15%.
    If the D100 roll is less than or equal to the modified base chance for success, then the Japanese Win.

More Kuril Islands

BT

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