Harpoon Scenario:
Sea of Fire

A Kuril Islands Mini-Campaign

Order of Battle: Japanese and Russian

By Matt Irsik

Russian

Air Order of Battle:

8 MiG-27 (with 16 AS-14, unlimited unguided air ordnance and AA-8)
12 MiG-29 (with unlimited AA-10C and AA-11)
10 Su-24 (with 8 AS-9, 4 AS-11, 20 AS-14, 16 KAB-500L, unlimited unguided weapons and AA-11)
8 Su-27 (with unlimited AA-8, AA-10C, and AA-11)
3 Il-38 (with unlimited E45-75A torpedoes)
1 A-50 Mainstay

Add for Scenario 3

10 Tu-22M Backfire (with 20 AS-4)

Naval Order of Battle:

Scenario 1

Burnyy (Sovremennyy DDG) with 1 Ka-27 Helix A,
Admiral Panteleyev (Udaloy DD) with 2 Ka-27 Helix A,
Rezkiy (Krivak II FF),
Vorovskiy (Krivak III FF),
B-138 (Victor III SSN),
B-404 (Kilo SS)

Add for Scenario 2

Chernova Ukrania (Slava CG) with 1 Ka-27 Helix A,
Boyevoy (Sovremennyy DDG) with 1 Ka-27 Helix A,
Marshal Shaposhnikov,
Admiral Vinogradov, and Admiral Tributs (Udaloy DD) with 2 Ka-27 Helix A each, and
Grozyaschiy (Krivak II FF),
K-530 (Oscar II SSGN),
Draken (Bars [Akula] SSN)

Add for Scenario 3

Admiral Gorshkov (Modified Kiev CVHG) with 10 Ka-27 Helix A, 6 Ka-25 Hormone A, and 4 Mi-28 Havoc,
Admiral Spirodinov (Udaloy DD) with 2 Ka-27 Helix A,
Kedrov (Krivak III FF),
Ivan Rogov (Ivan Rogov LPD),
BBDK-11, BDK-23 (Ropucha I LST),
2 Generic Freighters,
Kondor (Barrakuda [Sierra] SSN),
B-380 (Tango SS)

Japanese

Air Order of Battle:

12 F-15J (with unlimited AlM-120, AIM-9M) 12 F-4EJ (with 30 AGM-65A, 24 GBU-10C, unlimited unguided air ordnance, ALQ-119 pods, AIM-7F, and AIM-9M) 6 F-1 (with 12 Type 80 ASMs, unlimited unguided air ordnance and AIM-9M) 3 P-3C (with 8 Harpoon and unlimited Mk 46 torpedoes) 1 E-2C Hawkeye

Naval Order of Battle:

Scenario 1

Shirane (Shirane DDH) with 3 SH-60J.
Asakaze (Tachikaze DDG),
Asagiri (Asagiri DDG) with 1 SH-60J,
Setoyuki (Hatsuyuki DD),
Harushio (Harushio SS)

Add for Scenario 2

Kurama (Shirane DDH) with 3 SH-60J,
Sawakaze (Tachikaze DDG),
Nagatsuki (Takatsuki DD),
Hatakaze (Hatakaze DDG) with 1 SH-60J,
Miura, Ojika, Satsuma (Miura LST),
1 Generic Freighter,
Takeshio (Yushio SS)
(Note: the LSTs and freighter are not available for scenario 3).

Add for Scenario 3

Kongo (Kongo DDG),
Isoyuki (Hatsuyuki DDG) with 1 SH-60J,
Kikuzuki (Takatsuki DD),
Asakaze (Tachikaze DDG),
Abukuma (Abukuma FF),
Natsushio (Harushio SS),
Akishio (Yushio SS).

Designer's Notes

This series of scenarios focuses on the prize of the conflict, Urup Island. While air and sea combat should surely rage throughout the Russian Exclusion Zone, the main focus for both sides would be control of the island. I decided to go with three separate scenarios because it would be practically impossible to simulate the entire campaign without a full-fledged campaign supplement (like South Atlantic War). Both sides have good-sized fleets, hundreds of aircraft, and thousands of troops. Tracking the supplies, ship and air movement, not to mention ground combat involved in such a campaign would severely tax the resources of any gaming group and could turn into a record keeping nightmare. Each of the scenarios is designed to be playable on a stand-alone basis, but the option of linking them into a campaign is also available.

Many players may question the forces and armaments used in the scenarios. My intent was to show that in this quick-moving conflict each side would have to make do with the forces that are on hand. Losses in ships and aircraft would force commanders on both sides to use unusual force compositions. Recent conflicts have also shown that high-tech weapons are used up at an alarming rate. This can lead to some interesting situations, such as you finally find the big enemy task force and want to arm your aircraft with Harpoon missiles but you find that the only weapons you have left are iron bombs.

The Kuril Islands offer many interesting scenario possibilities. Extended length ASW and ASuW scenarios are always possibilities. Also, an amphibious attack or raid scenario could prove to be very interesting, especially if it could be linked with GDW's Combined Arms rules for an integrated land, air, and sea bathe. Both the Russian and the Japanese have a wide variety of ships, aircraft, and weapons systems that could provide some interesting confrontations.

I want to thank Mark Daymont for his help in researching the Kuril Islands. The information on weather patterns, ocean depths, and overall geography was invaluable. Also, many thanks to the Wasatch Front Simulation Group (Dennis, Gary, Lynn, Mark, Mike, Dave, and the Iranian Gunners from the Dark Side) for enduring the playtest sessions.

More Kuril Islands

BT

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© Copyright 1999 by Larry Bond and Clash of Arms.
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