Operation Praying Mantis
Shipwreck game, scenario from Martin Bourne, may be found on WargameVault.
Map overlayed with 3NM hexagons, using (Map Tool) so:
- Ships movement is one hex per turn, two hexes top speed.
- Helicopters 7 hexes per turn.
Ranges:
- VS: same hex, up to 1 hex away
- Short: 2-4 hexes
- Long: 5-28 hexes
- Very Long: 29-50 hexes
- Extreme: 51+ hexes
Navi USA
- 2X DDG Adams class
- 2X DDG Spruance class
- 1X DDG Belknap class
- 1X Austin amphibious transport
- 1X FFG Knox class
- 1X FFG O.H. Perry class
Navi Iran
- 1 X PBG La combattante class
- 2 X FFG Vosper 5 frigate
- Many Boghammars (fast boats)
- 3 X Oil Rigs
US planes are constantly on CAP. Attack planes, also constantly on CAP, can be called for strikes on ships attacking the naval force, or may be called then following the normal aircraft strike rule. In all cases the weapons used in the combat are then used-up until a new CAP arrives.
A new CAP arrives as follows from the strike-calling rule.
Iranian planes must be called by a surface unit, also from Oil Rigs.
Map below taken from USNI magazine.
The game
The game lasted about 32 turns, four hours of game time.
The iranians joined the battle with three groups of Boghammars, entering during the first three hours of game time. A frigate appeared towards the end but quickly dashed back to safety.
During this time about a dozen tankers entered the area, with a larger balance coming from East.
The three american SAGs, each with three surface ships, entered from the south, with North and North-East heading, pointing directly towards two of the iranian oil rigs.
SAG Bravo, the one containing the amphibious transport, sent two helicopter to reconnoitre the air rig defences and spotted twin 23mm AA guns defending the site. SAG Bravo promptly started shelling the first rig.
SAG Charlie, probably assuming that the second rig was unarmed, approached at very short distance with a frigate. The frigate was immediately targeted by two twin 23mm AA guns and got some light damage to one of its flight decks.
Right after SAG Charlie moved at safe distance and started shelling the second rig.
After having suppressed most of the AA defences, a very bald air assault by a marine platoon riding two chinooks caused the oil rig occupants to surrender.
In the mean time SAG Delta was heading towards the tankers coming from East, having spotted with two helicopters in recoinnassance at least two Boghammar groups. A third Boghammar had already harassed one tanker.
The real action started when one Boghammar group, profiting from the cover of a small island, rushed towards a second tanker causing some slight damage but terrorising its crew.
The beginning of the game. Some tankers may be seen heading East and West from the two sides of the region of the Persian Gulf, just north of Dubai This picture is taken from the West side of the area. 
Another view from the East. US helicopter may be seen, searching for Iranian surface units. 
This is part of SAG Bravo. 
Action some miles East of an Iranian oil rig 
Here the first oil rig assaulted by the Marines!
SAG Delta rushed in the fray at flank speed, but the small crafts hid behind the large tankers and could not be targeted by the US ships.
The US ships decided to take the risk and approach the tanker at very short distance. In a rush the boighammars left the safety of the tanker and approached very closely the american frigate. The frigate was not ready for a close melee and did not succeed in hitting any of the five Boghammars, while it was hit, by an extremely unlucky event, in the flight deck which started a fire. The frigate went immediately into emergency halt and firefighters started containing the fire.
In about twenty minutes the fire was out and the frigate became combat ready again, but the Boghammars were dashing for safety towards the island. Only two out of five boghammars reached the safety of the island and ran aground, but their raid had been extremely successful!!
The action ended when the other two Boghammar groups dashed for safety after having harassed another two tankers and became subject of two air attacks of A7s and Tomcats which were vectored to strafe the small craft.
The remaining oil rig crews surrendered right after all offensive activities by Iranians stopped and the Gulf was completely under US control.
Overall the iranians won a close victory, having harassed three tankers and having caused damage to two US ships at the expense of one Boghammar group and the surrender of the three oil rigs!
