Europe 1985 AAR

Europe theater

Moderators: Lone Wolf, Snake Man

Post Reply
toonces
Brig. General
Posts: 484
Joined: 2008-07-20 19:43:12

Europe 1985 AAR

Post by toonces » 2008-08-07 20:32:44

On the request of Snakeman, I am cross-posting an AAR I was working on for the Europe 1985 v. 0.6 campaign available here at PMC Tactical.

...

Campaign: Europe 1985
Challenge Ratings: Campaign- Rookie, Pilot Skill- Ace, ADA Skill- Ace, all forces equal

The Road to War
15 July, 1985. Associated Press, New York: “Escalation of the Persian Gulf War continued today when Iranian aircraft attacked two oil tanks just outside the territorial waters of Bahrain. A ship of Dutch registry was reported sunk early this morning shortly after leaving port. At this time there is no report of survivors. The second ship, registered in Panama, was inbound to Bahrain when it was attacked by two Iranian war planes. Casualties are reported to be high…”

22 July, 1985: “This is Shepard Smith at the Fox News Center with a Fox News Alert. Despite condemnation by the UN, Western European nations, Japan, and the U.S., Iran has pledged to continue attacks on any vessel that enters the Persian Gulf, now declared a war zone by that country. Outside the Straits of Hormuz, entrance to the Persian Gulf, the number of tankers sitting at anchor, waiting for a break in the deadlock, continues to grow….”

26 July, 1985. U.S. State Department Press Release: “The attack by Iranian war planes on commercial vessels in the international waters of the Indian Ocean yesterday is a threat to the security of the world. The Unites States and the free world cannot allow such acts of deliberate terrorism to go unpunished. While the United States continues to pursue all available means to resolve this issue peacefully, military options are being considered…”

27 July, 1985. The Pentagon Channel: “This is a Pentagon Channel Breaking News Story. The destroyer U.S.S. Arleigh Burke, while on patrol in international waters off the Straits of Hormuz, was rammed, then fired upon by a Soviet cruiser of the Gorki class this morning. U.S. forces returned fire. Damage and casualties on either side are not known at this time…”

30 July, 1985. “This is Brian Williams at the NBC News Desk with a developing story out of Europe. Unconfirmed reports from Brussels, headquarters for NATO, state that the NATO nations have ordered their armed forces to moblize and commence deployment to wartime positions. While there is no official word from Washington concerning this, announcement of an address to the nation by the President at seven o’clock this morning, followed by a joint pres conference by the Secretaries of State and Defense seems to add credibility to these reports…”

[adapted from “Team Yankee” by Harold Coyle]

toonces
Brig. General
Posts: 484
Joined: 2008-07-20 19:43:12

Post by toonces » 2008-08-07 20:35:07

Mission 1: CDR Johnson, Aviano Airbase, Italy. Hammer 1, flight of 2 F/A-18C of VMFA-312, tasked with SEAD/DEAD against an SA-6 site at Praha. Loadout is 2 AIM-7M, 2 AIM-9M, 2 CBU-59 APAM, 2 AGM-88, 2 wing drops.
T/O: 0910

Image

Image


Approach to target is eventful. The flight is engaged by a MiG-21 flight. CDR Johnson expends 2xAIM-7 (0 hits) and 2xAIM-9 for 2 hits and 1xMiG-21 killed. However, during the fight the flight is drawn within range of an SA-10 site. This is a terribly nasty, terribly accurate SAM. 2xSA-10 are launched, 1xSA-8 is launched. Despite heroic maneuvering CDR Johnson's F/A-18 is hit by one SA-10. After a safe ejection he is captured to spend the rest of the war as a POW.

Mission result: FAILURE

toonces
Brig. General
Posts: 484
Joined: 2008-07-20 19:43:12

Post by toonces » 2008-08-07 20:35:30

Mission 2: CDR Smith, XO, VMFA-312, Aviano AB. Mission 2 is scheduled as a deep strike. T/O is scheduled for 1022. However, before T/O the base is hit by Warsaw Pact strike aircraft and shut down. Mission is aborted.

Mission result: NONE

toonces
Brig. General
Posts: 484
Joined: 2008-07-20 19:43:12

Post by toonces » 2008-08-07 20:37:58

Mission 3: Lt. Col. Chauncy "Toonces" McGuillicutty, Commanding Officer 72nd Wild Weasel Fighter Squadron. Wunstorf Airbase, West Germany. The mission is a flight of 2 F-4G scheduled for SEAD/DEAD against a target to the SE. Armament consists of 2xAGM-88, 6xCBU-58A/B, 2xAIM-7.
T/O: 1116

Image

Image



Approach to target is made high at 25k. I want to get painted and engaged by SAMs so that I can hit them with my HARMs. Enroute I hit a low-alt SA-13 with 1xAGM-88 for a kill, and 1 SA-2 with 1xAGM-88 for a kill.
I am engaged by 5 SA-2, one of which hits me. I should have spent less time taking pictures and more time evading. This is the one that got me.

Image

My F-4G is mortally hit, I eject and we get two good chutes. I collect my WSO and get on my PRC-90 moments after hitting the ground behind enemy lines. Fortunately there is a ground attack by some AH-64's taking place nearby and they are able to vector in a rescue bird.

Image

Mission result: UNKNOWN, mission still in progress, rescued.

toonces
Brig. General
Posts: 484
Joined: 2008-07-20 19:43:12

Post by toonces » 2008-08-07 20:39:49

Mission 4: "Toonces", Wunstorf AB, West Germany. A short Blackhawk ride back to Wunstorf and I am back in flight status. Mission is 2xF-4G SEAD/DEAD against an air defense battalion 10nm southeast of Prague. Armament is 2xAGM-88, 6xCBU-58A/B, 2xAIM-7M, 3 drop tanks.

T/O: 1233


Again I approach the target at altitude. Last flight I found that 20k worked well as it gave me enough air to get performance on my jet as well as enough vis to get a great look at any SAM launches.
Enroute to target I am engaged by an SA-2 near Liepzig. The SA-2 isn’t hard to defeat as long as I get it in sight and fly instead of taking pictures. Of course, I take pictures anyway. I got two good shots of the SA-2 I evaded. Altogether I have 6 SA-2 launched at me.

Image

Image

My flight gets to target. I launch 2 AGM-88 for one kill against a single SA-2 site. My wingman gets an AGM-88 kill on a Spoon Rest at the destination. Both jets successfully RTB.

Mission result: SUCCESS

toonces
Brig. General
Posts: 484
Joined: 2008-07-20 19:43:12

Post by toonces » 2008-08-07 20:41:53

Mission 5: "Toonces", Wunstorf AB, West Germany. Another flight of 2 F-4G SEAD/DEAD flight from Wunstorf. Standard AGM-88, cluster bombs and AIM-7 loadout, plus a centerline drop. For this sortie my flight is paired with a strike mission of 2 F-4Gs ( HAMMER) carrying ARM missiles and CBUs.

Image

Image


T/O: 1749
Enroute to target both flights come across a flight of enemy SU-25 Frogfoots. I engage with 2 AIM-7 for 2 misses. HAMMER 11 gets one SU-25, my wingman gets the second. During the fight I have 2 AA-8 launched at me which I evade.
Continuing enroute an SA-3 is launched at me. I retaliate with an AGM-88 that kills the Low Blow radar and the SA-3 is defeated. A second AGM-88 misses. HAMMER 11 takes out the target SA-2 site but is in turn shot down and MIA.
My flight successfully RTBs.

Mission result: SUCCESS

toonces
Brig. General
Posts: 484
Joined: 2008-07-20 19:43:12

Post by toonces » 2008-08-07 20:44:16

Mission 6: 1st Lieutenant Grell, 23rd Fighter Squadron, Frankfort, West Germany. The mission is a flight of 2xF-15C to escort a strike package of 4xF-16. Reforger is still ramping up and air to ground supplies are limited. NATO desperately needs to stall the Warsaw Pact offensive, so the F-16s will be going in with AGM-65s; virtually ineffective against the runways but perhaps useful to knock down some of the support structures or grounded aircraft. Lt. Grell walks out of the planning shack shaking his head in disbelief at the tasking, but he is determined to do his best to slow the Red onslaught.

Loadout for F-15s is 6xAIM-7, 2xAIM-9. The F-16s are carrying mavericks.

Image

This gives a good overview of where the FLOT lies. However, most of the Warsaw Pact ground forces do not show up. Recon is sorely insufficient.

Image

Image


T/O: 2016
This turns out to be a fairly long, involved flight. The first target encountered enroute is an A-50. Lt. Grell engages with 2xAIM-7 one of which misses, one of which kills it. During the engagement an additional flight of SU-25s are encountered. Lt. Grell engages with AIM-7. The first hits and destroys the target. The second hits the debris and the third goes stupid and misses with no target to kill. The remaining SU-25s evade Grell and his wingman.
Then REDCROWN calls out a flight of Il-78s. Grell engages with AIM-9 and gets 2 hits that destroy one. The second evades.

Image

There are SAMs everywhere near the target, so Grell is careful when following the bogeys, not allowing himself to get drawn near the especially dangerous SA-10 site.



Land time is 2150 with 2000lbs of gas. The mission was flown almost entirely without time compression and Grell and his wingman felt like the truly earned their pay!



Unfortunately, despite 3 A/A kills the mission is scored as a failure due to minimal damage to target from the F-16s.

Mission result: FAILURE

toonces
Brig. General
Posts: 484
Joined: 2008-07-20 19:43:12

Post by toonces » 2008-08-07 20:46:39

Mission 7: Flight Lieutenant Manfred Von Munsten, Hahn Airbase, West Germany. 53rd Attack Squadron, West German Airforce.

Air Command has initiated an offensive. Flt. Lt. Von Munsten will lead a 16 ship Tornado strike against the Bayreuth Factory.

Image

Von Munsten's flight (STING 1) is 4xTornado IDS tasked for strike with 4x1000lb bombs per aircraft.
Also in the strike is:
HOSTAGE 1: 4xTornado IDS (Strike)
SCOUT 1: 4xF/A-18C (SEAD Escort)
MAKO 1: 4xF/A-18C (Escort)

Image


T/O: 2353


Image

Ingress to target is made at treetop level. The target is lit up by HOSTAGE 1 so Von Munsten and flight go with CCIP for the drop. He gets an assembly building kill, for the flight they get the assembly bldg., generator, storage tank, and warehouse. SCOUT 1 gets 2 SA-13 sites.


Image

Land time is DAY 2, 0048

Mission result: SUCCESS

toonces
Brig. General
Posts: 484
Joined: 2008-07-20 19:43:12

Post by toonces » 2008-08-07 20:48:49

Mission 8: Flt. Lt. Von Munsten, Hahn AB. 4xTornado IDS strike. Target is Goslar factory. Loadout is 4xMK-84.


Image


T/O: DAY 2, 0958

Image

Dropped in CCRP with 100% hits for the flight.
No enemy air or SAM activity.

Image

Image


Mission result: SUCCESS

toonces
Brig. General
Posts: 484
Joined: 2008-07-20 19:43:12

Post by toonces » 2008-08-07 20:49:30

Mission 9: 2nd Lieutenant Orloski, Aviano AB, Italy. 3rd Fighter Squadron.
Mission is 4xF-15C to escort a strike flight of 4xF/A-18C to Varazdin. Loadout is 2xAIM-9 and 4xAIM-7.

Image

The Hornets are tasked directly over a SA-10 site with no SEAD escort. The result is destruction of the Hornet flight by SA-10s. All Albinos RTB safely because Lt. Orloski wouldn’t fly in the SA-10 engagement zone.

Mission result: FAILURE

toonces
Brig. General
Posts: 484
Joined: 2008-07-20 19:43:12

Post by toonces » 2008-08-07 20:50:15

Mission 10: "Toonces", Wunstorf AB, West Germany.
Mission is 2xF-4G for a SEAD/DEAD mission. Loadout is 2 AGM-88, 6xCBU, 3 drops.
T/O: DAY 2, 1320
Approaching target we get locked up the target SA-10 site. I lock the site up with an AGM-88 and await range indication. However, while locked up, with absolutely no RWR warning whatsoever, I am hit by an SA-10!
The hit is mortal, resulting in an ejection and rescue of myself and my WSO. My WSO is starting to wonder if the CO has some sort of death wish...this is going to be a short war at this rate.

Image

Altogether 3 SA-10 were launched at my aircraft. The SA-10 is an extremely dangerous foe.

Mission result: UNKNOWN, mission still in progress

toonces
Brig. General
Posts: 484
Joined: 2008-07-20 19:43:12

Post by toonces » 2008-08-07 20:51:31

Mission 11: "Toonces", Wunstorf AB, West Germany. 2xF-4G tasked with SEAD/DEAD of an air defense battalion to the northeast. Loadout is light with 2xAGM-88, 6xCBU, NO drops.
T/O: DAY 2, 2111
This time I approach the SA-10 low. We go in at alt until about 60nm. The I put on the NVGs and drop down to treetop level. One thing I’ve noticed about the Europe theater is that there is a lot of weather and I’ve been on instruments more in this theater than any other. It’s a refreshing change!

Image

At any rate, I’m lucky I stashed my NVGs in my helmet bag this flight because we finally get some success with the high-low-high approach. We come in low and then pop up short. Upon lock of the SA-10 I shoot 2xAGM-88 for a hit on the SA-10 and a hit on the radar. The radar ring on the HSD disappears (realistic?). Flying over an enemy airfield I am engaged by AAA at about 10-12k alt. I select the CBUs with salvo 6 and roll in with CCIP. This was stupid. I know better than to roll in like this but I feel that my speed can keep me out of danger. I pickle and pull up, still with about 7k alt.

Image

It’s not enough and I pick up a bad engine hit in pull-up. My WSO and I troubleshoot but NATOPS directs us to eject. We’re on fire with a dual engine hit and I’m losing flight controls so we get as far outbound as we can, broadcast a MAYDAY on guard and then punch out with 2 good chutes.
We are rescued and in debrief we learn we hit multiple ground vehicles and an SA-5 with the CBUs.
Result is loss of one airframe- perhaps a fair trade for multiple SAMs and GVs.

Mission result: UNKNOWN, mission still in progress, presumed success (rating is good)

toonces
Brig. General
Posts: 484
Joined: 2008-07-20 19:43:12

Post by toonces » 2008-08-07 20:52:43

The Intel picture late DAY 2, early DAY 3:

Image

The first C-130s are able to start getting in supplies to the forward airbases.

Image

toonces
Brig. General
Posts: 484
Joined: 2008-07-20 19:43:12

Post by toonces » 2008-08-07 23:27:44

Mission 12: "Toonces", Wunstorf AB, West Germany.

Our squadron is awakened by air raid sirens. Warsaw Pact aircraft attack and crater the Wunstorf AB. The squadron mans a C-141 for transfer to Eindoven.

Image


DAY3: "Toonces", 72nd Wild Weasel Fighter Squadron, Eindoven Airbase. Flight is 4xF-4G SEAD Escort for 4xF/A-18C. Briefing indicates SA-10 site at target (great). Loadout is 2xAGM-88, 2.AIM-7, 3 drops.
T/O: DAY 3, 0110
Enroute I have no comms with AWACS, although wingman comms are fine. Perhaps AWACS was forced to abort?

Image

At any rate, approach to target was at alt, 20k.

Image

However, if nothing else, I’ve learned that approaching the SA-10 at alt doesn’t work. Therefore, at 100nm out we descend to 10k and approaching the radar ring for the SA-10 we go to the deck on NVGs. Approaching the target at 200 AGL over the water, we get intermittent paints from the SA-10.

Image

The Hornets, unfortunately, proceed inbound at altitude. Despite attempting to get sufficiently ahead of the Hornets for SEAD, their approach at alt doesn’t provide sufficient time for my flight to hit the SA-10 before the SAMs engage the Hornets. I can hear their flight setting up for the strike, but I am unable to get off my HARMs fast enough. My flight pops up within range of the SA-10s and I loft 2 HARMs for 1 kill on the SA-10 (Tombstone). The other Phantoms in my flight have no hits, and the radar ring doesn’t disappear- did I kill the SA-10?
Meanwhile the entire Hornet flight is downed by the SA-10.

toonces
Brig. General
Posts: 484
Joined: 2008-07-20 19:43:12

Post by toonces » 2008-08-07 23:29:02

Mission 12 Continued:

The flight breaks away hard after shooting the HARMs.

Image

Image

All Phantoms RTB at 0230.

Mission result: FAILURE. I think this is BS. My flight got a hard kill on the SA-10 but was discredited for failure to reach TOT. It’s unreasonable to require my flight to reach TOT on an SA-10 site when we are using standoff weapons. Anyway, such is life.

toonces
Brig. General
Posts: 484
Joined: 2008-07-20 19:43:12

Post by toonces » 2008-08-07 23:29:58

INTEL REPORT
DAY 3, 0900

Image

Looking at the intel picture into the third day of fighting, NATO has a clear superiority in both air power and ground power. My impressions up to this point are as follows:
This Europe scenario is supposed to reflect some sort of ‘Red Storm Rising’ type conflict. I don’t necessarily disagree with the NATO air superiority after 3 days, but I don’t think the disparity should necessarily be this drastic either. From what I’ve read, and my general impressions of how a conflict like this would evolve, the Warsaw Pact should have a much higher quantity of lesser quality aircraft. Although the NATO forces would get the larger percentage of kills, the large quantity of WP aircraft would provide parity and I would expect air superiority to be challenged much longer than 3 days. Having played this campaign for 2 days on the WP side as a MiG-25 pilot previously, I know that the NATO forces rapidly shut all of the WP airfields down rendering the air superiority contest one sided.
Furthermore, the scenario notes (as far as I’ve been able to read) do not indicate the background or starting position of the forces for the scenario. A scenario like this could happen several ways, from complete ‘blitzkrieg’ type surprise to a protracted build-up and anything in between. A most likely scenario, in my opinion, would be a surprise attack by overwhelming WP ground forces. Yet in this scenario the front line is well-separated from the NATO forces. Additionally, the NATO forces have a clear numerical superiority in GVs after 3 days. Again, I find this unlikely. I would expect the WP to achieve ground superiority in the early game and only after hard fighting might NATO expect to reach parity.
Overall, the scenario seems to greatly favor NATO with Rookie setting and equal starting forces. It may be better to start the scenario in Veteran or even Ace campaign settings in order to give the Warsaw Pact a clear numerical advantage requiring NATO to fight the desperate fight to slow the mass of forces before they achieve victory.

toonces
Brig. General
Posts: 484
Joined: 2008-07-20 19:43:12

Post by toonces » 2008-08-07 23:32:19

Mission 13: Captain Locklear, 57th Fighter Squadron, Wunstorf AB, West Germany. The airfield is still shut down, however, the engineers have cleared enough of the runway to allow the smaller Vipers to utilize the main runway on the edges.

Flight is 4xF-16CG tasked with a strike on the Madsburg factory. This should be a milkrun; no enemy SAMs or aircraft expected. Ord is AIM-9s and 6xMk-82.

T/O: DAY 3, 0908

Image


The Viper feels like a Cadillac after hauling that Phantom around the last couple of days. Wow, 8000lbs fuel on takeoff?! I’m looking for homeplate at 8k in the Phantom. And there is power to spare in the Viper. The flight cruises leisurely to target at 20k, drop in CCIP salvo 6.
Results are 100% hits for Lt. Locklear and wingman, 1 hit for -3 and 4 hits for -4. Factory is destroyed.

Image

During RTB the flight comes across BUFF 2, a flight of 4xB-52 enroute to take care of some business.

Image

Image

Land time is 0942.

Mission result: SUCCESS

toonces
Brig. General
Posts: 484
Joined: 2008-07-20 19:43:12

Post by toonces » 2008-08-07 23:33:19

Mission 14: Flt. Lt. Munsten, Hahn AB, West Germany.
Tasking is 2xTornado IDS for On-call CAS. Loadout is 7xMk-83.
Munsten's flight is Sting 2. Also on the flight are:
Bronco 2: 2xTornado IDS, CAS
Jaguar 1: 1xAH-1, FAC

T/O: DAY 3, 1214

Munsten checks in with AWACS about 60nm out and is told to hold. At tasked destination waypoint the flight receives vectors to an enemy armored column, 150 for 30nm, cleared hot.

After some scanning they find the armored column. Munsten drops in pairs, 4 runs in CCIP on the column. He gets some small caliber AAA but nothing significant and takes no damage.

Image

RTB is uneventful. Munsten scores 6 kills, various tanks and ground vehicles. However the sim scores it as a failure because TOT not reached. I don’t understand this result precisely because not only did I reach my destination waypoint, I attacked a target in the vicinity of where I was vectored. I can only surmise the target I struck was the incorrect one, but if so, it was certainly close.

Mission result: FAILURE

toonces
Brig. General
Posts: 484
Joined: 2008-07-20 19:43:12

Post by toonces » 2008-08-07 23:33:34

Mission 15: Lt. Locklear, Wunstorf AB, West Germany.
Flight is 4xF-16CG. Target is Rathenow Factory, 50nm west of Berlin. Loadout is 4xMk-84 and 4xAIM-9.

T/O: DAY 3, 1415.

Flight is uneventful. Locklear and two wingmen score 100% hits dropping in CCIP. Wingman -3 is hit by an uncharted SA-13.

Mission result: SUCCESS

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 13 guests