Damaged Equals Killed Part II

Across the board in the Third World War, damage control officers and sailors worked heroically to save their stricken ships. Some efforts were ultimately successful while others were not. In many cases owing to circumstances beyond their control. For the officers and sailors who were able to extinguish fires and restore stability and buoyancy, their …

The North Atlantic D+22 (31 July 1987) Part III (Alpha)

0405- News of the failed Badger attack on Strike Fleet Atlantic reaches Norfolk. SACLANT agrees with strike fleet commander’s assessment of the situation, which was helpfully included with the initial report. After reading over the telex, SACLANT ordered his staff to  be recalled immediately (it was 2105 hours, the previous evening in Virginia). Then he …

The North Atlantic D+22 (31 July 1987) Part II (Bravo)

Radar-guided and heat-seeking missiles joined the fray next as the four Forrestal Tomcats engaged. With each second that passed, the air battle became even more chaotic. The Soviet raid commander was now fully cognizant his aircraft—and crews—were suffering heavy losses. Once the US Navy fighters moved in to make use of their Sidewinders. In the …

The North Atlantic D+22 (31 July 1987) Part II (Alpha)

0201- The first Tu-16 Badger started rolling down Severomorsk-3’s 2500-meter runway. The twenty-seven bombers and three ECM-equipped Badgers of the regiment were airborne and heading towards a pre-designated rendezvous point over the Barents Sea, 321 kilometers from the northern coast of the Kola Peninsula. 0220- As the Badgers flew north, operations for the morning’s offensive …

The North Atlantic D+21 (30 July, 1987) Part II

Vice Admiral Feliks Gromov was the new commander-in-chief of the Red Banner Northern Fleet. He served in the capacity of deputy commander of the fleet until the removal of his former superior Admiral Kapitanets. Gromov inherited the same damaged Northern Fleet and deteriorating circumstances his predecessor had labored to reverse before the KGB arrived and …

The North Atlantic D+21 (30 July, 1987) Part I

At 0035 hours local time, SACLANT’s new orders and revised rules of engagement were transmitted to Strike Fleet Atlantic. With the new set of orders, the reasons behind the suspension of further air attacks against targets on the Kola Peninsula was revealed. A handful of consequential factors were coming into play that necessitated a temporary …

2021 Holiday Tournament: Round 2 Operational Outside Europe, Naval Operational

Operational Outside Europe #1 Gulf Strike vs #3 Korea 1995 The mark of a classic wargame is the title’s ability to accurately simulate the changing realities in a particular theater’s era of conflict. Gulf Strike exemplifies this, having offered not only a game but a simulation tool that served gamers well through the volatile period …

2021 Holiday Tournament Round 1: Naval Operational

#1 Harpoon vs #8 3rd Fleet Very few wargames have had as much clout and influence as Harpoon. The game was responsible for helping to launch the writing career of Tom Clancy and almost singlehandedly brought on a golden age in naval wargaming during the 1980s. And of course, Harpoon the tabletop game led to …

The North Atlantic D+17 (26 July, 1987) Part I

COMSTRIKFLTLANT’s suspicions about the real purpose behind Moscow’s bluster and threats regarding continued US and NATO air attacks against Soviet military targets on the Kola turned out to be accurate. The Red Banner Northern Fleet and other air and sea components of the Northwestern TVD had taken advantage of the pause in Strike Fleet Atlantic’s …

Gaming World War III: Reboot Candidates

Reboots are in style again these days. Movies, TV shows, music and novels have all been bitten by the reboot bug to varying extents. The reboot craze can be partly attributed to a lack of creativity in the arts, so to speak. We seem to have reached a point where the majority of modern releases …