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 (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+22 (31 July 1987) Part I

Aboard the US Navy aircraft carriers of Strike Fleet Atlantic, aircrews and intelligence staff were preparing for the first set of the day’s missions against targets on the Kola Peninsula. 0400 was the scheduled launch time. Surviving radar sites and air defenses near the bomber bases in the central region of the peninsula were the …

2022 WWIII Video Game Tournament Championship

For those in Peril on the sea.... Early in this tournament I had a feeling the championship matchup might very well end up being between Harpoon and Command. They are thoroughbreds in every way, and I expected both to go far. Prophesy fulfilled.  So, here we are. Two games that accurately simulate naval and air …

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 …

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+12 (21 July, 1987) Part IV

The plan Admiral Kapitanets devised was indeed a compromise of sorts. Instead of assigning an entire regiment of bombers to seek out and attack the American carrier group detected earlier by the Tu-95, Kapitanets ordered a smaller attack to be launched. Instead of twenty plus Tu-22 bombers, and a dozen support aircraft, the attack force …

The North Atlantic D+11 (20 July, 1987) Part III

It had taken longer than expected but on D+11 SACLANT secured HMS Illustrious and her escorts for operations in the Norwegian Sea and Barents. After the loss of Invincible, the British government became extremely reluctant to risk another Royal Navy aircraft carrier. Morale in Great Britain had taken a hit when news of Vince’s sinking …

The North Atlantic D+11 (20 July, 1987) Part I

Before departing from the Kola Peninsula, Marshal Akhromeyev visited the Red Banner Northern Fleet headquarters in Severomorsk to meet with fleet commander Admiral Ivan Kapitanets. Akhromeyev informed him of the personnel changes taking place at the theater headquarters. He then made it a point to emphasize to the admiral that his own job was safe-for …

The North Atlantic D+10 (19 July, 1987) Part I

In his Norfolk headquarters Admiral Lee Baggett Jr, USN, the Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic (SACLANT) took some time to reflect on the current situation in his command’s theater of operations. The four-star admiral was pleased. He had four carriers operating in the Norwegian Sea, the North Atlantic sea lanes were relatively secure, losses to merchant …