Under African Skies (2017) - a CMANO AAR

[undercovergeek]

The last Tiger circles the deck of the Tonnerre, the Mistral class Helicopter carrier of the French TF, desperate for fuel after racing away from the burning cargo ship and the missiles in hot pursuit. Slowing to descend the pilot never sees the incoming vampires that slam into the side of the carrier, 4, then 2 then 2 more missiles hit the French flagship and the cataclysmic explosion takes the Tiger with it. The destroyer Chevalier Paul is also hit despite the massive amount of countermeasures deployed, and the side of the destroyer Primauguet is ripped open by a torpedo, the flag is passed to the French replenishment ship Meuse, and the 2 remaining ships, the destroyer Montcalm and the frigate Aconit move to pick up any survivors.

Seeing the torpedo from the northwest of the French TF and the sub fired missiles from the southwest its time to instigate proper ASW. I create an ASW grid in front of the US TF and tie it to the movement of the fleet, where the TF goes, the ASW mission goes. 3 Seahawks are deployed and are assigned to ASW duties around the TF, the P8 on its way from Ascension is also assigned to ASW and changes course for its new mission

To the North firm contacts are made by the loitering F35 on 2 half Roland SAM battalions around the Murtala Muhammed airport, a full S2 battalion and a radar site. The USS Truxton is ordered to fire 5 Tomahawks, 1 each for the Rolands and radar, 2 for the S2. They set off at 500 knots, just 60 feet above the water, at the same time i launch 4 F35s armed with JDAM bombs to follow the Tomahawks north.

Alarms screech as the French TF picks up more than 30 incoming vampires heading from the coast and the Chinese TF. The TF spreads out and prepares its self defence routines

The HMS Ambush has a new course plotted to approach the Chinese TF and then turn parallel to the TF to bring about its full array package - because, you know Crimson Tide and all that!

To the North the loitering F35 sees 2 F7 Airguard interceptors from the CWA Airforce. Checking his position and the time, having just gone feet dry over the Lagos coastline and it being 07:01 am he launches 2 Amraam missiles at each plane and turns back for the USS Bataan to replenish, before hes over the water again both targets explode behind him.

9 missiles it make it through the French countermeasures, the Chevalier Paul and the Primauguet are hit over and over again, the burning hulk of the Tonnerre receives another hit and the new flagship Meuse takes 2 - the ship is burning and listing in the water but still fighting. Alarms ring out around the French TF, vampires incoming........




** do you guys want pics of the ships and planes mentioned here, just for a visual reference? **

[Sir Slash]

I would love some pics or screenies if you prefer. And somebody send those French some Garlic and silver crosses to ward off all those Vampires.

[Airborne Rifles]

Wow, that went south fast for the French!

[mirth]

They had better luck at Trafalgar.

[OJsDad]

How embarrassing is it that the CWA took out your entire task force in less than 10 minutes.  Ok, maybe the CWA had some Chinese help, but still.

[undercovergeek]

French TF casualties -

Tonnerre, heli carrier



Chevalier Paul



Primauguet



The new flagship, burning and flooding but still operational, Meuse



And the two survivors so far, the Aconit



and Montcalm



The 2 recently splashed CWA F7s



French Tigers - missile fodder



F35B stalking the Lagos coastline

[undercovergeek]

Support planes heading out of Ascension



The Chinese TF



Remains of French TF



Murtala Muhammed Airfield and its SAM sites



USTF

[undercovergeek]

As the F35 heads home a flurry of activity is picked up by his sensors, at least 4 F7s are vectoring in on his firing position and a prop powered AWACS aircraft is seen moving around in country. Thankfully the Chinese Flankers, about 200 miles east, stay put.

The second F35 sent to snoop on the Chinese TF turns North and slows down to track the progress of the ships and report as much info as possible. From up here he can see the incoming vampires headed towards the French TF, the Meuse takes another hit and starts to list heavily to port. The Aconit takes two hits and is crippled, and the Montcalm remains invisible to the eyes of the Chinese and is undamaged, it is her countermeasures that have saved the other two.

The group of F35 bombers head north staying just ahead of the 5 Tomahawks, the intention been to arrive at the same time and finish off any targets of opportunity around the airfield.

The 4 MQ8B Firescout drones switch on their radars painting the Chinese TF, the oilfields and nearby coast and providing USS Helena surface coverage as she races to catch up with the Chinese.

The sound of 2 missiles been launched take me to the French TF, nothing there, nothings coming for the US TF, nothing coming out of Lagos or northern Nigeria towards the returning F35, and then there they are, the snooping F35, now within range of the Chinese TF has launched 2 AMRAAMs at the the 2 ASW helos they have covering the fleet - i was trying to avoid any contact at all with the Chinese and let them fire first if at all, too late for that now as the 2 Helos are splashed..... makes it easier for Helena and Ambush i suppose.

I change the ROE to 'only when i fkng tell you to' and get the F35 out of there, hes sent further north where the other one was loitering to see if he can bring down any Airguard with his remaining AMRAAMs

The Tomahawks are on final approach to Murtala Mohammed Airport and are starting to pick up various AAA targets with their cameras. The F35s follow them in, the radar site is destroyed in the blink of an eye, the 2 Roland sites take 70% damage and the SAM battalion takes 50% damage - this is exactly what the F35s followed them to do, of the 4 F35s they are each tasked with releasing a JDAM, 2 each at the remaining Roland sites, then they will come around for the SAM batallion........

then the SAM battalion despite taking 50% damage launches 2 missiles at the F35s

[undercovergeek]

The F35s release their bombs and switch to full power, turning away from the missiles. I dont know whether they didnt have full lock or it was some kind of snap shot but both missiles go wide of the F35s. Behind them the Roland batteries are destroyed. There seems no point not finishing the job and the F35s are ordered to turn around and take out the S2 group. The bombs are released and all 4 are ordered back to USS Bataan, just before the JDAMs hit the SAM battery releases 2 more missiles in vengeful anger, the F35s are ordered to full power and 500 ft just over the water, the missiles are locked and in pursuit - i actually close my eyes, 5 seconds later theres still 4 F35s and a message telling me both missiles were spoofed by chaff and flares - we're heading home

To the southwest the B52s and B2s are starting their patrol pattern whilst i figure out there likely targets, they may need refuelling before they set off again and the tankers are forming up on their pattern too

The firescouts one by one start to run out of fuel and they head home to the USTF for refuelling, just in time for the first F35 'scout' to come back up the ramps on the Bataan and be ready for launch with a fresh round of AMRAAMs - hes ordered to head towards the Chinese TF but not to fire

Alarms sound and my attention is drawn to 2 incoming torpedoes on the last French ship, Montcalm. The 2 helos that have been fatally circling around the ship, running out of fuel, running out of sonarbuoys head off to prosecute the contact further north. The Montcalm turns 180 degrees and heads off at full speed, 30 knots, the incoming torpedoes are running at 40 knots - its a race against the fuel on board the torps

The next F35 scout comes back on deck on the Bataan and he is ordered North to Lagos to look for airborne targets of opportunity, there is a new prop based AWACs aircraft with an escort of 2 F7s up there

After a very tense few minutes the Montcalm outruns the torpedoes and heads back toward the sub contact, the 2 helos find nothing and return to circle the lonely ship.

At 08:45am we receive a Top Secret transmission - the French would like us to go pick up the 100s of sailors stranded in the sea, drop off rafts and supplies, and send in a small rescue TF to pick up the injured. The area of operations is now guarded by a Chinese sub and the TF is 30 miles off to the east...... this is going to get dangerous

[Airborne Rifles]

Hopefully there aren't too many sharks about...

[undercovergeek]

The US TF launches all its Ospreys, heading north east to the last known position of the French TF to drop rafts and supplies. The Montcalm is still circling there, out of ammo and out of luck Im sure she should be heading home by now. The Chinese TF to her south east closes every minute.

The 4 RQ4B Global Hawk drones split up and head to 4 points on the coast covering the Chinese TF, the mass of civilian shipping and oil wells to the east, the Northern coast near Lagos and the Eastern coast near Port Harcourt, they all turn on their radars and begin sweeping the area.

The B52s and B2s arrive shortly after, one flight of B52s is tasked with destroying the Muhammed Murtala airfield to the North, at least to cause as much damage to the runways as possible - the prop based recon planes are taking off from here. One B2 is headed further North over Lagos and then will cut east to destroy a raft of SAM sites defending the North Eastern airport of Nnamdi Azikiwe just outside Abuja, where the airguard are launching from, there are CWA targets of opportunity here such as a training centre, national mosque, and military HQ. The other B2 heads east to come around the civilian shipping and to spot any Chinese SAMS along the way, primarily the SA20 Gargoyles and will attempt to take these out. That leaves the flight of 4 B52s that will try and reduce Nnamdi Azikiwe to rubble.

The Ospreys turn around on bingo fuel without dropping their supplies, they are ordered back to the Bataan which will steam on a more direct course to the French area and relaunch - that will take 3 hours.

The small TF tasked with arriving in the French disaster zone is on its way at full speed.

The 2 subs head on a more direct route to intercept the Chinese TF.

The first flight of B52s launch all their missiles at Muhammed Murtala and head back to Ascension, this happens at the same time as the first B2 launching at the S2s and Rolands around Abuja. CIA teams are arriving around the airport to provide BDA.

2 launch alarms go off, another pair of torpedos are headed toward the Montcalm and an unseen SA20 Gargoyle has intercepted 2 of the B2s missiles headed toward the Command HQ of the CWA at Abuja. The teams on the ground report massive damage to 2 runways at Muhammed Murtala as the missiles do their work, and one runway is destroyed completely, other targets including the control tower and main terminal building are also destroyed.

To the east the B2 takes down the Roland sites, a radar, heavily damages the Command HQ and training centre and one of the two S2 sites. Remaining are the SA20 and a damaged S2 batallion - the B52s will finish this work - we managed to avoid hitting the Chinese embassy

The Montcalm cannot out run these 2 torpedos and finally succumbs to the Chinese, the French are completely destroyed - the US TF heads to the area at full speed to provide the promised Osprey drops