Under African Skies (2017) - a CMANO AAR

[undercovergeek]

In lieu of Airborne Rifles excellent Northern Fury AAR im going to try my hand at a CMANO scenario and AAR.

This is my first play of the game after the tutorials, ive scanned the scenario list and this one appealed to me greatly. I have to admit im more of a fan of the 80's/90's era, being familiar with the F14s, Tornados, and Harriers of the time but the geography and backstory to the scenario caught my eye.

Usually my AARs are screenshots with text descriptions but im going to keep this as text, primarily to keep with the illusion of story and secondly after reading AR's AAR i realised the mind can conjur much more powerful images than the game can.

"The date of the event was Sunday, January 22, 2017.   The time was 1:03 PM on the East Coast of the United States.  The new American President had been sworn into office forty-eight hours ago, and this day he was in the White House with VIP guests, donors, campaign staff, family and friends.  This privileged group, like tens of millions of Americans that day, is glued to the big screen television.  Today is the highly anticipated American Football Conference Championship; the semi-final before the Super Bowl.  The much hyped game was between the Denver Broncos and the Baltimore Ravens, and kick-off at Mile High Stadium in Denver just happened to the cheers of these elite party goers.  The smart money said Denver would walk away with an easy victory – and since the new President hailed from Colorado, no one at the White House was wearing a Raven's jersey.  No one, that is, except the Senate Minority Leader who was from the opposing political party.  It was all great fun.  Spirits were high, the beer was flowing and the White House Chief of Staff couldn't have been happier with the electric atmosphere and upbeat photo ops that could only benefit his new boss.  Little did anyone know that before half-time arrived, the country would forever be changed.

The war didn't start with a Weapon of Mass Destruction.  In fact, the attack wasn't high tech at all; it was decidedly low tech – almost antique.  Specifically, what the media would come to refer to as the "weapons package" was a Soviet WWII era M1937 82mm mortar with twelve rounds of ammunition.  Later investigation would show that the weapon was a veteran of WWII, and it left the Soviet Union in the 1960's and made its way to one of the many African conflicts.  It sat collecting dust in an African armory for what appears to be decades.  Accountability on the mortar was lost years ago.  No one cared.  It was over 75 years old.  The weapon type and ammunition could be purchased on the international weapons market for about $1500 (U.S.).  The entire weapons package could easily fit, if disassembled, into the trunk of a mid-size rental car.

The first round plunged into Mile High Stadium in the middle of the second quarter.  The round sailed over tens of millions of dollars worth of metal detectors, radiation detectors, explosive detection machines, video cameras, facial recognition software, terrorist data bases, drug and explosive sniffing dogs, and hundreds of security personnel.  On live national television it impacted about five meters from the Raven's offensive huddle.  The second round landed in the Bronco's bench area before stunned broadcasters could stop the live television feed.  The mortar attack lasted two minutes with a dozen rounds landing on the field, sidelines and seating areas.

What wasn't captured on live television made its way to You Tube by evening.  Over seventy-five thousand screaming spectators stampeded for the exits.  Hundreds were injured and dozens killed in the panicked human exodus.  Waiting outside at a secluded distance were a half-dozen terrorists with fifty year old Draganov SVD semi-automatic sniper rifles.  Within an hour it was over.  All ten terrorists, five men and five women, were killed in gun battles.  Civilian fatalities topped 200 with another 1000 injured and hospitalized.  The Super Bowl was cancelled.

The investigation proceeded rapidly; the clues and leads were numerous.  All ten terrorists were black, and they were all dressed in formal business attire.  They had entered the U.S. within the last two weeks on valid tourist visas wearing the same clothes they were killed in.  They entered the U.S. as married couples at five different airports.  The weapons package and sniper rifles were waiting for them; it was suspected they had come across the southern border a month previous.  The people and the equipment all originated from the same country - the country formerly known as Nigeria.

Nigeria no longer existed as a nation-state.  The unbelievably corrupt kleptocracy that had governed Nigeria fell like a house of cards in 2015.  A reinforced and externally funded Boko Haram rolled over successive government strongholds and garrisons.  Moving North to South, the tempo of operations accelerated during the year until Nigerian government forces were in a full route.  Key government figures and military leaders fled the nation with their loot; soldiers threw down their weapons, and resistance to Boko Haram collapsed before the end of the calendar year.

Supported by both Al Qaeda and ISIS/ISIL, 2016 would be a year of displacement and unbelievable suffering for the people of Nigeria.  The world looked on in horror as Nigerian Christians fled for their lives.  Those unable to flee the country were forced to convert to Islam, or hacked to death, or crucified, or beheaded.  The lucky ones were simply shot.  The political entity of Nigeria was replaced by a new country:  the Caliphate of West Africa, or CWA.

The year 2016 would also see another player enter the stage.  China would operate the highly lucrative oil fields in the Niger River delta for the CWA.  They would also buy, in hard currency, the entire output of these oil fields.  This was an uneasy alliance at best.  China needed the oil, but was highly distrustful of the CWA.  The CWA hated the infidel Chinese, but needed their money, technical expertise, weapons and political cover.  It was long suspected by Western Intelligence agencies that the source of external funding for Boko Haram had been the Chinese Yuan, and that this deal was long in the making. 

Sunday, 22 January 2017 was not only a horrific day for the United States, but for other Western nations as well.  In France, three privately owned corporate jets laden with explosives would attack Paris in what became known as France's 9/11.  The first jet hit the Louvre, and destroyed priceless works of art and treasures of the entire human family.  The second jet, for reasons unknown, crashed into a nondescript residential area.  The third jet hit the Eiffel Tower, and caused the iconic symbol of France to topple into a heap of tangled steel.  The national psyche of France was not broken nor even substantially wounded by this attack; rather, it was deeply and fundamentally outraged.  A new and ultra jingoistic France was not out for justice, it was out for revenge.

The British had two strokes of luck that saved them.  First, the terrorists delayed attacking until the next morning in order to maximize casualties – thus allowing the now alerted U.K. to bring the full force of its security apparatus to bear.  Second, a young member of the terrorist advance team was apprehended for unrelated charges, and he unwittingly compromised the terrorist plot in an attempt to negotiate his way out of prosecution.  The ten terrorists in London would all be killed long before the aerosolized VX persistent nerve agent in their backpacks could be released into congested London underground stations.  However, scandal is eventually expected to erupt in the U.K.  The terrorist who compromised the plot also provided information that suggests the highly toxic and very illegal VX originated from the MoD facility at Porton Down.

That last full week of January 2017 was reserved for mourning, recovery, anger, investigation and diplomatic action.  The ineptness and ineffectiveness of the United Nations was, yet again, laid bare for all to see.   Islamic nations flooded the agenda with issues meant to distract; however, it was China that bottled things up on the Security Council.  By Friday of that week, the most that could be mustered was a watered down and very week U.N. resolution stating that the terrorist acts were a regrettable event.  The West was not the least bit amused by China's stoic intransigence.

On that last weekend of the month, the U.S. Congress was ordered into emergency session.  On Monday, 30 January 2017 the President of the United States, who had been in office just over a week, stood before a televised joint session of Congress.  In an event that had not been repeated since 8 December 1941, the President asked for, and received, a formal Congressional Declaration of War against the CWA."

So thats the back story

[mirth]

Excellent start 'geek!

Though a  Broncos-Ravens 2017 AFC Championship seems like a stretch :P

[undercovergeek]

I am designated AfriCom, in command of the joint/combined United States Africa Command

Some European countries have already joined the American effort.  The Brits had ships moving before the U.S. Declaration of War, and have integrated into my command structure under TF Atlantic Patrol South. I'm informed Dutch, Belgian and Polish forces will be assigned to follow-on operations.  Germany, Italy and Spain are offering bases and over-flight rights, but are not committing forces at this time.  However, the French are already sailing into the area of operations but have indicated they are going it alone.  Diplomatic channels state that France is intent on restoring national dignity, and they do not want their effort conducted under the auspices of a coalition - in short i have personal command of the UK/US forces, the French are operating under the AI.

U.S. forces are assembling and on the move.  There are two CVBG's enroute, but won't be in the area for three to four days.  Land units are being earmarked in CONUS, and will load onto transports within two to three weeks.  Some airborne tankers and strike aircraft have already been deployed to your command.  The center piece of my current force structure is an Expeditionary Strike Group that was headed to the Mediterranean for training and diverted to my command.  Additionally, a Special Operations capable task force of LCS's and support ships that had been operating in the area is now assigned to me. 

Under an operation codenamed TANGENT, the CIA established an extensive HUMINT intelligence network prior to the collapse of the former Nigerian government.  TANGENT is largely staffed with Nigerian personnel, augmented with CIA covert operators and Special Operations personnel. TANGENT is currently an intelligence gathering network, but will soon expand into a full scale paramilitary organization - Tangent agents are dotted all around the map near cities and targets of opportunity - i will use these initially to provide battle damage assessments until briefed to activate them

The initial phase of operations is codenamed Oregon Rain, its objectives are to establish air superioty over the CWA, conduct SEAD/DEAD operations, degrade CWA airfields, destruction of aircraft, support TANGENT elements, conduct resupply operations, provide on-call close air support, provide infiltration/exfiltration operations on order, degrade CWA C3 capability (ill look this up!!), degrade CWA oil and gas revenue capability, avoid contact/conflict with China.

I have at my disposal based out of RAF Ascension Island:

96th Bomb Squadron (Red Devils) (8 x B-52H Stratofortress)

Det. 13th Bomb Squadron (Grim Reapers) (2 x B-2 Spirit)

77th Air Refueling Squadron (Totin' Tigers) (8 x KC-135 Stratotanker)

Det. 522nd Special Operations Squadron (Fireballs) (4 x MC-130J Commando II)

Det. 348th Reconnaissance Squadron (Northern Hawks) (4 x RQ-4 Global Hawk)

Det. 5th Patrol Squadron (Mad Foxes) (4 x P-8A Poseidon)

Forces at Sea:

TF 6.24 (Humanitarian Aid) (To Remain At Anchor)

USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) (Flag)

USNS Robert E. Peary (T-AKE-5)

TF 6.26 (Anti-piracy, Security and SAR)

USS Zephyr (PC-8) (Flag)     

USS Shamal (PC-13)

USS Tornado (PC-14)

Atlantic Patrol South (Reinforced)

HMS Dragon (D-35) (Flag)

HMS Montrose (F-236)

HMS Kent (F-78)

RFA Wave Ruler (A-390)

TF 6.44 (Special Operations)

USNS Lewis B. Puller (T-MLP-3/T-AFSB-1) (Flag)

Det. HSC-84 (Red Wolves) (2 x HH-60H Rescue Hawk)

Det. HMLA-267 (Stingers) (1 x AH-1Z Viper)

Det. HMH-464 (Condors) (1 x CH-53E Super Stallion)

USNS Choctaw County (JHSV-2)

USNS Patuxent (T-AO-201)

USNS Carl Brashear (T-AKE-7)

USS Fort Worth (LCS-3)

USS Milwaukee (LCS-5)

TF 6.50 (Expeditionary Strike Group)

USS Monterey (CG-61)

USS McFaul (DDG-74)

USS Truxtun (DDG-103)

USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20) (Flag)

USS Bataan (LHD-5)

Det. VMFA-115 (Silver Eagles) (12 x F-35B Lightning II)

Det. HMLA-269 (Gunrunners) (4 x AH-1Z Viper, 4 x UH-1Y Venom)

Det. VMM-264 (Black Knights) (12 x MV-22B Osprey)

Det. HUQ-2 (Shrimps) (4 x MQ-8B Fire Scout)

USS New York (LPD-21)

USS Oak Hill (LSD-51)

USNS John Ericsson (T-AO-194)

Submarines:

USS Helena (SSN-725)

HMS Ambush (S-120)

[undercovergeek]

Excellent start 'geek!

Though a  Broncos-Ravens 2017 AFC Championship seems like a stretch :P

lmao, i figured this would get a laugh

ill also note ill explain why ive decided to do most things, as a newbie without knowledge of SOP and using skills gathered from such luminary sources as Hollywood, this forum and its denizens and fictional works, a lot of it may be incorrect, totally bizarre or weird so ill explain why i think it was the right course of action

[mirth]

Sink the French first!  >:D

[Sir Slash]

No. Premptive strike against the Chinese, and blame the French. ^-^

[mirth]

^even better!

[OJsDad]

Give them time, an the French may sink themselves.   >:D

[OJsDad]

BTW Geek, this sounds promising.

[JasonPratt]

Squee!

Give them time, an the French may sink themselves.   >:D

Now now, the French have been kicking well-deserved ass in Africa for several years, let them do what they want. This will practically be the culmination of that.

(I honestly thought this would be a French operational AAR from the title, before reading the intro.)

[undercovergeek]

Operations start then in the Gulf of Guinea, 6:00am local time. The UK task force is sailing about 90 miles off the coast, just south of Lagos, on an eastern patrol course along the coast and back out to sea. To the south east, 50 or so miles off the coast near Warri, eastern Nigeria is the French TF, they already have ASW helicopters in the air. A good 200 miles west of the French is the US Expeditionary Force heading north to Lagos and the UK TF, and 750 miles south west of that is Ascension Island, the HQ base.

At Ascension are the RQ4B Global Hawk drones, i make 2 groups of 2 and send them north east toward the Nigeria coastline near the French TF, i play Wargame and CM, i see these guys as my 'recon' force, i want them to be able to push back the 'fog of war' and let me see what the UK and US TFs cant. Theyre flying at max altitude of 60000 feet and 350 knots, when they get near the coast ill split them into 4 seperate elements along the coast. I launch the B2s in one group of 2 and send them north east, a group or 3 and a group of 4 B52s also head north east and in support of these guys 4 KC135 Stratotankers who have a patrol objective set 100 miles off the coast, south of Lagos, and a P8 Poseidon to provide some ASW coverage. I dont expect there to be much of a Nigerian navy, particularly in the sub department, i hope i havent got these because a war with China is imminent.

I have 2 subs, the USS Helena off the coast of Cameroon to the east of Nigeria is given a heading back towards the French TF near Warri, he is just under the layer at a cruise speed of 16 knots. Between the French and the US TFs is the HMS Ambush, he is sent further North towards Lagos, again just under the layer and at cruise speed.

To the west of all this is a hospital ship, a TF of 3 US coastal patrol boats and the special forces landing TF all cruising off the coast of Ghana, i reduce their speed to slow, the Hospital ship is anchored, not far away is the Nigerian border and these guys are the most harmless/easy prey of all. With this in mind i launch a single F35 from USS Bataan in the hope he can provide some air cover and use his sensors to see whats along the Nigerian coast.

We're ready to start

[Airborne Rifles]

Awesome! Looking forward to more.

[mirth]

This is awesome, but it doesn't get you off the hook for your next AAR, AR ;)

[Airborne Rifles]

Working on my it!

[mirth]

 O0