The "Uber" Command: Modern Air/Naval Ops Thread

[Dimitris]

New public release: Build 562

Speed, refueling fixes, speed and MOAR SPEEEED...

[Staggerwing]

Triangular auroras? Donuts-on-a-rope?

[Dimitris]

I think this is apropos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0GdQyIm7DU

(YT embedding doesn't seem to work...)

[Staggerwing]

Take the 's' out of https//

[Dimitris]

Ah ok thanks!

[Rekim]

I would like to give the Operation Allied Force (community) scenario a try. The Allied OB includes several transport planes loaded with airborne troops. I have no idea how to drop these troops on a LZ. I can't see any UI features for this task. Anyone know the secret?

[Dimitris]

Miguel Molina has released a new revision of the Command community scenario pack, the compendium of Command scenarios crafted by the user community. The new release contains nine brand-new scenarios:     

688 Attack Sub #4: Mumar Cadaver: The Libyan government continues to support terrorist attacks against US interests. You are in command of the USS Los Angeles and have been ordered to sink a Libyan tanker convoy and send a clear message to the errant regime.    

688 Attack Sub #8: Surprise Party: Command a deep and fast Alfa-class SSN against an American carrier task force or defend it in a silent, high-tech Los Angeles-class SSN. Prime targets and formidable adversaries.    

Baltimore on the Prowl: The years following the 1948 Arab-Israeli war saw numerous attacks conducted by Palestinian terrorists. This scenario assumes that, while the American President had no intention of putting troops on the ground to protect Israel, he was willing to commit naval forces to reduce the smuggling of arms in the Mediterranean    

Caribbean Task For Ruby: Post-Cuban Missile Crisis, Soviet and Cuban forces continue to arouse the suspicions of America. Your task force has been sent to investigate and uncover possible tactical missile deployments in this cold war thriller.    

Corvette Group off Bressay: It is 2022 and the political cards have shuffled, leaving the UK and Norway to square off in the North Sea. Can you lead British forces to victory or will Norwegians rule the north once again?    

Resolution 1737: Command US forces in conducting an opposed blockade in the Gulf against America's perennial adversary Iran. Another hard-hitting scenario from one of the Command community's most prolific scenario writers, Mark Gellis.    

Seawolf #1: Ivan Marches: In this Cold War remake of a classic SSN21 scenario, civil war has broken out and US and Soviet forces are moving quickly to support their allies. Command the USS Seawolf in the critical task of shadowing a large Soviet convoy and determining if Soviet missile submarines are on the move.    

The Transit: Its 1985, the Third World War has been raging over a week and you are in command of the Spruance class destroyer DD-969 USS Peterson. Your mission is collecting your convoy in Savannah Georgia and getting them to Bordeaux France.    

Wargasm: It is 1962 and you are one of the Strategic Air Command's finest. Your job is conducting thermonuclear war against the forces of the Soviet Union. A massive and and well-researched scenario. (Note: The corny-sounding title is from authentic declassified nuclear war plans of the era!) 

As always, the community scenario pack is available for download at the WarfareSims download section: http://www.warfaresims.com/?page_id=1876

[Dimitris]

I would like to give the Operation Allied Force (community) scenario a try. The Allied OB includes several transport planes loaded with airborne troops. I have no idea how to drop these troops on a LZ. I can't see any UI features for this task. Anyone know the secret?

Hello,

At the moment you can only drop troops in areas pre-designated by the scenario author (by scripting). You cannot drop them arbitrarily.

Thanks!

[RyanE]

I just want to hand it to the developers...this is the most fun I have had playing a game while also learning a lot since CM1 originally came out in 2000.

I just started building a scenario for my own giggles that has the US and China showing down in the Pacific.  I call it the Line in the Sea.  The US shot down several Chinese planes for harassing US aircraft, vessels, and allied vessels.  China has drawn a line between southern Formosa and northern Philippines.  Any USN vessel crossing that line will encounter a forceful response from China.

I did this to play with some features and units in Command.  It contains the new Chinese carriers, their version of the navalized SU-27, the anti-carrier ballistic missile DF-21, newer Chinese AEW and recon aircraft, carrier-capable UAVs, US F-35s, EF-18 Growlers, newer Tico cruisers with SM-3 anti-ballistic missile missiles, newer Burke destroyers with same, etc.  I am using exclusion zones, prosecution zones, formation management, complex patrol missions, coordination with allied navies, satellites, SAM bases protecting shore facilities, etc.

I really wanted to test out the Chinese military using a layered and mutually supporting approach to dealing with a full-strength US carrier battle group.  The Chinese carrier is close to shore and supported by shore bases.  There are anti-carrier missiles bases on standby.  Their are some anti-carrier bombers with carrier killer missile ready to launch when the line is crossed.  I am trying to have the AI coordinate bombers, missiles, and carrier strikes all hitting the carrier group within minutes.

I have it about half done.  It was maybe two hours of steady work.  Not too bad in my opinion.  Right now, I still have to put in some allies and flesh out the satellite usage.  The hard part for the Chinese is they can't fire until they have a positive ID on ships crossing the line.  It is all about getting recon past US fighter screens.  The hard part for the US is waiting for Chinese planes to either do something hostile or cross the exclusion line around the carrier.  There is also no scoring right now.

My initial tests show the US losing 1-2 Burkes and 1 Tico at most.  The average is 1.5 ships before China has spent its missiles.  Then its just mopping up with the US carrier aircraft.  The only reason it isn't worse for the US is I am struggling a little with coordinating all the disparate Chinese units for a time-on-target strike.  I expect to have this one done over the weekend.  This will be my first published scenario.

I just wanted people to see how amazing this game is.  It was good on release, but the newer versions have made it into a "best ever" type game for modern wargamers.

[Dimitris]

Thank you for your very kind words.

You can instruct the Chinese forces to "fire early" (don't wait for positive ID) by setting the doctrine option "engage non-hostiles" to true. Since it is a doctrine option you can enable it either side-wide or specifically for the units you wish to behave this way.

We'll be eagerly waiting to see and play your scenario!

[RyanE]

That is how I am doing it.  I was hoping to use the delayed activation of the mission.  But it launched at a specific time after activation, not as a set amount of time from activation.  Maybe a feature for the future.

I have yet to find a way to have all missiles and strike aircraft hitting at once without manual intervention.  I know its hard in real life too, but I'll keep trying.

My work around was to have the bombers leave as soon as any ship crosses the line.  The missiles wait until positive ID.  That helped, but still left a ,ot of time between missiles and planes hitting.

[Dimitris]

Great AAR on "Deter, Detect, Defend": http://www.warfaresims.com/?p=3442

[mikeck]

Dimitris,

Just curious if you guys have had any inquiries from any Navies regarding using your game as a training tool?

[Dimitris]

Yes, and not just navies.

[Dimitris]

Miguel Molina has released a new revision of the Command community scenario pack, the compendium of Command scenarios crafted by the user community. The new release contains six brand-new scenarios:

Myanmar Defense, 1995 : An ordinary day in a Myanmar Air Force base commander's life. Ordinary? Maybe.

PN Patrol Force PWS – Shoal Patrol, 2013 : The Philippine Navy has built a new Patrol Force base at Oyster Bay on the island of Palawan. Facing directly into the Western Philippine Sea, it provides easy access to the security zone around the vital Malampaya Oil Fields on the North End,  as well as the contested shoals to the West and South. Oyster Bay is now home port for most of the Navy's major combatants, including two former USCG high-endurance cutters and new additions of Navantia-made OPVs. From here, patrols will be conducted to ensure territorial security and reinforce maritime claims.

Submarines off Sao Tome, 2020 : Tensions have increased between China and São Tomé and Príncipe. The tiny African nation's close ties with both the United States and Taiwan, combined with its harsh criticism of some of China's African allies, have made it very unpopular with the People's Republic. Two weeks ago, two Chinese businessmen were targeted by radical anti-Chinese activists and murdered. The Chinese have blamed the São Tomé government and made it clear that unless their demands for a formal apology (and a softening of São Tomé and Príncipe's stance on China) are satisfied that the situation will escalate.

Task Force 45, 1989 : In 1989, the Soviet Union, although facing severe economic difficulties, made some efforts to support some of the remaining communist regimes around the world.  In this scenario, a Soviet convoy with military aid is on its way to Nicaragua.  The United States intends to block this convoy. At the present time, the only force  available is Task Force 45, a surface group with air & submarine reinforcements.

The Okhotsk Bastion, 1961 : In response to the USSR declaring the Sea of Okhotsk as Soviet sovereign waters, the Kennedy administration has ordered a more aggressive naval policy and flooded the area with submarines. In response, the Soviets have responded with one of their largest anti-submarine operations. This scenario features hypothetical Soviet aircraft carrier and naval aircraft designs being deployed against the American undersea force.

Seawolf #2, Duckshoot, 1996 : US subs and vessels have been ordered to blockade all Cuban ports and patrol the entire Cuban coastline. The goal is to cut supplies and arms from reaching pro-Castro forces on the Island. The Seawolf is to patrol a wide section of the northern Cuban coast. All non-US vessels in this area, are either pro-Castrol naval ships or merchant ships that have ignore our repeated warnings. The Seawolf is free to fire, but only after having clearly identified the target as a non-US naval vessel.

As always, the community scenario pack is available for download at the WarfareSims download section: http://www.warfaresims.com/?page_id=1876
With the new scenario pack release, the total number of released Command scenarios is now 187!