Arcadia Prime: COMMAND: Northern Inferno Scenario 5: Beware the Badger Part 1

Monday, June 12, 2017

COMMAND: Northern Inferno Scenario 5: Beware the Badger Part 1

Introduction
Soviet Forces have crossed the border near Pechenga. Although Intelligence is sparse, Norwegian forces at present are holding their own against overwhelming odds. The objective of the Soviet forces is unclear at the moment, but it could be the start of a major Soviet offensive against Norwegian ports and airfields.

NATO has ordered limited reinforcement of the North Cape area; British airborne forces have been flown in to support Norwegian troops at Banak.

Britain has deployed the 3rd Commando Brigade to Norway, along with Dutch Marines embarked on HMS Bulwark, Fearless and Intrepid along with numerous small landing craft. The United States have also put together an amphibious group comprising of USS Guadalcanal, Ponce, Portland and Sumter.

Reconnaissance flights and satellite imagery have detected Tu-16 Badger regiments fueled and armed with supporting assets in the Kola Peninsula. These forces are expected to contest any NATO movements in the Norwegian Sea.

Can the 'phibs make it to safe waters before Soviet aircrews add them to their kill tally?

Orders for Cmdr NATO Forces
Situation Norway is standing alone at the moment holding off the Soviet Invasion, with reserve units been mobilized. NATO has airlifted stores and supplies to the northern airbases, including QRF troops from the UK and the Netherlands.

En route to Norway is a combined amphibious group carrying Royal and Dutch Marines with escorts including the Ark Royal strike group; as the only aircraft carrier available within 1000 miles she must face and defend the amphibious group against air, surface and subsurface threats.

Over the last few days Sweden has protested to the Soviet Union about violation of Swedish airspace, so be advised to expect possible aircraft crossing the Swedish border.

Enemy Forces
Surface: At least two Soviet KLUGs (Surface Action Groups) have been detected north-west of Narvik, this group includes Kresta I and II cruisers and Kashin, Kotlin and Kildin destroyers.

Air: Tu-16 Badger G Mod, Su-17M Fitter C, Tu-16 Badger A, Tu-16 Badger H, Tu-16 Badger J, Tu-126 Moss.

Subsurface: Tango Class SSK, Whiskey Class SSG, Zulu Class SSK

Friendly Forces
Andoya air base:

333 Sqn (P-3B Orion)

Bodo air base:

331 Sqn (F-104G Starfighter)

334 Sqn (CF-104G Starfighter)

RAF Kinloss:

8 Sqn (Shackleton AEW)

NAS Keflavik:

VP-26 Dragons (P-3B Orion)

Carrier Strike Group 2: HMS Ark Royal CVA, HMS Glamorgan DLG, HMS Sheffield DDG, HMS Berwick FFh, HMS Danae FFh, HMS Galatea FFh, RFA Resurgent AE, RFA Tidespring AO

TU 603.01.05: HMS Bulwark LPH, HMS Devonshire DLG, HMS Amazon FFh, HMS Diomedie FFh,HMS Hermione FFh, HMS Rothesay FFh, HMS Fearless LPD, HMS Intrepid LPD, RFA Sir Galahad LSL, RFA Sir Lancelot LSL, RFA Sir Percival LSL, RFA Sir Tristram LSL, RFA Black Rover AO.

TU 603.01.06: USS Guadalcanal LPH, USS Biddle CG, USS Blandy DD, USS Forrest Sherman DD,USS Julius Furer FFG, USS Ponce LPD, USS Portland LSD, USS Sumter LST.

Mission
1. Ensure safe transit of amphibious groups to area marked "Safe Haven"; the groups have to remain in area for at least 6 hours to unload forces.
2. Once the amphibious groups are in "Safe Haven" area, launch helicopters to Bardufoss Air Base and deploy LCVPs and LCMs to Narvik muster area.

Execution
1. Air assets in Norway to detect and destroy any Soviet forces.
2. Ark Royal CVBG to provide maximum protection to amphibious groups, your escorts are expendable but the Ark Royal is not.

Command and EMCON
Command: HQ Northwood
EMCON: Alpha-limited emissions

A long way to go...

August 30, 1975, 080000Z
I set up an AEW Patrol, ASW Patrols (P-3 Orion) and Sea King (TF Ark Royal), and a BARCAP (F-104G Starfighters). This looks to be a complicated mission. Lots of contacts are detected, and where possible aircraft are tasked to investigate.

082003Z A Bogey overflying northern Norway is observed attacking a friendly unit and declared hostile. I suspect it is a Badger. Two more aircraft are soon detected, and all three are observed to be turning away. As they do, one of the Nike Hercules SAM batteries launches against them. More bogies appear inbound. Another SAM launches.

The Soviet aircraft turn away after almost certainly firing missiles

082111Z Vampire! More missiles are detected inbound. The missiles appear to be inbound toward Norwegian radar sites.

Vampire!

082201Z One of the Nike Hercules missiles hits a Su-17M Fitter C.

Nike Hercules SAMs go after the inbound bogeys

082211Z Radars are indeed the targets.

The radars are overwhelmed with targets

082300Z There are missiles airborne all over the sky now, and they are clearly overwhelming the defenses. Two more Radar sites go down, but another Fitter is destroyed. Three vampires are inbound towards the Nike Hercules SAM sites.

Nike Hercules missiles

The missiles destroy the tracking radars of both SAM sites, rendering them completely useless. The will make the follow-up strikes by the Badgers far easier.

082937Z A submarine contact near the Ark Royal Group is IDed as a Victor I. Two Sea Kings attempt to prosecute the contact but are having difficulty localizing it.

084335Z Some Su-17M Fitter Cs attack Bodo Airbase. My F-105s are directed to intercept. The two Fitters drop bombs on Bodo Airbase. I wonder what is taking so long for the bombs to land, and surmise they must be dropping by parachute.