
                    GIUKM0QQ - The Battle for Norway.


               By Mathew James Realiff  HARPBBS# - 98 @7851


Soviet Political Background
The reorganization of the Kremlin power structure has allowed the military to pursue its own agenda without the close control of the Communist Party, or its extension the KGB.  The emergence of a Russian Republic with a power base separate from the Soviet political organization has engendered a new white Russian dream of a Western European empire.  Western observers believe that the military, whose upper echelons are stocked with Russians, has been making overtures to the new President of Russia to simultaneously cut loose from the Soviet federation, and grasp the unique opportunity now presenting itself in Norway to expand a new Russian Empire to the Western shores of Europe.  The Russian regime has also entered secret negotiations with Islamic Fundamentalists.  US intelligence believes that the Russians have struck a deal that will enable the secession of the Islamic Republics from the Soviet Union, while the Fundamentalists will reinitiate military action in the Gulf region that has already sapped much of the political and military energy of the US and UK.  This achieves the dual aim of destabilizing the Soviet Union even further, and with it diminishes the power of the central government to rein in the new Russian expansionist aims, and applying military pressure on two fronts to the forces of the US and UK.

NATO Political Background
The United States and Britain are still recovering from a bruising encounter with Islamic Fundamentalists over the restructuring of the Middle East after the fall of Iraq.  They have failed to convince Soviet observers that they are willing to go to war in the West.  The recession of the early nineties has deepened as the oil supplies from the Middle East continue to be disrupted.  The only hope has been the discovery of large new reserves in the northern waters of the Norwegian Sea.  Britain's longtime Conservative Government has been replaced by a Labor Government elected on a platform of reduction in military spending, particularly in the Western European Theatre. Recent submarine accidents around Norwegian ports, particularly the loss of two fishing trawlers whose
lines became entangled with the submarine sonar equipment,
have caused the Norwegian government to ask for the complete
withdrawal of NATO submarines from the Norwegian Sea.  NATO
High Command suspects that it was Russian subs that were
responsible, but in order to appease the Norwegians, who
were already making noises about complete withdrawal from
NATO, has complied.  In recent weeks, further accidents
involving the crashing of two F16's into a small village in
Northern Norway, has caused the Norwegian government to
restrict NATO air activity to a minimum.

NATO High Command believes that there cannot have been a
more vulnerable time in the history of the Alliance for
Soviet attack of Norway, and its surface fleet.  It suspects
that the Russians have managed to slip submarines much
further south than was ever previously possible, and may
even have achieved penetration with surface groups due to
the lack of air patrols.  Furthermore Intelligence has
reported that the Soviets are beginning to mass support
vessels in Arkhangelsk in preparation for an invasion.

A natural Soviet strategy would be to crush the weakened air
bases in northern Norway, and destroy the Norwegian Navy to
leave the Norwegian Sea free for its own surface and
submarine groups to dominate.  Your task as COMNOR is to
prevent the Soviets from achieving these objectives.  If
possible you are also to preempt the Soviet surface buildup
by attacking and neutralizing their support group,
particularly the fleet oiler and merchant ships, and
significantly damaging the base at Arkhangelsk.


Victory conditions

Blue Side

Minimum Victory Condition (AND)
On station one type FF ship Orland (Oslo)
On station one type FF ship Banak

Total Victory Conditions (AND)
75% Destruction of Arkangelsk
Destroy Type AFS fleet oiler
Destroy Merchant ship

Designer's Notes

1)  This is the first scenario I have designed which presented me with two problems.  First, I do not know how other people play Harpoon, therefore it is designed with my strengths and weaknesses in mind, which could make it absurdly simple or difficult for other people to play.  Second, I designed it knowing what I find interesting and challenging, so be prepared to be bored: we may not share the same taste.  Let me know what you think of it.

2)  I have planned to follow this scenario with two more, one where you win and one where you lose this scenario.  When you lose I expect you to lose big, hence the scenario will leave you with one or two ports attempting a repeat of Dunkirk.  When you win I expect you to win small, so the scenario will involve you attempting to roll back Soviet forces in the Norwegian Sea.  I have vaguely planned two more scenario, one where you have won both the previous scenario, and one where you have lost them both.  Let me know which scenario would be most interesting.

3) Tinker.  The scenario maybe too biased towards one side or the other, try adding or subtracting forces, particularly NATO aircraft.  I suggest you leave the Soviet side alone, except for adding more aircraft.  Please give me any feedback on the adjustments you make.

4)  I would also like feedback on when you feel that you were most in trouble, and when you felt you had the scenario basically won.  Here the "when" refers to the scenario clock time.  I would like to feel that the second time should be two days (game limit), and that the first time is continuously!  Such feedback will enable me to improve the scenario by adding or subtracting events, units etc.  I would also appreciate knowing how many times you had to play the game to win.

Downloaded from Dr. Who's Harpoon Page, filename GIUKMOQQ.
