Herman Hum
22 Nov 05, 02:10
AAR: LaGrange 6 [Spoiler Alert]
By Brad Leyte
LaGrange points are intersections in space where gravitational and centrifugal forces balance out to provide orbital stability. There are five known LaGrange points, but if there were a sixth, within the context of world history and geopolitics, it might be found in Europe.
In this scenario, the ties and alliances between a host of European nations (old and new, alike) have broken down. War has broken out once again between newly reformed states, failed states, and age-old enemies. This time, the relationships evidenced by NATO, the EU and the like, have also crumbled. France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Slovakia have joined the battle on the side of Croatia, while the US, UK, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and the Ukraine have pledged to support Macedonia and the Former Yugoslavia.
Peacekeeping in the region is no longer a viable option, and American and British forces are now being pulled out in an effort to avoid the impending quagmire...
1.0. SITREP:
Enemy Croatian forces are converging on our positions at Belgrade and Tuzla Airports. Friendly national military elements are also dug in around the airports, leaving our own units desperately exposed to the crossfire. There are reports that Ukrainian relief flights have been harassed by combined Bulgarian, Romanian and Russian forces, and that tensions are soaring in the Crimean. The Italians are apparently moving to close off the Adriatic, despite our stated requirement for free passage.
Joint exercises with Ukraine in the Black Sea have been cancelled due to the escalating tensions, and the Makin Island PHIBGRU has now been recalled. The British have also recalled their task force (centred on HMS Ocean) and the peacekeeping force has begun preparations to evacuate.
2.0. ORDERS:
USAF contingency forces are now waiting at Ramat David (in Israel) for deployment to friendly bases in either Petrovec, Belgrade or Tuzla. These forces will provide defensive support to our airlifters as they begin the evacuation. Be advised that the Israelis have promised the use of Ramat David as a temporary transport hub, but they will not permit offensive operations from their territory.
A ground based resupply convoy (ANR) has been assembled at Petrovec (in Macedonia) for immediate movement to Belgrade to support the airlift efforts there. Once the convoy arrives in Belgrade, you may begin the evacuation of friendly personnel and diplomatic staff via C-17 transport from Belgrade back to Ramat David. Il-76 Candid transports are also available at Odessa to assist.
Tuzla has been deemed too dangerous for an evacuation via airlift, and therefore a ground convoy (AOR) has been prepared to move friendly personnel to the assembly area at Beachhead Freedom. Once AOR arrives, and is aboard ship, move the US/British task force (AJS and AIS) out of the Adriatic and homeward. The Royal Navy has directed its attack submarine HMS Ambush to support the movement of the task force.
The Makin Island PHIBGRU (AKS) is immediately directed to return to CONUS post haste. Both Greece and Turkey have pledged to provide safe priority passage once the group exits the Black Sea.
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/750/langrange6start3hn.th.gif (http://img215.imageshack.us/my.php?image=langrange6start3hn.gif)
The crisis had arisen almost too quickly for the newspapers to report. Military intelligence was caught behind the curve and failed to provide sufficient warning of impending events. When the pot boiled over, few units were ready and those that were ready were dispersed throughout the Mediterranean theatre.
The Makin Island PhibRon was, literally, caught between a rock and a hard place. She found herself neatly sandwiched between the immense Russian base of Krasnodar and the Romanian base at Kogalceanu. A Fencer E jammer was immediately despatched to cover the Makin Island PhibRon. Hopefully, her powerful ECM systems would keep the enemy blind to the whereabouts of the vulnerable PhibRon. As they had only been on an exercise, the PhibRon only had a single Aegis cruiser as an escort. Flankers were assigned to cover her front door while Fulcrums would watch the Krasnodar threat axis.
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/607/scudattack4gp.gif (http://imageshack.us)
Ramat David was a LONG ways away, but the commander elected to gamble and launched relief / evacuation flights immediately and hoped that there would be some place for them to land. The apprehension level rose as the first SCUD attack arrived on the Freedom Beachead. The "balloon" had gone up and the enemy was planning to wipe out the tiny commands scattered throughout Europe. The truck evacuation convoys were ordered to put the "pedal to the metal!". "Drive like your lives depended on it because they do".
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/2622/sbreakfast7tf.th.gif (http://img486.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sbreakfast7tf.gif)
Gripens launching from Prevov, Czech Republic, came under immediate missile attack from Fulcrums over Slovakia. Even though the two republics shared a common history, today, they would find themselves on opposite sides of the fence. The Gripens returned fire with AMRAAM and knocked the Fulcrums from the sky. Furious airbattles broke out throughout Eastern Europe as soon as planes launched due to the close proximity of the bases.
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/8531/bariblockade3dn.th.gif (http://img486.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bariblockade3dn.gif)
SSN Ambush detected an enemy group sitting directly astride the Strait of Otranto. This was the evacuation route for the ships currently awaiting the evacuees' truck convoy at Beachead Freedom in Yugoslavia. The Adriatic was, essentially, bottled up. Ambush would try and release the cork.
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/2176/wahdestroycolumn2fj.th.gif (http://img486.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wahdestroycolumn2fj.gif)
Falcons from Poland rushed towards Belgrade. The airport was the only link to the outside world. It could not be allowed to fall. An enemy column was detected approaching Belgrade and subsequently destroyed by Falcons/Gripen using Maverick AGMs and GBU-10 LGBs. Another was charging for Tuzla where WAH Apaches demolished them with Hellfire AGMs.
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/221/belgrademinefielddetected8fq.gif (http://imageshack.us)
A Falcon passing overhead reported minefield and obstacles directly in the path of the evacuation convoy bound for Freedom Beachead. Detours were immediately ordered for both truck convoys. The enemy evidently anticipated the planned evacation route. The truck convoys would take more circuitous secondary highways in hopes of avoiding these ambuscades. It was a "dog's breakfast" over Tuzla; much like the political situation.
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/757/makinftapache5jo.th.gif (http://img486.imageshack.us/my.php?image=makinftapache5jo.gif)
The situation in the Black Sea was just as desperate. Odessa came under AS-16 Kickback attack from bombers based at Krasnodar. Her radar was destroyed and the follow-up missiles did major damage. The Makin PhibRon looked like it was going to be crushed between the two bases. A flotilla of missile boats unleased a hail of Surface-to-Surface missiles [SSMs] that were brought down by the Aegis system. They were well timed and covered by a Fencer E that provided jamming support. Only luck allowed the flotilla to be spotted in time by a Fulcrum in overflight. Another flotilla was detected in the other direction. Some sailors began to grimly refer to their PhibRon as Fort Apache.
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/8633/crimeanptg7ha.gif (http://imageshack.us)
Luckily, the timing of the attacks by the two flotillas was not perfect. This allowed them each to be destroyed piecemeal by the Su-25 Frogfoots and Su-24 Fencers based at Odessa. A third flotilla showed up to the Southeast. Without a coordinated effort from the two groups already destroyed, she stood no hope of success and the little ships died under a storm of Kh-29T Kedge AShM [Anti-Ship Missiles].
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/6121/sagromaniadestroyed3dx.th.gif (http://img486.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sagromaniadestroyed3dx.gif)
The evacuation of Eastern Europe consisted of many foot races. The evacuees scheduled for a maritime departure were hurried along by anxious ship captains. The 'Cork' that had been at the head of the Adriatic had moved down into the bottle and was heading towards the vulnerable beachead. If they could destroy the docks, the evacuees would be stranded in Yugoslavia and subject to destruction at the hands of the superior Yugoslavian ground forces.
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/2049/convoyracesbariforce9pz.th.gif (http://img486.imageshack.us/my.php?image=convoyracesbariforce9pz.gif)
By Brad Leyte
LaGrange points are intersections in space where gravitational and centrifugal forces balance out to provide orbital stability. There are five known LaGrange points, but if there were a sixth, within the context of world history and geopolitics, it might be found in Europe.
In this scenario, the ties and alliances between a host of European nations (old and new, alike) have broken down. War has broken out once again between newly reformed states, failed states, and age-old enemies. This time, the relationships evidenced by NATO, the EU and the like, have also crumbled. France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Slovakia have joined the battle on the side of Croatia, while the US, UK, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and the Ukraine have pledged to support Macedonia and the Former Yugoslavia.
Peacekeeping in the region is no longer a viable option, and American and British forces are now being pulled out in an effort to avoid the impending quagmire...
1.0. SITREP:
Enemy Croatian forces are converging on our positions at Belgrade and Tuzla Airports. Friendly national military elements are also dug in around the airports, leaving our own units desperately exposed to the crossfire. There are reports that Ukrainian relief flights have been harassed by combined Bulgarian, Romanian and Russian forces, and that tensions are soaring in the Crimean. The Italians are apparently moving to close off the Adriatic, despite our stated requirement for free passage.
Joint exercises with Ukraine in the Black Sea have been cancelled due to the escalating tensions, and the Makin Island PHIBGRU has now been recalled. The British have also recalled their task force (centred on HMS Ocean) and the peacekeeping force has begun preparations to evacuate.
2.0. ORDERS:
USAF contingency forces are now waiting at Ramat David (in Israel) for deployment to friendly bases in either Petrovec, Belgrade or Tuzla. These forces will provide defensive support to our airlifters as they begin the evacuation. Be advised that the Israelis have promised the use of Ramat David as a temporary transport hub, but they will not permit offensive operations from their territory.
A ground based resupply convoy (ANR) has been assembled at Petrovec (in Macedonia) for immediate movement to Belgrade to support the airlift efforts there. Once the convoy arrives in Belgrade, you may begin the evacuation of friendly personnel and diplomatic staff via C-17 transport from Belgrade back to Ramat David. Il-76 Candid transports are also available at Odessa to assist.
Tuzla has been deemed too dangerous for an evacuation via airlift, and therefore a ground convoy (AOR) has been prepared to move friendly personnel to the assembly area at Beachhead Freedom. Once AOR arrives, and is aboard ship, move the US/British task force (AJS and AIS) out of the Adriatic and homeward. The Royal Navy has directed its attack submarine HMS Ambush to support the movement of the task force.
The Makin Island PHIBGRU (AKS) is immediately directed to return to CONUS post haste. Both Greece and Turkey have pledged to provide safe priority passage once the group exits the Black Sea.
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/750/langrange6start3hn.th.gif (http://img215.imageshack.us/my.php?image=langrange6start3hn.gif)
The crisis had arisen almost too quickly for the newspapers to report. Military intelligence was caught behind the curve and failed to provide sufficient warning of impending events. When the pot boiled over, few units were ready and those that were ready were dispersed throughout the Mediterranean theatre.
The Makin Island PhibRon was, literally, caught between a rock and a hard place. She found herself neatly sandwiched between the immense Russian base of Krasnodar and the Romanian base at Kogalceanu. A Fencer E jammer was immediately despatched to cover the Makin Island PhibRon. Hopefully, her powerful ECM systems would keep the enemy blind to the whereabouts of the vulnerable PhibRon. As they had only been on an exercise, the PhibRon only had a single Aegis cruiser as an escort. Flankers were assigned to cover her front door while Fulcrums would watch the Krasnodar threat axis.
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/607/scudattack4gp.gif (http://imageshack.us)
Ramat David was a LONG ways away, but the commander elected to gamble and launched relief / evacuation flights immediately and hoped that there would be some place for them to land. The apprehension level rose as the first SCUD attack arrived on the Freedom Beachead. The "balloon" had gone up and the enemy was planning to wipe out the tiny commands scattered throughout Europe. The truck evacuation convoys were ordered to put the "pedal to the metal!". "Drive like your lives depended on it because they do".
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/2622/sbreakfast7tf.th.gif (http://img486.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sbreakfast7tf.gif)
Gripens launching from Prevov, Czech Republic, came under immediate missile attack from Fulcrums over Slovakia. Even though the two republics shared a common history, today, they would find themselves on opposite sides of the fence. The Gripens returned fire with AMRAAM and knocked the Fulcrums from the sky. Furious airbattles broke out throughout Eastern Europe as soon as planes launched due to the close proximity of the bases.
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/8531/bariblockade3dn.th.gif (http://img486.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bariblockade3dn.gif)
SSN Ambush detected an enemy group sitting directly astride the Strait of Otranto. This was the evacuation route for the ships currently awaiting the evacuees' truck convoy at Beachead Freedom in Yugoslavia. The Adriatic was, essentially, bottled up. Ambush would try and release the cork.
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/2176/wahdestroycolumn2fj.th.gif (http://img486.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wahdestroycolumn2fj.gif)
Falcons from Poland rushed towards Belgrade. The airport was the only link to the outside world. It could not be allowed to fall. An enemy column was detected approaching Belgrade and subsequently destroyed by Falcons/Gripen using Maverick AGMs and GBU-10 LGBs. Another was charging for Tuzla where WAH Apaches demolished them with Hellfire AGMs.
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/221/belgrademinefielddetected8fq.gif (http://imageshack.us)
A Falcon passing overhead reported minefield and obstacles directly in the path of the evacuation convoy bound for Freedom Beachead. Detours were immediately ordered for both truck convoys. The enemy evidently anticipated the planned evacation route. The truck convoys would take more circuitous secondary highways in hopes of avoiding these ambuscades. It was a "dog's breakfast" over Tuzla; much like the political situation.
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/757/makinftapache5jo.th.gif (http://img486.imageshack.us/my.php?image=makinftapache5jo.gif)
The situation in the Black Sea was just as desperate. Odessa came under AS-16 Kickback attack from bombers based at Krasnodar. Her radar was destroyed and the follow-up missiles did major damage. The Makin PhibRon looked like it was going to be crushed between the two bases. A flotilla of missile boats unleased a hail of Surface-to-Surface missiles [SSMs] that were brought down by the Aegis system. They were well timed and covered by a Fencer E that provided jamming support. Only luck allowed the flotilla to be spotted in time by a Fulcrum in overflight. Another flotilla was detected in the other direction. Some sailors began to grimly refer to their PhibRon as Fort Apache.
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/8633/crimeanptg7ha.gif (http://imageshack.us)
Luckily, the timing of the attacks by the two flotillas was not perfect. This allowed them each to be destroyed piecemeal by the Su-25 Frogfoots and Su-24 Fencers based at Odessa. A third flotilla showed up to the Southeast. Without a coordinated effort from the two groups already destroyed, she stood no hope of success and the little ships died under a storm of Kh-29T Kedge AShM [Anti-Ship Missiles].
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/6121/sagromaniadestroyed3dx.th.gif (http://img486.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sagromaniadestroyed3dx.gif)
The evacuation of Eastern Europe consisted of many foot races. The evacuees scheduled for a maritime departure were hurried along by anxious ship captains. The 'Cork' that had been at the head of the Adriatic had moved down into the bottle and was heading towards the vulnerable beachead. If they could destroy the docks, the evacuees would be stranded in Yugoslavia and subject to destruction at the hands of the superior Yugoslavian ground forces.
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/2049/convoyracesbariforce9pz.th.gif (http://img486.imageshack.us/my.php?image=convoyracesbariforce9pz.gif)