Oil Crisis Spreads series

[SaS TrooP]

Hello again!

After some break, here I present you some three new scenarios. This time series are dedicated to different "target group" than previously with Showdown America and those singular ones.

Oil Crisis Spreads focuses on:
- Battalion sized combat
- Not so common historical sector (1975 for western nations, vehicle and line infantry heavy sets)
- Original enemies, bringing middle eastern nations of Saudi Arabia, UAE and others into play. Let us not forget there is a world besides Vietnam at that time ^^

Historical fiction: Israel losses Yom Kippur War and is currently occupied with resistance warfare raging. West, seeing the Israeli struggle is not yet over, carries on with airstrikes and weapon supplies for Israel. In response, Arab nations of the OAPEC implement oil embargo against both US and Europe. Enjoying major oil crisis, when negotiations fail and Arabs demand complete end of Israeli state. Western World decides to strike against Arab States, forcing them to open their markets... or occupy the oilfields...

Currently there are 3 scenarios in the pack, more to come when my time is right:
- My Home is my castle (as French)
- Doorway to Arabia (as British)
- To block the push (as American)

All these scenarios take place hundreds of miles away but in just few hours.

Enjoy and give me some feedback.

[Grant1pa]

You are a very Evil man! I've been on sick leave and started playing your series yesterday and probably have raised my blood pressure double digits! I won't spoil anything here, but the two I've gone through are definitely a challenge!

Love your maps. Great topography and texturing!

Well done SaS!

Tom

[SaS TrooP]

I did playthrough of all of them before releasing. Yes, I forgot to mention they are kinda demanding. I won all of them, but with heavy, very heavy losses. In fact, Doorway to Arabia with UK Paras left me standing with about 20 combat capable men of entire reinforced battalion.
Obviously no spoilers though ^^
In "To Block the Push" I recommend to advance quickly and relentlessly in order to develop good defensive position for proper fight. Use TOWs and Shileilaghs well, try to secure their dropzones so crews won't die. You can also use jeeps dropped with Stinger teams. These jeeps - in my vision - are to be used for quick transportation of ammo caches between TOWs and Stingers. Yet, I had to survive this on close combat with my good old LAWs only :P

More to come in some time: a continuation of "Doorway to Arabia" when Gurkhas are transported to reinforce the Paras against onslaught of proper Saudi forces...
And USMC assault right on Abu Dhabi, capital of UAE, that was just a bunch of dirt and some stone buildings back then.


REQUEST
Generally, Saudi peninsula got developed after 1991. If anyone has good picks of key cities or bases during '70s era, I would be glad, it may help me with maps.
Also, UAE military at that time was not particularly existent as this country was forming from couple of duchies into proper federal state. Same goes to military, UAE had about 7 different forces, ranging from battalion sized to couple of thousand men under the rule of one of the princes. It was quite feudal, in short. If anyone has anything on this, I could well use it, too.

[scorpio_rocks]

Originally Posted by SaS TrooP

REQUEST
Generally, Saudi peninsula got developed after 1991. If anyone has good picks of key cities or bases during '70s era, I would be glad, it may help me with maps.
Also, UAE military at that time was not particularly existent as this country was forming from couple of duchies into proper federal state. Same goes to military, UAE had about 7 different forces, ranging from battalion sized to couple of thousand men under the rule of one of the princes. It was quite feudal, in short. If anyone has anything on this, I could well use it, too.

I do have some stuff for Arabian peninsula in 60's and 70's (mostly Yemen and UAE) - My father was stationed in Aden during the "emergency" and Radfan campaigns. I am, however, away from home till June 8th - will dig out what I have then.

[scorpio_rocks]

Having problems getting an old external drive to co-operate - may have to take it to a professional
It contains, amongst other things, alternate OOB's for Oman and UAE, photos and maps from the Radfan, Aden Emergency and Dhofar campaigns, etc. and a whole ficticious campaign set in amongst the many enclaves and exclaves of eastern UAE / Northern Oman.

The Arabian peninsular is a great resource for scenarios, etc and an all too often over-looked one! One would struggle to find a year since 1945 when there wasn't a conflict of some kind going on in the UAE, Oman, Yemen or the islands off their coasts! Coups, border skirmishes, civil wars, rebellions, religious strife all fought by seperatists, irredentists and foreign powers - often with multiple sides in the same fight!

In the meantime, some stuff that you can look into that may provide ideas:

Oman Trucial Scouts - a force with British officers and Omani / Yemeni / Abu Dhabi men that is the basis of much of the current UAE military. Active from 1951 through to the '70s.

for scenario ideas try small actions like the Sharjah-Fujairah Border war (fought over 1/4 an acre), through to the huge mess of "Egypt's Vietnam" - the North Yemen Civil War or the Dhofar Rebellion, where British fought along side Omani regulars, Iranians and nomadic tribesmen against Chinese "advisors", communist guerrilas, Yemani "freedom fighters", Soviets, mercenaries, terrorists and drug runners.

Major bases tend to be ports and/or airfields as a lot of the interior is arid desert (it's not called "the empty quarter" for nothing!). In the period you are interested in Aden, Mirbat (made famous by the SAS "battle"), Salalah, Bateen (air base), Muscat, Fujairah, etc.

Hope this gives you something to be getting on with (would love to see more scenarios from this corner of the world) till I can share more concrete stuff.

[scorpio_rocks]

Playing the scenarios now and either I have awful luck or I am really bad at this!

In the British attack on the airfield I had EVERY aircraft shot down or aborted/RTB! The few hardy paratroops who managed to land (outside the perimeter) never managed to make it to a single objective! Eeeek! More SEAD please.

[shahadi]

I'm not sure how I missed this scenario. I'll take a look and thank you for posting.

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[SaS TrooP]

@Scorpio - probably bad luck. It is possible to drop on the airstrip, but you need to carefully maneuver over there. Use quick speed of your paras on pavement ground and reach southern-inner fences. This should give you cover and good firing position you need.
Also, move with your paras by switching the squads. Enemy will not concentrate on one single unit, but will "split" its accuracy, thus limiting your casualties.

But as I said, after this scenario, I had a platoon barely left standing.

[shahadi]

I'm looking at this one and opted for your other scenario, Operation Flash - Nova Gradiska to play instead. Maybe after this one, I'll come back to it.

I would not plan a para assault landing in a very hot LZ such would be the airfield. I'd send the paras outside the AB about 5km out, set a commando or SAS company to attack and hold the main gate, and the secure the road into the AB from reinforcements.

Thanks.

[Oche]

I'm PBEM the "Doorway to Arabia" Scenario as the Arabs, my opponent as the Brits, it has been very entertaining, 15 or more turns so far, the Buccaneers bombers are having their way against all sort of targets but the base personnel and infantry are still holding on, i suspect that things are gonna get interesting in a few turns or so . I'm really enjoying it. Congrats SAStroop Keep it up!