Quote:
Originally Posted by Suhiir
Make you a deal tho. You can only play test your own scenarios so far because you KNOW where everything is, where it's suppose to go, and what reinforcements will arrive where. So I'll show you mine if you show me yours!
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You're right there. I'll post the scenario as a separate post in the scenario section but I'll give you some background of the development of it here.
From the research I've done, the mission of the Norwegian Army during the Cold War (and after) was to buy time in case of a Soviet (now Russian) invasion for NATO to mobilize reinforcements to hold the coastal areas of Norway (including the heartland south). The Soviets (Russians) would be combatting not only a numerically inferior foe, but also battling the weather and inhospitable terrain of Finnmark (northernmost county) and Troms (starting the characteristic fjord terrain south). Because of those latter factors, the Soviets had to either time their invasion with the weather/terrain (basically a two month window in late March into April where the ground was still firm enough to allow vehicular traffic off road), or contend with hostile weather or terrain impasses in the other months.
My scenario comprises a Russian decision to move into Northern Norway (perhaps more dependent upon success) to secure its northern flank on the expanded military bases on its Karelian peninsula. In this move, the Russians not only move across the Norwegian border near Kirkenes in Finnmark, but also move troops and aircraft across northern Finland. This was always an option for the Soviets, and provisions to move through Finnish territory existed in treaty if the USSR (Russia now) was threatened. Such a "threat" is presumed in this scenario (leaving Finland to decide its actions??).
Use of ground forces, air, sea, naval infantry, and airborne assets from the "Leningrad" district (is it still called that, I'm a Cold War Historian?) were to be amassed.
I'm not going to give away my theory of this assault, but in this scenario (Bardufoss) the mission of the Russian player is to take the Bardufoss Lufthavn (now an airbase), to deny the Norwegian player further use of this base to support Brigade Nord (Norwegian Army) forces in their delaying action against the onslaught. Although I know that could be done by air attack alone (at least temporarily), my Russian mission is to assault and hold the air base for reinforcements either by air or ground, from what would be a rapid advance through Finnmark and flanked through northern Finland.
With our current international condition, the response of NATO could be (and probably would be) slower than during the Cold War. In fact, during the Cold War, military planners were concerned about the response of NATO to such an invasion, and how soon help would arrive (length of response by the Canadian Battle Group, naval interdiction of forces, use of the Marine Expeditionary Force in other theatre, etc.). Although threat of naval interdiction in the Atlantic would be reduced for the modern scenario, historic reductions in force composition for NATO would fulfill the same impact.
The map is based on a Soviet topographic sheet for Bardufoss as well as Google Earth satellite photos. Scaling this accurately was difficult and some discretion had to be made (sorry). Also, WinSPMBT is unforgiving to allow for streams and lakes at elevations other than "0". So mud and snow is used to depict frozen lakes and streams. Norway also has numerous upland bog terrain and swamp terrain in the game won't go high. So mud was also used here.
Bardufoss hosts an F-16 squadron and I wanted them off base to avoid use of these units in the game. I use the premise that the majority of air assets have been moved to central Norway for maneuvers to open the base for attack. Designer discretion, but plausible as an opening for the Russian player in a dynamic international setting of Russian moves in the Baltic.
Units at Bardufoss are those I can find stationed at or near the base, or those reasonably moved there.
One final thing. Norwegian defense (NATO also) depended upon intelligence of potential aggression by the Soviets (Russia). Norway depended upon a window of 5-7 days to mobilize Home Guard units for reserve. In the 80's, a Soviet move to the border occurred with no prior intelligence, leaving Norway and NATO off-guard. This is similarly used in this series as an underlying premise. Home Guard units reside in most Norwegian communities. For play balance, Bardufoss has its share (OK, maybe a little more..).
I'll post the game separately, and the map onto this tread later. Suhiir, I'd especially appreciate your comments on the scenario. As you were in country, it would help me with later scenarios.
Grant1
Re: Soviet invasion of Norway 1963
Re: Soviet invasion of Norway 1963
Linear Mode
