Northern Fury #4 – A Cold and Lonely Place
AAR by HalfLifeExpert, May 2019
The Battle for Jan Mayen Island
This is the first Northern Fury scenario I have properly played, and I was inspired to finally do it after reading Northern Fury: H-Hour.
So I'm basically screwed. It's day two of the war, and I only have a handful of light /assets on and around Jan Mayen Island. And the Soviets are coming.
I start by launching Sidewinder armed F-5s once I see air contacts over the island. In the ensuing dogfight. I lose one of the F-5s, but my two pilots miraculously shoot down Four Yak-38s as well as a Yak-141. The other F-5 lands back at base on Jan Mayen.
Later, I detect a low flying Bear Foxtrot approaching the island. I launch the re-armed F-5 which hits the Beat Foxtrot with two sidewinders, but is damaged by it's tail gun. The F-5 makes it back to base, but is not repaired in time for any further sorties. The Bear Foxtrot later succumbs to it's damage and goes down over the ocean.
Then, waves of transports bore in right toward the island. My RB 70 MANPADS platoon ultimately expended all of their missiles, downing three transports and damaging several others.
Nonetheless, Soviet VDV Forces land in force on the island. My MANPADS platoon is overrun, while my lightly armed Signal platoon expends all of it's ammunition before being surrounded. During the short ground battle, I launch my three serviceable aircraft. First the P-3 Orion which takes a minor hit from a VDV MANPADS launch. The damage is not too bad and the aircraft remains in the air south of Jan Mayen for some time.
Next the Two F-5s, armed with Bullpup missiles, launch. I intend to send them to blast the Soviet support ship Azov, then divert to Iceland.
The lead F-5 launches right behind a formation of paratrooper transports. The pilot engages with cannon fire and damages a few transports, but is shot down by another VDV MANPADS.
The Second F-5 Launches and I am able to get it away from the Island. I spot the Azov, and the F-5 fires both Bullpups, then withdraws to Iceland. The Bullpups both strike the Azov, causing heavy damage and leaving her dead in the water.
Simultaneously, the airborne Orion detects the Kiev group. The American submarine Jacksonville is close to being into position to attack, and I order it to try and slip into the group to attack the Kiev.
However, One of the Udaloy Is escorting the Kiev detects the Jacksonville and fires on it, causing damage. With little other choice, the Jacksonville fires two torpedoes at the Udaloy I. When the torpedoes are about half way to the target, more torpedoes sink the Jacksonville. But her two torpedoes sink the Udaloy. Shortly thereafter, one of Kiev's Yak-141s shoots down the Orion, and the one surviving F-5 has safely landed at Reykjavik.
The Norwegian submarine Sklinna, which had been patrolling south east of Jan Mayen, is able to get in range to torpedo and sink the crippled Azov.
In the final action, something extraordinary happens. The one un-engaged asset left is the Danish Frigate HDMS Vædderen has been heading in the general direction of Jan Mayen, and unfortunately, the forward ships of the Kiev Group have closed dangerously close to her.
The Vædderen cannot flee, so I order her into a flank speed charge against the nearest Kiev escort, A Krivak class frigate. I keep the Vædderen on Emcon. To my stunned amazement, she gets within effective range to fire her 76mm gun. I order weapons free on the Krivak. The Vædderen fires countless 76mm shells at the Krivak, causing extensive damage, before the Krivak is eventually destroyed. Right as I am stunned at this, a Soviet ASCM slams into the Vædderen causing heavy damage, though shortly thereafter, the scenario timer runs out, so she is technically not dead yet.
My final score was 157; a Major Victory according to the scenario. I call it a heroic last stand caused some serious casualties on the Soviets.
Here's the Losses and Expenditures:
SIDE: NATO
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LOSSES:
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2x F-5A Freedom Fighter
3x RB 70 Rayrider Mk1 MANPADS
1x SSN 688 Los Angeles [Flight I]
1x P-3C Orion Update III
1x Lynx Mk90
EXPENDITURES:
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9x AIM-9N Sidewinder
5x 20mm M39 x 2 Burst [80 rnds]
27x RB 70 Rayrider Mk1
2x AGM-12B Bullpup A
80x 7.62mm MG Burst [20 rnds]
2x Mk48 Mod 5 ADCAP
2x Tp 612
300x 76mm/62 Super Rapido HE Burst [2 rnds]
15x 20mm/70 Oerlikon Mk7 Burst [20 rnds]
4x Mk214 Sea Gnat Chaff [Seduction]
SIDE: WP
===========================================================
LOSSES:
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4x Yak-38M Forger A
1x Yak-141 Freestyle
1x Tu-142MZ Bear F Mod 4
1x An-12BP Cub A
2x An-22 Cock
1x W-3RM/WARM Anakonda
1x Ka-27PL Helix A
1x BPK Udaloy I [Pr.1155 Fregat]
1x Commercial Dry-Bulk Carrier - Small Handysize [25,000t DWT, Helo Deck]
1x SKR Krivak IV [Pr.1135.2 Burevestnik]
1x Ka-27PL Helix A
EXPENDITURES:
------------------
110x RGB-NM-1 [Passive Omni]
1x AA-8 Aphid [R-60T]
4x AA-11 Archer [R-73]
1x RGB-15 [Refined Search, Passive Omni]
1x RGB-25 [Track, Passive Directional]
2x Generic Flare Salvo [4x Cartridges, Single Spectral]
4x 23mm AM-23 x 2 Burst [50 rnds]
18x SA-16 Gimlet [9M313]
480x 7.62mm MG Burst [20 rnds]
2x SS-N-14 Silex [85RU, Dual-Role, UMGT-1 Torpedo + 185kg Unitary]
5x AA-10 Alamo A [R-27R, MR SARH]
1x 30mm Gsh-30-1 Burst [30 rnds]
2x AS-17 Krypton A [Kh-31A, ASM]