Howdie.
We have been working towards a small, short, naval campaign using Shipwreck to handle the fighting and my homemade campaign structure to handle the "grand" movement. I built a double blind system (hi tech, using small match boxes) to create a little more secrecy. We decided on a mix of surface and submarine assets, with helos only. At this time, we included only a very abstract air search which will be fleshed out to handle flights in more detail for future campaigns.
We had a chance to start this, with a very small window of time (we set this up and gamed 2 days of the campaign in only 2 hours).
The Soviet forces (under my command):
1x Slava
1x Sovremenny
2x Udaloy
2x Krivak II
1x Kilo
1x Victor I
1x Alfa
The US forces (under my opponent's command):
1x Belknap
2x Spruance
2x Knox
2x Imp Los Angeles
Each side would draw missions from the same pool (so we would not duplicate missions), which included such things Sub Hunt (extra points for killing subs), Boomer escort (you would get an Ohio or Typhoon and be responsible for escorting off the gaming grid), Amphibious Escort (you would get amphibious assets, but have to escort them off the gaming grid), and so on.
The players then divide their assets into groups of 1 or more vessels each, and decide on their overall strategy
Each turn would represent a day of real time, and the campaign would last 5 days.
Very important, expended munitions would not be replaced. So, we each would have to accurately track all missiles, torpedoes, and other munitions (exception.... we decided there was no need to track small guns, like 57mm, etc).
As the campaign still going on, I won't elaborate on the assigned missions, but I can explain the actions of the first two days of the campaign.
Day One, all groups move out. There was no contact, just the unnerving grey swells surrounding us...
Day Two, my long range search successfully detects.... open water. My search roll was good, just nothing where I searched :) The US was unable to find anything.
During the mid day movement shift of Day Two, one of my "groups", comprised of a single Kilo sub made contact with a US group, comprised of 2 Imp LA subs. We created a slightly modified, somewhat more streamlined, "sub-on-sub" method of detection and closing. Despite starting at Long range, we closed (my Kilo was unable to escape, so by the 4th turn, I decided I would have to close and take my chances). I had a detection on 1 Imp LA, both of which had my Kilo detected. Each LA launched 2 Mk 48s at my Kilo, all of which hit, quickly destroying the Kilo. I was able to fire 4 torpedoes at the Imp LA I had detected, but somehow only managed a single hit. After repair results, the LA had lost its launchers, and was reduced to 1/4 speed.
With the LA so damaged, the US player decided to send that sub limping towards a friendly "sea lane" space, but advanced with the undamaged sub. I know this because the undamaged LA contacted another of my groups, a single Alfa sub. I was making a mid game attempt to consolidate my subs (in retrospect, instead of spreading these 2 subs out in a screen, I should have grouped them together).
In this encounter (the 2nd of the day for that Imp LA), the two opposing subs very quickly closed the distance, but the Alfa botched the end detections. The LA fired, hitting twice, and sinking m Alfa. I think I screwed up an avoidance roll here, but it was my own fault.
This concluded Day Two of the campaign, seeing the sinking of 2 Soviet subs, and the damaging of 1 US sub.
However, neither of us knows how close the other is to completing our individual missions. And I may look to finish off that damaged US sub, since I have a decent idea of where it is at and where it is heading to.
I did not take any pictures, unfortunately. I am not sure when we can pick up the campaign again, and finish the next three days, but I am looking forward to it. The campaign structure is working well, and we talked about how it could be modified up to the use of carrier forces, including rules for CAP, interception, strikes, and so on. Once we work out the details through more short campaigns, I feel this will be a good vehicle for gaming the Cold War, the Falklands, or even returning to the Pacific. The PLA(N) just don't have it in them to stand toe to toe with the USN at sea, but, with asymmetrical missions in a campaign context, we could game something interesting and enjoyable for all parties (I think the USN was getting a little bored sinking my PLA(N) ships every engagement).
To be continued....
