New Campaign: Modern Pacific

I have started a new campaign, this one will be set in the Pacific and South China sea. The rules will be Harpoon 4. I may add land combat at a later date

Modern Naval Campaign

Overview

It is 2021, the world is has entered an economic downturn. Many major powers face increasing unrest and political troubles at home. The US looks to a more internal focused policy after damage from the trade war with china took its toll. China also faces major economic problems from the trade war and increasing isolation after the brutal subjugation of Hong Kong.

Other nations too have economic and political issues, but these are less drastic. As world opinion turns on china and economic hardships effect its people, the chines government become more bellicose. A declaration that all ships using china's (claimed) territorial waters must get permission, or pay a fine is the result. Many nations refuse to do this. At first the declaration is mostly unenforced.

Near the Scarborough Shoal china has once again banned not only fishing by Phillapine vessles but also transit and has expanded the area where these rules apply. The recent harassment of these vessles has caused the Philapine navy to send a vessle to carryout a freedom of navigation mission through this claimed area.

Scarborough Contact

2 Philippine patrol boats, PS-28 BRP Cebu and PS-20 BRP Magat Salamat, are conducting a freedom of navigation manoeuvrer through china's declared exclusive zone around the Scarborough Shoal. Their direction and location have been reported and a single Chinese Type 053 (Jianghu IV) is attempting to intercept. The Philippine air force also has 1 KAI golden eagle on standby.

Objectives

         Philippines

                 Strategic

                        Complete freedom of navigation manoeuvrer, drive off any aggressor. Do not  

                         loose any ships.

                 Tactical

                        Do not loose any ships, inflict damage on any aggressor.

          China

                  Strategic

                         Prevent Enemy ships entry into security zone. Avoid damage

                  Tactical

                          Prevent enemy ships entry into security zone, do not loose the ship.

The contact at 3.15pm local time

The 2 Philippine ships continued on there straight course and were intercepted by the Chinese frigate. Both had radar contact, the Chinese ship matched the Philippine ships course at just over 6 nautical miles away and broadcast warnings. The Philippine ships continued on their course.

At 4.06 the Chinese ship fired a warning shot. The Philippine captains did not react and continued.

At 4.10 the Chinese ship open fire with its main gun. The first rounds missed and the Philippine ships under the assumption that this was another warning did not react. The second set of rounds struck the Magat Salamat, the shells doing some damage to the smaller ship.

At this point both Philippine ships turned towards the Chinese ship in order to get into range. Over the next 2 minutes the Chinese ship continued to fire and miss the smaller ships. At 4.14 a second round struck the Magat Salamat and this time did significant damage taking out the radar, main gun and rudder.

As the Magat Salamat, now unable to manoeuvrer effectively, tries to disengage the Cebu starts to fire its main gun. Once again both ships miss several times.

4.17 A round from the Cebu strikes the Beihai doing very light damage. Having taken a hit the chinese ship responds with its missles.

4.18 1 anti ship missile is launched towards the Cebu.

4.19 The Cebu misses in its attempt to bring down the missile and is struck. The small ship is knocked out of the fight and begins to sink.

4.20 The Beihai launches a second missile towards the Magat Salamat.

4.23 The Magat Salamat is struck and sunk by the missile.

4.31 A KIA golden Eagle which had been prepared earlier arrives in the area. It locates the Beihai on Radar and proceeds towards the target. At a distance of around 10 nm it launches 2 maverick missiles. As they approach the Beihai, 1 is shot down by the defensive anti air fire. The second strikes the ship. The plane then launches the second set of 2 missiles both of these make it through the AA fire and strike the Beihai.

4.35 The Eagle leaves the combat area having used its payload. The Beihai has been heavily damaged but is still able to sale and makes it's way back to port.

Result

Tactical victory for China.

The successful enforcement of the Security zone shows that china is not bluffing. Also the easy destruction of 2 enemy ships demonstrates the power of the Chinese navy. However the damage inflicted by 1 plane shows the danger that a lack of AA or fighter support can have. The distance from the mainland and the airbases there shows a possible weakness. The limited modern elements of the south east Asian countries could be a significant threat if grouped together.

Political Results

The result is not good for the president of the Philippines. The loss of 2 ships (even if they were the oldest in the fleet) will not go down well with his nationalist supporters back home. However, with this event he has demonstrated the threat that china poses and this may help unify the ASEAN nations at the emergency meeting soon to be held. The fact the the US has only offered words rather than action also helps this cause.

In China the result is greeted with celebration by the public and repeated on the public news broadcasters. This is what the government hoped for as people, for a time, forget the economic troubles. The threat posed by the ASEAN as a group has been noted though and by threats and bribes attempts will be made to split them up. Also the US's lack of action is encouraging. Bigger plans can now be carried out with confidence.