Huce Manual (Ebook)
Huce Manual (Ebook)
Huce Manual (Ebook)
All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners
and neither Matrix Games nor Advanced Gaming Systems make any claim thereto.
E pi l Ep s y Wa r n i n g
PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE BEFORE PLAYING THIS GAME OR BEFORE
ALLOWING YOUR CHILDREN TO PLAY.
Certain individuals may experience epileptic seizures or loss of
consciousness when subjected to strong, flashing lights for long
periods of time. Such individuals may therefore experience a seizure
while operating computer or video games. This can also affect
individuals who have no prior medical record of epilepsy or have
never previously experienced a seizure.
If you or any family member has ever experienced epilepsy symptoms
(seizures or loss of consciousness) after exposure to flashing lights,
please consult your doctor before playing this game.
Parental guidance is always suggested when children are using a
computer and video games. Should you or your child experience
dizziness, poor eyesight, eye or muscle twitching, loss of
consciousness, feelings of disorientation or any type of involuntary
movements or cramps while playing this game, turn it off immediately
and consult your doctor before playing again.
PRECAUTIONS DURING USE:
Do not sit too close to the monitor.
Sit as far as comfortably possible.
Use as small a monitor as possible.
Do not play when tired or short on sleep.
Take care that there is sufficient lighting in the room.
Be sure to take a break of 10-15 minutes every hour.
2010 Matrix Games Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Matrix Games Ltd. and the Matrix Games
Ltd. logo are trademarks of Matrix Games Ltd . All other trademarks and trade names are the
properties of their respective owners and Matrix Games Ltd. make no claim thereto.
USE OF THIS PRODUCT IS SUBJECT TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE LICENSE AGREEMENT AND LIMITED WARRANTY
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTENTS
1.0 HARPOON: COMMANDERS EDITIONTM
1.1. Minimum System Requirements
1.2. Recommended System Requirements
1.3. Installation Procedures
1.4. Uninstalling the Game
1.5. Product Updates
1.6. Game Forums
1.7. Technical Support
2.0 INTRODUCTION TO HARPOON: COMMANDERS EDITION
3.0 PLAYERS GUIDE: INTRODUCTION
3.1. Whats New in Harpoon: Commanders Edition
3.2. Quick Start
3.3. Missed Contacts
3.4. SOSUS Contacts
3.5. Pausing the Game
3.6. Starting the Scenario
3.7. Sub-to-Surface Missile Attacks
3.8. Sub-to-Surface Torpedo Attacks
3.9. Attacking From an Airbase
3.10. Surface-to-Sub Attacks
3.11. Surface-to-Surface Attacks
3.12. Conclusion
4.0 HOW TO PLAY
4.1. Main Window
4.2. Report Window
4.3. Message Window
5.0 COMMAND SUMMARY
5.1. File Menu
5.2. Orders Menu
5.3. Settings Menu
5.4. Reports Menu
5.5. Misc Menu
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Go to www.matrixgames.com and click the Members hyperlink at the top. In the new window,
select Register NOW and follow the on-screen instructions. When youre finished, click the
Please Create My New Account button, and a confirmation e-mail will be sent to your specified
e-mail account.
Register a New Game Purchase Once you have signed up for a Matrix Games Member
account, you can then register any Matrix Games title you own in your new account. To do so,
log in to your account on the Matrix Games website (www.matrixgames.com). Click Register
Game near the top to register your new Matrix Games purchase.
Once youve registered your game, when you log in to the Members section you can view your
list of registered titles by clicking My Games. Each game title is a hyperlink that will take you
to an information page on the game (including all the latest news on that title). Also on this list
is a Downloads hyperlink that takes you to a page that has all the latest downloads, including
patches, for that particular title.
Remember, once you have signed up for a Matrix Games Member account, you do not have to
sign up again at that point you are free to register for any Matrix Games product you purchase.
Thank you and enjoy your game!
1.6. GAME FORUMS
Our forums are one of the best things about Matrix Games. Every game has its own forum with
our designers, developers and the gamers playing the game. If you are experiencing a problem,
have a question or just an idea on how to make the game better, post a message there. Go to
http://www.matrixgames.com and click on the Forums hyperlink.
1.7. TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Should you have a technical problem with the game, the best way to get help is to post a note
in the Technical Support sub-forum within the Harpoon: Commanders Edition forum at http://
www.matrixgames.com. Youll then hear back from our personnel, or from one of the many
helpful players of the game. This is usually the fastest way to get help. Alternatively, you can
email your problem to support@matrixgames.com.
of the contestants. There is no history as to what might constitute a good decision or a bad
one; the results of the contest itself will bear the answer. Consequently, there are two tests a
contemporary naval war game must meet: whether it can accurately duplicate existing naval
scenarios, and whether it can accurately predict future ones. In this regard, Harpoon is the most
sophisticated and realistic contemporary war game available to the public at this time.
Larry Bonds original naval war game appeared in 1980 as a board game. It drew on the
experiences of the past in an effort to produce a true contemporary naval war game. Designed
by an experienced naval officer, the game combined a simple game system with the specific
details of a variety of naval weaponry. Because it was deliberately conceived as an open-ended
game system, Bonds game could be fitted with new rules, statistics, or data as they became
available, virtually guaranteeing that it would remain a viable, valuable resource for naval war
gamers. In 1988, Larry Bonds board version of the game set the standard by winning a second
H.G. Wells award at the prestigious Origins Wargaming Convention, the only game to ever do so.
Bonds game system is, at its heart, a simple one. Search, localize, attack. Sensors detect
units based on a simplied physical model with adjustments made for relative technology levels.
Weapons are fired and attempt to hit the target, with adjustments for physical attributes, and the
impact of technology on electronic warfare. For those weapons that hit, damage point values
for ships are based on their tonnage (with suitable modifications for ship type or construction),
damage inflicted by warheads and guns is based on the weight and type of the explosive.
Your computer version of Harpoon is identical in concept to the original game. However, it
also incorporates a few convenient features that allow for greater flexibility. Some of the main
differences between the board game and this computerized version are as follows:
The most obvious time-saving feature is that the computer handles all the number crunching
required to play the board game.
The computer version has a layered design. That is, the player can choose the amount of
realism and/or detail, thus making this product an attractive challenge to both expert and novice
war gamers. Toward this end, you have been furnished with a Staff Assistant. Normally,
Task Force Commanders have staffs to help them keep track of the details regarding the
conditions of the fleet, as well as intelligence concerning the enemy. Your Staff Assistant
attempts to perform the same function. When you give an order, or ask for information, he will
take care of it for you.
The computer lets you command many task forces instead of just a single one.
The computerized version incorporates a time-compression feature. Normally, naval
engagements in the real world might require several days to resolve as units travel from one
point to another. To alleviate this dead time, you can speed up computer time when nothing
important is happening. The computer will automatically return you to real time once contact
is made with the enemy. Or, you can slow Harpoon down whenever you want.
An exciting feature, especially for the war game aficionado, is the vast amount of detailed
information available on both friendly and enemy units. With a keystroke, you can display
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detailed data on dozens of different countries. This makes Harpoon a valuable learning
experience, in addition to being a challenging war game simulation.
The latest version of Harpoon: Commanders Edition comes with many new features and fixes.
First there is now a BattleSet Editor and a number of new BattleSet shells have been
created for users to craft their own scenarios for the South Atlantic, South Africa, the Middle
East and the Caribbean, in addition to the 25 original BattleSets. You have hundreds of
different scenarios, offering literally thousands of hours of game play. If you are truly hard core,
you can create your own scenarios, platforms, weapons and sensors using the included editors.
In short, the computerized version of Harpoon can assist you in making the decisions that a
ship commander or battle group commander makes in a modern sea battle. Harpoon displays
information available to the commander, and shows how he uses it to make those decisions.
Most importantly, it allows you to make those decisions, and to see their results in a simulated
combat setting. As Sir John Sandy Woodward says, Wargaming allows you to try things out
without getting wet if you make a mistake. (Sir John is also known as Admiral Woodward,
Royal Navy (Ret). He was the commander of the naval portion of Operation Corporate, the
British response to the Argentinan invasion of the Falkland Islands in 1982.)
Although Harpoon is a game, there is no built-in play balance. Harpoon is more accurately
described as a simulation. The data is a reflection of real-world weapons and equipment, used
with a computer system that allows them to interact. We cannot say that you will win 50% of
the time. The vagaries of modern warfare do not allow for such niceties; neither does Harpoon.
In fact, each time a scenario is played it will be different. Whether or not you win will depend
on the initial situation presented to you by the computer, and how well you meet the challenges
of those situations.
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Section 13.0, Superpower Politics & Maritime Strategies, provides background information on
the realities of geopolitics as related to modern conventional warfare, the capabilities of todays
weaponry, and the real-world strategies which would be employed by both NATO and the Soviet
Union in the event of actual hostilities. This appendix is somewhat technical in nature and will
probably appeal mostly to the wargaming aficionado. Although this section is not critical for you
to play Harpoon, the information will help you to get the most enjoyment from it because it will
help you to understand the basis for modern tactics. Remember that Harpoon is a simulation
and not an arcade-style game, so it is designed to reproduce actual tactics. For instance, you
might order an ASW (anti-submarine warfare) helicopter to attack a submarine, yet it might
appear that the helo is aimlessly wandering around instead of carrying out its attack order. But
if you read Section 13.0, you will understand how things really work in modern warfare. That
is, you would realize that the helo is actually flying to different locations, dipping its on-board
sonar into the water, and trying to get a solid fix on the subs location so that an attack can be
launched. So take some time to read this appendix if you want to understand the basis on which
Harpoon is designed.
Section 14.0 is a glossary of the terms, abbreviations, and acronyms found in this manual.
Please refer to it if you have questions.
Since Harpoon is mouse and menu-driven, the technical aspects of controlling it are fairly easy.
However, the realistic situations you will encounter, combined with user-selected options and
variable windows, make Harpoon a continuing challenge even for the seasoned expert.
3.1 WHATS NEW IN HARPOON: COMMANDERS EDITION
Harpoon: Commanders Edition is a major extension to Harpoon Classic 2002. If youre familiar
with that version of the game, you should have little or no trouble picking up this version. Most
of the game features are the same. However, you should become familiar with the following
new features:
Changes between Harpoon v1.0, Harpoon Classic 95 and Harpoon Classic 97, Harpoon Classic
2002, Harpoon Classic Gold are many and significant. Please review the ReleaseNotes.txt file
for a list of changes.
For information that didnt make it into this manual, or for newer features planned for the
maintenance releases, we do our best to update those on our wiki and invite you come join
us at:
http://wiki.computerharpoon.com/index.php/Main_Page
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The Orders menu is always directly linked to the selected Group or Unit in the currently active
window (that is, if the Group window is active, the selected group is active, and if the Unit
window is active, the currently selected unit). Note that most of the Order items do not work
for units.
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Select your submarine and click the Sensors button at the top of the main window. The Set
Group Sensors dialog box is displayed. Currently, the sonar and radar (which is usable only
because we are at periscope depth or less) are both off, or passive because the Active Sonar
is off.
Set your submarines radar to Active and click OK. Do the same for your ship. Now the range
circles have changed to smaller yellow circles indicating the range of our active sonar.
Since it is typically better to run with passive sonar and radar until an enemy is found, use the
Set Group Sensors dialog box to turn off both your sonar and radar.
3.7 SUB-TO-SURFACE MISSILE ATTACKS
3.7.1 Time Compression
Okay, lets go hunting for an enemy. First, lets speed up the time compression so that things
happen a little more quickly. Click on the + Fast button at the top of the main window. Notice
that the text next to the button changes to 5 sec. This indicates that five seconds of game time
are passing for each second of real time. Continue clicking the + Fast button until you are at 1
min. Your subs are now visibly moving in the Unit window.
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Otherwise, you will get a yellow icon indicating that you have a contact, but you dont have
enough information to determine if it is enemy or neutral. NOTE: We changed the background
color to help illustrate this point in this manual.
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In this example you will get a yellow icon inside a yellow polygon indicating that you have a
contact, but you dont have enough information to determine if it is enemy or neutral.
In this case, we will assume you will continue to close and in time, resolve the contact so
that you do indeed know it is an enemy group (as we have intended in designing this scenario).
Click the red ship icon that has appeared in the Group Window (pressing the Backspace key to
toggle between the groups may be helpful if the enemy group is difficult to select). The Report
window indicates that this group, USSR Surface Group ZZS, contains one ship.
Right-click on the red Group in the GROUP Window and you will see it appear in the UNIT
window. Select the Russian ship in this window. Due to the closeness of the detection (we
let the game run for a bit before taking the screen shot) the US submarines have been able to
process the acoustic information to the extent that the exact class, speed and course data is
known to us as the Blue player. This is a good detection, usually, you will not have this level of
detail without patience and some luck.
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Now click the Attack button at the top of the main window. The Select Enemy Target dialog box
is displayed. In this case there is only one enemy, so click the OK button. The Sub vs. Ship Attack
dialog box is now displayed.
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For this battle we will use missiles, so choose Missile Attack and click the OK button.
Your two subs are listed in the upper left list, and the lower left list shows the enemy targets.
In the lower right are the current numbers of missiles allocated to be fired in this attack, in this
case four Tomahawk missiles from the Miami. The upper right list indicates the weaponry that
remains onboard, in this case five Tomahawk missiles and six Harpoon missiles on the Miami.
The Sea Devil has additional Harpoons available.
Click the Execute button to launch your Tomahawks. You will see a graphic of the missiles being
fired from the sub and a missile icon will appear in both the Unit and Group windows.
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Watch until the missiles reach the enemy unit. You may want to increase the time compression
slightly to speed the action. The enemy ship may attempt to down the incoming missiles as
indicated by a graphic of the enemy ship firing and small explosions occurring on the missile icon.
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Once the missiles reach the enemy, another graphic will appear showing their explosions on or
near the enemy.
If the missiles are destroyed or miss, continue attacking until the enemy ship has been sunk. Once
it is sunk, you will see a dialog with a graphic of the sinking ship to let you know that the enemy
has been destroyed.
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This dialog shows you the available aircraft at this airbase and the mission type for which they are
currently ready. At the moment you have two EA-6B Prowlers available for patrol and a squadron
of four A-6E bombers.
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Click a point just to the west of the two small islands off of the Soviet coast in the Baltic Sea (due
east of the airbase) and click OK. The Launch Aircraft dialog is displayed.
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Select the row that contains the EA-6B Prowler aircraft and click the Move >> button.
Another dialog is displayed asking you how many aircraft you want to move. Since this is a patrol,
type 1 and click OK.
Now click Launch. The aircraft launches and begins moving toward its patrol point.
Increase the time compression to 1 sec. equals 1 min.
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Set the radar on your patrol to Active by selecting it in the Group window and using the Sensors
button.
If a staff message appears to inform
you that your patrol is nearing Bingo
fuel, launch your other EA-6B Prowler
to patrol near the same point.
When the next staff message appears
to inform you that your Air Group has
reached Bingo fuel, order them back
to the base by clicking Yes.
Continue patrolling in this way until
you detect an enemy ship, USSR
Surface Group ZWS, near the patrol
point.
You may want to increase the
time compression to speed things
along. Remember to keep your
radar active on your patrol aircraft.
Be careful not to let your patrol
approach the enemy ship too
closely or it may be shot down.
If this happens, remember the
location of the enemy ship and quickly launch another patrol.
3.9.3 Launching an Attack
Once youve detected the enemy ship, launch your four bombers from the base on an attack
mission against the enemy group.
Center the enemy ship in the Unit window.
Once your bombers arrive, attack the enemy using your Harpoon missiles according to the
defaults suggested.
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Continue flying patrols and attack missions until you have sunk the enemy ship. Note that the
enemy ship may try to shoot down your aircraft when they approach too closely.
Send your aircraft units home by selecting them in the Group window and then selecting the
Land Air button at the top of the window and clicking OK on the resulting dialog.
3.10 SURFACE-TO-SUB ATTACKS
3.10.1 Formation Editor
Set your time compression to 1 sec. equals 1 sec. And set Map Grid Lines on (Ctrl-G) or use
the Settings Menu.
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We suggest you put the other Spruance on the other side of the Formation, and the Knox away
from the center in one or more segments. This way your CF Adams stays in the center.
Next, select the 1 SH-2F Seasprite line and click Set Air Patrol.
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Click the lowest left sector of the outer ring displayed in the Group window. A helicopter icon
appears and this sectors outline turns to yellow. In the dialog, you now have 1 ASW Patrol listed.
Set another patrol to the left of your ship and another above it.
Now click Execute to set the patrols.
Zoom the Group window back out to 2x.
Aircraft patrolling in the Formation will be replaced at bingo fuel with another aircraft of the
same type with the same Loadout, if available.
3.10.2 Searching for the Enemy
Set the Group map back to 4x. Select the Ship Group ABS and set the course to move it just
west of the Scottish coast and then add another leg to move it west (or left) until it is away from
the coast. Note that this example is going to show you just how big the Atlantic is and just how
hard it is to find even a noisy submarine. Pay particular attention to the Grid if you dont put
your Ship Group within the right segment you may never find the target submarine! Set your
speed to Cruise (19 kts).
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This sets the course south. Hit F2 to set your speed to Creep (5kts) before setting the 2nd leg.
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In the illustrations below well show you a running battle that starts with pressing the Intercept
button above, thus vectoring in the first available helicopter: When you play this scenario it
probably wont unfold exactly like this so try playing with just this surface group a few times
and try adjusting the speed, time compression, and most importantly, where you position the
ships and helicopters in the Formation Editor!
You will probably need to launch more helicopters as 1-2 torpedoes launched does not usually
give you a sunken submarine.
In this example, at least one
torpedo hit the target as
shown by the 23% damage in
the Report window.
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As this example unfolds, it is clear that the distances are so short, that several ships can directly
attack using either their own torpedoes, some of which can be shot at the target from some
distance using a rocket (e.g. ASROC)
When both are available you will be asked to choose Short Range or Standoff ASW:
Note that the helicopters in the Formation
are part of the Group and will function
under the Staff Assistants control.
While any helicopters you launch to
attack the target or that were selected
for an Intercept, will become their own
Group and thus allow you to manage
them directly.
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HOW TO PLAY
of movement and attack. Now you have more than 250 more scenarios to challenging your
growing strategic naval warfare skills.
Group Map
Command &
Control Bar
Unit Map
Control Bar
Unit Map
Strategic Map
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- Time compression
- Sensors
When in the Unit window, only time compression and sensors commands are available.
Note that some commands are available during other operations. For example a group can be
ordered to attack or alter speed while in the course dialog.
Time Compression
The time compression indicator box is part of the command & control bar. Its default setting
is one second. This indicates that one second of simulation time is equivalent to one second
of real time. When Harpoon is compressing time, the number in this box indicates how much
simulation time passes for each second of real time. For example, if time compression is set
to 30 seconds, then one second of real time equals 30 seconds of simulation time (that is,
Harpoon is set to operate 30 times faster than real time). To increase time compression, click
the Fast button. To decrease the time compression, click the Slow button. (You can also press
the + and - keys, respectively.) There is also a 1 hotkey that will automatically reduce time
compression to 1:1. An additional hotkey has been added to allow for pausing without changing
menus or screens; simply click Ctrl + Alt + P.
Game updates do not always occur each second, especially in the more complex scenarios.
4.1.2 Menus
Across the top of the window are seven menus: File, Orders, Settings, Reports, Misc, Windows,
and Help. To use a menu command, place your cursor over a menu name and click and hold the
left mouse button. This displays the menu. Continue to hold down the mouse button, and move
your cursor to the choice you want. Release the mouse button to issue the command.
4.1.3 Maps
There are three maps on the Main window: the Strategic map, the Group map, and the Unit map.
To make anything happen on a map, you must first select that map by clicking it. The maps title
bar changes color to indicate that it is active.
Strategic Map
The Strategic map represents the entire geographical area for the current BattleSet. A
rectangular box representing the Group window appears on this map. The area within this box
is displayed on the Group map.
To move the Group window, click on the Strategic map. The rectangular box centers itself
around the area where you clicked.
Group Map
The Group map has two main components:
- Group map. This represents the area enclosed by the rectangular box on the Strategic map.
On this map you see symbols indicating the various groups that you control during the scenario.
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HOW TO PLAY
When you first start a scenario, you will see a box surrounding one of your groups. The units in
this group can be viewed on the Unit map. The unit window will be displayed on the Strategic
map in a rectangular tan/burgundy box.
- Group map control bar. This is the bar across the top of the Group map. To the left are eight
zoom boxes, marked 1x, 2x 4x, 8x, 16x, 32x, 64x, and 128x; the default setting is 2x. Press Z
to zoom in on the Group map, and press X to zoom out. To zoom to a specific setting, click the
appropriate zoom box.
- A tiny box appears on the Group map. This represents the Unit window. The area surrounded
by this box is displayed on the Unit map.
- The group map is primarily used to select a group using the mouse. To select a group move
the cursor over a group icon and click on it. If two or more groups overlap, continue clicking until
the correct group has been selected.
Unit Map
The Unit map has two parts:
- Unit map. This is similar to the Group map, but is used for close-in viewing of a specific tactical
situation. Symbols on this map indicate individual units, not groups.
- Unit map control bar. This is the bar across the top of the Unit map. Like the Group control bar,
there are zoom boxes labeled 1x, 2x 4x, 8x, 16x, 32x, 64x, and 128x;. The zoom setting of the
Unit map does not affect the zoom setting of the Group map.
- The unit map is primarily used to select a group using the mouse. To select a unit move the
cursor over a unit icon and click on it. If two or more units overlap, continue clicking until the
correct group has been selected.
4.2 REPORT WINDOW
The Report window displays information or options about items you select. Also, the Report
window serves as an animation window. When an engagement between units occurs, an
animation of the unit launching its point defense weapons and missile strikes is displayed. You
also see animations of weapons arriving on their targets. These animations can be turned on
and off in the options menu.
When you start Harpoon,
the Report window contains
information about the selected
group. To view information about
another group, you must first
select it. Click a group to select
it. If two or more groups overlap,
you can click again to cycle
through the overlapping groups.
You can also press the spacebar
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to select the next closest group to the south or Backspace to select the next closest group to
the north. Alternately you may use your mouse wheel to cycle through the groups in a similar
fashion.
Select the Full Report button at the bottom of the Reports window to display a report on the
currently selected group or unit (depending on which window is active). Unit reports resemble
the platform display for a class of units; but they also displays the units current status including
damage, armament loads, and sensor status.
The Display button has the same effect as selecting the Reports menu and then the Platform
Display item. The only difference is that if you are in the group window you see the normal
platform display selection screen, which lets you choose between ships/subs/aircraft and all
classes in the scenario or BattleSet. In the Unit window, the platform display for the current
units class is displayed.
4.2.1 Status Bar
The status bar at the bottom of the window shows the current date and time on the right.
Initially, the time shown on this display is the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), which corresponds
to actual date and time as determined by your computer clock. This time can be compressed,
as described in the Time Compression section.
The status bar also displays ongoing information, such as patrols being formed and patrol
launches, on the left.
4.3 MESSAGE WINDOW
The Strategic, Unit and Group Maps, Report Window and Message Log can be moved anywhere
on the screen and (except for the Strategic Map) resized to suit your needs.
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COMMAND SUMMARY
5.1.1 New
Select this item to end the current game and start a new one.
CAUTION: The game being played will not be saved unless you first select the Save Game menu
choice.
A dialog box is displayed. If you want a new game, click Yes or press Enter. If you want to return
to the current game, click No or press Esc. If you select Yes, you are returned to the BattleSet
Selection window.
5.1.2 Open
Lets you reload a saved game and continue play. A dialog box is displayed. If you want to open a
saved game, click Yes or press Enter. If you want to return to the current game, click No or press
Esc. If you select Yes, a standard Windows Load File dialog box is displayed.
5.1.3 Save
Lets you save the current game, so that you can continue playing the current game at a later
time. If the file name you assign to the current game is the same as an existing file name, you
are asked to confirm your decision to overwrite the existing file.
5.1.4 Save As
Lets you save the current game and specify a name for the file, even if you previously saved
the game.
5.1.5 Load User Scenario
Select this option to load a scenario that you created using the Harpoon: Commanders Edition
Scenario Editor.
5.1.6 Scenario Editor
Refer to the online documentation for information about the Scenario Editor.
5.1.7 Pause
Pauses the current game in the current setup. Press Enter to resume. A hotkey can also be used
to pause the game: Ctrl + Alt + P. Additionally, time compression can be set to 0 so the game
runs in real time.
Minimizing the Harpoon: Commanders Edition window will pause the game.
5.1.8 Status
Displays a status report for Blue, Red, and Green forces. The boxes on each side of the window
show the losses and damage sustained by each side.
5.1.9 Exit
Lets you quit the game without saving it. If you want to continue the same game at a later time,
first select Save Game and then select Quit. A dialog box is displayed. Press Enter to exit the
game. Press Esc to cancel the Quit command.
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COMMAND SUMMARY
- Find a unit that shows weapons within your Weapons Loaded list, then select the Allocate
button. Notice that one weapon appears in the Weapons Allocated list. Also notice that one less
weapon appears in the Unit Weapons Loaded list.
- Continue to allocate the units until you have allocated as many weapons as you want
against that enemy unit. If you feel too many weapons are allocated, select one and select the
Deallocate button.
- Repeat the above steps until you have allocated all the weapons you want to use against the
various enemy units.
- Select the Execute button when you have finished allocating weapons. Select the Cancel
button if you decide not to attack the enemy.
- Each type of group might have different behavior in handling an attack. If there complications
the Staff Assistant will attempt to assist.
5.2.2 Set Depth & Speed
For Ship & Carrier Groups
For ship and carrier type groups you are only allowed to set the speed they will travel. There
are four quick settings:
- Stop. Used to stop your group dead in the water.
- Creep. Normally 5 knots or less, just enough speed to maintain steerage. This speed also gives
maximum sonar performance.
- Cruise. This is 60 percent of the slowest units maximum speed within the group, or 19 knots,
whichever is less. Speeds of 20 knots or more eliminate hull sonar performance.
- Max Group. The maximum speed of the slowest unit within the group.
With surface units, you can also type a speed between zero and the Max Group speed in the
Speed text edit box. If you enter a speed greater than the Max Group speed, it will be reduced
to Max Group when you exit the dialog by selecting the OK button.
For Submarine Groups
Submarine group speeds are set in the same manner as surface groups. In addition you set the
depth at which you want the group to operate at. The available depths are:
- Surface. Puts your submarine group on the surface.
- Periscope. Right below the surface where you can see out your periscope and sometimes be
spotted by low flying aircraft.
45
- Shallow. Above the thermal layer, but deeper than Periscope depth.
- Intermediate. Below the thermal layer, but shallower than the maximum safe depth for most
submarines. Submarines can go up to 24 knots without cavitating at this depth.
- Deep. The maximum safe depth for most submarines, used to evade detection. Submarines
can go up to 29 knots without cavitating at this depth.
- Very Deep. Can only be achieved by a few submarine classes, and eliminates all cavitation
noise.
For Aircraft Groups
Like submarines, aircraft groups can change both their speed and altitude. Unlike submarines
and surface units, you can only use throttle settings, not enter a specific speed. The Harpoon:
Commanders Edition system uses an endurance measurement which equates to how long
an aircraft can stay aloft without crashing and still make base to the originating point; this
measurement is expressed as a percentage of fuel.
You can display the available endurance by selecting the Settings menu, and then Set Range
Circles. In the window that is displayed, select the Airborne Mission Radius checkbox to display
available endurance on your Group and Unit maps. It is also
displayed as a percentage in the Reports window. This is calculated using the slowest speed.
The throttle settings available are:
- Loiter/Hover. A helicopter hovers in a single location; a fixed-wing aircraft flies in a tight
circle at minimum speed. This increases your airborne endurance tremendously for planes;
helicopters use the same endurance as cruise throttle setting while hovering. Aircraft with
sonobuoys drop them at this throttle setting and helicopters with dipping sonar will lower this
sensor when hovering at very low altitude.
- Cruise. The most efficient speed to cover distance.
- Full Military. This is the full rated speed of the engine without using an afterburner, and top
speed for those without afterburners. Endurance is reduced at a rate of 23 times more than
the rate at Cruise throttle setting.
For some types of aircraft, cruise and full military speed are the same.
- Afterburner. Some high-performance jet fighters have afterburners allowing them to dump
fuel into the exhaust nozzle to increase speed. It reduces your airborne endurance at over 12
times the rate of Cruise speed, and should only be used in critical evasion/intercept situations.
Altitude settings available to aircraft are:
- Very Low. This is wave-height flying below 30 meters. If in a fixed wing aircraft, there is a
significant chance that you will hit the water due to pilot error and lose aircraft, especially if you
order a course change at this altitude.
46
COMMAND SUMMARY
47
48
COMMAND SUMMARY
To patrol multiple sectors with a mouse, hold down the Shift key when clicking on the sectors
you want the unit to patrol. If you have sufficient units, you should only designate one sector
per unit to improve the quality of the patrol coverage they can provide. If you only have a limited
number of patrol units, you may have them patrol multiple sectors within a ring, but since they
have more area to cover, the likelihood of a threat slipping in will rise.
Change Zone Sizes
This command lets you set the radius of each the four patrol zones. Each zone must be at least
one nautical mile larger than the previous zone. The picket zone cannot be more than 255
nautical miles in radius for any formation.
Cancel
Select this button to cancel your changes.
Execute
Accepts all your changes to the formation. Units may take some time to reach their new
formation locations, because they must keep moving with the formation while maneuvering
to their new positions.
To move a unit from one ring/sector to another:
- Click the unit you want to move. This will highlight the sector that the unit is currently in and
move the designation square over the unit.
- Click the ring/sector to which you want the unit to move. The unit will move to that ring/sector.
5.2.5 Ready Aircraft
This option allows you to prepare aircraft for particular mission profiles. Normally, your aircraft
are readied by the Staff Assistant when they land into their default mission profile. To prepare
them for particular missions, you can choose from the list of available loadouts.
When you select the Ready button, you can select how many aircraft you want to ready.
Once you have selected the number of aircraft to ready, the Loadout Selection window is
displayed.
Use this window to browse the available loadouts and find one that matches the mission you
need.
To select a loadout for your aircraft, click it or use the up/down arrow keys, then select the OK
button.
5.2.6 Launch (Land) Aircraft
If your group is an air group, you see a selection of locations to land that can accept your aircraft
(based on runway length and endurance).
49
Launching Aircraft
If your group has air assets you can launch, then you can select the mission type for the launch.
If you select the Attack destination, the Select Enemy Target selection box is displayed.
If you select the Ferry destination, you will be presented with the possible landing sites to ferry
your aircraft to.
If you select the Patrol destination, one of two things will happen depending on whether or not
you have the Repeatable Patrols Staff Option set. If it is set, you then pick a place or the patrol
to go at this point. If not, you will go directly to the Launch Aircraft screen.
Once you select the type of mission for your launch and its particular information, the Launch
Aircraft Selection window is displayed including loadout range.
All currently readied aircraft are shown in the list on the left. You can launch aircraft in groups.
To do so, select an aircraft and click the Move button to move that aircraft to the Launching
Group list. Repeat this with each aircraft you want in your launching group.
Once you have the group you want to launch in the Launching Group list, then you can either
launch it by selecting the Launch button or the Repeat Attack button (if it is available). If you
select the Repeat Attack button, you must indicate how often to repeat the attack or patrol. A
box appears in the Reports window, which lists the groups that can be joined to the group inside
the designation square.
5.2.7 Join Group
Allows you to join two separate groups into a larger one. A box appears in the Reports window,
which lists the groups that can be joined to the group inside the designation square.
Select the groups you want to join to your designated group, then select OK. If they are within
range, a new window is displayed. All the units in one group are displayed in one list, and all the
units in the other groups are displayed in the other.
In the left list, select the units you want to join to the units in the right list. Then select the Move
button. Select OK when you are done to join the selected units.
5.2.8 Split Group
This is the opposite of Join Group command. To split a group, highlight the unit(s) to be split
from the group and select the Move button to move them to the other list. Once you select the
OK button, you return to the Main window.
If you want to issue commands to the group you have just split off, select the group. Even
though the window does not change, you can see that you are on the new group by its call
letters. After a split, the new group has no movement or other orders.
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COMMAND SUMMARY
5.2.9 Sensors
This allows you to set sonar and radar of selected groups or units. The Set Group Sensors
window shows all the types of sensors you have in your designated group. Off means that no
sensors are emitting. Active means that they are on. Mixed means that sensors of units in a
particular range ring have different settings, both active and off.
If you select Mixed for any sensor, another window is displayed. (The exact name of the window
depends on which sensor you choose. For sonar, it is the Set Mixed Active Sonar window.) You
can select On, Off, Mixed, and Intermittent for the main body, the AAW ring, the ASW ring, and
the picket ring.
If a ring does not contain ships or if the ships in the ring do not have this particular type of
sensor, the radio buttons for that ring are grayed out. For example, imagine that you select
mixed on the Set Group Sensors window, your units are positioned in the main body circle and
the AAW circle only, the main body has no air search radar. In this case, Set Mixed Air Search
Radar window is displayed, and every line except the AAW line will be grayed out.
The intermittent setting lets you periodically activate, then automatically deactivate, your
sensors. After you select Intermittent, another window is displayed where you set the base
period, the variance, and the duration of emission. The base period is the time between sensor
activations. The variance lets you make the base period irregular, and the duration is how long
the sensor is active. For example, if you set the duration to 5 minutes, the variance to 2 minutes
and the duration to 30 seconds, then the sensors will turn on every 5 minutes, plus or minus 2
minutes, for 30 seconds.
5.2.10 Enter Staff Note
When you select Enter Staff Note, a dialog box is displayed where you can type a message for
your Staff Assistant to give to you. Type your note and click OK. Another dialog box prompts
you to specify when you want the note delivered.
The time you specify will be elapsed time (delta time), not actual clock time. That is, the time
will be measured from the time that the staff note is inserted.
5.3 SETTINGS MENU
The selections on this menu do not in any way affect the outcome of the game; they are used
to set various references and game features.
5.3.1 Time Compression
Sets the time compression feature. The radio buttons are labeled with the compression factor.
That is, if you select 1 minute, then 1 second of real time equals 1 minute of game time. To
go back to regular time, click the 1 second button (1 second of game time equals 1 second of
real time).
You can also set time compression using the command & control bar.
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52
COMMAND SUMMARY
Set Surface SAM Fire Rate. Gives you some control over the number of SAMs your units fire at
each enemy aircraft or missile.
- Set Aircraft AAW Auto Fire Range. Lets you set the range at which units start firing at incoming
aircraft or missiles. The default option is 3/4 Max.
5.3.5 Game Options
This option lets you configure which animations appear during game play. You can also toggle
the display of killed ship pictures. You can toggle the time display on the Group window from a
time of day display to a game time remaining display. You can change the color of the land to
suit your monitor. You can change the color from Light to Dark. Finally, you can have the game
automatically save at an indicated time. All these settings are saved.
5.3.6 Sound Options
You can choose which sounds you want during the game.
5.4 REPORTS MENU
This menu is used as an intelligence source. Use it to display information you may want.
5.4.1 Show Orders
Displays the orders you were given at the beginning of the game when you selected a scenario.
5.4.2 Order of Battle
Displays the Order of Battle window. The list on the left lists all the groups available to you.
When you highlight a group, the list on the right displays the units associated with that group.
To learn more about that highlighted group, double-click the group.
5.4.3 Platform Display
Displays a window with information about your platform types. Click a unit type to display a
list of the active classes; that is, the unit classes associated with the scenario you are playing.
To display all active unit classes for the selected type (ships, subs, or aircraft), select All Units.
The default setting lists only the classes used within this scenario. For instance, if Aircraft is
highlighted, only information on the aircraft classes active in this particular scenario will be
shown. You can use this to find out about the capability of various classes of units.
If you want to view details about a particular class, select the class on the Platform Display
window, then click the Display button. This displays the Unit Display window with detailed
information about that platform class.
Use the Next and Previous buttons to browse the various classes. By default, the radar
information is displayed in the lower left of the window. Click the Sonar button to display the
sonar of the class, and toggle the Sonar button to Radar. Click the Weapons button to view the
weapons of the class.
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54
At-tak/Intercept
Ready Air
Launch / Land Air
Bearing-only Launch
Grants you nuclear release status in any scenario,
regardless of the original setting in the scenario.
KEYBOARD COMMANDS
Movement
F2
F3
F4
Display
Alt-T
V
O
Tab
Z
X
Arrow keys
5 (keypad only)
C
+
-
L, Enter
Spacebar
Backspace
Sensors
F9
.
Sensnors
Drop Buoy
Organization
F7
F8
Join Group
Split Group
Reports
D
F
Misc.
F10
Enter Note
6.1 MENUS
This section lists the keyboard equivalents for the menu commands.
6.1.1 Game Menu Commands
Command
Key
Pause Game
Ctrl-P
55
New Game
Load Game
Load User Scenario
Save Game
Game Status
Quit
Ctrl-N
Ctrl-O
Ctrl-L
Ctrl-S
Ctrl-H
Ctrl-Q
56
OVERVIEW OF OPERATIONS
57
Some scenarios were developed for you to play either side, others are clearly marked in their
titles as being Red or Blue only.
7.3 ENVIRONMENT
In Harpoon the environment consists of several elements. The first element is altitude (or depth).
To simplify the range of possibilities, altitude bands (alt bands) are used.
VHigh. Very High altitude is 20,000 meters and higher. Only some jet aircraft have the capability
to fly at this altitude.
High. High altitude is between 3,500 and 20,000 meters.
Medium. Medium altitude is between 600 meters and 3,500 meters. This is the maximum
altitude for all helicopters.
Low. Low altitude is between 30 meters and 600 meters.
VLow. Very Low, is wave-height or terrain-following flying, keeping your aircraft below 30
meters. In a fixed-wing aircraft (not a helicopter), there is a significant chance that you will hit
the water due to pilot error and the aircraft will be lost. The advantage is that aircraft flying at
the VLow altitude can only be detected at less than half the range of an aircraft flying at Low
altitude.
Sea Level. The surface of the ocean.
Periscope. Right below the surface where you can see out your periscope. Use with caution
because you can be spotted by low-flying aircraft.
Shallow. Above the thermal layer, deeper than Periscope depth.
Intermediate. Below the
thermal layer, but shallower
than the max safe depth
for
most
submarines.
Submarines are harder to
detect when at this depth
or deeper. Speeds up to 24
knots are possible without
cavitating at this depth.
Deep. The maximum safe
depth for most submarines,
used to evade detection.
Submarines can go up to 29
knots without cavitating at
this depth.
58
Very Deep. Can only be achieved by a few submarine classes, and eliminates all cavitation
noise. The maximum depth units can reach in Harpoon.
Weather systems or cells can appear in Harpoon, and your groups and
units can be affected while within the range of the Weather icon. Some
weapons cannot be used at certain sea states (which are directly linked
to the strength of the weather cell) and you may not be able to be launch
some aircraft. Weather also affects sensors making visual, radar and sonar
contacts more difficult.
7.4 WEAPONS
Weapons within Harpoon are organized into mounts. Each mount contains one or more
weapons. A mount also has an associated number of barrels/rails/tubes, and ammunition
available, a weapon firing arc and possibly a specific sensor for the mount, called a director.
Directors direct weapons to specific target(s), and if the director is damaged the mount may
not be capable of firing at all! Note that directors can only track a limited number of targets, so
a major factor in maximizing the effectiveness of your attacks is overwhelming the capacity of
the defending mounts.
To examine your weapons in computer Harpoon, select the Display button in the Report window
to view the Platform Display window.
59
Select the Weapons button to display the Weapons window. For ships and submarines you get
a window that looks like this:
60
OVERVIEW OF OPERATIONS
The lower list in either window provides the following information about your mounts:
- Ammunition. The type of ammunition this mount fires or carries.
Qty. The maximum quantity of this ammunition in the mount.
- Target. The type of target this mount/ammunition can shoot. It is labeled AIR (flying targets),
SURF (SEA and LAND), SEA (ships/surfaced submarines), LAND (installations/MLUs), SUB
(submarines) or N/A (not applicable). The number following the / is the number of targets that
the director can track concurrently.
- Range. The range in nautical miles that the weapon can hit targets. If HORIZ is listed, the lesser
of your current radar horizon or weapon range is the weapons maximum range.
- Hit %. The percentage chance that this weapon will hit if fired at a target that is within range
(and if it is not shot down by the target as in the case of a missile).
- Damage. The maximum number of damage points that this weapon can inflict if it hits a
target. Some weapons have KILL listed, meaning if they hit the target type, they will kill it.
Another special damage type is NUKE, where nuclear explosion damage is done to the target
and nearby units.
When you start a game, one of the setup options is Possible Nuclear Release (see page 2-19).
Nuclear weapons (nukes) are only available in computer Harpoon after you have been granted
nuclear release. If you select Yes in the Possible nuclear release option, you may receive nuclear
release at some point in the game. If the enemy uses a nuclear weapon, you are automatically
granted nuclear release. Any nuclear weapons carried and/or aircraft loadouts are then available
for use.
7.5 SENSORS
In computer Harpoon, enemy and neutral units are hidden until you detect them. Detection is
always by a sensor, and the process of detection is called search. Every 30 seconds of game
(internal simulation) time, each sensor on each Unit may search to see whether a non-friendly
unit has been detected. Variables that affect this search process include distance, absolute
61
size, altitude/depth, weather, and speed of both the searching and detected units. In general, units
that are larger in size, faster moving, and radiating energy (via propulsion noise or active radar
or sonar) are easier to detect. A larger unit is easier to see, and returns more energy if painted
or hit by radar or sonar waves. A faster-moving unit radiates more sound energy, and the air/
water it disturbs at high speeds also increases that units size for radar/ sonar detection. Finally,
a radiating unit (radar or sonar) can always be passively detected beyond the effective range of
whatever active sensor is used.
7.5.1 Passive & Active Contacts
Contacts are either passive or active, meaning either you are detecting radiated energy or you
are detecting reflections of your own radiated energy. When you detect a radiating target (that is,
their radar or sonar is on or they are making noise based on their movement) you have a passive
detection. If you are radiating (that is, your radar or sonar is on) and detect a target, this is an active
detection. Radios are not modeled in Harpoon: Commanders Edition
7.5.2 Types of Contacts
62
OVERVIEW OF OPERATIONS
The table below shows you the maximum distance you can pick up targets given the altitude of
your radar transmitter and altitude of the target, assuming the radar would be strong enough to
reach that far.
BEST CASE: SHIP TO SHIP LINE OF SIGHT TABLE
Ht
VHigh
High
Med
Low
Vlow
Sm Ship
Periscope
VHigh
700
582
446
389
362
364
362
360
351
High
582
460
325
242
219
264
242
340
231
Med
446
325
191
134
108
109
107
105
96
Low
389
242
134
78
51
53
50
48
40
Vlow
362
219
108
51
25
26
24
22
13
Large Ship
364
264
109
53
26
27
26
24
15
242
107
50
24
26
24
22
13
Small Ship
360
340
105
48
22
24
22
19
10
Perisicope
351
231
96
40
13
15
13
10
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- Height Finding (HF). A Height Finding (HF) radar not only detects airborne contacts, but also
determines which altitude they are at. It can also detect surface contacts.
Range Only (RO). A Range Only (RO) radar can only detect targets directly in front of it, and is
mainly used in aircraft as a gun-sight radar.
- Look Down/Shoot Down (LD/SD). A Look Down/Shoot Down (LD/SD) radar is an air search
radar (mounted on an aircraft) that has much greater capabilities than a normal airborne radar,
especially when looking down onto targets flying very close to the earth.
Surface Search Radar
Surface Search (SS) radar is used to detect surface units and airborne targets at Low and Very
Low altitudes. A special surface search radar is the Periscope Radar (PR) which is mounted on
the periscope of a submarine and is used to help targeting submarine weapons against surface
targets.
7.5.5 Sonar
Sonar is the use of sound energy traveling through the water to detect and track surface ships or
submarines. Sonar can be passive or active. Sound travels underwater in strange ways as shown
in this illustration:
As you can see, direct sonar reflects
off of many things including the
thermocline (also called the thermal
layer) and this limits its range.
Sound that makes it through the
thermocline bends also back to
the surface due to the immense
pressure of the ocean at depths over
1,000 fathoms, then may reflect off
the surface and repeat the process.
This area where you can detect
distant targets is called a convergence zone (or CZ). Modern sonar can sometimes detect targets
out to three CZs. This illustration shows the areas where you might pick up a target, and the
corresponding blind zones. If the water is not Very Deep, you will not get convergence zone
detections.
Passive Sonar
Passive sonar works by listening to sounds traveling in the
water, classifying them and refining the contact. The primary
advantage of a passive sonar is that it does not give away your
position. The main disadvantage is that it often takes a longer
time to classify a target, and get an exact location on it.
Active Sonar
Active sonar works similarly to radar in that it sends out
sound energy and then listens for reflected returns of this
sound off possible targets. The main advantage of an active
sonar is that it gives exact distance and bearing information
64
OVERVIEW OF OPERATIONS
on any contact it detects. The disadvantage is that enemy units can detect the sound energy used
in active mode at 23 times the range an active sonar can detect a target. A common tactic is
to use passive sonar to generate an initial contact, then turn on active sonar just long enough to
generate an exact contact for your fire control solution.
Hull Sonar
Hull Sonar (H) is built into the hull of a ship or submarine. They usually have both active and
passive sonar capability. Hull sonar have two restrictions, the first being the blind spot in the
baffles, caused by propulsion noise and turbulence. The second restriction is that when you travel
at or above 20 knots, the flow noise caused by water flowing over the sonar eliminates the ability
to detect anything.
Towed Sonar
Towed Sonar (T) is trailed behind some ships and submarines on a long cable. Most towed sonar
are always below the thermal layer, but units with variable depth sonar (VDS) can change the towed
sonar depth to either above or below the layer. Towed sonar greatly increases the effectiveness
of a unit, as you have a much better chance of detecting targets below the layer. In computer
Harpoon all towed sonar deployment and retrieval is automatic. Each time you change course,
towed sonar will stop working or work at greatly reduced effectiveness until it can straighten
back out.
Dipping Sonar
Dipping Sonar (D) is used on helicopters. They are suspended on a cable and lowered into the
water while the helicopter hovers. In computer Harpoon use of dipping sonar is mainly automatic,
as any helicopter with this capability will use it if assigned to a patrol zone within the formation
editor. To manually dip your sonar, hover your helicopter at very low altitude. If your unit has a
dipping sonar, it will automatically lower it.
Sonobuoys
Sonobuoys (S) are small sonar sensors combined with a short-range radio transmitter. Sonobuoys
are dropped into the water in fields of 612 sonobuoys by aircraft, and then monitored. Fields of
sonobuoys only last a few hours then turn themselves off and sink to the bottom of the ocean. In
computer Harpoon, this process is automatic if an aircraft with sonobuoys is in a patrol zone within
the formation editor. To manually lay a sonobuoy field, hover/loiter your aircraft, and it will lay a
sonobuoy field and begin to monitor it. The hotkey to release a sonobuoy is . (the period key).
7.5.6 Visual Detection
Prior to modern times, human vision was the only way to detect distant threats. Human vision is
limited to the visual line of sight and affected by time of day and weather conditions. In todays
environment there are several visual methods of detection available.
65
VHigh
High
Med
Low
Vlow
Sm Ship
Periscope
VHigh
521
434
332
290
270
267
266
261
High
434
345
243
181
164
180
178
177
173
Med
332
243
143
101
81
80
77
76
72
Low
290
181
101
59
38
37
35
34
30
Vlow
270
164
81
38
19
17
15
14
10
Large Ship
269
180
80
37
17
19
17
15
11
178
77
35
15
17
14
12
Small Ship
266
177
76
34
14
15
12
10
Periscope
261
173
72
30
10
11
A technological addition to vision is the detection of infrared (IR) radiation (that is, heat). On
some aircraft, Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) and Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensors are
available. These sensors can spot surface ships and submarines on the surface or snorkeling.
Ships may also have passive IR sensors to detect other ships or aircraft.
7.6 OTHER DETECTION METHODS
The other detection methods supported in computer Harpoon are described below:
- Electromagnetic Intercept/Electronic Support Measures (ESM). All combat ships of frigate
size or better have ESM capability allowing them to rapidly detect any (active radar) radiating
target within 110 percent of your current radar horizon (against the target). This is considered a
passive radar detection, comparable to a passive sonar detection.
- Magnetic Anomaly Detectors (MAD). Some ASW aircraft carry a sensor that can detect large
metal objects close beneath them under the surface of the water. The aircraft must be at low
or very low altitude for this sensor to be effective. Some submarines have titanium hulls, which
greatly reduce the effectiveness of this sensor.
- SOSUS/Caesar. In the GIUK BattleSet, the NATO SOSUS system and USSR Caesar systems
may generate detections. These systems are large fields of seabed sensors laid to track enemy
vessels through advanced passive sonar techniques. Occasionally, you may be notified of a
contact using this detection method, giving you advance warning of a threat.
66
AIRCRAFT
8.0 AIRCRAFT
Aircraft are the primary scouts and a major portion of the offensive power available to todays
naval forces. Effective use of aircraft is essential if you want to succeed in Harpoon.
Aircraft in Harpoon carry a selection of weapons/sensors/fuel pods for a specific mission in a
grouping called a loadout.
8.1 LOADOUT TYPES
Loadouts are a function of the weapons an aircraft is capable of carrying, therefore not all
Loadouts are available for all aircraft.
8.1.1 Search
Aircraft assigned only to look for the enemy carry only fuel, sensors, and crew. Some of these
sensors may detect other aircraft, surface shipping, or even submarines.
8.1.2 Ferry
Normally has minimal or no weapons setup for a one-way trip to another base. Typically carries
external tanks full of fuel.
8.1.3 Tanker
This configuration consists of many external or internal tanks and a special attachment so other
planes can draw fuel. A tanker can refuel planes that are part of the same group. The tanker
can originate with that group or join it while in flight. When a plane drops to approximately 25
percent of its fuel capacity, it is refueled by the tanker. You can force the plane group to refuel
by pressing the Alt-R.
Tankers in a group may only offload fuel once per sortie. The available fuel is split equally
among the recipients which must all be of the same type. Total fuel available for offload is equal
to the number of tankers times the tanker loadout range.
Fuel Available or Fuel is displayed in the Report window when tanker refueling is permitted.
Tankers cannot refuel themselves.
8.1.4 Patrol
Used for electronic warfare and early warning aircraft.
8.1.5 Nuclear or Strike or SIOP
This loadout contains nuclear weapons ready to do massive damage to the enemy. The type of
weapon depends on aircraft type and country.
8.1.6 Standoff
Cruise missiles that fly the distance from release to target without requiring guidance from the
aircraft, thus reducing the risk to the launching aircraft.
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8.1.7 LR Standoff
Same as above, but some cruise missiles (and/or AAMs) are replaced with fuel tanks to extend
the range of the aircraft.
8.1.8 Anti-Radar
A special type of weapon, normally a missile, that looks for any enemy radar that is turned on.
If it hits, the radar is destroyed. If used against ships, a great deal of additional damage may be
caused. If the radar is turned off, most of these weapons go stupid and self-destruct; a few
home in on the last broadcasting location.
8.1.9 LR Anti-Radar
Same as above, but some anti-radar missiles (and/or AAMs) are replaced with fuel tanks.
8.1.10 Guided
These are smart bombs or shorter-range missiles, which are guided by the launching aircraft
to the target. Unlike cruise missiles, they have very short ranges, but the smart bombs can do
more damage. They also cost a lot less, so a country is likely to have more of these than cruise
missiles.
8.1.11 LR Guided
Same as above, but some smart bombs (and/or AAMs) are replaced with fuel tanks.
8.1.12 Unguided
This loadout represents rockets, cluster bombs, fuel-air explosives, and other area weapons.
Typically, many unguided weapons are in a loadout due to their small size. These function like
a grenade, spewing fragments over a wide area.
8.1.13 LR Unguided
Same as above, but some of the area weapons (and/or AAMs) are replaced with fuel tanks.
8.1.14 Iron Bomb
This is what most countries used in WWII. It is a simple weapon that is thrown at or dropped
on the target based on the movement of the aircraft, the wind, and temperature. These weapons
are very potent (they are all explosives and metal case), but are very difficult to target effectively.
8.1.15 LR IronBomb
Same as above, but some bombs (and/or AAMs) are replaced with fuel tanks.
8.1.16 Air to Air or Escort
Fighters and some better attack aircraft load with infrared and radar-guided missiles to destroy
other aircraft and helicopters. Some extra fuel is carried for some aircraft types.
8.1.17 LR Air to Air
If the target is far away or the fighters must stay aloft for a long time, some missiles are
replaced with additional fuel tanks.
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OVERVIEW OF OPERATIONS
8.1.18 AntiSub
Submerged submarines are only killed by torpedoes and depth charges. Some aircraft may be
able to do this with nuclear depth charges (see Nuclear or Strike above).
8.1.19 LR AntiSub
Same as above, but some ASW weapons are replaced with extra fuel tanks. Helicopters that
cannot carry extra fuel tanks drop weapons to reduce weight and increase airborne endurance.
8.1.20 AntiRunway
To destroy an enemy runway, iron bombs, guided weapons, or special runway-busting
weapons can be used. (The type used depends on the aircraft and the country that owns it.)
8.1.21 LR AntiRunway
Same as above, but some anti-runway ordinance (and/or AAMs) are replaced with fuel tanks.
Most aircraft only have a limited number of possible and/or available loadouts. Loadouts are
subject to both the missions for which the aircraft are designed and availability.
If you see some extra weapons in a loadout do not be surprised. For example, the UK Nimrod
can carry torpedoes, Harpoon ASMs, and Sidewinder AAMs mixed on its various loadouts.
8.1.22 Cargo
The newer BattleSets have Cargo and Assault loadouts that represent troops and supplies
capable of damaging a target when the carrying aircraft attacks it.
8.1.23 SEAD
Suppression of Enemy Air Defences loadouts combine Anti-Radar and ECM with the specific
intent of attacking enemy radar, AAA and SAM sites.
8.1.24 Precis and LR Precis
These loadouts were added to model laser guided weapons.
8.1.25 AAmr
Anti-Armor - a new Loadout for use against land armored targets (i.e. tanks).
8.2 AIRBORNE THREAT DETECTION
Sometimes in computer Harpoon a new threat that can be countered by patrolling aircraft is
detected. Instead of having to launch new aircraft or selecting a group with patrolling aircraft
and splitting them off to attack the threat, we provide the Intercept window.
You see each available unit and its current distance to the intercept target. Select the units you
want to use to intercept the threat and select the Intercept button. Selected intercept aircraft are
marked with an asterisk (*) to the left of the number of aircraft. Select the OK button to finish
your intercept assignments.
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9.0 BASES
The following bases are available in Harpoon:
- Airfield. An airfield.
- Port. A port facility for submarines and surface craft.
- Port & Airfield. A combination of a port and an airfield.
- Installation. A facility for land-based units and nonmilitary structures.
Bases typically have various radar sensors and defense weapons mounts that automatically
defend against attacking enemy targets (that is, you dont have to make your bases attack
using the attack order).
9.1 DAMAGE & REPAIRS
Harpoon uses a simple damage point system to represent the possible damage to units. Each
primary unit class in Harpoon has a certain number of damage points it can absorb before being
destroyed. Each weapon can deliver a certain number of damage points. In addition to damage
points, all bases, ship classes, and submarine classes can receive critical hits.
The categories of critical hits and which types of platforms they can apply to are shown in the
table below.
Platform
Base
Ship
Carrier
Submarine
Weapon mounts
Sensors
Engineering
Bridge/CIC
Flooding
Fire
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SET-UP WINDOWS
Rudder
Flight deck/runways
Hanger
Cargo
V
V
V
Pressure hull
Keel
Sonar
Aircraft
Most of the critical hits have a chance of being repaired within 48 hours. Fire and flooding
critical hits are the most distressing, because they can spread and cause additional damage
and critical hits, destroying the unit.
Your unit reports in the Report window show both your current damage points and current
critical hits. Note that in Harpoon all repairs are automatic and require no input from the side
commander. If a surface or submarine unit is severely damaged, you might want to split it off
from your group into its own group.
Aircraft in Harpoon can only be killed so they have no damage points or critical hit areas.
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When you start Harpoon, the BattleSet Selection window is displayed. Click a BattleSet to
display its description in the lower half of the window. Select a BattleSet and click the OK button
to load it. If you decide not to play, click Exit to quit.
10.2 SELECT GAME OPTIONS WINDOW
After you select a BattleSet, the Options window is displayed. Players can now add their
own databases to allow for simpler inclusion of scenarios, maps, and data embedded in a
BattleSet.
The following options are available:
- Play Which Side? Your options are NATO and USSR in early BattleSets and BLUE and RED
in other BattleSets. NATO is the default setting, and allows you to control all NATO forces
that are a part of the scenario you select in the next window. You can also choose to be the
Soviet admiral in charge of Soviet task forces.
- Possible Nuclear Release? Your options are Yes and No. The default setting is Yes. If a
scenario contains a nuclear release, this option will enable it. Some scenarios start with a
nuclear weapons free; others may not give you release until later in the scenario. If one
side uses nuclear weapons, the other side is granted immediate nuclear release. Whichever
option you choose has profound implications for your tactics. For one thing, you will have to
spread out the units which form your groups so that they will not be vulnerable to a single
nuclear weapon. However, if you do so, then you are leaving them more open to attack by
submarines.
- Snorkeling Submarines? Your options are Yes and No. Diesel-powered submarines must
take in air to run their engines. If they need to go deep they run on batteries. If you choose
Yes, then your radar and infrared sensors may be able to detect the snorkels of diesel subs
when they are snorkeling. If you select No, then you will be able to detect submarines with
your sonar only.
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SET-UP WINDOWS
If you select No, the diesel subs will act like nuclear subs and never snorkel. If your active or
passive sonar detects a sub, you can select the Display button in the Reports Window to learn
whether it is diesel or nuclear powered.
- Realistic Weather? Your options are Yes and No. Weather can be a powerful factor in a naval
engagement, especially in the Norwegian Sea, which is constantly whipped by gale-force
winds. In high seas, your ships cannot travel at maximum speed. High seas also reduce
your surface search radars detection range. Some weapons cannot be fired in sea states of
5 or greater (see description of the Weather Report command on the Reports Menu). We
recommend that you play the No option until you become familiar with the game and are able
to operate under full simulation.
- Normal Maintenance Failures? Your options are Yes and No. In the real world, nothing works
perfectly all the time. A modern naval vessel or aircraft is packed with electronic gear and
high-tech weapons. Periodic breakdown of systems happens often. If you choose the Yes
option, some of your units may experience electrical and/or mechanical failures during the
course of the game just as they would in real warfare. Use the Yes option for maximum
simulation and the No option while you are becoming familiar with Harpoon.
- Start with Full Ordnance? Again, your options are Yes and No. Real warfare is an exercise
in logistics. That is, supplies, fuel, and ammunition must be transported from the supply
bases to the combat units. When war breaks out, ships must begin with whatever they have
on board. Often, they are not up to full strength. If you choose No, you are working under
real-world conditions. A No setting in Harpoon means that you have a 50% chance that your
missile and/ or torpedo loadout of any particular unit is 8099% of full capacity. Beginners
should start with full ammunition load-outs by selecting the Yes option.
- Auto Formation Air Cover? If this option is selected, the computer staff automatically puts
up AAW, AEW, and ASW patrols for your groups that have this capability. If you do not select
this option, you are responsible for all patrolling air asset deployment.
To select an option, click it. When you have selected all your options, press Enter or click OK
to proceed.
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Use the scroll bar or your up/down arrow key to move through the various scenarios. A description
of the highlighted scenario is displayed in the lower half of the window. This text is divided into
three paragraphs:
- Background. This paragraph gives you an overview of the strategic importance of the scenario
and any other pertinent background information.
- Blue Orders (or Red Orders). These orders instruct you on what you must do to accomplish your
mission.
- Intelligence Brief. This paragraph gives you a description of what is known about the enemys
intentions.
Press Enter or select the New Game button to choose the highlighted scenario and begin play.
10.3 BATTLESET BUILDER
A Harpoon BattleSet is a collection of scenarios that take place in the same geographical
area. There may be other relationships between the scenarios, but this is not necessary. A
BattleSet includes information that the scenarios access. Some of this information, such as
the BattleSet map and the BattleSet database, is crucial. Some of the information, such
as the background story, is useful, but the scenarios will still be playable if it is missing. The
BattleSet information is contained in two files, one with a .res extension and one with a .rsr
extension, but other files are needed (and available) in order to modify the BattleSet.
A BattleSet map is a rectangular section of the world map. All scenarios of a BattleSet use
the same map. It is also possible to create a BattleSet that uses a fictitious map. That would
involve manual editing of several bitmap files.
Harpoon allows for an enormous amount of expansion by users. Two examples are that a
user could modify an existing scenario with the Scenario Editor (SE), or create an entirely new
scenario for an existing BattleSet. The BattleSet Builder takes this to the next level - a
user could create a set of scenarios in a geographical area not covered by an existing Battleset.
The general procedure to create (build) a new BattleSet is a three-step process:
1.
2.
3.
The purpose of the first step is primarily to create the map for the BattleSet region, as well
as to assign a database and other information to the BattleSet. All of this information will
be necessary in order for scenarios to be created. After the scenarios have been created, the
BattleSet is created again, this time including the scenarios. A Settings file is created during
the first Battleset build to store settings so that the second BattleSet build uses the same
settings.
10.3.1 Description of the Harpoon BattleSet Builder
The BattleSet Builder window has 4 tabs. In addition, there are 4 buttons on the left side of
the program window, which are all active for each tab.
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SET-UP WINDOWS
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Zoom Buttons
Use these to zoom the map in and out.
Latitude/Longitude Buttons (Arrows)
Use these to increment or decrement the latitude and longitude values for the upper left (UL)
and lower right (LR) corners of the BattleSet map.
Latitude/Longitude Boxes
Enter specific latitude and longitude values for the upper left (UL) and lower right (LR) corners
of the BattleSet map here.
10.3.1.3 The BattleSet Text tab
The information in these boxes is displayed in the GE and SE BattleSet Selector dialog.
Name Box
Enter the BattleSet name here.
Region Box
Enter the BattleSet region here. Ideally, this would be a very short description of the
geographical region of the BattleSet, or an acronym for it.
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SET-UP WINDOWS
This is a screenshot of the GE BattleSet Selector dialog. It shows an example of how the GE
displays the information from the BattleSet Builder BattleSet Text tab.
10.3.1.4 The Battleset Scenarios tab
This is a screenshot of the BattleSet Builder, with the BattleSet Scenarios tab active. The
scenario list is the one that would be seen during the creation of the WestPac BattleSet.
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All Harpoon databases are referred to as commondb databases or cdb databases, regardless
of when they were designed or who designed them. If you do nothing in this tab, then the
default commondb will be used with this BattleSet, even if it was modified after the
BattleSet was created.
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SET-UP WINDOWS
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SET-UP WINDOWS
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commondb files, one scenario file plus two orders files for each scenario, and the BattleSet
Settings file to specify how it all fits together. But if you just want to play the BattleSet
scenarios, or send the complete BattleSet to someone else for them to play, then all you need
or want are the two compiled BattleSet files. If the default commondb is to be used, then
those two files can be omitted, because each user can be assumed to already have those
files.
The Settings file saves the pathnames as full, not relative, paths, so if the BattleSet is
moved to a different directory, the user will need to edit the Settings file accordingly. This file
is a plain text file which can be edited with any text editor.
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SCENARIO BACKGROUNDS
- Through the opening between Iceland and the Faeroe Islandsthe so-called GIUK gap.
NATO Strategy
Because of its geography, this area would be defended against Soviet air and naval attack by
task forces composed of units from the United States, Great Britain, and Norway.
NATO forces would be attacking Soviet forces as they advanced along the Norwegian coast,
pinning them down and even putting them on the defensive. This holding action would tend
to draw valuable assets needed by the Soviets on the European central front. Simultaneously,
NATO nuclear attack submarines would locate and destroy any Soviet nuclear ballistic missile
submarines hiding in The Bastion. If successful, these same attack submarines could also
launch Tomahawk strikes against Soviet bases located on the Kola Peninsula adjoining
Finland.
Soviet Strategy
From the Soviet viewpoint, their highest priority is to protect their nuclear ballistic missile
submarines; keeping them secure as a bargaining chip for post-war negotiations. Their
second priority is to defend their homeland against NATO strikes. To do this, they must detect
and destroy NATO units as they enter the Norwegian Sea. Thirdly, they will send submarines
and long-range aircraft into the North Atlantic to attack and destroy NATO convoys, for
although control of this area is crucial to the Allies, requiring an immense investment in
support of shipping, only a relatively small attacking force will be sufficient to wreak havoc on
these convoys. Finally, they will support their armys attacks against Norway, gaining control
of the coastal seas and providing air cover for support of their own sealifts. They will probably
engage in a series of coast-hopping assaults with the idea of outflanking the defenders.
Playing This BattleSet
In this BattleSet you will find twelve different scenarios, each requiring you to command
a different NATO unit in implementing NATO strategy. In these scenarios, you will assume
command of anything from a small squadron of missile boats up to a much larger unit,
including the entire strike fleet in defense of the British Isles. (If you choose to play the Soviet
side, you can even control a full-scale Soviet amphibious assault force.) You will be up against
the powerful Soviet Northern Fleet which is composed of two aircraft carriers, 75 principal
combatants (guided missile cruisers, frigates, destroyers, etc.), 88 other combatants (ASW
and AAW escort vessels), 170 submarines (including nuclear ballistic missile and attack subs
and diesel subs used primarily for coastal defense), along with over 440 naval aircraft of
all types. Fighting in the North Atlantic environment is an arduous task for even the most
experienced commander. Not only will you have to engage trained and committed Soviet
forces, but you must also contend with high seas, fierce winds, and thousands of miles of
craggy coasts that could afford hostile forces the opportunity for surprise attacks. You will
be given orders for your mission and strategic objectives, as well as intelligence information
about Soviet objectives and the forces you can expect to encounter. In addition, you will be
briefed on the background behind your mission and its importance to the overall war effort.
The success of the European defense is in your hands. Good luck and good hunting!
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SCENARIO BACKGROUNDS
supplies (or troops) carried are lost to the war effort, and lost units cannot be used for future
shipments. Defense of these ships and planes is imperative. Offensive operations should be
limited to those which can produce quick kills of threatening enemy units. As the majority of
the threat is limited to air and submarine attacks, you should focus on aggressive ASW and
AEW/ AAW patrolling, ringing your valuable transport vehicles with a shield composed of your
warships and aircraft.
Soviet Strategy
As NATO desperately struggles to resupply and reinforce their limited continental forces,
the Soviets must move to cut that supply line from a torrent to a mere trickle. Particularly
aggressive naval and air tactics are encouraged, since limiting resupply guaranties an early
ground war victory. Since the overall Soviet strategy depends on this early victory, the initial
resupply effort must be stymied. Soviet submarines should search for enemy convoys, and
coordinate their attacks with available long range aircraft. If no aircraft are available, they
should strike as aggressively as possible on their own. Soviet aircraft must both monitor
and harass the enemy escorts at every opportunity, and be prepared to deliver devastating
attacks whenever possible.
Playing this BattleSet
In this BattleSet you will find sixteen different scenarios, each requiring you to command
large groups of forces with one or more objectives. While there were many threats in the
GIUK BattleSet, there are many more in the North Atlantic Convoys BattleSet. The glory
of naval combat is overshadowed by the vastness of the Atlantic and the critical nature of
your mission. Here, the war is the worst combination of boredom, tension, and possibly an
ugly and sudden demise. To make a bad situation worse, the worlds attention is focused on
the land and air battles on the European front, while your crews sweat and die to deliver the
supplies that keep your side in the fight. The North Atlantic Convoys BattleSet will test your
skills as a naval commander like nothing you have ever experienced.
The success of your forces fighting in Europe weighs in the balance. Your skill in directing
these forces can make the difference! Good luck!
11.1.3 MEDC BattleSet
The Mediterranean Conflict differs from the first two BattleSets in two significant ways.
First, the Mediterranean Conflict (MEDC) does not emphasize a USUSSR conflict. The
conflicts in the Middle East have affected the Western powers have been affected, but never
on a level remotely approaching the mobilization that a superpower confrontation requires.
The highest level of conflict potential for either of the two superpowers have been the
Superpower alert during the October 73 War, the Kuwaiti tanker reflagging of 8889, and
of course, Operation Desert Shield. The retaliatory strike on Libya was merely a live-fire
exercise for two carriers and a squadron of USAF F-111s. The same could be said for the New
Jerseys obliteration of several Syrian gun positions in Lebanon.
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Consequently, we have tried to focus on this regions countries and their potential conflicts,
bringing in the superpowers as needed for contrast and comparison. In fact, you might
wonder why we left out the whiz-bang units, the reason is primarily play balance: the entire
Syrian Air Force would be hard-pressed to penetrate any American task force centered on
an Aegis Cruiser. One might consider the lack of neat units to be your portion of the U.S.
peace dividend.
The second difference is that we have included scenarios called studies. In the earlier
BattleSets, almost all of the scenarios followed a single central theme for the BattleSet.
The Med features a potpourri of different nationalities, each with long-standing blood feuds,
special strengths, fatal weaknesses, numerous enemies, and too few real friends. Finally, we
assume that the following countries have nuclear weapons that might be used if an enemy
country detonated a weapon against home soil or a capital unit: USA, USSR, France, Israel,
Syria.
Iraq and Libya probably dont have working nuclear weapons; if they did, they probably would
not have such huge chemical weapons programs.
All of us hope that you find MEDC to be a fresh look at naval warfare And remember, you are
much more likely to see some of these smaller battles on the evening news than you are full
East-West confrontation.
Designers Notes
Because depth in Harpoon is estimated, rather than based on actual data, portions of
the Mediterranean Sea will appear to be Very Deep, where in reality, the actual depth
is closer to Intermediate. To overcome this discrepancy, we have limited all submarines
to Intermediate depth, even though they have the ability to descend to Deep depth.
Additionally, the Mediterranean is also known for its poor sonar conditions: to reflect this, we
have reduced sonar performance unilaterally. We believe that these adjustments will help to
make the Mediterranean BattleSet more realistic and interesting to play.
11.1.4 IOPG BattleSet
Welcome to the Indian Ocean/Persian Gulf BattleSet. We have made several changes to the
way Harpoon works in the IOPG, and think you will enjoy the changes. Some of these changes
are obvious; others are more subtle.
First, we have attempted to include all the major platforms that are likely to appear in the
Indian Ocean region, concentrating on the countries of the area. While we have left out a
few classes, these will probably not play a significant role in any IOPG arearelated conflict.
Second, we have attempted to add several fun units, while maintaining the accuracy of the
simulation. Harpoon is first and foremost an accurate simulation of modern naval warfare.
Unfortunately, due to limitations of the main Harpoon program (caused by the restraints of the
computer platforms on which it executes), several unrealistic elements can develop. Among
these are lack of logistic elements (for example, the lack of ordnance limits on aircraft)
and lack of full modeling of reality (such as lack of realistic director limitations on some
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SCENARIO BACKGROUNDS
units). We have attempted to design the included scenarios with a naval focus to minimize
the effects of these inherent limitations of Harpoon. However, several units are included for
those who like to push Harpoon to the limit (that is, write unrealistic scenarios) with the
scenario editor.
In addition to the above, we have also attempted to add several new features for the
professional wargamer/Harpoon user. Some examples of these features are:
- Iron bomb accuracy varies with aircraft, reflecting advanced bombing capabilities.
- Aegis-controlled guns and other autonomous point defense weapons have more accurate
rates of fire.
- Stealth aircraft have been included (F-117A).
- Surface ships that carry helicopters can now have those helicopters assigned in the
scenario editor, rather than the previous automatic loads.- Soviet standoff missiles are now
capable of high and low cruise approaches. Satellite intelligence (RORSAT and PAVESAT) is
implemented for the major powers and their allies.
- Sonobuoys now have differing characteristics based on nationality and type.
There have been several other changes (major and minor) to the BattleSet resource
structure. Some of these are already incorporated into Harpoon (and you will be surprised
by them when the time comes) while others are improvements that will only surface when
future versions of Harpoon become available. We believe you will enjoy them all, whether you
realize they are occurring or not.
We have also included some additions that are realistic but not necessarily accurate.
We have attempted to minimize these additions, but felt that the simulation value of some
elements outweighed the value of strict reality. One such element is the Indian Cochin
class CV.
While not yet in service, it should be completed by the end of the century (when several of
the Bengal War scenarios occur). Another element is the Deadeye SALH round for the
Mk45. While also not in service, it could make a significant improvement in the quality of U.S.
naval gunfire support. They are included for your experimentation. The battleships are also
included for historical scenarios and use with the Scenario Editor; they will not be in service
much longer. The subcaliber rounds on the battleships are included for your experimentation.
They, along with battleships, will not be part of the future of the U.S. Navy. For those of you
with the Scenario Editor, we would like to mention a few things about bases. Since Harpoon
uses Lambert Conic map projections, it is not feasible to cover areas below the equator.
However, Diego Garcia is a key to U.S. maritime strategy in the Indian Ocean Region. It had
to be included, and it is. However, its placement in the IOPG is several degrees north of its
actual location (we were considering calling it Son of Diego Garcia). However, since there
is still plenty of blue water around it and it is comfortably distant from any enemy bases, this
should not greatly affect its simulation value. Another base oddity is that the Afghani bases
are represented in triplicate with widely varying statistics. These represent:
- The base under Soviet control.
- Mujahedin activity in the base region (that is, the firing of U.S.- built Stinger missiles at
flare-chucking Soviet aircraft).
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SCENARIO BACKGROUNDS
of NATO commanders that U.S. forces assigned to a joint NATO operation could not unilaterally
withdraw from that operation until their commitment had been fulfilled. The SECDEF repeated
the presidential directive and told the NATO ministers that U.S. forces would indeed withdraw
according to the announced time table. A German air force general, clearly the spokesman for
the remaining NATO council members, repeated the NATO position again with one addition:
Any forces assigned to NATO operations not following the U.N. directive would be declared a
rogue force and be subject to further NATO action.
Outraged by this not-so-subtle threat, the SECDEF closed the meeting and with the JCS
boarded his plane for the return trip to Washington. As the plane touched down in Iceland for
refueling, word came that European forces using U.S.-devised counterterrorist plans for base
security were seizing U.S. installations all over Europe.
The host governments of England, France, Germany, and Italy had acted on the U.N.
declaration and seized U.S. forces operating on their territory. America was confronting the
one world government it had worked so hard to create. The military command in Brussels
again transmitted orders to the 1st Armored Division to hold its ground and maintain its
defensive operations or face U.N. reprisal. U.S. operational commanders ignored the U.N.
order and continued their preparations for withdrawal according to the presidential directive.
The stage was now set for a world conflict few could have foreseen.
From the U.S. perspective, the European move caught the struggling American president
off-guard and sealed his fate politically. The American press called the European action Pearl
Harbor Part II and began to goad the President into military action. Faced with the loss of
all in-theater air assets and facilities and with unknown numbers of hostages, the president
ordered 1st Armor to hold its ground and await further orders.
The U.S. 6th Fleet, however, received a much different set of orders. Withdrawal of 1st Armor
would take place only after the 6th Fleet had established a zone of control in the Adriatic that
would permit a safe operation. NATO, it seems, had underestimated the desperation of the
now wounded American President and the power of the U.S. 6th Fleet.
Russia was the first to warn that American naval forces were assembling in the safe waters
off Israel under the protection of the Israeli Defense Forces. Israel was repaying America for
the billions they received in aid. The cat, though, was out of the bag.
NATO forces were now aware of the upcoming American action and began to prepare for the
engagement. Russia followed the satellite information with an offer that shocked most of
the remaining NATO ministers. Russia would, as part of its military contribution to the NATO
mission in Bosnia, provide elements of its military to replace U.S. forces no longer available.
The initial shock of the offer was dwarfed by reaction to an agreement by the Russians to
place these forces under the operational control of NATO commanders in-theater. A new age
in European cooperation had arrived.
The outbreak of hostilities was sudden and severe. U.S. 6th Fleet forces entered the Adriatic
and established local air superiority after a fierce air battle. The removal of the 1st Armored
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Division began soon after. NATO, which was clearly unprepared for this conflict but holding
large numbers of American military personnel, soon realized a negotiated peace would yield
a higher return than the continued conflict in the Mediterranean.
The cessation of hostilities on terms that seemed to favor the Europeans gave those in power
across Europe a badly needed political victory. Public concern over the incident quickly
turned into a quiet euphoria. Many on the continent it seemed had a deep-seated desire to
see the Yanks get theirs.
Negotiations soon began regarding the return of U.S. military personnel and equipment
stationed in Europe when the conflict began. As the current administration drew to a close,
negotiations with the U.N. stalled. The Europeans hoped to catch the new administration off
guard and further improve their position. Much to their surprise, soon after the inauguration
the new administration began to pursue a very hard line with the European Union, demanding
the return of all U.S. property before negotiations could continue.
The U.N. General Secretary, backed by overwhelming support of the membership at large,
passed a resolution ordering the United States to pay all back dues owed the U.N. or face
immediate suspension from the Security Council.
The Presidents response to the U.N. was clear and to the point. The U.S. would not even
discuss U.N. financial obligations until the U.N. addressed American military assets in the
hands of the European Union. The general secretary wasted no time in convening the entire
U.N. body; debate was short and the vote quick. America had become an outcast. With a few
notable exceptions, the United States was isolated. The American president responded to the
U.N. action by revoking all U.N. personnel visas and demanding that they leave the country
within 48 hours.
In the months that followed the U.N. reconvened in Brussels and set about the business of
condemning the U.S. and her few remaining allays for a host of alleged violations. The once
bipolar world had now fragmented itself into four district trade and military organizations:
China, in a loose confederation with Japan and other Pacific Rim nations, established the
Asia Pacific Pact (APP).
Iran, the most vocal of the Arab states established the Islamic Federation of Independent
States (IFIS). This organization united the oil-producing states of the Persian Gulfwith one
notable exception and established close political and military ties with India and other
nonaligned nations.
Former NATO and Warsaw Pact countries expanded the European Union and replaced the now
defunct NATO military structure with the European command (EC).
The last trading block chaired by the United States shared almost no commonality with its
members other than their reliance on the U.S. to protect them from their neighbors.
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SCENARIO BACKGROUNDS
Kuwait Israel, Taiwan, and Norway are now all that stands between the United States and total
isolation. Even Canada, a long-time ally of the U.S., has recalled all its military personnel and
openly declared its neutrality.
As time passed, relations between the trading blocks ebbed and flowed. America and its
allies had become the worlds pariahs. The remaining trade coalitions began a wide-reaching
plan under the auspices of the United Nations to strangle the economies of the U.S. block and
force them under U.N. control.
As historians record the past, 1996 will be noted as a year to compare with the stark events
of 1939 and 1941. Most of the major worlds powers will for the first time in history see a
dramatic change in leadership largely through peaceful means.
Elections in Russia, the United Kingdom, and Israel reversed the course of those nations
policy. The sudden fall of the House of Fahd in Saudi Arabia and the passing of the aged
leadership in China set the stage for a vast realignment in the worlds political environment.
11.3 WESTPAC
11.3.1 Geopolitical Situation Battles in the Western Pacific
Since the close of the Cold War and disintegration of the Warsaw Pact military bloc, the
expected arena of any major armed conflict has shifted more and more to the Western Pacific
region. As this text is being written, conflict rages in Iraq, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and any
number of smaller conflicts around the world. However, the rocketing growth of the Chinese
economy and the disquieting actions of North Korea dominate the specter of major military
conflict in this 21st century.
Chinas growing military might creates uncertainty for the rest of the world. Will China
use force to bring Taiwan back under its control, potentially dragging the USA and Japan
into direct armed conflict? How fiercely will China exploit and defend deposits of natural
resources and the sea lanes which carry the lifeblood of its burgeoning economy?
North Korea, always on the brink of mass starvation, continues its development of nuclear
weapons and the long range missiles that could carry them. Will the world react at some
point to enforce UN resolutions with military action? Will China come to North Koreas aid?
Will North Korea continue to proliferate missile technology to dangerous nations around the
world?
Japan, relaxing its pacifist constitution with each passing year, seeks to strengthen its own
defensive capabilities in the face of the growing might of China and the constant danger
posed by North Korea. Memories of a harsh Japanese colonial rule, however, continue to
run deep in the Pacific Rim. How will its neighbors respond to a more offensively minded
Japanese military?
Pocket democracies Australia and New Zealand, facing many potential enemies, meanwhile
use every penny they can spare to defend hopelessly their large coastlines and their long and
vulnerable trade routes.
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The United States of America, embroiled in multiple conflicts around the world and the never
ending War on Terror, is shifting a majority of its military power to the Pacific. Can the
US keep pace with Chinas explosive growth? Can the global policeman meet every new
challenge?
Welcome to WestPac, fertile ground for every facet of modern combat!
11.3.2 Design Notes - Battles in the Western Pacific
The WestPac BattleSet embodies the first newly designed scenarios included in Harpoon
Classic since the release of the EC2003 BattleSets and HC97 a decade ago. Under the
hood WestPac has the distinction of the first BattleSet to cross the Equator as well as
model a larger land area than the other BattleSets. WestPac also takes advantage of
the underlying game improvements to provide an immersion beyond any release prior to
Harpoon: Commanders Edition.
The scenario arrangement in WestPac adheres to no particular storyline. Leading off the
collection of scenarios is a re-working of Original GIUK 1.0, a scenario introducing the player
to the mechanics of Harpoon Classic and many of the improvements that come with Harpoon:
Commanders Edition. Next are the first two WestPac scenarios, Pirate Wars and Philippines,
mirroring todays world with piracy rampant in some areas and terrorist training going on
in others. The next three scenarios highlight potential conflicts involving Japan, often with
the USA at her side. These three show of some of the most engaging scenario design thus
far in Harpoon Classic, making use of neutrals, difficult to detect air defenses, stealth, and
area radar jamming. Next up, a blast from the past war in Vietnam with Crusader Rabbits
RA-5C Vigilante risking life and limb to aid in the destruction of a tactically unimportant but
psychologically invaluable bridge. From there the player is brought into the Cold War with the
USA and Japan facing off against the Soviet Union, Bears and Backfires galore bearing down
upon tired F-14 pilots and outgunned Japanese defenders! The WestPac BattleSet closes
out with an unexpected twist, Australia versus France
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about Larry that Id ever need to know. Larry Bond is a serious student of this subject, a man
for whom accuracy is more important than ego. In a word, Larry is someone of integrity. I
know no higher praise.
Harpoon was a priceless asset in the preparation of my first novel, The Hunt for Red October.
There are several reasons for this. First of all, the technical database included in the ship
specification book is easily the equivalent of $5,000 in reference books, superbly organized.
More importantly, however, the game rules explain, with the astounding combination of
simplicity and detail, the mechanics of ships, sensors, and weapons. The principles explained
can be easily applied to specific ships, called platforms by insiders, found in the ship
specification book. Harpoon is a tool for understanding things that happen in the real world.
The player can use this game to simulate reality. How closely, you ask? Closely enough
that every naval officer I meet in more than one navy asks where I got my information, and
frequently they dont believe my answer. The net result, however, is that Red October is
now used as an introductory textbook at the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island. A
lot of credit for this goes to Larry Bond. In short, Harpoon is almost certainly the best naval
simulation available to the public. The only games more detailed are classified, which does
not necessarily mean better, by the way, and a lot more expensive. It is the perfect starting
point for discovering what navies do, and how. It worked for me.
12.2 FINAL NOTE FROM LARRY BOND
Harpoon, the computer product, is a sophisticated version of the award-winning war game
published by Games Designers Workshop. You will assume the role of a fleet commander,
making the same type of decisions he has to make, using the same type and quality of
information he might expect to get in wartime. This does not mean worrying about the fuel
state of a helicopter somewhere, or the present course and speed of a maneuvering ship. You
are trying to keep the Big Picture, and move the course of the war in the direction desired.
We want you to have fun playing Harpoon. After all, thats why you bought it. But with that
requirement satisfied, we want you to see some of the tactical and strategic problems that a
modern formation commander faces. A modern carrier battlegroup has tremendous combat
power, but also some very real limitations.
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He holds the military rank of Marshall of the Soviet Union and is its highest-ranking military
of officer. The Defense Council is responsible for implementing all the Partys wishes with
respect to national defense. The presence of the military on this council ensures that direct
action is taken on its decisions.
The absence of checks, balances, civilian control, and diffused power makes the Soviet
military a factor to be reckoned with in domestic and international strategic planning.
However, Party control over the military establishment is solidly maintained by the KGB,
which has political officers assigned to monitor the behavior of individual unit commanders.
Since the Soviet Union believes in the rapid and efficient transformation from peacetime
to wartime posture, all major political and military structures approximate the anticipated
wartime structure, thus ensuring minimal organizational disruption. Direct leadership of
war is the responsibility of the Supreme High Command (VGK), composed of the Minister
of Defense, his five commanders-in-chief, plus six other deputy Defense Ministers for civil
defense and other matters. In the event of hostilities, the Soviets would create Intermediate
High Commands (TVDs) in the various theaters of operation subordinate to the VGK. In this
manner they would maintain a strong centralization of strategic planning and decentralized
battle management. Moreover, subordinate Warsaw Pact members would instantly be
integrated as an extension of the Soviet armed forces under a unified command structure
within Western and Southwestern TVDs. The philosophy behind such an approach to war is
that a unified, cohesive, well-trained force controlled by a superior command will defeat any
loose coalition of forces such as NATO.
In light of the foregoing discussion, many people may consider the Soviets to be an aggressive
people. But such is not the case, for the Soviet Union is not an overtly aggressive nation.
Indeed, they have a healthy respect for war, having suffered staggering losses in World War
II. But, like an enraged mother bear who senses a threat to her cubs, they will react violently
towards any perceived threat to the Motherland.
And yet, parallel to this aspect of their national character is the fundamental tenet of
communism that the inexorable forces of history will lead to the eventual victory of the
communist system over the contradictions of capitalism. To this end, they will use any covert
and/or political means to assist history in reaching its foregone conclusion. In short, the
Soviets believe in taking the long view. They will wait patiently for their eventual triumph
since they see long-term trends as being on their side. This means that they will only use
military force when they think they are backed into a corner. When they do attack it will
probably be because they see no other solution to their problem, and because they see the
safety of their nation at stake. Strategically, they will fight a defensive war, one designed to
remove some threat to the Soviet Union.
13.1.1 Maritime Strategy
This scientific view of history which is so peculiar to Communism also carries over into
their military doctrine. The Soviet definition of military doctrine states that it is based on a
system of scientifically founded views. This theme of science is a constant throughout all
aspects of the Soviet military. When a Soviet officer must decide how many aircraft to use in
attacking a target, he uses a formula. When a Red Army lieutenant is asked how to act in a
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specific tactical situation, there is only one correct solution, just as there is only one correct
answer to a mathematical equation.
Soviet doctrine is based on both a combination of political and economic inputs from their
leadership and on military science (the scientific physics of war). Based on these two
sources they have developed the Military Art: the theory and practice of war in a specific time
and place. From this formidable body of work, the Soviets have developed a list of missions
to be performed by their Navy in wartime. In order of priority, they are:
- Operations against the land (strategic strike)
- Anti-naval nuclear forces (Anti-SSBN)
- Protection of their SSBNs (Pro-SSBN)
- Anti-surface lines of communication (anti-convoy)
- Protection of their own lines of communications
- Support of the army
When compared with an equivalent list of U.S. missions, there are many differences. The
U.S. does not prioritize its missions, except to place primary emphasis on deterrence. Soviet
missions are more carefully and completely defined. But this attention to detail and structure
could be a two-edged sword: Soviet forces are less flexible than the NATO forces, imposing
greater restriction on Soviet forces and allowing for less strategic and tactical creativity.
13.1.2 Strategic Strike
Since the Soviet Union bases its military strategy on the land, this is also called Operations
Against the Land. These missions would be executed by Delta and Typhoon class nuclear
ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) firing from protected areas in the Barents and Kola Seas,
and from under the polar ice cap. Older Yankee-class boats would have to fire from positions
off the coasts of the United States. Today, the very newest Soviet attack submarines (SSN)
also have a strategic strike capability as do American attack subs. However, unlike American
submarines, which can launch either nuclear or conventional cruise missiles, Soviets
submarines fire only the nuclear SS-N-21.
These subs are so valuable for other roles that their participation in a nuclear strike is unlikely.
13.1.3 Anti-Naval Nuclear Forces
Since World War II, the Soviet Union has viewed the nuclear strike capability of first the US,
then other navies, as the primary naval threat to the Soviet State. These threats would come
from American carrier-based strike aircraft, nuclear ballistic missile Subs (SSBN), and (most
recently) from cruise missiles capable of being launched from a variety of platforms. Defense
of the Motherland against nuclear strike is not the responsibility of the Navy, alone; the air
defense force has a role to play in the event that missiles are launched. However, the role
of the navy is to track and attack potential launch platforms as they approach within firing
range. In actual wartime, they would immediately attempt to destroy such platforms.
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built around the rapid deployment of forces to sensitive areas, with the goal to protect the
vital arteries which sustain the health of allied powers. So whereas the Soviets would view
control of the seas as a means of both protecting the Motherland and isolating land-based
battles from allied support, the U.S. and her allies view sea power as a vital necessity towards
allowing the free flow of both economic and wartime materials.
Because of the nature of Western economic arrangements. American political and military
philosophy with regards to communist countries is one of containment; that is, preserving
the status quo by erecting a series of alliances with countries inside our sphere of influence.
Of these alliances, the best-known, most powerful, and most crucial to the defense of
worldwide democracy is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
By comparison to the relatively simple. straightforward, and somewhat streamlined
peacetime military organization of the Soviet Union, that of the United States would appear
absolutely muddled. And in many respects it is. Yet just as political ideologies and national
self-perceptions have given rise to the Soviet military organization, so too have historical
Western ideologies and concerns shaped our own political-military system.
The United States has traditionally avoided a centralized general staff concept in its military
organization. In one respect, this concern originated with the framers of the Constitution,
who realized that the British general Oliver Cromwell had established a military dictatorship
that had almost throttled democracy in its infancy. In part, also, is the concern over the
establishment of a general staff which would operate as a state within a state as did the
German General Staff in World Wars I and II. As a result, control over the American military
is diffused through a vast interlocking and complex bureaucracy of civilian agencies and
military commands administered under civilian control through the Department of Defense.
From the perspective of Western ideologies concerning the inviolability of personal and social
freedoms, this concept is almost sacrosanct. There are, however, both organizational and
economic prices to be paid for this concept: an economically wasteful lack of cohesiveness
in military planning and procurement, unclear and uncoordinated objectives among the three
armed services (Army, Navy, and Air Force), and a burgeoning military-civilian bureaucracy
that consumes tax dollars at a formidable rate.
With regards to the administration of our military treaties, much the same ideology applies.
Each member country is responsible for maintaining a military presence consistent with its
national interests. In the event of a worldwide conflict, each nation would be faced with the
dilemma of how best to contribute its military resources in defense of the common cause
against the protection of its own borders and its own population. For example, in the event
of a Soviet incursion into West Germany, our British allies would have to decide between
committing their troops to that front, or protecting their own soil against a simultaneous
Soviet threat.
Moreover, in the event of a large-scale conflict, the Western philosophy calls for a coalition
between the armed services of each country, with strategic and tactical responsibility for
the execution of the war falling upon military representatives from each member country
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acting in concert. But while the difficulties inherent in a system lacking a strong monolithic
command structure are obvious, there is also one very important strength. Once the
fundamental strategy has been established, each military commander has great latitude on
how best to execute his responsibilities. This concept of individual responsibility for decisions
reaches down even to platoon and squad level. This strength of the democratic tradition
renders a war effort less prone to deterioration should key individuals or units within the
command structure be killed or otherwise removed from action.
13.2.1 Maritime Strategy
Americas maritime strategy is a part of its overall National Military Strategy. National Military
Strategy is built around the tripartite concepts of:
- Deterrence and transition to war
- Seizing the initiative
- Carrying the fight to the enemy
13.2.2 Deterrence and Transition to War
Deterrence, both nuclear and conventional, is designed to limit Soviet options and to convince
them that any military solution to a crisis will fail. The concept of nuclear deterrence, the socalled balance of terror, is familiar to everyone. Less well-understood is that of conventional
deterrence. Under this concept, the U.S. and her allies will place naval and land units in or
near crisis situations, altering the balance of forces so that the chance of a hostile military
solution to the crises is lessened. Of course, the opponent may see these forces as something
to be matched, so the amount and nature of the force is critical. However, a key factor in
this philosophy is the fact that the Soviets and her Warsaw Pact allies enjoy a considerable
advantage in the size of their conventional forces. In most scenarios it is assumed that the
Soviets will enjoy a numerical superiority in the event of a full-scale conventional conflict.
Therefore, for a Western conventional deterrence to be effective the Soviets must be made
to realize that superiority by virtue of numbers is illusory. Critical to this strategy are superior
NATO firepower resulting from technologically superior weapons systems, surrendering large
tracts of territory in order to gain both maneuvering rooms for counterattack and to gain time
in bringing our industrial superiority to bear, and superior mobility in placing both regular and
reserve forces into theaters of crisis situations and in reinforcing the front with our industrial
output.
13.2.3 Seizing the Initiative
If deterrence fails the Soviets will probably make the first move. Since NATO is a coalition,
the Soviets have the initiative as a single player. Having the initiative is vital in a military
campaign because the force with the initiative will get his enemy to react to his actions, and
will be able to choose the time and place for engagement. The U.S., therefore, must seize the
initiative and turn the battle to her favor.
The Allies will first try to counter the enemys initial attack, causing them to stall and to
lose the timing of their pre-planned campaigns. The Allies may also attempt to disrupt the
Soviets scientific approach to campaigns by launching attacks or maneuvers designed to
force the Soviets to react to unanticipated threats. In this stage of conflict, the line between
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NATO offensive and defensive actions may be blurred. For instance, an apparently offensive
strike against airfields on the Kola Peninsula may, in fact, be designed to protect convoys
from attacks by land-based bombers. Seizing the initiative, then, refers to changing from a
defensive posture to an offensive one. The amount of time this may take to happen will vary
with the situation, but it has to happen.
13.2.4 Carrying the Fight to the Enemy
Once NATO has the initiative it will try to turn the tide of battle and carry the fight to the
enemy. This is what the navy means by power projection, and it entails moving into the
adversarys home waters and attacking him there so that his forces will have to be used to
defend his own territory. Tasks to be performed might include recapturing conquered territory,
clearing the seas of submarines so that ships can move through it, or eliminating enemy air
capability by striking at enemy bases. If the Navy is able to project its power, the U.S. and
her allies should have the upper hand. Yet this might also be the most critical part of the war.
Hopefully, of course, the enemy will sue for peace at this point, realizing that his military and
political goals are now impractical or unobtainable. But, on the other hand, we cannot press
a nuclear opponent too closely. If he thinks that his national survival is at stake he might use
strategic nuclear weapons, or threaten their use, in order to gain better terms. The risk of
nuclear weapons being used is present throughout modern conventional war, but the real
danger of their being used will most likely occur if one side feels that it is losing, or has lost.
13.2.5 U.S. Navy Organization
The U.S. Navy engages in the projection of power all over the globe in support of American
policy and goals. It maintains bases in, and has ships on, virtually every ocean in world. For
command and control purposes, Naval forces are divided into numbered fleets, each with
their own geographic responsibilities: Second Fleet (Atlantic), Third Fleet (Pacific), Sixth Fleet
(Mediterranean), and Seventh Fleet (Far East). Within each Fleet, units are organized into
task forces; that is, groups of ships chartered to perform specific tasks such as convoy
escort, amphibious landing and support, strikes against enemy bases, etc. Because some
tasks are constantly being undertaken, planners simplify matters by using several standard
task force organizations.
13.2.6 Carrier Battle Groups (CVBG)
The first and most important type of task force is the Carrier Battle Group. Centered on a
single aircraft carrier (CV), the CVBG includes two or three guided missile cruisers (CG) for
long-range air defense, a few guided missile destroyers (DDG) for close-in air defense, two
destroyers (DD) or frigates (FF) for anti-submarine defense, and a few submarines patrolling
in front of the task force that are used for both offensive and defensive purposes. The CVBG
may also include support ships and auxiliaries to support the task force with fuel, ammunition,
and stores. A carrier battle group has an impressive array of firepower. It can attack surface
targets with strike aircraft, missiles from the escorts, or torpedoes from the submarines. It
can attack hostile submarines with ASW helicopters, its own subs, or ASW weapons from
escort ships. It can destroy incoming aircraft with either its own fighters or surface-to-air
missiles (SAM). It can also strike enemy shore bases either with aircraft or with long-range
cruise missiles. The American CVBG is the most flexible and powerful combination of naval
forces that exists.
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The navy also uses light carrier battle groups centered on a VTOL (vertical take-off and
landing) or helicopter carrier. Although these battle groups are quite inferior to the CVBG in
terms of overall firepower, they are invaluable for ASW, escort, or support roles.
13.2.7 Surface Action Groups (SAG)
A surface action group is centered on one or more powerful surface ships such as cruisers
and/or battleships, and includes several escort ships for protection. Its mission is to provide
heavy firepower when needed, as in support of an amphibious landing. A SAG would also use
missiles (or guns, in rare instances) to attack hostile surface units. But since the Soviet navy
does not usually deploy its surface ships in distant waters, the chances of a SAG being used
in this role is somewhat limited.
13.3 REVIEW OF MODERN WEAPONRYTHE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY
Technology is the driving force behind modern naval warfare, much more so than warfare
on land. On land, there have certainly been technological improvements in such systems as
tanks, troop carriers, helicopters, artillery and explosives, visual detection systems, and the
like. Nevertheless, the dominant force on land continues to be the individual infantry soldier;
technology has not changed this fact. At sea, however, the development of new weapons and
sensors has had a dramatic effect. Modern naval warfare fundamentally involves machines
fighting other machines, with humans directing them and serving as parts of the machines,
performing tasks that electronic subsystems are not yet capable of doing. Ever since war at
sea became mechanized, the goal has been to remove humans from the loop and to maximize
speed and efficiency. The effect has been to improve reaction time and, simultaneously, to
reduce manpower support overhead. The ultimate example, to date, is the Aegis anti-air
warfare system: under human direction it detects, classifies, and engages hostile aircraft
without human intervention. Advanced technology makes this system possible, but it also
increases the burden on the person ultimately responsiblethe naval commander.
13.3.1 Search and Detection Systems
Before an enemy can be engaged and destroyed he must first be detected. If he cannot be
detected, located, and tracked no amount of firepower will be to any avail.
Modern detection and military intelligence capability commences with reconnaissance
satellites orbiting the earth at a distance of 150 miles or further. These spy-in-the-sky
systems can monitor the movement of enemy troops and materials in and out of port, as well
as the location of hostile naval task forces at any point on the globe. Although they currently
would play little part in an actual tactical engagement, their information is invaluable to
military commanders in determining enemy positions and strengths. The capability of
technological nations to exploit outer space is currently giving rise to a new phenomenon:
space warfare. In order to deny an enemy access to intelligence data derived from spy
satellites, we are now witnessing the advent of anti-satellite weapons such as killer satellites
(orbiting satellites whose sole purpose is to destroy an enemys reconnaissance satellites)
and anti-satellite missiles.
At the tactical level, enemy forces are located, tracked, and identified by a variety of
sophisticated sensors. Air search radar can detect and track aircraft at ranges of more than
100
200 miles, while surface search radar perform similar tasks on targets over 40 miles away.
Passive electronic listening systems receive and analyze the various enemy radar emissions,
allowing naval commanders to precisely classify what kinds of ships, aircraft, and other
weapons systems he will be encountering. In fact, since receivers can detect emissions at
distances far beyond radar range, task force commanders can know the composition of their
adversaries long before they are detected and tracked by radar. Information from active and
passive devices is fed into computers where it is analyzed, with the results displayed on
consoles. In fact, the state of the art is such that all information being obtained by one naval
unit can be networked to other units so that any one ship has access to the same information
as any other ship.
But as important as it is to know the composition and the whereabouts of the enemy, it is
equally important to deny him access to similar information. As a result, modern naval units
employ a variety of systems designed to jam and/or deceive enemy radar. Such systems
run the gamut from simple chaff (strips of aluminum foil cut to lengths effective against
specific electromagnetic wavelengths), to electromagnetic jamming beams tuned to the
specific frequencies of enemy radar, to systems designed to confuse enemy commanders by
producing phantom or misleading electronic targets.
All that has been said about surface detection systems can also be said about subsurface
systems. Sonar is to undersea warfare as radar is to surface warfare, with the difference
being that sonar operates on the principle of reflected sound waves, as opposed to reflected
electromagnetic waves. All submarines and surface combatants have onboard sonar systems
which are used for precise target tracking and torpedo fire control. Some systems are integral
to the ship itself, and some are towed behind the ship to reduce the effects of ship noise
on sonar reception. In addition to these active devices, submarines are equipped with longrange passive listening devices. These systems are capable of alerting submarine captains to
the presence of enemy subs at distances far beyond sonar range. By being passive they also
have the advantage of not alerting the enemy to ones presence. Their only disadvantage is
that they cannot track a target as precisely as can active sonar.
Anti-submarine helicopters use sonar devices which are dipped into the water from the
hovering platform, as well as sonobuoys (expendable sonar devices dropped into the vicinity
of where a submarine is suspected of being). Anti-submarine fixed-wing aircraft also employ
sonobuoys as well as Magnetic Anomaly Detection (MAD), a system that is capable of sensing
disturbances in the earths magnetic field caused by the presence of a large metallic object,
such as a submarine.
13.3.2 Air and Anti-Air Weaponry
It is an axiom of warfare that the force which controls the high ground controls the battle.
Since World War II, winning the high ground has meant control of the skies. In the early
1940s, of course, controlling the skies meant controlling the airspace in the immediate
vicinity of a task force. Today, however, advances in both aircraft design and in guided missile
capability have expanded the threat envelope to ranges of hundreds of miles from the fleet.
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Control of the skies (and hence, control of the seas) is a function of guided missile technology.
Fundamentally, there are three types of guided missiles: Surface-to-surface missiles (SSM),
surface-to-air missiles (SAM), and air-to-air missiles (AAM). Tactical missiles are normally
guided to their targets by one or more types of guidance systems: inertial navigation, active
homing, semi-active homing, or passive homing. (A fifth type of missile, the beam rider, has
been phased out of active use).
Inertial navigation is primarily employed in SSMs, and means that the precise geographic
location of both the launch platform and the target are fed into a computer on board the
missile. Based on this information the computer programs the missiles flight to the target.
Of course, in naval warfare the target is in motion and cannot be expected to be in the
same location as it was when the missile was launched. Consequently, anti-ship missiles
employing inertial navigation often have a second type of guidance system (normally active
homing, as described below) which takes over once the missile approaches within a specified
distance of the target. The Harpoon missile is an example of a SSM employing both inertial
navigation and active homing guidance systems, as is the AMRAAM (Advanced Medium
Range Air-to-Air Missile).
Active homing means that the missile itself radiates a coded radar beam, called an
illumination beam. The beam is coded so that the missile can recognize its own beam from
all the other radar beams that will exist in an hostile environment. When this signal is reflected
from the target, the missile receives it, processes the signal for target location and predicted
intercept point, then guides the missile to the target. The advantage of active homing is its
fire and forget capability, that is, once the missile has been launched the platform can
turn its attention to other threats. The disadvantage is that target destruction information
may not be available except by search radar. Active homing systems are also complex and
costly. Semi-active homing is similar in concept. except that the target is illuminated by
a coded beam originating from the launch platform. Systems called Fire Control Directors
radiate both a target tracking beam and a separate illumination beam electronically aligned
to the axis of the tracking beam. Once the fire control director locks on with its tracking
beam the missile is fired and uses the information received from the encoded illumination
beam to process an intercept course. Because the target is being continuously tracked by the
highly precise tracking beam, target destruction information can be immediately obtained.
The disadvantage is that the fire control director must be occupied with a single target until
intercept occurs; otherwise, the missile will have no target illumination information. Most
SAMs and AAMs currently use semi-active homing systems, with the most notable shipboard
missile being the Standard RIM-66/67 and the most notable air-launched missile being the
Sparrow AIM-7.
Passive homing means that neither the missile nor the launch platform radiate a guidance
beam. Instead, the missile homes in on specific radiation emitted from the target itself. Some
missiles (such as the fabulously successful Sidewinder AIM-9) will home in on a source
of intense heat, such as a jet engines exhaust. Others, such as the Standard ARM (antiradar missile), will home on any radar beam emitted by the target. Passive homing missiles
generally have the advantage of simplicity and low cost, combined with a high degree
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of effectiveness. However, they are usually of much shorter range than their semi-active
counterparts, usually in the 15+ mile neighborhood.
Many guided missiles have back-up systems to increase their chance of intercept should
the target employ some sort of defensive countermeasure. Active and semi-active homing
missiles often have a home-on jam capability which is automatically activated should the
target attempt to jam their illumination beams. Anti-radar missiles are designed to continue
their flight to the last predicted intercept point if the enemy should turn off his radar; this can
be fairly effective against slow-moving ships or stationary ground radar. And heat-seeking
missiles, which formerly could be foiled by aircraft dropping flares, are now designed to
ignore such spurious heat sources. Despite all the advantages of guided missiles, they are
still ineffective against targets that are very close (inside one mile). Because of this fact,
and because of the threat of low-flying cruise missile which might not be detected until
impact is imminent, modern gun systems such as the 20-mm Phalanx MK 15 & 16 have
been developed. Composed of a fire control radar and a six-barreled Gatling gun, over
400 of these self-contained units have been installed on over 125 U.S. ships and many
more supplied to foreign buyers. This last-ditch defense system has been proven effective
against the French Exocet missile in live firing tests.
13.3.3 Warfare Systems
There are fundamentally only two major types of anti-submarine weapons: depth charges
(conventional explosive and nuclear) and torpedoes (including rocket-boosted stand-off
models).
The conventional depth charge, of course, was the old stand-by of World War II. Today,
because of technological advances that have led to the increased reliability of torpedoes,
the conventional depth charge generally plays a less important role than it did in the past. It
sees greatest use in the navies of Europe and Asia, and is also used by the U.S. Navy when
attacking targets in shallow water.
Western arsenals contain nuclear depth charges in yields ranging from 1.515 kilotons.
These weapons can be rocket-launched from submarines or surface vessels or they can be
dropped by aircraft. The danger, of course, in employing such weapons is the risk of further
nuclear escalation. Therefore, for all practical purposes, any conventional undersea conflict
would be fought using torpedoes with conventional warheads.
In many respects, modern torpedoes are like guided missiles adapted to an undersea
environment, but instead of rocket motors, torpedoes are driven by propellers turned by
steam, gas generators, or electric motors. Like missiles, torpedoes have various types of
homing or guidance systems; or they can be free-running. However, the most effective
ones incorporate self-contained guidance. Active homing systems are common; but unlike
missiles which home on reflected electromagnetic energy, torpedoes utilize on-board sonar
to detect and lock on targets. Many also incorporate either a passive homing system whereby
the target is tracked by the noise it makes, or they use a wire-guidance system where data
from shipboard sonar computers feeds target information to the torpedo through a thin wire
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trailing behind it. Most torpedoes utilize a combination of either passive homing or wire
guidance, along with active homing.
The key to a successful attack against submarines is to not let the enemy know that he is
being attacked until it is too late for him to make effective evasive maneuvers. Consequently,
ASW units will first try to locate and identify an enemy using passive means, for once a
submarine hears the pinging of active sonar he is alerted to possible attack.
Torpedoes can be launched from a variety of platforms: surface ships, submarines,
helicopters, or fixed-wing aircraft. The torpedo launched most often from helicopters or
aircraft is the MK 46. This relatively light weight active/passive acoustic homing weapon uses
a thermochemical cam engine to provide up to 45 knots of speed with a range of about 34
miles at a depth of 1500 feet. But the staple of todays submarine-launched arsenal is the MK
48. This torpedo has a diameter of 21 inches and carries 650 pounds of high explosive. It has
a variety of sophisticated homing devices, including two-way wire-guidance (which allows
the launching submarine to receive target data from the torpedo itself for greater control),
along with active and passive sonar. It also incorporates a fire-and-forget mode which can
be initiated if the torpedos own noise masks the launch submarines passive sonar detection
system. It can attain speeds of up to 55 knots and has a range of over 23 miles.
Stand-off torpedo launch capability for surface ships is afforded by the ASROC (antisubmarine rocket) which incorporates a MK 46 torpedo with a rocket booster, propelling the
weapon to submarine targets over 5 miles away. Some US submarines will achieve a standoff capability with the Sea Lance anti-submarine stand-off weapon (ASW-SOW). This system
uses either a MK 46 or MK 50 torpedo with a rocket booster. It is launched from a torpedo
tube, and can be effective against subsurface targets at ranges of up to 100 miles.
14.0 GLOSSARY
AAM. Air-to-Air guided Missile. AAW. Air-to-Air Warfare.
AEW. Airborne Early Warning.
AIM. Department of Defense designation for any air-launched anti-aircraft missile.
Airfield. A base unit that has runways to launch aircraft.
Altitude Bands. The altitude and depth representations used in the Harpoon: Commanders
Edition system.
ARM. Anti-radar missile.
AS. Air Search, used in Sensors Screen displays.
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GLOSSARY
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Cavitation. Submarine and surface ship propellers create small bubbles in the water if they
spin at high speeds. These small bubbles almost immediately collapse, creating a sound
called cavitation noise. As submarines go deeper, the pressure allows their propellers to spin
faster without creating this sound.
CG. Cruiser Guided Missile. American designation for any cruiser armed with surface-to-air
guided missiles.
Chaff. Strips of metallic foil, cut to the wavelengths of specific radar, used for jamming.
CIC. Combat Information Center, the tactical center of the ship, where enemy contacts are
plotted and tactics planned and executed.
Class. In Harpoon: Commanders Edition this refers to a specific platform type, which may
have many individual members. For example, the Iowa class of battleships includes the Iowa,
New Jersey, Wisconsin and Missouri as members of that class of ship.
CSUP. Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
CV. American designation for any aircraft carrier.
CVBG. American designation for an aircraft carrier battle group.
CZ. Convergence Zone used in Sensor Screen displays.
D. Dipping Sonar used in the Sensor Screen displays.
DD. American designation for any destroyer.
DDG. Destroyer Guided Missile. American designation for any destroyer armed with surfaceto-air guided missiles.
Director. A sensor specific to a particular weapons mount, used to target the weapon before
and/ or during firing.
Electronic countermeasures. Any device or system capable of either jamming or deceiving
enemy radar.
ELINT. Electronic Intelligence. The identification of specific enemy radar, as well as the
platforms employing these radar, by the analysis of received radar signals.
Endurance. In Harpoon: Commanders Edition this refers to airborne endurance (that is, how
far you can go before running out of fuel). By using the range circle options, you can visually
determine your endurance distance for a currently set altitude and throttle setting.
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GLOSSARY
ESM. Electronic Support Measures. Any system capable of detecting and analyzing enemy
radar signals.
FF. American designation for any frigate. Frigates are normally smaller than destroyers.
FLIR. Forward Looking Infrared sensor, carried by some aircraft and used to spot surface
ships and surfaced or snorkeling submarines, used in the Sensors Screen displays.
GIUK. Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom. The opening between Iceland and the Faeroe
Islands, leading to the straits between Scotland and Denmark.
Group. A collection of one or more units within computer Harpoon: Commanders Edition.
Most of your orders are given to groups.
H. Hull Sonar, used in the Sensors Screen displays.
H/T. Combination Hull/Towed sonar. used in the Sensors Screen displays.
HF. Height Finding air search radar, used in the Sensors Screen displays.
Hunter-Killer. A naval unit whose purpose is to seek out and destroy enemy submarines.
IR. Infrared, detecting radiating heat.
KB. Kilobyte, or 1,024 bytes of information.
KGB. Governmental branch of the Soviet Union responsible for State security. Combines the
functions of the American CIA, FBI, and NSA.
Knot. Nautical miles per hour. A nautical mile is about 14% greater than a statute mile.
LD/SD. Airborne Look Down/ Shoot Down radar, used in the Sensors Screen displays.
lo ado ut. In Harpoon: Commanders Edition this refers to an aircrafts specific ordnance load
for a given mission type.
LOC. Line of Communication. Military term for any supply line extending from a country
engaged in hostile activities to the front lines.
LR. Long Range.
M. Mine Hunting Sonar, used in Sensors Screen displays.
MAD. Magnetic Anomaly Detection. A system which is capable of sensing disturbances in the
earths magnetic field caused by the presence of a large metallic object, such as a submarine.
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GLOSSARY
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110
Change BattleSets
Allows you to edit scenarios for a different
BattleSet. A dialog will come up verifying that you
are finished editing the current scenario. If ou have
made any changes to your current scenario, you will
be given the chance to save it. Unless you choose
Cancel from the dialog, the next screen you will see
is the familiar BattleSet Selection screen, where
you may choose to load any of the BattleSets you
SCENARIO EDITOR
have. Selecting OK at this point brings you back to the Scenario Editor main screen with
an empty scenario.
New Scenario
Allows you to restart with an
empty scenario.
As with Change BattleSet,
you will first be presented
with a verification dialog - this
is you one chance to cancel.
(Again, you will be able to save
any changes you have made to
your current scenario.)
Edit User Scenario
Allows you to edit previously
saved scenarios.
After verifying that you wish
to quit your current scenario,
the Edit User Scenario
screen will appear. At the
top of the screen, you will
see the path of your current
directory, followed by a box
labeled Edit:. Under this box
appears a scroll box listing
all of the subdirectories and
scenario files in you current
directory.
When you have selected a
scenario, its name will appear
in the File Name: box.
Selecting the OK button will
return you to the Scenario
Editor main screen with the
selected scenario loaded and
ready to edit.
Edit BattleSet Scenario
Allows you to load scenarios
from you current BattleSet.
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After verifying that you wish to quit your current scenario, a screen will appear that is similar
to the Harpoon Scenario Selection screen. The top scroll box allows you to select a scenario,
and the bottom scroll box displays the orders for that scenario.
Since editing a scenario involves creating units and orders for BOTH sides, the xxxx Orders
button allows you to alternately display the orders for either side. The BattleSets button
will allow you to load scenarios from another BattleSet. This is functionally equivalent to
using the Change BattleSet command from the Game Menu. (NOTE: this does not allow
you to transfer scenarios from one BattleSet to another.) Selecting OK will load a copy of
the selected scenario for editing. When you save changes to this scenario, it will be saved as
a user scenario, and you will have to use Edit User Scenario to load it in the future. When
editing a BattleSet Scenario, you WILL NOT be actually modifying the BattleSet itself.
These BattleSet scenarios are provided as a starting point, and as examples of completed
scenarios.
Save Scenario
Allows you to save your
current scenario.
This command will bring
up a screen very similar to
the Save Game screen in
Harpoon. As with Edit User
Scenario, you will be able
to navigate your available
disk drives using the Change
Directory and Change
Drive commands. Selecting
a scenario from the scroll box or entering a new name with the Save File As... command
will make the name appear the Save: box, and will activate the Save button. Selecting
the Save button will save your current scenario and return you to the Scenario Editor main
screen. If you attempt to save over an already existing scenario, a dialog will appear to
confirm this action.
Enter Game Time Limit
Allows you to enter the time
limit for the current scenario.
A dialog will appear in the
lower right corner of the
screen, allowing you to input the number of days and hours to be allowed for this scenario.
If a time has already been entered, the dialog will come up with this time; otherwise, it will
come up will all zeros. Selecting OK will cause the To Go time in the upper right corner of
the main screen to be reset with the time you have entered.
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SCENARIO EDITOR
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ANDs and ORs in the same grouping, for reasons explained in the Hints for Entering Victory
Conditions section.
The next option determines the level of categorization for the victory condition, from Type,
the broadest level, to Class, the most narrow level. These levels will be used to determine
what kinds of units will be included in the victory condition.
- Type - the victory condition will apply to all of one type of unit: all carriers, all ships, all
subs, etc.
- Broad type - allows a more refined choice such as all large carriers, all medium combat
ships, all primary bases. In this version of the game land units are not (yet) suitable for
use in setting Victory Conditions.
- Subtype - allows categorization by subtypes of units. For carriers, ships, and subs, it is
the naval designation, such as CV, DDG, FF, SSN, etc. For planes and helos, the
breakdown is by Fighter, ASW, Bomber, etc. For bases, the categories are Base,
Port, and Airfield.
- Class - the most narrow category. For everything but bases, this denotes a particular class
(such as Nimitz class carrier, O.H. Perry class frigate, F-1 5 class aircraft, etc.). For bases, it
means a particular base (such as Keflavik, Iceland or London, UK).
After you have chosen the categorization level of the victory condition, you must select which
type of unit will be included in the category (Carrier, ship, sub, etc.), before you can choose
the actual category. If you have selected the Type level of categorization, you are finished
with this step. If you have chosen one of the other levels, however, the second button at
the bottom of the dialog will activate to let you choose the actual category. If you level of
categorization is Broad type, a scroll box will appear listing the predefined broad-type
categories for that type of unit. If your level of categorization is Subtype, a scroll box will
appear allowing you to choose from the available subtype categories for that type of unit (for
bases it will be a dialog). And finally, if you choose Class as you level of categorization, a
scroll box listing available classes for that unit type will appear. (NOTE: in the above scroll
boxes, carriers and ships will share categories, as will helicopters and planes.)
Once you have chosen your category, you will be given the opportunity to select whether
the condition is to be a friendly on-station condition or an enemy damage/ kill condition.
You do this by checking the on-station checkbox on or off (default). If you do not choose
on-station, you will proceed to the damage/killed text boxes. The damaged and killed boxes
work as follows: to translate kill 3 enemy ships or damage 5 enemy ships at 60%, you
would enter 60 in the Percent Damage box, 5 in the Number Damaged box, and
3 in the Number Killed box. If you only care about damage, leave the Number Killed
box zeroed. (NOTE: When Harpoon checks victory conditions, killed ships also satisfy the
damaged victory condition). If you select the on-station type victory condition, the Percent/
Number Damaged boxes will be disabled, the Number Killed box will change to Number
On Station, and the Time On Station box and the Enter Rect button will be activated.
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SCENARIO EDITOR
Number On Station refers to the number of friendly units that must be on-station for the
condition to be satisfied. Time On Station refers to how long the units must be in the
on-station area. The Enter Rect button brings up a dialog that allows you to define the
on-station area as two opposite points in a rectangle on the Group Map (you will be able to
scroll and zoom the map).
Once you have completed all
of the above steps, selecting
OK will return you to the
Victory
Conditions
Edit
window, where you will be
able to add more conditions or
edit or delete already existing
conditions. The Edit button brings up the same dialog as before, with the selections filled
in. The Delete button deletes the currently selected victory condition (after a confirmation
dialog). OK quits from the victory conditions edit window.
Please refer to Victory Conditions Walk-Through section of this manual for more information
and examples.
Exit
Exits the Scenario Editor but not before you asked if you want to save the scenario first.
15.2.2 Groups Menu
surface
and
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SCENARIO EDITOR
by the selected unit will appear in the Class scroll box on the lower right. Select the aircraft
you wish to add to the unit and press the Add Plane button.
You will be asked to enter the
number of aircraft to add. The
maximum allowable aircraft
will appear in the text box.
If you add more than the
maximum, you will get the
maximum, and if you enter
zero, no planes will be added.
Once you have selected the
number of planes, you will be asked for their probability of inclusion in the scenario.
Creative use of this feature will enable you to automatically vary the strength of each sides
air assets each time a user plays your scenario. Some units will have their helicopters added
automatically. These aircraft will be displayed for informational purposes, but you will not be
able to delete them or give them any orders, including formation patrols. Harpoon handles
these aircraft automatically for the enemy, to spare the scenario creator the tremendous
overhead of dealing with them.
You may delete units or user-added
planes by selecting them in the
Unit scroll box and hitting the
Delete button. (NOTE: the Unit
scroll box must be active (have a
yellow rectangle around it) for the
delete button to be activated.)
You may get Platform Display reports on units or planes in the group by selecting them
in the Groups Unit List scroll and then selecting the Display button. Exiting from the
Platform Display will return you to the Edit Group screen. Selecting the Display button
when the Unit Type or Class scrolls are active will bring up Platform Display for the
currently selected class in the Class scroll. You may also edit the groups formation by
selecting the Formation Editor button. Formation Editor differs slightly from the one in
Harpoon, and will be explained in the Orders Menu description. Finally, selecting Exit will
prompt you for the groups probability of inclusion and will return you to the Scenario Editor
main screen.
Create New Base
Allows you to create a new base group.
As with Create New Group, the first thing youll be prompted for is the bases side.
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SCENARIO EDITOR
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Formation Editor
There are a few subtle
but important differences
between the Scenario Editor
version of Formation Editor,
and that of Harpoon. In
Harpoon, you use Formation
Editor to order ships and
subs to move to a new
location within the group,
and to set air patrols. When
you exit Formation Editor,
the ships and subs start
moving from their current locations to their new locations, and the aircraft begin launching for
their patrols. In Scenario Editor, when you exit the Formation Editor, the ships will be located
where you placed them - magically translocated to their new position within the group.
This will be the units relative starting location when your scenario is played. Air patrols
in Formation Editor will not be immediately launched, as they are in Harpoon. Instead, the
scenario will remember to launch the patrols at game startup. Another item you may have
noticed are the asterisks that appear next to some of the units in the scroll box. This indicates
that this unit has not yet been placed in the formation circle. As soon as you place the unit,
the asterisk will disappear.
Ready Aircraft
Use the Ready Aircraft
command to initialize
the loadouts for the
aircraft you have added
to the scenario. The
aircraft will be readied
immediately, and will
have
this
loadout
at scenario startup
when Harpoon is run.
(CAUTION:
changing
loadouts for aircraft
whose patrols or strikes have already been assigned will cancel these orders.)
Launch Aircraft
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SCENARIO EDITOR
Works
identically
to
Harpoon, with a few minor
changes. When you select
OK to accept your launch
orders, you will be asked for
a time delta; this will allow
you to delay launching until
a given amount of time has
passed.
In this way, you can
coordinate the computer
opponents air strikes as
you would if you were playing Harpoon. Also, as
with formation air patrols, your orders will not be
carried out by Scenario Editor itself, but will be
remembered in your scenario to be executed
during Harpoon play.
Join Group
Use Join Group in Scenario Editor to transfer
all of the units from one group into another. These units will have to be repositioned in their
new group using Formation Editor.
Split Group
Use Split Group in Scenario Editor to split units off from a group to form a new group. These
units will have to be repositioned in this new group using Formation Editor.
Sensors
Works identically to Harpoon.
Edit Staff Note
Works identically to Harpoon.
15.2.4 Orders 2 Menu
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SCENARIO EDITOR
reassign the forks probability. And, once again, you will return to editing the group course at
the point where you left. (NOTE: You may have more than one alternate path order at any one
path point and you may also add an alternate path to an alternate path.)
Enter Variable Start Points
This command allows you to
enter alternate starting points
for a group.
Upon selecting this command,
you will be presented with a
half screen window containing
a scroll box and buttons. Above
the scroll box will be a box
labeled Default Starting Point:,
followed by a percentage. This
refers to the probability that
the group will start where it
is located on the map. As you enter variable starting points, this percentage will decrease
accordingly.
To enter a variable starting point, select the Add button. A dialog will appear that is very
similar to the one used to position the group originally. Click in the Group Map until you are
satisfied with the starting points placement (the starting point will appear as a dimmed
square), and select OK to accept.
Another dialog will follow, asking for the probability that the group will start at this point. If
you enter a value greater than the default percentage, then your starting points percentage
will be the default percentage minus one. If you enter zero or less for the probability, the
probability will be reset to one. In this way, the system prevents you from entering starting
points that will never occur, or from having your cumulative percentage be other than 100%.
You may also delete starting points using the Delete button (a confirmation dialog will
appear). Finally, selecting the OK button will let you exit from the Edit Variable Start Points
interface.
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SCENARIO EDITOR
All of the Settings menu commands work the same as in Harpoon, except that Set Land
Color is its own menu item.
15.2.6 Misc. Menu
Analyze Scenario
This command allows you to check
your scenario in four key areas:
Harpoon scenario.
When you select the Analyze Scenario command, a full screen window will come up containing
a large scroll box and eight buttons. The four buttons on the left will be used to access the analysis
features mentioned above. The following is a snippit of the Complete Analysis button.
Estimate Memory
This feature will evaluate your scenario and estimate how much free memory your scenario
will have at game startup. In addition, it will evaluate this amount to determine if it is enough
to comfortably run Harpoon. Developers Note: This is pretty much a historical item, and has
no value on Pentium 3+ class systems!
Evaluate Forces
This feature will evaluate the relative postures of both sides, both offensive and defensive.
Check Group Movement
This feature checks each unit in every group against that groups movement orders, including
paths, alternate paths, and variable starting points. If any units are aground at any of these
points, you will be notified.
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SCENARIO EDITOR
Example #2
For the Red Side to achieve
minimum victory, it is sufficient for
it to get three of its subs on-station
south of Iceland for a minimum of
two hours.
Select the following dialog items:
Minimum Victory
Red Side
ORed Type Subs
On Station
The Number Killed edit box will
change to the Number On Station, and the Time On Station box will be activated. Enter
3 for the Number On Station and 2 in the hours box next to Time On Station.
Once this is done, select the Enter Rect button to enter the area that is to be considered
on station. A new dialog will appear, prompting you to enter two opposite corners of your
on-station area rectangle.
Use the map scrolling
buttons to position the
map so that Southern Italy
is showing on the group
map. We are about to draw
a rectangle representing
the waters south of Italy.
Click on two points that
will represent the onstation area; otherwise,
you must move the crosshairs to the desired points
and press Enter. If you
are not satisfied with the
selected on-station area,
you may select Start
Over to repeat this process. Once you select OK, you will return to the Victory Conditions
dialog. You are now finished entering this victory condition, so select OK to accept it.
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SCENARIO EDITOR
to direct the necessary groups to the on-station area; otherwise, the computer opponent will
have no way of achieving this victory condition.
3. Get creative with your victory conditions. You will find that they can be very flexible - you
just have to think about it a little.
For more examples of victory conditions, refer to the victory conditions entered for the
BattleSet scenarios.
15.5 HINTS FOR USING ALTERNATE PATHS AND VARIABLE START POINTS
Graphically, you can think of the relationship between variable start points and paths like so:
A bunch of random starting points narrowing to a single
path. Once the group reaches the first path point, the
randomness is gone and its path becomes predictable
again. The smart player will pick up on the fact that
after a couple of hours of game time, the enemy group
always winds up in the same place, and will send a
patrol out to that area to wait.
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SCENARIO EDITOR
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PLATFORM EDITOR
Values are either numerical or string entries. Modify numerical entries by simply replacing the
current value with a new one. Modify string entries via the dropdown menu by clicking the
Down Arrow to the right of the current setting.
ID#s are used to associate items that belong together in a game engine component. As you
browse the buttons for Aircraft, Ships, and Subs, you will find items like LOADOUTS, MOUNTS,
SENSORS, and MAGAZINES.
Clicking these buttons will unveil a dropdown that includes the various subcomponents for
that item. The subcomponents are listed by ID# and double-clicking the > (right side pointing
arrow) to the left of the ID# will open a new window, detailing that particular subcomponent.
Now go back to the previous window. To the right of the subcomponent ID# you will see a
string value for its nomenclature, and immediately to the right of that is a Down Arrow. A
single click there opens a dropdown that offers the allowable selections for that particular
subcomponent. Choosing one of them will automatically update the ID# to the left.
IMPORTANT: To ensure your changes are accepted by MS Access, move to the next record.
Assuming no error messages, your edit is now saved.
16.3 CREATING NEW ENTRIES
Two very important facts to keep in mind:
1) ALWAYS APPEND, NEVER REPLACE A RECORD.
2) DO NOT ENTER ANY ID#. The PE will assign the appropriate ID# as you move through the
remaining data fields. Be very careful to enter all required data in the remaining data fields.
Failure to do so will cause the SE and GE to choke upon export of your new data.
Mechanically speaking, creating new entries is otherwise similar to editing existing data
described above.
16.4 EXPORTING AN EDITED DATABASE TO THE HCE GAME ENGINE
When you are ready to try out your edited database, CLOSE BOTH THE GE AND SE if you have
them open. Return to the Main Menu and click on EXPORT DATABASE under Other Tasks in
the bottom half of the screen. This step will take some time, and you will know its finished
when you see a DOS screen open, and soon thereafter close. At this point your Database is
now ready to try out in the GE and SE.
16.5 IMPORTING DATABASES FROM THE GAME ENGINE (COMMONDB.RES)
This feature is particularly useful if you are using someone elses commondb and want to
view and edit it in the PE. Sharing the commondb will be the primary mechanism for playing
user created scenarios that were created using a different database than the one you are
running.
Click on IMPORT DATABASE under Other Tasks in the bottom half of the screen. This takes
some time to complete, depending on the speed of your system. On slower machines it may
133
even appear to freeze the Editor for a period of time. This is normal. Upon completion you will
be able to edit the database in the PE as outlined above.
16.6 MANAGING MULTIPLE COMMONDB FILES
We plan to automate this so that when you load a scenario, both the GE and SE will seek out
the correct commondb in your directory and load them into the game. Until this feature is
ready, we recommend you do the following or something similar:
1) Place all scenarios you create with a given commondb in a separate folder, along with a
copy of the commondb.res file the scenarios need to use.
2) Rename this commondb.res file to something that will help you identify it in the future.
For example, commondb_orig.res might be your choice for the file needed to run scenarios
created for the first commondb.res file. Similarly, you might use commondb_my_first.res for
the scenarios you create using the first db you edit yourself.
3) You are now ready to swap out databases. To do so, rename the existing commondb.
res file in your game root directory in order to preserve it, in a manner consistent with the
convention described above. Next, create a new folder in your game root directory called
Current_DB. Locate the commondb_whatever-you-named-it_.res file (the one you are about
to use, not the one you just renamed) and Copy/Paste it into the Current_DB folder. This helps
you remember which commondb you are using because the final step is to also paste it to the
game root directory and rename it to commondb.res. You are now ready to run the scenarios
created for the commondb you just installed.
16.7 MAIN SCREEN/MENU SCREEN
This screen is self-explanatory.
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PLATFORM EDITOR
DESCRIPTION
All-Weather Capable
135
Blip Enhance
Carrier Capable
DPS
ESM
FLIR
Inflight Refuelling
IRST
LRMTS
MAD
Mid-Course Guidance
136
PLATFORM EDITOR
Radar Mod 1
Radar Mod 2
RWR
SB
TCS
137
Formula
0-500
501-5000
5001-12,000
12,000 and over
T/20
(T/30) + 9
(T/50) + 76
(T/60) + 116
Once you have determined the damage points, multiply the value by any of the following
multipliers that apply:
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Fleet Auxiliary (supply ships, container ships, tankers, ammunition vessels, etc.) not
including converted merchant vessels 0.75
Surface-Effect Ship (SES), Hovercraft, or Merchant (including all ships specified as
being build to civilian standards) 0.5
Supertankers 0.25
Soviet Construction 0.9
Composites; Aluminum, GRP, Wood 0.75
PLATFORM EDITOR
DESCRIPTION
ESM
IR
Rast
Shock Resitant
Silencing
Stabilizer
Stabilizer (Dual)
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DESCRIPTION
Anechoic Coating
DE Warhead Resistant
ESM
IR
Radar Mast
A radar mast.
Snorkel
Shock Resistant
Titanium Hull
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PLATFORM EDITOR
Transient-Free Launch
141
ROF this value effects the number of round that can be fired in a minute per mount.
ROF x Tubes = Rounds per minute
Auto 0 or 1 1 represents automatic systems like Vulcan Phalanx
The Arcs affects the direction a mount can fire the 12 oclock direction represents the bow
of a unit
Comment on the weapon selction: a mount can carry more than 1 weapon type!
16.17 EDIT SENSORS SCREEN
142
PLATFORM EDITOR
Sonar
SUB-TYPE
EXPLANATION
Air Search
Surface Search
Height Finding
Fire Control
Aegis
Dipping Hull
Hull/Towed
Localiser/Ranging
Sonobuoy
Towed
AS (360-degree)
HF (3D)
LDSD
143
RO (airborne)
SPIR
SS (airborne)
SS (360-degree)
SUB-TYPE
EXPLANATION
Depth Charge
Mortar
Standoff
ECM
Chaff/Flare
Chaff
Type-D
ECM
144
PLATFORM EDITOR
Flare
IR
Laser
FLIR
Forwardlooking infrared.
Gun
Missile
Any guided weapon that has a selfsustaining motor and a guidance package.
Nuke
Airburst
Surface
Underwater
Ordnance
Anti-runway
Bomb
Cannon
Cluster bomb
Drop tank
Rocket
Torpedo
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146
CREDITS
17.0 CREDITS
ADVANCED GAMING SYSTEMS
Larry Bond and Chris Carlson created the Harpoon system. This product is based on their
3rd Edition of the Rules. The Harpoon Game System is 1976-2010 by them. The Harpoon
trademark is held by them as well.
BattleSet and StaffAssistant are TM by Advanced Gaming Systems Inc.
There have been several teams who have worked on the game since it first shipped in 1989.
We have preserved credit where it is due in the About menu in the game. You will be amazed
at how many people have contributed over the years.
This version calls out a thank-you for this specific version Harpoon Commanders Edition
HCE.
Development Team - HCE
Fletcher Comstock - Programmer
Anthony Eischens - Consulting
Larry Gertner - Quality Assurance
Cameron Currie, Russell Sharp - Sysops
HCDB Content, Copyright (c)2007 Brad Leyte.
Don Gilman - Project Manager
Media Credits HCE
Darren Buckley, Scott Boles, Tony Eischens - Database Picture Contributions
Christopher Skelton, Casey Skelton - Sound Developement
Sean Choate - HCE specific artwork
John Dye -- Splash Screen
Don Gilman Manual Updates
Rene Haar, Tony Eischens, Bruce Fenster, Dale Hillier, Brad Leyte Platform/DB Editor
notes
B.I. Hutchinson, for graciously letting us use the scenarios and background from his
EC2000 to the EC2003 BattleSets
147
148
CREDITS
Graphic Artists
Marc von Martial, Jim Martin, Nicolas Eskubi
Public Relations & Marketing
Sean Drummy
Production Assistant
Andrew Loveridge
Director of Operations and Acquisitions
David Heath
Lead Administration
Liz Stoltz
Manager of Dealer Relations & Business Development
Karlis Rutins
Customer Support Staff
Daniel Heath, Alex Fiedler
Forum Administration
Erik Rutins, Alex Fiedler, Marc von Martial, David Heath
Web-Database Design & Development
Alex Fiedler
Network and System Administrator
Alex Fiedler, David Heath
Social Media Manager
Steve Stafford
PC Support and Network Administrator
Lance Stoltz
Quality Assurance Lead
Erik Rutins
Special Thanks
To our new colleagues at Slitherine Ltd.: JD McNeil, Iain McNeil, Marco Minoli, Philip Veale,
Andrea Nicola, Richard Evans, Christian Bassani.
Matrix NexGen
Alexander Rutins, Andrew Heath, Nicholas Heath, Shane Heath, Austin Stoltz,
Noah Stoltz, Jesse Stoltz, Heidi Fiedler, Blake Fiedler, Harold Dupree.
149
150
Should the software prove defective, you assume the entire cost of all necessary servicing, repair
or correction.
8. Limitation of Liability. Is restricted to the full extent not prohibited by law, in no event will
Slitherine and or Matrix Games be liable for personal injury, or any incidental, special, indirect
or consequential damages whatsoever, including, without limitation, damages for loss of profits,
loss of data, business interruption or any other commercial damages or losses, arising out of or
related to your use or inability to use the software, however caused, regardless of the theory of
liability (contract, tort or otherwise) and even if Slitherine or Matrix Games has been advised of
the possibility of such damages. In no event shall Slitherine and or Matrix Games total liability to
you for all damages (other than as may be required by applicable law in cases involving personal
injury) exceed the amount which the purchaser paid for the software or Fifty US Dollars ($50)
whichever is less. The foregoing limitations will apply even if the above stated remedy fails in its
essential purpose.
9. Controlling Law and Severability. This License will be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of England and Wales. If for any reason a court of competent jurisdiction
finds any provision, or portion thereof, to be unenforceable, the remainder of this License shall
continue in full force and effect.
10. Complete Agreement; Governing Language. This License constitutes the entire agreement
between the parties with respect to the use of the Software licensed hereunder and supersedes
all prior or contemporaneous understandings regarding such subject matter. No amendment to or
modification of this License will be binding unless in writing and signed by Slitherine and or Matrix
Games. Any translation of this License is done for local requirements and in the event of a dispute
between the English and any non-English versions; the English version of this License shall govern.