At 20220402 2251 ZT, DEFCON 3 has been declared for the Second Echelon of 1985: Deadly Northern Lights. Report for Duty by writing to INFO@TRLGAMES.COM if not yet enlisted.
1985: Deadly Northern Lights covers the Warsaw Pact offensive against the Nordic countries during the dramatic events of World War Three. Norway, Sweden, Finland and insular Denmark are in the cross-hair, facing the full might of Northern Fleet, Baltic Fleet and two Soviet Military Districts.
Basic information about the operation can be found at this link. In addition, this Second Echelon will be equipped with several updates and changes listed below.
Lines of Communication Map
The old LOC Charts have been replaced by the LOC Map used in 1985: Sacred Oil, covering the whole globe and allowing:
A more realistic handling of the reinforcements, both for NATO and Warsaw Pact.
A full integration with the Mutual Assured Destruction combined campaign, using two or more 1985 modules.
Operational Map Revision
The operational maps have been updated and the colours used for some terrains has been changed to make them easier to identify.
NATO Airbase of Bodø and Surrounding Areas
New Counters Layout
The counters have been updated using the layout introduced with 1985: Sacred Oil, with additional changes to cover specific aspects of the Northern Europe war theatre.
Additional counters to fully integrate with the other modules and with the 1985: Mutual Assured Destruction combined campaign:
Single ships for USN Carrier Battlegroups
USN Algol Class Fast Sealift Ships
NATO Atlantic Convoys
Updated Rules and Scenarios
The updated rules include the changes introduced by 1985: Sacred Oil, and the updated scenarios make full use of the new rules and LOC Map. Last but not least, both booklets have a new layout and have been reorganized using a (hopefully) more logical order.
The VASSAL Module for 1985: Sacred Oil is finally combat-ready! Kudos to our embedded Combat Engineer John Rainey for helping our troops to reach the assigned objectives.
Be warned, you will need the latest VASSAL version for this.
If you’ve stopped the Soviet offensive in Central Europe, crossed the Rhine with 1st Guards Tank Army, drank up all the whisky and wondering what else you could do this Sunday, join us at the WWIII Roundtable, ACDC Convention!
This After Action Report covers the Soviet push toward Bandar Abbas, where the first direct clash between Soviet and American forces occurred during the opening phases of World War Three. This report tries to offer a quite detailed description of the events, while at the same time avoiding to plunge into technicalities.
Prologue
Bandar Abbas is the most ambitious initial objective of the Soviet offensive against Iran, as its control would achieve two strategic goals: denying the Americans one of the best strategic areas for building up forces and controlling the sea lanes needed by Western countries for oil supply.
Soviet forces from Afghanistan and Central Asia Military District are assigned to the task, but for once Soviet High Command cannot rely on quantity, as the poor lines of communications and the scarce number of usable airfields do not allow committing vast forces to the operation.
In the days preceding the Soviet attack, Iranian clergy remains impervious to US offers of military support. When access to Iranian air space and bases is finally granted, only a few hours are left for organizing some sort of defense.With time running out and no other forces immediately available, CENTCOM decides to take its chances and orders USS CV-64 Constellation battle group to pass the strait of Hormuz and protect Bandar Abbas until airfields in the area are made operational and the Marines arrive.
With the Soviet tanks rolling over the Iranian border on June 28th, it was only a question of time before United States and Soviet Union became directly involved in a military confrontation.
On June 30th, an F-14 Combat Air Patrol from USS Constellation engages a Soviet strike package approaching Bandar Abbas, and all hell breaks loose. USS CV-63 Kitty Hawk and its battlegroup are ordered to neutralize the Soviet bases in Ethiopia and South Yemen and support the subsequent land assault to the Soviet facilities by special forces based in Diego Garcia.
With no lines of communication to the Motherland and scarce supply, the Soviet forces in Aden and Asmara can only hope for the surprise effect of a first strike. An auxiliary intelligence ship and three nuclear submarines have been shadowing the Kitty Hawk battlegroup for days, ready to make the Americans pay dearly for any aggressive move.
1. At 20220106 2024 ZT US-Led Coalition and Soviet Union announced that an agreement for an immediate ceasefire has been reached.
2. Hostile actions against Soviet forces must cease immediately, except when needed to respond an attack or to stop attempts by Soviet forces to further advance in the territory of Iran or any other friendly nation in the Southwest Asia region.
3. 1985: Sacred Oil is officially OUT OF STOCK.
4. Orders already received are safely stored in an atomic proof bunker and are guaranteed to survive.
5. Reserved copy owners that went AWOL during the seven days period of hostilities are granted a 15 days safe conduct. Report for duty at info@TRLGames.com when ready to acquire the war equipment.
6. With a life span of only seven days, 1985: Sacred Oil established a new record. A big thank you to all the troops who made this possible! The next goal will be a conflict shorter than the six-days war.
Is your government a waste of space when it comes to visualize the Big Picture and decide a damn real strategy?
The 1985: Sacred Oil Mobilization Charts will help the Regional Commander-In-Chief to make himself abundantly clear about the assets that must be requested, mobilized, and committed.
What is needed, when is needed! No more endless arguments with politicians having neither the time, the training, nor the inclination for strategic thought.
