Rebuilding the old '59 Burning Sands Campaign

[MKSheppard 4]

Basically, I've been whacking away at a new, updated version of the classical '59 Burning Sands campaign with every side playable, but I can't leave one thing alone, and I have to keep improving it...

 

I've already re-written the fluff openings for the campaign as well:

 

Soviet Opening Fluff[/size]

 

Our glorious fraternal comrades in the Arab Republic of Paran were attacked without provocation by the capitalist lackeys of the Kingdom of Dhimar and have retalitated by invading to put an end to the war-loving monarchy.

 

Advisors like you will help our Parani comrades in their struggle!

 

Paran Opening Fluff[/size]

 

Due to an endless string of insults on our national honor by the monarchists in Dhimar, the Great Leader, General Ali-Amer Ahmed has decided to invade and despose that fool of a King Dhimar has.

 

Dhimar Opening Fluff[/size]

 

Relations with Paran have detoriated ever since General Ali-Amer Ahmed removed King Hassan in a violent coup in 1954, followed by Hassan's execution and the declaration of the Arab Republic of Paran.

 

General Ahmed claims that we are drilling across our border, and stealing the Parans' oil. Ridiculous nonsense of course. However, that was more than enough for Ahmed to declare war.

 

-----------------

 

I'm still plinking away at various bugs in it; and I was wondering if I should revise the flyable aircraft lists even more than what I have already to represent the state of the world in 1959.

 

Jet aircraft were a very limited commodity, even in the US Air Force, which still had large numbers of piston engined aircraft well into the 1960s - the last F-51D wasn't retired from the West Virginia ANG until 1957!

 

Mainly, this was because of the price of jet fuel; it was more expensive than ordinary aviation gasoline; a situation which existed until the mass production of civilian jet airliners, which caused a refining boom, bringing down the price of jet fuel.

 

The Kingdom of Dhimar being completely equipped with F-100Ds and A-4s in 1959 was always a bit of a stretch. Same with Paran and their nearly 100% MiG-17F force.

 

Putting my thinking cap on, the following aircraft sound like good candidates for Dhimar's intial aircraft fleet

 

F-51D Mustangs

F-47D Thunderbolts

F-80C Shooting Stars

A-26B/C Invaders

AT-6 Texans

F4U Corsairs of various vintages

Spitfires?

Gloster Meteors

 

etc making up the bulk, perhaps in small "squadrons" of only 4-5 aircraft each.

 

The "King's Own" squadron would probably operate one of these aircraft.

 

F-84Fs

F-84Gs

Various F-86 Sabres

 

And they would be broken down 90% of the time, and would only fly for really important events like the anniversary of the King's coronation. They're there for SHOW, to look nice and flashy, like all those new African countries in the 1960s that got shiney MiG-21s when those were actually new.

 

Likewise for Param; they'd probably have

La-9s

La-11s

Some old WWII Bombers, etc

 

So leading into the new campaign:

 

1959: War breaks out, you can fly Dhimari and Parami Piston engined aircraft, and what few obsolete jets they have. The war bogs down, becomes inconclusive.

 

Mid 1959-1960: The USSR takes an interest in the conflict and decides to escalate it by supplying the Republic of Param with some MiG-19s. A squadron of VVS pilots is sent as well. They proceed to use their technically superior aircraft and skills to cut right through the Dhimari Air Force like butter. The US takes notice and begins to supply the Dhimaris with some more modern aircraft through Foreign Aid.

 

1961: The US is now fully involved in the Dhimari conflict; with carrier operations and USAF aircraft now based in Dhimar, as well as a constant flow of new aircraft for Dhimar. The USSR responds with more of the same for their Dhimar clients.

 

1962-1964: All but open war between the USAF and VVS, very similar to the clashes between US pilots and Soviet pilots over Korea in MiG Alley, with the latest and best aircraft routinely being sent to the front.

 

1965: Peace treaty signed between Dhimar and Param, or a Dhimari offensive takes the capital of Param. The timeline's open to compression, because this isn't korea with huge mountains to slow ground forces down; it's a desert, and rapid movements are possible. It's entirely possible that even with US and Soviet Aid to their respective clients, the Parami and Dhimari militaries are just incompetent, like the Iranians and Iraqis from 1980-88, and the US and USSR decide simply wage a proxy war on the cheap with airpower alone.

 

What do you think guys?

[MKSheppard 4]

A sudden thought came to me:

 

Why does the US even need to get involved at all?

 

The US can just funnel aircraft and equipment to the Mercenaries (where do you think the mercs are getting those F-100 from?) and use them as a legimitate "I'm not seeing anything provocative?" excuse in the UN.

[+JonathanRL 973]

I want the US to be envolved. The Burning Sands was to be a recreation of a classic Client State Conflict.

 

But I always figured that US or the US client state owned the F-100D and just let the Mercs fly em.

Edited August 28, 2006 by tigertompa

[Jarink 1]

Why limit the Paran's aircraft to ex-Soviet piston planes? Give them some ex-western stuff, too. We dumped them all over the world, even to countries that later 'turned against us'.

 

Maybe give Dhimar only ex-USAF equipment while the Parani's use a combo of older RAF (Hurricanes?, Spitfires, a few Meteors) and newer Soviet planes (La-11s, Mig-15s, some Mig-17s).

[MKSheppard 4]

Why limit the Paran's aircraft to ex-Soviet piston planes?

 

Well, I was doing it in the terms of "realism", having the planes isn't just enough, you need the spare parts and tools to maintain them; if you only have to stock soviet metric tools and gauges to keep your fleet of Lavochkins and then later MiGs flying; it's much easier on your maintenance technicans (and cheaper too), than trying to maintain a stock of US Gauges and tools in addition to British Imperial Gauges and tools.

 

Give them some ex-western stuff, too. We dumped them all over the world, even to countries that later 'turned against us'.

 

The great fire sale after WWII! Plus the fact that the planes often got resold by the original buyers to secondary states.

 

Maybe give Dhimar only ex-USAF equipment while the Parani's use a combo of older RAF (Hurricanes?, Spitfires, a few Meteors) and newer Soviet planes (La-11s, Mig-15s, some Mig-17s).

 

Sounds good.

 

Speaking of markings, I've been puttering on mercenary and Dhimari skins for various aircraft (currently only F-100D is actually near completion) and I was wondering what to use for Dhimari squadron markings? Green stripes on the tail or wings, or a Squadron crest?

Edited August 28, 2006 by MKSheppard

[MKSheppard 4]

Mercenary Wing F-100D; I used the IDF F-100D skin from combatace and played with the decal file.

 

Dhimari F-100D; I used Pasko's 533rd FBS Fuselage as a base; and rearranged the decal.ini file.

 

Parani MiG; used a desert skin from combat ace...

 

I'm a bit torn on using the IDF skin for the mercs; there's a lot of brown hues in it; and my Paranis are using tan/brown a lot; which raises the problem of "accidents" involving misidentification in the real world.

Edited August 28, 2006 by MKSheppard