Swedish Campaign (The Scandinavian Front)

[+JonathanRL 974]

*whistles on I saw the Air Force shoot down Santa Claus*

Since we now got a Northcape terrain for SF2, I was thinking to make it more of a playground, by adding a campaign.
Most of our tools are already set, but I would like some help - I have _never_ made a campaign from scratch.

The Battle Area is the Northcape Terrain. Finland and Sweden will be allied against the Soviet Union.

So here is how the basic Battle outlines will look:

1956 Campaign - Operation Isbjörn
Suits the War in the South (Central Europe) just fine.
For this, J-29 Tunnan, J34 Hawker Hunter and maybe a single squadron of A-32A will be avalible to fly.
J-28 Vampire (Same with Finlands Vampire) and maybe J-33 Venom are AI Aircraft.
Enemies could be the usual bogeymen.

1963 Campaign - Mannerheims Sköld
The War in 1962 has continued into 1963. Eager to open a second front and break the stalemate, the Soviet Union attacks Finland. Sweden, realising they are next scrambles to assist the brotherpeople.
J34s with Sidewinders, Finnish Fishbeds, A-32, J-32, S-32C, J-35s as flyables.
Enemies could be the usual bogeymen.

2012 Campaign - Midwinterdarkness
Based on a Swedish book. Will be a mini-campaign with F-21 Luleå, J39 Gripens defending themselfs against Russia. Frogfoot, Backfires, Fencers, Fulcrums and Flankers. This scenario will be more a survival scenario - if you survive for the alloted time, you win.

This is just a basic outline as I will have to scramble to other things now. Will return and brainstorm in this topic.

Edited May 16, 2015 by JonathanRL

[Libertarian 0]

I vote for the 1963 campaign. The J29 is a fun plane to fly, but I'd rather go one step higher. J34's, J32's and J35's make an excellent mix to choose from. Also, since the J28 and J33 (Vampire and Venom) are non-flyable, it takes some of the fun out of the earlier campaign.

 

2012 looks like fun as well, but it seems like it's more circumscribed, unfortunately, which makes it lose a bit of the attraction.

 

Just my $0.05 =)

[jeanba 1,920]

Great idea :

Mannerheim's Sköld looks very interesting.

[boulder 6]

All three campaign scenarios are very interesting. If I had to pick one, it would be the 1963 campaign. Also, the 2012 campaign would be even more interesting if Swedish Gripens had Finnish Hornets alongside them in a devastating battle of survival against Soviets overwhelming numbers until NATO achieves absolute air superiority over German skies and comes to aid Finland and Sweden. The larger strategic picture could be just like Tom Clancy´s outstanding "Red Storm Rising". The Russians would try to take strategic positions in Norway in order to utilize Norwegian air bases against western supply convoys and United Kingdom.Mr. Clancy didn't describe northern front actions much in his book, which is totally understandable, main focus is in Europe, Iceland and at sea. I think the Soviets would have launched a fast and decisive land campaign first taking northern parts of Finland and Sweden. Their final goal would be Norway.

 

I still think that one campaign more should be considered:

 

1986 Campaign - Red Storm North

 

As hostilities between NATO and Warsaw Pact begin in Central Europe, Soviet forces mobilize in north, too. NATO´s air power is needed almost fully over the skies of Central Europe, leaving only Norway, Sweden and Finland against Soviet war machine. Soviets invade northern parts of Norway and Finland, but Norway has time to relocate their core airforce units to continue air operations from Swedish airbases as Sweden and Finland both are attacked by the Soviet Union.The Finns have to do the same. Sweden and Finland, with the aid of surviving Norwegian Air Forces must withstand the Soviet air and land assault alone and prevent the Soviet bombers to use their newly-acquired northern air bases freely against the UK, Iceland and western supply convoys. NATO is currently tied in the battles of Central Europe, Iceland and North Atlantic. Will they succeed?

 

Flyable aircraft would include at least Norwegian F-16(the only NATO fighters available at the time), Swedish JA/AJ Viggens, Drakens and Lansens, Finnish Mig-21bis, Drakens and Hawks. Playing the Campaign from Soviet point of view should be interesting, too.

 

How about it,

 

boulder

Edited September 13, 2011 by boulder

[Slartibartfast 153]

There is a book by General Sir John Hackett Called World War 3 which goes into some detail about the Swede's getting involved in WW3 where they scramble JA-37's to intercept Mig-25's and get ambushed and then retaliate attacking a Russian Air Convoy trying to take Bodo... Good reading if you can locate the book... been out of print for a quite a few years... but I like the idea of all of them the 63 campaign looks the more interesting though as it has a bit more variety and I like the idea of the 1986 one as well as it has some of my favourite airplanes in it...

[Capitaine Vengeur 263]

There is a book by General Sir John Hackett Called World War 3 which goes into some detail about the Swede's getting involved in WW3 where they scramble JA-37's to intercept Mig-25's and get ambushed and then retaliate attacking a Russian Air Convoy trying to take Bodo... Good reading if you can locate the book... been out of print for a quite a few years...

Found it at some second-hand bookseller. An interesting study written in 1978, but clearly outdated even by the following year's unexpected events, as he stated that Egypt would follow the Soviet alignment, while Iran would remain a firm pro-Western ally by 1985. Camp David and the otherthrow of the Shah made a clean sweep of that balance in one single year.

[+paulopanz 2,876]

Well I was just painting some new J-34 from DLC 8 (upgrading my old mod) and then some J-32 from new Lansen pack .....

 

Here some new Lansen pics:

 

 

 

New/upgraded skins with ALL made in Sweden historical decal sets ....

 

Pics/references needed.

 

 

 

PS I have some Tunnans, too.

[+JonathanRL 974]

Oh, I dont intend to make you choose between the campaigns. I intend to make them all in due time :)

I dont know much about making from scratch - but what I do not know, i will learn :)

 

Also, any 80/90s campaign in Scandinavia _must_ be named Operation Garbo, after a cult classic in Swedish Defence Literature. Its our red storm rising, but without all the good. :D

Edited September 13, 2011 by JonathanRL

[SayethWhaaaa 245]

I started (way back when) by just checking out some of the existing campaigns and going from there. It's an easy way of learning how the air and ground elements are organised. You can see what you have and add subtract units as you see fit. When you get into establishing or changing target areas, carrier stations and whatnot, that's when it get a little more difficult but not overwhelmingly so.

[+JonathanRL 974]

I have done Campaigns before, but mostly thoose was just small edits. I just started on Operation Isbjörn - because its the simplest of them all in my eyes. Less aircraft to manage and whatnot. So far, so good. If you want to beta test, I am all ears for volenteers. Pref people with knowledge about Swedish Air Force, Finnish Air Force or campaign making in general.

 

Also, if anybody would like to make a J-28 (Vampire5) skin - and one for the finnish (Vampire FB52) version, id love that.

References: http://www.aef.se/flygvapnet/Bilder/J28F14%201000p.jpg

There is also one on the Column5 site if anybody wants to have a look at it.

[boulder 6]

Great, JonathanRL!!! I would volunteer for beta-testing immediately, but RealLife™ is causing me some very severe time constraints. Thumbs up with your project!!!

 

And to paulopanz, your Lansens look absolutely stunning!

 

boulder

Edited September 13, 2011 by boulder

[Slartibartfast 153]

I have done Campaigns before, but mostly thoose was just small edits. I just started on Operation Isbjörn - because its the simplest of them all in my eyes. Less aircraft to manage and whatnot. So far, so good. If you want to beta test, I am all ears for volenteers. Pref people with knowledge about Swedish Air Force, Finnish Air Force or campaign making in general.

 

Also, if anybody would like to make a J-28 (Vampire5) skin - and one for the finnish (Vampire FB52) version, id love that.

References: http://www.aef.se/flygvapnet/Bilder/J28F14%201000p.jpg

There is also one on the Column5 site if anybody wants to have a look at it.

I would love to do so but for the next couple of weeks RL has got in the way slightly... as it has been since about July with work etc... If you need a tester after the start of October let me know...

[Wrench 9,846]

just remember, it's Baltika's terrain, I just uploaded a sf2 tweeked version. It still needs boatloads of work, as the targeting is minimial at best (to say nothing of some other issues)

 

the stock Vampire is easly made flyable with a Hunter pit; paulo has done a bunch of skins for Pasko's old venom so it'll probably only need redecaling for Sweden and other users (and updating the Userlist.ini)

[+JonathanRL 974]

Wrench: I know, but a Terrain is a Terrain. And if there is a few campaigns out, maybe the tweaks will get done in time? ;-)

Its satisfactory for my purposes at any rate.

 

I finished fixing up the Air Units at any rate, so now onto the unknown territory - the Ground War !

[Derk 265]

Found it at some second-hand bookseller. An interesting study written in 1978, but clearly outdated even by the following year's unexpected events, as he stated that Egypt would follow the Soviet alignment, while Iran would remain a firm pro-Western ally by 1985. Camp David and the otherthrow of the Shah made a clean sweep of that balance in one single year.

 

I have had it for years. It makes interesting reading, all the more so since Hacket is a good storyteller and an ex BAOR commander who was very much in the middle of the Cold War. He is not very optimistic about the outcome with nukes used on Birmingham and in retaliation on Minsk and a huge area of Germany and the Netherlands overrun by the Soviets (and one can imagine what happened to the population in those territories...)

 

Houdoe,

 

Derk

[Spinners 15,986]

Cracking skins!

[Wrench 9,846]

gods, I haven't ready that book in 20+ years!!! Should be buried on the shelf somewheres......much be looking for it!

 

paulo- those Lansen skins ROCK, dude!!

[Wrench 9,846]

also, if anyone has any plans for acruizing targets placements, I'd reccomend (like, HIGHLY!!!) a kmz for google earth that has all know SAM/EW sites world wide. I don't remember where I got it, but a google search should turn it up quick enough

 

the screenie, is obviously St. Petersberg

 

triangles are SAM sites, circles are EW radar sites, squares are SAM garrisons (I assume -oh!that word- those in barracks or training centers). Oddly, nothing is showing in Norway; although Helsinki shows a single SA-11 battery.

 

Yes, I'm giving away one of my targeting secrets.....

Edited September 13, 2011 by Wrench

[+paulopanz 2,876]

Thank You very much Alfie & Kevin.

 

If only I had more references I'll do more.

I'm sorry because the Lansen model has some mapping issues on the nose and the gear doors so I can't put all decals I would like ... if only the maker could fix them ....

I think I could make a good vampire green skin, too, like did with French ones sometimes ago.

 

About the Venoms, if I remember well, they were two seaters .... and we still lack the Sea Venom and the NF serie .... if someone will make them I'll be very happy in helping to dress.

 

 

 

Edited September 13, 2011 by paulopanz

[Wrench 9,846]

in regards to Swedish Vampires, I'd reccomend the "Warpaint" book on the vampire -- iirc, it lists serials & possibly squadron assignements (meaning: squadron #such-and-such operated Vamps)

[+paulopanz 2,876]

in regards to Swedish Vampires, I'd reccomend the "Warpaint" book on the vampire -- iirc, it lists serials & possibly squadron assignements (meaning: squadron #such-and-such operated Vamps)

 

Sure, Kevin. I got it and used for French ones

 

Anything about Lansen? I haven't found any reference book? I'm making skins with letters/numbers & nose (red, blue & Yellow band) following the same timeline as hunters ...

 

 

 

And a last couple of question: are You (or anyone else) doing SF-2 upgrades for Draken & Viggen?

 

Bye.

 

Paul

[+JonathanRL 974]

Well, I almost finished with the basic work. After that, Beta testing will begin. If anybody has experience of ground war in SF2 Campaigns and want to help out with attack routes and so on, this would be most welcome. Just drop a PM.

[Capitaine Vengeur 263]

a huge area of Germany and the Netherlands overrun by the Soviets (and one can imagine what happened to the population in those territories...)

 

Houdoe,

 

Derk

Yep, nobody likes to see the Red Army in one's wife's bedroom! It reminds me of a burlesque comics with the puzzled last Soviet officer remaining in the Soviet Embassy of hostile Berlin after 1989: "Me not understand why Niemetski they don't like us. Yet long time since we not made rape!"

[Wrench 9,846]

i did some small tweeks to the Draken, mostly to impove the missiles, but not much eles. The Viggen, imo, is a moot point as it's not 'readily available', if you know what I mean.

 

i have the Aerofax book on the Draken, but we may need more models than just the F we have (wasn't there a dedicated ground attack variant, with more pylons?)

 

the only thing I managed to find on the lansen is 3 or 4 pages in the 'Swedish Aircraft Since 1937' book I recently d/led.

 

i can post the books, if anybody needs them.

 

I can't seem to find the IR-homing RB-28s either (I assume they're equlivanlt to AIM-4Gs). It's an easy fix, though

[+paulopanz 2,876]

i did some small tweeks to the Draken, mostly to impove the missiles, but not much eles. The Viggen, imo, is a moot point as it's not 'readily available', if you know what I mean.

 

i have the Aerofax book on the Draken, but we may need more models than just the F we have (wasn't there a dedicated ground attack variant, with more pylons?)

 

the only thing I managed to find on the lansen is 3 or 4 pages in the 'Swedish Aircraft Since 1937' book I recently d/led.

 

i can post the books, if anybody needs them.

 

I can't seem to find the IR-homing RB-28s either (I assume they're equlivanlt to AIM-4Gs). It's an easy fix, though

 

 

The Viggen is not ready (unfinished) and not available. I have the Draken book but nothing on Lansen

 

 

Here an early (WIP) J-28B

 

If You make the inis I'll dress.

 

Edited September 15, 2011 by paulopanz