Victory Insider - Gulf Strike

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actics strategiesfor fighting th n xt w r

INTRODU TION

Gulf Strike is a game of combined arms warfare at the operational and st

level. The combat e lements consist of the land air and sea forces pote

available in the volat ile Persian Gulf region. The game system allows th

manders to move their eligible forces during a phase without restrictions ba

unit type. This extreme level of fluidity opens up many new movement an

bat combinations giving the player the full range ofoptions open to a Theate

Commander in Chiefl. To reflect the simultaneity of combat the non p

player has many reaction options available. Given a detection of an immin

tack the properly postured defender can launch interceptors to thwart the

This type of system emphasizesthe importance ofdetection aircraft such as

Hawkeye which was effectively used by the Israelis d uring their air off

against the Syrians over the Bekaa valley.

Gulf Strike has 5 scenarios included. Scenario 4 is for solitaire pla

whereas Scenario 5 is a training scenario. The meat of the game res

scenarios I through 3. In scenario 1 the Iranian forces have defeated the Ira

have had their ground forces revitalized with equipment from the Soviet

Once the Iranian forces are ready they launch a Jihad against the olher G



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Complexity: Very high. Solitaire Suitability: Medium. TimeScale: Two turns per Season. Map Scale: Six miles per hex.Unit Scale: Division/regiment/battalion. Players: Two.Playing Time: From 6 hours for a short scenario, to a hundredor more hours for an entire campaign.

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This comprehensive multi-scenario simulation _ .....___covers the conflict in all its aspects from 965 on. with particular emphasis onoperations and political control throughout the provinces. This innovative.highly detailed system features a rangeof scenarios that can be played in as little asthree hours or for days on end. The useofbattalion level units. airmobile operations, airstrikes. naval gunfire, Viet Cong hidden

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Complexity: Medium. Solitaire Suitability: High. TimeScale: Two days per turn. Map Scale: Three miles perhex. Unit Scale: Division/brigade. Players: Two. Playing.Time: From 3 hours for a hort scenario, to 2 or moreh UT for an entire campaign.

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After numerous let ters phone calls and personalappeals, the Victory Games staff has decided to

create and publish w ith the k ind assistance of TheGeneral and Heroes magazine staffers) Victory InsiderThis type of enthusiasm has always been the inspiration which has fueled the efforts of Victory Games.The intent of this publication is to create a forum for

designers and aficionados of our military simulations

to elaborate on design insights, new scenarios,

strategy and tactics.

It has always been my feeling tha t a game reviewwhich is intended to inform the reader on the basicquality and innovation of a particular game fal ls farshort ot providing player-oriented information. Even asa des igner, I s ti ll feel the need to return to my roots

as a game player and enjoy the intense mentalstimulation which games have always provided. ic-

tory Insider will fill this gap with one to two articles

per issue on recently released or established games

and systems.From its inception, VG has been guided by the

philosophy that each game it produces must be of thehighest quali ty. Obviously, all companies make this

statement. VG, it translates into a concerted effort

on each game to create a new and innovative system,keep ing us on the leading edge of game technology.To accomplish this, the staff works together both for

mal ly and informally, in a maximum effor t to refineeach product . All games in addition to being ex-

haustively tested with the public and distant blind

testers are internally scrutinized and reviewed by allmembers of the staff to achieve maximum input. Thistype of game design organizat ion has created a situation whereby the talents of the whole staff are greaterthan the sum of it s individual parts. We have to datefound great success with this process, if the feedbackcards and buyer comments are any measure.

I want to personally thank all those who took thetime to respond by sending in.their Feedback cards. Itis through this type of input that VG understands bothyour feelings about the games and the type of products you want to see in the future. I want to stress to

all those that have not sent in cards tha t you are denying yourself a powerful medium for influencing future

decisions at Victory Games.To give the readership of Victory Insider a more

rounded view of the staff, the authorship of this column will rotate among the various designers, editors

and artists yes, artists) on the staff. It is my desirethat this exchange of views will enhance the enjoyment which we str ive to br ing to our audience. Ifanyone has any comments that will not fi t on the feedback card, p lease feel free to drop us a letter. I promise t ha t all responses are read, but cannot beanswered. Thank you for your continuing patronage

and hobby enthusiasm.

Mark HermanlDirecto

While Victory Insider is being published inside TheGeneral it is actually put together by a different staff

and has some features that will require some introduc

tion. Thrilling Tales of Victory , of course, is our ver

sion of The Avalon Hill Philosophy . The topic will

vary with the writer s) and the style will be looser than

in an artiCle.For errata fans, we have one of our more valuable

staffers working on a column jus t for you. W. Bill s

Oversights will contain the lastest compilation of errors, addendum, mistakes, and typos that occasionally

sli pinto our products.In the future, we will also be publishing some of

the more interesting letters that we receive, and weencourage you to consider submitting something tothe magazine about our products. Since we are not

bound into the pages of he General our page count

wil l vary f rom issue to issue depending upon the

amount of material we receive.William PeschellManaging Editor

* * *Victory nsi er is devoted to print ing articles abou

the products of Victory Games, Inc.All edi torial and general mai l should be sent to The

Avalon Hill Game Company, 4517 Harford Rd.Baltimore MD 21214. Subscriptions to The General ar 9 00 for one year; 14 00 for two years. Addreschanges must be submitted at least 6 weeks in advancto guarantee proper delivery. Paid advertising is not ac

cepted.Articles from the public will be considered fo

publication at the discretion of our Executive Editor. Ar

ticles should be typewritten, double-spaced, and writtenin English. There is no l im it to word length. Rejected articles will be returned if submitted with a stamped-se

addressed envelope.

Executive Editor: Mark HermanManaging Editor: William PeschelThe Victory Games Staff:

Mark Herman, Jerry Gl ichenhouse, Robert KernGerry Klug, Susan Koch, Ted Kol ler, Michael MooreBob Ryer, Eric Lee Smith, Jim Talbot.Project Oversight: W Bill

Contents Copyright @ 1984 by Victory Games, Inc.

VICTORY INSIDER



countries in retaliation for their support of Iraq during the war. Boththe U.S. and U.S.S.R. eventually send forces into the connict.laId.AIr_SNem-InIbal tnlanlllM Scenario 2 and 3 postulates that the

Soviet Union invades Iran forsuppor-, ting the Afgani rebels and to gain cer

tain strategic objectives (ie. control ofthe oil fields). The U.S. sends itsforces to thwart these objectives. Thedifference between the tWO scenarios

, is that in the latter the Iran/Iraqwar is

still in progress.This article will examine the

various strategies available to bothsides during the opening, middle andend game play in scenarios I through 3and a discussion of operational tacticsfor the different combat units. TheOpening and Middle game Super

power sections that follow apply primarily to scenarios 2 and 3whereasscenario I is covered under theArab forces section in greaterdetail. The section on Superpower End Game Strategy applies toscenarios I through 3, for at this point the basic strategiesaresimilar.Clearly other scenarios are possible and the players are encouragedto invent their own.

SUPERPOWER STR TEGY THE OPENING SALVOS Scenarios and

The major emphasis for the superpowers during the openinggame is at the strategic level. In these scenarios both of the superpowers have the same types of problems. Their forces need to bemoved into the operational map area in strength with the Straits ofHormoz having significant value to both sides.

The major objectives for the U.S. commander are to preserve theforces that are already in theater and to maintain an area where thereinforcements can arrive without being molested by enemy forces,This requires that Diego Garcia the major U.S. base in the area beadequately defended. A good strategy is to send one of the F-14 sfrom CV-63 (USS Kitty Hawk) to the island to augment the F·15squadron and move the carrier southeast of the island to keep it outof Tu-26 (Backfire) range. While the U.S. reinforcements are arriving use the P-3 stationed on Diego Garciaand the 5-3 from thecarrierto conduct anti-submarine operations against Soviet submarines in

the theater. Any submarines destroyed early will benefit the U.S.position when the Middle game begins.

The U.S. land and air reinforcements should be based on themainland as soon as possible. The first forces to arrive w ill b e thebrigade of the 82nd airborne division and a wing 3 squadrons) of

F-15 s. These units should be deployed to a secure site to begin thebuild-up of US forces in theater. The F-15 s should be mainly concerned with maintaining an air defense zone over the U.S. buildupsite. Later in the game this will be the place from which the counter·offensive will originate from and long range planning should takethis fact into account when choosing the site. Use the U.S. 8 52 s initially to conduct strikes against Soviet Airbase units in order torestrict the locations from which Backfire aircraft can be launched.It should be noted that the high ECM rating of the 8 52 s representsthe ability of these aircraft to jam the detection capability of in

terceptors and ground radars in addition to jamming missiles. If theU.S. commander under these conditions can neutralize the Backfireand submarine threat while maintaining the buildup of forces in thetheater the opening game will have been decided in his favor.

Whereas the U.S. commander requires success during the Opening game to insure any chance of victory the Soviet commander canwin the game in the Opening by denying the U.S. sea supremacy.Therefore it is incumbent on the Soviet commander to maintain hissurface neet in being . as opposed to seeking surface engagementswith the U.S. surface units. A good place to do this is under theMig-23 air umbrella in a South Yemen coastal hex where the landbased air units will help protect the neet. In addition, by placing submarines to screen the surface neet the threat from U.S. submarines isreduced. Maintaining the integrity of this position in South Yemenwill compound the U.S. supply line problems as a sortie from the

nank of the SLOC (Sea Line of Communication) is possible at any4 VICTORY INSIDER

time, assuming that naval units have survived. (Figure 1)

Mines can effectively block U.S. supply lines prior to the movment of the U.S. Supply Head to the mainland ifcertain key coasthexes are targeted. These mines should be delivered by air and sumarine. Since the U.S. mine clearing capability is resident in theSH-3 helicopters the only way these hexes can becleared is by movithe carriers close in making them vulnerable to Backfire anack

Above all else, ifthe U.S. commander gives the Soviets theoppotunity, thecarriers should be attacked whenever an openingpresenitself. The best units 10 accomplish this with are the SSGN s anBackfires (Tu-26). See the section on Tactics: Naval Operations.

The Arab naval forces in the game do not playa major role at t

strategic level but do have an impact on the operational naval sitution in the Persian Gulf. Each sideshould use the forces of their Arallies to neutralize the other side s naval and air forces in ordergain an advantage for the middle game.

The Soviet commander in scenarios 2 and 3 has a preponderanof land forces at his disposal. Early in the campaign several axisadvance should be decided upon and exploited with the resourcavailable. Do not try to advance across the entire front. The abilityprotect the Lines of Communication (supply lines) with ground basair defense units is limited. [n the beginning most cities that adefended should be bypassed, allowing spearhead units to penetraas far south as possible. The earlier this is accomplished the beller tground position will be during the middle gamewhen U.S. air powwill begin to slow the advance. During the late middle game and egame play these bypassed cities can be reduced with the later Sovi

ground reinforcements.There are four primary north-south axis of advance. Each

these attack routes has a defined objective and w ill b e characterizein this narrative by the major cities it encompasses. Starting in twest is the most direct approach to the Iranian oilfields (2 vietocities) in Megahex F-06. The route is Tabriz, Kermanshah. anAhvazlAbadan or Tabriz, Hamadan, Arak, and AhvazlAbadaThe major disadvantage of this axis concerns the mountainous terain that must be transited to enter Megahex F-06 (Khuzistan).scenario 3, when the Iraqi forces are active the Soviet commandshould leave the capture of this southern objective to the Iraqis aconcentrate these assets on another advance rOute. When playiscenario 2, a well timed a irborne drop can open things up i f tspearhead units get bogged down in the mountains.

The western Caspian sea route moves along the coastal highw

to Rasht /Qazyin, Tehran, Qom, Kashan. Esfahan. and BundAbbas. This axis of advance should be one of the more heavily dfended and will usually require bypassing several infantry garrisoearly in the scenario. The primary objective of this pincer is Esfahwhere a link up with the eastern Caspian pincer should be affecteThe eastern Caspian advance route moves down the coast and thto Tehran, Qom, Kashan, and Esfahan. A well executed offensivea poorly conducted defense may see a sizeable portion of the Iranimobile forces caught in this classic double envelopment.

The last route starts near Ashkhabad and moves south towaKerman and Bandar Abbas. Mashad should initially be bypassunless it is heavily garrisoned with armored units. Combat unmoving along this route should meet light ground resistance but cexpect some attention from the US Air Force. If sufficient air covcan be provided theSoviet commandermay decide to gamble and u

extensive travel mode. When units assigned to this axis penetrateKerman, theground forces in Afghanistanshould move forward anreinforce the advance spearhead.

Airborne forces should be Ilsed to gain important objectives dein enemy territory. The more interesting objectives are MegahF-06, Esfahan, and Bandar Abbas. The Soviet commander shoube prepared to conduct an operational drop to block retreatiforces and effect their elimination if the opportunity presents itseIt is useful to hold at least one airborne division in reserve femployment late in the game. This reserve airborne division canused to gain an important victory objective in addition to forcing tUS commander 10 maintain forces to protect his rear areas.

SUPERPOWER STR TEGY THE MIDDLE GAME Scenarios and

The MiddleGame begins ostensibly when the land and air forc



of the s uperpowe rs clos e a nd begin intensive c om ba t ope ra tions.During the Middle Game it is imperative for the U.S. commander to

maintain his S Oe Sea Lineof Communication) in order for operations on the mainland to cont inue without interruption. If the

Soviets manage to interrupt this now of supplylong enough they canwin the Middle amealmost by default. It should be noted thallhis

is very har d f or t he Soviet commander to a cc om plis h a nd will be

parlly due to U.S. errors.The major issue for the Middle Game will center on the outcome

of air operations over and around the Persian Gulf. feither side is

able to gain perma ne nt air s uperiority al this point in the game thaI

side sho ul d be capabl e of d ict at in g t he s cen ar io s o ut co me . A irsuperiority requires the destruction of the enemies airbases and air

units. In this way sortie generation the launchingof air units) will be

reduced for one side to the point whereby theother side s forces the

one with air superiority) cannot effectively be attacked from theair.The U.S. commander must as a prerequisite maintain his supply

s ourc e U.S . s upply hea d). T his c an be a cc om plis he d in tWO ways.First, gain sea supremacy and prevent air units from laying mines in

c oa st al wat ers. Leave the U.S. s up pl y h ea d on Diego Garcia a n

maintain the SLOe to the mainland. The second way is to m ove thsupply head to the mainland by airlift and dispense with the need f

a secureSLOe The positioning of the supply head on Diego Garc

prevents it from bei ng o ver ru n by ground forces a nd reduc es astrike opportunities due to the shortage of air units with sufficienrange. The second method dispenses with the necessity of maintain

ing absolute sea supremacy but the supply head is now within rang

of the majority of the enemy air assets and substantial forces must b

a ss igne d to defend it until the air an d ground s itua tion has beeresolved in the U.S . commanders favor. Since many assets require

10 gain air and ground supremacy will be tied up in defense this situ

tion will be harder to achieve. Figure 2

Assuming a secure source of supply the U.S. commanders mai

c once rn during the Middle Gam e is to begin the counter-offensiv

from t he b ui ld up si te. T hi s r eq ui res t hat t he ai r of fen si ve be p roecuted successfully and air superiority or at least a draw be achieved

While the a ir ballie is occurring, keep at least one third of your a

units on strike missions in order to altack targets ofopportunitysuc

VI TORY INSIDER





as airbases and supply depOis. These types of anacks will force theSoviets to keep air units on inlercept to protect their logistic infrastruclUre and reduce their available strike sonies. The U.S. needsto establish air superiority in order to maximile chances of victoryduring the End Game but at a minimum must ensure that the Sovietsdo not gain air superiority or even an advalllage in the air baltle.

Since the Soviets have more air units than the U.S., a potentialstrategy is to overwhelm the U.S. air defenses. Penetration of strikemissions to lucrative targets can be accomplished by sending morestrike sorties than there are interceptors available in a given phase.This strategy can be veryexpensive but can oftcn pay largedividendslater in thegame. f the Soviet commander can prevent the U.S. fromgaining air superiority during the Middle Game then the scenariooutcome will be determined by the situation on the ground.

At this point in the scenario the US resources will begin to affectthe ground offensive. The close of the Middle Game should see thelimit of the Soviet ground advance. Although this is very dependenton the resources remaining and the overall situation in the scenario.As the scenario transitions into the End Game the Soviet commandermust begin the reduction of bypassed city garrisons and the consolidation of the territory gained. Iflittle or no Iranian units remainin the Soviet rear areas then the offensive should COlllinue.

The Soviet commander must also be concerned about his logisticsupply lines and maintain adequate ground based air defense unitson supply depots near the front lines. In this area interceptors willusually not have enough reaction time to engage enemy strike air

craf t before they have dropped their ordnance and the need for asubstitute defense is required. Supply depots in the rear areas shouldbe under an air defense zone of air units and Early Warning Detection Aircraft (EWDA). Continuous disruption of the now of supplywill slow if not halt the ground advance with the obvious victorydhion repercussions.

SUPERPOWER STR TEGY THE END GAME

Scenarios1 to 3It is at this point in the game, usually the last 3 or 4 game IUrns,

during which the final outcome of the game will bc determined. Bothcommanders should take inventory of the situation on the map andevaluate what level of victory they have or have nOt achieved.Sometimes a commander is able to poslUre his forces to maintain thesilUation on the map or try and alter it thereby reducing the oppositions victory lcvel. Often a decision point has bcen reached and theactions of the disadvantaged side are unable to affect the Outcome.This can occur due to poor results earlier in play. If the outcome hasnot been decided then the strategies employed by both sides duringthe End Game must be played with accuracy.

The U.S. commander will have his major land reinforcementsemployed in scenarios 2and 3 but in scenario I which is only 14 gameturns long this will not be the case. Scenario I is essentially decided bythe ability of the U.S. to halt the Iranian/Soviet advance with airpower and Arab land assets. In scenarios 2and 3, the24th Mechallileddivision and the 5th Marine Amphibious Brigade with its associatedassets will be available. Even with these units, theoption to launch anoffensive can only be undertaken if a substantial portion of theIranian land unils have avoided eliminationor severe reduction. Theprimary objeclive should be to regain lost terrilOry especially objectives in and around the Straits of Hormoz.

The USSR/Iranian commander in scenario I can employ theSoviet power projection forces 3 airborne divisions plus air assets).These forces can paradrop into the Straitsof Hormoz to gain victoryobjectivesor eliminate pockets of resistance which the Iranian forceshave been unable 10 reduce. Careful employment of these elile formations can alter the outcome of the campaign.

[n all scenarios, it is especially important thtH the enemy logisticinfrastructure be allacked (air strikes and special forces) to allriteand halt further enemy ground advances. This will cause forwardelemems to retreal or be weakened through lack of supplies. Thus.creating favorable opportunities for ground counterallacks. Propertiming and location of counlerallacks during the end game mustalways maimain the goal of effecting the scenario ViclOry

Conditions.In the final analysis it is the Soviet ability to dispute the straits

that will allow a greater than marginal victory. It is therefore impotam for the Soviet player to keep the Strait mined if friendly grouor naval forces cannot project a presence into Megahex 1-09. It hbeen found that the late use of chemicals aids the processeliminating bypassed enemycity garrisons for victory purposes. Thwill also allow lhe end game to be conducted with an economyground force.

ARAB FORCES

This section will deal with the usage of the various arab forcesthe region during each of the scenarios. Scenario I is treatedgreater detail as this was neglected under the superpower stratesections. For the most part the use of arab forces is dictated by ttype of offensive presented by the aggressor.

GULF WAR SCENARIO 1)

IranIran is the aggressor in this scenario and except for the Sov

power projection forces introduced later in the scenario, supplies ttotality of the ground forces available to the Iranian/Soviet comander. The initial thrust of the Iranian ground forces is to mothrough Kuwait and the Neutral Territory as quickly as possibRemember, the Gulf Council counlries in this scenario cannot reain conjunction with each other until the subsequent Global PoliticPhase. Therefore, what is done prior to the violation of tKuwait/Neutral Territory bbrder is important.

The Saudi Arabian W C unit presents a problem to tIranian/Soviet commander as most air or naval operations willdetected prior to mission complet ion. The Iranian commandshould initially launch a series of anti-air missions with the exprepurpose of forcing the AWAC unit out of the play for the first gaturn. These actions will bril'\g Saudi Arabia into the connic . Onthe AWAC is forced out of play the majority of subsequent air anaval strikes will be conducted against Saudi Arabia. Remember thon the first game turn no other arab forces can move until their tritory is violated. Therefore the first a ttacks must not invoanother Gulf Council arab force unless it is necessary.

Regardless of the Naval Determination die roll the Iranian/Sovcommander has three naval actions available. These three or moactions should concentrate on eliminating the units of the SauArabian navy. Move the Iranian naval units OUltO allack the in-PSaudi naval units and attempt to eliminate them. Those that survivnaval attack should be sunk withairstrikes. Once theSaudi Navy hbeen eliminated the remaining air strikes should concentrate onother arab fast attack craft (FAC) and air forces. Remember tonce the Saudi AWAC is forced out of play the majority of Saudiunits will be unable to intercept negating the need to escort mOstrike air units. Conduct most air sorties with singleair units in ordto insure that valuable first turn strikes are not wasted. Eliminateaenemy airbase should the opportunity present itself.

During later game turns the Iranian/Soviet commander shouldable to achieve temporary air superiority before US airpoweravailable. Any Iranian air units that take one hit should not bestied again until theyare repaired. The lack of spare partsand pilotreflected by a twO hit capacity making these air units very fragiHeavy attrition of air units during the beginning of the scenario wseverely limit the air assets available during the critical end game. Aof these Iranian air sorties will expend significant amounts of suplies. A decrease in air sorties during subsequent game turns shoube justified by the damage inflicted. It is important that this drdown of supplies be replenished during later game turns.

If the initial air and naval action neutralile the opposition's forcas desired the subsequent ground force advance should haveeasier advance toward their objectives. Those objectives cancharacteriled by three phases. The first is the initial breakthrougKuwait can usually be smashed in one game turn. Use all availabground units except the second armored corps (4th and 5th Amored, 6 Mech, and 2 Artillery Brigade). This corps should mothrough the Neutral territory and bypass Kuwait. The rest of tforces should attempt to force the Kuwaiti ground forces to retreinto the capital. These anacks should be supported by the alta

VICTORY INSIDER



helicopters AH I). Once this is accomplished continueduringgamet ur n 2 ifnot initially accomplished) take the first armored corps istan d 2nd Armored, 3 Mech, and I Artillery Brigade), bypass the cityand advance as quickly as poss ible down the coast r oad towar d theStraits of Hor moz. T he s econd armor ed cor ps s hould advance onRiyhad with the ultimate aim of capturing the city. The forces in

Kuwait city should be sieged an d reduced by the infantry divisions 7th and 8th)an d the Illh armored brigade prevents the Armor vs.

Non-Armor shift). It can be a lso useful to use t he DD naval unit tobombard the city an d speed its capture.

The second phase of the campaign is the advance. Th e second armored corps should continue its advance toward Riyhad while the

first armored corps advances on Qatar and the United Arab Emirateborder. The first armored corps should capture Doha and take Qatar

out of the war. Bahrain is a special case an d is covered in the nextparagraph. This advance phase must be conducted aggressively forthe time of US intervention draws near. Once this hasoccurred a newset of problems will arise to slow an d possibly halt the advance of theground forces. During the entire advance phase rcmember 10 maintain the Iranian Lines of Communication an d guard the depots withair defense units. Move one or more airbases forward and establishthe attack helicopters an d some interceptors F-5 s) plus the F 14

within range of the front. This will give the forward ground elememsclose air support an d more responsive interceptors to protect the

Lines of Communications.Th e capture of Bahrain is an interesting military problem which

illustrates the games emphasis on combined operations. Whenever

temporary air and naval superiority over Bahrain has been achicvedcon duc t the following ope ra tion . Move the Iranian Airmobilebrigade by CH-47 helicopter to Bahrain with two supply depots carried by Ihe other C H-47 and the C-130. Next move two mar ine battalions using the Amph and H e naval units. during the subsequemcombat on e of the supply depols will be expended an d the other will

be used to prevent the airmobile brigade from taking a hit for beingOU of supply. Once again remember, do nOt attempt this operationunlessthe Saudi AWAC has been forced ou t for that game turn or no

Saudi interception sorties remain available for that phase. Th e af ·

fects of F-15 s intercepting helicopters requires little imagination.Th e third phase of the campaign is the intervemion. At this point

in the game usually game turn 7 the US forces are available, withthe Soviet power projection forces entering one game turn later. It is

sometimes useful to conduct massive USSR naval and air strikes on

US aircraft carriers prior to game turn 7, but if thisopportunitydoesnot present itself or fails the subsequent acceleration of US force, appearance will be detrimental to the overall campaign.

This phase of Ihe scenario is characterized by major air operations both to gain air s uper iorily an d destroy enemy lines of communication. The outcome of this phase will decide the outcome of

the game unless on e side has made ma jo r mistakes early in thescenario. For more elaboration reread the Superpower strategy section on E nd game play.

Gulf ouncil Forces

Kuwait has one basic strategy in scenario Block the Iranian advance as long as possible. Failing to accomplish this, retreat into thec ap ita l a nd hold until relieved. The experience from all of theplaytests indicate that one s hould not hold one s brealh waiting.

T he re fo re , use t he Kuwaiti forces to inOict ma xi mu m hits o n theassaulting Iranian forces.

Bahrain and Qatarian forces should follow the Kuwaiti strategy.The Bahrainian infantry battalion has its best chance of survival byremaining in the capital. The Bahrainian Fast Attack Craft FAC) ifit survives the initial strikes should sortie an d attempt to sink one of

the Iranian amphibious capable naval units Amph or HC) to reducethe force available for an assault. The Qatarian forces should defendthe capital and attempt to impede the coastal advance of the Iranianforward ground elements. The Qatarian Mirage can be used to prevent airmobile operations and air strikes against Qatar

T he Saudi Arabian naval forces are the equal of anything in theIranian inventory but usually few survive the initial Iranian air an d

naval onslaught. f any are available, destruction of the Iranian amphib ious c ap ab le naval units may sav e Ba hr ain later in the game

VI TORY INSIDER

whereas destruction of the Iranian DO naval unit with its adequatbombardment strength) may help prolong the siege of Kuwait. Thtype of strategy pursued with these units depends on the style of thcommander.

Prior to intervention, the Saudi air an d ground forces are thmost significant available to the US commander. It is important tUSstrategy that the majority of these forces survive the middlegamfor use during the end game counter-offensive. Defense of the SaudArabian northern border will allow the I ranian forces to quicklengage theSaudi army. This situation is to be avoided as the slTengtof the I ranian forces will seriously amite even the most casuadefense. A more productive tactic is to fall back on Riyhad and pre

vent its capture. Th e ter rain around the capital is conducive todefense and preservation of the ground forces.

The coast will initially have to be yielded to the Iranian advancebut it is within this s ituation that an enemy vulnerabili ty can becreated. The Iranian forces will by necessity use the coast road as aline of communication. With the Saudi forces positioned around thecapital they are a consant f lanking thr eat to the I ranian logistic in

frastructure. Thus, forcing the Iranian/Soviet commander to, at aminimum, screen these forces or capture Riyhad outright. Eitheway substantial forces will be drained from the enemy advancetoward the Straits. During the end game, as US forces arrive in

strength, various amphibious assaults can be launched in conjunction with Saudi ground attacks to dis rupt the I ranian Hnes of communication, necessitating a major retreat of their forward groundelements or a c on ce rt ed a ir t ra nsp or t supply e ff or t. I f the Saud

ground forces are eliminated prior to US intervention the IranianSoviet end game problems will have been significantly simplified.

Th e Saudi air force is an integral element in the preservation o

the Saudi ground forces and the retention of thecapital. One or bothairbases should be positioned initially near the capital. Ifone of theairbases is initially located near the coast be sure to co-locate a truckan d an airdefense unit at the airfield. The truck will allow for quickevacuation from advancing enemy units while the air defense unireduces the possibility of an enemy airmobile assault. Th e positioning of an airbase near the coaSt will enhance the Saudi interceptioncapability over the airspace of Bahrain and Qatar. The majority o

Saudi air units should remain on interception. Th e objective of theSaudi airpower is to prevent the Iranian air force rrom being adecisive factor in theground ball Ie. Theair battleoutcome will affecthe US / Arab commanders situation during the end game.

Defense of the Straits of Hormoz falls primarily on the UnitedArab Emirates and Oman The majority of the UAE forces shouldset up within the area of Megahex 1-09 with the airfields and cities in

the area getting the lion share of the ground forces. The armored caunit can beused to screen the Saudi/UAE border to slowany Iranianground force advance. Place the airbase in Dubay 4062) to provids ome protection f rom air borne drops an d enemy air strikes. Th

naval FAC if it survives should attempt to inflict maximum damaguntil it is destroyed or runs ou t of SSM s.

The Omani forces have a supply source secure against ground attack allowing the commitment of the O ma ni g ro un d forces t o t hdefense of the UA E an d t he small, but i mp or ta nt airfield o n t hoperational map 4458). Th e initial placement of Omani forces onthe operational map should consist of the guard infantry battalionBattalion size units do not r equire supply if they are in a defensiv

posture. A ground unit cannot be eliminated du e to lack of suppliesa battalion which takes only on e hit is automatically immune fromtaking a supply penalty hit although it still may not initiate combatPlacement of the Omani airbase on the airfield 4458) is a fairly riskymove but ifit is not eliminated by enemy air strikes it can playa rolin the defense of 1-Q9which it cannot as effectively accomplish fromthe Strategic map. Some consideration should be given to placing theairbase on the strategic map in Megahex K 09 to prevent the IranianUSSR commander from mining the hex with air units, allowing fora

US force buildup in this location.Th e rest of the Omani land forces should move from the strategic

map to the operational map as early in the game as possibleand reinforce thedcfenseofMegahex 1-09. TheOmani naval unit should alsoattempt to innict as much damage as possible until it is eithedeSlroyed or runs out of SSM s.





This section on scenario I in conjunction with the informationgiven in the Sup er pow er strategy sections should be taken asguidelines. Individual play will in most probability make cach gamesomewhat unique. A careful application of the principles describedshould improve the utilization of a player s forces.

USSR INVASION SCENARIO 2)This scenario depicts a Soviet invasion of Iran with the US in

tervening on their behalf. The G ul f Council Countr ies remainneutral while the superpowers battle for possession of the PersianGulf. The basic Soviet and US strategies are discussed in the Super

power strategy sections.

IranOne of the primary objectives of the Iranian forces in this

scenario is to delay the USSR ground forces as long as possible whilethe US forces buildup in the south. During the opening phase of theinvasion the mountains in northern Iran present the Soviet commander with difficult terrain to traverse. T he Iranian/US commander should defend and delay Soviet forces in this area but not tothe last man. Use the militia i nf an tr y divisions t ha t set u p in themajor cities as permanent garrisons. The Iranian 1st and 2nd corpsshould initially be used to conduct the delaying action in the mountains but o not allow these forces to be closely engaged andeliminated early in the game. The US forces are powerful but lack asignificant ground element. Therefore keep as much of the Iranian

armored units from being eliminated for later use during the endgame counteroffensive. Retreat the bulk of the armored units southwhen lhe Soviet offensive nearsTehran while leaving militia forces to

exact a toll against the advancing Soviet units when they directlyassault the city. Place all militia infantry divisions into deliberatedefense during the third action stage of game turn one. This will effectively neutralize the troop quality effect suffered by these lowgrade units.

One soviet tactic that must be defended agalOst during the opening a nd middle game is the p ar ad ro p. The Soviet co mma nde rpossesses three elite airborne divisions in his order of battle. Guardimportant rear area facilities and key cities such as Esfahan, BandarAbbas, and Megahex F 06 Loss of Bandar Abbas will create seriousproblems for the US commander especially if the Soviet groundforces are able to link up with the paratroopers. The easiest way to

defend against airborne drops is to maintain interceptors oversouthern Iran. Remember to retreat Iranian airbases prior to theirbeing overrun by the Soviet advance. Keep truck units stacked withforward airbases for this purpose. This will allow the Iranianairforceto survive the opening game and help defend the south later in thescenario.

The Soviet forces require cities to achieve a marginal victory.The cities in northern Iran alone will give the Soviets this result. Inorder for the Soviets to raise their level of victory they must advancesouth and capture three more citiesand dispute control of the straits.Therefore the Ir ani an /U S defense should initially center onE sfahan, Ahvaz, Abadan, Kerman, Shiraz and B andar Abbas. Agood tactic to employin slowing the soviet advance is to use airpowerto altack supply depots and disrupt the supply infrastructure. Thefinal victory will go to the commander who can better implement

strategy with the forces available.

SOVIET INVASION OF IRAN 3)This scenario is identical to scenario 2 with the addition that the

IranlIraq war is still in progress when the invasion occurs. T heIranian strategy in this scenario is fundamentally the same as in theprevious one except that Megahex F-Q6 must be allocated moreresources. This will drain vitally needed forces from opposing theSoviet advance but in this scenario northern Iran will initially have tobe given up without much of a fight. The objective is to hold thesouthern part of the country and prevent the Soviets from achievinga victory level above marginal until the US forces arrive in strength.

The Iraqi/Soviet commander should use the Iraqi ground forcesto conduct a holding action early in the scenario. This should freezethe Iranian units in the area and prevent them from reinforcing the

units defending northern Iran. If subsequent Iranian moves draw

10 VtCTORY INSIDER

down the forces in Megahex F D6 an offensiveshould be launchedcapture this region. T herefore, either the Megahex F-06 will bvulnerable to an Iraqi offensive or the northern half of Iran will bcaptured more easily by the Soviet ground force advance.

Whereas the basic Iraqi ground force strategy in the beginning o

the scenario depends on the Iranian force dispositions the air forshould be used aggressively in an attempt to debilitate the Iranian aforce as early in the scenario as possible. The Iranian/USair forcesthe scenario depend on lhe Iranian air units for the majority of theoffensive missions as the early US air reinforcements are taskeddefend the US buildup area. Heavy attrition of the Iranian air asse

will reduce the offensive nature of the opposition air missions oleave air defense vulnerabilities which can be exploited.

Overall, the position and balance of forces in his scenario amorc favorable to the Iraqi/Soviet commander. These advantageshould be exploited early to offset the US forces which appearstrengthduring lhe middle portion of the scenario. These advantageat the very least should assure a marginal victory for the Iraqi/Sovicommander with excellent chances for a substantive victory.

TACTICSThe focus of this section is Oil the nuances of play and the prop

implementation of tactics. T he points raised in this seclion argeneral principles which will apply to the majority of combat situI ions. It is through the correct implententation of tactics that a Commander s vulnerabilities to enemy actions will be minimized an

chances of successful offensive operations maximized.

irOperations

The Gulf Strike game system places strong emphasis on detectiowhich makes the Electronic Warfare Detection Aircraft EWDAunits the most important prerequisite for successful air operationUse EWDA units to tie several airbases into an air defense zonwhereby several airbases can provide mutual support to each otheThe absence of this capability fragments the defense allowing eacairbase to defend only itself. This type of vulncrabihy can then beploited by the opposing commander. i a corollary when conducing offensiveoperations the prime target early in an allack should ban EWDA unit. Once an air defense zone has been fragmented it

easier to saturate the defenses of individual airbases and destrothem and other lucrative targets with strike missions. Attacking

cohesive air defense zone can be prohibitive in cost and oncpenetrated the remaining strike sorties may be insufficient to inflicommensurate damage.

The rules state 30-R-4 that a player may sortie air units from onairbase at a time, and can move up to three air units as a stackTherefore it is important to position strike and interceptor air uniat the same airbase so that t he maximum a mo un t of nexibilityavailable when launching sorties. The advantages of multi-role aicraft, such as the F-4, lie in their automatic nexibility coupled witeffective ratings for several mission configurations.

Duringan air to air combat adjudication, the air units being fireon use the highest ECM rating in the stack. Mix aircraft Iypes withigh ECM ratings, such as the in with less capable air units treduce attrition results. Additionally if a strike mission is being conducted in an area with a high probability of an enemy interceplion

provide escoTt aircraft.One of the mosl lucrative ground attack targets are improperl

defended supply depots. A supply depot must be destroyed over thcourse of a game turn or its damage is removed during the End StagePlan to have enough sorties available to eliminate a supply depotarget or o not bother to attack it in the first place. Thepotential atrition and St in supply points should not be spent, ifthe objectivis unattainable due to inadequate force.

l n OperationsMovement for lhe moSt part should be done in Movement to Con

tact formation. Travel mode should only be used when the prospecof attack includingair strikes) arc negligible and a swift advance wifurther the strategic direction of the campaign. The more intense offensive formations Hasty and Deliberate Assault) are expensive v i sa-vis supply points and should be used sparingly. [t is often useful t



go into Hasty Defense formation when the ground u nit i acting as a

blocking force and does not anticipate moving any great di tance n

the near future for t he cost of changing formation will red uc e it

movement. Deliberate Defense formation i primarily u ed by in

fan try t yp e u ni l defending in c it ie s. M il it ia u ni ts g arris on in g a c it y

should be permanently placed n Deliberate Defense formation to

of f e t t he ir poor troop quality combat shifts.

When conducting attacks derive the maximum column hift and

die roll modifications through the proper u e of suppon unit

engineer, artillery, and clo e air upport). Suppon unit especially

artillery and engineers) houJd not be placed in reserve but utilized in

the forward bailie area. dditionally, do no t mix troop quality types

n an attack. The loss in column shi ft i u ually not compensated forby t he additional attack factors.

When conducting offensive operations it s important that the

forwa rd b at tl e area be properly supported. To ensure maximum

movement and protection of the spearhead u nit p ro vi de e ng in ee r

and air defense support. Supply depots near the f ront hould al 0

have ground ba ed air defense provided. The rear area supply in

frastructure and tran poriat ion a set can be c ov er ed wit h i nt er

ceptors to free the air def en e units for front l ine e rv ic e. Maintain

transport ai r u ni ts wit h s up p ly depots and available sonies for con

t in ge nc y m is si on whe n enemy air power i so la te fri en dl y fro nt li neground units from t hei r u pp ly ource.

Naval OperationsThe Gulf S tr ik e ystem places strong empha s on combined

naval warfare operations. Successful naval operations require the integration of a commanders air, urface and ub-surface assets.

W ith in this f ram ew or k d et ect io n has a major impac t on play. A

naval unil that can penetrate undetected to within firing range of an

e nem y naval unit has a good chan e of inflicting exten ive damage

before it s retaliated upon. It s suggested that the players use the Op

tional Detection rule 41-L-7) and hould consider the new detec

tion rule following thi ection for increa ed game er atility.

Therefore, well positioned EWDA unit are as imponant in n av al

operations a they are f or a ir operations.

TenSHUN The Lieutenant's asked me to say thatwe're looking for volunteers to fill the ranks of the

Victory Insider This mission requires split-second

timing, in-depth knOWledge of the lastest games

from Vic tory, and a willingness to get the job done. The Lieutenant also says that this job will pay

the same rates as The eneral That's 18 per

magazine page, 27 per page if you want AH or V

products.

So who's volunteering? Moore Ryer KollerHerman Report to the Lieutenant at 0300 hours infull field pack and typewriter. On the double

DISMISSED

Both ide po es aircraft c ar ri er s w it h t he US commander co

t ro ll in g all t he l arge t ai l hook ver ions. aval aviation ha treme

dous flexibility as well as increased vulnerability. For the USSR com

mander the name of rhe game s ink the US carrier and neutrali

the US naval aviation advantage. An aircraft carrier which s with

strike range of a u-26 Backfire) can almost always be successful

attacked bu t must then contend with t he F -1 4 ret al ia ti on that i

evitably follow. Figure 3)

The i s ue b ei ng h ig hl ig ht ed b y the ystem con ern the fact th

current US na al d et ec ti on r an ge s -2) clo sely c oi nc id e, wit h t

launch point required for USSR long range ASM s. Therefor

unless an earlier detection can be achieved by another detection pla

form, which s then communicated to t he n av al battlegroup t he as tr ik e m u t i ne vi ta bl y a ch ie ve somc level of success. Gulf Stri

make th e as umption that both s id es will i olate the theater by a

tacking communications satellites and conducting strategic EW

Uamming and abotage). The new optional detection rule will allo

player to modify thi ba Gulf Strike trategic a sumption. Ai

craft carriers that cannot obtain early dNection ofTu-26 ortie mu

stay out of their ran ge u nt il t he se aircraft can be d es tr oy ed by a

strikes and a ir t o ai r combat attrition. The other major carrier kill

s the SSGN which s most effective if it c an a vo id d et ec ti on .

The US commander i not without effective military options. A

forward Soviet airbases must be destroyed early in the game t o p r

vent forward ba ing ofTu-26 ai r unit . Later in the scenario the u

viving Backfires hould be b as ed in the Soviet Union. As the carrie

move closer to the Gulf create a p ic ke t l in e ofEWDA u ni ts t o g ive

least a five hex w ar ni ng to t he F-14 interceptors r eq ui re new o

t io na l rul e) or if not using the new optional rule ensure t ha t t

Back fire must fly through an a ir f or ce air d efen se z on e befo

r ea ch in g t he ir A SM l au nc h point. Eit he r way , the trouble the U

commander s forced to contend with highlights the effectivenes

these advanced s up erso n ic l an d b as ed ai r systems \ ith their lo

range ASM s. The submarine threat on the other hand can be mo

ea ily handled i f e xt en ive ASW mi sion ith S P-3 , and S

units are conducted e arly in t he c en ario l ea di ng to the destruction

the Soviet ubmarine force. Remember to alway keep the F-14 s

strike, and an ASW a ir u ni t on interception at all times to make fu

use of all interception and CAP opportunities that occur during t

action tag e. Fa il ur e to i mp lem en t thi can lead to unacceptab

damage to the S carrier battlegroup in the scenario.

The US commander hould conduct mine clearing operatio

whenever the opportunity presents itself as should the USSR com

mander create minefields to complicate the overall naval and upp

situation to his benefit. Whenever a naval unit becomes SS

depleted attempt t o repleni h this capability a s e arly a s the situatio

and the supply of th ese item allow s. As tated e arli er in t he Supe

power strategy section sea upremacy i a requirement for the U

commander to achieve victory whereas if the USSR commander c

p re ve nt this, it i a vict or y.

Optional Rules

Satellite Communications

A US or USSR interception can be launched i f t he enemy air un

s detected and i within the airdetection range of a friendly unit. Thinterceptor ai r unit do not h av e t o be w it hi n t he f ri en dl y a ir d et e

t io n ran ge either at the time of launch or thereafter.

Jordanian RDFThe first t im e that a random event s r oll d w hi ch h as occurr

before dur ing the scenario instead of rol li ng a ga in i mp le me nt t

following random event.

The US commander receive th e Jordanian RDF unit. It s

B ri ga de ized formation w it h a combat trength of 3, an ai r defen

rating of 3, a mo ement allowance of 4, and s an elite unit. To brin

t he u ni t into playa US C -1 30 unit m ust fly of f the strategic ma

A-O? During t he n ex t Glo ba l M il it ary Phase the C-130 and the Jo

danian RDF brigade are available n Strategic map hex A-07. Th

u ni t uses US s up pl y.

VICTORY INSIDER



V LON HILL MI RO OMPUTER G MES

etting The tandard

or omputerGames

UL STRIKE

Perhaps the world s most critical f lashpoint, the Persian Gu

area is fraught with ideological, economic, political and military

animosities, where every flare-up carries the threat of globalrepercussions and potential fo r a superpower confrontation.

Based upon the popular Victory Games boardgame, GULFSTRIKE allows you to examine every aspect of this complex

region. Complete air, land and sea orders of battle for more tha

a dozen nations allow you to fight each conflict to its unpredictable and often startling conclusion.

GULF STRIKE allows one or tw o players to f ig ht this brigadelevel simulation. A scrolling map of Iran and the Persian Gulf

allows the players to maneuver their units in this simulation of

possible conflict. GULF STRIKE is ready to run on your AtariHome Computer System with 48K memory and one joystick.

I m i c r c m ~ u t e r g m s®

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Documents

Victory Insider - Gulf Strike