Sub Floor 10 Pentagon
0200 SECDEF offices @ the Pentagon situation briefing room 3.
“Mr. Secretary, CIA ops management report that they have lost contact with Kurdish BotG’s [boots on the ground]. The lapse is now longer than 24 hours. The President’s Intervention and support of Israel may have forced our operatives underground. The Soviet back channels are screaming at us and shipments of arms are inbound to the Kurds.”
The Secretary rubs his eyes wearily and says.” Well at least we have the Iraqis to counter right?”
Silence.
“Right? Oh fro drying out loud…. damn what the hell happened?”
“Sir…it’s complicated…it, well you see you know that Shia and non-Shia factions all hate each other generally speaking right?”
The SECDEF snorts “I’m not a god damn idiot Banstall, what the hell are you not saying”
“Ahh, you see the President’s endorsement of Israeli and intervention there has brought to light the fact that Muslims really don’t like Israelis, enough for them to put aside differences and band together….” Banstall rushed on. “The good news is they have declared themselves neutral”
“NEUTRAL, Neutral, that son of a bitch…” SECDEF, looks around the room. “General what does this do to contingencies for reclaiming the Gulf? Oh and can we get my tanks back from those bastards?”
The Joint Staff…all shared a quick glance amongst themselves.
“Simple Sir. More boots on the ground and more blood. We won’t be able to flank into Iran, nor will we then be able to transfer forces to West Germany as previously promised.”
“Well,,,” Started the SECDEF. The General held up his hand. “Sir if I may, I am not done yet. Frankly we also don’t know where the strategic reserve of the Soviets is going to hit. But we MUST control the gulf. Early intel is suggesting that the Soviet Strategic Reserve is headed to the straits of Turkey. We are discounting this as mere fear mongering by the Turks.”
“Hell boy why would they go there? WTF is in Turkey?” The SECDEF guffawed.
“Just control of the Med Sir “Admiral Palsy drawled….”Just the Med” He shook his head and turned to the situation board. “Let me go over this again, If we lose control of the Straits they can hammer us from Greece to Spain. This limits mobility and support. It to put it mildly would be a disaster.”
[Game Note: Political Phase
Israeli Intervention – this set off a chain reaction thru. The Kurds roll over to Pact influence. Iraq declares its Neutrality.
Soviet – Strat Reserve goes to SW Theatre.]
West Air Superiority for the first week of the war:
Pact: 21
NATO: 22
“We are on a war footing, you get every damn Jet in the air!” Joint Air Command controllers roar at each other in French, English and every other European language under the sun.
Expensive but the USA and NATO claim superiority to ward against Cratering runs on precious airfields.
Northern Theater: PACT Air Superiority. With Tu-22 and MiG 27’s ready to harass.
No Air Superiority to PACT, it goes to NATO in Western Europe.
SW Warsaw has absolute AS. /West Air
Crater Attacks: 
Mirage 2000’s v Migs 23’s , Crater Hits are limited.
[3: 6’s 3 4′ and 1 5′ ]
“What is going on in the air war?” Ask an officer as he surveys the damaged craft reports. ” Well sir good news is we are better than parity, bad news is mechanicals and inexperience due to limited flight hours from our NATO allies budget cut backs is really hurting us.”
Norway
Norwegian Sea Control – disputed PACT – may attempt Naval Transport /Landing 1-4 =success.
The peaceful citizens of Narvik are rocked through the hits by Backfire bombers. The staunch [Inflicting 2 hits]. 15th Norwegian Brigade, hold their ground. they know the terrain, they are armed and they are angry. Never piss off a Nord.
Istanbul
In the air over the bustling morning crowd the bombers prepared to loose their deadly payload.
As the ordinance falls away , the pilots turned to see the flames and gouts of smoke erupt across the ancient isthmus. So this is our honourable war ponders one pilot.
Istanbul – takes a monster attack placing four hits on the two units defending.
1,000’s of civilians are killed.
The White House
“I just got off the phone with the PM of Turkey. His wife and family are dead. Istanbul is in flames and he wants help. Who can we send?”
SECDEF “Well hold on a minute, I am real sorry but this ain’t our problem. We got bigger fish to fry! The Russians are gunna pop the damn border any minute. We have to..”
“SHUT UP!!! Don’t you understand… I don’t care where you find them you send our troops or NATO forces now. This is bullshit! Thousands of civilians are dead. Thousands.”
Chief of Staff Cato quietly said “With all due respect Mr. President we are not ready, our partners are not ready and we are in a bind. NATO and ourselves have let our war readiness decline in this ‘glasnost’. You said you wanted to give peace a chance. Maybe we should let them have the Straits?
“What!….What? This is not some geopolitical game of Axis and Allies Cato. This a real now. I was for peace. They want a war. They are going to get more than they bargained for. You get those Italians, the Spanish and the Greeks into Turkey with everything they can muster, find me a brigade of Marines. They will rue the day they wanted a war. By God they will have it right up the ass. Release Tactical Nuclear Artillery effective immediately. ”
In the corner, the SECDEF smiled.
Southern Europe
The Southwest is bounded by the operating area of Italy, Jugo, Hungary, Russia and Western Turkey. Dozens of Soviet divisions are headed that way. NATO intel got it wrong.
North Eastern Med
Striker Leader Alpha 11 multiple Mig 23’s inbound, engaging”
“Santa Maria, help us we are being bombed!” Came the battle cry from the Italians targeted in Northern Italy.
F-14’s intercept and shoot down one air group. The rest pass thru and strike at Ariete and Mantova Divisions which loses two hits.
No other strikes.
Norway
“But minister you assured us you would fight if push came to shove” said the Norwegian diplomat to his Finnish counter part. “Yes and we will. We will fight on our soil” Click.. the phone hung up.
Out the window the Diplomat can see approach Soviet ships… he too drops his phone in the cradle. The Soviets elect to land at Troms and Hammerfest. A US nuclear sub however scares off the Hammerfest landing (they rolled a 6).
With 17 Air Transport points the Soviets use 3 to Air Transport 76th GMAD. A Single Airborne Bde from ArchAngel (using 2 Air Transport)
[Game note: Soviets Enter Finland and the Finns step into Local Defense mode. Which means that only units in Arctic can move and attack. So only 1 Finnish unit can move. The Soviets attempt to land amphibiously using the 45th Guard
The landing in Evenes Andoya, aborts and they return to base.]
Western Poland Command Bunker 11
“28th Army to isolate and attack Hamburg, send your 1st Army of the Poles surround Berlin. Then let us test the little British men have 3rd Army position to attack the British 1st Armd Div. Near Hannover. All of this is as we have planned ofr so long!” Said the 4 Star General Mishenkov. “What of 8th Army & 10th Army?” Says an Colonel.
“8th and 10th Armies will advance towards the German line in the South from Nurnberg to Regensburg.
Baltic Area
In the Baltic have 8th Mech Div sea transports to Varna in Russia, the Rumanians advance in T-64 tanks, and waves of BMPs and BRDM’s to across the Greek border.
Suddenly Istanbul is under threat of Naval landing.
Side bar on the Turkish Straits, which is worth 14 VP – the Turn # it is secured:
Lets reconvene with the combat phase.
More to come in Turn 1 of the GDW Third World War, where you can watch pilots fall from the sky. Men die in droves and citizens fry.
Scared me for a minute there. Saw the title and thought you were talking about the old SPI World War 3 from ’75.
LOL