Cold Warrior | 03 Jun 2016 4:59 a.m. PST |
Saw a recommendation for this somewhere (maybe here?), at any rate an excellent book dealing with NATO's plans for the air war over Central Europe (specifically NORTHAG) circa 1985. Lots of interviews with NATO command and planning staff, and has a unique charm in that it takes place during an era of immense change (knowing what we now do about air power from the era, such as the still classified, but at the time operational F-117). Cheap on Kindle: link Lots of scenario ideas for air warfare games. |
Jemima Fawr | 03 Jun 2016 6:18 a.m. PST |
Sounds great, but it's a shame the editor put a couple of 1990s aircraft (Harrier GR7/9) on the cover! I know several authors who wail in despair at what editors (especially photo editors and caption editors) do to their precious work after it leaves their hands. |
Generalstoner49 | 03 Jun 2016 6:57 a.m. PST |
I love the chapter on the German Naval Tornadoes fitted with anti-ship missiles and how they would prowl the Baltic for Soviet Amphibious Task forces and such. |
Jemima Fawr | 03 Jun 2016 7:54 a.m. PST |
Yes, and their paint scheme looked ace while they were doing it! :) |
shaun from s and s models | 03 Jun 2016 10:44 a.m. PST |
just bought a copy,very good read. those collecting a nato force wanting airstrikes will be waiting a long time, unless you collect usa! we have had to rewrite our club rules to cover the new info. |
VonTed | 03 Jun 2016 12:27 p.m. PST |
It sounded like a cool book, so I went to Amazon to order it. Turns out I already bought it two years ago! |
Bellbottom | 03 Jun 2016 2:33 p.m. PST |
£2.99 GBP 0n UK Kindle link |
seneffe | 03 Jun 2016 3:32 p.m. PST |
It's an outstanding book from a real authority. I think Shaun refers to this above but one thing that I particularly noticed reading all the air roles described in the book is how little NATO air support would be seen over the actual battle area. Really just A10s acting in support of more or less any NATO ground forces (not just US) on what miniatures gamers would think of as the battle area (ie the wargames table). Almost all of the rest of the layered/integrated air effort in support of NATO ground forces ranging from TOW helis to Harriers to Tornadoes and F111s was aimed at Sov reinforcements and follow on forces either close to the battlefield or far away from it- but not actually ON the battlefield. The general philosophy being to hit the attackers at various stages of the approach march when the target was more concentrated, rather than on the battlefield itself. I remember hearing of a just post cold war interview with Marshal Akhromeyev before his tragic death, indicating that the Sovs had become progressively more pessimistic through the 1980s about the impact NATO airpower would have on the 'strategic movements' of their ground forces in a war situation. To judge from this typically well researched Price book, a realistic cold war hot game shouldn't have much NATO on table air support, but a lot more abstract effects of planned Sov reinforcements being delayed, or arriving with significant losses. But I've still got lots of Helis, Harriers and A10s…….. |
Fatman | 04 Jun 2016 6:06 a.m. PST |
FEBA support would have been Alpha Jets; occasional A-10's or Helicopters and rarer than rocking horse @~#* Harriers. The rest as stated above would have been further back. However to reflect this instead of having NATO model aircraft on the table you should reflect rear area interdiction by reducing the strength and cohesion of the WarPac forces as they come into the game. As an aside I remember a "TOW Lynx" pilot telling me their main target was Mobile SAM and AAA vehicles to allow the strike aircraft free range. When I asked "Isn't that really dangerous? (Duh Captain Obvious!) he replied "Well it promises to be interesting, exciting and short old boy.". Fatman |
Fatman | 04 Jun 2016 6:08 a.m. PST |
Oh and yes it's a great book. I bought my in 1986 when it first came out and it is VERY well thumbed. Fatman |
Jemima Fawr | 04 Jun 2016 7:16 a.m. PST |
When I was doing my training in 1990/91, it was assumed that CAS aircraft at the FEBA would include Harriers, Alpha Jets and Jaguars, as well as A-10s and helicopters. |
Fatman | 04 Jun 2016 8:32 a.m. PST |
By then the Harrier probably would have been more common but I think the Jaguar would still have been more likely to be hitting the area just behind the frontline. I suppose it would still be considered FEBA but not the bit that shows up on our wargames board. Even in Modern Spearhead a 6 x 4 board only represents what about 8km x 5km so a lot of the battle isn't on the board. However I left her Madges employ in the early part of 91, and during the last two years rarely worked in Germany, so things may have changed by then. As usual I hesitate to disagree with Jemima! :-P Fatman I do howe |
Jemima Fawr | 04 Jun 2016 9:04 a.m. PST |
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Andy P | 09 Jun 2016 2:19 a.m. PST |
As an Infantry signaler in the late 80's early 90's i was trained to call in HELACK and HELARM plus harrier support. So i always assumed we could rely on some form of air support,…..OR could we ? ;-) |