Falkland 2010 OOB

[Gibratar]

Hi,

First, I consider it very unlikely that the Argentinians will invade the Falkland Island, sure there will be a lot of sabre rattling but I don't expect actual fighting. However, that's never stopped us from fighting in WinSP before.

This is my analysis of the capabilities.

ARGENTINA
Argentina have the following equipment. Their maintenance state is unknown, to me at least, but for the purposes of WinSP we will assume that it is all available.
As WinSP has no naval warfare capability we will assume that no Argentinean transports are sunk on the way over.
From the Argentinian mainland to the Falkland Islands is about 450nm

1 ARA Hercules a type 42 destroyer hull converted to a helicopter assault ship. It has a speed of around 30 Knots. IE 15 hours on passage. It has hanger space for 2 Sea Kings for that short a passage it could carry a further 2 on the flight deck and can carry about 240 Marines.

2 It looks like they have 6 Sea King anti sub and 2 Sea King transports each with a a range of about 650 nm.. Enough to get there but not back again. WinSP gives them a carry capacity of 30
One possibility would be to use all 8 Sea Kings, 2 on anti sub patrol, 4 on the ARA Hercules. After the four on the Hercules are airborne the other two rendezvous with Hercules, refuel and load, that would put 180 Marines ashore.
If done as a scenario, 60 more Marines could be landed after a few turns when 2 Sea Kings return and reload.


3 They have a number of Bell Huey type helicopters with a range of about 250nm. That would require 2 refueling stops just to get there on the fumes.

4 They have 3 transport ships, each capable of carrying 2 companies and doing about 15 Knots. That would be about 30 hours on passage. So what you get is what you get, no reinforcements for at least 3 days. Looking at them they could probably carry 2 Bells each as deck cargo.

5 They have 4 MEKO 360 destroyers each with a 127 mm (5")gun
and 6 MEKO 140 Frigates (classed as corvettes) each with a 76 mm (3") gun
Their other armament is not relevant to WinSP

6 They have5 Hercules transport aircraft and 2 Hercules air refueling tankers.
WinSP gives their capacity as 164. These would need to be paratroops unless Argentina captured the airport in a campaign series. Although WinSP can not simulate air-air combat, IRL they would be extremely susceptible to the Eurofighter Typhoons and therefore should not be used except in a campaign and then only after the capture of the airfield.

If Argentina could deny the use of the airfield to the British the Typhoons would have to divert and play no further part in the conflict. As the UK flies a VC 10 refueling tanker prior to take off by the Typhoons they could fly back to the UK if they had to so they would not need to ditch.
Hercules aircraft could then be used to drop Paratroops.

So for the purposes of a WinSP battle, Argentina could field 2 Marine companies and a total of 6 companies of infantry, armour and artillery.


UK
The UK appears to have the following
Detachment of Rapier AA missiles. Number unknown to me. SWAG 6
Detachment of 105 towed artillery. Number unknown to me. SWAG 12
3 infantry companies.
1 Falkland Island Defence Force infantry company.
1 Type 42 Destroyer 4.5" gun
4 Eurofighter Typhoons


As the fastest Argentinean deployment, assuming no paras, is a marine company in 15 hours with the rest being 30 hours. The UK could fly in additional troops, which would arrive before the Argentine main force.


If anyone has any further information, or correction please let me know via this thread.
I shall shortly be putting some special rules on the board including ones for coordinated battles.
They are presently being reviewed.

Gibratar