Northern Fury 8 - Plug the Gap, 1994

Northern Fury 8 - Plug the Gap 16 February 1994, 0001 Zulu, 0001 Local Steaming North as the fourth day of a new global war opens, you are in Command of the HMS Invincible Task Group, and are heading into harm’s way! Dawn yesterday saw an amphibious assault around Trondheim. It looks like the Norwegians with the able help of 3 Royal Marine Commando Bde are holding, but pressure from the north is forcing the Norwegian Army to collapse southwards. Narvik fell late yesterday afternoon. STANAVFORLANT is withdrawing in tatters with the remaining surface units of the Norwegian fleet – they are out of it for a bit. Reports from Iceland are vague but it appears that Spetsnaz forces have captured several out-ports and key radar installations have been knocked out. The Americans are looking after that sector but you are keen to understand what is going on there, as it has a direct bearing on your command. You expect the hammer to fall either in Iceland or here at the UK end of the GIUK Gap. The GIUK (Greenland – Iceland – United Kingdom) Gap is the 1000 mile wide entrance into the North Atlantic; if the Soviets control this area, NATO reinforcement and supply convoys to Europe are threatened. In peacetime a string of radars and SOSUS network provide early warning, backed up by fighter and maritime patrol aircraft in Keflavik Iceland and bases in Scotland. In reality this serves as nothing more than a trip-wire to allow NATO forces to steam north and ‘Plug the Gap’. This scenario is playable by NATO only: You must inflict damage and slow Soviet progress. Critical to success is the transport of two parachute battalions to establish initial defences in the Shetland and Faroe Islands. Designer’s Notes: This is the eighth scenario of a 58 scenario campaign. See the Northern Fury background document for further insight on the happenings so far. The key nuggets · Cold War continued, no thaw in relations. Germany still divided, WP still alive and doing very well. · The 3rd World war