The enclosed file Operation Dawn Raid is a Flying Nightmares game already in progress, just launch the programme and then use the Load Game option to select Operation Dawn Raid. A back up copy should be made first.
Important Note: due to a technical fault the TAWADS system aboard the Tarawa is continuously signalling a mission abort signal from the President, ignore this. You will notice that the telephone hotline to the right of the operational telephone is flashing its red light, do not answer it otherwise the game will be terminated by the spurious Presidential command.
Briefing
While the Task Force was steaming west, parallel to the coast of Timor, towards its designated operational zone the UN received a message from the military junta saying that it wished to negotiate and requesting that a top level UN delegation be sent to Dili to discuss the terms of the junta's compliance with the UN resolutions. The Task Force was ordered to halt at Waypoint 1, some distance from the southern coast of Timor, to await the outcome of the negotiations. Following several days of fruitless negotiations, while the military junta continued to reinforce its garrison on Timor, the UN team announced its intention to terminate the negotiations and to leave Dili. At this point the junta announced that the UN team had been seized at its hotel in central Dili by a breakaway group of fanatical younger officers. The junta requested that it be left to resolve the situation without UN or US military involvement. Several days passed and it became clear from clandestine intelligence sources in Dili that it was in fact the junta itself that was holding the UN team hostage and it was using the delay to further reinforce its garrison. The UN announced a deadline for the release of the hostages and compliance with the UN resolution. The junta replied by announcing that the first of the hostages had been executed and warning of further reprisals against the hostages should the UN or US task force take any aggressive action. Following consultations between the UN and Washington it was agreed to immediately launch an aggressive but high risk military action to rescue the hostages and seize Dili. The Task Force was ordered into action in the early hours of Day 10.
Under cover of night the Task Force steamed towards the southern coast of Timor, halting briefly at Waypoint 2 to dispatch Special Forces teams by Cobra Helicopter to numerous strategic points at the western end of Timor. Several Harrier air raids were also launched against the air bases in central Timor at Baucau/U and at Viqueque/U as a diversion from its main landings at the western end of the island.
The Task Force continued to steam towards the coast of Timor and shortly before dawn reached Waypoint 3 and the first of the two selected beachheads. A medium sized ground force was landed at BeachHead1 with the intention of seizing the air base at Same/44. As these initial units went ashore a wave of Cobra helicopter attacks were launched at various enemy troop concentrations, missile sites and communication facilities.
Once the first ground assault was deployed the Task Force steamed west a short distance to the second beachhead near the enemy air base at Suai/37 where the rest of the ground forces are to be put ashore. Once ashore these forces will move rapidly inland heading for Dili. Moving north these forces will split into two forces at the road junction at Bobonaro to approach Dili in a pincer movement. A third smaller column will advance north of Same/44 to complete the encirclement of Dili. The Special Forces deployed around Dili will have infiltrated the town by this point and will guide the arriving ground forces to the location of the hostages.
Fierce resistance is expected from the strongly reinforced Indonesian garrison.
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The action opens with the first Harrier attack scheduled shortly before 0600 hours (dawn) with a raid on the air base at Suai/37. By the time this first Harrier is in the air the leading elements of the initial ground assault from BeachHead 1 will be engaging the enemy troop positions around Hatudo and meeting fierce resistance from the numerous Indonesian ground units in the area. These enemy units must be attacked from the air to reduce allied casualties and to guarantee the success of the assault on Same/44 and you may decide to switch to this target for your first Harrier strike.
This first Harrier mission is the only Harrier mission programmed in the whole battle plan. You must choose Combat Patrol in the Briefing Room to fly further missions and use your own initiative to select targets and manage the navigation to target. Use the Plan window to monitor allied (blue) and enemy (red) positions and movements, use your judgement to decide which is the most important target for a Harrier strike at any particular moment. Please note that the TAWADS system aboard the Tarawa will occasionally offer you pre-selected missions, you must decide whether any such mission meets the priority of the moment, if you decide it does not then select your own target for the mission.
During the opening phase of the air war the priority is to clear enemy troop positions in front of the allied troop landings and to neutralise the enemy air force.
Following the initial landings your general mission is to support the allied ground forces in their push north towards Dili. The long delay prior to the Task Force assault has meant that the enemy troop positions have been heavily reinforced and allied ground forces will often be out-numbered. Enemy ground forces must be assaulted from the air before allied ground forces engage them so as to minimise allied casualties. The Indonesian air force must also be neutralised.
The enemy will push convoys and troop columns forward through your lines, monitor these movements in the Plan window and interdict with Harrier strikes.
The numerous Cobra helicopter attacks will be primarily targeted on enemy installations (buildings, fuel storage facilities etc.) and are generally ineffective against enemy troop concentrations: the latter should be the priority for Harrier attack.
Good Luck
Tony Swash
tonyswash@urulbi.demon.co.uk
Feed back and comments appreciated.
The problem with the Presidential hotline mentioned at the beginning of this briefing seems to be the result on the long delay I programmed into this battle plan in order to allow the enemy forces to be reinforced. Just ignore it.
This Battle Plan can be distributed freely as long as this documentation accompanies it.
