Battle of Brunei War Memorial

Battle of Brunei War Memorial

The Battle of Brunei

A combined arms MBX/CPX wargame

The Summer of 1998 U.S.-Malaysia MBX/CPX

This is the site of what used to be an active online mail battle excercise (MBX) featuring dozens of players and "lurkers" from around the world joining in operational-level, combined-arms warfare. This area now serves as an archive of the battle for those who are interested in how the game was conducted and in its outcome. To get a summary of the battle as well as the results of the experiment, see the After Action Reviews (AARs), listed below. To learn about the rules and game mechanics, skip to How the Game Works.

Situation

On the morning of May 12, 2008, the Sultan of Brunei is assassinated, and Malaysian troops are called in to put down a rebellion. But there is growing suspicion that the new sultan is just a Malaysian puppet, and that Malaysia engineered the coup as a means of annexing Brunei -- along with its immense offshore oil fields. The U.S. has called for sanctions, and is sending Marines and ships to the South China Sea as a show of force. But Malaysia isn't backing down. How will this drama play out? Who will fire the first shot? Follow the action here, as the first combined arms Harpoon/TacOps MBX/CPX gets under way. By popular demand, this game is being extended through September.

The date of the Marine landing -- the CPX -- will be Saturday, September 26, beginning at 1 PM Eastern Daylight Time and running throughout the entire day and well into the night. IRC channel will be announced.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS

The war is over, but you can still re-live the action! Check out the MBX AAR, for the full epic novel describing every major engagement!

You can also download the CPX AAR, for a blow-by-blow account of the Marine assault that was played on September 26.

Maps

Map Room

Here's where you'll find operational-scale maps for the Borneo/South China Sea region, as well as detailed tactical maps for areas along the coastline of Brunei. New, playable TacOps maps are available here, too.

Chart Room

Navigation charts for South China Sea region and Brunei coastline.

Intelligence

Use these links to learn more about the various equipment used in this game. (Thanks to Nick "Manic" Moran for the naval links)

U.S. Navy vessels
Malaysian Navy vessels

U.S. Aircraft
Malaysian Aircraft

Use the following tables to calculate the time it takes for units to move from one location to another, or to perform certain tasks, such as mine-laying, mine-clearing, bridge building, demolition work, refueling, and resupplying. (Still being updated).

Table of Distances
Timetables

Weather Update

General information about Brunei

Joining the battle late? Scan through the News archives and catch up on what's been happening!

ENN Newslink!

Check in here for up-to-the-minute news via satellite, as ENN brings you exclusive photos and coverge of the conflict in Borneo. (Thanks to Stephen Gill for his great handiwork!)

NOTE: Due to complications in moving the "ENN" material to the current server, all ENN news stories and photos have been preserved at the Geocities area. There will be pop-up ads, but you will still get the full impact of what appears to be a developing news story such as you might see on any of the world's top news and information websites. (Steve has made this a very entertaining way to read about and "see" the battle!)

How the Game Works

The Battle of Brunei is a campaign wargame combining naval, air, and ground forces in a single scenario. The umpire uses both Harpoon and TacOps to resolve combat depending on what type of engagement it is. The outcome of each engagement will affect the status of forces in the next upcoming battle. Players play the role of various commanders of various ranks and control their forces by sending orders to the umpire. The umpire reports back the results of any engagements that may have taken place that day. While experience in playing TacOps and Harpoon will be helpful, it is by no means necessary to join in the game. To learn the rules of the game and to get a better idea how it will all work, read the umpire's Gameplan.

RECRUITMENT CENTER

[No longer functioning. For archival purposes only.]

Want to join in the fun? Just send in the application below, and in a day or two you should find yourself drafted into either the U.S. or Malaysian Reserves. It's that simple!

Which Armed Forces would you prefer to join?

U.S. Malaysia

What type of command would you prefer?

Naval Air Force/Naval air Ground forces

(NOTE: Umpire will try to put you in your preferred position if there is an opening, but game needs may override personal preferences.).

Which of the following have you played?

TacOps Harpoon Neither

Any other qualifications or preferences? Please list any other areas of expertise think you can bring to your team, such as HQ staff (generating plans), intelligence, special forces operations, etc.

Thanks for your input.