If WWIII occured...
 

What do you think would happen? I think it would happen in the South China Sea or a war between N. & S. Korea.

Who would be the opposing sides? (besides the obvious Russia-China vs. Nato, would S. America countries become involve and divided?) What would each side try to do if war breaks out? (would Russia invade W. Europe while China tries to overrun Korea and Japan? Would they try to take India?) And what would that mean for subs like LA classes? (Since shipping is not much of a deal in a landlocked war with Russia-China, would it just be hit and run surface groups and scouting/clandestine ops?)

I'm thinking of trying (key word trying) to make a campaign based on the lead up to and the flashpoint of WWIII.

I wonder how many missions a sub would perform in... say a World War III scenario that lasted 6 years? 500+?

It can be whatever you want! You could start with all out war from the beginning, but I like the campaigns where it's a slow burn and the conflict starts about 1/3 to half way in. Personally, I'd probably make a campaign for a limited conflict, it's hard to say WW3 could happen without nuclear annihilation (or at least go on for years without nukes).

"The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense." -Tom Clancy.

But, I would also say that good gameplay does not necessarily need a good story haha the story can just be a kick-off point for some fun scenarios.

I have better idea:
Instead starting campaign from beginning of conflict, try to start from "decisive battle" where player side took heavy loses.

For example "chain" of scenarious could be like this:

- escaping from masacre (good for sub because stealth)
- target of opportunity during way home
- securing evacuation (your nation troops from land/islands etc)
- unexpected encounter battle
- returning to base (suprrisingly: without enemy - just for taking breath)
- breaking blockade (during resupply your base was encirclement)
- final battle (against stronger enemy)

No happy end! Because war always costs much more than strategists predict before war :)

This chain of events allow you to increase difficulity of next missions from low to very high.

Making campaign is not simple. You should have experience with complex single player or multiplayer missions before making campaign. Have you any for sharing?

This is quite true and important to keep in mind. You should start with single missions.

I will give it a go...

I don't know how complicated it will be to make a SP mission, but I do want my first mission to be S&R mission for a Japanese rocket scientist that was kidnapped and is being held in a N.K midget sub as it makes its way home.

Objective is to find the sub and deploy a SEAL team to rescue the scientist. (I think you can't deploy SEAL to submerged targets, so the sub will be surfaced, charging its batteries during the night.)

If the sub is in danger of slipping into N.Korean water, orders are to sink the sub and kill the scientist.)

If I can't deploy SEALs to surfaced subs, then I guess I'll have to transport him by civilian boat (where you can deploy SEALs and save him) before he "transfers" to a midget sub, where in this case, you would have to torpedo him.

Ok i have few questions

1) How to saving a scientist will affect the World War III?
2) What happen when player fail rescue mission?
3) Launching SEALs always destroy target - what is your idea to preventing this?
4) Why you wanna make this mission as part of campaign?
5) How is possible to find midget submarine with scientist (NK have it dozens or more)?

1: Mission isn't really about WWIII, saving him would at the very least, delay the development of ICBMs (mission is set in 2006, after the failed rocket test of the taepodong-2). There are true stories of NK agents kidnapping people from Japan and shipping them to the peninsula so I thought I'd weave that into their narrative of needing help developing their ICBMs.
2. I'm not aware of any option other than restarting the mission.
3. I'm not sure about this. If I can't get the SEALs to not blow up the ship/sub, I would have to suggest in the briefing that the SEALs are ordered to blow up the ship/sub and return to Japan by their own transport. (make it look like an accident where the boat exploded and took the life of the Japanese scientist so that NK would think that he was dead?)
4. The first series of missions is a narrative and difficulty lead up to increasingly hostile and desperate moves by NK that triggers a war between themselves and US-Japan-S.Korea
5. It would be the only midget submarine in the area. Its a clandestine op by N.Korea. I don't see why they would send multiple Midget subs into the AO. Even if it's to confuse you, they would be easier to find in the first place as a group. (You would have air assets and other ships in the area helping you track down the scientist. it is a matter of international importance after all.)