FC2.0: F15C: Campaign Mission 9 AAR

I did mention in previous AAR that this campaign seems to have different challenge every mission and this one's no exception. I learned the hard way that engaging bandits with friendlies operating nearby is more challenging than I thought. My first go at this mission, I fragged a friendly Su-25 and lost all my combat scores. :cry: As I've said, I'm still learning :book:

 

We're finally going offensive. We will be escorting 4 Georgian Frogfoots on interdiction.

 

Taking off and headed for waypoint 2.

 

Current picture... hmm... those MIG's weren't part of the briefing.

 

I got to waypoint 2 too early and was ordered to circle around. It should also allow rest of my wing to catch up as well.

 

Strike package arrived at waypoint 2 and we resume.

 

According to the briefing, Flanker CAP wasn't too far away from the border so I turned my radar on soon after heading for waypoint 3. ECM from Flankers as always.

 

Locked on to one of the jamming signal and told wing 3 to engage my target.

 

Just as wing 3 acknowledges my order, I reached the ECM burn through range and TEWS started to go wild as they launched on me. I quickly locked one up and ordered 4 to engage my target.

 

I launched on the same target too. Fox 3!

 

Breaking as I ordered wing 2 to cover me. Also wanted to note that I usually make relatively large turn radius when I break away. To keep my speed up and also to keep the bandits within the gimbals until the missile goes pitbull.

 

One of these are my kill I think.

 

AWACS confirms. Flanker group neutralized.

 

Cont...

Edited April 21, 2010 by Ven

Georgian Frogfoots arrived on the target zone and gets busy!

 

And the two MiG-29's on standby are on their way.

 

So... the first Flanker group was no different than any other I encountered before because I was ahead of the strike package and there was no friendly in front of me. But I have to take different approach for the MiG's.

 

If I engage them in front of the Georgian Su-25's, there's not enough room and may get in range of the BUK SAM. My wingmen usually goes deep and almost always gets shot down by SAM's.

 

If I engage them from behind the strike zone as I usually like to do, I will have friendlies directly in front of me and I will have to keep my lock on the target longer until the missiles go pitbull. Otherwise they might turn on the Su-25's. While possible, this limits my strategy somewhat and also is risky for the strike package so I decided to flank them as below. MiG's ETA is 3 minutes so I got plenty of time to set it up.

 

Just as I set up to greet the Fulcrums, Chevy 22 took a hit from the ground.

 

Fulcrums were easy to spot and ordered 3 to engage but he told me he can't. Ordered 4 to engage and he's okay with it so I'm not sure what was up with 3. He still had plenty of missiles. Just didn't feel like it?

 

First one was no problem.

 

Second one however, evaded 2 missiles. Must be an ace. But we got him cornered as he's out of speed and altitude. He's trying very hard to evade the 3rd.

 

But was too close.

 

Gotta watch over those Frogfoots for a bit longer.

 

3 remaining Su-25's reported egress one by one and we're headed home.

 

Another excellent mission as I've had a lot of fun.

 

Debriefing. I had 2 kills. And the strike package had a good mission it seems despite one Su-25 loss.

 

Thanks for reading! Looking forward to the next mission

 

Mission 3 AAR

Mission 4 AAR

Mission 5 AAR

Mission 6 AAR

Mission 7 AAR

Mission 8 AAR

Mission 9 AAR

Mission 10 AAR

Edited April 24, 2010 by Ven

Nice report!

These are great. I'm learning a lot about handling F-15s from reading them, thanks.

Hi Ven, thanks for the AAR. Question - Do you only drop your external fuel tanks in a dogfight?

Hi Ven, thanks for the AAR. Question - Do you only drop your external fuel tanks in a dogfight?

 

Thank you all. Only dogfight I got into so far is with a few Su-24's and Tu-22 bombers which are easy targets so I haven't had the need to drop my fuel tanks yet. With my usual strategy, I usually keep my distance when facing Fulcrums and Flankers so didn't have to drop tanks.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Ven

My first go at this mission, I fragged a friendly Su-25 and lost all my combat scores.

Interestingly, I had run into this problem in the Defector mission, where my AIM-120s would sometimes either spook the Su-25 into going defensive and immediately bring him into range of the chasing MiG or knock him down outright. I even considered loading up AIM-7s as an option.

Some very nice screens you shot there Ven. Especially I like the one with your f15 firing the missile.

Thanks but all I did was press print screen button. All the credit goes to ED for the graphics and Gys-Valerie for F15C model.