Creating a realistic A-10C "campaign?"

[WelshZeCorgi]

I'm thinking about what it would take to make a realistic A-10C campaign with the editor.

 

 

And what I mean by that is...

 

How much anti-air assets would be realistic? If a real war broke out in Georgia and the Russian army was on the offensive, wouldn't they have dedicated fighter cover, manpads, SAMs and means of denying airspace over offensive objectives?

 

Would special forces and guerrilla supporters camp outside airfields and in cities, armed with manpads, to ambush unsuspecting A-10cs and other planes? would one being shot down outside an airbase potentially scrap low-priority missions?

 

How does that all work? How would a real Russian offensive cover their attack from air interdictions? And how would US forces realistically counter them? Just overwhelm them with HARMs? Use special forces to take out SAM sites? Cruise missiles and Naval power? Would Russia respond with a greater naval threat?

 

This is an open question, idea thread, so just tell me what you think and not go into the whole "you're an idiot because you don't already know the answer to the question you're asking" thread of thought.

Edited October 8, 2015 by WelshZeCorgi

[mwd2]

Here a link to "realistic templates" for different battalions, groups, platoons, batteries etc. http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=82161

[baltic_dragon]

Hey,

Creating a real and fully realistic campaign covering the whole front in Georgia would be extremely difficult - and with the sheer number of units wouldn't really be playable. However, simulating a part of the front line is doable, though again it remains to be seen how the AI would cope under 1.5 / 2.0.

 

As for the numbers, first hand information I got from the meeting with one Georgian general:

 

"there are more than 11250 Russian soldiers and border guards stationed in the occupied territories. They also have modern equipment, about 50 main battle tanks, 95 APCs, two divisions of howitzers, one division of Grads, one division of Smerch rockets. Air defence: Buk, and Mi24 attack helicopters.

In Abkhazia about 50 T90s, 160 APCs, four divisions of howitzers, also Tunguskas, Shilkas and S300 AA rocket system. They have attack helicopters as well. They need 48-72 hours to reinforce these troops. He said that Georgian military learned its lessons after 2008 and changed their training programmes and doctrines"

 

Add to that Abkhazian and South Ossetian forces and remember that these forces do not include air assets which would appear in the theatre in great abundance. On the US side you would get all kinds of forces to, which would mean a really really busy environment. But as I said, operations fo using on only a part of the frontline would be doable.

[Wrecking Crew]

Many A-10C pilots do not appreciate air defense missiles in the missions. When they are included, and this goes for MANPADS as well, it is a good idea to list these Threats in the briefing. "Possibility of MANPADS at the Truck Park target." "Old SA-3 site at Red Kutaisi Airbase."

 

The A-10C is capable of taking on these missile threats, and can engage SA-3's, -6s, -11s and -15 TORs, especially when loaded out with Mav H's in daylight. The -11 BUK is a tough one, and the -6s are fun if two A-10Cs are flying with one acting as a decoy. The SA-10 is something to stay away from but can be approached if there is terrain masking.

 

You will certainly hear folks say the A-10's job is NOT SEAD (not realistic); but heck, it is your mission to make -- just be clear in the briefing what the objectives are and are not, so if that Kutaisi SA-3 is not an objective then the pilots can go around it.

 

You can include SEAD flights of F/A-18s, Tornados, and artillery or ships to engage the enemy missile sites, and that can be part of the mission that must be done before the Hogs are able to move on the target. You can use the Radio F10 menu to call in these strikes, too.

 

I've had more success at making fun missions when the objective is straightforward and can be accomplished in 1-2 hours. You have to find a 'balance' to the story of the mission in a campaign that makes it challenging but not too tough (impossible). For instance, I'm helping on a six mission campaign where the first three are against three different a/c types, and the last three are air to ground. All of these missions are fairly simple and involve two Client aircraft. There is eye candy built in with civilian aircraft and that SA-3 at Kutaisi.

 

Good luck on your missions. Check out my sig and site for mission examples and ME resources.

 

WC