Then next surprise is “mission failed” after WP 3

[wernst]

If you have successfully managed to pass WP 3 the next “mission failed” message will appear.

After passing VLADIKAVKAZ you’ll start flying “tin can high” along the river and later in middle of the valley.

But regardless how you do it you shouldn’t be surprised that, again, a “mission failed” message pops up: “deviation from route”.

 

I don’t know which kind of challenge is meant here but it’s not related to flying skills. I truly don’t know what goes wrong here.

Flying not low enough? Flying off the route line given from the kneeboard map? How do I fly the bird safely in a narrow valley?

 

I'm sorry but it's a bad design of the campaign. It is basically meant to challenge flying skills, is it?

But it seems to comply with bureaucratic flying rules of unknown background.

 

In real life (in the past) each mission which had been given to me, had a dedicated task.

(I was German Jet pilot: T-33A “Fürsty”, F-86 and some hours F-104G)

Each Air Force mission was defined well with detailed information how you might encounter problems and how to fail to comply with the mission task.

Flying low is a challenging task by it's own, I know what I'm talking about.

Which else flying skill does this mission require here?

 

In real life flying: If the task is unknown or hasn't been given in detail it’s not a mission but a trip to hell.

[Datek]

I didn't understand what you were saying at first but I get it now. I have failed twice flying along the river I'm guessing because I was too high? ONce in Russia, the second time in Georgia.

 

This is really getting annoying doing this over and over again.

[wernst]

I didn't understand what you were saying at first but I get it now. I have failed twice flying along the river I'm guessing because I was too high? ONce in Russia, the second time in Georgia.

 

This is really getting annoying doing this over and over again.

 

Under OBJECTIVE of mission #2 (amongst a lot of emotional scenic blah-blah) there is only one short indication to the challenge:

 

“…over VLADIKAVKLAZ you’ll decent to the nap of the earth get lost from radars”

 

I’m sorry but this task doesn’t make sense.

 

Nap-of-the-earth (NOE) is very low-altitude flight course used to keep below enemy radar coverage.

It means, flying in the “Radar Shadow”, below the radar line of sight, the “Radar Horizon”.

This “Ground hugging” has to be performed in a more or less plain terrain.

 

Another very efficient way keeping below enemy radar coverage is exploiting geographical features e.g. valleys.

Flying in a deep valley ensures per se that the bird flies in the Radar Shadow, extreme NOE flying isn’t needed here.

 

Another bothering issue is that the “mission failed” message is explained as simple as “deviation from course”.

What does it mean? Deviation from course line shown on the kneeboard map?

How much navigational degree of freedom do I have when flying through a narrow valley?

 

I’m sorry, this mission #2 doesn’t have a logic design, it challenges flying skills of unknown background.

And it doesn’t tell you, why and how you have failed the mission task which is essential to avoid these mistakes in the next attempt.

 

No learning curve means not to make any progress in this campaign.