ALPHA STATION - CHAPTER ONE - Campaign for A4 Community Skyhawk and Syria Map

[42jeff]

ALPHA STATION - CHAPTER ONE

UNITED STATIONS QUICK REACTION FORCE 

 In 1978, the United Nations created a quick reaction force able to respond to crises around the world in minimal time.  Though due to the large number of flare ups in the Middle East, this force was established to handle conflicts anywhere.  Many countries donated equipment and manpower to the cause, but a few nations saw the opportunity to contribute to a cause able to potentially stop hostilities before they flared into regional affairs.  These countries, the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany, donated the bulk of the larger equipment.  The United States in particular, donated several smaller aircraft carriers and the aircraft to staff them as well as two full air transport units. 

 

The force was designated as the United Nations Quick Reaction Force and fell under control of the UN Secretary General and the Security Council.  The force was assembled in Southern Turkey due in large part to the available training area, but also because there was a good chance that would be relatively close to their first action. 

 

A large influx of supplies and equipment has been flowing to the training centers at Incirlik and Gazipasa.  Unfortunately, most of the donor nations haven’t had time to repaint their donations so the individual QRF units are working to repaint and remark their units as able. 

 

The personnel in the UN QRF are taken from military units among all UN members. Preference was given to aircrew, ship’s crew, maintenance, and other specialty skills.  Pay is still handled by service members’ military branches. 

 

Your unit is the 2nd Tactical Strike Squadron.  Currently you are split between Gazipasa and Incirlik but you and a handfull of others were selected to operate out of Gazipasa.  As your unit develops its procedures, it was generally agreed that US Navy procedures would be a base as everybody is familiar with them.  Ground crews and other agencies are filled out from member nations so you may experience a variety of different nationalities as you serve. 

 

Beginning your assignment, this will basically be a wring out as everybody gets used to operating together and checking out your equipment.  Everybody in your unit has flown the A4 for a while, but you are the only one to be operating aircraft you were assigned to. 

……….. 

 

Stage One of the campaign will be ramp up and getting your feet under you…for Stage Two. 

 

ALPHA STATION.ZIP may be unzipped directly into your DCS Saved Games Folder, it will extract itself correctly.  At the bottom of this document are the links to download them directly if you wish.  I chose not to include the mods in the Campaign zip as I understand some folks are anal about their installs and would rather handle it themselves via OVGME or whatever method you use. Honestly though, these are not difficult to install. 

 null

Mod requirements:  Community A4C, 476th Range Targets 

 

There are several scripts enabled within each mission: MOOSE - ATIS and AIRBOSS, MIST for Target Information Tracking Script (TITS), splash damage script.  There are reminders on each mission, but for all these scripts to run properly, when the role select screen is presented, press ESC to make the menu go away, then again to go ahead select your role. 

 

If you have never used TITS before, spend some time on Mission 5 getting acquainted with the menus before hitting the range your first time.  You can specify targets for designation by the range controller.  They will fire a smoke rocket, if requested, that will be near your requested target.  You will also get target elevation information. 

Prior to engaging your target, select ROLLING IN off the range menu otherwise the controllers will be angry with you and you will not get drop results.   You may select OFF TARGET after each pass to get results for each pass or when you are all done with your range time to get a full result list. 

 

If you have never used AIRBOSS before, do the same thing prior to Mission 13.  There are a number of controls you can activate within the menus, but for basic pattern and landing you won’t be required to do anything.  The F10 menu for AIRBOSS replaces the stock ATC menu.  You can contact Marshall inside 50 miles. You will receive Marshall stack instructions from the Marshall controller.  You will get advisories along the way from the controller on stack positioning as well as when the carrier is beginning recovery activities if they weren’t already.  Once you have worked your way down the stack and are starting your initial, change frequencies to the LSO controller for final instructions and landing scores. 

 

When departing off the carrier be tuned to the MARSHALL controller who will notify you of radar contact after launch and will then release you from control as you depart the area. If you are staying in the pattern select EMERGENCY LANDING prior to launching and you will be automatically sequenced into the downwind pattern by the LSO controller. 

 

 This is a Dropbox link for a .rar file containing the entire campaign and one accompanying skin.  Uncompress to your saved games folder.

 https://www.dropbox.com/s/b7b2omx5j9volbe/Alpha Station Chapter One.rar?dl=0

 

476th VFS Range Targets Mod 

 https://www.476vfightergroup.com/downloads.php?do=download&downloadid=482

A-4E-C 

https://github.com/heclak/community-a4e-c 

 Special thanks to HighlandSpring for his detailed testing and feedback during development. 

 

Thank you to Plumsy for the voiceovers. “Hops” isn’t done yet. 

Edited January 5 by 42jeff

[42jeff]

I'm actively working on Chapter Two but am anxious for any feedback (positive or negative) anybody has on this first installment. Bug reports, suggestions...all will be entertained or looked in to.

I had released this about a year ago but removed it and worked the other mods out of it.  Also I did a crap ton of work cleaning up the triggers, etc as I learned a bunch from the beginning of the project to the end.  

[42jeff]

Fixed some things: 

 

Mission 1 - Removed the dust storm

Mission 2 - Sorted out the suicidal Chinook pilot on the ramp

Mission 7 - Fixed the trigger for the napalm drop.

First several missions sorted out a buggered up TACAN.

[42jeff]

Fixed a rather glaring error on Mission 14

Tanker actually spawns for your flight to recover on.

[суховей]

Also in mission 14 DCS does not count hits to SAM site. At the end of the mission the score is always 45 percent.

There's also a bug in mission 13.
The third trap trigger does not work.

Edited January 16 by суховей

[42jeff]

1 hour ago, суховей said:

Also in mission 14 DCS does not count hits to SAM site. At the end of the mission the score is always 45 percent.

There's also a bug in mission 13.
The third trap trigger does not work.

Thank you for the feedback. I'll look into them tonight 

 

[42jeff]

7 hours ago, суховей said:

Also in mission 14 DCS does not count hits to SAM site. At the end of the mission the score is always 45 percent.

There's also a bug in mission 13.
The third trap trigger does not work.

I think I tracked down the issue with Mission 13.  I was trying to be cute with the triggers and getting it to do too much. 

 

For mission 14, the scoring doesn't look at Sam destruction so much as getting the bongs in the target area... You need seven within the diameter and some extension of the Sam site 

Edited January 17 by 42jeff

[суховей]

1 час назад, 42jeff сказал:

В 14-й миссии баллы начисляются не столько за уничтожение Сэма, сколько за то, что вы собрали бонги в целевой зоне... Вам нужно собрать семь бонгов в пределах диаметра и немного за пределами зоны Сэма

Let me get this straight. In the text after landing on an aircraft carrier, hits in the SAM site area are counted ( + 55 points). Hits in debriefing are not counted.
I adjusted the trigger for the number of bombs in the area in the trigger for mission success conditions from 8 to 1, but DCS still did not count even one hit in debriefing (but in the final text +55 points was) .
Maybe I did something wrong. I'll try again.

[42jeff]

On 1/16/2025 at 1:41 PM, суховей said:

Also in mission 14 DCS does not count hits to SAM site. At the end of the mission the score is always 45 percent.

There's also a bug in mission 13.
The third trap trigger does not work.

Corrected a grievous error with Mission 15.  If you have the campaign downloaded already, you'll need to grab the new one for Mission 15 to work at all.

 

[суховей]

14 часов назад, 42jeff сказал:

Corrected a grievous error with Mission 15.  If you have the campaign downloaded already, you'll need to grab the new one for Mission 15 to work at all.

 

In mission 15 bug remains. In the mission editor, in the mission objective section the wrong trigger "bombs (50, offline)" . It requires 8 snakeyes to hit the "bombs close" zone (apparently from mission 14).

Mission 14 managed to pass only by removing the "bombs" trigger and setting the ALIVE trigger to 100 .

[42jeff]

 

23 hours ago, суховей said:

In mission 15 bug remains. In the mission editor, in the mission objective section the wrong trigger "bombs (50, offline)" . It requires 8 snakeyes to hit the "bombs close" zone (apparently from mission 14).

Mission 14 managed to pass only by removing the "bombs" trigger and setting the ALIVE trigger to 100 .

Thank you for finding that on 15.  Did you have any issue with Holly en route?  I've gotten a couple reports of her having a "navigation error" (trying to avoid a spoiler).

I suspect it's because she missed a turn point while navigating through the valleys and made attempts to go back for it but could never do it.  Stuck in an orbit loop.

 

 

I'm still working on 14 to figure out that bomb thing.  On my test it worked, but I haven't forgotten.

Edited January 19 by 42jeff

[суховей]

1 час назад, 42jeff сказал:

 

Thank you for finding that on 15.  Did you have any issue with Holly en route?  I've gotten a couple reports of her having a "navigation error" (trying to avoid a spoiler).

Yeah, there was a problem with Holly.

On my first attempt, she crashed into a mountain, orbiting in the middle of a valley.

On the second, she went through the valley fine, but a bug with the trigger prevented me from successfully completing the mission.

Then I simply removed the wrong trigger by editing the ALIVE trigger by 100 points, just like I did in mission 14.

On the third try, she entered the orbit and stuck on it. I continued  and finished the mission without her, but knowing already the story (from time of the second attempt)...

Edited January 19 by суховей

[суховей]

So, I've completed the campaign.
My review is that it was a good storydriven training campaign for skyhawk . I liked the missions with unexpected twists. Holly's character is lovely.

I've been trying to get through it since the first version last year. And finally made it to the end.

But the bugs... They really ruin the experience of the missions. If you fix them, then maybe I will replay the campaign.
And will wait for the second part

Edited January 19 by суховей

[42jeff]

On 1/19/2025 at 11:41 AM, суховей said:

So, I've completed the campaign.
My review is that it was a good storydriven training campaign for skyhawk . I liked the missions with unexpected twists. Holly's character is lovely.

I've been trying to get through it since the first version last year. And finally made it to the end.

But the bugs... They really ruin the experience of the missions. If you fix them, then maybe I will replay the campaign.
And will wait for the second part

Thank you.  I appreciate you working with me through the bugs.  Some of them are a victim of troubleshooting other things...a couple were just me being a bonehead and trying to be too cute.  I think i may have the problem with Holly on the last mission.  During my testing, I would just reposition her to the coast and let her rip, but then I got to thinking that, in the mission, you had just come off the tanker so that belly tank would be FULL and therefore much heavier.  I filled her up in the test and there she goes at waypoint 57 skipping the point and flying in circles.  

You're only one of three people that I've heard anything at all back on so I've been working on the issues as I fix them.

The second part was actuallly in work until I started getting feedback so I put it on the back burner while I squash bugs.  Chapter Two will be MUCH more combat...but also...not.  I spent some time in the USAF and am quite familiar with the mundane boring life of contingency operations....so that will also be present.  I am almost done with the intro video (some AI misbehavior I'm trying to sort out) ...if you like I can send you a preview.

[42jeff]

Mission 15 - Bug with Holly flying circles over the mountains I'm pretty sure is fixed.  She was missing a waypoint and kept orbiting trying to get back to it. Smoothed out flight path and slowed her down seemed to fix it.

 

[суховей]

17 часов назад, 42jeff сказал:

I am almost done with the intro video (some AI misbehavior I'm trying to sort out) ...if you like I can send you a preview.

Yes, if you post a download link, I'd love to see it.

[Tonker]

Woohoo, more for the brilliant A-4E, thank you @42jeff!

On 1/20/2025 at 8:32 PM, 42jeff said:

You're only one of three people that I've heard anything at all back on so I've been working on the issues as I fix them.

This must be super frustrating, but well done for getting the campaign out and for providing great support and bug-hunting. I'd clocked the campaign in the User Files, and am just waiting on some free time to download and give it a go. I'll report back once I've flown it

So, a quick bit of feedback on what I've seen so far: Blurb looks great, reads well, and has got me keen! Some more pics would be nice, so I can see the kind of places I'll be based and operating, maybe some cheeky hints of what the campaign has in store etc. The link from the download to this thread isn't displaying, but is a good thing and would be worth replacing (likewise placing a link to the user download in the opening post). Intro video is a great idea, do let us know when that update drops.

Looking forward to it!

[42jeff]

16 hours ago, Tonker said:

Woohoo, more for the brilliant A-4E, thank you @42jeff!

This must be super frustrating, but well done for getting the campaign out and for providing great support and bug-hunting. I'd clocked the campaign in the User Files, and am just waiting on some free time to download and give it a go. I'll report back once I've flown it

So, a quick bit of feedback on what I've seen so far: Blurb looks great, reads well, and has got me keen! Some more pics would be nice, so I can see the kind of places I'll be based and operating, maybe some cheeky hints of what the campaign has in store etc. The link from the download to this thread isn't displaying, but is a good thing and would be worth replacing (likewise placing a link to the user download in the opening post). Intro video is a great idea, do let us know when that update drops.

Looking forward to it!

I've been working on this for a couple years now.   DCS AI mechanics broke me last spring and I quit for a while.  I got a wild hair several months ago and tried out a couple missions that were perpetually broken and it worked so I got inspired to clean it up a bunch and get on with the second batch.  I had gotten the first few done but with such little response to the first batch, again i just shelved it.

First round of missions are all based in Western Turkey around Gazipasa.  As for cheeky hints?  What fun would THAT be?  Thinking you're suiting up for a 40 minute run to the range and back and ending up needing to refuel, pause to go take a leak and then come back....well THAT is what you can expect

Not on all of them though.  They're mostly all just wringing out a player's A4 knowledge and operational skills....the first chapter is any way.  

Chapter Two is much more combat based....but having spent time in the USAF I know how mundane and monotonous contingency operations are so I try to bring that into the campaign as well.  Lots of those combat sorties are combat in name only...four hours of flying circles...multiple refuelings...just to fly back and land.  I mean...just as an example...not that I have THAT mission done.

 

Yet...

 

[Tonker]

No less keen to get involved!

As someone teetering on the brink of diving into the mission editor, it's truly inspiring (and useful) to be able to follow the trials and tribulations from concept to release and support, so thanks for sharing

[42jeff]

1 hour ago, Tonker said:

No less keen to get involved!

As someone teetering on the brink of diving into the mission editor, it's truly inspiring (and useful) to be able to follow the trials and tribulations from concept to release and support, so thanks for sharing

Feel free to ping me whenever you take the plunge and need help with anything. I've learned a bunch and am willing to share 

Edited January 22 by 42jeff

[Tonker]

Ta

[42jeff]

Mission 15 - Changed the layout and structure of the mission.  ED seems to have broken AI AAR so this version has that necessity removed....and will be much shorter.

 

Edited January 23 by 42jeff