Mission Five Flight Plan Card, and None scripted RTB

[Klunker]

 Not sure if this is an error: Kneeboard Flight Plan Card indicates 300 ft Altitude at IP and Tgt.  

In an earlier post I asked about skipping the Rendezvous and RTB'n direct and you said "If you're short on fuel, there will be a decision point after you rejoin at Mt Irish, whether you want to RTB or refuel. I suggest using that decision point, because the triggers in such a complex mission are not infinitely flexible to allow you to detach and RTB through Dreamland"  

I'm happy to report that my wingman and I vectored direct to Nellis from the target, bypassing Dreamland to the west and managed to get a mission complete and surprisingly a Y on fuel management even though I landed with 680 lbs. However, I did get a N on procedures which I was more than happy to get as it still beat hitting the silk.

I figured the flight would be a bust because Jester didn't speak once on our flight back and didn't even complain about going too fast on my landing as he usually does. But when I turned off the end of the runway he was back online with the post landing check list and I got the surprising score in the chocks.

My low fuel was the result of my mismanagement of the bombing switches.  I ended up doing three runs before I finally got them off as I had placed the switch in rockets/dispensers instead of bombs. Not sure how it wasn't picked up on the Fence In checks because we went through the list OK.  But I was really sweating it as the AAA was of major concern and my wingman actually go nailed by it on his pass. 

I did notice that Jester wasn't the only one not speaking as I couldn't reach ATC on the usual channel which I guessed was a function of the mission scripting.  I just did an idle descent to a base leg entry and got no grief from anyone. In Jester's case, I think he wasn't talking because he was pissed I exposed him to repeated attacks on a target whose AAA was directed solely at US!  It was a miracle we weren't bagged for such a stupid stunt.

Fun Hop, and very gratifying to be able to do a real life like emergency fuel divert and still get a mission complete. Thanks again for such a fun Campaign!

[Reflected]

Thanks, I'll fix the flight plan!

If you go rogue like that the mission will likely not work.

[Klunker]

Roger Rogue

 

It must be horrifying for a campaign designer to witness the flagrant disregard for such an exquisitely scripted campaign. I can fully appreciate that none of my actions should have been anticipated in the campaign design. From a professional standpoint, I should have been sent home early on as it was clear that I have absolutely no proficiency in the F4. However, from a gaming standpoint, I did derive a huge satisfaction from being able to navigate an emergency fuel situation to a successful conclusion.

 

In previous attempts on earlier missions when I ran low on fuel, I diverted to the "designated" divert airfield and got just what you predicted: A  Zero mission complete.  I didn't mind that, but was disappointed that there was no refueling at Tonopah and the place looked like an abandoned outpost on Mars.  I was hoping to refuel and then RTB to Nellis.

 

On mission five, I thought I would see if I could make Nellis on the available fuel, and sweated out the whole trip and was even tempted to land at Indian Springs, but knew that if the designated divert had no fuel, neither would Indian Springs. So, finally landing at Nellis after an emergency situation with all the attendant "pucker factor" and receiving a "Mission Complete" made for a hugely satisfying experience flying this mission.

 

If possible, and since you are adding an update to the campaign for the Flight Plan, I wonder if you wouldn't mind putting in refueling at Tonopah and perhaps adding some units to make it look like an operational airport that is suitable for a divert?  If not, that's OK, as I'm only asking you to humor a very casual gamer.

[Reflected]

The more complex a mission, the less flexible it is, by definition. To set up an optional refuel at Tonopah would take at least a 100 new triggers and way too much complexity. How do I know for sure the player wants to divert, not just approach it due to a nav error? What do your wingmen do while you refuel? What does your flight lead do? All voice overs are "fixed", how do I make sure they are still valid after your divert? It's next to impossible.

This being said, I THINK  if you land and refuel before exiting the range, your flight lead should wait for you at Mt Irish, your wingmen may RTB or something, but the triggers should still work as long as you follow the RTB route and procedures after that.

But again, all this is very hypothetical and infinitely more difficult than just being a little more conscious about your fuel management. You have a bingo on your kneeboard, you have to hit the target with more than that. You have a min 5k at the FEBA. Monitor your fuel gauge, don't use burners unless you have to. Don't go faster than what's in your nav plan.

During testing I never had to refuel. I had to play the campaign once again to deliberately choose and test the refueling option.

[Klunker]

I didn't mean to set up an elaborate alternative, but simply add the fuel trucks at Tonopah, and maybe add some static aircraft and people to present some active airport ambiance for anyone who would stop for gas.  As for what the wingman would do, I just gave him the command to RTB and he did. I really didn't mean for you to go to any more trouble than just placing fuel there.  I would do it with the mission editor myself if I had access to the mission.

I don't doubt that a skilled player can manage fuel within Campaign specs, but alas, I'm not a skilled player and tend to gobble gas in the heat of combat, especially making multiple runs on targets.  Of course, that isn't the plan, but I often get disoriented and spend more time in the area than was planned, or get distracted with a target of opportunity etc.  But, as I said, I'm just a casual gamer who was just looking to get some more gas and then fly home.  Not a big deal.

In mission five, even though I was still in the target area at Miller Time, I still beat the whole strike package back to Nellis by going direct and it didn't matter what my flight lead did or my wingman because I was on deck and getting a Mission Complete and a Score Card as Demon flight was calling initial.  It all worked fine.