FC2 - Campaign Mission #9 AAR

[BeachAV8R]

Alright! We are back to the tasking to destroy the enemy command and control vehicles. Deep in enemy territory, the vehicles are allegedly located at the east end of the valley, which means a fairly exposed flight over enemy defenses to get to it (after all, commanders rarely lead from the front!).

 

 

The waypoint layout seems fair, avoiding a "down the pipe" approach in favor of the ridge I've renamed "Thunderbolt Ridge" in deference to the old "Thud Ridge" in Vietnam.

 

 

The run in toward the target is on a southerly heading and it is worth noting the bridge near the target area which should help in acquiring the targets.

 

 

Immediately upon reaching the ridgeline I'm pinned between enemy IR missiles to the south and the ever present SA-11 sites to the north. I try to pick my way in, but it is just too difficult. Low altitude results in IR missiles, medium altitude puts me square in the SA-11 envelope.

 

 

I did discover a new key command that I had forgotten from the FC1 days: ALT NumPad Del (toggles threat missile padlock!). Time and again the SA-11 site opened up on me forcing me down into IR range (tricky mission design Wags!).

 

 

On the map, you can see my dilemma. The topographical lines show the ridge. The yellow circle shows one of the SA-11 missiles heading toward me while the south is littered with IR SAMs and AAA.

 

 

My wingman takes a hit, setting one of his engines on fire while I just miss getting smacked by a missile.

 

 

Some missile comes up from the south (don't know what kind) and finishes off my wingman..

 

 

 

That's IT! Something has to be done. As I come back around to the west to regroup and think this out an SA-6 threat comes up on the RWR.

 

 

Looks like we aren't the only ones having a time of it in the theater though as an Su-25 gets popped by one of the Allied units.

 

 

I make the decision to go ahead and go after the SA-11 sites. I just hate them that much. I know their general locations but getting a missile on them before they get one on me is the challenge.

 

 

 

I attack the western site first and am fortunate to get the first shot off. After each run in I dive for the safety of cover behind the ridgeline and retreat back to the south.

 

 

 

I develop a good tactic of using the ridgeline to shield me while I put my Maverick targeting cursor on the diamond. I'm not exactly sure what the diamond is, but is appears to be some sort of HARM type designator. I don't know how to cycle it - or if that is indeed what it is - maybe that is part of the ECM pod display (?). Guess I need to read the manual <grin>.

 

 

Soon enough, the whole site is burning. As each vehicle is destroyed, the total potency of the site is diminished. I was surprised however, that taking out the central radar vehicle didn't render the whole site inoperative. I had visions of destroying the radar, then coming in to cluster bomb the missile carriers, but apparently each can operate independently as well.

 

 

Cont..

[BeachAV8R]

Rearming is necessary about 5 or 6 times since I'm "going rogue" and knocking out the SAM sites.

 

 

 

The tactic of using the ridge works very good for the eastern site as well...

 

 

 

After each Maverick launch I dive for cover behind the ridge to avoid the incoming SA-11 missiles.

 

 

To my great surprise, the SA-11 site engages and destroy several of my Maverick missiles, forcing me to return to base multiple times to rearm. When fired from extreme ranges, the SA-11 has a better than 50/50 chance of shooting down my Mavericks. But when I close to just 4 miles or so, I seem to have a better success rate.

 

 

 

With perseverance (and enough Mavericks!) I whittle down the SAM site until only smoking hulks remain. I'm thrilled to death.

 

 

 

 

 

Once the job is done, and both the western and eastern sites are smoldering, I enjoy the freedom of higher altitudes over the northern side of the ridgeline. Fantastic!

 

 

 

With the north side of the ridge in my ownership (for now!) I have fun destroying the support vehicles for the SAM site. Fuel and supply trucks are at both sites and I've purposely avoided firing Mavericks at them since they are "soft" targets. After firing so many missiles in this campaign it is a great joy to do some old fashioned bombing!

 

 

 

You don't even have to get very close to destroy fuel trucks!

 

 

And it nice to have the comfort and time to leisurely roll in on the targets. I guess it is a good thing there was no "trigger" to command a fighter attack on me for attacking the SAM sites <g>.

 

 

My next attack is with Rockeyes, but I forget to adjust the interval, which would have given a better pattern for the multiple canisters.

 

 

Sucks to be this guy...

 

 

Finally, all of the vehicles that make up the west SAM site are on fire.

 

 

Cont..

[BeachAV8R]

And I use the Avenger canon to take out my frustrations on the east SAM site support vehicles...and I'm always amazed by the ricochets!

 

 

 

 

With all of my SAM hunting frustrations out of the way, I reef the jet back around to the south east and head for the valley. A SAM symbol lights up my RWR so I put my Maverick on the diamond and launch at whatever lies beneath it.

 

 

I'm surprised to see the SAM vehicle try to shoot down the Maverick with AAA, but he just misses...

 

 

I finally make it far enough north into the combat zone to trigger the ACTUAL mission that I'm supposed to be on (sorry if I'm a little late on target fellas..I had some business to take care of!)..

 

 

Just to keep things interesting the low level IR SAMs keep reaching up to me, but thankfully I can fly higher now with the SA-11 threat eliminated.

 

 

I fly up to the strike waypoint and eyeball the site from the air. I follow the line from the bridge and sure enough the enemy command post is set up just off the road...

 

 

 

After dancing with the SA-11 site, this is like shooting fish in a barrel. I'm able to get two shots off per pass and in just a matter of minutes the entire formation is laid to waste.

 

 

 

 

After the mission complete radio call is made I jog on over to "my" side of the ridgeline and enjoy a trouble free, medium altitude flight home. God, I wish that FC2 tracked those SA-11 kills and applied them to subsequent missions (I don't know that it necessarily does that)...

 

 

Back on the ramp I'm exhausted (literally). The concentration and tension, particularly on the final attack on the mission target, was very real feeling. I would have hated to have invested an hour of flying to throw it away by being shot down at the very end.

 

 

Total flight time was 1 hour and 11 minutes with six (!) rearming stops at base. I think we need to hang some HARMs on this baby!

 

 

As someone else said - each mission feels a bit like a campaign. I was super happy with this one and even though it might not have been very realistic to go charging off like that, it was quite fulfilling!

 

BeachAV8R

[Ven]

Congrats on getting those SA-11! The diamond I believe is your current target. You can switch them using the switch waypoint key but haven't really found a use for it myself either. Because from what I can tell, you can only cycle through them instead of designating specific target. And don't usually have time to cycle through 30 some targets.

[h00t74]

Great AAR

[Wags]

You're DANGEROUS! (ala "Ice" from Top Gun) ;)

[jctrnacty]

I can´t wait to play FC2, just waiting for DVD version.

[HiJack]

I used almost the hole day to finish the 9'th missions. A lot of rarming. I'ts a pitty the wingman dies in first round :( I once got the wingman to land back at base but he returns to the parking pit and don't rearm or refuel. When I took off again and asked wingman to rejoin he blew up in the pit :P

 

®

[MBot]

Love your reports Beach! Once you are through with the A-10 campaign, I would love to see you have a go at the mission Warthog Day. I think you would like it :)

[71st_Mastiff]

you'll find your tracked SP missions in the temp folder just like in BS.

 

just look for the ones with the date and times on your particular missions.

 

usually the files is Client-date-time.miz.trk

Edited April 4, 2010 by Mastiff