FC2:A-10: Campaign Mission 4 AAR

[dwpenney]

I am not sure how to start this AAR - it pretty much follows the last one. Proper planning during the mission briefing is the order of the day. It is hard not to spend too much time stressing that point because, heck, at the end of the day we all just want to get in there blow some crap up!

 

Once you get airborne and feel the wind in your hair this planning will really pay off. Finding your target, given the ground pounder's love of camouflage and hiding under trees, is a combination of luck and preparation; that all-to-critical briefing can will save the day. You can not rely on friendly assets in the area to hold your hand all of the time and certainly not when they are under fire.

 

For me, finding the target is a 5 step process:

 

Step 1: Study the brief and then head to the mission planner. Identify landmarks and placement of the known units;

 

Step 2: Plan your approach. Take a look at this AAR and note how in the second map screenshot I had moved waypoint 4 to visual approach to the target area. My plan was to use Nav mode to get me to waypoint 4, then to identify the river under that waypoint - same as in Mission #3;

 

Step 3: Walk your eyes to the target area. Once I had the river I knew I could follow it until it right to the target. If you are having problems (like I did in later missions) pause the game and use the mouse look/Track IR system to zoom in and help walking your eyes to the target area;

 

Step 4: Once you have the target area, smoke should be visible or use the TV camera in the AGM-65 Maverick to take a look around. If you have to (don't get too close or overfly the target) do a 180, wait a few minutes, another 180 and repeat the approach. Take your time. Often you will not have the benefit of someone popping smoke on the target - obviously that is going to make it harder but practice will make it easier;

 

Step 5: Get lucky ;-) ;

 

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Mission #4 has use targeting some armour units farther north.

 

 

Given the high level SAMs that have been operating in that specific area, I am going to make good use of the hill cover to keep my arse safe. Well, as safe as I can make it.

 

 

I have modified the flight plan to allow me to more easily find my way into the target box and I am going to back that up with a little drawing again in case what I see does not match my memory from the briefing.

 

 

The approach will be from the west and I'll circle off to the south to reset. (I can't remember what that other arrow pointing north was for :-) ).

 

 

All lined up on the numbers waiting for takeoff permission from the traffic controller.

 

My wingman and I have a little competition to see who can get the closest to the water - he wins.

 

 

Passing over a forward airfield re-captured airfield that has become active in the past few hours. An Apache flight launches ahead of us, inbound to the east.

 

 

Here we get down to business. As I approach waypoint #4 I am trying to refine my wingman strategy - hoping to keep him alive and get him into the fight - I ordered him into trail formation (follow the leader). The plan is that I can get eyes on the target, ground stabilize in A2G mode (not with the AGM-65 Maverick TV) on a valid target and set him a specific task.

 

Here we are passing over waypoint #4 and rolling toward the target box.

 

 

Note the obvious river that we can easily follow. I know that the target is north of the river (where I am in lead) and off the the north-east of the river bend.

 

South of us, parallel to our course the AH-64 Apache flight is encountering some fairly heavy AAA and SAM fire from their south.

 

 

Back to our flight I get a little surprise - reminding me that the best laid plans always need adjustment.

 

 

In this case, as you can see in the bottom left insert, the target area is on the rear side of a little hill making my plan to stay really low a challenge. I bump it up a few hundred feet for a better look (lower right insert).

 

 

Now I honestly can't remember here if the order to my wingman was to 'complete mission and rejoin' or to 'attack my target' but either way he moves to engage - and does do effectively.

 

We both hit our targets and circle off from the hostile area.

 

 

He pulls north and I pull south. This is not necessarily a bad thing. I think that it splits the attention on our flight in two directions making it harder for the enemy to concentrate fire. I think this is a great idea!

 

Until ...

 

 

Here I am continuing my 180 turn and, well, look at him all up high there in the top left corner of the screenshot! I am pumping flares/chaff as I have my back turned on the enemy and might not get a quick 6 call.

 

Sure enough that SA-11 site is on it's toes and notices him cresting the hills to their south. Note that the hills in question are low hills and the dull grey mountains are on the south side of the valley we are operating in, giving the SA-11 site a good view into the medium/high altitude areas of a fair portion of our operating theatre.

 

 

They launch a pair while #2 starts his evasive maneuvers and cleaning up his aircraft.

 

 

Unfortunately he is just to slow to cause them to burn much of their energy - heck, they are still under powered flight!

 

 

I watch with that sinking feeling that I am not going to see a chute from this one.

 

 

I think that his engines kept going for a little bit and not a chute in sight...

 

 

In retrospect, what I should have done was order him to rejoin as we both pulled off target. As I reviewed the track he extended north for apparent separation from the target area but his RWR must have been screaming at him. In his place he should have dove into that valley we used to approach the target and hope for the best.

 

Back on target I finish off the last two remaining hostiles in the target box.

 

 

It's a lonely RTB.

 

 

Coasting over the warning bars

 

 

----

 

So that puts me 4 missions into the campaign and I have RTB'd once with a wingman, had 2 KO'd, and had 1 have to walk back to base after ejecting over the front line (but in a low enemy population area).

 

Tip of the Mission: Control the wingman a little tighter. Get him to rejoin after launching before he wanders off or gets distracted by shiny things.

 

Fridge

 

_________________________

Things which do you no good in aviation:

1) Altitude above you;

2) Runway behind you;

3) Fuel in the truck;

4) The airspeed you don't have.

[DetroitDieseL]

Awesome man. Good read.

[Kurtz]

Yeah nice one DW, thanks for posting. The inclusion of your mission planning was great for noob pilots like me.

 

A few questions-

 

1. The more I fly the A10 it seems the safest place is very low like flying rotors. Would that be correct?

 

2. What kind of radar altitude would you recommend generally assuming their were SAM threats in the area?

 

3. Is there a low altitude you can travel under which SAM's will not lock and fire?

[slug88]

I'm no expert on A-10 tactics, in fact I hardly touch her at all (mostly a Ka-50 and Su-25A flyer here), but I'll give these a shot:

 

1. The more I fly the A10 it seems the safest place is very low like flying rotors. Would that be correct?

 

With medium & long range SAMs in the area, your best bet is indeed to fly low and use terrain masking. Note, however, that this will make you far more vulnerable to MANPAD IR SAMs and AAA, so it's all about identifying the biggest threat.

 

2. What kind of radar altitude would you recommend generally assuming their were SAM threats in the area?

 

Low enough to put terrain between you and their launchers. If it's just IR SAMs, I believe 3000m and above will put you out of reach of most manpads.

 

3. Is there a low altitude you can travel under which SAM's will not lock and fire?

 

In my Ka-50 and Su-25 experience, generally no, I believe even long range SAM's can pick you off at 10m AGL. And, of course, even if radar SAM's cared about your altitude, IR SAMs most certainly won't.

[Kurtz]

Ok thanks for that Slug, very helpfull :)

[Svetlano]

Really good, keep em coming.

Really educational for me.

If it's no bother i'd like to have the .trk to review the mission.

 

Thanks

[dwpenney]

I'll take a look at the tracks after I complete the campaign. They are not executed nearly as neatly as might seem from the way that they are documented here :-). I'll see if I can't find a couple that are relatively straightforward.

 

Fridge