Black Shark 2 - Deployment Mission #4

[BeachAV8R]

 

Alarm! Shorpa FARP has come under attack and we must get airborne as quickly as possible and reposition to FARP Skala.

 

 

I’m dumped into the cockpit in a cold & dark startup. The text dialog suggests a quick start with LWin+Home but I’ve been playing a LOT of BS2 online and have the start procedure down pretty cold. It is pretty intense as tracer fire arcs all around us as my wingman and I scurry though the start. I skip lots of steps and concentrate on getting the APU, engines, and NAV systems up and running as quickly as possible.

 

 

I also take a minute to order the ground crew to change out my helmet mounted system to the night vision goggles.

 

 

I get the engines running and the ABRIS up but the HUD is still blank as the call that mortars are incoming. I hit the stability augmentation buttons and pull the collective and the Shark jumps into the air. I trim up for a slow climb and I urge my wingman to hurry up. I give him the rejoin command a few times hoping that will hasten his departure. I can see his spot/landing light down on the FARP as I climb away and I hope he can get airborne in time.

 

 

He lifts off as the mortars come crashing down on the FARP. He radios that he has been hit and I can see his tires are shredded as he somehow manages to lift off.

 

 

As we climb away to the north the FARP and town are lit up by burning wrecks of FARP support vehicles and base infrastructure.

 

 

Finally my HUD symbology comes alive and it takes me several minutes of fiddling with the various rheostats to figure out the correct intensity level for the NVGs. I’ve almost never flown with NVGs and the effect is really cool. I’ve applied the awesome circular NVG mod by Diveplane, it is very nice! The radio messages come fast and furious as multiple locations call out they are under attack. All along the valley tracers spray back and forth as it becomes clear this is a bit of a “Tet Offensive” by the insurgents. Our rapid departure did not allow us to load weapons, which is probably a good thing since determining friend from foe is near impossible.

 

 

 

I see a few tracer lines reach up toward us as we fly overhead and I decide it might be a good idea to pop some flares as we fly over the areas where the shooting is occurring.

 

 

I scan my ABRIS and find the FARP on the map. There is no flight plan loaded or anything in the inertial system since we didn’t have time to load anything prior to liftoff. I consult the briefing map and it is easy to find where we are supposed to be going.

 

 

 

As we cross a town I’m momentarily surprised when night turns to daylight. An Su-25 is flying overhead dropping parachute flares to help illuminate the valley for the defenders.

 

 

 

 

 

The flares illuminate the valley and us too. It is only in the brightness of the flares that I realize the extent of the damage to my wingman. His ride is trashed with panels blown away, the nosewheel completely gone, and his much of his rudder missing. I’m amazed he was able to join up and make the flight. I suppose the alternative, staying on the FARP getting mortared and perhaps overrun was a good motivator!

 

 

 

I peer through the HUD and finally make out the landing area at FARP Skala.

 

 

[BeachAV8R]

As we settle onto the FARP we get the “MISSION SUCCESS” message and I’m surprised to see the FARP lights turn on. Amazing little touches in this sim.

 

 

I turn off my engines and watch my wingman make his approach to the FARP. He settles gently onto the pad despite not having a nosewheel.

 

 

 

I see the 180 second “repair” time come up and I wonder if my wingman will also get repaired, but unfortunately he doesn’t.

 

This mission is great. Not a shot fired by us, but it was tense, unique, and a lot of fun to fly. This is a great example of an awesome hand-crafted mission. Nice job to the mission designer!

 

BeachAV8R

[jib]

Nice Screen Shots :)

[RonUSMC]

Wonderful! I used this to pass this mission. That landing was tough. You would think they would light it up more.

[joey45]

Loving the pics..

 

Do you have a higher res of the 25??

[213]

nightvision vision isn't supposed to be round.

[159th_Viper]

nightvision vision isn't supposed to be round.

 

Yes it is.