AAR - BAI mission - Shore 3A

[WildBillKelsoe]

Once again, our squadron gets calls to immediately deploy to an area between Russian-Georgian borders. A US brigade on the east is getting potential threat from an advancing Russian armor brigade stemming from Sochi-Adler airbase.

 

We are briefied with picture by our UCO, and we formulate a general plan to help coordinate with available assets.

 

The plan was simple. I would anchor my wingman to a point 30 kilometers southeast from target suspected position, then I would fly through 8500 ft high mountainous elevations to evade Sochi's SA-3 battery, wait for SEAD to wipeout SA-3's and ingress from north of Sochi to south towards sea line and east to locate and engage the Ruskie brigade. Our ATO gets a nice map of the area this time, with MGRS coordinates for us to punch in once airborne.

 

 

 

So, we saddle up. 6X Mavericks EO and 4 X 82 AIR's for each ship. Our division officer gives us a farewell and we roll.

 

 

 

Like clock work, I order 'two, anchor steerpoint' and I knuckle northeast towards to mountains.

 

 

I'm already at 2500 feet and climbing to 5000 as I approach a steep area in the mountain keys. Weather now building up as thin air hugs the leading edge of wings. Clouds now form sparsely. Could be a problem since our hard deck assigned is 9000 feet.

 

 

 

I notice the RWR coming to life as I pass my IP. SA-3 now pinging, and I get confirmation from Colt 1-1, our SEAD element that they are defending SAM at bulls 124 for 14. I cross check my TAD with Hook Curs and as I discover the source of fire co-located with SA-3 site, and immediately slew my TGP to look for them.

 

 

There they are!

 

 

Sadly though, Colt 1-1 flight gets destroyed. SA-3 site still running. I decide its a day to be a Weasel. Knuckle left towards Sochi and Maverick's EO on target.

 

 

 

 

Now INU stabilised, I pickup the SA-3's at 6 miles out and rifle!

 

 

On TGP, something extraordinarily flashes, and I get RWR Launch light like crazy.

 

 

 

 

I barrel roll and dive with throttles closed towards ground, hoping to finish the reverse Immelmann well into covers of nearby mountains before Goa's sinister teeth are sunk into my bird!!

 

 

Missile alone looks scary. Carefully now correcting for over-G tones, blood rushes to my head as I attempt to level off

 

 

Crisis averted! I continue wiping out SA-3's using the cover position designated 8 km northwest of our IP, about 3000 feet canyon running parallel to the shore, and provides a temporary break lock from the music to my ears.

 

 

 

Now my missiles are getting short. Time to call in number two. I datalink my SPI to 0204 and hit SEND.

 

Not long before I got established in observer position, number 2 fires 3 missiles, all hitting search radars but the last SA-3 launcher on site.

 

 

 

I order him to return to anchor position and I'll go in with my remaining two mavericks.

 

One to the launcher and the other to these newly discovered gents:

 

 

 

 

Now RWR comes to silence. I call wingman once more to meet above our BAI location to participate in providing cover. He has 3 missiles left. I spot two things:

 

1- A threesome of T-80's to which I give number 2 the order to engage with mavericks.

 

2- An artillery unit stranded, apparently not engaged by previous package by winchester.. Nothing else.

 

 

 

 

I mean WTF?? We're supposed to come and find these targets rich!!! Instead, we shift roles with SEAD???? W...T....F.....????

 

 

As I roll in towards my AOP, I set 82's to pairs release, minimum altitude of 300 feet. Now coming on 375 kts and a 14 degree dive, still can't raise a solid CCIP solution.

 

I ripple all my bombs, and my wingman negates any positive hits on the piece.

 

 

 

And to my dismay, and as expected from GAY AIR variants, none of them hit...

 

Now comes the time for a strafe.

 

 

As the unwinding analog range bar came to 1.0, I felt a momentous shudder as the Avenger came to life.

 

 

A full one second burst, and coming off spewing two flares, I observe and number two confirms solid hits on ARTY.

 

 

 

Now fuel coming short, time to RTB.

 

 

Back at base, we get into a brawl with the viper boys for shuffling roles with us. Nothing serious though... Some blood with urine, a black eye, and a broken rib... CHEERS..

[Dusty Rhodes]

Well Done!!!! But keep the Hogsters away from those Viper boyz. You may need them again some day.

 

Hrrrmmm Viper Boyz...........sounds like a boy band LOL :)

[WildBillKelsoe]

Well.. We made up afterwards.. Not physically though (YIKES!)

[Ratfink]

bit harsh dropping a Mav on that poor old bloke :)

[WildBillKelsoe]

bit harsh dropping a Mav on that poor old bloke :)

 

 

One thing is for sure, I don't want to trade places ;)

[Harzach]

bit harsh dropping a Mav on that poor old bloke :)

 

One thing is for sure, I don't want to trade places ;)

 

I ROFL'd.

 

Nice AAR, Bill! I like the post-processing, too - the gun run pic nails that 80's-video-tech look.

[WildBillKelsoe]

heheh!! wait for the new AAR.

[Agiel7]

So is this campaign actually working as intended now? Last I checked, this and Devil's Cross had a bunch of scripting and mission progression bugs.

[dumgrunt]

^ they have both worked very well since DCSW was released, in fact I reckon they both work better than the hammer campaign.

 

very nice, but isnt this the mission where you have to destroy the dug in infantry?

 

i find the best way to employ Mk82AIR's is by CCRP 5mil level flight at about 300ft AGL, generally with at least a 4 ripple @ 30ft. leaves bugger all room for error, but almost always works for me. flying that low would also make the SA-3 point defence ineffective at the target loc.

 

looking forward to reading about how the armed recon mission goes for you. you might need to dispense with the hard deck for that one ;)