pmaidhof Posted June 2, 2008 Report Posted June 2, 2008 I chose the compsite squadron for this Cold War scenario with a di-emphasis of F/A-18, and in favor of F-14, A-6, and specialty naval aircraft. Veteran F-14 HotRod (Fast) Skilled F-14 Cash (Fast) Average F-14 Feather (Slow) Newbie F-14 Echo (Slow) Veteran A-6 Nova (Fast) Average A-6 Python (Slow) Average A-6 Pepper (Slow) Green A-6 Crabby (Slow) Average F-18 Wraith (Fast) Green F-18 Joker (Slow) Average EA-6B Jazz (Slow) Average E-2C Thunder (-) 1st Target randomly selected, Target 15 Fuel Depot midway along the Swedish-Finland border. Target causes -4 Weight Points and mission completion will cause +3 Stress Points. target consists of 2x Sites and 2x Bandits in each Approach Area, and 1x Site and 1x Bandit over the target area. Mission calls for 5 aircraft. Intel Section describes the defenses as the following (Site Selection): North1 SA-3 SAM Site North2 SA-15 SAM Site South1 SA-2 SAM Site South2 SA-15 SAM Site East1 SA-14 MANPAD position East2 SA-15 SAM Site West1 ZSU-23/4 air defense vehicle West2 SA-7 MANPAD position Target Area 37mm AAA Site Mission Pilot Assignment, Revised Weight Points, and Mission Payload: F-14 Cash 4 2x AIM-54 Phoenix, 2x AIM-9 Sidewinder F-14 Feather 4 2x AIM-54 Phoenix, 2x AIM-9 Sidewinder A-6 Pepper 8 3x Mk83, 2x Mk20 CBU A-6 Python 8 3x Mk83, 2x Mk20 CBU EA-6B x 4x AGM-88 HARM Draw Target-bound Event Card: Opportunity - Bridge. "If you expend 2 AtG counters, move the INFRA Counter 1 to the right. I opt to do this, dropping 1x Mk20 from both Pepper and Python. Inital Aircraft positions: 2x A-6, 1x EA-6B in the SW Pre-Approach Area. F-14 (Feather) in West Pre-Approach, and F-14 (Cash) NW Pre-Approach. Site Adjustment Event Card: Fog of War - Draw one random bandit counter for the target area each step during the "Jettison Decision". Bandits Present: (drawn randomly) North1: No Bandit North2: No Bandit South1: MiG-21 South2: MiG-25 East1: MiG-21 East2: No Bandit West1: MiG-25 West2: No Bandit Tgt Area: MiG-23 AIM-54 Pre-Strike: Cash downs a MiG-23, and MiG-25. Feather downs a MiG-25 and a MiG-21. Turn 1 Jettison Decision Random Bandit: No Bandit Fast: None Sites & Bandits: SA-15(North) damages the evading Cash, while the northen SA-3 misses him. Cash drops all ordnance and collect +4 Stress. SA-15(S) unsucessfully engages Jazz, whose EW suite defends the strike. Slow: Jazz destroys the southern SA-15 site with an AGM-88. Hornets Move: Python, Pepper at Low and Jazz at High enter the Southern Approach. Feather at Low in the SW Pre-Approach. Cash at Low is the Western Pre-Approach. Single remaining bandit (MiG-21 moves to the Southern Approach. Turn 2 Jettison Decision Random Bandit: No Bandit Fast: None. Sites & Bandits: MiG-21 attacks the evading Python, while Feather sucessfully suppresses the MiG with an AIM-9. SA-15(E) attacks evading Pepper. Missile misses while Pepper picks up +1 Stress. Slow: Python takes down the SA-2 site with a Mk20 CBU. Jazz launches an AGM-88 vs the eastern SA-16, destroying it. Feather takes out the final MiG in the southern Approach Area. Hornets Move: A-6's at Low and EA-6B at High enter the target area. Feather at Low in Southern Approach Area, while Cash holds. Turn 3: Jettison Decision Random Bandit: No Bandit Fast: None. Sites & Bandits: Target Area 37mm AAA misses Jazz. SA-15 targets Jazz who suppresses it with a HARM. SA-3 fires at and misses Jazz. Slow: Jazz destroys the SA-15 with an AGM-88. Pepper takes out the 37mm AAA with a Mk20 CBU. Python takes out the target with two sticks of Mk83 bombs securing 5 hits. Strike and Feather, all at Low, are in Southern Approach Area. Turn 4: Jettison Decision Random Bandit: No Bandit Home Bound Event Card: SAR - Save card, will adjust next SAR roll by 4. Mission Complete Cash (Cool 0) 4 Stress Points +3 -0 = 7 "Shaken" Jazz (Cool 1) 2 Stress Points +3 -1 = 4 "Okay" Pepper (Cool 1) 1 Stress Point +3 -1 = 3 "Okay" Python (Cool 1) 1 Stress Points +3 -1= 3 "Okay" This scenario demonstrated well the long legs and superior payload of the A-6 Intruders, the exceptional pre-strike AIM-54, as well as the defensive EW and SAM suppression performance of the EA-6B. Quote
TonyE Posted June 2, 2008 Report Posted June 2, 2008 Hi Pete, go F-14! The lack of Sparrows in the F-14 loadout surprised me a bit. Does that limitation arise from the platform data, range requirements, bad fuses ? I miss those golden olden days of Intruders and Tomcats... Quote
pmaidhof Posted June 2, 2008 Author Report Posted June 2, 2008 Hi Pete, go F-14! The lack of Sparrows in the F-14 loadout surprised me a bit. Does that limitation arise from the platform data, range requirements, bad fuses <g>? I miss those golden olden days of Intruders and Tomcats... Anytime Baby...I In this case it was range/load restrictions and a desire to try out the AIM-54. Also, thus far in the game, when it comes down to tough load choices, I go with Sidewinders. Despite the range benefit of the Sparrow over the Sidewinder, my die rolling for Sparrows has been mind-numbing to say the least. That, and the fact that I have not come up with too many bandits that have the ability to effectively strike me from Sparrow's range. In those rare cases, I try and evade the attack, and then get 'em with a Sidewinder the next chance I have. As an example each AAM has a D10 "to hit" number, which can be modified by specific pilot attributes and bandit characteristics. The Sidewinder can attack bandits in the same and adjacent "area", and its "to hit" is 6. The Sparrow can attack same area, and two areas away. Its base "to hit" is 8. I do not think that I have a sparrow kill yet. I'm sure that it's me, not the missile. More to follow. Quote
pmaidhof Posted June 5, 2008 Author Report Posted June 5, 2008 Mission Day 2, North Atlantic 1986. Randomly drawn target, Target 12, is a Soviet naval force carrying an invasion force in the relatively narrow waters directly north of Denmark. The target will cause 3 Stress Points upon mission completion, and will cost -4 Weight Points due to distance and addition fuel requirements. Six aircraft are detailed to this mission. Sites: North/SA-2 South/37mm East/37mm West/SA-N-9 (SA-15) Target/SA-N-9 (SA-15) Wraith (Fast Average F-18C) 2x AIM-9, 1x AGM-65 Joker (Slow Average F-18C) 2x AIM-9, 1x AGM-65 Nova (Fast Veteran A-6E) 1x AGM-45, 1x AGM-65, 1x Mk82 Crabby (Slow Newbie A-6E) 1x AGM-45, 1x Mk83, 1x Mk82 Hot Rod (Fast Veteran F-14D) 2x AIM-54, 1x AIM-7, 1x AIM-9 Echo (Slow Newbie F-14D) 2x AIM-54, 1x AIM-7, 1x AIM-9 Target Bound Event Card – Support: Cruise Missile strike inflicts 2 hits on target. Nova, Crabby, and Hot Rod, High, West Pre-Approach. Wraith, Joker, and Echo, High, Southwest Pre Approach. Site Adjustment Event Card – Wear & Tear: Add 1 site counter to the East and West Pre Approach Areas. West Pre Approach: SA-11 (SA-N-7). East Pre-Approach: SA-N-9 (SA-15). Bandits: North/ No Bandit South/ MiG-23 East/ MiG-23 West/ No Bandit Target Area/ 2x No Bandit AIM-54 Pre Strike: Echo launches one AIM-54 at each MiG-23. 1,2 Both miss. Hot Rod launches his two AIM-54’s. +1, 4,4 both miss. Turn 1 Fast: Wraith AIM-9 at adjacent MiG-23, 1 Miss. Hot Rod AIM-7 +1 at MiG-23, 4 Miss. Nova Mk82 +2 on SA-11 (SA-N-7) in West Pre-Approach. 9 +2 = 2 hits. Sites & Bandits MiG-23 in South Approach randomly selects F-14D Echo. Echo evades, +1 Stress. 2, 10 = miss. SA-15 (SA-N-9) in West Approach attacks Hot Rod, Nova attempts suppression with an AGM-45 +2. 5+2=7 Hit = Suppression. Slow: Joker fires AGM-65 at SA-15, destroying the site. Echo fires AIM-9 at MiG-23, downing the MiG-23. All strikers enter Western Approach Area. Intruders go down on the deck. Eastern MiG-23 moves into the target area. Turn 2 Fast: Hot Rod fires an AIM-9 +1 at Mig-23 +1, destroying the MiG. Nova launches an AGM-65 +2 at the SA-15 (SA-N-9) +1 site in the target area, destroying the site. Wraith launches AGM-65 -1 at target area inflicting 1 hit. Sites & Bandits. SA-2 fires at evading Joker +1 Stress. 1,5 miss. Slow: Crabby launches AGM-45 -1 at SA-2 +1 miss. Strike moves over the target area. Turn 3. Fast: None. Sites & Bandits: SA-2 targets an evading Echo +1 Stress. 3, 6 miss. Slow: Crabby -1 attacks target with one stick of each Mk82 (1 Hit) and Mk83 (2 Hits). Target destroyed. Strike departs target area to the southwest. Homebound Event Card – F-14 Tomcats: F-14 escort of strikers home. Reduce 1 Stress point per pilot flying this mission. Mission complete. AIM-54 Pre-Strikes was totally unsuccessful today, but c'est la guerre. Weight Point reduction caused a serious shortfall of AtG munitions, but solid rolls with the dumb bombs saved the day. The squadron now stands, after two successful missions: A-6E Nova +3 Stress A-6E Pepper +1 Stress A-6E Python +1 Stress A-6E Crabby +3 Stress: Shaken F-18C Joker +1 Stress F-18C Wraith +3 Stress F-14D Echo +4 Stress: Shaken F-14D Cash +6 Stress: UnFit F-14D Feather +1 Stress F-14D Hot Rod +2 Stress EA-6B Jazz +2 Stress E-2C Thunder Good to Go Quote
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