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#1653235 - 09/10/06 07:55 PM WOE AAR (lots of pics!)...  
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Rampstrike Offline
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Raleigh, NC, USA
Greetings all!

Haven’t seen many WOE AAR’s around here yet, so I figured I’d chime in with one just for the heck of it. I don’t even know if anyone reads these any more, but I enjoy making them from time to time, so here goes…

And just in case anyone cares, I run WOE on my laptop, an HP Pavillion zd8000 with 756 RAM and a 128MB Radeon X600 graphics chip. I use the Saitek X52 HOTAS setup (with the pinkie switch used to toggle the “Pause” key!). I run the sim at 1440x900x32 bit resolution. The in-game settings are all set to “Hard” with the exception of the following: Enemy AI and Campaign Difficulty set to “Normal.” Like I said, in case anyone cares.

Anyway, the report:

The mission for the day (September 18, 1979) is to fly a CAP over the FEBA in support of NATO forces engaged in a fierce armor battle. We are expecting a LOT of hostile aircraft in our area, so we load up our F-15A Eagles with the full bag of 4 AIM-7M Sparrows and 4 AIM-9L Sidewinder AAMs. We’re also bringing along a single centerline tank each, in case we need to use a lot of AB.

Here Iam, leading DENVER flight, a four-ship of Eagles from the 525th TFS, the “Bulldogs,” based out of Bitburg AB in West Germany. Lined up and ready to depart…


One thing about these new air superiority birds… when you light the burners, you get a real kick in the pants! In just a few hundred feet I’m rotating…


…and by the time I reach the opposite runway threshold, I’m already climbing through 4,000 ft. and accelerating through 340 kts. It’s big, it’s fast, it’s powerful, and no one can deny that the Eagle sure is pretty.


A look back over my left shoulder shows the Bitburg runway quickly getting smaller.


And a little roll to the right reveals the close proximity of Spangdahlem (sp?) AB to Bitburg. Great idea someone had, putting two different airbase runways along the same heading within a couple of miles of each other. I’m sure THAT will never cause any confusion…


Turning towards the first waypoint and climbing through Angels 15, I briefly admire the sprawling German landscape.


Rolling level more or less on the correct radial, I level off (sort of) and check my instruments.


Climbing gently through Angels 20 and it looks nice and peaceful up here. Lots of Red warplanes up ahead to ruin that impression, though…


"You cheated! I'd have killed you in a fair fight!"

"Not much incentive for me to fight fair then, is it..."
Inline advert (2nd and 3rd post)

#1653236 - 09/10/06 07:56 PM Re: WOE AAR (lots of pics!)...  
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Rampstrike Offline
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Raleigh, NC, USA
I turn on the radar and set it to Track-While-Scan (TWS) mode. I quickly pick up a contact 35 miles ahead. AWACS tells me it’s a friendly, one of an RAF Phantom CAP that’s in the area…


I begin a steady turn to the right, circling while I wait for the rest of my flight to join up. I take a moment to check in with the other NATO flights heading towards our operating area…


First up is SNOOPY 11, a single F-4E operating as FAC for a pair of A-10’s in the CAS role.


And next is DAGGER flight, a pair of British Phantoms helping us to CAP the area. It was the lead of this flight that I was tracking just a few minutes ago.


Following them is PYTHON flight, the pair of A-10A Thunderbolt II’s that will be working with SNOOPY to take out some of the Soviet armor up at the FEBA.


…and finally, the rest of DENVER flight. Section Two joins up on my right hand side…

…while my number two slides up on my left. All joined up, we turn back towards the target area and begin our patrol.


After a relatively short and uneventful trip to the FEBA, we arrive on station and almost immediately get bandit calls from Red Crown. I quickly lock up a contact about 16 miles out, heading away from us. Red Crown confirms it as hostile, so I arm my Sparrows and begin the pursuit, cutting my Section Two loose to go after the bandits as well.


"You cheated! I'd have killed you in a fair fight!"

"Not much incentive for me to fight fair then, is it..."
#1653237 - 09/10/06 07:56 PM Re: WOE AAR (lots of pics!)...  
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Rampstrike Offline
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I notice that the bandit is maintaining his high speed flight away from us, so I push things up and light the burners, hoping to close the distance for a high PK shot…


We close the gap, and I get the bandit just inside of 10 miles. I’m considering taking the shot, at least hoping that he’ll notice and turn back into us or something. However, before I can take the shot, AWACS calls out a new group of bandits at our four o’clock, nine miles out and closing!


Leaving DENVER 13 and 14 to chase the first bandit, my number two and I turn hard to the right to bring our noses around onto the second group, and the G-strain starts to darken my vision a bit.


I switch to ACM mode and the radar almost instantly locks up the first bandit at 5 miles. I call FOX 1 and watch as the Sparrow arcs towards my target.


My wingman calls FOX 1 right before my first shot makes contact with the lead bandit.


Number Two’s missile finds it’s mark as well, and as we blow through the merge, we get a VID of two burning MiG-27’s, and two more still laden with bombs heading into the FEBA.


We quickly roll in behind the remaining to Floggers and lock up the next in line. As I do, my RWR starts going nuts. I’m getting spiked from somewhere in my rear quadrant, so I flip on the ECM gear and start punching out chaff, but since my number two isn’t calling any bandits on my six, I decide to press my attack. Another FOX 1 call by me results in another MiG-27 erupting in flames.


"You cheated! I'd have killed you in a fair fight!"

"Not much incentive for me to fight fair then, is it..."
#1653238 - 09/10/06 07:57 PM Re: WOE AAR (lots of pics!)...  
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Raleigh, NC, USA
I immediately lock up the last Flogger and select Sidewinders, since I’m well inside of two miles. I get a good tone…

…and pull the trigger. FOX 2! My ‘Winder is away!

BOOM! Splash three!

…and the last MiG-27 of that flight begins his final earthward spiral in flames.


I watch as the last Flogger goes all the way down. I don’t quite get to see the impact, because my number two makes a frantic bandit call!


I look up just in time to see the distinct silhouette of another Flogger flashing by above me, only this one isn’t laden with A-G ordinance… this is a MiG-23, and he’s got AAM’s slung under his wings!


Using the vertical, I pull up and over and manage to get my nose on him. Still in ACM mode, my radar locks him up. I prepare to take what I assume will be an easy shot…

…only, the bandit has turned back into me! We pass pretty close at a high aspect angle, so I don’t have much of a shot after all.


"You cheated! I'd have killed you in a fair fight!"

"Not much incentive for me to fight fair then, is it..."
#1653239 - 09/10/06 07:58 PM Re: WOE AAR (lots of pics!)...  
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Rampstrike Offline
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Well, it turns out he wasn’t after me after all. He is trying to track my number two, so I roll out behind him and take my Sidewinder shot.

I see the missile explode close to the bandit, but I can’t tell if it did any damage, since I see no debris or smoke.


I fire another AIM-9L as the Flogger starts turning back to engage me (I at least got his attention!)…


THIS one connects. Splash four!


My kill departs controlled flight.


Not much time to enjoy it, though. Another Flogger flashes across my nose, assumedly the wingman of the ’23 I just splashed.


As I begin to maneuver with this bandit, I order my number two to engage. Hopefully with the air a bit emptier, he can get some more experience from this. He’s a pretty green Second Lieutenant. I look up coming out of one turn to happily see number two hot in the Flogger’s six…


I watch for a few moments, but my wingman is never able to get the angle and doesn’t take the shot. Slightly frustrated, I call him off and lock the bandit up myself. I’ve gained a little separation, so I opt to take a Sidewinder shot.


"You cheated! I'd have killed you in a fair fight!"

"Not much incentive for me to fight fair then, is it..."
#1653240 - 09/10/06 07:59 PM Re: WOE AAR (lots of pics!)...  
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Rampstrike Offline
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My shot tracks…

…and hits!


My fifth kill of the day spirals earthward in flames. I’m an Ace in a day!

Down now to just two Sparrows and my gun, my wingman calls out another bandit on my six. I quickly turn into him, and we begin a rolling scissors fight. We’re in close, so I’ve got my gun armed. At one point I get what looks to be a nice shot lined up, but our relative motion is pretty different, so it’s just a snapshot and I miss.


I keep rolling in the vertical to try and gain an advantage, and I notice that the Flogger is gradually bleeding off airspeed. I am too, but not as much, and at one point I come rolling in on him inverted and danger-close. It could have been a great shot setup, but as I’m pulling down into him, he’s pulling up into me, and I’m rapidly overtaking him…


CRUNCH!!! I realize too late that I’m too close. There is a violent noise and thump, and suddenly my airplane is a lot lighter!


As my nose arcs over and my plane begins a violent accelerating spiral, I try to see if anything can be done to recover the aircraft.


"You cheated! I'd have killed you in a fair fight!"

"Not much incentive for me to fight fair then, is it..."
#1653241 - 09/10/06 08:00 PM Re: WOE AAR (lots of pics!)...  
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Rampstrike Offline
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Straining against the G’s, I take one last look back over my shoulder to assess the damage. Yep. No wing there. The Eagle is an impressive plane, but flying without one whole wing is asking a bit too much of her (even that Israeli pilot had PART of his wing still attached \:D )…


It’s time to hit the silk. I’ve stayed with her way longer than I should. My Eagle isn’t quite so pretty now.


I survive the ejection, but I was unfortunately on the wrong side of the FEBA. Oh well… hopefully I can write my folks from my new home in a Siberian POW camp.

That was the first and last mission of this pilot’s career. I was credited with 6 kills (5 by missiles, one by fuselage). My number three was also shot down, and the mission was a failure. We obviously bagged the wrong flight(s) of bad guys. Doesn’t matter I guess, since the war went full nuclear after my disappearance.

It was fun nonetheless, and I will certainly be starting over with a new pilot in a new Eagle. I just love this sim!

Hope someone enjoys…

Cheers,
Rampstrike


"You cheated! I'd have killed you in a fair fight!"

"Not much incentive for me to fight fair then, is it..."
#1653242 - 09/10/06 09:36 PM Re: WOE AAR (lots of pics!)...  
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Very nice. Thanks.


John 10:1-30
Romans 10:1-13

#1653243 - 09/10/06 10:06 PM Re: WOE AAR (lots of pics!)...  
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Spokane, WA, USofA!
Excellent!

I know how much time and effort goes into posting up an
after action report with all those fine shots.

Thanks for taking us on the ride with ya!


-=Spectre=-
#1653244 - 09/10/06 10:33 PM Re: WOE AAR (lots of pics!)...  
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nice!

is it possible to fly this type of mission in woe with another person online? i am hoping i can fly some good missions with one other person.


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#1653245 - 09/11/06 12:04 AM Re: WOE AAR (lots of pics!)...  
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Great AAR!

Thanks very much!

Think I'm going to go and fire up a campaign of my own now - inspirational!

#1653246 - 09/11/06 01:38 AM Re: WOE AAR (lots of pics!)...  
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MarkG Offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by Rampstrike:
Straining against the G’s, I take one last look back over my shoulder to assess the damage. Yep. No wing there.
I first thought, "No no, don't give up yet! I saw this on TV, you might be able to..."

Quote:
The Eagle is an impressive plane, but flying without one whole wing is asking a bit too much of her (even that Israeli pilot had PART of his wing still attached \:D )
...then I thought, "Ah, never mind".

That was fantastic!
--


Mark



The rusty wire that holds the cork that keeps the anger in
Gives way and suddenly it’s day again
The sun is in the east
Even though the day is done
Two suns in the sunset, hmph
Could be the human race is run
#1653247 - 09/11/06 02:07 AM Re: WOE AAR (lots of pics!)...  
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Rampstrike Offline
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Raleigh, NC, USA
I'm glad you guys are digging it. These things are fun to do, but a lot of work. And I find that I don't do quite as well when I do an AAR mission, because I'm thinking a little too much about when to pause to get a good screenshot instead of focusing on accomplishing the mission and staying alive (as was the case with the end of this mission).

PepperG... Yes, you can fly co-op missions in WOE, but not quite like this one. For one, you always start in the air (as opposed to getting to take off and fly an ingress), and there's usually not much else going on except for the planes involved in your flight. For example, you can add a second flight that will support yours, but it's not like in this mission where the F-4's and A-10's were in the area but doing their own missions completely independent of me. And there were a LOT of MiGs in this mission.. not just the ones my flight engaged. You just don't get that in the MP side of this sim. I must say though that the SP is really loads of fun!


"You cheated! I'd have killed you in a fair fight!"

"Not much incentive for me to fight fair then, is it..."
#1653248 - 09/11/06 12:11 PM Re: WOE AAR (lots of pics!)...  
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Excellent, I loved that. A lot of work you put in there.


What search button?
#1653249 - 09/11/06 12:48 PM Re: WOE AAR (lots of pics!)...  
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DawgMan Offline
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Nice report. Thanks for sharing.

DawgMan Out!


Gear: Asus P4P800 3.2ghz, 1gb ram, SB Audigy 2 ZS, ATI 9800 pro, Cougar #04607 and TM Elite Rudders
#1653250 - 09/11/06 03:27 PM Re: WOE AAR (lots of pics!)...  
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eonel Offline
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Fantastic stuff. Thanks.

Has reminded me I'm still awaiting Wings over Europe to be available in Europe.

#1653251 - 09/11/06 06:30 PM Re: WOE AAR (lots of pics!)...  
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Ian Boys Offline
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See, we do read these \:\)

#1653252 - 09/11/06 08:30 PM Re: WOE AAR (lots of pics!)...  
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Stiglr Offline
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applause!

Well done!

#1653253 - 09/11/06 08:52 PM Re: WOE AAR (lots of pics!)...  
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Bravo. Damned good scrap, old boy! I admire the way you were able to get great screenies while scribbling the banditos.

#1653254 - 09/12/06 05:36 AM Re: WOE AAR (lots of pics!)...  
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I've been thinking about whether or not to get this sim. I think I just made up my mind! Cool show!


Not by accident does Genesis 3 make the father of knowledge a serpent - H.L. Mencken
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