After a few days delay while I had to deal some Real Work © I was once again able to fire up FC2 and continue with the A-10 campaign. Our next mission is to push further east and gain total control of the valley. The target for today are a two pairs of Smerch batteries that are firing on our troops in the central valley.
This is one of the best intelligence photos I've seen so far in the campaign because it gives you a very clear look at the layout of the target locations. Basically the units should be located near the two waypoints (#4 and #5) on high ground bordering the east end of the valley.
The flight plan is straightforward, fly out to the east, turn north, and make the target runs.
As I take off and climb to a higher altitude than normal, I see that an SA-11 site is on air, but is actually one placed further to northeast. Coincidentally, both SA-11 sites that I had silenced on the last mission are no longer in the theater (purely coincidence I'm told).
As I head up toward waypoint #3 I can see the fire from the Smerch rocket launcher vehicles impacting friendly artillery in the middle of the valley.
Meanwhile, new mudspikes come up on the threat warning receiver. An "S6" and "15" symbol appear off my front left quarter, in the area where my targets are of course. I see a missile arcing up over the battlefield, but my threat receiver is not giving me a missile launch warning, only a tracking.
Aha! Now that's what I'm talking about!! A pair of F-16s is working hard to sanitize my target area of air defense threats. Coming in low up the valley they fire of HARMs at the highest threat targets.
More missiles arc up at the F-16 flight, and we apparently wander a bit too close to the action since a few get lobbed our way.
I break back to the south a bit further, dumping flares, and when I go to the external view later I'm surprised to see that I actually took some damage as I see holes in the left engine cowling and most of my left rudder is shredded. There was no indication in the cockpit however and the aircraft is flying just fine.
My wingman doesn't fare as well though, and he takes multiple missile hits before he can join me further south.
With a few of the air defense vehicles destroyed, or otherwise focusing on the F-16s, I quickly use my navigation mode to take a peek at my distance and bearing from the target waypoint. Once I see that data, I switch to my Maverick and simply slew it downward to match the last distance and for the first time ever the target shows up perfectly within just a few seconds of looking for it! Woot!
The first two Smerch vehicles are the ones at waypoint #5 on the north side of the valley. With the early and easy acquisition, I fire both Mavericks within seconds from almost 9 miles away, the farthest I've probably shot a Maverick in the sim. I'm not sure what the maximum range of Maverick is, but these two make it easily to the target after a long flight.
Maintaining my distance to the south to avoid any surviving air defense units, I know I'll have to extend out slightly further to the east and slightly north to get a look at the targets at the southern waypoint. Since they are defilade on the north facing slope of the mountain, I can't get a good look at them from the south. The circled units are the first (destroyed) targets, the arrow points to the approximate location of the second site.
Well to the east I turn back toward the valley. This view clearly shows the terrain with that "Thunderbolt Ridge" running down the right side of the valley.
I use the same technique of using my navigation DME to the target waypoint to get my Maverick seeker on the area and I can just make out the Smerch units through the trees on the ridgeline.
Rifle!
As my second Maverick drives on toward its target the first Maverick explodes the other Smerch.
With a "Mission Accomplished" radio message I head back to base, this time taking a route to north along the now clear plains where the SA-11 sites used to be. Even though I've got plenty of ordnance onboard and there are other targets of opportunity in the valley, I've learned my lesson about pressing my luck and am happy to have the mission finished.
Back at base I survey the damage. A look at the post-flight action report shows that I was tagged by an SA-13 "Gopher" close in missile.
The AAR also shows my Maverick shots. Both attack runs I was able to ripple my Mavericks just 5 to 6 seconds apart (I'm getting better!).
And my wingman fell victim to the same SA-13. I hope the F-16s managed to take some vengeance on that unit!
This mission was great. For once I didn't have to spend 30 minutes trying to find a well camouflaged target and the combination of good intel imagery and an effective technique of using the "NAV and MAV" to find the targets worked well.
BeachAV8R
