So I had the opportunity to get a sneak peek at some of Wrecking Crew's work on a MP mission he has been working on (Vulcans vs. Sharks).. This AAR is from before multiple tweaks of the mission, so the final mission will likely vary significantly...Red and Blue have opposing objectives (obviously). This was meant to be flown as a MP mission, so my flying it as a SP resulted in significant gameplay disadvantages (that's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it!)... Blue is trying to take Beslan and Red is trying to take Nalchik..
Heading out..
Meanwhile this Mi-8 is off doing some sort of troop insertion. Give em' hell!
The SHTF near Elhotovo where the forces come together. Fortunately for me, as a single-player, there was a lone AI Ka-50 going out in front of me that did a good bit of the initial heavy lifting..
He really did a great job of working over the enemy positions, actually running some of the AA units out of missiles!
Then he went offensive!
Interesting to see a unit without any missiles - is there a reload time modeled? (I assume there is..)
Once he starts laying into the entrenched forces, it isn't long before reinforcements start rolling in from the west...
As they emerge from the treeline the carnage ensues. (Vote for collidable trees that would make this situation even more realistic..requiring waiting for armor to emerge from trees for missile shots!)
I sit in an overwatch position and let the AI Ka-50 work over the advancing units. I watch in fascination through my Shkval as he runs out of missiles and then, the inevitable as he closes to short range to work with his cannon and he gets lit up...
To my surprise, he loses a wing and looks like he is going to crash or land..but he manages to stagger all the way back to base! Nice job comrade!
With the AI having taken out the fixed emplacement, it allows me the freedom to use my 16 Vikhrs against the advancing units. It looks like a Fulda Gap situation...
I fire, lock, fire, lock, fire... I'm well out of range of the Vulcans, and as far as I know, they can't fire on the move anyway (this has been changed in the new iteration of the mission, with Vulcans advancing in waves providing overwatch I think..)..
I eventually run dry on Vikhrs and have to move on to my cannon..necessitating getting in a bit closer...
The Ka-50 cockpit is beautiful! (Ricardo's HD pit updated for World by Devrim)..
The close quarters work has predictable results with me getting laced by a tank and knocking out my hydraulics. My emergency gear extension doesn't work (nor autopilot or trimmer), so I have to ease her down gently at my FARP..
The repair goes well, although I'm positioned on the edge of the FARP. When I restart my engines I'm fortunately able to lift off with no problems...
With a replenished loadout, I head back to the scene of the battle...
The sun is dipping low on the horizon though..darkness is not far away..
Just ten or so klicks from my base I'm stunned to see the remnants of the Vulcan wave advancing toward my base! Holy crap! I get to work...
I use up all my Vikhrs (some miss in my haste) and go back to the thunk, thunk, thunk of the cannon...
The close in knife fight using the cannon is so much fun..dangerous low level flying...
After five minutes it's all over and the advancing forces are smoking carcasses scattered across the plains...
I return back to the FARP, but there are no more weapons to be had for some reason (supply issue)? So I head a few hundred meters over to Beslan airbase and land on their ramp where they are happy to oblige my rearm request...
By now I'm over two hours into the mission and light is fading fast. I ask the ground crew to outfit me for NVGs...
Unfortunately I haven't applied
Thomas' circular NVG mod yet, and I'm useless fighting at night..
With no save game available (make it happen ED!!) and several hours in, I just head direct for Nalchik where I get shot down right away. A MP environment would have resulted in bigger gains faster, but this was a lot of fun for a first blush look at the mission..
Nice job Wrecking Crew on continuing to supply the MP community with fun and challenging missions..
Apologies for typos - written
very fast..
BeachAV8R