Having finally won my very first campaign (BMS 4.32.7 - Rolling Fire) since playing Falcon 4.0 since 1998, I tried Balkans 3.0 with update. Unfortunately as soon as I clicked "RECON" in the campaign UI, Falcon would crash to desktop. Hmm okay, then let's wait with Balkans until I'm on BMS 4.33.3/4.34.1. I tried ITO 0.991 which works all fine but sand just isn't really my thing.

So back to Korea then and this time I wanted to fly Iron Fortress. However, as DBond stated already, BMS Iron Fortress is not the Iron Fortress we all know.
Thankfully the original Korea Theaters/Campaigns are still included.

But looking at the classic Iron Fortress I noticed a few things I had to correct. Mind you, I don't want to "dumb down" the experience at all but I do want these "war games to be as realistic as possible. So I had to make a few changes using Mission Commander:

- I changed all DPRK SU-27 squadrons to a mix of MiG-29A and MiG-23ML squadrons. North Korea does not have any Flankers of any kind so that had to be changed.

- I boosted the DPRK by changing the majority of their MiG-19 squadrons to a mixture of MiG-21MF, MiG-23ML and MiG-29A squadrons. Within the DPRK the MiG-17 is used for training purposes only and the MiG-19s are no longer in front line service so I still had them have a two or three "reserve" squadrons far away from the FLOT but I increased the number of more relevant type. At the start of my Iron Fortress (Classic) campaign, the MiG-29A and MiG-23ML are the most numerous front line squadrons, supported by additional MIG-21 squadrons.

- I added the 44th and 67th Fighter Squadrons (F-15C) at Kadena where they are part of the 18th Wing in real-life anyway.

- I removed the F-111F squadron as the F-111E/F has been firmly retired from USAF and RAAF service.

- I changed the F-14D squadron into a F/A-18F squadron.

- I changed the F/A-18C squadron into a F/A-18E squadron.

- I added the ROKAF 255th Special Operations Squadron (C-130H) to Pusan Air Base to boost Allied logistics capabilities.

- I moved the US Army Patriot and ROK HAWK units to focus protection purely on our front line airbases as keeping these open is priority #1.

..... and we're off! smile I've had some interesting times killing the immediate SA-10 threats and being now at mid-day, we seem to have halted the wave of enemy aircraft. So I find myself flying a lot of BARCAP, TARCAP and Escort missions to provide coverage for the A-10s and ROKAF F-4Es, F-5Es and F-16Cs to hit the enemy ground forces at the FLOT, carrying additional AGM-88s in case some North Korean SA-2, SA-10 or SA-17 operator dares to flick on their (repaired/replaced) radar.