Greetings Vipers,

I just bought F4AF (I know, I'm lame). Now, just passed about 35 minutes of campaign operation Under Siege in veteran difficulty with 4 enemy airfields that home 2 Mig-29 and 2 Mig-21 squadrons, destroyed. I need suggestions as how to proceed. My situation is herebelow.

ATO generated OCA strikes to airfields but their TOTs are quite late around hour 9 minute something (campaign started at hour 7). I was sure that the 2 Mig-29 squadrons homed at the 2 airfields near to the south shore will be airborne already by that time, flying sweeps/CAPs (2 F-16 squadrons are located south near to that shore). So, I created OCA strike missions (2-ship and 4-ship, depends on the distance to the target) to the nearest 8 airfields that home Mig-29, -21, and ground attack squadrons, on the 2 F-16 squadrons nearest to the FLOT, taking off very early. Their take-offs started from hour 7 minute 4, so that I could expect no Mig-29s airborne by the ingress time. Airborne Mig-21s, if not too many, are okay. I ignored the farthest 3 airfields far north that home Mig-29 and -21 squadrons (would be airborne in numbers for sure by the time any F-16 got there). In the process, to make more airframes available, I deleted ATO-generated non-A type missions on all squadrons and relocated A-type BAI and HAVCAP from the squadron nearest to the FLOT, to farther squadrons. The ATO-generated late TOTs OCA strikes remained.

Instead of picking a mission and starting from the take-off ending with the landing, I flew the missions one by one starting in in-flight conditions. I jumped in to the first flight as it approach ingress. Took the turn to approach runway at 15 miles 400 knots 22k feet, launched HARMs on SAM radar, beamed incoming ground missiles, got back on track and descended for durandals deliveries* at 500 knots 500 feet, then headed to the next steerpoint. Jumped out the flight and jumped in to the next flight as it approach ingress. Repeated the procedure. Earlier in the planning screen, I adjusted the flight plans TOTs so that I could do so (jumped in near ingress after jumped out the previous flight).

Done that 4 times with 4 airfields destroyed. By now, I'm sure that I can do the rest of 4 airfields the same by hour 8.

But then, what's next? My objective is to finish this campaign as soon as possible (1 day possible?). And then, if the time permits**, jump in to Korean campaign operation Iron Fortress.

1) The flown missions revealed enemy tank units nearby Allied Force ground troops concentration on the southern part of the area. I'm thinking of creating CAS missions to destroy the tanks. Do I need FAC missions (A-10?) created first or I can just put F-16 with mavericks there?

2) ATO has OCA strikes to the farthest north 3 airfields I mentioned above (take off hour 8 minute someting, TOT at hour 9 minute something), involving 4-ship SEAD strike, 4-ship durandals delivery (involving F-16s), and 4-ship escort, for each package. But I think it's suicidal against airborne Mig-29s and -21s in the north (I saw too many of them on the map right now). I'm thinking of deleting them and letting the Migs alone in the far north, and concentrating on the CAS missions on the south. If the strikes to ground attack squadrons airfields are successfull by hour 8, the Migs won't have any ground attack jets to escort anyway. Anyone has any thought on this situation?

3) Should I allocate some airframes for air superiority to cover the CAS missions? How? Flying sweeps/CAPs? How long in a day, 24-hour?

Thanking you in advance for any suggestion.

Regards,
Abu Faris

*With Q6600, 4GB RAM, GTS 450, at 1280x800 by Aeyes cockpit, I got less than 25 fps near the airfields. Is this normal? This is a five-year old sim (even older graphic engine), by the way. Geez..

**Time is never on my side as a working-for-a-living simmer with a wife and a son. But I have nothing to complain.

Must confess I haven't read all but I just wonder what's your point of question.
You seem to be doing fine running your own Falcon war game.
My record of Falcon war (don't remember what campaign it was though) was 30 hrs or something. Once was enough as it wasn't the ultimate reason I launch Falcon in the wee of the night anyway.

I don't do that anymore. I fly ATO generated BARCAP to full 30 minutes but I must admit it's boring looking down the same repetitive geometric terrain details over and over again. My last saved campaign (I don't recall when it was) was on day 6, still some days to go.

Under Siege can be finished in less than 24 hours of Falcon time. The objectives for blue are very close to the starting FLOT, the main obstacle is the sheer weight of Red ground strength. Once you can get blue moving forward the objectives can be captured quickly, but the key is to eradicate the red stuff standing in their way. Blue is not likely to move forward in a ground vs ground slugfest. So you need to use you airpower to swing the initiative. I suggest fragging as many CAS and interdiction type missions all along the front line to create some space for blue ground units to move into.

Sending a 4-ship of A-10s armed with Mavs and cluster bombs on interdictions along the roads is a sure way to rack up red ground kills.

It's also extremely beneficial to frag CAP missions along the front to protect the blue grunts as best as you can.

@Bono,
My question was, summarized, how to proceed in Under Siege with enemy ground attack squadrons airfields destroyed. Go along with ATO plan to destroy fighter squadrons airfields, or create CAS missions. But DBond has given me a reasonable suggestion. I'll try that.

I'm with you about 30 minutes BARCAP doing mostly sightseeing. I leave BARCAP to the AI. In contrast, sweeps/CAPs nearby Mig-29 squadrons airfields are intimidating to me. I leave that to AI too. I guess I'm not good yet in BVR tactics. My favourites are runway bombing and tank busting.

@DBond,
Thanks for the input. I think it is a sound strategy. Quite what I was thinking. I'll implement that.

It is minute 43 in my campaign. I've fragged some CASs with F-16s. I'll add some interdictions with A-10s and CAPs with F-16s for protection.

It is nice to know that this operation can be finished in 24 hours. I'll take this operation as a learning process as how to run a campaign and how it counteracts my actions. Then, move on to Korean campaign operation Iron Fortress with more realism in mind (taking off and landing by myself). Then, play DiRT 2 and Tomb Raider Underworld (quite boring) while waiting for Falcon 5 or whatever Lead Pursuit is working on at the moment.

To finish it that quickly you will need to play ground commander and get the blue grunts moving toward their objectives once the path is sufficiently cleared. If the computer is left to handle all of the ground units I think it will be unlikely they will have captured the objectives in under 24 hours.