The enclosed file Operation Hard Way is a Flying Nightmares game already in progress, just launch the programme and then use the Load Game option to select Operation Hard Way. A back up copy should be made first.
Important Note: due to a technical fault the TAWADS system aboard the Tarawa is continuously signalling a mission abort signal from the President, ignore this. You will notice that the telephone hotline to the right of the operational telephone is flashing its red light, do not answer it otherwise the game will be terminated by the spurious Presidential command.
Operation Hard Way starts with a furious combined sea, air and land assault on the air base at Viqueque/U and from the first moments of your first mission you will be pitched into a frantic battle so it is advisable that you read these notes fully before your first mission.
Briefing
As the Task Force approached the coast of Timor and prepared to launch the Sabre battle plan it encountered unexpected dense sea fog cloaking the whole of the southern coast and all the intended landing sites. Battle plan Sabre was cancelled and while the fog bank persisted the Task Force was forced to wait, out at sea, for 10 days. During the delay the Indonesians were able to substantially reinforce their garrison on Timor using C-130 Hercules flights into the northern coastal airbases which were free of fog. Alarmed by this enemy build up the Task Force Commander took the first opportunity offered by a partial lifting of the fog to launch an improvised Battle Plan code named Hardway. The fog lifted from the eastern of the island but still lingered around the western beachheads. The quickly improvised Hardway plan targeted the first landings and air assault on the formidable central airbase at Viqueque/U. Once this airbase is captured the Task Force will swing east along the coast landing troops at all the fog free beachheads. By the time the task Force has reached the eastern end of the island the fog will have cleared from the western beachheads allowing the Task Force to swing around to land troops at all the western beachheads.
The structure of the battle plan is simple: the Task Force arrives in East Timor just off the coast opposite the enemy air field of Viqueque/U which is about the mid-point of the island's south coast, and has one hour to engage, destroy and occupy the enemy positions at the airbase and nearby fuel dump. The task Force then proceeds east along the coast making a rapid series of troop landings, the Task Force only pauses for twenty minutes at each beachhead to make the troop landings so you have to fly continuous Harrier missions to clear the enemy positions in front of your advancing troops. You will also have to watch your back because enemy reinforcements which were landed at Dili and other major airfields on the North coast during the 10 day delay caused by the fog will push south aggressively against your static front line in the centre of the island. In particular the enemy is likely to counterattack with a major offensive from the direction of Quelica on the northern coast.
Having conquered and occupied the eastern end of the island the Task Force, after pausing during the first night, swings around and makes another series of rapid troop landings at the western end of Timor to complete the campaign.
When you load Operation Hard Way you will be offered the first Harrier mission against the enemy airfield at Viqueque/U. As you launch from the Tarawa you will be only a couple of kilometres away from your target which will be clearly visible in front of the carrier. Be warned that you will take off straight into the range of four SAM launchers and by the time you arrive over the airfield you will be in range of two more . As soon as you launch enemy fighters will start to scramble from Viqueque/U air base. Immediately you have taken off for this first Harrier mission a sustained assault by Cobra attack helicopters will be launched on Viqueque/U air base and on the fuel dump and enemy base at Viqueque itself. You must expect to lose one or more Harrier's during the initial assault on Viqueque.
This first Harrier mission is the only Harrier mission programmed in the whole battle plan. You must choose Combat Patrol in the Briefing Room to fly further missions and use your own initiative to select targets and manage the navigation to target. Use the Plan window to monitor allied (blue) and enemy (red) positions and movements, use your judgement to decide which is the most important target for a Harrier strike at any particular moment. Please note that the TAWADS system aboard the Tarawa will occasionally offer you pre-selected missions, you must decide whether any such mission meets the priority of the moment, if you decide it does not then select your own target for the mission.
It is advisable, given the frantic pace of Task Force deployments and troop landings, that you fly continuous Harrier missions: if you are shot down or run out of ammo you should switch back to the Tarawa so that you can launch a new Combat Patrol immediately.
An added reason for urgency during the initial combat around Viqueque is the fact that a few minutes prior to this first Harrier mission, at Waypoint 2, a force of five landing craft was dispatched eastward down the coast to land a ground assault force at the nearby lightly defended beachhead at Vatolari. Once ashore, and having destroyed the defending Indonesian army units, this force will push westward back down the coast road to attempt to occupy both Viqueque and Viqueque/U airbase. To prevent heavy casualties you must complete the destruction of the enemy forces by air bombardment before your ground force arrives.
Once the immediate defenders have been destroyed you will need to defend your initial troop deployments around Viqueque from counter attacking enemy convoys approaching from the Helicopter base at the first village on the road to Quelica and from the enemy oil refinery and SAM site at Barique. However time is of the essence, the Task Force will leave Viqueque after one hour and begin making troop landings along the coast starting at Vatolari and these will require close ground support. You can expect Cobra helicopter attacks in support of the troop landings at all beachheads. The Indonesian air force and its bases also need to be quickly destroyed. You will be very busy.
Some Advice.
On the first mission against Viqueque/U airbase take at least four HARM missiles. You will need them.
Good Luck.
Tony Swash
tonyswash@urulbi.demon.co.uk
Feed back and comments appreciated.
The problem with the Presidential hotline mentioned at the beginning of this briefing seems to be the result on the long delay I programmed into this battle plan in order to allow the enemy forces to be reinforced. Just ignore it.
This Battle Plan can be distributed freely as long as this documentation accompanies it.
