Game Killer/Game_Killer.bin/234.F3TACTIC.ZIP/F3CTP2.TXT

Text File | 1992-03-23 | 9KB | 199 lines

This is the second in a series of help/tactics files I'm writing
for use in FALCON 3.0.  All are simple text files and can be
concatenated together.  Chapter numbers maintain consistancy between
text files.  As I've said before, these aren't the only way to play,
just a recipe that spells success for me.

4.  ADVANCED CAMPAIGN TACTICS

The following additional tactics tend to be higher risk, but if
executed carefully, supply an advantage that might just win the
war.  Carefull consideration must be given to pilot selection
and section assignments.

4.1 BINGO LANDING FIELD

Normal operations in the real world always try to supply a bingo field
for those  aircraft that run low on fuel or are too battle damaged to
make it the long haul back to home.  You can take advantage of this
technique in a Falcon 3.0 campaign.

4.1.1  WHY USE A BINGO FIELD?

Long distance strikes may require you to carry less ordinance and take
external fuel tanks instead.  Often, by checking the STRAT view on the
waypoint map, you can find other blue airbases between your base and the
target.  With some careful consideration, you might be able to forego
the additional fuel, take the extra weapons and land your section at
a bingo base.

Now, Falcon 3.0 allows you to land on any airstrip you can find.
Landing at alternative bases does carry a penalty, however.  First,
if you land at another friendly base, those pilots in that section
will be unavailbe to fly other missions UNTIL THEY HAVE TRANSFERRED
BACK TO THE HOME BASE, which, according to the manual, takes one
day.  Second, if you land at an enemy field, you'll find yourself a POW.

(Please note that on the original production version of F3, it seems
that pilots landed at bingo fields *are* available on the roster
for subsequent missions that day.)

So, choosing to use a bingo field is a tough choice, and you must
select pilots that you can afford to not use for a day.  If you
are rotating your pilots, though, this shouldn't be a real problem
since they shouldn't fly more than one or two missions a day, anyway.
Also,  you must make sure it's a friendly base you've selected.
No sense loosing a pilot for nothing.

On long missions, whether I plan to use it or not, I define a bingo
base.  If I don't need it, fine.  If I do, there's no substitute.

4.1.2  DEFINING A BINGO BASE

So how do you define a bingo landing field?  Simple, make it another
waypoint.

Go to the waypoints screen and select the STRAT view.  Set up your
waypoints to get you to the target and back home again.  Then,
find another blue base that you could use for emergency use.

Next, select the final waypoint prior to landing.  Select "ADD WAYPOINT"
and place the new waypoint over your bingo field.  For example, if
you have 6 waypoints, where #6 is landing at your home field, define
a new waypoint, making your landing #7.  Take the new #6 and
place it over the bingo field.

Next, can select any action you want, but I prefer "NOTHING" for this
waypoint.  I have been unable to select LAND, but if *you* land here, your
wingmen should follow suit.

(please note:  it appears that in the original production version
wingmen will attempt to return to the home base after you have
landed and pressed END MISSION.  This does eliminate some of the
advantage of using a bingo field)

Also, by selecting NOTHING, should you happen to get shot down, your
wingmen wont waste a lot of time here on their way back.

Remember to mark down notes about your waypoints prior to launching.
During your egress, make the determination on whether to use the
bingo field or not.  If you decide to NOT use the bingo base,
USE SHFT-B TO BYPASS THIS WAYPOINT!!!.  If you do need the bingo
field, just fly to the specified waypoint and land.  Press ESC
and select END MISSION.

Remember, Falcon 3.0 gives you no way to distinguish a friendly and
enemy airbase once you've launched without putting yourself at
great risk.  If you don't define the bingo field before you leave,
you probably won't get a second chance.

4.2 TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

In one of the earlier chapters, I discussed deciding how many of
the available aircraft (up to 8 at one time) you should use for
your mission.  In some cases, you may have a milkrun and you
have additional aircraft available.  This is where you take the
initiative and, while it may not be "authorized" by the high command,
hit a few targets of opportunity.

4.2.1  DEFINING A TARGET OF OPPORTUNITY

A target of opportunity (TOO) can be anything.  An enemy concentration,
a bridge, an airfield, you get the idea.  However, it shouldn't be
a target that you're hitting just to launch a few extra bombs.  You
should consider carefully the targets available, the aircraft available,
and the pilots available.  Remember, if you send a pilot on a homespun
mission he may be unavailable to fly an official mission when you need
him most.  The target he hits had better be worth the risk you're
taking.

Also, consider how heavily defended is the target.  Most often you
may only have two additonal fighters to launch on this personnal
vendetta.  Do two fighters honestly have an chance of penetrating
enemy defenses, destroying the target, and making it home?

Probably not.  That's where the risk comes in.  You can play it
safe, or you can put it on the line and take that extra risk.  Will
the game give you extra credit or extra medals for accomplishing a
secret raid?  It doesn't look like it.  On most special missions,
the pilots aren't even credited with extra kills even though they
do engage the targets.

4.2.2  EXAMPLE

For example, during a campaign in Kuwait, a friendly airbase near
my homebase was captured by the enemy on day 1.  The next day, enemy
fighters were operating from that base and were jumping my aircraft as
soon as they got airborne.

I saved the campaign files at the end of day 1 to a backup directory
and continued the campaign.  The enemy fighters were all over me,
and by the end of day 2 I was assigned to escort bombers to the
occupied field.  I really hated to annihilate a good airstrip, so
I began an experiment.

I restored the campaign files back to the start of day 2 (This is
cheating.  Don't try this at home, I *am* a professional  8-) )
The first mission of day 2 was to intercept some inbound Tu-22's
and I had 6 aircraft available.

Here was my one chance.  The intercept was tough (using veteren enemy
logic level), but I figured 2 f-16's had a good chance of handling
it.  I defined another two plane section to drop Durandals on the
occupied runway, and I flew CAP for them.

Not having full resources to devote to the attack, and knowing
that I might have to break off the CAP and intercept the incoming
bombers lest I return home to a crater, I assigned stealth techniques
to the strike aircraft.  Fly low, carry ECM, and take AMRAAMs for
self defense.

The mission was a success.  I got five kills, including two
heMiG-29's.  The strike pilots reported "Bombs Away", but weren't
credited with any ground kills.  The enemy bombers had been destroyed,
so at worst, I had lost nothing.

The next two missions that day I had "extra" aircraft, so I elected
to continue the attacks on the airbase with second and third waves.
When the second wave arrived (6 hours after the first), we had not had
any air encounters with the enemy, and the runway had a huge black hole
right at where the runway connected to the taxi way!

The second wave targeted the command center.  They dropped their bombs
and we returned home.  Once again the other flight had accomplished the
primary mission, so I was still ahead of the game.

I decided to target the hangers with the third wave, and I also carried
a few Mavericks, just for good measure.  When the third wave arrived
(12 hours after the first attack), there was a light grey "splotch"
on the runway where the hole had been, without runway marks.  The
runway had been repaired and was operational!

We hit the hangers anyway, and destroyed most of them.  We flew home
without incident and once again, the primary had been accomplished
without my intervention.   Once again, F3 did not credit the pilots
with the unauthorized ground kills.

The last mission of the day was a rough one.  It was nightfall and
massive amounts of enemies were inbound.  I defined all available
a/c to cover the home field.  It was a good thing I did as there
were MiG's and Tu-22's and Su-25's everywhere.  We stemmed the attack,
but had to let up on the pressure on the occupied base.

Did the missions make a difference?  Well, the next morning friendly
troops had recaptured the airbase, as well as other Iraqi positions
nearby.  The lack of available air cover no doubt hampered enemy
installations.  Of course, there's still black holes where the
hangers should've been, but at least the runway is back in friendly
hands.

4.3  CONCLUSION

F3 campaigns are incredibly flexible and dynamic worlds that
model real world combat.  There seems to be limitless scenarios.
The bottom line is:  experiment.  There's a huge world out there
for your enjoyment, so go exploring, and by all means, share
what you learn with the rest of us.