Mission failed but why ?

[ofir1016]

Hi guys
I fly the mission as i should , contact AWACS and shoot the designated target down.
yet when i land i get mission failed.
Why is that ?
Does it effect the campaign ?
Cheers

[Dee-Jay]

It is sometimes quite obscure. what type of mission? What about your task and the status of the package?

[ofir1016]

It can happen in every type of mission.
And i get it even when i follow the task as briefed

[Eagle-Eye]

As you say “shoot the designated target down”, I assume you’re talking about an air-air mission? In that case, it may sometimes be necessary to check in/out with AWACS, or (more commonly) maintain on station for X minutes. Not doing that will also result in a failed mission, even if you got several kills and no losses.

A workaround for the X minutes on station is to set your CAP-time to 1 minute, but stay in the CAP for the previously assigned period of time. Not sure if there’s a trick to circumvent the check in/out necessity.

[SLangner]

I learned long ago to more or less ignore ‘mission results’ in a campaign. I’ve flown many BARCAP missions where I’ve stayed longer than necessary and kept in constant communications with AWACS and gotten no hostile contact calls. Yes, I ‘told’ 'em I was there and asked to leave after the end of my planned time, and yet I was informed that I had failed to fulfill the mission requirements. I’ve also destroyed required A-G targets with the same result.

I take mission results with a grain of salt and proceed with the next mission. After all, this sim is here for us to have fun . . . no more, no less.

[Cik]

generally if you do well but fail anyway it’s a steerpoint problem; for sweeps, CAPs and the like you need to follow your target steerpoints at least, and pass nearby them. if you’re designing your own missions simply make the steerpoints achievable, no sweeps to pyongyang on day one unless you’re going to commit 20 planes. if you’re getting them from the AI then just move them around a little.

on pre-plan CAS and CAS you need to kill at least one vehicle of the chosen target that the target steerpoint actually is on; if you kill 40 tanks but none of the target battalion you will still fail. if you want to go out and slay moving mud and don’t care too much about what in particular you are hitting, use interdiction instead which is more a general “find and shoot type” it doesn’t care about specific targets and will give you a mission success if you survive and do well.

for OCA or strategic strikes you simply need to knock out the target itself, whatever it is; i don’t think steerpoints matter.

if you want more specific advice you need to mention the type of missions you are doing in particular. many people who fly BAR/TAR/HAV CAPs suggest setting the CAP time to one second, which will give you a ‘mission complete’ as soon as you arrive at the first target steerpoint. it’s not too bad, then you can simply fly it until you are satisfied, or run out of weapons and/or fuel. try that next time.

[drtbkj]

This topic is very well timed for me, I’ve just had something similar happen, and would appreciate feedback.
I flew a SEAD Strike mission in the Korea campaign. The target was a SA-2 site. I recon’ed the site in planning, and as I Briefed I set the Fansong as the primary target(as it being a SA-2=no Fansong, not SAM), and a SAM launcher on the target list as secondary.
I flew the mission, killed the Fansong (with hard munitions) and my secondary. The Debrief showed Fansong and launcher destroyed, yet got “Mission failed, no damage to target”.

[Wayc00lio]

Were there two SA2 battalions at the site?

[drtbkj]

@Wayc00lio:

Were there two SA2 battalions at the site?

Hi, Way. I’m not sure, but if memory serves I don’t think so. To be honest, I’m not sure if the launcher I got was at the waypoint I created for it, though I think it was. The Fansong was at the main target waypoint.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m completely loving BMS and am hardly losing sleep over this:p. I’ve just always been curious as to how the campaigns work in these Sims.

[TobiasA]

I am working on a document about this, but it ain’t finished…

I’m struggling with inserting a table here, but here is what I have collected about what mission types exist in BMS and what you need to do to have a success.
Items in bold can be flown with the viper, items in italic are usually not or can not be flown with the viper.

BARCAP Barrier Combat Air Patrol. Used to protect an assigned airspace against enemy aircraft trying to pass it. Stay on station which is usually no more than 30 miles to steer 3 and 4 until relieved by AWACS (can be longer than station time sometimes)
DCA Defensive Counter Air. Same as BARCAP, but tied to specific friendly ground assets in the general area. Stay on station. Do not allow enemy aircraft to destroy friendly assets during your station time.
HAVCAP High Value Asset protection Combat Air Patrol. HAVCAP’s protect friendly assets like a tanker or AWACS. Protect the high value asset during your station time.
TARCAP Target air combat patrol, a CAP that protects friendly aircraft in the target area. Protect friendly aircraft in the target area.
Ambush CAP A CAP at low altitude to sneak enemy aircraft. Usually used by older aircraft that lack BVR capability. Same as BARCAP
RESCAP Like TARCAP, but for rescue helicopters. Protect the rescue helicopter(s). Unsure if this exists in BMS.
Intercept Intercept enemy aircraft Destroy the enemy aircraft(s) or force them to abort.
Sweep Aggressive hunting for enemy aircraft. Take no losses and kill as many enemy aircraft as possible.
Escort Protect the assigned aircraft from enemy aircraft. Assigned flight takes no losses from enemy aircraft.
TASMO Tactical air support for maritime operations (this was named “anti-ship” or “naval strike” in earlier versions). Sink as many enemy ships as possible.
SEAD Strike Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses. Destroy as many units of the assigned air defense unit as possible.
SEAD Escort Protect a strike package from enemy air defenses. Assigned flight takes no losses from enemy air defense.
Strike Strike the destroyed target. Hit the assigned target or reduce the operational status by 30%.
Deep Strike Same as strike, but long range. Hit the assigned target or reduce the operational status by 30%.
OCA Strike Offensive Counter Air strike against an airfield or similar installations. Destroy the runway(s) or reduce operational status by at least 30%.
Strat bomb Strike for bombers. Deploy everything in one pass. Hit the assigned target or reduce the operational status by 30%.
Stealth Strike for stealth bombers (F-117, B2) Hit the assigned target or reduce the operational status by 30%.
FAC Forward Air Control. FAC locates and assigns ground targets to CAS aircraft. Assist in destruction of as many enemy ground units as possible. This mission type is usually not flown by the player.
Tanker Refuel friendly aircraft. Stay on station and give fuel. Can not be flown by the player (it won’t give fuel then).
AWACS Provide AWACS support. Stay on station and provide support for friendly aircraft. Usually not flown by the player.
CAS Close Air Support for friendly ground units. Destroy as many enemy vehicles as possible.
Pre-Plan CAS Pre- Planned Close Air Support. Destroy as many vehicles as possible in the assigned enemy ground battalion.
On-Call CAS On- Call Close air support. Destroy as many enemy vehicles as possible. You will have targets assigned by FAC.
Interdiction Free hunt for enemy ground units. Destroy as many enemy ground vehicles as possible.
Recon Reconnaissance. Photograph enemy sites/ units. Photograph the target from within 2 miles.
BDA Battle damage assessment. Flown post-strike to evaluate the amount of damage after the strike. Photograph the target from within 2 miles.
ECM Electronic Counter Measures. Jam enemy radars. Jam enemy radars. Usually not flown by the player.
Training Fly around and train. Nothing, just don’t die.
Air Mobile Relocate a battalion Can’t be successfully flown by humans AFAIK.
Air Lift Transport supplies Reach the target airbase.
CSAR Combat search and rescue Find and evacuate a downed pilot (or similar). Can’t be flown by human pilots.

The list is probably not complete and not correct in every detail. If you find anything that is missing or wrong, just correct me. I’m working on having a complete list, but I do not know the complete background how the engine handles every small bit.

A word about CAP’s: The only thing that leads to a earlier relieve is when you are completely winchester (wingman loadout won’t matter). I’m not sure if bingo fuel counts or not. If you can’t stay for some reason, blow all your missiles into the ground, request relieve, press ESC, E and it’s a success
A word about sweeps: If you do not shoot down anyone or suffer any loss, it will be a fail. Shoot at least some transport or some lonely MiG-19 or something.
On most of the sorties, you have to hit exactly YOUR target (like on Preplanned CAS) which can be tricky in a campaign.
Intercept is a fail if someone else downs your target (like the good old patriot nearby).
SEAD strikes fail if someone else strikes your radar and your HARM’s can’t hit the right battalion. If the target is a older SAM, I usually take HARM’s and CBU’s with me. Sometimes, I carry the HARM’s and my wingie has the CBU’s and sometimes I fly with an asymmetrical loadout like a HARM on one side and a MAV or GBU’s on the other side. Don’t do this on SA-10’s however. A good habit is doing a recon on the unit and see if it still has a radar or not. Depending on the overall situation, some SEAD strikes can be flown without having any HARM’s onboard.
SEAD Escorts however will fail if someone gets shot down by AAA, light arms fire or MANPAD’s so you should be prepared for those threats too. Don’t be just on the SAM’s.
Escorts and SEAD Escorts require a lot of skill and a good situational awareness to make it a success, especially with the dumb AI guys (or squad mates falling into blood rage at the end of a mission).

Place your CAP a little bit back of the FLOT and set your station time to 5 mins or so. After that, you can go on a free hunt and it will be a success no matter what you do. I do this often on Falcon Online, but mostly alone since I can’t find any buddies having fun with just hanging around for an hour or so :rolleyes:

Btw…: Best song for CAP missions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T-sGC37XHE

[ofir1016]

thanks for the answers it definitely made made me less worried about the issue.
I will try to follow Ciks advice or do more like SLangner suggested and ignore this

[pandacat]

Last night I flew an escort mission for a package of 4-ship interdiction near Pyongyang. Because North’s airbases were so degraded and air force so devastated, no enemy planes came up to challenge us. The strike flight completed mission successfully, with no damage. All RTB alright, but I came out of the mission with a failure, even though the package mission was a success. So what did I do wrong? Do I need check in with AWACS for a simple escort mission?

[Frederf]

A failure status is not (necessarily) an indication that the pilot did anything wrong. Don’t get emotionally wrapped up in the mission results. The pilot isn’t the mission and the mission isn’t the pilot.

I know video games teach us that the result is solely on us but in air combat it is different. If 3 intercepts are sent after one target, 100% success rate is impossible. It is also possible to do stupid actions trying to get a success rating for the wrong reasons: staying on station too long, hunting for a kill outside sector, etc.

[pandacat]

Last night, another similar mission, where I played the A-G part while AI took care of the AA part. Both sections were able to accomplish missions successfully. I just think some algorithm for success is off in current game. Also, I thought failure status will affect the ground campaign. So if you go out every mission and destroy loads of enemy tanks, but get failure every time, the Red can still push you back down to Pusan.

[Frederf]

I don’t know if mission result affects the general BLUFOR performance or if that is pilot performance rating.

[cptmtge]

Interdiction is an air to ground mission. Pre-plan CAS will have a specific unit you are tasked to hit. On a barcap if awacs redirects you and you go too far like 40 miles from your barcapp waypoints you will still get mission failed.

[Frederf]

Not mission failed for leaving the area but time outside the area doesn’t count for the time on station total. I thought it was 25nm from either point. In any case always ask for relief before departing. The answer lets you know if you have satisfied the time on station.

[schnidrman]

I frag Interdiction for all A-G missions with non-specific targets and Ambush-CAP or Sweep for A-A. This practice cuts down on Failed Missions.

[Mower]

My “cheat” is a BARCAP with station time set to zero…automatic mission success after take off.

[Cloud 9]

@Mower:

My “cheat” is a BARCAP with station time set to zero…automatic mission success after take off.

Cheater……LOL

C9