Help with the Campaign
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Dear Friends and Simmer ,
First i would want to really thank the guys behind this game who made such a sim available to everyone to play Also many thanks to the authors of the manuals of the game, for taking the time out of their real life to write such informative manuals and make it possible for the rest of us to be able to understand the Sim . Your work is really appreciated.
To topic. :
1- I have read the three manual ( dash 1 , dash 34 and the navigation chart manual ) along reading those manual i kept practicing the TE mission more than 6 times or even more each so at the end i have a decent knowledge about how things work and such ( but not yet like the exprienced guys on here ) . So after That i wanted to give the Campaign a try ( Korea ) so i started the campaign But the Problem is that the TE mission only train you on a specific part , For instance , Go down this route , bomb (x) then back. So its centred on how to use the avionics and the ammunitions related to the Mission .
But when i entered the campaign i found myself in a full war going on and i don’t know what to do or how to employ the information i learned from the TE and the manuals to help with the Campaign, Also things are moving fast that you have to react quick let alone the stress i get doing the mission because of enemy aircraft that pops up.In another word how do i play the campaign the way its suppose to be played?
Am i a commander in the full war that i should worry about everything that moves on the map and get involved with it and give it order to move ? or am i a pilot that gets orders from the HQ to go do this and do that and i should wait for the order to come to me ?
Im not expecting that i would be very good at playing the campaign right away but i want to know the A and B
Im a bit lost.Another thing is that during my first mission ( A DEAD mission i picked and clicked fly now ) i didn’t find any pre planned threat circle around the target area like it was in the TE HARM training mission . Is that something the HQ do for me or is something i have to do myself , The TE mission gave me the impression that its done for me by the HQ .
If it’s something i have to do , What SA number i should assign to the threat circle , like SA2 or SA3 or what ?2- The Loadout assigned to you bu the mission , Is it mandatory for the mission to be successful, or i can change it . for example if i want to change a GBU 12 To GBU 54 to destroy a bridge , can I do this?
3- Another thing but related to Navigation.
In The first mission in the campaign, the Mission route starts at STP 1, at Kimpo AIRBASE. The briefing say STP 3 is rendezvous with Package . I waited at this point for the package but they didnt come to this point , So i continued to target STP . i took down the target and i headed back . on the way to the Kimbo airbase i contacted the tower within 30 NM to ask for the landing Runway , the ATC kept saying Hyoun air approach runway 02 , First i cant find anything called Hyoun airbase or anything similar also Kimpo doesn’t have RWY 02 , its either (140 L R or 320 L R ) what is Hyoun air approach .
And why i have to go there if the landing STP is at Kimpo Airbase as per briefing.4- During my startup i wanted to set the DATA link , so mine and my wing man was already setup but for the rest of the package it wasn’t set also the other friendly aircraft like the AWACS , i kept looking in the briefing and the flight plan for any information on their DATA link addresses but i couldn’t find it , how do i know the addresses for a specifc package flying along the war zone for another mission . for Example
My DEAD mission included a pakage of F16 that is doing CAP mission while i fence in for my mission, where can i find their data link address so i can set it in my UFC .Thanks in advance for everyone’s help. And really sorry for the long questions
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Am i a commander in the full war that i should worry about everything that moves on the map and get involved with it and give it order to move ? or am i a pilot that gets orders from the HQ to go do this and do that and i should wait for the order to come to me ?
You may play the campaign in two differnet ways: the first one is taking full control over friendly flights which means you’ll have to create packages, edit their waypoints and loadout, set general mission priorities; the other way is to let the AI take care of the flight management for you, you could still move your waypoints around and select different loadouts if you want to.
Another thing is that during my first mission ( A DEAD mission i picked and clicked fly now ) i didn’t find any pre planned threat circle around the target area like it was in the TE HARM training mission . Is that something the HQ do for me or is something i have to do myself , The TE mission gave me the impression that its done for me by the HQ .
If it’s something i have to do , What SA number i should assign to the threat circle , like SA2 or SA3 or what ?You should place your threat circles during the preparation for a mission. Right click on the air threat you’re interested in and left click on ‘Status’, that will show you what kind of SAM or AAA it is. Then when placing your pre planned threat steerpoint assign it the same kind of SAM or AAA.
2- The Loadout assigned to you bu the mission , Is it mandatory for the mission to be successful, or i can change it . for example if i want to change a GBU 12 To GBU 54 to destroy a bridge , can I do this?
It’s not mendatory. Choose whatever weapon you’d like.
3- Another thing but related to Navigation.
In The first mission in the campaign, the Mission route starts at STP 1, at Kimpo AIRBASE. The briefing say STP 3 is rendezvous with Package . I waited at this point for the package but they didnt come to this point , So i continued to target STP . i took down the target and i headed back . on the way to the Kimbo airbase i contacted the tower within 30 NM to ask for the landing Runway , the ATC kept saying Hyoun air approach runway 02 , First i cant find anything called Hyoun airbase or anything similar also Kimpo doesn’t have RWY 02 , its either (140 L R or 320 L R ) what is Hyoun air approach .
And why i have to go there if the landing STP is at Kimpo Airbase as per briefing.I’m pretty sure other flights in your package follow the timing assigned to the steerpoints, if you didn’t meet up with them you migh’ve been early or late at that steerpoint.
I’m not certain about the tower mixup but take note on the ‘Comms’ section of your data transfer card, during mission prep. You can set your homebase tower and other comm frequencies there.4- During my startup i wanted to set the DATA link , so mine and my wing man was already setup but for the rest of the package it wasn’t set also the other friendly aircraft like the AWACS , i kept looking in the briefing and the flight plan for any information on their DATA link addresses but i couldn’t find it , how do i know the addresses for a specifc package flying along the war zone for another mission . for Example
My DEAD mission included a pakage of F16 that is doing CAP mission while i fence in for my mission, where can i find their data link address so i can set it in my UFC .Flights in your package are listed in the ‘Briefing’ section prior to getting in the cockpit. For example if you have three two-ship flights in your package and you’re the first flight - the first flight from top down is 1 (that’s your flight and it’s usually entered into the datalink system automatically as you’ve noticed), the second is 2, the third one is 3 and so on. So to input the second and third flight into the datalink do this - move the markers to the second coulumn and for field 5 enter ‘21’, for field 6 - ‘22’, for field 7 - ‘31’, for field 8 - ‘32’ and you should have them displaying on your HSD. For a flight to be accessable through datalink it has to be in your package.
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Moxy has provided you with great information. Allow me to simply add:
1. If First time doing a campaign, make your settings appropriate. Don’t choose the hardest campaign with an ACE setting for example. Try Rookie in Rolling Fire, for example. I’m not saying to not challenge yourself, just make it doable at your level. Also, run the campaign as a pilot, to operate it as Over all commander in charge of everything would be way too difficult to start with.
2. Be choosy of the missions you pick to fly. Might be best to pick a mission who’s Takeoff time allows you enough time to ramp start for instance, so you have time to set up your switches, etc properly before take off. Picking a flight in progress can be taxing trying to get things set up right while flying and handling situations arising at the time. Also, get WDP by Falcas and learn to use it, as it makes the cockpit setup very easy through the DTC.
3. After picking a mission, plan. Set best weapons according to what will best served hitting the target, or achieving the mission because you can change the loadout. Make sure you attach whatever needed to use the specific weapon (ie, need to attach the TGP for laser bombs). On the UI map that you chose the mission from, right click to recon any targets, and set up target steerpoints for those specific targets you may what to destroy (ie DEAD - set target steerpoints at the targeting radars at the site if carrying HARMs). Which brings me to the next point, as Moxy stated recon the air defenses in and around the route you are taking, especially early on in a campaign where SAMS threats are the greatest. Zoom in on the map and right click next to the point on the map where the air defense SAM is located, assign a threat steerpoint to it, after the steerpoint appears, right click on it, choose Status and assign the proper SAM # to it with accept. Then drag the steerpoint over the air defense unit symbol. Zoom out and you’ll see the threat circle.
4. For datalink, reread the manual about how it works and how to set up. You have to use the DED to do this. It takes about 30 seconds at best, once you know what to push. As for what identifiers to use to show the datalinked planes in your package, use the briefing. The order of which they appear in your briefing will determine what you can assign to them. First of all, all the planes in your specific flight are automatically loaded, but you have also 4 more slots you can assign anyway you like. For example, in the briefing you see:
Stud 4 3 F-16s (your flight for a strike)
Lobo 2 2 F-15’s (performing a strike)
Cowboy 4 4 F-16’s (escort)
Your flight will be assigned 11, 12, and 13, For the next 4 you may choose to pick the 2 F-15s and would assign them 21 and 22 and 2 of the escort F16s, which would be 31 and 32. That way you can keep an eye on where generally the entire package is.5. In addition to doing the training TE’s over and over again, I am a strong proponent for using the Instant Action starting in A-A combat at the lowest level and then working your way up in difficulty. You be shot down a zillion times (at least I was). But you will acquire muscle memory on stick and system handling when presented with A-A threats. You will learn how to use the EWR and FCR to sort and prioritize threats. So when you get into the campaign you will be better prepared with the contingencies of war.
Good luck.
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It’s tuff to explain, and a bit hackneyed for sure but it’s, “as real as it gets”. I find myself in awe at the people who do this for a living; they are, in essence, specialists: A2G, and A2A, with the former even more delineated. With 4.33 it really stuck out to me: I wanted to learn TFR “stuff” (add it to my resume, if you will) ; proved that that there are so many moving parts to this that it’s kinda crazy for someone to think they could [easily] master all of it (again, A2A and A2G). The campaign drives it home. Trying to be a master of it all is really going to take work. A lot of it. Get good at one thing, then stick to that. Of course setting a few options in the campaign helps: difficulty and PAKS, see the help files. I love it. Nothing can touch it. Good luck.
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one additional quick tip for locating package. I believe when you are in the air, you can call AWACS and choose “vector to target” ? AWACS will respond with heading, distance, and altitude for the package (rather than an actual target). I believe if you use “vector to package” it only tells you heading and distance. I often use this on approach to rendezvous point as well as drive to IP. Also, if flying escort, will help to determine package egress off target as they exit area. Though of course, the data link detail above would also help with this as a visual on the HSD.
~S~
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AWACS and choose “vector to target” ? AWACS will respond with heading, distance, and altitude for the package (rather than an actual target).
Nope. “Vector to Target” gives you the bearing/range to (or posit bulls of) your target. (Except maybe for HAVCAP … roles? … To be checked as I do not remember)
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Nope. “Vector to Target” gives you the bearing/range to (or posit bulls of) your target. (Except maybe for HAVCAP … roles? … To be checked as I do not remember)
Indeed, it seems that should be the case, but I found that using “Vector to Target” actually provides me location of package with altitude, when on package mission (flying Escort or SEAD). Whereas, “Vector to Package” provided bearing and distance, but not alt.
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Although the information in the campaign chapter (10.4) of the BMS-Manual is important, a separate “Campaign Strategy Guide” in the Docs folder would be helpful to users new to F BMS (maybe in the next update 3 to 4 weeks from now!). In the meantime, for ideas on strategy and tactics to win the war, try these:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/tkzj7ghylftgqhx/F4AF%20Campaign%20Strategy%20Guide_part_1.pdf?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0kx6rr5z1j8y3dx/F4AF%20Campaign%20Strategy%20Guide_part_ii.pdf?dl=0Caveat, although these docs pertain to F4 AF and are somewhat dated in general, the major concepts and many of the procedures still apply to the F BMS campaigns.
F1
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