04-15-2016, 02:53 PM
Winter's Pack
(a god)
Destroy Grad launchers. Locate and destroy command truck (optional)
Was fun to watch. Great job guys, but it was much closer call than you thought and could have easily swung both ways even if it might not have been apparent to you. I was concerned that AI running amok due disconnects would trigger detection but taking over command bar / teleporting missing sheep back to group saved the day. I held some units back while you were sorting issues at beach.
From my viewpoint, what mostly contributed to mission win vs last episodes:
1) Remaining undetected. This time you managed to stay undetected longer. You had close encounter at beach and I was wondering if you open up. Killing them silently would have also been fine, but it would have been at cost of extra risk. If they manage to get a shot, that's it. Your leader decided to keep cool and let them go. Smart. You were apparently able to spot 1st launcher due audiovisual clues and got to right track. Someone, I think Valhalian, managed to sneak in and set charges on first grad undetected and you got a clue of the location of next two launchers. At this point enemies had also discovered your original boats (random chance).
Enemies were on higher alert, but they had no 'real' information what they were dealing with until late. No 'heavy' reinforcements were sent until you guys were already enroute back.
2) Moving. Keeping on the move, as the action started, was a smart thing to do. I sent patrols only to locations they had information of. Audible firefights, burning wrecks. Weather was also on your side, as in these conditions you could see better than AI. One close encounter was at the beach with armed MRAP but you eliminated it.
Enemies were chasing you but couldn't catch you and you dealt with couple of small sentry patrols on beach swiftly. Decision to use boats at civilian pier was a good move. As I said there was a random chance for patrol to discover your original boats. This time it triggered. There was a squad awaiting you in ambush positions. It might have been possible to fight way through it but leader's call to use the civilian boat at pier was definetely a good move. By time last boat was moving there was 3 fireteams about to open up on you. I was happily surprised you made it.
Wraith Recon 5
(Marksman)
I like the mission setup but I think there is too much hiking in open terrain and bit too many vehicles. Idea to make the location of explosives random is technically nice but also frustrating.
That said there were nice firefights, nice tension, and my call 'It is safe to push to compound....boomboomboom'Â could have used fine tuning. I simply didn't see the damn thing as I was only concerned of the immediate surroundings. Glad it didn't cost other lives.
It looked like fun from the sky but this had also potential to be a long mission.
Point insertion
(SL)
Seek&destroy AAA at airfield. Destroy mortar team (optional)
I hate to sound like a ice hockey coach but in this case 90% concentration yielded 50% results. Not on my team's part but on my own part. Being tired is no excuse not to plan properly and approach mission with devil may care attitude. That said, the plan might have worked and it wasn't that far from completion.
Mission setup was simple & nice although I wasn't sure how on hell to approach this in broad daylight. Setup enables underwater/ surface insertion which adds to options. It also turned out to be more versatile than I thought.
I decided to hit secondary objective, secure mortars, and then plan the assault to main objective on the ground in situ.
In general I love seaborne insertions, especially with waves. It was moody and atmospheric. However my chosen LZ had geological obstacles. Pro tip: Secluded cove is nice for romantic picnic. It isn't always best LZ. After a bit of horizontal rock climbing we made our way up the hill to secondary objective. We also spotted primary objective at a distance in southern end of airfield and I considered option to engage the AAA's at maximum range of our PCMLs. However launcher refused to reliably lock so I decided against it. I was also concerned if it is intent of author and if it is 'cheating'. Now that I think, it makes sense. Using hills 200m to north would have likely been ok but it would have meant backtracking. I decided fuck with it, and to go after secondary.
We had skirmishes with enemy patrols enroute but overcame the opposition. I left Alias and Alwarren to provide overwatch and flanked from right with rest of team. There wasn't that much opposition and in end there were only couple of bad guys left. With just a bit sharper execution it is perfectly doable. Then leave one man to mortar, rest takes Ifrit, drives back to northern hill and spots for mortar hits/uses PCMLs and that's it.
My team did just fine. It just wasn't my best day in controls. We play this again I am sure!
(a god)
Destroy Grad launchers. Locate and destroy command truck (optional)
Was fun to watch. Great job guys, but it was much closer call than you thought and could have easily swung both ways even if it might not have been apparent to you. I was concerned that AI running amok due disconnects would trigger detection but taking over command bar / teleporting missing sheep back to group saved the day. I held some units back while you were sorting issues at beach.
From my viewpoint, what mostly contributed to mission win vs last episodes:
1) Remaining undetected. This time you managed to stay undetected longer. You had close encounter at beach and I was wondering if you open up. Killing them silently would have also been fine, but it would have been at cost of extra risk. If they manage to get a shot, that's it. Your leader decided to keep cool and let them go. Smart. You were apparently able to spot 1st launcher due audiovisual clues and got to right track. Someone, I think Valhalian, managed to sneak in and set charges on first grad undetected and you got a clue of the location of next two launchers. At this point enemies had also discovered your original boats (random chance).
Enemies were on higher alert, but they had no 'real' information what they were dealing with until late. No 'heavy' reinforcements were sent until you guys were already enroute back.
2) Moving. Keeping on the move, as the action started, was a smart thing to do. I sent patrols only to locations they had information of. Audible firefights, burning wrecks. Weather was also on your side, as in these conditions you could see better than AI. One close encounter was at the beach with armed MRAP but you eliminated it.
Enemies were chasing you but couldn't catch you and you dealt with couple of small sentry patrols on beach swiftly. Decision to use boats at civilian pier was a good move. As I said there was a random chance for patrol to discover your original boats. This time it triggered. There was a squad awaiting you in ambush positions. It might have been possible to fight way through it but leader's call to use the civilian boat at pier was definetely a good move. By time last boat was moving there was 3 fireteams about to open up on you. I was happily surprised you made it.
Wraith Recon 5
(Marksman)
I like the mission setup but I think there is too much hiking in open terrain and bit too many vehicles. Idea to make the location of explosives random is technically nice but also frustrating.
That said there were nice firefights, nice tension, and my call 'It is safe to push to compound....boomboomboom'Â could have used fine tuning. I simply didn't see the damn thing as I was only concerned of the immediate surroundings. Glad it didn't cost other lives.
It looked like fun from the sky but this had also potential to be a long mission.
Point insertion
(SL)
Seek&destroy AAA at airfield. Destroy mortar team (optional)
I hate to sound like a ice hockey coach but in this case 90% concentration yielded 50% results. Not on my team's part but on my own part. Being tired is no excuse not to plan properly and approach mission with devil may care attitude. That said, the plan might have worked and it wasn't that far from completion.
Mission setup was simple & nice although I wasn't sure how on hell to approach this in broad daylight. Setup enables underwater/ surface insertion which adds to options. It also turned out to be more versatile than I thought.
I decided to hit secondary objective, secure mortars, and then plan the assault to main objective on the ground in situ.
In general I love seaborne insertions, especially with waves. It was moody and atmospheric. However my chosen LZ had geological obstacles. Pro tip: Secluded cove is nice for romantic picnic. It isn't always best LZ. After a bit of horizontal rock climbing we made our way up the hill to secondary objective. We also spotted primary objective at a distance in southern end of airfield and I considered option to engage the AAA's at maximum range of our PCMLs. However launcher refused to reliably lock so I decided against it. I was also concerned if it is intent of author and if it is 'cheating'. Now that I think, it makes sense. Using hills 200m to north would have likely been ok but it would have meant backtracking. I decided fuck with it, and to go after secondary.
We had skirmishes with enemy patrols enroute but overcame the opposition. I left Alias and Alwarren to provide overwatch and flanked from right with rest of team. There wasn't that much opposition and in end there were only couple of bad guys left. With just a bit sharper execution it is perfectly doable. Then leave one man to mortar, rest takes Ifrit, drives back to northern hill and spots for mortar hits/uses PCMLs and that's it.
My team did just fine. It just wasn't my best day in controls. We play this again I am sure!