by Dampenon
1986, US Navy will fight in North Atlantic, against evil Soviet. This is the “Expert” Campaign of Hornet Leader.I choose a Long Campaign, with two Campaign Options, “High Stress Attack/Suppress” to augment precision of my Pilots in difficult situations and “Damaging Targets” because it's frustrating to let a target card being redrawn intact when you were short of destroying it by 1 or 2 points, for a cost of 18 Special Options Points (SO). Each R&R will cost 9 SO and I will surely need some SO to gain support from Tankers when I will fly deeply in Kola Peninsula...
Now it's time to compose my squadron. My firt decision is about selecting (or not) an E-2C. I think this support is valuable so I choose one...and with my Veteran Pilot so this plane will bring all his power to my squadron. Next decision is about Electronic Warfare planes. Unlike E-2C they take a slot when flying a mission so they must be selected only when their Defensive Bonus let your squadron with sufficient planes to destroy target and/or sites. EA-6B is the only choice in 1986 and it seems too “light” for my taste, so I will fly without his jammming capacities.
I choose top have a squadron with very specialized aircrafts, F-14 for Air Cover and A-6 for Assault, with some F/A-18C to complete and “young” pilots on A-7 to gain some valuable SO points without too much pain. So, this is my Navy Squadron, “Bear Trappers” :
E-2C : Eyes (Veteran) ;
F-14 : Teflon (Skilled), Ogre (Average) ;
A-6 : Extra (Skilled), Mullet (Average), Chili (Green) ;
F/A-18C : Bear, Hunter, Mustang, Talon (Average) ;
A-7 : Pluto (Green), Raven (Newbie).
So, I begin this campaign with a comfortable 60 SO but I know I will have to buy a lot of AIM-54 to deal with Soviet Airpower.
When selecting my remaining Aircraft/Pilots I have choosen firstly among those with Coolness. They may fly more before needing some R&R.
So I will fly twelve days, possibly against two targets a day (a primary and a secondary) but I will try to start cautiously and let my pilots get some experience before trying difficult missions.
Day 1 :I must forgot my good resolutions to avoid too difficult missions ! First Target Card drawn is a Major Airfield in 4th Area ! Until destroyed, it will add 2 Bandits to all other targets... So I think I must destroy it. I will ask for a support tanker for my seven planes (plus my E-2C) because there will be 3 Sites per approach (and 2 more in center), and 15 (potential) Bandits plus one each Turn. With Tanker and 4 AIM-54 to deal with major air threats, this mission costs me 12 SO !
Enemy air cover is eventually moderate, with 5 MiGs. Thanks to E-2C AtG and AtA Bonus, all defences are easily destroyed, as the target.
Day 2 :Another big concern ! A Soviet Carrier Fleet is on approach. I must fight with 8 planes, so four pilots will fly again, without rest. 15 sites (but only 1 SA-11) will defend the target !
6 Bandits fly on Combat Air Patrol. Enemy Fleet is sunk. Raven is promoted to Green and Hunter to Skilled.
Day 3 :A Soviet Surface Fleet is detected. 6 planes may take off, but I will fight with only five, supported by my E2-C, because all pilots but one will fly already stressed. Thanks to “Smart Weapon Restock”, I will take freely 4 AIM-54.
“Short Range Threat” cant' be neutralized by my E-2C so I choose to spend 3 AIM-9 to destroy it. So I will have only 6 AtA weapons left to deal with Soviet Air Cover...which includes 6 MiGs...
With “Charlie Foxtrot” Over-target event Sites and Bandits will fire first. Nonetheless, all AtA missile fired by Ogre hit. Without aerial threat, bombing planes destroy the target. Pluto is promoted to Average.
Day 4 :Soviet boats again ! This time I must scramble 5 planes to bomb a Missile Boat Fleet in 2nd Area.
“Bandits Inbound !” Target-Bound Event is neutralized by 3 AIM-9. Only 2 miGs patrol on Air Cover. Target is easily destroyed with 3 AGM-65. “Radar Contact” Home-Bound Event is moved away with 1 AIM-7 and 1 AIM-9.
Raven is promoted to Average, Mustang to Skilled and Teflon to Veteran.
Day 5 :Day's target will be enemy tanks in second area. I must assign 5 pilots. I choose 2 planes for Air Cover and 3 for bombing, with as much as possible AGM-65.
“SAM Sites !” Target-Bound Event is partially neutralized but add 2 Stress on 2 Pilots. MiGs over target, choosing two planes for Air Cover seems useful. One of my AIM-54 miss and a MiG-29 could attack (and outrange) my planes. Target is destroyed, in spite of “Political Limitations”. Talon and Ogre are promoted to Skilled.
Day 6 :Target will be a Supply Depot, in last area, which will be attacked by 4 planes, possibly by night. If destroyed, an improvement card could be discarded. It's a good news because an “Attack Fleet” is approaching. This mission will cost 4 stress to each flying pilot, so I decline to use night bombing. And I ask for a tanker support. With 1 AIM-54, this mission will cost me 5SO.
A “Cruise Missile Strike” destroy a SA-15 before my sqaudron arrives over target which is covered by 2 MiG-29. And “Long range Threat” Over-Target Event could complicate my mission. Target is eventually destroyed and Chili is promoted to Average and Bear to Skilled.
Day 7 :I will target, in 3rd area, a Minor Airfield which could be a secondary target and attacked by night. But each pilot will already gain 3 stress, so I will fly by day. And even if this target is only rated for 2VP, I think I can't afford to fly 2 missions today. This target, like all improvement ones, is considered a priority. I will try to fly without support tanker so I will take only 9 AtA Missile (including 2AIM-54) to deal with 7 potential Bandits (+1 each turn) and 4 Mk83 and 1 Mk82 to inflict 6 hits, with 1 Rocket Pod and 3 AGM-88 to attack/suppress 5 defensive sites.
« AAA ! » Target-Bound Event attacks and inflicts 2 Stress on Raven. Only 2 MiG-23 are covering the target but some others could scramble. In spite of all my efforts, I can inflict only 5 hits on target, for 1VP and I will have to bomb it again on next turn, this time as secondary because I can't afford to gain only 1VP on two consecutive turns.
Day 8 :My squadron must bomb an ASW Fleet Target in 2nd Area as Primary Target with 4 Planes. My E-2C will support the strike.
Teflon is damaged by a MiG. Target is eventually destroyed.
I must fly now against the damaged Minor Airfield. So I take only 3 planes with 1 AGM-62 to attack from a safer distance. I need to inflict only 1 Hit. 5 MiGs are covering the Airfield, this target will be a tough mission again...”Good Briefing” Over-target event eliminates one of these embarrassing MiGs. But facing too much MiGs, I must abort the mission, Bear is downed (but is quickly recovered by SAR) and Ogre is damaged. These two pilots will have to rest for long days before flying again. And this Minor Airfield is still operational !
It's time to give my squadron some Priority R&R.
Day 9 :I will fly again (third time !) against this airfield, this time in primary mission and fly against AAA Sites in 2nd area in secondary mission with 3 planes.
I want to destroy this airfield ! So my E-2C will fly and I ask for a support tanker. 5 Bandits are covering again this airfield. Talon is downed (and MIA) but target is finally destroyed.
All 6 Sites of secondary target are destroyed by my AGM-65. I must send my squadron again in R&R. Extra is promoted to Veteran and Pluto to Skilled.
Day 10 :Target will be an Oil Storage in 2nd Area. Flight will include 4 planes, 2 forAir Cover and 2 for bombing. Target is overkilled.
Mullet and Raven are promoted to Skilled.
Day 11 :I must scramble to defend the Fleet against 6 incoming Su-27 in 1st Area. A Naval Base improvement is active. 3 MiGs are covering the bombers. My flight is composed by 3 Planes with AtA weapons, 1 with some AtG (to counter some nasty Event) and my E-2C to enhance my shoots. I will spare my SO for my last mission tomorrow so I won't have any long range AtA weapons, I will be outranged by “modern” MiGs before my AIM-120 could attack and suppress.
Su-7 are wild goose when your Pilots have +2 in AtA and are supported by an E-2C, so this mission succeeds easily...and “Aerial Refueling” will freely supports my planes in the next mission. Hunter is promoted to Veteran. Except Eyes, my E-2C, all my pilots are fully rested before my last day in North Atlantic.
Day 12 :For my last day, I must scramble with 5 planes (plus my E-2C) to make a “Carrier Defense” mission in 1st area. 8 Su-24 are approaching. I spend all my 6 SO left to take 6 AIM-54. 6 bandits will protect the bombers but they are all downed by AIM-54. Su-24s quickly follow their comrades in the sea. Eyes is promoted to Ace.
So after 12 days flying over North Atlantic and 14 mission, final Evaluation is only Adequate with 33 VP (38 but -2 for 2 planes downed and -3 for 1 MIA Pilot). And my squadron is now composed with 1 Ace, 3 Veteran, 6 Skilled and 1 Average Pilots (plus 1 MIA).
In this Campaign, AIM-120 have missed me and AIM-54 could not always replace them. I have been outranged a lot of times by “modern” MiGs with Range 3 and 4 because my AIM-7 can't suppress these attacks. But I will fly again in North Atlantic !