F-14A Tomcat Topgun esque campaign coming to DCS

That one made me laugh, because during the first mission that began predawn, caused me unimaginable grief trying to figure out how to get rid of the red HUD and VDI after sunrise. Put me on steam gauges again for sure. Big handle right in front of my nose. All the little details that a campaign forces you to learn, because you know that another mission will put your keester right back in the same predicament.

Another thing that I like about Reflected’s campaigns is having to work the radios to talk to the right folks at different times in the mission. I finally decided to have Jester go button 1 before leaving the boat, and then I changed mine when necessary (6, 2, 17, etc). Great for immersion.

Copy target aspect. Good one.

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Yes! The little things like that, that give me the (false!) impression of actually knowing the aircraft and make me feel a little like a real fighter pilot. I love that!

Although definitely tempered whenever I go down in flames and take a moment to reflect and be thankful that I have the opportunity to do these things for fun in the virtual space, without the real stress and consequences for failure.

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Just had my most fun mission yet, 12 - Alert 5.

Details contain spoilers

Sat there on the cat looking over my pit, sure that I had missed something. Set radios to buttons 1 & 2, switched on missile prep and SW cooling. Got the launch order, good A/B shot, clean up, and made a right climbing turn towards the engagement. Remained in A/B until through 7k, then pulled back to military so that 2 could close. Before Caveman joined up, Jester made a “nails 6 o’clock” call (probably 2 going active), but I do a nugget-like 360 turn just to be sure. Then we begin receiving BRA for 2 pop-up groups, which were roughly co azimuth but different angels and distances.

We light the cans and climb to angels 32, because their high group is at 28. We shoot 3 out of 4 AIM-54s at 45 miles at what I think is nearest group. Shoot the 4th Phoenix at 30 miles. Then shoot an AIM-7 inside of 20 miles. That one takes a MiG-21 in the kisser. Apparently none of the AIM-54s hit, because there are too many Indians at the merge. I send an AIM-9 at what I think is an easy kill, but it goes after a flare. We are all in a swirling dogfight in and out of the clouds and on instruments for much of the engagement. Hard to see anything but occasional smoke trail. I’m in VSL high and low trying to lock, but getting friendlies. Shot another rear aspect AIM-9 at a MiG that passes left to right and this one strikes home. I think that for sure the trailing group of bandits has merged, because we are still outnumbered.

A MiG shoots a heater at us from left 10 o’clock. Jester makes a great break left call and I do so hard, dropping a bit of flaps and dumping flares. It misses. I roll right sucking up flaps and accelerating. Shoot the last AIM-9 at another MiG coming head on, but it loses lock. Then see his wingman in trail, thinking that we are meat on a stick for the taking. Before either he or I can react, a missile comes passed us from the right and hits him in the face. Thank you, you big beautiful studs, Caveman and Grip. Drinks on Jester and me for life :smiley:

We get a call from Strike that all bandits are down. Pontiac 1 has 3 x Tomcats remaining for RTB. We set TACAN for mother and call Marshall for the recovery.

I get a no grade, “that’s a 2 wire”, but very much still on an adrenaline high. We haven’t heard anything about the SAR for Elvis and Glory, but happy to survive and clear all of the bandits. Debrief says 2 kills, confirming no Phoenix kills. I’ll take it.

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Great writeup! Thanks for sharing.

I don’t understand what’s going on with the -54’s. Did ED change something that nerfed them (again)? It’s been several months since I’ve played with the turkey, so maybe?

You’re shooting downhill, at high speed, presumably in TWS so there’s no lock warning on their end, not sure why they’re not hitting home. At 45 miles I could see, but the one at 30 miles should have had plenty of energy I would have thought. Bummer!

For me they were an incredibly OP weapon in that campaign. Like I said, I pretty much forsook the AIM-7’s (about all it was good for was rear-aspect shots that I could use -9’s for if I waited to close a little more), and just ran -54’s and heaters. Still had to use the gun about once per mission.

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I know that feeling very well, especially in the dark sitting on the cat. That was the Chekov’s gun in your AAR, I kept waiting to find out what item didn’t get turned on or forgotten! :joy:

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It’s definitely operator error. The TID is really small, but I think that I understand the symbology. Do I need to remind Jester to track targets or use TWS? In the fleet defender mission, I was able to get 4 out of 6 to hit, but the rest of the missions not had a lot of luck. It’s keeping things interesting though :grin:. BTW, haven’t had time to try your tweaks, so there’s that. Just remembered - one thing that I’m not seeing is any HUD symbology related to the AIM-54. I have master arm in, A2A HUD mode, TID repeater on. The target symbols have pointed hats, tails, priority and alt numbers. Aren’t I supposed to see some time to impact on the right side of the HUD, or is that only STT mode? Thanks.

Edit: I use VAICOM and see that there are some radar mode commands. Should I be telling Jester to put the radar in TWS auto as we head to intercept?

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