Iron Hand advice

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Tracktor
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 1:30 pm

Iron Hand advice

Post by Tracktor »

Hi!

I'm a novice war gamer, and just bought Command a few days ago. Its amazing.

So. I've been playing Iron Hand for a few days, and I would appreciate some advice. My current strategy is along the lines of use a huge standoff strike to get rid of the SAM 5c's with AS-15's and the mobile artillery. Then I try and destroy as many of the radars as I can - also with AS-15's after a 20 hour refit. Once the SAM 5's are gone, I set up a refueling point around the left of the no-nav region, and then send in some aircraft with ARM missiles to take out a few more SAM 2 and 3's. I haven't got much further than killing the 5's, all the radars, and about half the other SAM's, but it gets messy from there, and I always end up having just over a day to finish things.

What are your thoughts on this?

Cheers!
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wild_Willie2
Posts: 2934
Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2004 10:33 am
Location: Arnhem (holland) yes a bridge to far...

RE: Iron Hand advice

Post by wild_Willie2 »

There are several ways of destroying SAM sites in this scenario, the most obvious and safest choices are to use your strategic missiles (use your Iskander unit that starts on Mozdok AB to knock out the Sa-5 and Sa-2 sites), combined with your strategic bombers (Tu-95, 160 and 22) with long rang surface and ARM missiles to take out SAM sites in the east (starting with the most dangerous ones (e.g. the systems with the longest range), but if you only use these strategic units, you will indeed run out of time because of their 20 hour rearm cycles. But if you also re-arm and use your SU-24's (4 hour rearm cycles) with ARM and AS-17, 18 missiles, things will work much better for you. The problem is, these AC and these weapons are relatively short ranged and because you aren't allowed to knock out the Azerbaijan airbase you will need to organize and use AWACS, tankers, jammers and fighters in order to get them to their targets in one peace and back.

This is what makes this scenario so interesting because it teaches you that you really need to do these things in order to complete your mission with minimal losses (I generally only loose about five fighters in Air to air combat while destroying virtually all targets on the map).

I can give you one single piece of advice to master this game it's this: Jammers, Jammers and MORE Jammers :)

Radar guided weapons have a hell of a time locating and locking on targets when you have a jammer AC flying closely behind you strike AC (hint), giving you a first strike opportunity. Also AI controlled fighters tend not to launch if they do not have a target to intercept (destroying fixed radar sites will cause the AI to send up less AC) and you transfer supporting AC from bases inside Russia to bases in Armenia via the Black Sea ;)

Good luck!!

W.

In vinum illic est sapientia , in matera illic est vires , in aqua illic es bacteria.

In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is strength, in water there are bacteria.
Tracktor
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 1:30 pm

RE: Iron Hand advice

Post by Tracktor »

Thanks WW! Ya, I agree, its a great scenario. OK cool. I will try some new plans :)
Hurricane144
Posts: 30
Joined: Tue May 12, 2015 8:24 pm

RE: Iron Hand advice

Post by Hurricane144 »

The cruise missiles rely on surprise. Once Azerbaijan gets their airforce in the air, the efficiency on those goes way down. Make them your opening salvo.

Time the opening salvo with an Su-34 ingress at low altitude toward the SA-10 site. You get in range down on deck, pop up to fire the ARMs and then egress on deck again. SAM sites have no chance against that. You can pick up the location by using the ELINT Su-24 early on, just stay out of their airspace so it doesn't trigger war.

I save the ballistic missile for a reserve reaction, when things don't go as planned later and you need to quickly take out a site.

After the SA-10 (via ARM) and SA-5's (via cruise missile attack) sites are out start picking off the rest at leisure. You can take out the SA-4 sites by rearming the SU-34s.

The rest of the scenario is just avoiding threat zones owned by non-priority targets and protecting your SU-34's.

Protect the Su-34's by escorting with Su-27. Su-27 gets the first shot due to range on the Mig-29's. Make sure you have two Su-27's local for every single Mig-29. Make sure your first salvo on any given Mig will have a very high probability of kill. (4 missiles per mig is good.) You don't want them getting a chance to shoot back. They'll be engaged defensive after your first salvo is on the way before their own missiles get to you, so they'll never have a chance because they can't paint for SARH.

Keep the western airspace threatened with Migs so that you tie up their western airforce. Use the mountains. Pop up, threaten with radar, when they engage you dive back down into the mountains. Repeat. If they get aggressive, egress back into friendly AD.

That's it! I've done the scenario with zero losses and most of the time just lose one plane or two when things go wrong at some point.

You won't ever need the SU-25's. Sometimes once the Azerbaijani air defenses are down you can, for fun, go take out their static sites and airfields, but that isn't what is called for by the scenario and you still need to worry about Mig-29s. I keep them grounded.

What makes this one easy is that every site is emitting from the start. It would be a much more realistic and challenging scenario if they could use their emitters more selectively, save revealing their locations for when they have a shot, and relocate the mobile unit (SA-10) after firing. As is, it's a training scenario where all the targets wear bullseyes.
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