Air Battle - July 28, 2020 -- new beta for testing

[Mgellis]

My newest beta...an air-sea battle between Taiwan and China.

As always, I'm interested in any feedback on how to make the scenario better...gameplay, missions, orders, events, etc.

Please let me know what you think. Thanks!

Version 3 uploaded 9:30 PM EST on 8/12/18.

[ultradave]

Mark,

I've not gotten very far yet, but I just wanted to say this is the type of scenario I really like. Looks interesting, but with a manageable number of units to take care of (assuming that the PRC doesn't send swarms of aircraft like a kicked over wasp's nest that is). Already some decisions to make. Do I do X now, or wait and let things develop before doing X or maybe Y. I'm being deliberately vague so as not to spoil anything.

Rainy afternoon here so I'll give it a go and see how it feels.

[ultradave]

Well, so far I'm not doing too well. Lost a fair number of fighters (about twice as many as I've taken down). I think I need to try again with different WRA. The inherited 10nm default for the longer range weapons I think is my problem. I did some experimenting and it didn't seem my hit count went down any by increasing it to max range. But I'm down to limited resources so I'm going to start again with a little hindsight.

[Mgellis]

ORIGINAL: ultradave

Well, so far I'm not doing too well. Lost a fair number of fighters (about twice as many as I've taken down). I think I need to try again with different WRA. The inherited 10nm default for the longer range weapons I think is my problem. I did some experimenting and it didn't seem my hit count went down any by increasing it to max range. But I'm down to limited resources so I'm going to start again with a little hindsight.

Yes, I had trouble getting anything above Average when I was testing it. I'm not sure if it's that my tactical abilities are limited or that this one is just very hard to beat. Part of the issue is that China has a lot of aircraft with long range missiles...in terms of what they would likely send on a raid like this and what Taiwan would have ready if they were partly taken by surprise, Taiwan has to deal with being outgunned.

I suspect that winning with more than Average may depend on protecting the ships rather than trying to go after Chinese interceptors. And then killing the small Chinese surface group to get points. And maybe luring some of the Chinese planes into the SAM envelopes of the ships.

[ultradave]

Haven't had a chance for another go at this yet (family duties call!). I should be able to today and over the weekend.

[ultradave]

Tried two different things.
1. Held back by not allowing investigating outside of area, with missiles limited to 10nm to try to ensure greater kill probability. Result - My CAP got blown out of the air by long range missiles.
2. Still not allowing investigating out of area, but with missiles set to max range. AMRAAMS were pretty much useless, and scored only a few hits, while my aircraft were shot down left and right. Since my aircraft quickly expended missiles by missing at long range, they all RTB quickly with replacements on the way but distant, leaving the whole sea open to Chinese aircraft.

Either I am terrible at figuring out how to deal with a superior adversary or this is really really hard.

Someone else should probably test this to provide another datapoint.

[AlexGGGG]

Mark,

I have a suspicion that Sky Bow IIA ground based SAM batteries are pointing their radars wrong way, and apparently they are not movable so I cannot turn them the way I want. I can turn Patriot batteries to point their radars as I see fit, but not Sky Bow IIA units.

[Mgellis]

Just uploaded version 2

Changed orientation on some of the SAM units and moved a Patriot battery onto one of Taiwan's islands. I think that may make a bit of a difference. Let me know what you think. Thanks!

[AlexGGGG]

The battery near Tainan (approx 6 NM bearing 130 deg from Tainan Airbase) is still pointing backwards.

[AlexGGGG]

So I tested it, and on the first try I scored Triumph 360 with death toll as follows:

SIDE: Taiwan
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
1x F-CK-1D Hsiung Ying [Ching Kuo MLU]


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
3x Sky Sword II
2x Generic Chaff Salvo [5x Cartridges]
10x MIM-104C Patriot PAC-2
33x MIM-23C I-HAWK
40x RIM-66K-2 SM-2MR Blk IIIA
1x Sky Sword I <-- I killed Wing Loooooong UAV with it
4x MICA EM <-- mostly spent for AWACS
8x RGM-84L Harpoon II <-- small ships
4x Generic Chaff Salvo [4x Cartridges]
4x AGM-65B Maverick EO <--- small ships
4x AGM-84L Harpoon II <-- small ships (they have SAMs, so I spent more missiles than expected)



SIDE: China
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
3x WD-1K Wing Loong [Pterodactyl] UAV <-- by fighter
11x J-11BS Flanker B [Su-27SK Copy] <-- by SAMs
12x J-10A Vigorous Dragon <--- by SAMs and American fighters
2x Type 056 Jiangdao [582 Bengbu]
1x A-50 Mainring [KJ-2000] <--- by MICA EM


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
21x PL-12
65x Generic Chaff Salvo [4x Cartridges]
8x YJ-83K [C-802AK] <-- intercept by SM-2MR 1x SAM per 1x inbound, near 100% hits
8x YJ-83 [C-802A, CSS-N-8 Saccade]
13x HQ-10 [FL-3000N]
6x 30mm China H/PJ-17 [20 rnds]
5x Generic Chaff Rocket



SIDE: United States
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
16x AIM-120D AMRAAM P3I.4
8x Generic Chaff Salvo [8x Cartridges]
6x RIM-162A ESSM


OBSERVATIONS

It was the first time I played. Zeroth time I started the scenario, reported an issue of SAM orientation and closed the scenario, thought misdirected SAMs would be real bad. Actually Sky Bow IIA SAM batteries on the ground turned out irrelevant. They use Sky Bow III missile ABM variant which is anti-ballistic-target only, and there were no ballistic targets in this scenario.

So what I did, I moved Hawkeye mission to about 100 NM due east of Taitung so that Hawkeye did not come under fire, disbanded SAM group to have individual control of SAMs, sent Kidd north-west to be in better position to intercept aircraft, switched all engagements to manual (set all doctrines to weapons HOLD) and cancelled the CAP mission.

Then I put some aircraft up, in pairs, to lure Chinese fighters towards my SAMs and Kidd DDG. Americans also helped a bit with their CAP and also Arleigh Burke or what was it. At about an hour till the end of scenario there was a lull in Chinese air attacks, and I launched 2x F5 with Mavericks and 1x Orion with Harpoons to kill two Chinese small ships. After that I sent a pair of Mirages with MICA EMs after the Chinese Mainstay.

And that was pretty much it, I never come under any kind of air raid, and there never was any significant threat.

EDITED TO ADD: Either something did not work for me, like an event which did not fire, or this scenario is very easy.

[Mgellis]

Version 3 uploaded.

Made a bunch of changes for China...gave them more focused missions (I think), more appropriate aircraft, and some ballistic missiles.

Please let me know what you think.

Thanks!

[AlexGGGG]

I still have one of the Sky Bow IIAs pointing east.

[AlexGGGG]

Version 3 is much more balanced. I scored 160 Triumph, but that was much more difficult.

SIDE: Taiwan
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
2x Mirage 2000-5EI
1x F-CK-1D Hsiung Ying [Ching Kuo MLU]
4x Sky Bow III [Tien Kung 3, Mobile]
1x Vehicle (Long White 2, Mobile)
1x F-16B Blk 20 Falcon

SIDE: China
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
15x J-11BS Flanker B [Su-27SK Copy]
2x WD-1K Wing Loong [Pterodactyl] UAV
1x J-15 Flying Shark [Su-33 Copy]
2x BZK-005 Sea Eagle UAV

[Mgellis]

Okay...any other thoughts on this one? Or is it ready for the Community Scenario Pack?

Thanks.

[AlexGGGG]

I found no apparent bugs or anomalies. Very nice and balanced scenario.