Showcase: Ford Class -Feedback

[HalfLifeExpert]

So I've played quite a bit of the Ford Class DLC scenario, and I'm comfortable providing feedback on the scenario.

Overall I think the scenario is pretty good, much better than the QE Class scenario, with some critiques below.

1) Events need some more work. The initial issue with CVW choices is firmly fixed thankfully, but I feel that sometimes POTUS calls a ceasefire too early (see next point for why).

2) Russia Attacks!:

So in my most recent playthrough, Russia finally commenced hostilities shortly after Angola started shooting.

The US assets that immediately came under attack were the USNS Newport, near Angola unloading Marines via Osprey, and USS McFaul providing cover to Newport.

In comes a salvo of hypersonic Zircon missiles from the Russian ships. I have no defense. Newport and Mcfaul are blown apart with no difficulty, and the redundant Zircons fly onward, slamming into some Angolan merchants/fishing boats. McFaul was able to sink the Russian oiler and 3x Angolan naval boats with missiles before being destroyed.

Here's my problems:

1- Why am I penalized score-wise for RUSSIAN missiles sinking fishing boats? It was clearly a case of the Russians firing missiles indiscriminately and recklessly. I'd think that would work in the US's favor politically.

2- Luckily the Zircons were not fired at the Ford, and I'm not sure if I could have any defense against them. Is this intentional?

3- The loss of the Newport and McFaul basically crippled me from having any hope of even a minor defeat. I was permanently stuck in 'Disaster', despite overriding the 'End Scenario' messages that kept popping up soon after they were sunk. As the CVBG commander I was furious that POTUS is trying to prevent my from striking back at an unprovoked attack on my ships.

I ended up sinking all the Russian ships in follow on operations, but I never got even close to even the 'Major Defeat' category of score.

Essentially, needing the reinforce the embassy puts at least one US vessel in a position where the Russians can blast it with impunity upon hostilities, and likely put the player in a hopeless position score-wise.

NOTE: I did have McFaul's radars on while covering the Newport, could that have been the reason? Seemed reasonable to me since this is an overt presence to reinforce an embassy.

As for solutions, I mean, shouldn't at least one of these US Destroyers have a Laser onboard? It's 2026 afterall.

Feel free to set me right on all of this regarding the Newport-McFaul sinkings, I just felt I was basically screwed with little chance to reverse it.


3) Amend the briefing RE: The USMC units onboard Newport

I think the Side briefing should be amended for a more detailed breakdown of the USMC units you need to deliver to the Embassy. The reason I say this is that some of them I wasn't sure exactly what they were, and initially wasn't sure which squads/platoons to prioritize sending in first. I particularly wasn't sure what ANGLCO was.

4) Annoying popups with Embassy guard towers.
This is probably not specific to this scenario, but I apparently got a 'unit destroyed' popup for every 'RPG' that hit one of the guard towers, despite the fact that the first warhead did destroy it. Just annoying that I got an alert for a rocket destroying an alert for an already destroyed facility.

[TBLackey]

Essentially, needing the reinforce the embassy puts at least one US vessel in a position where the Russians can blast it with impunity upon hostilities, and likely put the player in a hopeless position score-wise.

Stingray refueling to extend the range of the Osprey inserting the marines. You have 8 refuelers to work with.

Newport has a random start. Too far north - head to the coast of Gabon. Too far south - head southwest behind Ford. It's a choice you have to make. You're right, leaving it for the Russians to devour is unwise. It's low on fuel though, and the oiler has a random start too, so you'll have to plan differently each time.

This is probably not specific to this scenario, but I apparently got a 'unit destroyed' popup for every 'RPG' that hit one of the guard towers, despite the fact that the first warhead did destroy it. Just annoying that I got an alert for a rocket destroying an alert for an already destroyed facility.

Popups can be changed in Game Options.

I think the Side briefing should be amended for a more detailed breakdown of the USMC units you need to deliver to the Embassy. The reason I say this is that some of them I wasn't sure exactly what they were, and initially wasn't sure which squads/platoons to prioritize sending in first. I particularly wasn't sure what ANGLCO was.

ikr, there is no way to find out the capabilities of the cargo until they are deployed in Luamba. I mean you can guess, but there is no way to access the database. Having said that - MARSOC, mortars and snipers is what you want first. The MEU regulars after that. MANPADS are a 'nice to have'. Leave ANGLCO behind.

As far as the Zircon missiles go - the only way the Russians can target you is via a fix from the Angolan MPAs (or if a suicidal ship's captain turns the radar on). Plan accordingly. The orders are to bring the Ford in close, and shooting first is against the ROE, so it's tricky.

I'm loving this scenario. The random-ness really does make it challenging on repeated play-throughs.

Two issues I found:

1. Angolan Mig-23s fly out on missions until they run out of fuel. I just deleted that mission since they never attack anything anyway.

2. Copy-paste typo in the Commando Solo special action:


local mission = ScenEdit_SetMission('NATO', 'Commando Solo Station', {isactive=true})
b=ScenEdit_GetScore("Russia")
ScenEdit_SetScore('Russia',(b+10),'Activation of Commando Solo mission')
c=ScenEdit_GetScore("Angola")
ScenEdit_SetScore('Russia',(c+15),'Activation of Commando Solo mission')

[Rocksoldier]

I Think there is a problem with SM-6 not able to intercept Zircons, not even when head-on approaching.

Unfortunately I'm not able to properly report this possible bug at the moment buy I did some test and the intercept rate is zero (sm-6 are fired but then totally miss). You can test this by exiting the scenario and set us ships to auto detectable and immediately shot zircons and see what happen.

[tk208]

I grouped most DD's with the CV and was able to shoot down incoming zircons, although a few got through and were luckily spoofed by CM/deycoys lol