Operation Desert Falcon Impressions

[HalfLifeExpert]

I've played through this Showcase DLC twice now. Overall it's a nice scenario, but I didn't find it as difficult as it was billed to be.

The first Run I got a disaster score, mainly due to losing 4x Rafales to to poorly set up tanker support, losing a few helos for the same reason, and failing to get all the Evacs out in time.

The second run, I had practically no loses, but got an inconclusive result solely due to not getting enough people out in time. I suffered no losses other than one armored car on the airfield perimeter.

It's the second run that covers my feedback mostly. I was able to complete my 2nd run without launching any aircraft from southern France.
I found that smart and early application of the Rapid Dragon aircraft out of Germany and the Cruise Missiles from the French ships can effectively neutralize the small Chadian air force, by doing the following:
1) Wrecking the 3 runways at the 3 airbases, which in turn ultimately takes out any fighters already in the air as they can't land.
2) Destroying aircraft on the ground.

I don't think any of my Naval SCALP-EGs or JASSM-ERs were intercepted. And I had enough left over to take out the 3 training camps as well as the USLF HQ.

I got most of the Evacs to Libreville with the three Atlas transports on their first run. I sent two of them back to get the rest, but realized it would cut very close with the time limit for the aircraft to be ready.

Ultimately I ran out of time, but all the remaining evacs were in the air and out of Chadian airspace when the clock ran out, so I DID get every civilian out, just not at the rally point in time. So it was a 'magic hill' defeat really.

I can't say I can really complain though. The player can elect to NOT use the Rapid Dragon aircraft for their own self challenge, but I don't think the player needs the Rafale squadron and it's support aircraft.

The only suggestion I can think of is making a scoring penalty for electing to use the Rapid Dragon aircraft, as that seems to make the mission a bit easier than it was billed as. It can be justified in-scenario as being a prestige hit on the French for using an advanced American weapon system for this mission.

Final Score: -505 Minor Defeat

SIDE: France
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
1x ERC-90 F4 SAGAIE


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
32x MdCN [Naval SCALP EG]
5x Rapid Dragon Weapon Pallet [9x AGM-158B JASSM-ER]
45x AGM-158B JASSM-ER
52x 90mm F4 HE
62x 7.62mm MG Burst [20 rnds]



SIDE: USLF
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
3x Su-25 Frogfoot A
6x A/C Hangar (2x Medium Aircraft)
1x C-130J-30 Hercules
2x Hurkus-C
2x A/C Hangar (2x Small Aircraft)
1x Building (Medium)
3x Building (Tents)
3x AvGas (400k Liter Tank)
11x Infantry Section [7.62mm MG/Unguided Infantry Anti Tank Weapon]
3x 7.62mm MG
1x Saboteur
3x MiG-29 Fulcrum A
1x Radar (Flat Face B [P-19])
2x C-27J Spartan
1x C-130H Hercules
1x Ammo Revetment
9x JF-17N Thunder Blk 2 [JF-17A, FC-1]
4x Vehicle (Truck, Armed Technical)


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
79x 12.7mm/50 MG Burst [10 rnds]



SIDE: Civilian
===========================================================

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


EXPENDITURES:
------------------



SIDE: Libya
===========================================================

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


EXPENDITURES:
------------------

[TBLackey]

The civilians have to parachute into Libreville for the points to count! Guess if your life is already on the line, why not try a HALO jump with no training?

[ProJacob]

You can land them at Libreville and unload them from the airbases cargo. But I suppose airdropping them is one way to do it!

[TBLackey]

How do you 'unload them from the airbases cargo'?

edit: same way you do it with aircraft. I learnt something!

[TBLackey]

Can you 'load' the French infantry into the airbase? If so how?

[ProJacob]

To unload at the airbase you select Unit Orders at the top and under the dropdown menu select "Unload Cargo" near the bottoms. To load the troops into the airbase, bring them close to the airbase, select an individual building in the airfield group, under Unit Orders right below the Unload Cargo button select "Select Unit(s) to pickup". The Marines should now magically appear in the airfields cargo same as the civilians. More info about both can be found in the game manual.

Note: You do not have to extract the Marines to beat the scenario, its just bonus points, you wont be penalized for not extracting them. I hope this helps and thanks for playing the scenario!

[TBLackey]

Received urgent orders to extract circa 500 civilians plus our ground forces in Chad. First I signalled a change in ROE, due to the exigent circumstances our marines are Weapons Free to protect civilians at Massenya airfield awaiting rescue.

Grizzly transports out of Libreville fly immediately to Massenya to begin the evacuation, I'd prefer to set up a CAP over Chad first, but command has set a strict timetable for completion of the mission. Tonnerree amphibious group is directed at flank speed in close to the coast to support the operation with long range fires. A Rafale CAP and E-3 AWACS fly from metropolitan France for duty over Chad, with supporting tanker missions in Algeria and Niger. USAF has also provided a C-17-borne Rapid Dragon system out of Ramstein, Germany.

The Grizzlies arrive in Chad first and prepare to fly two-thirds of the civilians to Libreville. As this is happening CAP, AWACS and Rapid Dragon arrive. CAP engages a single USLF combat aircraft. The Rapid Dragon JASSMs destroy all enemy runways and two USLF training camps. The C-17 lingers with the Niger tankers, so that it can airlift our armored ground forces that the Grizzlies cannot move.

With the destruction of all enemy runways, France now has air superiority over Chad. The Rafales remain on station for reconnaissance and BDA. Using SCALP cruise missiles, the Tonerre Group destroys N'Djamena airbase, as well as the USLF HQ and last remaining training camp.

After flying out the first load of civilians, the C-17 USAF pilot advises that the Massenya runway is too short to land on! Oh well. The C-17 is released and sent back to Germany.

Before the Grizzlies can return for the final phase of the evac operation, USLF ground forces attack Massenya. Several dozen marines are killed and our armored unit is destroyed repelling the attack. However, their sacrifice protected the remaining civilians from certain death. When the Grizzlies return, the remaining civilians and French ground troops are flown to Libreville. Air force and naval assets supporting the evacuation are released back to normal duties.

Untitled.png (25.36 KiB) Viewed 1430 times

SIDE: France
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
3x ERC-90 F4 SAGAIE
4x Infantry Section [7.62mm MG/Unguided Infantry Anti Tank Weapon]


DECOYS:
-------------------------------


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
40x 7.62mm MG Burst [20 rnds]
40x 90mm F4 HE
45x AGM-158B JASSM-ER
8x Generic Unguided Anti Tank Weapon
32x MdCN [Naval SCALP EG]
3x MICA EM NG
5x Rapid Dragon Weapon Pallet [9x AGM-158B JASSM-ER]

WEAPONS/STORES LOST:
-----------------------------
256x 7.62mm MG Burst [20 rnds]
20x 90mm F4 HE
12x Generic Chaff Salvo [5x Cartridges]
10x Generic Flare Salvo [3x Cartridges, Dual Spectral]
8x Generic Unguided Anti Tank Weapon
5x Rapid Dragon Weapon Pallet [9x AGM-158B JASSM-ER]



SIDE: USLF
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
1x 20mm/70 Oerlikon Mk4
4x 40mm/70 Single Bofors
3x 7.62mm MG
5x A/C Hangar (2x Medium Aircraft)
2x A/C Hangar (2x Small Aircraft)
1x Building (Medium)
3x Building (Tents)
1x C-130J-30 Hercules
1x HQ-12 Twin Rail
2x Hurkus-C
11x Infantry Section [7.62mm MG/Unguided Infantry Anti Tank Weapon]
9x JF-17N Thunder Blk 2 [JF-17A, FC-1]
1x SA-6a Gainful [2P25] TEL
1x Saboteur
4x Su-25 Frogfoot A
4x Vehicle (Truck, Armed Technical)


DECOYS:
-------------------------------


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
62x 12.7mm/50 MG Burst [10 rnds]

WEAPONS/STORES LOST:
-----------------------------
18x 12.7mm/50 MG Burst [10 rnds]
18x 1200 liter Drop Tank
28x 20mm M39 Burst [40 rnds]
45x 23mm Type 23-3 Burst [40 rnds]
20x 30mm Gsh-30-2 Burst [50 rnds]
108x 40mm/70 Single Bofors Burst [4 rnds]
4x 425 USG Drop Tank
610x 7.62mm MG Burst [20 rnds]
9x 800 liter Drop Tank
8x AA-8 Aphid [R-60M]
64x FAB-250M-54 GPB
236x Generic Chaff Salvo [4x Cartridges]
236x Generic Flare Salvo [4x Cartridges, Single Spectral]
22x Generic Unguided Anti Tank Weapon
36x PL-9



SIDE: Civilian
===========================================================

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


DECOYS:
-------------------------------


EXPENDITURES:
------------------

WEAPONS/STORES LOST:
-----------------------------



SIDE: Libya
===========================================================

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


DECOYS:
-------------------------------


EXPENDITURES:
------------------

WEAPONS/STORES LOST:
-----------------------------
192x SA-3b Goa [5V27, V-601P]
36x SA-7a Grail [9M32]

[ProJacob]

Awesome AAR! I see from the losses that the Libyans fired some SAMs. Did they give you much trouble flying through Libya or just more of a minor annoyance?

[TBLackey]

Just noticed the Libyan expenditures.

No, I had a no-fly zone covering the whole of Libya.

Perhaps Libya is firing at civilians planes as they cross over? But there are no civilian plane casualties. I'm not sure what the Libyans are firing at.

[TBLackey]

Heh, I just had a look in Gods-Eye and saw the massive civilian airliner operation happening! Didn't realise there were so many in the scenario, it looks like a proper ATC simulation.

But the civilians respect their no-fly zones and don't fly over Libya or Chad, so my theory doesn' hold.

edit: I started a fresh "Operation Desert Falcon" scenario, and check the expenditures. Libya seems to start with some missiles listed at scenario start as expended. The numbers are different each time for SA-3 and SA-7, they seem to be randomly generated within the ammo capacity range of the launchers. Very weird!

[ProJacob]

Ah that makes sense. That is a side effect of the randomized Libyan positions.

[gosnold]

I completed the scenario, without using the C-17

What I did is:
- Launch a first wave of 8 Rafale with Scalp, 4 CAP and 4 tankers. They close the runway access point everywhere but in Ndjamena, and destroy the camps
- Launch a naval scalp strike timed in sync to destroy the HQ, access points and runway in Ndjamena

- Reequip 9 Rafale with Meteors and launch them along with 3 tankers when they are ready (3h). When they arrived they were supposed to run CAP while the Grizzly and helo landed, but nobody but a CAS turpoprop was in the air as the enemy force was grounded.

- Reequip 3 Rafale with Hammer smart bombs and send them along with the last tanker to run CAS around the ground troops. Worked pretty well, I did not lose a single troop. In the end I unloaded the rest of the ammo at the occupied parking spots in Ndjamena and killed 7 JF17

In the end the grizzly + helo ops left 1 civilian group on the ground, and because I delayed the rescue to be sure to have Meteor planes in the air I could not retrieve them before the end.

I tried using the strike planner but it made garbage for multi-target strikes, but manual planning worked pretty well with the limited number of assets. Only issue was the Rafale using the KC-130J as tankers when I wanted to reserve that for helo, and there were MRTTs nearby.