Missions I don't take because ....

[isferno]

There are a couple of missions which I don't accept:

1. Minesweep A/B/E
Reason: the Nav point 2 always get's me to the C-mines. Easier to accept this mission and sweep through B and A afterwards.

2. Footbase Hill
Reasons: 4 x 4 AGM rockets fired and hit with a damage of only 38%.
most times SAMs and AAAs are not removed yet

3. Sweep
Reason: With luck you have 3 enemy fighters which are destroyed easily if not destroyed by a Patrol.

Additional:
with assault missions, slow down, order your wingman to attack (and draw fire) and only after that you can attack without being attacked by 2 missiles every 3 seconds. (draining your decoys in no time or forcing you to retreat behind the 40+ mile zone.)

Tip: Sweepmine/patrol/sweep early, assault late. (example: No use assaulting Tomal with Kitt still hanging around)

[se5a]

yea, when approaching an hostle flight of fighters, I often fire off a med range missile, it destracts them from firing missiles at you, till they shake it.
also DONT use afterburner when trying to dodge a missile, it actualy draws the missile back to you, rather than to the decoy.

[Deathifier]

Having just finished a run at the demo in who knows how many months I can make some comments

ORIGINAL: isferno
1. Minesweep A/B/E
Reason: the Nav point 2 always get's me to the C-mines. Easier to accept this mission and sweep through B and A afterwards.

Yes it does drop you off pretty far out, however the missions are generally short and some easy kills

ORIGINAL: isferno
2. Footbase Hill
Reasons: 4 x 4 AGM rockets fired and hit with a damage of only 38%.
most times SAMs and AAAs are not removed yet

What are fighter cannons for if not blowing up large ground instalations
Unfortunately you can't convince your wingmen to join in the fun after they spend their missiles so it's all up to you and time acceleration!
Just watch out because once it gets heavily damaged (around 30%) it starts launching whatever fighters are left in its hangers after you. Thankfully they have to takeoff and we all know how effective fighters are when they are sitting on the runway.
Blowing the base and 7 fighters (3 were destroyed in an earlier sortie against the AAA/SAM sites, which also went boom to cannon fire after my AGM's decided dirt was a better target...) netted me 2260 points or so though, then ended the demo campaign (*sigh*).

It would be better if the game remembered damage done during a mission though (and awarded points based on that damage, not just destruction).

- Deathifier

[John DiCamillo]

ORIGINAL: isferno
1. Minesweep A/B/E
Reason: the Nav point 2 always get's me to the C-mines. Easier to accept this mission and sweep through B and A afterwards.

General suggestion: If you don't like the computed flight plan, stop off at the NAV page of the briefing and change it before you start the mission. Also, there is no penalty for killing a target other than the one in the flight plan. If a target of opportunity presents itself, you can use your discretion in killing it instead of following the original plan.

If you have been given a mission to take out a starbase that is protected by a SAM or AAA site, you should be able to edit the strike navpoint to target the defensive facilities instead of the base.

ORIGINAL: Deathifier

It would be better if the game remembered damage done during a mission though (and awarded points based on that damage, not just destruction).

That's a bug. The game is supposed to make all damage persistent during the campaign, but the demo only remembers damage done to starships and space stations, not ground units. I fixed it last week.

I'll have to think about awarding some token career points for damaging a large enemy unit without destroying it.

[TheDeadlyShoe]

Speaking of which.. does full version have fighters you lose when commanding a carrier count as lost in persistent mode? It's nice that your fighters are as expendable as missiles, but, err...

[John DiCamillo]

You mean during campaign missions? I dunno. It's supposed to work that way, but I haven't tested that case specifically. Let me get back to you on that.

[Veloxi]

ORIGINAL: TheDeadlyShoe

Speaking of which.. does full version have fighters you lose when commanding a carrier count as lost in persistent mode? It's nice that your fighters are as expendable as missiles, but, err...

Well, in WWII, when a carrier was lost or damaged, other carriers would try and take on the other carrier's aircraft. Any aircraft that couldn't be landed on a carrier or a land base were ditched, I believe. That seems like a likely scenario here as well. What do you think, Milo?

[Pheonix Starflare]

ORIGINAL: Veloxi
Well, in WWII, when a carrier was lost or damaged, other carriers would try and take on the other carrier's aircraft. Any aircraft that couldn't be landed on a carrier or a land base were ditched, I believe. That seems like a likely scenario here as well. What do you think, Milo?

Well, sounds fine, except that in SS, afaik, there's no hard limit on any of the carriers regarding how many fighters they can actually carry. The only way it could be done ATM, i think, is if there had to be extra space in current squadrons (ie fighters had been lost from them) and then if all available slots are filled then the fighters are lost.

[Veloxi]

ORIGINAL: Pheonix Starflare
Well, sounds fine, except that in SS, afaik, there's no hard limit on any of the carriers regarding how many fighters they can actually carry. The only way it could be done ATM, i think, is if there had to be extra space in current squadrons (ie fighters had been lost from them) and then if all available slots are filled then the fighters are lost.

Hey, you're not Milo. j/k...

Well, in the case I mentioned, I believe, the pilots from certain squadrons would either be assimilated into other squadrons, or reformed on a new carrier. Could this be done?

[isferno]

ORIGINAL: Veloxi

Well, in the case I mentioned, I believe, the pilots from certain squadrons would either be assimilated into other squadrons, or reformed on a new carrier. Could this be done?

Does this include creating an Elite Fighter Squadron from (AI) pilots with best scores?

[isferno]

Is it also possible to change the following with carriers: (in order of what I felt important)
1. remove inbounds from inbound list (due to damage or fuel unable to continue while keeping the rest waiting for ever)
2. reduce the maintenance duration so fighters can fly at least twice within multiplayer games.
3. speed up inbound landing so 3,5 minutes of active flying time doesn't get added with 30 minutes of cue time.
4. "launch" means that a team get launched instead of just first 2 of the members
5. make it possible to launch vehicles within the order of prelaunch selection, instead of per squadron.
6. allow fighters in cue to make evasive maneuvres when attacked.

[isferno]

Below an example of the landing speed while one fighter blocks 1 landing pad of the Orion Carier due to damaged drive