Matrix Games Forums

Is just me, or does the Ashville magically get depth charged without warning no matter what you do?

Well I peeked in the editor because I do not like the computer to cheat and look what I found, fixed sonar arrays. Did the Iranians have those? So the way to beat this is stay above the layer and skirt the surface ships. I suspected something was was wrong when the helos flew right to the subs and sank them!

Fixed sonar arrays are pretty common. Good work on figuring out the strategy though!

Transiting inside the layer works as well [:)]

Yay, after more than a dozen attempts finally killed it at 310 points. The Pakistan border is the key...not being detected is easy, so long as you stay well within the layer before and after firing. Just watch those Av gas tanks go up after you hit just one...

SPOILERS

This mission seems to give people a lot of trouble. The strategy I use:

At scenario start, set depth to right in the middle of the layer, ensure Avoid Cavitation is selected and set both subs to sprint-drift to their stations at ~20-25kt average speed. This should get you set up to be early.

About a convergence zone away from the launch point, slow right down and time your arrival to coincide with the launch time. If possible creep all the way, if not then you can just set a higher average speed for sprint and drift, or just a reasonable speed setting (I would recommend < 10kt)

Come to launch depth and get the intel update

Rain tomahawks upon your foes

Once the launch is complete, get back into the layer and move directly away from the coast to the safe zone at flank speed

Once you've put ~30nmi between you and the launch zone you can revert to sprint-drift or just stay at flank/full

You may get unlucky and get some depth charges dropped on you; if so take another stab.

Thanks Rory.

I had zero trouble getting there (full speed at -450ft...not particularly cautious, but worked many times), not being detected at -450 or at -160 on launch, and getting away at -450ft at flank. Being well within the layer pays off, though others find being above the layer has worked as well. Not sure about the SOSUS and levels though.

My main trouble was with the Tomahawks firing from Miami and using a plotted inland approach for them to the left of Chabahar port and Iranshahr city and SA-Sc regiment. Somewhere around 90nm to the left of SA-5c (well within range) I lost most of my Tomahawks except for three. This happened time and again. I could have just extended the plots further to the left outside of the SA range (155nm), but at the time didn't think I had the range in the Tomahawks (675nm).

So having watched Asheville's missiles stroll up to target just inside the Pakistani border (Pakistani side...also within range of SA-5c SAMs), I just decided to do the same with Miami's. Lost none on the way up and most hit their targets directly from the east and north-east just inside the border. I find this a bit curious; weren't the Iranian SA-5c switched on to possible strikes from Pakistan, especially given a US base there?

BTW, I also found it strange that I didn't need to come up to -160 to get the comms, though I had to wait for a minute to see the identified targets at Zahedan.

Great scenario! Would like to do more like this. I think I enjoy these more than the bigger scenarios given limited time to play.

It's interesting how inconsistent the experiences are between players. I tried approaching in/under the layer or even at max depth. I approached at cruise (both with sprint+drift and without), changing to creep to get to the launch area at 2300z; with cavitation disabled obviously. I always changed depth at 5 or 0 kts. Got the intel, ascended to -50m/-160ft, and Asheville got reliably depth charged by the Helicopter before the last missile of the first volley was in the air less than a minute after the boats got to their launch depth.

This has happened every single time for the approximately 5 attempts I made so far.

The info about the static sensors encourages me to try it above the layer this time. I am already frustrated though, and wish the briefing wasn't as negligently devoid of mission critical intel, and that the Asheville XO hadn't sailed the boat into a terrible and avoidable situation while I was taking the pre-mission nap.

Just for others with problems routing the Tomahawks: The relief map is excellent here. Plotting the path northeast over the E-W running mountain chain, and then NW through the valley, NE into the plain, and NW along the road towards the target seems to work well. I had to place some careful waypoints to shield the missiles from SAM site south of the airport with the hills along the road, and got almost all of them through. I used 6 or 7 legs total, and routed all weapons along the same ref points.
Targeting:
hangars 2x C model each
ramps with 1 su-24 1x C or D model
ramps with 2 su-24 2x D model (or C if Ds are out)
ammo bunkers/shelters with 2x C model
tanks 1x weapon each of any remaining

Even with the Asheville lost, my score was almost high enough to "win".

Another neat feature is the LoS-Tool. You can exploit the radar coverage of the Hawk and SA-6 Batteries and switch them off with the D version Tomahawk just before the rest of the missiles cause havoc into the airbase.

Attached an updated scenario with the bottom fixed array near the Ashevilles firing point moved farther away. I'm split on this one. IMO you don't always have perfect information and something like there being an array where your not expecting it is possible.