Matrix Games Forums

This thread will probably be one long spoiler, so anyone wanting to avoid that might want to navigate away now...


I've been trying to do Surface Warfare Tutorial 1.5. I don't claim to be a naval expert (I'm more of a leg guy), but I'm having nothing but trouble.

My problem seems to be simple math. Even if you pull the lead frigate back to the other ships and dispatch your chopper on the relevant bearing as soon as the first incoming missile is detected, 20+ ASCMs are fired (in groups of 2 - 4) on the lead ship before it can reach a mutual support position with the other frigate or the choppers can reduce the sources of ASCMs. Besides decoys, this frigate's only defenses against these missiles are its 16 RIM-162 ESSMs (no CIWS). In my experience playing this mission, the strike rate for the ESSMs, across ranges of <10nm up to the limit of the DLZ, is 50% or a bit under - probably pretty decent under the circumstances, but it still means the frigate runs out of ESSMs before it can take out all the ASCMs, and one on-target is usually enough to destroy this frigate.

Is there a clue before the first incoming missile is detected that the player needs to abandon the formation they are directed to put the ships in, or some hint of where they should send their MH-60 before this point? Is there another way to change the math above? Or do I need to get comfortable with losing that frigate and find a way to get the oiler through with my one remaining escort? I really hope there is some way to save the frigate in the firing line without being able to see the future...

Sorry my shitpost but it may serve:
Enemy commander (=scen author) expects you to take shortest route and fall a trap. DO NOT DO WHAT HE WANTS YOU TO DO.

Relating thread : https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 5#p5080918

lumiere wrote: Thu Apr 20, 2023 12:51 pm Sorry my shitpost but it may serve:

pic1.jpg

Enemy commander (=scen author) expects you to take shortest route and fall a trap. DO NOT DO WHAT HE WANTS YOU TO DO.

Relating thread : https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 5#p5080918

Thanks so much, I didn’t even consider that. I’ll try that next chance I get, kudos

it is a fun (but difficult) scenario

long route is safe but boring, some of the ways I was able to win it :

- you don't need to rush, there is plenty of time. Stay at creep speed or even stop the oiler until the worst threats are taken care
- grouping units is not best for this mission
- change your RIM missile doctrine to manual, you have 64 missiles in total (32 each frigate), you should control when to shoot
- the land based missiles are abundant but dumb, you can try to use the frigates at flank speed to bait, then try to evade the missiles as their active seeker is crap. you also have a good chance of spoofing with chaff + decoy. After a while they will run out of ammo
- you need to be out of range of the 3 Tarantulas, you have just enough missiles to defeat the land based missiles + Exocets. you have to take care of the 3 boats with your hellfire helicopter before they shoot (or you are dead, because their "switchblade" missiles are really good and each boat carries 16!). Only after 2 helicopter Hellfire salvoes (16 missiles) are fired, I would risk one frigate to get within longest possible range to the survivors and unload Harpoons
- Harpoon can be used against land based missiles, you can send the ASW helicopter to look for the sites, this after you take care of the 1st submarine (which should be really easy).
- stay evasive with your helicopters and don't stay too long outside the AA range of your frigates and you should survive F-5s
- after that there is another easy submarine and than that is it