[The A-10 Attack! FAQ]
Version 1.4.1
Compiled by Petteri Sulonen
psulonen@helsinki.fi
Home page: http://www.cs.hut.fi/~psu
(c) Petteri Sulonen, 1995. You may freely upload this FAQin its original
form to BBS's, ftp sites and other online services, giveit to your friends,
or include it in shareware/freeware collections. However,please don't
distribute any modified versions you may make of it. (A"modified version"
is one where the body text has been changed; conversionsto different file
formats don't count.) You may not charge money for it,other than nominal
fees covering material/copying costs. For furtherinformation, contact the
author.
All trademarks mentioned in this document are property oftheir respective
owners; any use here is for an editorial purpose and doesnot constitute an
infringement.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table of Contents
*Introduction
o Release history
*Section I: About A-10 Attack!
o What is A-10 Attack!?
o System requirements
o Demos
o Speed tips
+ All systems
+ Power Macintosh only
o Bugs
+ Crashes
+ The amazing self-repairing runways
+ Non-centered rudder with Thrustmaster system
+ Missing serial numbers
+ Altitude limit
+ The bad spelling and grammar
o Announced but as yetunimplemented features
+ Save Mission
+ Networking
*Section II: Control, Waypoints, and AI
o Taking control of aplane
o Waypoints and battleplans
+ Assigning new waypoints
+ Changing your mind
+ Tips about placing waypoints
*Section III: Flight and Combat
o Wind, and how to livewith it
+ Navigating
+ Targeting
o Bombing
+ Bombing with the CCIP
+ FAR (Feels About Right) bombing
+ Dive bombing
o The tools of the trade
+ The GAU-8/A Avenger gun
+ Free-fall bombs
+ The CBU-15 Durandal
+ Laser-guided bombs and missiles
+ Hyper-velocity rockets (HVR's)
+ The AGM-88A HARM
+ The Maverick (AGM-65B, AGM-65D)
+ The AIM-9L Sidewinder
+ Fuel tanks
o Managing loadouts
+ "Cheat"
+ Use Post-Its on the function keys
+ Standardize your loadouts
+ Ripples
*Section IV:The Missions
o Prelude to War
o Retaliation
o Docklands
o Marauding BMP's
o Antinov [sic]Armada"
o Demolition Crew
o Assistance Needed
o Old Man River
*Section V: Where to get background info?
o The aircraft
o Internet resources
o Documents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Introduction
This FAQ is meant to help solve some of the problems thebeginner Hog driver
is liable to run into. It is a compilation of stuff I'vediscovered myself,
stuff that's been posted atcomp.sys.mac.games.flight-sim, and stuff from
certain WWW sites. Some major sources are Tom Morrison,Scott Cherkofsky,
Tim van der Leeuw, and Art Day. They've provided invaluablebackground
information on the game, the plane, and many relatedtopics, and made it
available on various Internet services.
This FAQ will not include any of this rich backgroundinfo - if you decide
you like A-10 Attack!, it's strongly suggested that youcheck it out
yourself. There are pointers in Section V of the FAQ.
One more thing: this document is anything but definitive.Suggestions, tips,
questions, answers, comments, resources etc. are welcome- mail them to me
(psulonen@helsinki.fi), and I'll include them in the nextupdate to this
FAQ.
Release history
Important note: Starting from version 1.3.6, I will bemaintaining two HTML
versions of this document. In addition to the standardHTML 2.0 compatible,
Netscape enhanced version I will support an "F"or "framed" version of the
document. To view it, you will need a frames capable WWWbrowser, such as
Netscape 2.0b1.
I'll do my best to keep the versions identical, but thislooks like a
hopeless task. Because of the sheer amount of workinvolved, I won't be
putting as many hyperlinks in the "standard"version as in the "framed"
version. Sorry.
If you notice any incompatibilities between the texts ofthe various
versions (HTML and plain text) of this FAQ, please let meknow.
1.0
1.1
Added questions list before eachsection
1.1.1"Fully functional" HTML version; minorstylistic changes
1.1.2Addedillustrations.
1.2
Added description of AGM-65
Split Section II into several parts
1.2.1Addeddescription of Rockeye cluster bomb
1.2.2Addedsome links, corrected some inaccuracies; minor stylistic
changes
1.2.3AddedSpeedDoubler to Speed tips section; minor corrections
1.3
Split "Speed tips" into"Power Macintosh" and "All systems" sections
1.3.1AddedAndre Molyneux's mission strategies to Section IV
Added bug report on non-centeredrudder
1.3.2Addedmention of missing serial numbers
1.3.3Addeddescription of version 1.1 and updated some info accordingly
1.3.4Minorcorrections.
1.3.5Addednote about laser designation, Rockeyes, fuel tanks, and maximum
altitude (from Dieder Bylsma).
1.3.6Minorchanges. Birth of version 1.3.6F, viewable with frames
compatible WWW browsers.
1.4
elaborate AppleScript for quittingother applications. Added section
on aircraft and other objectsappearing in the game.
1.4.1Expanded description of C-5. Edited description of CCIP.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section I: About A-10 Attack!
"What is this game anyway?"
"Will it run on my machine?"
"What's this VBE thingy?"
"A-10 crawls on my PowerMac. What gives?"
"A-10 crashed again. What am I doing wrong?"
"I just bombed a runway into a potato field, but theenemy planes land like
nothing's the matter. What's the problem?"
"Hey, where are the Save Mission commands theydescribe in the manual?"
"My Network button won't work!"
What is A-10 Attack!?
A-10 Attack! is a game by Parsoft PublishingInternational that combines a
combat flight simulator with a tactical game. It featuresthe best flight
modelling currently available on the Macintosh (or, manyargue, on any
microcomputer), a wide variety of ordnance, manydifferent kinds of
vehicles, and a "virtual battlefieldenvironment". The latter means that it
is easily expandable with plug-in type modules. Parsofthas announced its
intention to release VBE modules with more missions, moremaps, more
aircraft to fly, etc.
System requirements
A-10 Attack! requires System 7.0 or newer, 4 MB of freememory, a 640 x 480
pixel or bigger 256-color (or grayscale) monitor, and a68030 or faster. It
fully supports larger and multiple monitors. It is partlyPower Macintosh
optimized. It performs well on all Power Macintoshes(especially after
implementing the speed tips below) and 68(LC)040 basedMacintoshes. Maximum
performance is achieved on the Quadra 840AV and the newPowerPC 604-based
Power Macintoshes, or Power Macintoshes running ConnectixSpeed Doubler.
Demos
Two demos of A-10 Attack! have been released: A-10Attack! demo 1.1.1, and
A-10 Cuba demo.
The original one, A-10 Attack! demo 1.1.1,, is not PowerMacintosh native
and has a good deal of beta code in it (among otherthings, the CCIP does
not work correctly). It runs very well on 68(LC)040-basedMacs, and
sluggishly on Power Macs. It consists of the Quick Startmissions also
included in the game; "Fly A-10" and"Attack!". The former has no enemies,
the latter pits you against MiGs, tanks, AAA, andhydrofoils, armed with
your gun, AIM-9's and Mk82's.
The original demo, as released, has a stupid five-minutetime limit. Luckily
a Parsoft-approved patch to remove this exists and hishighly recommended -
five minutes is barely enough to get you in the air.
The new demo, A-10 Cuba, is fully Power Macintosh native.Performance on
Power Macs is very good, the level of detail is extremelyhigh, and there's
a lot going on all the time. Unfortunately, it runsrather slowly even on
the Quadra 840AV. Like the first one, this demo has twomissions: "Heavy
Metal" and "Smoke 'em". Both are combatmissions. In the first one, you'll
have to destroy two MiG-29's, and in the second oneyou're sent against a
group of tanks, with two F-16's providing air cover andanother A-10 helping
you. No time limit here, thank goodness.
The Cuba demo is available from Morrison's Mac flight simsite. The original
demo may still be available at major Mac ftp sites, suchas Sumex, Umich and
mirrors.
Versions
Currently, there are two versions of A-10 Attack! around:version 1.0
(initial release) and version 1.1. Despite the"large" increase in the
version number, 1.1 is a minor update, providing mostlybug fixes and only a
few new features. This is what the Readme has to sayabout it:
Bug fixes
*Pilots list. Pilots were sometimes disappearing. Scores not consistent.
*Wayinfo Dialog. Velocity, altitude sometimes garbled.
*System crash when switching from simulator back to map mode.
* C5bgear damaged after takeoff.
*System crash when dropping multiple Rockeye cluster bombs.
*Black mask drawn when CMD-I to hide instruments performed on 19 and 21
inch screens
*System crash when double clicking on VBE or mission icons from finder.
*"Sound Effects" system prefs non-functional
* VBEIcons disappearing from finder
* A10sometimes displayed behind mountains.
New features
* HUDbrightness can now be controlled by holding down PageUp/PageDown or
Y/U keys.
*Bomb craters last longer now and cause more damage when encountered.
The only "most wanted" fix that made it intothis update was the pilot list
fix. The bomb craters still vanish rather fast, andperforming certain
missions by hitting at a runway takes very good timing(or the craters will
vanish before anyone tries to use the runway).
Speed tips
(These are from Tom Morrison's flight sim page.)
All systems
*Re-boot with all inits/cdevs off, except your joystick software and
software required for the game.
*Switch to 256 colors.
*Close all Finder windows (like Launcher, Monitors) and quit all
background applications.
*Trash your A-10 prefs file (don't trash your pilot file if you want
them), re-boot, rebuild desktop and re-enter your serial number.
*Quit the Finder using an AppleScript, a dedicated program such as
NoFinder or Peek-a-boo (available at
ftp://ftp.hawaii.edu//mirrors/info-mac/cfg/peek-a-boo-11.hqx), or with
a system modification program that adds a "Quit" to theFinder's file
menu.
An appropriate AppleScript would be:
tell application "Finder"
quit
end tell
Here's another AppleScript, from Web Dove (dove@spcot.sanders.com). It
quits not only the Finder, but all other open applications. However,
you need the "processes" scripting extension in order to runit, and it
needs some customization (regarding the path to the A-10 application),
so it's recommended only if you're somewhat familiar with AppleScript.
tell application "Finder"
set procs to getprocesses
-- This does not include the finder
end tell
-- Quit them
repeat with proc in procs
tell proc to quit
end repeat
-- Start the desired solitary process using finder
-- So the Thrustmaster extension notices.
tell application "Finder"
open file å
"A-10 Attack! 1.1" of folder å
"A-10 Attack!" of folder å
"Entertain A-Dn" of startup disk
end tell
-- Quit the finder
tell application "Finder" to quit
* Ifyou have over 16 MB RAM, make a 9 MB RAM disk, copy the game onto
it, and play from there. This won't help the frame rate, but will stop
the occasional halts when A-10 has to access the disk during flight.
N.b.: if you give the application more memory, it'll have to access the
disk less. Normally, halts caused by disk access shouldn't be a major
problem.
Power Macintosh only
*Move the "PowerPC Only" VBE file into the same level (folder) as the
A-10 Attack! game.
*Install the native sound manager (or don't use sound manager for
sound.) It is available at:
ftp://ftp.info.apple.com/Apple.Support.Area/Apple.Software.Updates/USMacintosh/System/
Other_System/Sound_Manager_3.1.sea.hqx
* Buyand install Connectix SpeedDoubler. To enjoy major performance
increases in A-10 Attack! with it, quit the Finder and terminate all
processes except A-10 Attack!, using one of the programs mentioned
above in the "all systems" section.
N.b.: A-10 Attack! may even slow down with SpeedDoubler if all other
processes are not terminated.
N.b.: Some users (including me!) have reported an incompatibility with
Speed Access (a Speed Doubler module). With Speed Access in the
Extensions folder, A-10 Attack! has been known to crash inexplicably
(but reproducibly). If this happens to you, drag Speed Access out of
the Extensions folder and reboot to disable it. Speed Emulator and
Speed Copy can be left on, and provide all their benefits.
Bugs
A-10 Attack! 1.0 is something of a rough diamond. Thereare many documented
bugs and some rather inexplicable ones. Here are some:
Crashes
Several people have reported crashes especially whenswitching from tactical
view to simulator view and back and when firing largeripples of HVR's. Some
of these crashes have the very nasty side-effect ofmangling your pilot
roster.
There seems to be no easy fix for this. The game issomewhat sensitive to
INIT conflicts and low memory situations, so it isadvisable to give the
game as much memory as possible and to play with minimumextensions. Also,
the presence of a preferences file that's from the democan mess up the
game. Trash your preferences file, re-boot, rebuilddesktop, and re-enter
your serial number, and see if the problems disappear.
Many of these crashes were reported fixed in version 1.1.
The amazing self-repairing runways
Runway damage is not handled correctly. Bomb craters inrunways disappear in
less than a minute. This is very annoying, as one verynicely modeled
weapon, the Durandal, becomes next to useless. Also, thismakes it
impossible to try alternate approaches to certainmissions. The fix in
version 1.1 makes things a bit better, but they stilldisappear within
minutes, making timing very critical when hitting runwaysin e.g. Antonov
Armada.
Non-centered rudder with Thrustmaster system
With a Thrustmaster FCS and WCS (but no rudder pedals),it has been reported
that if you "take command" of an A-10 on theground (rather than letting it
take off under TACAN), the aircraft has right rudderapplied. To rectify
this, remember to center the rudder, or else get a nastysurprise once your
airspeed exceeds 50 knots on takeoff.
Missing serial numbers
Several people have reported that their copy of the gamedoesn't have the
stickers with the serial number, making it impossible toinstall and play
the game. Needless to say, this is exceedingly annoying.The only way to go
is to contact Parsoft about it. Please don't post on theUsenet asking for
serial numbers, as there's no way to tell a legitimatepost apart from a
pirate's, and in any case it's illegal to"share" serial numbers.
Altitude limit
In "Retaliation," send the F16's up the 32+kfeet. Funny things happen after
that magical number of 32768 feet is reached.
The bad spelling and grammar
The mission briefings are abysmally badly written, withspelling and grammar
errors galore. Obviously this doesn't affect actualflight much, but it is
annoying.
Announced but as yet unimplemented features
Save Mission
The manual (page 3-15) states that the File menu includescommands for
saving and reloading missions. This is not true, more'sthe pity. The
commands in question are to be implemented in a futureupdate.
Networking
One of the most hyped-about things about A-10 Attack!(before release!) was
networking. This did not make it into version 1.1, butParsoft has promised
a free update for it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section II: Control, Waypoints, and AI
"I select Return to Cockpit and nothing happens.What gives?"
"How do I set these #%&@!! waypoints?"
"How do I get planes to take off and fight undercomputer control?"
"My computer-controlled plane is just ignoringtargets!"
"My computer-controlled planes fly into theground!"
Taking control of a plane
To make it possible to take control of a Hog, drag apilot from your pilot
roster to it. The pilot with the red check mark next toit is the one that
the Return to Cockpit command will return to. You canmove the check mark by
clicking next to a pilot. You can take command of anyplane with a pilot in
it by selecting Take Command from the chit pop-up menu.If there's no pilot
in the plane, this command will be disabled. However, youdon't have to have
a pilot in the plane to have the computer fly it incombat.
Note that taking command of a plane disables the battleAI of the plane -
after that, the autopilot will just fly the plane fromwaypoint to waypoint.
Waypoints and battle plans
The most confusing part about A-10 Attack! is thewaypoint system. It's
badly documented and the user interface isn't too goodeither. However, once
you get the hang of it, it isn't so bad. Much of theenjoyment in the game
comes from being able to make your own battle plans andimplement them;
therefore it's worth the trouble to figure out thesystem.
To begin with, in most missions one A-10 has pre-setwaypoints. It's
represented by a chit with the waypoint symbol (sort oflike crosshairs) in
the corner. Chits that don't have that symbol don't haveassigned waypoints.
There is no way to copy a set of waypoints from one planeto another; you
have to place each waypoint separately.
Assigning new waypoints
1. Select the waypoint tool from the palette.
2. Select the plane you want to give waypoints.
To do this, select New Waypoints from the chit pop-upmenu (hold down the
mouse button on the little arrow in the appropriate chitto see the menu).
If the plane already has waypoints, select Way Info.
You'll notice that a waypoint marked IN (initial) willturn red.
3. Add the first waypoint.
Hold down the option key. The cursor will change to aboxed "+". Click
wherever you want to place the waypoint.
4. Add the other waypoints.
Repeat step 3 for all other waypoints.
5. Move the waypoints.
If you like, you can move around the waypoints with thewaypoint tool.
6. Add waypoints in the middle.
If you like you can add waypoints in the middle of thepath by holding down
the option key and clicking on a line between twowaypoints. Useful for
rounding out tight turns.
If you just want to use the waypoints as navigationalaids for the plane
you're going to fly, this is enough. However, if you wantto "program" the
autopilot of the computer-controlled planes, read on:
7. Assign attributes to waypoints.
Waypoints can be assigned different kinds of attributes,including targets,
airspeed, and altitude. Note that the attributes onlytake effect once your
plane arrives at the waypoint.
a. Altitude and airspeed
In the waypoint window, click on the line representing awaypoint. To the
left are two fields. Enter the desired airspeed in theSet Vel: field, and
the desired altitude in the Set Alt: field. Check the TFRbox if you want
the Hog to use its terrain following radar instead ofbarometric altitude.
b. Targets
You can set the Hog to search for targets. Select thedesired target type(s)
from the pop-up menu labeled Targets:. This will causethe Hog to start
looking for targets at the waypoint in question; i.e., ifyou put the
waypoint directly on top of a target the plane will bepast it before it
sees it. (See below for tips about placing waypoints.)
c. Actions
The Hog knows how to take two actions: Take Off and Land.If you want the
Hog to take off by itself, you must give the initialwaypoint the Take Off
command (with the check box). If the Hog is on theairfield, it will take
off.
If you put a waypoint lined up with a runway (not on therunway!) and give
it the Land command, the Hog will land.
8. Switch on the TACAN with the On button in the waypointwindow.
Off he goes!
Changing your mind
If you want to change the attributes for a waypoint, notethat the commands
only take effect if the altered waypoint is after thecurrent waypoint. To
make sure, you should use the Next button to scroll oncethrough the
waypoint list - this updates all the commands.
Tips about placing waypoints
Targets
Do NOT place a waypoint with a Targets: command directlyon top (or even
very close to!) a target. Instead, place the waypoints sothat the flight
path of the plane goes over the targets, and have the planelook for targets
well in advance. This gives the pilot time to deploy hisweapons. Also, note
that hills block line of sight - if you're having yourpilot sneak on a SAM
site from behind a hill, he might not see it until it'stoo late to shoot
it.
[Image] [Image]
Like this!Not like this!
Note that if you take command of a plane, it stopsperforming attack actions
thereafter; instead, it just flies from one WP toanother.
Tight turns
If the Hog is damaged or heavily loaded (or if you'reassigning waypoints to
C-5's), the poor pilot might fly his plane into theground when trying to
pull a tight turn close to the ground. Most commonly thishappens when you
have the initial waypoint at one end of the runway andwaypoint 1 "behind"
the plane - the pilot will start a tight turn immediatelyafter take-off and
may crash. To avoid this, either drag the initialwaypoint to the right end
of the runway or use more waypoints to round out thecurve.
[Image] [Image]
Not like this! Like this, ...or like this.
Flying into hills
If a heavily loaded and/or damaged Hog flies low and slowand runs into a
hill, it might not have enough power to clear it, and youmight lose a
perfectly good pilot and plane for nothing. Make sureyour damaged Hogs get
to limp home safely by giving them enough altitude in thewaypoints!
Threats
If enemy chits (especially radar!) appear under yourflight paths, take some
action - otherwise your planes are liable to be cut toshreds by SAMs.
Either take out the SAM site or move the waypoints sothat the planes will
steer clear of the site.
Landing
It's a good idea to use two waypoints to set up forlanding - one placed
some way back from the end of the runway, with the Landcommand, and another
before it so that the flight path of the plane isparallel to the runway.
Otherwise damaged or heavily laden planes might find themaneuvering a bit
too tough. Besides, it makes lining up easier for you,the human pilot, as
well.
[Image]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section III: Flight and Combat
"My plane won't fly straight. What's wrong?"
"I can't land without making a mess of myplane."
"My wheels scream every time I land on arunway."
"What's a Rockeye?"
"My Mavericks won't track moving targets!"
"I can't hit anything with the CCIP!"
"I get myself killed while diddling with ripplesettings."
"I always get confused when trying to selectordnance in combat. What should
I do?"
Wind, and how to live with it
A-10 Attack! is the only Mac combat flight sim thatrealistically simulates
wind. You can turn it off, though, but it makes thingsmore interesting by
giving some challenges of its own. Gusts of wind willcause the Hog to yaw
or pitch and the wind will carry you"diagonally" relative to the ground.
It's also worth noticing that unlike many other sims, youoften have to
maintain stick pressure (or use the trim tabs) to keepthe Hog in level
flight. This is not a bug; it's realism: when yourairspeed increases, you
generate more lift and the plane starts to climb; when itdecreases the
opposite happens. You have to use the elevators tocounter the effect.
Navigating
The Total Velocity Vector (TVV) is the little circle withthree lines from
it in the HUD. It indicates where the plane is headingrelative to the
ground. Use it rather than the gun cross to navigate -for example, if
you're heading at a waypoint but have crosswind, you'lldrift in the wrong
direction if you point the gun cross at the waypoint.Note that when you're
flying from one place to another, there's no point intrying to correct the
heading with the rudders - it will just increase drag.
Landing
The TVV is an invaluable aid when lining up on a runwayin crosswind. By
keeping the TVV on the end of the runway while lined up,you'll land in the
right place. However, unless you correct your heading relativeto the
ground, you're liable to start slewing around with wheelsscreaming once you
touch down. To do this, you're going to have to create asideslip opposite
to the wind direction - the A-10 will be flying straightrelative to the
ground, but diagonally relative to the wind. This takes alittle practice,
and requires coordinated use of the rudder and theailerons. If you have a
flightstick (as is highly recommended!) you can do thiswith the normal
controls; if not, you're going to have to use the trimcontrols.
[Image] [Image] [Image]
This could break your gear. Recipe for disaster! Correct approach.
To introduce a sideslip, simply apply rudder in thedirection of the TVV,
and correct the resulting roll with opposite aileron(flightstick pressure
or trim tabs). For example, if the TVV is to the right ofthe centerline,
apply right rudder and left stick pressure. (Analternative way to think
about it is "aileron into wind, correct withrudder"; use whichever is
easier for you as it comes down to the same thing.)
Targeting
Wind can also be a problem while targeting, especiallywith the CCIP. The
trick is again to keep the plane lined up with theselected target. The
symbols on the CCIP are somewhat confusing when bombingin a crosswind -
technically, flying level in the correct direction shouldwork, but it might
be easier to introduce a sideslip and fly straightrelative to the ground.
Practice helps!
Bombing
There are three bombing methods: CCIP, FAR, anddive-bombing. CCIP
("continuously calculated impact point")bombing is best used for
high-altitude bombing runs in calm situations to carpetbomb large targets
or drop single big bombs on smaller targets such asships. It can also be
used with retarded bombs in low-altitude runs on thebattlefield.
The checklists before each description are notdefinitive, but serve as
reminders of the things you should take into account. Forexample, it is
quite possible to dive-bomb ripples.
Bombing with the CCIP
Checklist:
HUDmode Set toCCIP
HUDBarometric modeON
Weaponsstations Selected
Releasemode Set accordingly
Ripplecount Set accordingly (if any RIP mode)
Rippleinterval Setaccordingly (if any RIP mode)
The CCIP (Continuously Calculated Impact Point) systemhelps target
free-fall bombs. It's far from foolproof, and is bestused in "calm"
situations, when nobody's shooting at you, and you canget a nice, safe,
straight approach to the target. It's often used forcarpet bombing large
targets such as runways or airfields, or for releasingsingle big bombs at a
safe altitude.
To bomb with the CCIP, locate the target, point your guncross at it, and
press the release button to pickle it. Then fly straightand level towards
the target. The bombs will be released at the appropriatemoment.
On the battlefield, the Mk82HD can be used with CCIP infast, low-altitude
attack runs very effectively. In such a case you're veryclose to the target
when the bombs are released, and you don't need to fly asaccurately. Pickle
somewhat ahead of the target, as the retarding fins willcause the bomb to
fall slightly behind the calculated impact point.
For higher-altitude attack runs you have to be veryprecise, as even small
deviations in flight path and attitude can mean that yourbombs miss.
When doing high-altitude bombing runs on "long"targets like ships or
runways, it's better to fly lengthwise to the target.
The A-10 CCIP is not as sophisticated as in some neweraircraft.
Furthermore, wind increases the difficulty of bombing, asyou might be
flying somewhat diagonally relative to the ground.Practice makes perfect,
though - fly the Air to Ground training mission andpractice CCIP bombing.
You should be flying level or at most at a 5 degree angleof descent and 1 G
when the bombs are released.
Important: Don't forget to switch your altimeter tobarometric mode before
bombing with CCIP.
There's been a good deal of controversy regarding the"realism" of the A-10
Attack! CCIP. It's clear that the one in the game is notthe sophisticated
CCIP installed in certain LASTE-upgraded A-10's, and thejury seems to be
still out when it comes to comparing it with the CCIP inpre-LASTE A-10's.
At this writing, it seems that the operating parametersof the game's CCIP
are slightly tighter than those of the real thing.However, within its
parameters (level flight or slight dive, 1 G) it workscorrectly.
FAR (Feels About Right) bombing
Checklist:
HUDmode NAV or PAVE
WeaponsstationsSelected
Releasemode Single
The FAR (Feels About Right) method is very effective buthard to explain.
Basically, you find a target, fly at it level or in ashallow dive, and
release the bombs when it Feels About Right. Withpractice, you can get
quite accurate at this. Most of the bombing inbattlefield situations is
done with this method. Dive bombing is a somewhat moredisciplined version
of this.
Dive bombing
Checklist:
HUDmode NAV or PAVE
WeaponsstationsSelected
Releasemode Single
The idea with dive-bombing is that you increase thedownward velocity of the
bomb by diving prior to release. This means that the bombwill take less
time to hit the target and it'll fly in a straighterline, making aiming
easier.
Usually dive-bombing is used against small, hard targetssuch as buildings,
ships, or vehicles (tanks etc.). Therefore, ripples arenot often used.
Ideally, you'd want to dive-bomb from at least 5000 feet.Locate the target,
line up on it, and go into a steep dive (at least 45degrees). Control your
airspeed with the brakes. Point your gun cross somewhatahead of the target
and release the bomb at around 1500 feet, then pull up.
After a little practice, you'll be able to estimate theright moment and
position for bomb release.
You can also dive-bomb from different altitudes anddifferent dive angles.
If you start really high, you can fly almost orcompletely vertically for
maximum accuracy, but you'll have to pull up muchearlier. Similarly, in a
battlefield situation you might have to bomb from a muchlower altitude, and
will have to do with a shallower dive.
Note that you're going to have take into account yourweight (the heavier
you are, the longer it'll take to pull out of the dive),the kind of bomb
you use (it's very dangerous for your health to get tooclose to the blast
from a Mk84), and wind. Long hours at the practice rangeare highly
recommended!
The tools of the trade
In this section are practical tips about using thedifferent kinds of
weaponry available in A-10 Attack!. The checklists aren't"rules", instead
they remind of the things that should be taken intoaccount and describe
typical uses for each weapon.
Which weapon to use on which target?
Target
Tank,artillery The gun, Maverick,Hellfire, HVR's, Rockeye, Mk82HD, Mk82
Paveway
AAA
SAMsite HARM, Maverick,HVR's, the gun
Oiltank Maverick, HVR's,the gun, Mk 82, 83, 84
Boat
Ship
Fighter
Bomber,transportAIM-9, HVR's, the gun
The GAU-8/A Avenger gun
The gun carried by the A-10 is one of its deadliestweapons. It can be used
with devastating effect against all kinds of targets upto medium-sized
boats. Use the "low" fire rate against tanksand small buildings as one or
two hits are enough to destroy the target. Againstaircraft, boats, AAA
defences etc. use the "high" fire rate, as theytake more damage to destroy
or are important to destroy at extreme range. (The"low" fire rate tends to
spread the bullets too widely at extreme range.)
Free-fall bombs
See above (Bombing section) for descriptions of thedifferent ways to use
free-fall ordnance.
Free-fall bombs are bombs that have no guidance system oftheir own. They're
simply dropped on the target. When a free-fall bomb isreleased from a
plane, it continues in the direction the plane was goingat the moment of
release, and starts to fall downwards. This means that ifa plane is flying
straight and level and keeps going after the bomb isreleased, it will be
very nearly above the bomb when it impacts. At lowaltitudes this can be a
problem, as the blast radius of the bigger bombs isconsiderable. In other
words, keep enough altitude, and pull up after releasingthe bombs.
(Drag will slow down the bomb slightly, but at low altitudesnot enough to
significantly affect the impact point, except with theMk82HD).
The Mk82, the Mk83, and the Mk84 general purpose bombs
These are basically iron shells filled with a highexplosive and equipped
with a fuse that causes them to explode upon impact. TheMk82 carries 500
lbs of explosives, the Mk 83, 1000 lbs, and the Mk84,2000 lbs. They are
very effective against all kinds of ground targets,provided you can score a
hit. ("Remember: big dumb bombs kill just as dead assmall smart bombs.")
The CCIP is very helpful with free-fall bombs, if you'renot being fired
upon and can get a good, steady approach. In combatsituations, dive-bombing
or the FAR (Feels About Right) method works better. Seeabove for
descriptions of the different bombing methods.
The Mk82HD
The Mk82HD ("high-drag") bomb is a variant ofthe standard Mk82 500 lb bomb.
It is not strictly free-fall, as it pops retarding finsafter being
released. This means that the bombs "fall back"from the plane after
release, and the plane has time to fly out of the blastradius before the
bomb impacts. They're meant to be used in battlefieldsituations at low
altitude.
The CCIP is useful with them, too, if you use them at analtitude of ca. 200
feet. At higher altitudes, the slow-down caused by theretarding fins
renders the CCIP useless. They're not well suited fordive bombing, as the
retarding fins make it difficult to judge the point ofimpact.
A typical way to use Mk82HD's is to get a tank or groupof tanks in your gun
cross, pickle slightly ahead of the target with the CCIP,and pull to level
flight. When the bombs release, pull up. With a littlepractice, you'll find
that you can score accurate hits this way or even withoutthe CCIP, by
estimating the right moment for release - you're quiteclose to the target
anyway.
The Mk20 Rockeye cluster bomb
These bombs are particularly badly documented: they'renot even mentioned in
the printed manual. The Rockeye cluster bomb is aspecial-purpose weapon
designed to destroy large numbers of small targets, suchas small buildings,
tanks, or personnel. When it is released, it falls somedistance, then
bursts, releasing a cloud of bomblets, each of whichproduces its own small
explosion. A single Rockeye can cover a fair amount ofterrain, and destroy
several targets at a go.
Rockeyes are used much like ordinary free-fall bombs.They can be targeted
with the CCIP or used in dive bombing. Only the targetsare different (small
targets as opposed to big, hard ones).
Rockeyes are most effective if released from an altitudeof a few hundred
feet: this gives the bomblets time to spread, and enablesthem to cover a
larger area.
A problem with Rockeyes in A-10 Attack! is that they'reso accurately
modeled. Each bomblet is individually tracked andproduces its own
explosion. This means that some slow-down (read:jerkiness) is guaranteed on
all but the most powerful Macs. Also, several people havereported system
crashes when using multiple Rockeyes. For this reason, inversion 1.1 the
maximum number of Rockeyes used simultaneously washard-coded to 4.
The CBU-15 Durandal
Checklist:
HUDmode NAV or PAVE
WeaponsstationsSelected
Releasemode Set accordingly
Ripplecount Set accordingly(if any RIP mode)
Rippleinterval Set accordingly (if any RIP mode)
The CBU-15 Durandal is an anti-runway bomb. A drag chutepops up, slowing
down the bomb and pointing it downwards. Then it firesthe warhead straight
down, which pierces the concrete of the runway andexplodes. This makes a
crater and causes a "bulge" around it - noteven an ATV can drive around in
it, let alone an aircraft. (In A-10 Attack! the bulge ismodeled as a
crater.)
As stated in the Bugs section, Durandals are next touseless as the runway
damage is repaired very quickly. They're also a beast totarget, as the CCIP
is useless with them because they're not free-fall bombs.A good technique
is to fly fast over the runway as if you're landing butat a couple of
hundred feet and ripple lots of them on the runway with aripple interval of
50 to 99. But for the bug, this would really mess up arunway.
Laser-guided bombs and missiles (Mk 82, 83, 84 Paveway,AGM-114A, AGM-65E)
Checklist
HUDmode PAVE
Weaponsstations Selected
Targetdesignation from HUDSelected (Tab key)
Releasemode Single
Laser-guided bombs are very easy to use, and hit almostevery time. The only
limitation is that a target has to be painted with laserlight by other
forces - either ground units or aircraft speciallyequipped for the task.
(In A-10 Attack! it's always ground units.) Such targetsshow up on the HUD
as little diamonds, when PAVE mode is set.
The laser designation is chosen by the computer and canvary on the
computer's whim. Typically it is 'chosen' by the computeron mission
startup, but it is within the computer's code to choosedifferent targets
while the mission progresses. So if a designated targetflickers out, then
it isn't a computer bug, but a real feature designed intothe software.
To use laser guided bombs, select a target from the HUDwith the Tab key,
and when the text "release" appears on the HUD,release the bomb.
LGB's have little fins which correct their flight path.They don't really
glide, though, which means that you have to havesufficient altitude for the
bomb to reach its target. A few hundred feet is enough,and the "release"
sign won't light until you're within range.
Laser guided missiles work just like the bombs, exceptthat they have
smaller warheads and greater range. The AGM-114A Hellfirecomes in pods of
four, which would be useful if there were morelaser-designated targets in
the game. It carries a fairly small warhead and haslimited range. The
AGM-65E is a "miracle weapon" with excellentrange, pinpoint accuracy, and a
considerable warhead, but the scarcity oflaser-designated targets seriously
reduces its usefulness.
Hyper-velocity rockets (HVR's)
Checklist:
HUDmode NAV or PAVE
WeaponsstationsSelected
Releasemode Ripple Single(RMRS)
Ripplecount 06
Rippleinterval 01
HVR's work like a kind of "long-range cannon".They're so fast they don't
need much leading and they do a lot of damage. A ripplecount 06 with an
interval of 01 tears up pretty much anything up to smallboats. They're
rather devastating against other aircraft, too. They'resimple to use: just
get whatever you want to hit under the gun cross, andrelease a ripple. For
fast-moving targets such as aircraft, you might have tolead a little (shoot
ahead of its flight path).
HVR's are particularly useful against AAA sites, becauseof their superior
range and velocity.
The AGM-88A HARM
Checklist:
HUDmode NAV or PAVE
Weaponsstations Selected
Hand-offselection from RWRSelected (H key)
Releasemode Single (RMS)
The HARM is used primarily against SAM sites. Note thatin A-10 Attack! the
ground-based radar is fairly smart: it doesn't just sitthere and wait to be
hit. Instead, it only switches on the radar when it isneeded - this means
that HARMs are often usable only at close range.
To use a HARM, select the radar source from the RWR withthe H key, point
your nose level or slightly down towards the target, thenrelease the
missile. An altitude of 1000 to 4000 feet (depending onrange) is
recommended.
The HARM is useful not only against ground-based radarsources, but also
against radar-emitting aircraft (such as the MiG-29). Idon't know if this
would work in real life, though. It carries a much biggerwarhead than the
AIM-9L, but it turns slower. This means that it doesn'thit as often, but
does more damage if it does hit.
The Maverick (AGM-65B, AGM-65D)
Checklist:
HUDmode Any (see below for CCIP)
WeaponsstationsSelected
Releasemode Single (RMS)
The Maverick is possibly the most useful weapon the A-10can carry. It has
fairly good range and is effective against all kinds oftargets, from AA
defenses to tanks to boats to buildings. It homes onstationary targets and
it tracks moving ones. It comes in three flavors, theAGM-65B, D, and E. The
AGM-65B is the standard, TV-guided version; the D has aninfra-red camera
for use in low-light situations, and the E islaser-guided (and discussed
above with the other laser-guided ordnance).
To use a Maverick, center the crosshairs in the TVdisplay on the target,
then press to release.
The CCIP mode can also be used to release Mavericks. Withit, the first
press of the release button pickles the target. Thediamond marking the
target can be seen on the HUD. A second press releasesthe missile. This
helps avoid false locks -æin real life, it's not at alluncommon to have
Mavericks lock onto bushes etc. instead of the intendedtarget.
In windy conditions it can be quite difficult to get agood lock, what with
your Hog bumping around all over the place. You mightthink you have a lock,
only to have the Maverick fly straight and miss themoving target you're
aiming for. There's no easy way around this, but practicehelps. Rest
assured that the weapon works correctly.
AGM-65D's work just like AGM-65B's, except that they cansee in the dark. In
the Gulf war, Hog drivers used the infra-red camera onthe AGM-65D to look
for targets. In A-10 Attack! this is made even easier, asthe infra-red
image is projected onto the HUD.
The AIM-9L Sidewinder
Checklist:
HUDmode NAV or PAVE
WeaponsstationsSelected
Releasemode Single (RMS)
The AIM-9L Sidewinder is a heat-seeking A/A missile. Whenit's picking up a
heat source, you hear a growl. When the source isstronger, the growl is
louder. Release when the growl is loud. If there areseveral heat sources in
the area, the Sidewinder will track the strongest onenear the gun cross.
Ideally, the Sidewinder should be fired from behind thetarget, but it is an
"all aspect" weapon and works from otherdirections as well.
Fuel tanks
Fuel tanks aren't exactly weapons, but they too can beloaded at certain
hardpoints. The internal tanks are more than big enoughto hold all the fuel
you'll need (and more!) for all the missions in A-10Attack!, so they're
something of an extra. The only use for them that I'vemanaged to invent is
exploring the flight model - you can make a Hog reallyheavy with them.
Note that you can't jettison a centerline (station 6)fuel tank.
Managing loadouts
The variety of ordnance and the large number ofhardpoints pose a problem:
in the heat of battle, it can be tough to select theright weapon and
release mode. Three solutions have been proposed.
"Cheat"
Hit Command-P to pause the game, then select the ordnanceat leisure, then
return to game. Of course, this isn't exactly fair - andprobably won't work
with networked games once they become available.
Use Post-Its on the function keys
Paste a Post-It (or similar) next to each function key,specifying which
weapon is at which hardpoint. Helps a lot!
Standardize your loadouts
In other words, decide which hardpoints to use for whichweapons and
memorize them. The "general-purpose" mix I usehas Mavericks at points 3 and
9, Mk 82's at points 4 and 8, HVR pods at 2 and 10 and anECM pod at 1. For
specialized missions use loadouts with fewer differentkinds of weapons -
for radar-busting, say, load up with an ECM at pod 1,Mavericks at 3 and 9,
and HARMs in all the other hardpoints. For acarpet-bombing mission, just
load up with free-fall ordnance at every hardpoint. Onceyou decide on a
"system" to use, you'll find that it's easy tofind the right weapon at the
right time.
Ripples
Rippling ordnance is especially useful for two things:free-fall bombs
(carpet bombing) and HVRs. If you're carrying enoughbombs for carpet
bombing, you probably won't be carrying HVRs, and viceversa. This means
that you can "pre-set" your ripple to matchyour mission - for example,
ripple count 6 and interval 1 for HVR's, and ripple count4 and interval 8
for carpet bombing. Set these before you actually getinto battle. When
you're in combat, all you have to do is switch betweenRMS (single) and RMRS
(ripple). (If you want something in between, use RMP andRMRP instead of
diddling with the actual ripple setting.)
Of course, some sort of programmable weapons systemcontroller (the
Thrustmaster WCS, a game pad or the as yet unreleased CHProducts Pro
Throttle) helps a lot here - you can just program onebutton for RMS and
another for RMRS.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section IV: The missions
"I'm stuck with mission X. Help!"
A-10 Attack! being the dynamic beast that it is, andgiving the player lots
of freedom in selecting the way he/she approaches themissions,
"walkthroughs" in the traditional sense can'treally be written. Instead,
this section covers some tips in dealing with thechallenges each mission
poses. Different approaches are possible, and indeed area large part of the
fun.
My appeal for mission strategies has been answered: AndreMolyneux sent me
descriptions of his solutions to several of the missions.Here's what he has
to say about them:
Obviously, I've found that a few 2000 pound bombs will go a long
way. In some cases it may be more fun to go after targets
individually with the gun, but when you need to take out multiple
targets fast there's nothing like Mk84's to do the job. With the
exception of "Old Man River", I've found that the rightweapons
load-out will allow me to complete the mission with a single Hog
(although I will use the F-15 and F-16's where available to take
out enemy planes).
Editor's note: Make sure you have enough altitude whenusing 2000-pounders.
The blast radius is big, and a Hog carrying multipleMk84's handles much
more heavily than a more lightly laden one.
There are still plenty of missions looking for astrategy, and other
approaches are appreciated. Mail me if you want to haveyour strategies
included in this section!
Prelude to War
This is an easy mission. There's nothing particularly deadlyaround - even
the SAMs are quite light and most often don't do anyserious damage to the
Hog. The most straightforward method is just to fly in,shoot everything and
fly back out. This is a good mission to practice A/Gattack skills - there
are stationary targets, radar-emitting targets,laser-designated targets,
and moving targets, some of which even shoot back. If youuse Mavericks,
make sure to get some altitude, as otherwise they tend tohit the lip of the
tin mining pit in which the fuel dump is.
Retaliation
This is a bit more difficult: the Wildcat batteries arenasty, if you get
within range. One method is to plot a course avoidingthem, sink the ferry
with Mavericks and the gun, and get back home. Anothermethod is to find the
Wildcats, hit them with the Mavericks or HARMs beforeyou're in their range,
and then go for the ferry. This can be tough, as time isa factor here -
spend too long playing with the Wildcats, and you'reliable to "miss the
boat". (Incidentally, letting the ferry blow up thedam is good for laughs;
try it once...)
Andre's strategy:
"The quickest way to take out the boat is to takeoff, fly at a heading of
120-125 degrees, and stay close to the ground once you'vereached the first
set of hills. The SAM batteries (not mentioned in themission briefing, but
shown on the map) will take potshots at you and theF-16's, so staying low
keeps them (and the anti-aircraft batteries) from hittingyou. Once you're
over the hill, skim the water and head straight for theboat. With the
firing rate on "high", a single pass is usuallyenough to take out the boat
with the cannon, at which point you can just circlearound and land. On the
other hand, you can go up with HARMs and take out the AAand SAMs for more
points."
Docklands
This is basically another "target practice"mission. The tanks don't shoot
back. The only major danger is the SAM battery (where the"radar" chit shows
up). Don't use the default waypoints: instead, plot acourse avoiding the
radar on the way back. Otherwise all your Hogs might getshot up on their
way back.
Sinking the cruiser is a bit more difficult. One methodthat works is to
send one A-10 to knock out its defences with HARMs andMavericks. A HARM or
two will knock out its main radar, and Mavericks sprayedfrom stem to stern
will destroy the chaingun. Then have another A-10 loadedup to the armpits
with free-fall bombs do a couple of nice, safe,high-level bombing runs at
it (once you've mastered the CCIP). It takes two directhits from Mk84's to
sink the ship.
Andre's strategy:
"Load up with five Mk84 LGB's, three infra-redMavericks, two Mk83's, and
two HARMs. Follow the pre-set waypoints on the way in. Ofthe three groups
of parked tanks, at least two will have one or more tanksthat are being
"painted" by a laser. Set the HUD to PAVE asyou approach. Select one of the
painted tanks in the first group (the one in the centerif multiple tanks
are painted) using the tab key, and release a Mk 84 LGBonce "RELEASE" is
indicated in the HUD. Press the tab key until you haveselected a tank in
another group, and do the same. One bomb will take outall three tanks in a
group, so if every group has a tank painted by a laser,you can easily knock
out all tanks in one easy run.
"Use the HARMs on the cruiser (they'll take out themain radar and one of
the others). Fire the infra-red Mavericks at the centralportion of the ship
to take out the chain guns. At this point it's fairlysafe to make a CCIP
pass (dead on from the bow or stern is best) and use twoof the Mk84's to
take out the ship (the LGB's can be dropped as normalbombs if you run out
of lased targets). With whatever ordnance you have left,take out one or
both of the tankers/transports/whatever they are.
"With judicious use of ordnance, a single Hog cantake out every enemy in
this mission except the SAM battery. That hillside SAMsite is vicious, and
is best avoided altogether."
Marauding BMP's
This mission is a bit tougher than the first two, asthere are threats
approaching from several directions. One working strategyis to have one Hog
fly straight to the artillery pieces shelling yourairfield and knock them
out, another (targeting anti-aircraft on the first pass,tanks on the
second) to harass the BMP's. Once the first Hog is donewith the artillery,
he can come back to kill the BMP's with all he's got.Mavericks, HVR's,
Mk82HD's, and the gun work well here.
It's very important to get the AAA tanks knocked out fast- otherwise
they'll smoke you while you circle around after theothers. Try to pick them
out from the crowd from a safe distance, and kill themwith Mavericks. When
you're getting closer, use HVR's - they're a lot fasterthan the cannon
rounds and have better range. And if they're still notdead at cannon range,
shoot hard.
Andre's strategy
"Load up with six Mk 84's and two HARMs. Take offand nail the artillery
battery (there may be two) with the gun, then swing backaround and head for
the groups of BMP's. For each of the two main groups,select a HARM as you
approach. If you get painted by the AA radar beforeyou're really close,
fire a HARM at the radar source and turn away (it'll befiring at you, and
the HARM may get hit on the way in. If you change yourheading it won't be
firing in the HARM's direction.) If you don't get paintedby the radar until
you're really close, or you've already taken it out,select 3 Mk84's, go to
CCIP, set release mode ripple single and ripple count 03(helps to have
buttons programmed to do this quickly). Pickle a point abit ahead of the
BMP's (they're moving forward, so give them a fair lead),then fly level and
wait for the bombs to release. Make a hard break to oneside or the other,
you don't want to be above the Mk84's when they go off.As long as your
salvo of three big bombs hits close-by, you'll wipe outthe entire group.
"Use the same strategy for the second group, and ifthere are any BMP's to
the SW of you base (occasionally two or three will beapproaching from that
direction with no AA support) take them out with the gun.With this strategy
I've been able to take out each group with a single passwith just one
plane."
Antinov [sic] Armada
Actually, it's Antonov with an "o", whateverParsoft says.
There's only one challenge with this mission: theMiG-29's escorting the
Antonovs. One good strategy is to have the F-16 fly aboveand behind the
enemy planes (this takes some careful tweaking ofwaypoints) and have him
try to take out the MiGs. After they're down, killing theAntonovs is easy
and fun.
For the ones who like a tough dogfight, it can be fun totry to kill the
MiGs yourself. This is not easy, though - first you'llhave to dodge their
Atolls, and then you'll have to outfly them. Not an easytask, considering
that the MiG-29 is one of the best fighters around.However, if you fly low
(below 150 feet) and slow (below 150 kts), you'll be ableto out-turn them
and give them the Warthog Stomp with the gun, or theymight stall their
planes and auger in, trying to follow your maneuvering.(In real life, the
MiGs would probably just take off with full afterburnersand come back for
high-speed slashing attacks; you'd be in a lot moretrouble then.)
Of course, whatever you send against the MiGs will slowthem down, enabling
another Hog to sneak up on the unprotected Antonovs,again toasting them. An
entirely different approach to this mission involvesdestroying the runway
at the planes' destination base. However, this iscurrently impossible
because of the Amazing Self-Repairing Runway bug.
Demolition Crew
This is a quite a difficult mission. There are lots oftargets, many of
which shoot back, and time is definitely a factor. Onetactic that works is
to send one Hog after the column of tanks and anotherafter the boats - if
you're the one who attacks the boats, try to get twoboats with one pass
each, and then hit the tanks. You have to be quick, orthe tanks will get to
their position and blow up the nice building that Parsoftseems to think
constitutes Hamburg downtown. Tactical finesse doesn'tseem to help much
here; what is needed is some very sharp flying.
Andre's strategy
"Similar strategy to Marauding BMP's. Head straightfor the tanks, taking
them out with a few well-placed Mk84's. Nailing the tanksright away is
paramount - once they're gone you can take your time.Carry a few harms as
well, to help reduce the amount of fire coming from theboats. Use the gun
to take out the boats, them mop up any AA pieces leftbehind. Oh, and don't
forget to vector your F-16's up that valley to the northto catch the
Su-25's well before they can start bombing."
Assistance Needed
Two good strategies have been suggested. The first one isto do what the
mission briefing says: load up one Hog with HARMs,Mavericks, and an ECM pod
and send it against the SAM site, and the others againstthe airbase, loaded
with bombs and Mavs. Note that each SAM launcher has itsown short-range
radar: destroying the radar truck isn't enough to knockthe site out, you
have to get each launcher too (or have it launch all itsmissiles).
Fly along the preset waypoints at around 3000 ... 4000feet, until you see
the spike corresponding to the main radar of the site.Kill it with a HARM,
and keep your trigger finger ready when closing in. Whenyou're quite close,
the launchers will target you. Now's the time to hit themwith the HARMs,
duck any missiles coming your way, and get in close. Ifsome are still up,
you can get them with Mavericks or your gun - the SAMsseem to be
intermediate range and can't lock onto you if you stayvery close to them.
An easier way to complete this mission is to tell thegenerals to go fish,
disobey your order to destroy the SAM site, and programthe Tornados to
avoid the site altogether and fly straight to the enemybase at top speed.
Have your Hogs (loaded up with Mavs and Mk82HD's) fly tothe same
destination. After your visit, the enemy airbase willlook much like a
potato field.
Old Man River
This can be very tough, if the enemy decides to send itsbombers in: if one
of those Sukhois gets through, you can kiss your tanksgood-bye. Have the
F-15 fly to the area ASAP and intercept any incomingbombers. However,
you're going to have to deal with the SAM in the townfirst, or good-bye
Eagle. One A-10 (flown by you, preferably) will fly likea bat out of Hell
to the SAM site, destroy it (at one pass, of course) andthen find and
destroy the S-2 artillery pieces. The others will followhot on his heels,
targeting anything that moves. The rest (tanks) are easy- if you get that
far, the M1A1's won't have a whole lot to do once theyget to the garrison.
It's also possible to complete this mission withoutflying the planes
yourself: you'll just have to program the waypoints withappropriate targets
(no more than two different kinds at a time; onerecommended), move them,
and change the programming as the situation progresses.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section V: Where to get background info?
"What's a C-5?"
"Are there any WWW pages about A-10 Attack!?"
"Where can I find out more about the plane/thegun/the ordnance/the flight
model/the missions..."
There's a lot of info available about A-10 Attack!, theA-10 plane, the
various weapons and related topics.
The Aircraft in A-10 Attack!
There's a large number of different objects in the game.Here's a very
brief, rudimentary description of the most importantones, aircraft. If you
want more info, a trip to the local library ("militaria"section) is highly
advisable.
If someone would like to help me by providing more infoabout the C-5 and
the An-124, as well as stuff about the other objects inthe game (tanks,
Wildcat batteries, SAM sites, boats...) I'd be very happyabout it! And
please let me know if you find any errors in thedescriptions.
The Fairchild-Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II
This is what you're flying. The manual contains a historyand a complete
description of the aircraft. Read through it for detailedinfo. Briefly, the
A-10 is a plane built to fly low and slow, turn on adime, loiter over the
battlefield for a long time (combat endurance of about anhour), carry lots
of ordnance, and be able to take about as much punishmentas a tank. It also
carries the biggest gun ever put into an airplane. It hasbeen in active
service since 1977, but despite its excellent performancein the Gulf War,
it is scheduled to be replaced by an attack version ofthe F-16 (see below).
The General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon
One of the most successful and widely deployed fightersin the world, the
F-16 is a small, light, agile, multirole fighter with avery high
thrust-to-weight ratio that comes in several variants.It's used by NATO and
other US-allied countries around the world, and was firstput into service
in 1979. The most important versions are the F-16A andthe F-16C. The main
difference is that the latter is equipped with A/A radarand (in its newest
versions) a more powerful engine to compensate for the increasein weight.
The F-16C is capable of performing A/A as well as strikemissions, although
it is not quite as versatile in this respect as thesomewhat larger F/A-18
Hornet. Its top speed (current version) is 1390 MPH at36,000 feet, and can
carry up to 6 air-to-air missiles. Its largest problem isa limited range
and a combat endurance of only a little more than a halfan hour.
The McDonnell-Douglas F-15C Eagle
The F-15 Eagle heavy interceptor is regarded by many tobe the best fighter
in service anywhere. It is rather large and heavy, buthas an astounding
thrust-to-weight ratio of approximately 1.4, enabling itto accelerate
straight up. Its combat endurance is very high for afigher - about 1 hour.
It carries the powerful Hughes APG-70 radar system, andcan carry up to 8
air-to-air missiles. The most important variants are theF-15A (original
version), F-15C (improved avionics, radar, and engine),and F-15E (longer
operating range, strike-optimized).
The Eagle was put into service in 1972, and was designedto be a "Foxbat
killer", countering the new Soviet MiG-25. Its topspeed of 1750 MPH doesn't
quite match the Foxbat's, but its avionics anddogfighting capabilities are
considerably superior. Its greatest fault is that it isvery expensive and
has high operating costs.
The Panavia Tornado IDS
The Tornado is a product of European collaboration:Panavia was founded by
British Aerospace (Great Britain), Aeritalia (Italy), andMBB (Germany). It
is considered by many to be the best all-weatherlong-range low-level
interdiction aircraft in service. It is capable ofcarrying practically any
NATO-operated tactical weapon, has advanced avionicsincluding fly-by-wire,
artificial stability, and TFR, a dash speed of 920 MPH atsea level, is
exceptionally gust-resistant and, thanks to its small andfuel-efficient but
powerful engines and swing-wing, has a combat enduranceof nearly an hour.
The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy
For a long time, the C-5 was the largest aircraft inoperation. It is a huge
transport, designed to ferry troops and materiel tooperating theatres. Its
maximum wartime takeoff weight is 840,000 pounds (378,000kg), its four
turbofan engines develop a combined thrust of over160,000 pounds (nearly
74,000 kg), and it has a crew of six. It can carry apayload of over 290,000
pounds (130,000 kg) thousands of miles (maximum rangeempty is over 5000
nautical miles). The Galaxy has a top speed of 541 mphand a ceiling of
about 34,000 feet. It was first deployed in December, 1969,and is no longer
in production, the last C-5B having been delivered inApril, 1989.
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum
Along with the very similar Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker, theMiG-29 is the best
Soviet-built fighter. It has an astoundingthrust-to-weight ratio of 1.5, is
highly maneuverable in a very wide flight envelope (itsstall speed is not
much higher than that of the A-10, while its top speed isa whopping 1545
MPH!), has very good avionics including a passiveinfra-red detection system
(although not up to par with the best Western fighters),and can carry a
large variety of ordnance. A strike-optimized model hasalso been developed,
but has not been produced in significant numbers.
The Fulcrum first saw service in 1984. After the collapseof the Warsaw
pact, it has been widely seen in air shows around theworld and has been
sold to several foreign clients. The MiG-29 is a verynasty opponent in a
dogfight. Its greatest failing is a combat endurance ofless than a half an
hour.
The Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot
This is the Soviet Union's answer to the A-10. Itresembles the Northrop
YA-9 in many respects. Compared to the Hog, the Frogfootis smaller, less
heavily armored, carries a smaller cannon, lighterordnance load, and has
shorter range and loiter capability, but it is moremaneuverable and faster.
It has been operational since 1983.
The Antonov An-124
Currently the largest aircraft in service, the An-124 isin many respects
similar to the C-5. It has also been used to"piggy-back" the Russian
"Buran" space shuttle.
Internet resources
* Thecomp.sys.mac.games.flight-sim newsgroup. This is where most of the
A-10 related discussion is.
* TomMorrison's flight sim home page:
http://www.xmission.com/~morrison/MFS/home.html
The best archive of Mac flight-sim related stuff, with links to many
other pages.
*Scott Cherkofsky's flight sim home page:
http://www.shirenet.com/~crusader/html/Flight_Simulators.html
Another archive of stuff related to Mac flight sims. Notably, the
Things to do, Places to see list can be found here.
* Timvan der Leeuw's A-10 Attack! home page:
http://www.cs.vu.nl/~tnleeuw/A10/
*Todd Hartmann's home page: http://www.metronet.com/~toddh/.
* TheRosebooms' A-10 page: http://www.rahul.net:80/roseboom/a10/
Tips on the missions, easter eggs, and more.
* Thehome of this document: http://www.seittipaja.fi /A10FAQ/
The documents below can be found at these sites.
Documents
"A-10 Flying Qualities" by Art Day
A very detailed and enjoyable tour of the A-10 Attack! flight model.
Taught me that "Dutch roll" isn't some kind of pastry...
"An A-10 Attack! primer" by Petteri Sulonen
A document intended for the beginning Hog driver or flight simmer. It
consists of exercises covering the basic topics of flight simming, from
take-off and landing to basic combat maneuvers, such as high-G turns
and CCIP bombing.
"A-10 FAQ*Rev 1.1"
This is an FAQ about A-10 the plane, not A-10 the game. It contains
lots of info about the Hog, the Avenger gun, and related topics.
Definitely worth a read!
"A-10 Attack! demo help" by Michael Hutchens
A how-to guide for the A-10 Attack! demo. A bit dated now that the
actual game is out, but worth a look.