[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.

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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

             + Landing

            + 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

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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  Initial release

 1.1  Added section on wind and the problemswith it

      Added questions list before eachsection

 1.1.1"Fully functional" HTML version; minorstylistic changes

 1.1.2Addedillustrations.

 1.2  Added section on mission tactics

      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  Expanded descriptions of weaponssystems

      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  Added note on the different demosavailable. Added Web Dove's more

      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.

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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.

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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]    [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]

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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          Weapons

 Tank,artillery  The gun, Maverick,Hellfire, HVR's, Rockeye, Mk82HD, Mk82

                 Paveway

 AAA             Maverick, HVR's , the gun

 SAMsite         HARM, Maverick,HVR's, the gun

 Oiltank         Maverick, HVR's,the gun, Mk 82, 83, 84

 Boat            Maverick, HVR's, the gun

 Ship            HARM (radar), Maverick (other defences), Mk 82, 83, 84

 Fighter          AIM-9,HVR's, the gun, HARM

 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.