Op Hammer Fall is hammering me

Hey good pilots,

Anyone remember Operation Hammer Fall part 3 in TEW Campaign? I've had like 15 goes at this night mission and boy it's mean. I'm now beaten into submission and using easy avionics mode and still crashing into mountains and getting shot down and stuff but hey here's the thing, I'm using both my wingmen and on the rare occasion when we do get the OK from JTAC "thanks fellas good job etc, I RTB and land but I don't get mission complete. What am I missing? I've done that a few times now. Do I need to take out all remaining enemy structures and targets or am I just taxiing into the wrong area when I get back? I'm kinda stuck, actually no make that freaken concreted. Well if anyone can recall this one and can lend a hand I would appreciate it, cheers.

Haha, yeah, that's one of the toughest missions I've ever flown. :thumbup:

On top of that, the JTAC seems to be bugged and will often stop responding in the middle of the dialog.

IIRC, you basically have two tasks.

1. Destroy the SAM inside the plateau. I think it's an SA-9 Strela aka Gaskin. While it's always tough to get a good look at the plateau because of the low clouds, the shape of this vehicle should be quite easy to distinguish.

2. Destroy the two bunkers guarding entrance to the plateau. The JTAC can help you with these bunkers, but you don't really need him because they should be relatively easy to spot.

Once the bunkers are destroyed, Georgian ground troops should advance into the plateau and mop up whatever remains of the enemy. After they've secured the area, you should get the all clear and you can then RTB.

A few tips: Leave your wingmen in a safe location. They're almost completely useless. Have them anchor at a position outside the AO and pick them up on the return flight. No use having them maneuver under the clouds, they'll only stand in your way or get shot down.

Look at the TAD and pick a good valley to penetrate the low clouds.

When you approach the plateau and spot a target, instantly set a markpoint!

When you're done setting markpoints, climb above the clouds and use GBU-38 (JDAM) on these markpoints. Don't attack the same position twice - if one bomb missed, the next one will probably miss as well. But with a bit of luck, you can destroy several targets with zero danger to your aircraft this way.

Do you have CBUs? I think there's one or two CBU-87. If so, feel free to use them early on and destroy as much as possible. If you get lucky, the Strela will go away like this.

Finally, the Mavericks are a bit tricky to use, but if you spot a target and do a good attack run, you can fire a Mav and then quickly egress.

Even without your wingmen, you have more weapons than necessary to achieve all mission objectives.

Or you could try to send your wingmen to engage all targets, but in most cases they'll either not find anything, or they fly right into the air defenses and get blown out of the sky.

Like I said, it's a tough mission, but last I flew it I managed to get it done on the first try (but I'd flown several versions and knew what to look out for). :thumbup:

Thanks Yurgs, appreciate that, I'll give it a shot tonight when I get home. And btw how many missions are there in this Campaign? I just finished Stone Shield and there were only 15, I thought that was a bit short. The Enemy Within Campaign is so far proving to be a little more complex and each mission seems longer than SS. I'm enjoying it but hate when I get stuck. I'm also bogged down in Georgian Hammer Push 9-1 man oh man that one is a tuffy, been stuck in this for ever and so wanting to progress cause there's like 12 more missions in front of it, which is pretty good value I reckon as that Campaign came free with the AC. I think there are over 30 missions. I'm hoping some get a little easier and not progressively more difficult. Still good fun though.

Cheers, peace out.

G :o)

Hey GazAce!

If you folllow Yurgon's advice, you should be able to beat this one. For me the key is to use the TAD to find valleys so that you don't crash into the mountains. It is possible to align yourself in a way in which you will stay in the valley and still be able to spot and mark the Strela. Once you do that, climb and drop the JDAM on it. If you do it right, you can really finish half of the mission just using smart bombs from above the cloud layer, the only difficulty is to get good marks (or write down the coordinates from your TGP).

The whole campaign is 21 missions long, some (especially M10 IIRC) pretty long. Make sure to read carefully all the briefings and pointers and you should be fine. But 15 missions is a standard lenght of DLC these days, though all depends how long each seperate mission is.

Let me know if you are able to move on!

haha I remember this one! When I was new to the A10, first thing after teh training misisons was to play this campaign. Tried about 30 times to beat OP Hammerfall, just too bloody brilliant and what an evil mission design :P

I remember to get a mav on the Strela but you need to be quick and get a lock really fast. I never dared climbing over the mountains above the weather for JDAMs because I found it just too damn scary to descent into this terrain again with zero vision, even though the TAD helps you finding the valleys Real pilots must have balls of steels :O

Thanks man or should I say diękuje bardzo! Ha :-) Hey but how can I drop JDAM on a marked target through cloud? I guess I should try and find a tutorial for that one huh? I've just started with the JDAMs and I use the Auto Lase setting and set to 8 secs in CCRP mode. This has been really successful me so far but I've never used JDAM on marked targets yet. I've used mark points before (right TMS short or via my CDU) but only for navigational purposes. I don't understand how do mark the target? Do you have to fly over it then mark it and then how do you see through the cloud cover from say 10000 when your TGP is totally obscured by the cover? Hmm I need learning in this marking target business, sounds awesome tho.

Haha yea EntropySG, this one is way tough and I fly around down there with night viz goggles on but it's weird cause I've had the all clear and thanks from JTAC a few times but when I RTB I don't get mission complete but I'm thinking it's because I haven't taken out the main targets. And I actually do use my wingmen who sometimes are helpful in taking out targets. Anyway I'll keep plugging away and eventually I'll get it but now I'm interested in learning this target marking system. Cheers thanks. peace out. G

Thanks man or should I say diękuje bardzo! Ha :-) Hey but how can I drop JDAM on a marked target through cloud? I guess I should try and find a tutorial for that one huh? I've just started with the JDAMs and I use the Auto Lase setting and set to 8 secs in CCRP mode. This has been really successful me so far but I've never used JDAM on marked targets yet. I've used mark points before (right TMS short or via my CDU) but only for navigational purposes. I don't understand how do mark the target? Do you have to fly over it then mark it and then how do you see through the cloud cover from say 10000 when your TGP is totally obscured by the cover? Hmm I need learning in this marking target business, sounds awesome tho.

You don't need a TGP to drop JDAMs (as opposed to laser guided munitions). You can drop them on a waypoint, and the more accurate data on the waypoint you have, the more certain you will be of a good hit.

My advice:

1. Try to get a glimpse of the Strela while flying low. When you do, either mark its position, or better still lase it (to get a very accurate reading) and write down the exact coordinates. This part is obviously the most tricky one. IIRC the best way is to enter the valley that is just south from the target area and go from west to east, looking with the TGP at the entrance to the one with targets.

2. Once you have the coordinates, climb above the cloud layer, get into orbit on autopilot and create a new waypoint using the coordinates. Check on your TAD if the new waypoint is more or less where it should be.

3. Make it an active steerpoint and then slave all systems to it (IIRC TMS up long, but you'll have to double check that).

4. Switch to CCRP mode and choose the GBU-38. Then turn towards the waypoint (make sure to gain some distance) and you should have all the normal CCRP cues. Just follow them, drop and hope you did everything well. Once the Strela is out, the rest should be relatively easy. Just remember to take out the bunkers (your wingmen can help you with that).

Alternatively, instead of creating the waypoint, you can just use the markpoint for the same purpose. The only problem with that is that it most likely mark the ground behind the target and not the target itself (not sure if lasing helps in such instance). You can always make a markpoint AND write down coordinates and then cross - check them.

Hope this helps!

RE: Marking targets: Op Hammer Fall part 3

Thank you very much, that's very helpful. Now all I have to do is practice it first in a easier situation then when I'm confident I'll go into the lions den or the bears cave.. as I recently noticed ha :)

Phew!! Finally got through Op Hammer part 3, that would be with out doubt the hardest mission I've ever flown. Good bye and adios. I'm wondering if this The Enemy Within Campaign mission tally being 21 includes the parts of missions as the total or is Operation Hammer for example 1 mission with a few parts? Hope that makes sense.

Cheers, G

Phew!! Finally got through Op Hammer part 3, that would be with out doubt the hardest mission I've ever flown.

Congratulations! :clap_2:

I'm wondering if this The Enemy Within Campaign mission tally being 21 includes the parts of missions as the total or is Operation Hammer for example 1 mission with a few parts? Hope that makes sense.

It's 21 missions in total. One of them is Operation Hammerfall (part 1), another is Op Hammerfall (part 2) and yet another is Op Hammerfall (part 3). These are connected story-wise, but they're independent missions, each of them with their own primary goals and so on.

Thanks Yurgs, appreciate that mate ;o)

Congratulations! I know it is difficult but hope you also learned some new things flying it!

Thanks BD, it was a mean #!"£%# hehe and yes I did, learned how to fly at night in valleys, diving and trying to miss slamming into mountains, umm anger management and being patient haha. Started one now called Falcons and Hogs I think, supposed to NOT take out two tanks, looks interesting, can't wait to give a try tonight. Campaign missions are awesome I reckon, especially when you get that "YES!" feeling after you finally get through one.