FA-18C Aggressors BFM Campaign

The F/A-18C Aggressors BFM campaign puts you in the cockpit of an FA-18C Hornet, as a new Aggressor pilot with VFC-12 the "Fighting Omars" on loan to the 65th Aggressor Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base. Based on real world procedures you will fly as Red Air against Blue Air Forces. Upon arrival you will fly a familiarization flight around the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). Then you will face a series of challenging Basic Fighter Maneuver (BFM) missions against similar and dis-similar aircraft.

Your opponents include the F-4E, F-5E, F-14A, F-15C, F-15E, F-16C, F/A-18C, M-2000C, MiG-29G, CF-188, MiG-21 and Su-27.

Additionally there are 12 single player practice missions with in-air starts so you can perfect your BFM tactics, techniques and procedures.

There are over 1000 voice-overs and over 45 pages of briefing material including the RED FLAG Spins, Red Forces In Flight Guide, Maps, Diagrams, Custom Knee-boards and Mission Data cards.

All the missions both Campaign and Single Player are available under this path:

<your drive letter>:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World OpenBeta\Mods\campaigns\FA-18C Aggressors BFM Campaign

Documentation for the campaign can be found under this path:

<your drive letter>:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World OpenBeta\Mods\campaigns\FA-18C Aggressors BFM Campaign\Doc

Hints and Tips:

Study the documents and review the mission briefings which are critical to mission success.

Make sure you drop your center tank before engaging.

Use the F10 Menu to communicate when you are READY to start the engagements.

You can exit the missions after the final mission message or continue to fly and land - it's your choice.

We hope you enjoy this campaign. We believe it will make you a better pilot helping you to succeed in future combat missions. Good luck!

Please watch our blog for updates: http://mapleflagmissions.blogspot.ca/

Hi Sabre,

I just saw it and already bought it. I thrust your skills and campaign quality. It is a shame I am in a RL assignment and only gonna be able to fly it early August. I’m sure it’s gonna be fun and I will make some videos about it.

Congrats for the new campaign!

Sydy

Thanks Sydy. Safe flights on your deployment.

The campaign is identical to the F-5E and F-15C BFM campaigns so it's a good comparison between the different aircraft.

We did improve many of the triggers (which we will port back to those campaigns) and added a few extra voice overs.

In testing we found the FA-18C was an awesome dog fighter and easier to handle than the F-5E but that's personal preference.

Although it's cool to be getting an F-18 campaign, it's rather disappointing that its identical (your words) to a campaign that's already been done twice. Any discount if weve already purchased the F-5 or F-15 campaign?

Just did the initial opening engagements. I can see what some of the changes have done to make the scripting better, this is good. Similar to the F-15 the Hornet will get around some of EDs odd AI flight behaviours. I appreciate you as a campaign designer can't do much about that.

I don't know how much extra effort this would be (especially as there is no actual requirement to land) but perhaps seeing blue return back to Nellis as well would be a nice touch (I'd have to check the actual flight times along each corridor to see if that's vaguely realistic though). The fuel fence in and fence out calls are also very unlikely (impossible) for a single bagged Hornet.

As others have mentioned this is essentially a reskin of an existing campaign.For the price campaigns are I don't have a problem with that, but it may be a consideration for others. I am happy to support the campaign makers as DCS is a niche market and obviously a lot of work has gone into them.

I didn't bother dropping the tank before engaging, that's just me being slightly lazy, and I'm surprised the track file lasted though all the engagements (it didn't last until landing). Thankfully it did so here on some screenshots.

I enjoyed the campaign on the previous two aircraft so those who have it will know what to expect.

Hey Sabre,

Just bought the F-18 RED FLAG DLC … looking forward to another great campaign out of Nellis!

Cheers,

Although it's cool to be getting an F-18 campaign, it's rather disappointing that its identical (your words) to a campaign that's already been done twice. Any discount if weve already purchased the F-5 or F-15 campaign?

Not that I'm aware but you should put that suggestion in the DCS Wishlist section.

With the ED Miles Program coming soon that will help with future discounts.

I don't know how much extra effort this would be (especially as there is no actual requirement to land) but perhaps seeing blue return back to Nellis as well would be a nice touch (I'd have to check the actual flight times along each corridor to see if that's vaguely realistic though). The fuel fence in and fence out calls are also very unlikely (impossible) for a single bagged Hornet.

That's a good suggestion we will consider it.

I'll add that you can hit the tanker before and after or between the engagements as they won't start until you call READY, so you can ensure you have enough fuel if you are getting too low.

Hey Sabre,

 

Just bought the F-18 RED FLAG DLC … looking forward to another great campaign out of Nellis!

 

Cheers,

Thanks!

Let us know if you see any improvements that can make it better. :thumbup:

To be honest I'm disappointed. While I'm glad to finally see a campaign for the Hornet I was hoping for a little more effort rather then a simple port of the F-5/F-15 campaigns. Glad I used bonus points and didn't pay full price, not trying to be a jerk but its not worth $10 IMHO after playing the campaign twice already.

Another good reason to buy the F/A-18 module asap!

Thanks for this! Having fun so far, I've not done the previous campaigns So it's all fresh to me. Irregardless I am happy to support content creators.

Anyone else not seeing this show up after they've purchased? Like, not in the available DLC list or anything to install?

New releases are usually out for the OpenBeta first and then show up in the main release later on (a week later or more - whenever the next release update is).

If you are using the OpenBeta and it's not showing up then you should open a support ticket.

Can you assign each tanker it's own TACAN, and include them within the briefing somewhere? All three are set to 1X right now.

Purchased, looks interesting and I want to support you.

Can you assign each tanker it's own TACAN, and include them within the briefing somewhere? All three are set to 1X right now.

Sure we can include that in a future update.

The ACO (Airspace Coordination Order) diagram shows them North, West and South West of the range. Just fly in any of those directions and they will usually show up on radar.

Purchased, looks interesting and I want to support you.

Thanks Mower! Any changes or improvements please let us know. :thumbup:

This battle is a machine gun fight? No use of missiles?

New releases are usually out for the OpenBeta first and then show up in the main release later on (a week later or more - whenever the next release update is).

 

If you are using the OpenBeta and it's not showing up then you should open a support ticket.

Ah, I missed the open beta requirement.

I'll give it a couple of weeks then, thanks!

Has anybody an idea why DCS doesn't load the 2nd mission in the campaign? The introduction mission went fine, but every time I try to load the 2nd mission, DCS gets stuck loading. It's not like DCS itself freezes, it's just that the mission never loads.

I would try running a repair on DCS.

If that doesn't work I'd try reinstalling the campaign I'm 11 missions in with no issues so far.

When does the FA-18C Aggressors BFM Campaign go to the Sub-Forums? And what time will it be sold by Steam?

This battle is a machine gun fight? No use of missiles?

What? i thing only the first mission is guns only , correct me if im wrong

It’s guns only. You're basically using your jets strengths, and your opponents weaknesses, to get in a position to kill the other guy. If the jets had missiles you and the AI would shoot it out before you got a chance to merge, and hone those BFM skills.

I’m about half way through it, and enjoying it a lot. So much so that I grabbed the f-5 campaign too. Will be interesting to go through the same gauntlet with a lot less thrust.