Mission 10 Help

[SnowDaddy]

How the heck can I protect McKinsey from SAM sites I cannot see that fire across the whole map and in the end when he has already eaten damage, enemy fighters approach from 2 different directions?

I am aware I can follow the missile contrails to find the SAM sites but that still won't prevent them from firing long before I am in any way shape or form able to get to them. McKinsey is eating damage all the time.

This is frustrating mission design and I am stuck and close to ragequitting. Help?

[Hobo Misanthropus]

Use a fast fighter, MiG 31 or any of the F-15's are ideal for this mission. Knowing where the SAMs are can help a lot, but it's still a pain.

There are 2 in front of you when you start.

2 More behind those

1 more closer to the Bulgurdarest border.

Then Bank West along the border, you'll find 2 more, now head due North from those 2 and you'll Find 1 more

Then continue north and you'll find 2 more on a mountain ridge, Bank West by South-west, and you should find one more

Now head South-east into a cloud formation, another one should appear (This is the hardest one to find)

Now head North for the Final 2

Equip SAAM/QAAM and don't waste them all on the enemy fighters, you'll thank me later.


McCinsey's plane can eat a lot of damage, you don't need to be perfect.

[SnowDaddy]

I can get past the SAMs, but I always lose to the 2 fighter groups that spawn at the same time because I can only engage a single group.

[Hobo Misanthropus]

Originally posted by SnowDaddy:

I can get past the SAMs, but I always lose to the 2 fighter groups that spawn at the same time because I can only engage a single group.

Killing the SAM's fast gives you more wiggle room, McKinsey's plane can eat something like 50 missiles, but about half of that is going to be the SAMs at the beginning, even on a good run.

On a Good run, you should be able to destroy every SAM before (or just after) the first wave of MIR-2000-5 spawn

The Plane's damage states are: (By McKinsey's/AWACs reaction)

McKinsey: "Damage? There'd be no damage if you took out the damn missiles" (He's Fine)

AWACS "...Roper 1 hit by a missile, but he can still fly" (Light Damage)

AWACS "...Rope 1 under fire, Spare squadron, are you doing this on purpose?" (Moderate Damage)

McKinsey: "The Plane is Shaking..." (Heavy/Extreme Damage)

[[NcK]MasterShake|CM]

Gonna be afterburning a whole lot in this level. I usually go straight down the bearing right off the bat and clear that line of sams before breaking sharply back and starting my search for contrails. You're gonna need to chase contrails in this level until you've played it enough to just know.

I'm usually semi-near the fighters by the time they spawn, so it's not incredibly far out of the way. You can't just babysit, that's for sure. It's a very pro-active mission.

[SnowDaddy]

Thanks anyway, I will try again tomorrow, I am far too frustrated now and I'll grab a beer.

I hate mission design like this so much. Terrible.

[damson]

Get an aircraft with long range / multi target A/A capability. I took F-14 on my first playthrough on normal and get past it on first try.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9yvTvNAvo8

[Gonzo850]

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/939466694319985289/6C570386CD6DFF548086170F179706A4741DC509/

X marks the sam sites

[MacrossMX]

Use that camera. Camera rotation will be your best tool in finding the missile trail, and if you are having a hard time because of the thick cloud cover fly above 3000m and search again.

There will always be a missile trail present off in the distance from the last SAM you killed, so if you pay attention and work that camera, you will always have a lead on where the SAMs are.

Personally I load up on LASM thanks to its 7000m lock-on range. This saves you time needed to get close and allows you to spend more time hunting down the missile trails. You can also use LACMs if you want, though the long reload may require you to stay on target before you can fire another salvo.

For the last sets of interceptors that attack from both directions, always go for the west group first. Those are MiG-31s and they take 3 normal missiles or 2 SP missiles to kill. If they get too close to the transport, they can get off another free shot before you can kill them.

If you want to get the ace to appear, take out the SAMs before the last 2 flights appear. It will appear on the eastern group.

[GroundDeadFilip]

My only issue with this mission was that killing Kinsley does not result in Mission Accomplished. Did it twice because why not, ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ pissed me off.

[dml!]

When the two sets of fighters appear, don't fly off to attack one set if you can't make it back to McKinsey's transport before the other set reaches it, because that other set will probably take him out pretty quickly. That's what happened on my first attempt at least. When I stuck closer to McKinsey the second time, the fighters seemed to attack me for a bit once I started firing at them, so they got less shots on McKinsey.

[Thanathos]

Kinsley is the problem, I actually had issues with him dying after the sams, but yeah easiest way is to afterburn it to the sam sites by following the smoke trails, then head back to the plane and shooting down the planes, I must had failed this mission too many times because i failed to save him before he crossed the border

[SnowDaddy]

Thanks for all the tips and doubly so for the actual map.

[S1N1STA3]

Follow the smoke from the SAM sites. That's how I managed...

[Lafettie]

And i always thought he can only die from friendly fire

[Daliena]

Am I the only one who struggled with the uber-drone at the end more than with the SAM sites and the rest in the first part of the mission? I swear Google didn't turn up much advice for that either when I was getting frustrated.