PLAYER NOTES

FOX FOUR OCEAN FURY KOREAN WAR CAMPAIGN FOR CFS2

These notes are not of a technical nature, but are more of an attempt to give the player some insight into the 'mind-set' of the campaign.

Ocean Fury is a 38-mission campaign set in the 1950-51 Korean War period.  It casts the player as a Royal Navy FAA(Fleet Air Arm) pilot flying the Hawker Sea Fury FB-11 from the RN light fleet carrier HMS Ocean.  Missions involve ground-attack and air-to-air combat. HMS Ocean will operate on three stations during the campaign(see further notes on this subject below).

Note that the install package has also placed the individual missions in the Missions folder so that you can fly them in Single Mission mode as well as Campaign Mode. 

Ocean Fury is an intermediate to advanced campaign in which the player is often called upon to make decisions that will impact his flight's ability to complete the assigned mission goals.  Because the campaign is composed of both simple and complex missions, it is unrealistic to expect to score 100% of all mission goals, or a campaign score of 100%....though that is quite possible.

Because of the campaign's length and the likelyhood of a player being KIA or captured, the campaign file has been written to allow the player to re-enter the campaign at any point...instead of necessarily beginning anew from Mission 0.

Pointers:

1. The Sea Fury is a wonderful flying machine with many features.  Take advantage of these by reading the Aircraft/Panel Instructions included in the download package.

HINT: Fly the Sea Fury on EASY flight model.

2. Mission 0 is strictly an opportunity for the player to become accustomed to taking-off from and landing the Sea Fury on HMS Ocean...a challenge in itself.

HINT: Take advantage of the opportunity.

HINT: Takeoffs from the carrier should not be much of a challenge.  Do not run-up the engine rpm before releasing brakes, or the aircraft will noseover. With flaps and full-power you should get off easily with all loads.  (And don't forget that War Emergency Power is available, if you need it.) Get your gear up AS you leave the deck.  Keep your nose level and begin retracting your flaps as your airspeed builds.

HINT: Landing IS somewhat of a challenge.  Aside from the small deck, the whole platform is pitching and rolling substantially. Your aircraft must be trimmed to fly at landing speed with the flaps, gear and hook out to give you the control you must have to make those last minute adjustments needed to hit the numbers squarely. If you touchdown tail high, your hook will not engage the arrestor wires.  Be ready to 'bolter' in case that occurs.

HINT: The LSO(Landing Signals Officer) is a new guy prone to being a bit too much 'by the book'.  So use your judgement in taking his advice.  

3. Read your mission briefings thoroughly, and look carefully at the Advanced Info and Recon Photo pages provided...paying particular attention to the specific mission goals.  

HINT: You don't have to fight or attack everything you see to have a successful mission, but that's your choice.

HINT: You can check your goal status during missions by going to the INFO screen from the menu bar, or hitting the 'I' key.

4. You are leading a section or flight of from 2-8 aircraft.  Learn to use your wingmen effectively by understanding the Target Lock, Split, Attack and Recall commands.  You cannot accomplish your goals without the support of your wingmen....most of the time.

HINT: Being a one-man show and monopolizing all the action may get you some decorations...but it may also make you ineligible for promotion.

HINT: Losing 26 wingmen in the campaign will get you 'sent home' in disgrace.

HINT: Failure to accomplish at least 80% of mission goals three missions in a row can cause you to be relieved of duty.

HINT: Flying FLAK-suppression yourself, while assigning your wingmen to the mission targets, may reduce casualties and make AI wingmen bolder in their attacks.

HINT: Wingmen are methodical in carrying-out attacks on assigned targets, but they take their time setting-up the attack run.  Be patient with them.

HINT: Wingmen are capable of making multiple attacks on a target with free-falling weps, rockets and cannon fire until their ammo is exhausted.

5. The sim is frequently unable to calculate a firing solution for AI aircraft weapons release in very mountainous terrain.  So if you encounter wingmen who make passes without delivering weps, that is the probable cause.  In these missions, your wingmen can distract AAA batteries and provide cover for your attack.  We felt this was a better alternative than having all missions flown over the same flat, monotonous terrain.

6. Learn to use your ADF navigational aids.  You can fly to any location needed using the tuneable unit...if you prefer this to flying waypoints.

HINT: HMS Ocean operates on three 'Stations' during the campaign, as well as some land bases: 'Dixie' off the southeast coast of Korea, 'Cowboy' off the western coast, 'Yankee' off the central east coast and Sokcho-ri, a airbase on the east coast.  Each 'station' is a track approximately 100 miles long beginning with, for example, Dixie 1 and ending with Dixie 2.  Since you have a mission clock on your headsup display and know that the carrier is moving at 30 knots, you will always be able to find her.

HINT: The beginning and end of each track is programmed into your ADF unit.

Example:  you've been out for two hours, after launching from Dixie 1. Your carrier will have moved some 60 nautical miles from the launch-point since you launched.  Find the carrier by programming Dixie 2 into the ADF unit, flying to Dixie 2 and reprogramming the ADF for Dixie 1.  You will fly down the carrier's course in reverse, locating the carrier some 30 nautical miles south of Dixie 2.

OR you can just fly your waypoints as setup in each mission.

Questions and comments can be directed to Fox Four from the Contacts page of the Fox Four website:
 
http://www.simviation.com/lair/cfs2kwcontact.htm


Have fun! 


 