Forward Air Control
 

I've never really had a problem with any missions in Birds of Prey, but I'm ripping my hair out over this one! I actually had to take a break and go play a different game I was getting so frustrated.

It's the last mission I need to do to complete the Berlin single missions. After trying it multiple times on realistic I still couldn't win, so I've now tried 3 times on Arcade difficulty and still can't crack it. Sometimes I've shot down all but one plane and still get mission failed.

1. Mainly I'd like to know if anyone else had trouble with this mission. Because it's the only one in the game I've been stuck on.

2. Also are there any tips I'm missing that can help me beat this thing? Because like I said it's driving me insane that I can't do it even on Arcade!:-x

I've been reading this forum since weeks prior to release, but finally have to post seeing a thread on this one.

This mission was the last thing keeping me from my beautiful Salamander for all too long. I played it on Realistic, as I refuse to play Arcade. What you need to do is absolutely burn onto as close an intercept course to the first group as possible, full WEP (use it as much as you like in this aircraft) up to around 2500 metres and approaching them to come in with them on your starboard side. As soon as they're in view send your wingmen after them using right D-Pad, and make your first attack from their 3 o'clock sweeping across their formation.

Then attempt to settle in no more than 500 metres behind them, keeping your speed as high as possible, as if you lose them at this point it's basically game over. If your first pass didn't break their formation then now that's your focus. Send your wingmen for the two on the flanks, and concentrate your fire on the centre pair. They should break formation. Now comes the hard bit. You need to use your map/radar to constantly be aware of the closest enemy to the target ground troops they're trying to reach. You must hound him as much as possible to get him to change course. Don't sit on one trying to shoot it down unless it's heading for its target. Set one wingman to help you on this target, and the other to attack the next-closest target.

These K-4s are very fast, and although your La-7 isn't too slouchy itself, if they get a decent head of speed up they'll be at their target in no time. For this reason you must be far more vigilant in your commanding and positional awareness than in almost any other mission. As soon as the first group is down, a second will come in. Proceed straight to them while staying between them and their ground troops, and approach them in the same way. This is harder because you need to be preparing for the dash to this flight when you're about to down the last of the previous group, by gaining altitude and position. They usually seem to come in around the same position on the map, so you'll learn to bear that in mind.

Then you get a seemingly impossible task of taking down two flights in one go. I too thought this was a no-hoper until I found you only need to take down one flight. Concentrate on the one that is closest to the ground troops, and attempt to destroy them as fast as possible. I'm not sure whether downing any four will end the mission or whether they all have to be from the same flight, but the latter is how I did it, and I would think if you can't get the forward group pretty fast there's not much hope anyway.

This took me many, many attempts though, so keep plugging away. The La-7's cannons are a little hard to get used to in terms of trajectory so perhaps get in some practice with those if you're just not getting the hits. The ground troops used as the target also change to a more southerly position I believe when the last pair of flights enters, so be aware for that when you check your map. Good luck though, and enjoy your 162 when you get it. ^_^

Thanks! That was a great answer, I'm pretty much in the clear up until the last group where you have to take on two flights. I wasn't aware you only needed to take down one flight.

I really hope the 162 is somewhat worth the effort. :P

Oh, it is, at least in my opinion; it's the most nimble of the jets in the game, and if you can get used to its twitchy roll it's very enjoyable to fly, I find.

Alright! I've finally beat the thing! It was a tricky one but I eventually got it done.

Next challenge is I've got to get through all the Bulge missions with an f'd up P-51. It's really a shame because I was watching a dogfights episode yesterday looking at how glorious the P-51 was, and I thought, it's a shame I can't fly it like that in BoP. Now I understand what you guys have been so upset about. :)

Congrats on getting through that one. I didn't find the Bulge missions too hard, actually. Oh, apart from the V1s...