This thread is to give you a background to how Mission 1 is put together and gives you a walk through of the steps you will need take and provides some advice on how to achieve the objectives. The mission has a fixed load out as it is an exercise. You will have 6 Airs T missiles, 6 GBU12's and 6 GBU38's. There are three phases, Exercise Home-Run, Recon and engage enemy (war)

-Mission starts on Pegasus island, take off and fly to the Rally Way point which is at 5000ft ready for your Home-Run exercise tasking. Awacs will take off before you and two bombers after you and your wingman. The bombers will have there own tasking and will not interfere with your mission. Your wing man will automatically form on you before Rally way point, providing you aren't at full throttle. There should be no need for afterburners for the exercise or recon phase of the mission.

-At Rally Way point you will receive your task this will either be;
1. Destroy 2 drone aircraft - Aircraft are B270 Range 20miles from Rally. Switch on your radar to locate and shoot down with your A2A missles. Awacs will also alert you to their position. Try to be clinical with your weapons, you may need to preserve ammo for later!
2. Destroy 3 enemy tanks driving around the town in a tight column formation on the larger island B270 R17miles from Rally - Use your TGP and GBU 12's, aim for the centre tank, 1xGBU12 should see them all destroyed.
3. Destroy 3 AA guns on the small island B270 R20miles from Rally - Use TGP and your GBU38's (you may need your GBU12's for later!) Careful of the friendlies on the hill if they get hit its mission fail.

None of the exercise targets will engage you, this is purely a target practice exercise to get you warmed up. A red smoke flare will start when you get close to the tanks and last for 30 seconds, in case you struggle finding them in the streets. You can ask your wing man to assist with attacking the targets, its up to you.

- After completing one of these objectives you will be tasked with undertaking an operational recon of Artemis island. During your orbit around the base, use your autopilot in nav mode to follow the way points around the island because you will be kept busy. You will be tasked to locate a certain number of strategic enemy positions on the Island. To complete these objectives use your TGP sensor to lock onto the particular unit you have been asked to find, that's all you have to do. The units you will have to locate will be;

1. Gun boats - these are located in a dock in the big bay at the centre of the island. Zoom your TGP in and focus on the coast, slowly move your view around to each dock, you will find the 4 boats, you only need to target 1 to complete the objective.
2. After the boats you will be asked to find either a radar or enemy tents located somewhere on the North East tip of Artemis. The Radar is on the Northern Coast and the tents a little further inland. They are not too hard to find.
3. Between recon point 2 and recon point 3 you will be tasked to find either a Radar site or a cruiser near the North west tip of the island. The radar is on the most North Western tip, you won't see the cruiser until you are almost at recon point 3 as its in a dock on the western facing coastline.

Do not fly over the land on this recon phase, remember we are not at war (Yet) If you do you will fail the mission, stick to the coast. Enemy units will not engage you during the orbit phase so do not engage them. During this phase Bravo flight will fly to the carrier, and perform a CAP.

- On return to way point Recon 1 you will receive news that WAR has been declared, there will be two possible targets to deal with;
1. An enemy cruiser headed for your carrier from the West, you must destroy it before it gets too close, which will be mission fail. Use your TGP to locate and GBU12's to destroy.
2. Two enemy bombers headed for your carrier from the East, intercept and destroy them before they get within 3 miles of the carrier and deliver their bombs, or it will be mission fail.

At the point you are alerted to one of the above threats, enemy fighters circling Artemis base will attempt to engage you, but do not worry Bravo flight currently on CAP at the carrier will deal with them, put on your afterburners and concentrate on your current tasking.

- After the final objective is complete land back on the carrier.