"CRIPPLES" Scenario - hints?

[zephyr]

a little stuck getting to the ice pack, have scored some hits, but keep getting cornered. If I re-read RSR will I find how to get out of this?

Another great one BTW..., and here I thought you had peaked with Nordic Hammer. can hardley wait to see what comes next(if I ever get out of here)

[Bill Nichols]

Afraid I have no 'tips' for this mission, you just have to be good

[zephyr]

I guess I'm screwed then...

Lots and lots of 'saves' from here on out....

[Bill Nichols]

I can say this: If the cripple gets sunk, you can still complete the scenario by getting your boat to safety...

[zephyr]

I've gotten myself to the ice, but the Buffalo keeps heading towards the bad guys instead of taking the long (ie chicken) way around with me, so I end up with an imcomplete mission and can't move on

[Molon Labe]

I wonder if suppression fire tactics would be of any use...

[zephyr]

sort of a "spray and pray"(then run !!) Hmmmm..., thanks ML, I may give that a try

[Molon Labe]

That's not what I meant.

The AI tends to be very meek when faced with incoming fire. If you can get torps in the vicinity, even if you don't have the solution or even the range to make a kill, the enemy may turn away instead of attacking the wounded sub. The idea is to clear a path for the engangered sub and to buy yourself time, not to fire randomly.

[zephyr]

I'll try that.... thanks again

[Molon Labe]

Okay, after getting my ass handed to me in Nordic Hammer and Time on Target more than I care to admit, I finally made it to Cripples.

This one is a nail biter, but you have very good intel in the beginning (or if you've played it once and died, you have good intel for the next time around...). The ships coming up from behind are Grishas and a Krivak. They aren't that big of a deal unless they get close enough to detect you, which isn't likely to happen for a long time. The real threat is the Udaloy coming in from the north, who will fire on you when his airdale friends link your position to him. So, the key is to kill the Udaloy ASAP without allowing the aircraft to detect you. In other words, resist the temptation to surface and shoot SAMs, at least until the DDG is gone. The DDG will probably run into the ice sheet evading your torps, so give them a ceiling of 50 feet to run the torps under the ice/keel so you'll get him even if he gets stuck. :|\

Once the DDG is dead, periodicaly check for air contacts that might be circling you and kill them if necessary. Fire at the Grishas if they get within 20nm; they won't react to the shot right away so they usually won't be able to get out of range in time (and if not, you still bought yourself time). A 20nm engagement range should be fine for the Akula too. It's probably a good idea to get ahead of the Buffalo early on to engage the DDG and Akula as far away from the Buffalo as possibe, so it doesn't eat a torp intended for you.

[Barleyman]

Bloody finally. Had to restart this one twice .. Once due to crashing, again due to upgrading to LW 3.00 final. Eurgh. And had to backtrack 1h real time due to another crash + savegame corruption.

Taking out the initial planes is a must with LW mod they rain sonobuyous on you. Only warning you get is TIW and 30sec later KABOOM. (for sonobuyoy detection)

Buffalo was taken out by fly boys every time. Can't do much about it since Stinger doesn't really provide good area defence..

Russkies may feel trading couple of frigates is OK trade for an SSN, but I doubt Akula imp + Victor III was such a great deal for them..

[Barleyman]

For me 15nm engagement range for Krivak was bit too short. He ran away twice until I let him come to about 12nm.

With akula.. Well, you probably won't see him 20nm away!

[Molon Labe]

I think I had him tagged around 25. 1.03 detection ranges are pretty extreme, even with LW/Ami.

[Deathblow]

Originally Posted by Molon Labe

Once the DDG is dead, periodicaly check for air contacts that might be circling you and kill them if necessary

Originally Posted by Barleyman

Taking out the initial planes is a must with LW mod they rain sonobuyous on you. Only warning you get is TIW and 30sec later KABOOM. (for sonobuyoy detection)

Oh come on. ...That's so not in the spirit of RSR. Where do you read the Boston went to PD and popped a few flyboys? That's cheating! ...not to say I haven't had to do it myself. :rotfl:

Honestly though, those ASW aircraft are what make the mission so darn hard IMHO, just can't shake 'em. Not to mention your going to have to plow through the middle of at least one of their sonabuoy fields, and once they have you..... they don't let go

[Molon Labe]

If they are already circling overhead, a TIW won't be far behind. The whole point of the SAM is to use it as a last resort, which is exactly what the situation I described is.