The BLACK PLANET Missions...

These missions are for the aviator who likes a random scenario or fairly "unpredictable" combat zone. They are set at night... in pitch darkness or extreme fog/haze. Low visibility is the name of this game... to test your mettle.

The scenarios come as two sets of four missions. Same scenarios in both sets... the difference is the "lighting" or rather lack of it. The first set is set at normal night settings... the "night-time" which you may be used to. We have included these as some people will find the second set too frustrating.

The second set... well, are you able to fly on instruments? We mean that the combat zone will be black. Dark, horrible, frightening darkness is everywhere. It is very easy to get disorientated and "lawn dart"... the missiles can be seen for miles... flame trails glittering, explosions appear on the horizon... any available piece of light appears like the brighest sun. It is a remarkable effect. The more common and original darkness you are used to is nothing like this...

Introduction (from the mission documents)

... patrolling alone you may have 10 minutes of uninterrupted silence when suddenly you come across a low flying Mig-21... and he does not see you. You approach to his low four o'clock, move to his low six... get to within 0.4nms of him and open up with guns... he never saw you. The next time you fly this scenario you may never meet him at a similar place and time... or if you do and use a missile he may then react... maybe he'll have a buddy with him... and maybe a SAM site will suddenly appear where it never was before.

Take Hornet Two. You fly a scenario and he attacks the IQAF Rhadif Al Kafi AB in the west of the theatre... next time he may go after Ghalaysan New AB... or the Ar Smithar Chemical Works.

You also start at randomly chosen bases, or on the Carrier. You may start in Safwan... the next time up you start at Ar' Ar... bogey s which you met around Safwan the first time will be long gone by the time you arrive... if you (or they) choose Safwan as your destination this time...

Sample Briefing

Mission #4

Time: 0300hrs

Conditions: Hazy

Hornet One: Random start at Qasumah AB or Safwan AB

Hornet Two: Based on the boat. When activated he will perform a Barrier Combat Air Patrol, sweeping over Safwan, down the southern border, across to Qasumah AB, and back to Safwan AB across Iraqi. He recovers on the boat

Hornet Three: Based at Safwan AB. When activated he will fly a Barrier Combat Air Patrol, down along the southern border, across Qasumah AB to Rafha AB, and back to Safwan AB

F117 One/F117 Two: Based at Rafha AB. When activated they will attack the IQAF Ghalaysan New AB or Al Basrah AB at high altitude, recovering at Rafha

F-16C One: Based at Ar' Ar AB. When activated he will attack Rhadif Al Kafhi AB, or Ghalaysan New AB. Recovers at Ar' Ar

Mission aims: The Allies need 10 "kills" on fighters for you to receive a "Mission Successful" message

The Darkness

One screen capture shows the night settings, the other shows the haze and overcast if you move on the time to daylight... both pictures taken within one second of each other. The vehicle is a Humvee.They wait at each base to guide you out onto the runways or back to refueling areas.

Hints- Sometimes the light is much too bright...

Some users have mailed us and asked where the targets are. One of the premises behind the BLACK PLANET mission set is a randomised combat zone. The following text is a exact list of the number of targets and relative positions in the first mission. This information may help users form a good plan of attack.

BLACK PLANET Mission #1

Mission aims: The Allies need 4 to 5 "kills" on IQAF fighters for you to receive a "Mission Successful" message

Mission Targets:

5	SAM sites (all over the theatre... one site near Bagdhad)
5	AAA emplacements (all over the theatre... three emplacements on the river banks north of Safwan)
2	Boats (on river to the south east of Ghalaysan New IQAF AB)
2	ZS-23
1	Utility vehicle (to the south of Ghalaysan New IQAF AB)
4	Su-27 Flanker (from Rhadif Al Khafi)
4	Mig-23 Flogger (from Rhadif Al Khafi and Ghalaysan New)
4	Mig-21 Fishbed (from Ghalaysan New)