TFX - Tactical assistance from the top The Training Missions In order to access the main part of the game you have to complete eight training missions which, judging from Emergency 911’s mail bag, seem to be causing no end of problems. Here’s a resume of what you need to do and the best weapons to use for each mission. Mission 1 All you have to do is destroy a single MiG to complete your mission (which will end about ten seconds later). Arm yourself with AAAMs or AA-ARMs, and you’ll be able to lock on virtually from your starting position. Mission 2 The aim is to destroy two buildings at the military installation in sector 139, 187. Destroy two large buildings or radars (the choice is yours) to complete the mission. The best weapons to use are laser-guided bombs. Mission 3 The target is the SAM site in sector 111, 85. A carefully aimed AGM 122 or 88 will destroy it easily, but laser-guided bombs will also do the job. It’s up to you. Mission 4 The aim here is to knock out an incoming fighter over the main island. Once you’ve destroyed the aircraft, you have to land back on the carrier. AAAMs or AA-ARMs are once again the simplest choice, but your opponent may avoid them with chaff, so be ready to close in and use short-range missiles. Mission 5 This mission requires you to attack the enemy fleet in sector 83, 100. You’ve got to target the largest ship - the carrier - to destroy the fleet. Use the Harpoon missile or AGM 84. Afterwards, land back on your carrier. Mission 6 There are four enemy aircraft to shoot down here. You’ll find these to the north and west of your starting position. Again, land to complete the mission. When attacking two or more planes at once, it’s best to even the odds with long-range missiles, and then close in to finish off the last plane with a volley of short-range missiles. Mission 7 You need to attack the battle front to the north of the friendly troops. Fly north and destroy four vehicles (two tanks and two helicopters, or any other combination) to break the attack. The best tactic is to use your cannon, and then strafe the line from east to west and back again. Mission 8 This is a night sortie. Use the laser-guided bombs to destroy the military installation in sector 112, 84 - you need to blow up two buildings or radars (as in the previous missions). Land to finish. Air-To-Air Combat Aerial combat is relatively easy in TFX, assuming you’re flying a Eurofighter or F-22. Both aircraft are fast, extremely manoeuvrable and more than a match for any enemy planes you encounter. The only important thing to remember is that it’s best to deal with planes one at a time - it’s much easier to fight one expert enemy head-to-head than two novices. Try to use your weapons advantage to take out the enemy from beyond his missile range. But even if you do end up at close range, you’ll still have an advantage because of your tight turning ability and more powerful engines. The only exception is the Stealth Fighter. With no cannon and a limited weapons load, it’s best to avoid all contact with planes and rely on your radar invisibility to get through in one piece. Use the terrain, and stay low and slow. Air-To-Ground Combat Attacking ground targets is generally a lot safer than dog-fighting - buildings don’t move and they don’t fire back (SAM Sites are an exception). However, using your actual weapons effectively is far from easy. Laser-Guided Bombs Approach the target at about 10,000 feet and estimate its position relative to your plane. When you are within 15 miles or so, check that you’re flying straight and level, and turn on the laser designator. Turn the view towards the target and zoom in until you can see it clearly. Don’t lock on until you are sure you have the right target. If necessary, wait and make another pass. Once you are satisfied, lock onto the target and return to the cockpit. From hereon in it’s simply a matter of waiting until you are close enough (within 15 miles) and then releasing the bomb at the right moment. You can release it further away, but the bomb will glide low to the ground and perhaps hit something on the way to the target. SAM Sites These are the toughest ground targets you’ll face - they’re small and they shoot back. The best weapons are the anti-radar missiles (AGM 122 or AGM 88), which automatically lock onto active SAM radars. Be sure your weapon has locked onto the correct site. If it hasn’t, cycle through the targets until you reach the one you’re interested in. Fire your weapons while travelling at a relatively slow speed, and when you’re between three and five miles away from the target. If you aren’t carrying either of these missiles you can try Mavericks (see below) or if all else fails, strafe the site with your all-purpose cannon. If you come in low enough, the SAMs won’t be able to lock on and fire at you. Ships Target these using your AGM 84s, which automatically lock onto the biggest ship in a fleet - the carrier. When you are ordered to attack a fleet, it’s always the carrier that you’ve got to destroy. (You can also use Mavericksto dispose of them.) Runways Use CMB 18s or Durandals for maximum damage. Fly over the runway at a slight angle and fire the weapon. CMBs scatter lots of bomblets and mines, whereas Durandals create a single large crater. Both are highly effective. Mk 82 Bombs The prediction circle on the HUD will estimate the bomb’s landing point. It’s best to attack from above 10,000 feet and dive quite steeply at the target. Not only is it easier to aim the weapon, but the bomb will travel much faster. Mavericks These are a good general-purpose missile, but you have to aim them manually using the crosshair on the HUD, which some may find slightly off-putting. It certainly demands careful flying, and you have to be careful that the missile is locked on target and not on the surrounding ground area. Break the lock and try again if you have any doubts. CSWs These are another anti-runway weapon, and you have to aim them in the same manner as Mavericks. Approach the runway and aim the crosshairs at the centre of the tarmac. Once fired, the weapon will deploy its contents just before it strikes the target spot. Cruise Missiles These are preprogrammed missiles. You simply release the weapon and it acquires its target, flies towards it and blows it up. The pre-selected targets are always relevant to the mission in question. Landing This, the hardest part of nearly any flight sim, is made easier in TFX by the comprehensive ILS system. Although it’s possible to skip it and use the auto- landing (ALT-L) feature, you score a lot more points for a manual touchdown. Here’s how it’s done... 1. Turn the ILS on and head for the beacon. It’s directly in line with the runway, about 20 miles away from the end. When you reach it you should be ideally at less than 10,000 feet and flying as slow as possible. At the beacon, turn towards the runway. 2. When you are facing the runway, the ILS bars will appear, telling you if you are too high or low and providing guides to help you line up exactly. Keep an eye on the angle of attack indexer in the bottom-right of the HUD. Try and adjust your speed to keep your AoA correct. 3. Take note of what the bars tell you and slow down. A simple way todo this is to zig-zag as you approach, bleeding speed in the turns... Keep watching your AoA. 4. At this point you should be on line and travelling at a slow speed - below 200 knots. Lower your wheels - this brings your speed down a little more - and get ready to land. 5. Near the runway you may find you’re moving too slow and descending too quickly. Don’t panic! You’re probably doing okay. When you touch down, apply the wheel brakes and deploy the parachute as necessary. Turn your engines off to slow down even more quickly. Remember that you can use the autothrottle (Autopilot mode 4) when landing to control yourspeed more accurately. Carrier Landings As in 1-5 above, except you should deploy the hook and keep your engines on. Touch down on the wires to engage the hook. If you miss, switch on the ‘burners, retract your gear and try again.