Note that I have split Colt flight up into Gazelles and KA-50s; KA-50s are now using C/S WOLF

@Chic and @Xtra: copy

Situation:

Enemy:

There is a large soviet build up around the city of Zugdidi where the US have a presence assisting the local population in security and infrastructure.
The Soviets seem intent on annexing the city and declaring it part of Russia in the same way that they overran the Crimea peninsular in 2014

Friendlies:

- US advisory elements and Georgian regular forces are located within ZUGDIDI city limits
- RW assets are located at SENAKI KOLKHI Airbase
- FW assets are located at KOBULETI Airbase
- Troops are located at both SENAKI Airbase and FARP SUZY, which is west of the village of Zubi (ADF freq 900);

Overview:

Prior to allied assets getting on station in the AO, the West, North and East of ZUGDIDI are considered to be hostile. Approach from due south of ZUGDIDI unless otherwise cleared by either AMC (COLT 1-1), AWACS (OVERLORD), or JTAC (WIDOW 7/9).


 
MSRs into ZUGDIDI:



Mission:

- The Task Force is tasked to insert troops into ZUGDIDI to protect the friendly forces
- The Task Force is tasked to resupply friendly artillery located at FOB SHOWTIME (ADF 850)
- The Task Force is tasked with stopping the Russian advance at all costs

Execution:

- FORD flight will scramble ASAP to get on station over ZUGDIDI to provide CAP and start building the Intel on the picture and lowdown.
(When enemy air threats are neutralised, FORD will RTB to KOBULETI to rearm with CAS loadout and return to provide support to JTAC WIDOW 7/9)
- WOLF and HAMMER flights will scramble ASAP to get on station south of ZUGDIDI to provide CAS in support of JTAC WIDOW 7/9
- COLT flight will scramble ASAP to clear the ingress for REDDOG and provide overwatch of the AO.
- REDDOG and BANDIT flights will board troops and ingress as far as FARP SUZY (ADF 900). REDDOG will hold at FARP SUZY until given clearance by JTAC WIDOW 7/9 to ingress into the AO
- SNAKE will provide escort for REDDOG flight.

Comms Plan:

- AMC / Battle Net: UHF 231.000
- AWACS C/S OVERLORD (if active): UHF 232.000
- JTAC C/S WIDOW 7/9: VHF 120.250
- FAC(A) C/S COLT 1-1: VHF 125.250
- FORD flight internal: FM 33.00
- HAMMER flight internal: FM 34.00
- REDDOG flight internal: FM 30.00
- BANDIT flight internal: FM 30.50
- SNAKE flight internal: FM 31.00


Duty Roster:

WIDOW 7/9
JTAC [Cib]

COLT Flight 1-4
Gazelle M including AMC with FAC script without smoke markers [evilivan]
Gazelle M: [empty]
Gazelle L: [empty]
Gazelle L: [empty]

WOLF Flight 1-3
Ka-50: [JB]
Ka-50: [empty]
Ka-50: [empty]

FORD Flight 1-4
F-15C CAP: [empty]
F-15C CAP: [empty]
Mirage 2000 CAP: [Paul]
Mirage 2000 CAP: [empty]

HAMMER Flight 1-4
A-10C: [Specter]
A-10C: [empty]
A-10C: [empty]
A-10C: [empty]

REDDOG Flight 1-4
Huey slick: [Kiwi]
Huey slick: [Rudy]
Huey slick: [Blade]
Huey slick: [Chic]

BANDIT flight 1-4
Huey slick: [empty]
Huey slick: [empty]
Huey slick: [empty]
Huey slick: [empty]

SNAKE Flight 1-3
Huey GS: [Xtra]
Huey GS: [empty]
Huey GS: [empty]

edited 1600z: added BANDIT flight internal freq; added Blade to REDDOG flight; small tweaks

...I've given the FAC(A) - Gazelle COLT 1-1 - a VHF frequency, but so far I haven't managed to get VHF in the Gazelle working with Simple Radio. Can anyone help with that? Otherwise might need to move to an FM freq.

Sorry, disregard.

I may be late or not make it at all due work.

@Blade check out earlier posts in the thread. I link a map for download and Spectre made it PDF to fit kneeboard
@Showtime take the batteries out of your pager and get a convenient migrane

(B/229) Blade wrote:will probably be available for Slick tasking.

Roger - I have made you element lead in REDDOG flight, assuming that Chic will join later

(B/229) Blade wrote:Just a sidenote: could you please replace bigger briefing map picture size for better readability above maybe? Could be almost twice this size, at least on my monitor.

I'm afraid I left putting the briefing together too late (e.g. until today while at work) to sort out a screen shot direct from DCS, so I have had to botch it using screen prints of the image that Cib created - hence it's small size (no comment on Cib or size there, of course). Apologies, but that is as good as it gets...

(B/229) Blade wrote:MSR = Main Supply Routes?...

Correct

Is there a quick guide how to put the map picture for the Kneeboard, which format (".png or .bmp only" I heard?), wich pixel size WxH to crop it, and which folder in DCS? In my Users/name/SaveGame/DCS folder I found an empty Kneeboard folder with another Kneeboard folder inside with content but .png's only, but that might be a leftover from former structure?

Duty Roster:

WIDOW 7/9
JTAC [Cib]

COLT Flight 1-4
Gazelle M including AMC with FAC script without smoke markers [evilivan]
Gazelle M: [empty]
Gazelle L: [empty]
Gazelle L: [empty]

WOLF Flight 1-3
Ka-50: [JB]
Ka-50: [empty]
Ka-50: [empty]

FORD Flight 1-4
F-15C CAP: [empty]
F-15C CAP: [empty]
Mirage 2000 CAP: [Paul]
Mirage 2000 CAP: [empty]

HAMMER Flight 1-4
A-10C: [Specter]
A-10C: [empty]
A-10C: [empty]
A-10C: [empty]

REDDOG Flight 1-4
Huey slick: [Kiwi]
Huey slick: [Rudy]
Huey slick: [Blade]
Huey slick: [Chic]

BANDIT flight 1-4
Huey slick: [Painter] (if some more experienced and capable buddy is available to lead, I'll switch into #3)
Huey slick: [gisen] (don't think I should lead a callsign on my first real mission)
Huey slick: [empty]
Huey slick: [empty]

SNAKE Flight 1-3
Huey GS: [Xtra]
Huey GS: [empty]
Huey GS: [empty]

Sign me up for snake flight slot 2.

Great mission Show,
shame we got raped by those pesky Su25s

Thanks, even though we lost the battle it was great getting everyone together.

We do need to defeat this mission, so if you guys want to plan to fight another day, I'm open for Sunday.

Adding my thanks to Showtime; fun mission. Definitely want to try it again!

What went well:

Overall I thought comms were much better this time than the last time - people were disciplined in muting TS while in SR etc. I don't think I ever heard internal comms accidentally transmitted on the battlenet...
The slicks did an excellent job of ferrying in troops; not sure how many sorties they ran, but it seemed like quite a few
WOLF, HAMMER and FROG all seemed pretty busy trying to suppress the enemy
FORD initially seemed to have air superiority (although not sure what happened to FORD at the end?)
We dealt with the lack of JTAC comms pretty well (I think?)

What could have gone better:

I should have got the briefing out at least one day earlier (with higher res images)
My brevity could have been a lot better
I should have made myself more familiar with the AO; it really showed when I was trying to relay JTAC instructions to the CAS and slick flights
In general it was quite disjointed; I think this was in part due to SR radio issue and the JTAC role was not able to operate as planned, but I think I could have done a better job of the briefing too
We need to get a shit-load better at managing time and technology - we started the mission about 50 mins late; might need to consider some rules around this: pos someone more experienced volunteers to be on TS 30 mins ahead of time to help the newer folks to get set up? And maybe enforcing the start time, give a take a few mins - especially on a school night
Felt like some key briefing info / knowledge was not made available until the last minute - e.g. that the initial troop drop was required to initiate the mission triggers, and that the troops needed to go on the MSRs; bringing that in 40 mins after the start time kind of restarted the briefing (apologies if I let my irritation show).

Tech issues:

HAMMER suffered several DCS crashes (@Specter: can you provide more detail?) - I think Chic also suffered a crash?
SR ATC radios didn't work; we could here Cib but he couldn't hear us
SR radio separation still not working (at least for me); two radios transmitting at the same time tread all over each other

Cheers
evilivan

Good Observations as usual evilivan.
I agree that participants need to be up to speed by posted mission start time.  This includes checking the oil in your rig, internet connectivity, modding, version checks, comms checks, and briefings.  

I was on line an hour before mission start.  Had good handle on prepublished briefing, gave my office the Do Not Disturb notice, prepared a 2 x 3 foot grease board with flight lists, rad freqs, mission map with headings and distances, put beer and snack within reach of sim seat.  Then, at mission start, I realize that my SR that had been flawless since latest up date shit the bed.  While troubleshooting this, I missed the briefing updates etc...
I appreciate the patience that our outfit typically displays BUT, I feel that my woes should not delay mission start.
Most times participants in my predicament could rejoin mid flight.
And BTW, we fly with a great bunch of guys.

I spent the hour or so before mission start troubleshooting SRS for ppl I deliberately set start time for 20.00 to give everyone a chance to arrive in plenty time. Apologies for the late info re MSR drops, I guess what seems obvious to me is not apparent to anyone who did not help in testing the mission prior to the evening.
We can enforce a 20 minute rule so everyone needs to be on the server and in the pit on time and 20 mins is the maximum time allowed for delays. TBF most of our missions allow for late entry anyway.
Perhaps we need to also refine the initial orders in the forums. So each flight has explicit orders from the start with flight leads getting their pilots in order and taking off on time. Then when everyone is in the air the mission commander can start allocating the next phase orders

Comms worked well from what I could glean from the mission start although some confusion was apparent with internal freqs.
 Pilots who are flying missions need to get the info before hand and each individual should be going through the mission thread for the information required. 
On the whole though and considering we had several new guys flying with us I thought it all went well and it will be so much easier next time, having said that it made a change to have a mission we could not complete  
And Ivan no apologies needed, it is not easy leading a mission and we don't make it easier for you I am sure

Agree on everything above!
@Evil: I am able to hear transmissions from different sources simultanously.

Regards mission start:
Goal could be that the Forum is a kind of Briefing or Ready Room and on planned mission start time every pilot connects to the mission server by himself without anybody saying to do so and jumps into the cockpit with no further briefing on TS at all! We should be able just to join the cockpit and switch on our radios, check in on the proper freq. and startup and fly with the briefing we got from the forum.
For the same reason it should be possible to join-in flawlessly for "late comers" - they have the briefing from the forums, they know what and where to do, they only need some site rep or short situation picture or just a short info "where are my wingmen?" when they are airborne.
I like this idea because it safes a lot of time compared to the "briefing on TS before the mission".

As always the consummate diplomat, Mr Chic

I don't think we were waiting for you specifically - maybe the last 5 mins at most, and that was my call as you seemed really close at that point.

I also don't want to be a curmudgeon about it and get all rigid. However, from a practical perspective 50 mins out of the evening is a quite a hit on actual flying time (and leisure time in general, especially on a school night), so I think we need to formalise the briefing portion a little more to get the most out of our time. It could be as simple as:

Briefings will be published with 24hrs notice for planned missions of this type
The briefing will include a Duty Roster so roles can be allocated in advance
Everyone is expected to have read the brief and noted freqs in advance
At mission start time, there will be XX mins of full briefing (to answer any questions), followed by XX mins of flight briefings

I think of myself as still pretty new to the 229th, but in the time I have been here this last couple missions are the first time we have started doing stuff more formally - so as far I'm concerned we are new to it and still working it out...  

@Cib: looks like we are thinking along the same lines (@Painter too); let's get better at getting a good brief in the forum, and at least 24hrs before mission start. Might also be good to have the mission creator indicate which roles are "must fill" vs "can fill" so that people who aren't sure if they can make it don't fill the "must fill" roles....

@Painter: your nirvana of everything happening in the forums in advance would be the ultimate method, but it relies too much on the briefing being absolutely clear and I'm not sure that is achievable - so I think a short (and fixed) period for questions at the start of the mission will be required. But let's aim to get that as short as possible.

Ref: the radios, I will follow up in the simple radio thread...

2 more thoughts, 
Showtime can you make at least one JTAC hummer invisible and immortal in the set Commands tab please
Do we think SRS 1.2.9.1 is superior to 1.2.6.0 ? this was a good test for it
I wonder if we could come up with a mission PDF for everyone to download before the mission with maps, freqs intel etc then you can either print it out or have it on a separate monitor

This was my first time using SRS - I did actually have it working but hadn't bound the keys correctly - it worked fine in mission.
I was part of the delay because I stupidly updated to the open beta then had to roll it back but didn't expect to be waited for -there were a couple of us with issues.
I could have joined late and been able to take part and actually I did go afk for ages after crashing because my baby started screaming but I rejoined the team easily.

I think it's a great idea to have a brief available on the forum and a more formal 'h hour is h hour'

(B/229) Cib wrote:
I wonder if we could come up with a mission PDF for everyone to download before the mission with maps, freqs intel etc then you can either print it out or have it on a separate monitor

Or on our kneeboard, that kneeboard builder app is a great idea.
I really appreciate it if the frequencies were in the in game briefing but I realise that isn't always possible

(B/229) Gisen wrote:
I really appreciate it if the frequencies were in the in game briefing but I realise that isn't always possible

Frequencies were in the briefing, they are still there in fact... Or do I misunderstood something?

(B/229) Blade wrote:

(B/229) Gisen wrote:
I really appreciate it if the frequencies were in the in game briefing but I realise that isn't always possible

Frequencies were in the briefing, they are still there in fact...    Or do I misunderstood something?

They are all in the forum briefing but afair at least some of them (like the adf one) weren't in the briefing you can see from the esc menu in game. Unless I'm wrong which is quite possible