Tactical Operations Briefing: Rebel

Combat Engagement, Interdiction of Starfighter Deployment

Skill Level: Hard
Duty Roster: Slot- Any (author did this run in the first Rogue slot)
Ship: A-wing
#craft: 2 
#waves: 3
Armament: Missiles
Countermeasures: Flares OR Chaff, personal preference

This mission is tough and requires a good amount of stick skill and a minor amount of luck with this configuration. You must always keep an eye on the rebel losses, because too many dead rebels will result in a mission failure (or a stalemate if you or an AI die despite killing the targets). The victory goal is to kill 75% of the T/A that launch, which means you need 18 out of the 24 total (waves A through D, 6 craft each), but the TP goal is to rack up all 24 kills yourself.

Immediately set ELS to 0/0 and head straight toward the factory. In the beginning, do a quick check to see if your wingman is being targeted by any ships. If he isn't, order him to wait. If he is targeted, tell him to attack the craft attacking him. It doesn't make a very big difference, but it will cost you a missile you'll get to use later if he is forced to defend himself.

When the T/A's arrive, click the U key to target the newest arrival. If you wait too long, the gunboats that arrive shortly after will be the new target, and you will need to cycle through the targets to find the T/A's again. Target the 6th T/A. It will be at the back of the pack. For each wave of T/A, you want to work from back to front. This stops them from going evasive when you launch missiles at them. If you target the first one, it will go evasive and likely evade your missiles. You can order flight group Rogue to attack the gunboats, but it doesn't do much good in my experience.

Hold your fire on approach, and aim your ship at the likely meeting point between the factory and the ISD the ships are flying to. You can even out your laser and shield recharge rates when you are close. Cut to 1/3 throttle to turn hard after the 6th T/A, and then get a yellow or red lock (you'll be close and it'll be impossible to miss if you are right on his six oclock). You will want to use the ENTER key to match speed with the T/A's so you don't over-run them. Launch a dual load of missiles at T/A 6, and once you launch hit the Y key to target T/A 5. Get another lock, and launch two missiles. You will repeat the process as you work your way through the first wave. The A-Wing has 12 missiles, so you can take out the entire first wave with one ship. Be careful to clear the launch angle of your shots so your missiles don't hit the wreckage of your most recent kill while trying to hit the new target beyond.

While you are working on the first flight of T/A's, the two gunboats will have closed within range to launch missiles at you. Depending on your preferred countermeasure, you will need to trigger it by feel when you think the missiles are close. Shunt your shields to the rear to absorb any missiles that sneak through while you are taking out the first wave.

Once the first wave is dead, the second wave will launch. Hit the J key to jump to your wingman's ship. He will either have 11 or 12 missiles depending on if he waited or fought while you took out the first wave. The gunboats that were harassing you in the first ship will continue to hunt the now AI ship, but once it is destroyed they will reacquire you.

Ignore them and set ELS to 0/0 and jam it toward the factory and the new T/A's, and follow the same steps you did for the first wave. Depending how far out your wingman was when you switched to his ship, you may be killing the last T/A of wave 2 close to the ISD. Do your best to hyper out. If you are carrying flares, launch a few to bounce pursuers away to let your ship hyper out.

In your next two ships, the gunboats will again target you. Ignore them again and set ELS to 0/0 and jam it toward the third wave of T/A's. Destroy them the way you destroyed the first two waves, and jump to your wingman's ship to finish off the fourth and final wave using the same tactics.

If you got all of the T/A's (4 waves of 6 for 24 total kills), you will get sorely needed bonus points. Order all remaining rebel ships to hyper out so they don't get destroyed and cause a mission stalemate. Be sure to keep an eye out for any replacement waves of AI allies, and order them to immediately head home as well.

In this ship you are currently in, head toward the factory and inspect it. This is worth more bonus points. Once this is done, check your score with the K key. If you got all 24 T/A's yourself, you will be over 50k points and have a blue ribbon. Rabbit away a ways and hyper out for your blue ribbon.

If you didn't get all the T/A's and you're short on points, you'll need to rabbit away and attempt to take on the imperial fighters one or two at a time until you rack up enough kills for the TP.

If you are going for a high score, it will be a test of endurance filled with rabbiting and quick strike attacks. Once all fighter threats are neutralized, take down the factory. You can attempt to take down the ISD by blindspotting it, but in my experience it gets away before you can take it down with just your lasers.

Author: Andy Clark (Bulldog - Rogue Twelve)
Strategy: Andy Clark