From Tasking you move to the Map screen. This is where the vital decisions regarding route, target, and flight coordination are made. The map allows four levels of zoom as well as choice of display for icons, grid lines (at 5k), and will even display Time on Target on the map. It has two main modes: contour (like an engineering map, all in grey shades) and colored elevation as you see in these screens. Some of its more innovative features include a Profiler which allows you to get a side profile of elevation between any two points. The Profiler even overlays the effective range of the weapons you carry. VERY nice...

Once you start planning missions you will use the profiler each time. I usually invoke it two or three times per given mission route, experimenting with cross sections across the target and from a few different angles of approach. Remember: you don't want to cross high ridges unless necessary and you don't want to follow routes along valley bottoms either.

The other unique feature of the planner is a "Rehearse" button which allows you to actually see your flights travelling according to planned TOT along their routes. This assists in the planning of a coordinated strike. For more information on how the campaign actually takes shape in Longbow 2 see the preview Part II.

More basic features of the planner are those we are accustomed to: you can move, add or delete waypoints. Its not just a convenience; without that ability you can't accomplish the goals you will need to set for yourself to conclude a successful campaign.

ATO 12195

October 10, 1999 Lt. T. "Viking1" Armstrong

I just received orders to fly my third mission across enemy lines since the start of this conflict four days ago. Our task: escort two Blackhawk Transports carrying Special Forces to a lcoation 15 km across the FEBA. We leave at dawn, 0530.

Unfortunately, we expect heavy air activity in the area, and ZSU 23 emplacements are known in the area. The ZSU 23 is one of the most deadly A2A platforms in the enemies arsenal. As I'm checking my AH64D Longbow prior to the flight, I am all too aware that the pilot lost on a mission two days ago had encountered a ZSU 23.

Finally its time to go. After ensuring the weapons loadout I climb into the co-pilots chair and we start our final systems check. Its 0515. My wingman "Flash" (he once strode into our munitions bunker with a lit cigarette) checks in a moment later in his Texan drawl... He's all set, and so are we.

We spent a good deal of the morning poring over the intel and maps, ensuring as few high crossings as possible, but also avoiding the valley floors. The best place for this machine is halfway up a slope where it can blend against the background clutter. On top is too visible against the sky, and on the falley floor is too open to radar detection and attack from overhead fast movers.

At 0525 we start the turbines and a couple of minutes later "Jinks" the pilot engages the main rotor. Everything is good. "Weapons Hold" is declared for the benefit of Flash and we are away.

We rendezvous with the Blackhawks at 0540. This is the easy part. At o545 we pause at the FEBA and I order Flash to pop up and scan the area. As his data comes across the link I see two AAA units and one unknown less than 1 km from our entry point. I shift our route slightly and we duck down and are on our way.

0552

The eastern sky is getting brighter as we head for our second waypoint in hostile territory. We're just slowing for a turn when a truck pops up at eleven oclock and one kilometre. Suddenly we are under fire from small arms! The single soldier appears on the FLIR and a quick cannon burst sets him straight. We dont' take on the truck, much as we would like to, though I wonder what its carrying.

0557

We're approaching the final point prior to target when we are jumped by a pair of Havocs. Shit! They must have popped over the ridge--we had no warning at all. Flash has locked up the first and is firing his cannon just as the second releases a missile with MY name on it. I see the flash of the release at my one oclock just as Jinks is letting go with the cannon. A second later we set down with a klunk and the missile hits the ground rather too close to us! We feel the force of it but don't take any damage.. someone must be praying...

Jinks got a piece of the Havoc and we see him spinning out of control at nine oclock, finally hitting the ground with a huge explosion. But now we've got tracers whizzing past us from our six oclock so we pick up and are on our way quick! Radar shows all clear overhead...As we gain speed up the hill Charlie 88 calls out that he is under five 15K to the south of us.

0605

We crest a small rise at one km from the LZ. TADS shos an encampment across the valley at 3 km. We creep toward the LZ at twenty feel and 30k, stopping about 1/2 km out, nestled against the base of the downward slope of the hill.

The Blackhawks set down and begin to unload. We order Jinks to stay put while we assume a position 2 km along the valley and a bit higher. We're just transitioning to hover when we hear fire from the valley near to Flash' position. I see the glare from his cannon and then its quiet again.

0615

I watch the special ops team enter the compound, then there is gun fire again. It carries on for five minutes and then ther are a couple of small explosions. A moment later men are heading for the Blackhawks.

Suddenly we have company, two bmps coming down the valley floor. We lock up the first one and fire a Hellfire. Down he goes,lighting up the night as the Hellfire impacts.

We are rising to get LOS for the second bmp when there is an explosion off our beam and something in the compound goes up with a brilliant flash. The second bmp is a smoldering heap a moment later and we are underway for home.

Ground activity in Longbow 2 remains as intense as in Gold, and can be even more intense. Watching 3d modelled soldiers debark and enter an encampment is quite cool, only now instead of only guarding them you can fly them in yourself!

As has been pointed out in various places, you don't have to have a 3d board to get excellent detail and effects from Longbow 2. But in order to get the kind of terrain richness you see in these shots with a good frame rate, you will need a 3dfx board. If you are in the market, I recommend the Canopus Pure 3d. It has 2x the texture memory of anything else out there and you will get maximum benefit in a sim like Longbow 2 but also in other demanding Glide products like F22: ADF. And if you are into it, you can connect the output to your TV with a regular cable or even SVHS. Both cables are supplied with the board.

Here is a great shot that shows the detail lavished on objects in this sim. Coming up on one of these towns in the late evening is quite a sight. Watching the fireworks start is even more impressive....

But if you can't make the dollar commitment, don't despair. On my P180 the sim still looks great, running on a 2 meg Matrox board with detail cranked quite high. The final frame rate should be even better than what I am currently getting because debug code will be gone.

Lest you think that the only special effects are those generated by your own weapons and impacts, think again! Explosions and damage effects have also gone up a generation with Longbow 2. If you are in a relatively safe position and in hover hold you can enjoy some awesome object views, watching MiGs, Havocs, ground vehicles, tanks, troops and just about anything else you can think of! Hmm.. I wonder if LB2 might meet a nice A10 sim one day...

Now, about those Blackhawks! These transports are quite an experience to fly. I confess that I prefer the Longbow, but there are times when only the Kiowa or Blackhawk will do. Here are a couple of recent shots. Most of these Blackhawk shots are courtesy of Bill "Cowboy" Wilson. Notice the door-gunner.

Getting caught in a fire fight or some kind of crossfire at night can be... well, distracting! In truth, it makes it tough to hang on to a joystick, they get a bit sweaty!

One advantage of this level of realism is that you can tell where the action is at night by the light show. I was cruising on a quiet recon mission when I heard a distressed call from Charlie 89. I knew from the briefing that C89 was only about 10 k to the south. I crested a hill and swung my head southward, and sure enough I could see some action! I was amazed! I saw something burning and what looked like an outgoing Hellfire in transit. Incredible.

Take me to the Andy Hollis Interview

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Last Updated October 27th, 1997