The CAS Mission

Upon arriving at the Initial Point (IP), you automatically greet the Forward Air Controller (FAC). MiG Alley is to my knowledge the first rigid wing flight sim to incorporate the use of the FAC . Orbiting the battlefield in a T-6 Mosquito (Texan), a spotter aircraft even more antiquated than your steed, the FAC is your best buddy during your mission. He directs your strike package to the target either using verbal directions and by marking the target with a white phosphorus ("Willie Pete") smoke rocket. He will also inform you of the location of friendly troops, and scolds you should you commit fratricide. The FAC also recommends which weapon should be employed against a particular target, although this seems to be the roughest part of the CAS missions modeling. I have been told to use rockets against troop concentrations when obviously napalm would be much more effective. Enemy armor was also in the area and the use of rockets against such soft targets was wasteful.

Fig. 2. "FAC, I have you in sight!"

The big drawback of this is that there is no radio command to tell your element to use something other than what the FAC has called out. There is also no way to determine what stores your flight has left. The FAC always knows, however, and this can be amusing. Once, after having depleted my stores, I decided to enjoy the action by simply following my wingman as he proceeded to ruin a ChiCom a mortar team's day. The FAC advised me (Rattler Lead) as follows: "Rattler Lead- On this target use…nothing." I guess the enemy was feeling especially vulnerable, so harsh words and dirty looks would suffice that day.

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That aside, the combination of hammering targets using refreshingly dumb weapons and an honest airplane is a hoot. Wind effects are modeled very nicely, and weapons delivery needs to be adjusted to suit. Passing over an enemy after breaking up their little bingo game is a blast- you see them scatter and hear them curse in Chinese (or is it Korean) as you scream barely a prop disk diameter over their heads. I know- hearing them call you names over the banshee wail of a Merlin is almost comic-book material. So sue me- I think it's fun.

You can command your element as to when to hit the FAC designated target and when to break off, but any deeper tactics are sort of taken out of your hands. Refer to my griping above. It's a good idea to keep telling your flight to attack the target, however, as they sometimes have a tendency to wander off.

The terrain in MA is one of those love-hate things. I for one like it. In fact, it looks a lot like the terrain here in my home turf- the mountains around the high desert of southern California. The scattered trees give you sufficient SA to make up for your lack depth perception, though it's kind of a bummer that you can fly right through them unscathed. The feeling of speed as you scoot low is outstanding. On my rig (PIII 500 @ 533MHz, 196MB, V3 3000) roads and structures show up clearly enough to see clearly without negatively impacting frame rate too horribly, even at max resolution.

Using a piston engine airplane in a turbine dominated air war is great therapy for digital airplane burnout. Rowan has resisted the temptation to give the "other" airplanes of MiG Alley short shrift. In so doing, they have created a world beater recip-engined fighter model and an immersive world to play with it in. Feel the need to move mud and get down to basics? Fly the Mustang- something that still has the stick connected to the control surfaces don't need no stinking kerosene.

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