Development update for the next Skyward Original Mission for Digital Combat Simulator
Development of the second publicly available Skyward original mission for Digital Combat Simulator World is well under way. A preview is in order! Unlike the expansive, counterinsurgency focused Skyward Syria COIN mission, our upcoming mission is a smaller, high intensity, Cold War era experience generically set in a 1971 - 1979 technology limit.
Mission Setting
'Sabana Strike' is set on the free to download Marianas map for Digital Combat Simulator World. Not tied to any historic event or inspired by current events, it has a minimal setting to provide context for the mission.
Mount Sabana Military Base is the heart of enemy operations on Rota Island. This large base houses most of the logistics and support facilities for the forces that occupy the island. Barracks, warehouses, vehicle storage, administrative offices, heliports and more. There are also satellite facilities for the base, including road checkpoints, observation points and early warning radar station.
Recently, new construction of a facility to support mobile Scud tactical ballistic missile launchers has been confirmed. Deployment of this missile system puts the allied forces in Andersen Air Force Base in danger of being struck by ballistic missiles, as their current land based air defenses are unable to intercept this new threat.
Pre-emptive air strikes against this under construction facility and Sabana Base itself must be made to stop this new threat and diminish the enemy's hold on the island.
Classic Layered Air Defense
Inspirations for how air defense is portrayed in this mission was taken from documented deployments of anti-aircraft weapons and tactics from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The island features a small, but intense layered air defense network.
Rota International Airport hosts a MiG-19P fighter squadron of 10 combat capable aircraft. They patrol the airspace around the island, taking advantage of the air defenses on the island to augment their limited air-to-air capabilities. As flights are potentially lost in combat, the next flight or flights of aircraft are launched to protect the island. The entire squadron is available to be scrambled and attempt long-range interception under certain circumstances. The airport also supports transport flights that supply the enemy positions on Rota island and can support any combat aircraft that enter the area of operations from long distance.
A surface to air missile (SAM) site in the north-western tip of the island houses an SA-3 Goa and SA-8 Gecko making medium and high altitude attacks very difficult. The SA-3 in particular is dangerous as it has shorter range than the SA-2 Guideline, but has more reliable tracking and can rapid fire up to 12 missiles in just a few minutes. It can make short work of formations of aircraft attempting high altitude level bombing.
Beneath the SAM coverage, there are large air defense positions of 57mm and 100mm anti-aircraft artillery batteries able to fling explosive shells between 3.5 and 9.5 nautical miles away up to tens of thousands of feet in the air. Each position has point defenses such as manually guided or radar guided 23mm autocannons.
Infrared guided missile threats do exist on the island, but are dispersed and usually near high priority targets.
"One Pass"
Sabana Strike is a mission created with high-speed, low altitude fixed-wing combat sorties in mind. The goal is to give players the experience of flying at wave top or tree top level, evading multiple calibers of anti-aircraft fire with the presence of surface-to-air missiles lingering above their heads. By technology locking the era, it also limits the ability to deploy stand-off weapons like air launched cruise missiles and further push players to operate in the range of air defenses. Making multiple consecutive strikes is not encouraged as it gives air defenses across the island a chance to bring all guns to bare on players circling above the island. As such, the concept of "low, fast, one pass" or "one pass, haul ass" is at the core of this mission. I wrote an article about it on August 28th, 2024.
Extras in the Details
Recently, as a mission editor, I have found my "style" to be the addition of variables and minor details that change the player's experience over time or rewards players for thinking a bit more tactically. With Sabana Strike primarily happening on a single island, there are many details in a small area. Some examples in this mission are:
The MiG-19P squadron uses Uncontrolled AI to have all ten aircraft existing in the mission right from the start. A daring low altitude raid against the airfield could destroy a majority of the fighter squadron while they are on the ground.
A long-range communication tower is located somewhere on Rota island. Destroying it can disrupt the ability of forces on Rota island to call for reinforcements from outside the area of operations.
Mount Sabana Military Base is 'alive' in the sense. As certain parts of the base take damage, infantry can spawn from certain structures, then run to occupy vehicles or deploy air defenses like MANPADS to stop ongoing attacks by players. Different combinations of destroyed vehicles or buildings cause defenders to react in certain ways.
While the air defense positions are daunting because of the volume of fire they can output, attacking them directly is beneficial in reducing their ability to attack at distance. However, as these positions take damage, forces from other areas may drive or fly to reinforce them.
Release Date
Sabana Strike entered consistent private testing in December 2024. It is currently in late phase testing with only minor adjustments to mission elements being implemented. The tentative release date for this mission is January 2025. Similar to the Syria COIN mission, it will be available for free download on our website and the DCS User Files.
About the Writer
Co-founder of Skyward Flight Media. After founding Electrosphere.info, the first English Ace Combat database, he has been involved in creating flight game-related websites, communities, and events since 2005. He explores past and present flight games and simulators with his extensive collection of game consoles and computers. [Read Profile]
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