| Designer | Franze |
| Map | Syria |
| Running time | 12 hours |
| Type | PvE |
| Slots | 60 |
| Date | 7 May 2016 |
| Start time | 0700 Local |
| Version | vOB27003f |
| DCS Version | 2.8 |
| Skill level | Moderate-Hard |
Overview
Cyprus Inception is a cooperative PvE experience for helicopters, specializing in the AH-64D. Like Werewolf Strike, it is heavily influenced by the old Strike series of games. All helicopters start on shipboard slots until bases are captured inland, which are then unlocked with a passcode.
All helicopters have a purpose in this scenario, including the unarmed UH-60L. A special interface is available to load various cargo options on suitable aircraft, allowing utility helicopters to deploy infantry teams, support groups, and air defenses from ships. Jets are available, but these will trigger tough enemy responses as well as having a much further flight.
The scenario depicts the takeover of Cyprus by a maniac calling himself “Emperor Chimika,” utilizing mercenary forces equipped with NATO and Warsaw Pact equipment. The player forces must destroy the forces and find Chimika before he unleashes a deadly chemical weapon.
Objectives
The key objective is to capture or kill Emperor Chimika. In order to do this, intelligence agents must be rescued to gather enough information as to which VIPs on the island have had contact with him. Once a VIP has been identified, friendly ground forces must be dispatched to interrogate them, either with deployed amphibious forces or from helicopter deployed teams. Once enough VIPs have been interrogated, Chimika’s location will be marked and he can be apprehended.
Secondary objectives are to establish beachheads, destroy the chemical transports, destroy the SA-5 and EWR sites, and capture bases. Beachheads can be established in the east, south, and west, enabling operations beyond the ships in each sector. Once a beachhead is established, friendly forces will be summoned, allowing for a ground advance as well as air defense. Certain bases, when captured, will enable additional spawn options. Destroying the EWR sites will effectively shut off the ability for enemy forces to scramble aircraft and alert ADA sites. Destroying the SA-5s will allow friendly fixed wing assets to operate freely.
Intelligence agents are dispersed throughout the island and can be found by tuning ADF equipment to .999MHz. A message with a grid will display on the subtitle log as well as point in the direction of the agent. Once close enough, an agent will stop transmitting, then deploy a flare and smoke, marking their location on the map.
Considerations
This mission is heavily integrated with each helicopter type, plus ground forces and fixed wing units. The initial push must be done by helicopters, but once a beachhead is established, tactical commanders have their work cut out for them. Fixed wing units will have to beware of the heavy air defense threat, as well as the dangerous fixed wing units. Only a combined push from ground, helicopter, and jets can the scenario be completed rapidly.
All helicopters except for the Ka-50 have a special F10 option to load nearby friendly units. The AH-64 is limited to carrying only 2 personnel, so they are only capable of rescuing 2 agents at a time. The SA342 can load up to one 4 man team of any type or picking up 4 agents at a time. Pure transports like the UH-60L can carry up to 12 personnel, jammer equipment, support units, or light air defense emplacements.
Transport options are diverse: There is the basic 4 man team, equipped with general infantry, SAW infantry, RPG infantry, and a MANPADS; the Sapper team, capable of planting an explosive charge; the FAC team, able to designate targets; the Mortar team, equipped with 4x120mm mortars; light ADA system, consisting of a Rapier launcher and tracker; Support group, with an ammo and fuel truck; and jamming gear, automatically jamming any radars within 8km of the helicopter.
Each team works as follows:
- Infantry team: Basic, no-frills. These guys can capture bases. Move with the “MOVE_” marker command followed by the group name.
- Sapper team: Demolition specialists, they can destroy hardened structures and blow holes in just about anything. Use the “DEMO_” marker command to get them to place a charge at the marker location.
- FAC team: These guys are most useful when you need designation for laser guided weaponry. They can designate anything within 4km of their position, with no line of sight limits. Use “LDESxxxx_” or “SPOTxxxx_” followed by the group name, where xxxx is a 4 digit laser code from 1112 to 1788. They will transmit current target indications on 31FM.
- Mortar team: With 4x120mm mortars, this team is capable of hitting objectives up to 3.5nmi away. Use “FIRExx_” marker command to request fire at a position, where xx is the number of shots (up to 80).
- Light ADA: A simple Rapier optical track unit with launcher. It only has 4 shots, so it will work best when a support group is nearby to rearm.
- Support group: An ammo truck with a fuel truck, these groups can deploy improvised FARPs with the marker command “FARPREQ” when placed within 100m of their position.
- Jammer: Taking up all the transport capacity, this piece of gear will automatically jam radars within 8km of the helicopter.
To load these options, use the F10 menu and look for “Cargo Options.” If you are close enough to an airfield or FOB, you will be able to load various teams. If you are in the field and nearby a team you’d like to reload, use the option “Reload nearest group” to put them on the helicopter. This also works with agents. When ready to deploy, use the “Deploy!” option to unload all loaded groups. If you need to know what you’re loaded with, use the “Aircraft Mission Status” to see what you’re carrying and the weight.
There are also a number of AI assistance options available: From the F10 menu, you can request AI helicopters to engage objectives on the south, east, and west coasts, plus a special Tomahawk strike on the east coast, where heavy defenses are built up. Once these options are expended, there are also marker options available.
Three attack flights are available: 2x AH-1Ws from the Tarawa; 2x AH-64D from the Unyielding; and 2x Mi-24P from the Belleau. Their number codes are 1, 2, and 3 respectively.
- RCASREQ# – This will request helicopters to attack any targets found within the area indicated.
- RESCREQ# – This will request helicopters to escort the helicopter nearest to the indicated location.
Six transports are available: two UH-60A from the Tarawa; two CH-47 from the Unyielding; and two Mi-17 from the Belleau. Their number codes are 1, 4, 2, 5, 3, and 6 respectively.
- TROOPREQ# – This will request a transport to deploy FAC, sapper, infantry, and mortar team to the area indicated.
- SUPTREQ# – This will request a transport to deploy a support group to the indicated area.
- LADAREQ# – This will request a transport to deploy a light ADA unit to the area indicated.
- PICKREQ# – This will request a transport to pick up agents nearest to the area indicated.
Once the SA-5s are cleared, fixed wing assets may be deployed from Incirlik, the carrier strike group, or Gazipasa. Keep flight times in mind when you ask for fixed wing support — they don’t all fly fast!
CAS options: 1, 2x F-15E from Incirlik; 2, 2x F/A-18C from the carrier group; 3, 2x A-10C from Incirlik.
- FCASREQ# – Requests a fixed wing CAS asset to search for and destroy targets in the indicated area.
SEAD options: Only one available, 2x F-16C from Incirlik.
- FSEADREQ1 – Requests 2x F-16C to suppress and destroy ADA in the indicated area.
CAP options: 1, 2x F-15C from Incirlik; 2, 2x F/A-18C from the carrier group.
- FCAPREQ# – Requests CAP in the area indicated.
A C-130 transport is available, capable of deploying heavier units:
- FLARMREQ1 – Requests 1x C-130 to deploy a light armor unit at the location indicated.
- FARTYREQ1 – Requests 1x C-130 to deploy an artillery unit at the location indicated.
Watch your altitude! If you fly too high, you can trigger a response from enemy aircraft or air defenses. Certain aircraft are tasked specifically with anti-helicopter operations.
Slots
| Slot Type | Number Available |
|---|---|
| AH-64D Block II | ~20* |
| UH-60L | ~20* |
| UH-1H | ~12* |
| SA342L,M,Mistral | ~16* |
| Mi-24P | ~16* |
| Mi-8MTV | ~12* |
| Ka-50 | 2* |
| Ka-50-3 | ~12* |
| A-4E | 4 |
| A-10A | 2 |
| A-10C | 2 |
| A-10CII | 2 |
| AV-8B NA | 12 |
| F-16C Block 50 | 4 |
| F/A-18C Lot 20 | 12 |
| F-15C | 2 |
| F-14A | 2 |
| F-14B | 4 |
| Tactical Commander | 2 |
| JTAC | 8 |
AI Flights
Given the size of the island and the objectives, numerous AI options are available. For the east assistance, 3 flights of 4xAH-1Ws will be generated, plus the option to deploy Tomahawks. For the south assistance, 3 flights of 4xAH-64D will deploy. For the west assistance, 2 flights of 4xMi-24V and 2 flights of 4xKa-50 will help. These are fixed options and only available once.
There are additional marker options available, as described before. 2xAH-1Ws and 2xUH-60As are available for the east; 2xAH-64D and 2xCH-47 are available for the south; and 2xMi-24P and 2xMi-17 are available for the west. These can be directed as required. Once the SA-5s have been cleared, a number of fixed wing options open up: 1xC-130 for cargo deployment; 2xF-15E, 2xF/A-18C, 2xA-10C for CAS; 2xF-16C for SEAD; and 2xF-15C, 2xF/A-18C for CAP. Deploy these options wisely.
Once beachheads have been established, ground forces will be available, allowing players to take and hold ground as well as attack objectives from the ground.
Weather
Temperature: 28C
Winds: Light, northwest.
Clouds: Moderate.
Signal
Agents are transmitting on 0.999MHz/999KHz. Tune ADF to this frequency to listen to their transmissions. The ARK-22 on the Ka-50 can be tuned to channel 8 to get direction information.
315MHz AM UHF – Tactical default
316-320MHz AM UHF – Tactical reserve
31MHz FM – Ground force default
AWACS
277MHz AM UHF – Wizard AWACS
278MHz AM UHF – Focus AWACS
TANKERS
296MHz AM UHF – Texaco 1 Drogue fueler (37Y)
297MHz AM UHF – Arco 1 Boom fueler (38Y)
298MHz AM UHF – Texaco 2 Drogue fueler (39Y)
299MHz AM UHF – Shell 1/2 Tac fueler (40Y/41Y)
EAST CARRIER GROUP
380MHz AM UHF – Tarawa (30X)
380.1MHz AM UHF – Saipan
380.2MHz AM UHF – Carr
SOUTH CARRIER GROUP
383MHz AM UHF – Unyielding (33X)
383.1MHz AM UHF – Achilles
383.3MHz AM UHF – Irresistable
WEST CARRIER GROUP
381MHz AM UHF – Belleau (34X)
381.1MHz AM UHF – Inviolable
381.2MHz AM UHF – Lynch
Incirlik – 360.1MHz AM UHF / 122.1MHz AM VHF / 38.7MHz FM / 3.9MHz AM HF / 21X / 111.7/109.3 ILS
382MHz AM UHF – CVN-75 (31X, ICLS11, L4 324)
382.1MHz AM UHF – CVN-74 (32X, ICLS12, L4 323)