[SP] Finding Pandora - TANGO

[EMSI 960]

SP multi-mission Finding Pandora - TANGO by EMSI



Find and secure target TANGO.
SP multi-mission with selectable launch - different playable groups/different gameplay.

Other parts:
Finding Pandora - http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?189090-SP-Finding-Pandora

Finding Pandora - TORCH - https://forums.bistudio.com/topic/185908-sp-finding-pandora-torch

Features:

• No DLC required
• No unofficial addons required
• Customized equipment for player and his group
• Enabled teamswitch
• Player can fulfill mission as a lone wolf or in a group
• Optional tasks
• Open ending (another multi-mission will follow the story)

Intel:

Operation FINDING PANDORA ended as a fiasco.
A small NATO special unit (call sign KRIOS) in cooperation with the rebels of FIA attempted to identify and disposal of the new weapon system of CSAT units (codenamed PANDORA).
This unit identified some kind of device and they were trying to destroy it, but at the end of the operation, the group fell into the trap and Exfil had to be canceled.
According to the latest information from FIA contacts and the intelligence agencies, only one member of this unit remained alive.
And just this, for us a valuable person (codenamed TANGO) is being held in the city of Kavala - in the complex of local hospital.
Therefore, finding and liberation of this man is our primary task.
... and the PANDORA remains still a mystery.

Today's operation (codenamed TANGO) is divided into the two phases.

Phase 1:
In the first phase, group HYDRA will secure the port and surrounding of the target area in the city of Kavala.
It's necessary to destroy all anti-aircraft systems, or other enemy means which may jeopardize landing of group ARES.
For this part of the operation is a time limit of 45 minutes.

Phase 2:
The second part of the operation, must start no later than in the time 0600.
In this part, group ARES will be planted in the close proximity of the target area. Transport will be provided by the helicopter (call sign BLACK HORSE).
There, they must to find and secure our primary target with the call sign TANGO - captured member of NATO special forces.
Exfil from the target area will be secured by the same helicopter.

Notes:
- surroundings of the target area will be monitored by the UAV with the call sign PEGAS
- on the base Stratis are waiting in stand-by regime two aircrafts for CAS (call sign THUNDER)

Download links:
Steam: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=409959917
ModDB: http://www.moddb.com/members/emsi/addons/finding-pandora-tango
Armaholic: http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=28396

Edited November 9, 2015 by emsi

[zonker3210 1]

I'm wrapping most of my initial feedback in spoiler tags to avoid spoiling other people's enjoyment...

I tried the Hydra team's role first. I think the time-senstive mission concept is a very good one and I've been looking for a good implementation of the idea for a while now but...45 minutes for a three man team (two of which are AI-controlled!) to infiltrate the area via mini-sub, destroy two AA tanks on opposite sides of the harbor, destroy a patrolling armored vehicle, AND destroy a patrolling armed speedboat. Plus, of course, the obligatory infantry sentries, patrols, and reinforcements from a nearby garrison area. It might be do-able but the time limit plus the way you cripple the playable units via your custom loadouts? Ouch. Plenty of explosive charges but no rockets so you have to race around the harbor area to destroy things. No binoculars or range finders. Iron sights only, no advanced optics for rifles. I just think the loadouts provided for the Hydra mission are neither realistic nor reasonable.

(For what it's worth, I think you've gone a bit overboard the way you strip down the loadouts for the enemy soldiers as well as for the friendly forces.)

Next, I tried the Ares version of the scenario (rather than Hydra) and the loadouts seem equally baffling. Dropped into the middle of an urban environment, the units *do* get binoculars. They also appear to have only two different loadouts between the entire six-man team: an MX rifle or a LMG. That's it. No AT capability at all, which would come in handy when APCs arrive in the area. Everyone's gun gets TWS sights, which are largely a handicap in urban CQB since TWS sights don't have an alternate view mode...your view is zoomed in and you lose situational awareness since the field of view is so narrow. The exfil location wasn't clear to me. At first I thought I could go to the beach but then two exfil locations showed...one at the beach and another near the far south. I went with the latter but the pickup was bugged the first time around (no boat showed). The exfil went off without a hitch the second time, though!

I eventually resorted to opening up the PBO and tweaking a few things. In particular, I increased the time limit for the Hydra mission from 45 to 60 minutes. Even so, I *barely* finished in time despite also using the spare boats in the inner harbor area and heavily scavenging among the downed enemy infantry in order to get the necessary optics, AT launcher and ammo. That allowed me to play the entire mission from start to finish as intended...and I had a blast. :)

Just so I'm clear, there are aspects to this mission that I really enjoyed: the back story is detailed and believable, the gameplay itself is a lot of fun, the concept of a time limit for the Hydra mission, and extremely well-executed transition between various phases (Hydra -> Ares -> mission #3 teaser). With very few exceptions, your scripting & triggers work beautifully and the entire scenario flows along nicely.

Overall, this mission has huge potential but I think you might want to consider reviewing parts of it in order to produce a bit more balanced gameplay. As always, this is intended as constructive criticism and I greatly appreciate you making this mission and then sharing it with the A3 community!

[EMSI 960]

Thanks for your feedback zonker3210!

I was looking for this kind of "report" as my internal doubts were similar after the release, but I was trying to wait for any reaction from the community.

New version is already in WIP ;)

[EMSI 960]

Mission has been updated - download links in first post has been populated.

Changelog:

• Extended time limit for first phase of mission
  
• Lowered skill of enemy AIs
  
• All sights for groups HYDRA and ARES were changed
  
• Composition of group ARES has been slightly modified
  
  • slightly modified gears
    
  • added AT weapon to one team member
    

  [*]Added various items and weapons into the cargo space of helicopter

  [*]Added various items and weapons into the cargo space of Zamak truck (located close to the harbor)

  [*]Added info hint about utilization of all available resources

  • rearming in helicopter during approaching phase
    
  • utilization of enemy weapons and sights
    
  • utilization of enemy vehicles and other stuff
    

  [*]Fixed problem with boats approaching to Exfil

  [*]Modified and added patrols on the floors in the building where the TANGO is located

  [*]Various small tweaks in many scripts

Edited April 5, 2015 by EMSI

[zukov 483]

very funny mission

[EMSI 960]

Third mission of this mini-series has been released: https://forums.bistudio.com/topic/185908-sp-finding-pandora-torch/

[old_painless 182]

Hi emsi, thanks for providing quality SP missions with low level of mod-requirements (actually, none :-) )

[EMSI 960]

Thanks.  :)

From my point of view, if the mission is not build directly for any addon/mod, it's better to not use a lot of them due to incompatibility and issues with versions, utilization etc. 

But this is for a another discussion in a different section of forums. 

[EMSI 960]

Mission has been updated - download links in the first post remain the same.

Changelog:

• Small changes in few scripts (mainly for group ARES)
• Various small tweaks in few common scripts