Bleeding Skies

[igor drukov 0]

<span style='color:red'>Version 2.0 out, August 28th</span>

Hey there -

In Bleeding Skies, as part of a U.S. airborne unit, you will have to deliver a crate of AA missiles to the anti-Communist resistance in North-Sahrani.

In order to do so you will have to:

<ul>[*] HALO jump to the boats left off North-Sahrani by the resistance;

[*] Contact a CIA agent to know where to deliver the crate (time-critical objective)

[*] Mark a Drop-Zone to have the crate containing the missiles dropped by a plane in low-altitude stand-by off Sahrani (time-critical objective)

[*] Find a suitable vehicle somewhere to load the crate

[*] Deliver it to the resistance.

Of course, many obstacles will stand in your way, and many secondary objectives may appear as you proceed. Read the "Principle" section for more.

At any rate:

<span style='font-size:27pt;line-height:100%'><span style='color:red'>PLEASE READ THE BRIEFING</span></span>

<ul>

[*]Downloads

The download contains the mission and the ReadMe file (270Ko).

<span style='color:red'>No addons</span> are required to play the mission.

Current version: v2.0 (August 28th, 2008)

The mission was designed and tested under <span style='color:red'>1.14</span>.

<ul>[*] Links to the mission:

<ul>

[*] Mirror to ArmAholic (Courtesy of Big)

[*]The Plot

The recent spate of demonstrations staged against the communist Sahrani regime has ended in bloodshed and brutal repression, with the army tightening its grip on the island's commodities. Oil in particular has become scarce, all reserves being requisitioned for military vehicles.

The threat of total nuclear war posed by the current complex system of alliances with countries such as North Korea or China has so far prevented the U.S. from any overt involvement to support the resistance.

Operation Bleeding Skies is the first covert operation launched to support anti-communist dissidents.

[*]The Principle

Bleeding Skies being a covert operation, you are all equipped with SLA weapons.

<span style='color:red'>Under no circumstances should you be detected and let the alarm be raised</span>. Read on to know how not to let that happen.

The zone you will have to operate in is criss-crossed by enemy patrols. These patrols are to send a check message to their Head-Quarters at regular intervals. If they don't, then the alarm is raised and support is sent.

It is therefore advised to refrain from engaging them, but should you have to do it:

<ul>

[*] search the bodies for information on where the patrol's assigned Check-Point is and what their radio code is;

[*] Go to the Check-Point before the time when their check message must be sent (use your action "Check notes" to see the countdown; cf. screenshot above);

[*] And input the corresponding code in the computer:

<span style='color:red'>IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT ON TIME:</span> a soldier with a Laser Designator must go to any computer in any checkpoint within 10 minutes to call off support.

[*]Key-Features

<ul>

[*] the possibility to playe with norrin's revive script or instant respawn

[*] Spooner's Laser Designator

[*] Mandoble's air-support console and missiles

[*] A unique system of preventing patrols from raising the alarm through computer hacking

[*] Full randomisation of patrols, starting points and locations of objectives

[*] Time-critical objectives

[*] Insertion with a learning curve

[*] An original (if outdated) way of marking DZs

[*] The possibility to check alarm countdowns at any time

[*] Full briefing and plot, and surprises, and tactical choices, and freedom

[*] No spawned units: what you see is what you get

[*] Full Read-Me

[*] And much more, honestly.

[*]Credits

<ul>

[*] BIS for their great simulator;

[*] Spooner for his Laser Designator;

[*] SKNKMAN and KeyCat and toadlife for GLII;

[*] norrin for his revive script;

[*] Cheetah for his CoordToGrid function;

[*] snYpir's for his TimeToString function;

[*] ManDay's for his HALO set of scripts;

[*] Mandoble for his Air-Support Dialog;

[*] rickydrier for extensive beta-testing and suggestions.

[*] Jack Hammersmith and 23-Down (beta-testers).

[*] Kegetys for his spectator script.

[*]Known bugs

This mission is quite CPU intensive (due to the number of units) but it works fine on regular gear (e.g. a rented server).

I hope I haven't forgotten anything and that some of you will enjoy this mission!

Regards,

Igor.

[EDIT]

Change Log

Version 2.0

* (NEW) Players no longer considered friendlies by the AI after boarding a UAZ;

* (FIXED) Patrol countdowns no longer randomly go off for no reason.

[shark-attack 3]

looking forward to this

Thanks Igor

[bigshot 64]

can 1 or 2 players complete this?

[igor drukov 0]

@ shark-attack

Thanks mate, I hope you'll like it!

@ BigShot

can 1 or 2 players complete this?

Yes, two players can beat it if they're extra-careful... or disable norrin's revive script and select INSTANT RESPAWN .

[rickydrier 0]

Again, i am completely awestruck by yet another masterpiece of mission designing from Igor Drukov.

This mission is imho a lot more advanced than most of the stuff available out there.

This mission will prove challenging for even the most experienced players, holds an intense immersive atmosphere and can be played over a 100 times without losing an ounce of interest. In fact it gets better everytime, since everything is randomized and the locations of most objectives will change with each attempt.

To make a long story short, this mission is addictive.

@ BigShot

2 good players can definitely beat it - but i doubt it can be done on solo mode. I'd be happy to be proven wrong though

I wish all of those who'll try to survive under thos Bleeding Skies to have as much fun i had.

And i would be very happy to one day get the chance to play this with 3 or 4 other players from the BIS forums.

Thank you Igor ! !  

[Doppelganger 0]

Sir-

First let me say how much we enjoyed your Black Sword Mission...one of the best out there.

We tried the latest mission Bleding Skies, but were baffled the radio to call in the ammo drop.

Could you give us a quick instruction on calling in the ammo drop? We did have a player in the Radio Operator slot

[igor drukov 0]

Hello Doppelganger -

You need to lay beacons to mark the D-Z. The number of beacons to lay (using your action "Lay Beacon") depends on the number of players . Once enough beacons have been laid, the radio will be available.

I'm really glad you liked Black Sword. I dare hope Bleeding Skies will live up to your expectations!

Regards,

Igor.

[silent_op 0]

Igor,

As Doppelganger has mentioned, we at Phoenix Soldiers have enjoyed your your Black Sword 3.1 mission many times over. Your new Bleeding Skies is yet another high quality tactical coop mission creation. We look forward to many fun missions in Bleeding Skies. On behalf of all Phoenix Soldiers, I would like to say thank you.

P.S.

We sorted the beacon issue out and all works well.

silent_op

[dale0404 5]

I so need to play this, damn work!

[Spooner 0]

Great to see someone using my range-finder in a released mission! I've added a link to your mission in my SPON Rangefinder thread.

[igor drukov 0]

Thanks for your interest gentlemen. The mission has a learning curve, so feel free to ask me any questions about it (I'm thinking about the complex alarm system, which adds yet other time-critical objectives).

Spooner, I'm very flattered: I love your work mate, it's probably the most underrated of this community.

[igor drukov 0]

Hey there -

Version 2.0's out with two minor changes/fixes, please see the first post for the D/L linkie.

From the read me:

Quote[/b] ]CHANGE LOG

----------

Version 2.0

* (NEW) Players no longer considered friendlies by the AI after boarding a UAZ;

* (FIXED) Patrol countdowns no longer randomly go off for no reason (it used to happen occasionally)

Bye for now,

Igor.

[manzilla 2]

Hey Igor,

This is a fantastic mission, I'm playing it SP, but the fact that it CTD's on a load kills me. Is there anything I can change to get the CTD's to stop? If there is could you let me know what to do?

I see you wrote "or disable norrin's revive script and select INSTANT RESPAWN" will that clear up the CTD's? What's the easiest way to do this?

Thus far it's not to difficult on SP, I prefer hard SP mission anyway. Unfortunately I've yet to get through it with out a load.

Well done either way though. You're one helluva mission maker!