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Author Topic: PC Ace Magazine  (Read 1967 times)

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Offline Frankie

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PC Ace Magazine
« on: December 29, 2019, 12:39:27 PM »
I was pleasantly surprised to find this Blast From The Past from Archive.org. A 1996 Magazine named PC Aces, a magazine focussing to flight simulation, wargames and science fiction. This magazine premiered in January 1996 and contained news, previews and reviews by the then computer gaming industry's best writers. Each issue oncluded the latest on hardware, accessories and everything you needed to survive on the silicon battlefield.


Click to view the 100-paged magazine


The February 1996 edition of PC Ace contained a review of the Tornado Command And Staff College (TCSC).


Click for full image

Text from page 76 as follows:

REVIEW

Tornado Command and Staff College
Shareware, user-made add-ons extend Tornado's service life
by Tom “KC” Basham


Tornado by Digital Integration never really met the kind of success such a well-developed, hard-core flight simulation deserved. Its sales in the US were mediocre, despite being an excellent product. Tornado, like all simulations, has flaws but certainly none severe enough to warrant pushing it into the cellar with Pacific Strike. Some argue that Tornado’s complex avionics were too “hard core" for the market, although the success of simulations like F-15 Strike Eagle III and Fleet Defender tend to discredit that theory.

Others argue that ground attack aircraft just aren’t as sexy as air-to-air fighters. Still others argue that the US market prefers “American Iron.’’ Whatever the reason, Tornado missed most of the glory it deserved. Thanks to a group of highly dedicated fans, however, a group of user-made add-ons are breathing new life into Tornado.

Basil “Sweet” Copeland, Eric “Cougar” Joiner, Jr, and Heinz-Bernd “Bicycle Repairman” Eggenstein launched the biggest salvage operation. Long term members of CompuServe’s Flight Simulation Forum (FSF0-RUM), these three individuals created the Tornado Command and Staff College (TCSC), a 7Mbyte collection of tips and tactics collected into a Windows help file — a hyper-text strategy guide, if you will. Offered as $10 shareware, the trio built a web page at http://www.mindspring.com/ejoiner/tcsc.html from which users can download the 2.6Mbyte zip file.

During the 1991 Gulf War, RAF Tornadoes performed some of the most difficult and dangerous missions of the war, especially during the early days. Tasked with closing heavily defended Iraqi air bases, RAF Tornadoes suffered disproportionate losses during the opening days. The Tornado fits in the same class as the F-111 and the F-15E, designed to penetrate deep into enemy territory and neutralize tactical targets. Some argue that the losses during Desert Storm indicate the Tornado failed when put to the task. A few sorties in the Tornado, however, helps illustrate the daunting task faced by the RAF crews. Just about any aircraft can operate successfully when two to three dozen support aircraft clear the skies and neutralize enemy ground forces beforehand; few do as well when sent in the lion’s den alone.

Digital Integration's Tornado reproduces the combat environment quite well, presenting a difficult challenge to Tornado players. TCSC teaches mission planning, resource allocation, and strike pilot tactics to the armchair jet jock. Complete with mission examples, TCSC provides an excellent shareware strategy guide. Originally intended as just a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) file, TCSC grew into a full fledged tactics manual. TCSC provides lectures and examples on many topics, including: terrain masking, making effective use of weather patterns, weapons uses and selection, flight planning, strategic targeting, artificial intelligence of enemy commanders as well as game quirks and bugs.

As is wont to happen on the World Wide Web, Tornado players made their way to the TCSC web page and interest in Tornado itself experienced a revival of sorts. Copeland, Joiner, and Eggenstein saw a market and proceeded to fill it. Upon registering TCSC, users receive a password granting access to many other user-built add-ons. These add- ons include a winter landscape, night vision goggles, and tools to exchange missions between players among many other types. Once the user registers TCSC for $10, they receive access to all these utilities.


Inset: Tornado Command and Staff College

SAM Suppression: Example 1

SAMB

You are flying a JP 233 attack on an arrftefd with strong SAM and AAA protection. There Me two known SAM positions, SAM A and SAM B (see graphic). SAM A is directly in your approach path and will be easy to kill with a direct launch. SAM B however, south of the airfield, poses a problem. To kiR it with an ALARM in direct mode, you might have to point your nose to the right because there are most likely AAA units on the airfield that your ALARM* will lock on. You would have to turn your Tornado's nose sharply to the right to lock on SAM B. ruining your line tip with respect to the runway. But you warn to destroy it. because it's threatening your egress from target waypoint X. The following procedure to execute this attack is a bit complicated, but it is quite useful to kill SAMs with a minimal risk to your a/c and without any disturbance of your fight plan.

First, memorize the exact position of the SAM unit you want to attack, or use a tool like TMF {see section on utility programs)! to print a map of the area. After taking off from your airfield, you'll probably have some time left before entering enemy air space. Get into the navigator's seat. Switch one of the big TAB displays to MAP mode. Using the mouse and your memory or a printed map, scroll the map to the position of SAM B. A left button click will designate this position as waypoint *T*. Leave the map centered at this waypoint. Now switch back to the front seat. When you we approaching the taget area, arm the ALARM package in indirect mode. Be prepared to reconfigure it to direct mode later to kiR SAM A When you fly a JP-233 mission, you might want to carry ‘'indirect" ALARMs in your 2nd package and direct ALARM* in your third package.

End of Review

Update: In year 2020, TCSC's full list of mods can be found here.
« Last Edit: January 02, 2020, 01:31:06 AM by Frankie »
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After the Dogs of War are let slip, let us smoke the Pipes Of Peace.

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