Stepping Stone

This article is about an in-game mission. For the in-universe event, see Raid on Wensleydale Range.

Stepping Stone
Campaign Mission 09 Project Wingman
Mission Order
Previous	Clear Skies
Alternate/Concurrent	N/A
Next	Pillars of Communications
Mission Details
Unlocks (Achievements/Aircraft/Files Archive/etc.)	An Ace; On Stage 3,000 bonus credits World Entries: Pillars of Communications Long Cold Wensleydale Mountains Mission in Free Mission/Flight Pillars of Communications
Maximum achievable score	14200 (23350 w/ optional targets) 19350 (Mercenary; 29750 w/ optional targets)
Soundtrack(s)	"Contract Details" (Briefing) "Selections" (Hangar) "Wolf in the Dark" (Mission Start to Complete) "Results" (Debriefing)
Focus	Air-to-Air/Air-to-Ground
Objectives	Destroy all targets in the area Long-range defenses active
Time Limit	N/A
Character	Monarch
Reconnaissance Data
Hostile Air Target Count	0.400000005960464
Hostile Ground Target Count	0.800000011920929

"You hear that? The echoes...that’s only one fighter."

― Federation Air Defense Command

"Stepping Stone" is the ninth mission of Project Wingman. The player flies a solo mission to knock out defenses on the route to the Solana Communications Array.

Objectives

The player must fly over the mountains of the Wensleydale Range and destroy several clusters of anti-air defenses, primarily comprising 29 C-RAMs and 20 L-SAMs. The L-SAMs have extreme range, but their fire can be avoided by using the mountains as cover or simply moving out of the missile's path when it enters level flight. Fighters will engage the player at several points during the mission; shooting them down is not necessary but recommended. Other priority and non-priority targets include more defenses, P.28 helicopters, two radars, and a comm tower. Two FC-8s at the end are marked as priority targets, but shooting them down is not actually required to complete the mission.

There are three tunnels on the map. The first is an airfield with three F/D-14s and F/E-18s that will attempt to take off when the player approaches. The other two contain only containers as targets of opportunity, but can also be used to avoid enemy fighters during the final part of the mission if the player does not wish to engage them.

Mercenary difficulty

The fighter patrols are somewhat reinforced and fully upgraded airships are present.

Enemy List

Section		Unit	Points	Count	Mercenary
Defense Cluster Alpha		C-RAM	150	1
		AA	150	3
		L-SAM	300	1
Defense Cluster Bravo		RADAR	150	1
		AA	150	4
		C-RAM	150	4
		MG-31	250	4
		L-SAM	300	2
Defense Cluster Charlie		RADAR	150	1
		P.28	150	3
		AA	150	4
		C-RAM	150	4
		COMM TOWER	200	1
		F/S-15	250	1	✔
		F/C-15	250	4
		L-SAM	300	2
Defense Cluster Delta		C-RAM	150	3
		L-SAM	300	1
Defense Cluster Echo		C-RAM	150	2
		SAM	150	2
		F/D-14	250	3
		F/E-18	250	3
		L-SAM	300	4
Defense Cluster Foxtrot		C-RAM	150	5
		P.28	150	6
		F/C-15 "8-BITS"	250	4	✔
		F/C-15	250	8
		L-SAM	300	7
Defense Cluster Golf		C-RAM	150	10
		CONTAINER	200	6
		FC-8	250	1
		FC-8 "LLAS DARWIN"	250	1
		L-SAM	300	3
		BATTLECRUISER LITTORIA MK.III "FD - NATOR" ADV-RAILGUN M-SAM ADV-SAM CIWS	750 100 100 100 100	1 1 1 2 4	✔
		BATTLESHIP 205-S "FD - ARCHANGEL" M-SAM ADV-SAM RAILGUN CIWS	750 100 100 100 100	1 2 4 4 6	✔
		HEAVY CRUISER ARCION MK.III "FD - BEN ROGERS" M-SAM CIWS ADV-RAILGUN	750 100 100 100	1 1 2 2	✔

Trivia

• This is the only mission with a gray briefing intro background without the flickering.
• Two of the airships that appear in Mercenary difficulty are named after Kickstarter backers: Thomas "Nator" L. and Benjamin Rogers.