Island Attack

[sevenperforce]

Ecoterrorists have seized control of the island runway and are threatening to launch a cruise missile at the KSC if we do not acquiesce to their demands for a rocket-free Kerbin. Attempts to point out the hypocrisy of opposing rockets with a rocket have thus far been fruitless. Negotiations have broken down, and their attack could be launched at any time.

Your mission is to destroy the island runway before they can roll out the missile, thus neutralizing the threat and saving the KSC. Are you up for the challenge?

Challenge Rules

Launch a mission that bombs the island runway with at least 150 units of ore (this will be your "high explosive") as quickly as you possibly can. Time is measured from launch to impact. For the purposes of this challenge, you may use the "Set Navigation" option to give yourself a target on the navball, but you cannot place any physical vessel at the island runway to use as a hard target. Do not use MechJeb or other piloting aids. No physics-altering part mods.

Entries will be placed into one of three categories with individual leaderboards: Aces High, Kold War, and Modern Kombat.

Aces High

• Crewed launch from the SPH and return to land on the KSC runway
• Can only use propellers (stock or BG) as propulsion
• No staging, other than dropping the warhead; no broken parts
• Bomb must be unguided, without propulsion

Kold War

• Uncrewed, vertically-launched missile from VAB (do not aim or rotate toward island using clamps, etc)
• No more than two propulsion stages (warhead can separate and have independent guidance, but no forward propulsion)
• Solid-fuel-only on final propulsion stage (RCS for pointing is OK)
• No more than 75 tonnes liftoff mass

Modern Kombat

• Crewed launch from the SPH, fire a guided missile, and return to land on the KSC runway
• No staging on main craft other than dropping the missile; no broken parts
• Main craft may not use solid fuel
• Missile may be no more than two stages

Entries not matching the above rules will be entered into an "anything-goes" overflow category. In addition, you can earn the following ribbons to add to your leaderboard entry and mission badge (note that not all ribbons are possible in combination with all categories):

• Maverick. Fly either Aces High or Modern Kombat with a second co-pilot.
• Nike Style. Exceed 20g acceleration during boost.
• K-35. Instead of landing on the runway when you return, land on one of the KSC helipads.
• Supercruise. Use only jet engines for propulsion.
• Extreme Prejudice. Instead of hitting the runway, hit the island control tower.
• Droning on and on. Fly Aces High or Modern Kombat using no crew and only a Stayputnik (no SAS) on the main vessel.
• Breezy. Fly your crew in a command seat.
• 2 Foxtrot. Payload lands on runway intact.
• No Kill Like Overkill. Include at least 300 units of ore in your warhead.
• No Warning. Impact at over 343 m/s.
• Carpetbagger. Hit the runway with at least three separate warheads.

Winner in each category is the fastest time to impact.

Mission badge (still working):

Spoiler

I will update this with category-specific images.

Leaderboard

Aces High:

• @Pds314 1:50, No Kill Like Overkill
• @mystifeid 1:48
• @mystifeid 2:29, No Kill Like Overkill, Carpetbagger
• @JcoolTheShipbuilder 3:07, No Kill Like Overkill

Kold War:

• @mystifeid 0:51, No Kill Like Overkill, No Warning
• @ralanboyle 1.07, No Kill Like Overkill, No Warning, Extreme Prejudice
• @Pds314 1:12,  No Kill Like Overkill, No Warning, Extreme Prejudice

Edited May 15, 2020 by sevenperforce

[Laie]

Can't participate for lack of flying skills, but here's a small MM patch that may come in handy: it equips the Radial Holding Tank with a built-in decoupler. Cluster munitions, anyone? Just plop it somewhere in your Gamedata folder, the bomblet can then be found in the "Payload" tab.

[Pds314]

So to clarify, it doesn't matter how long it takes to land afterwards, right, just the time it takes to actually bomb the thing?

[sevenperforce]

6 minutes ago, Pds314 said:

So to clarify, it doesn't matter how long it takes to land afterwards, right, just the time it takes to actually bomb the thing?

Correct. It does, however, have to have enough fuel to make it back.

You can use revert to switch vehicles.

[Pds314]

Also by "20 G during boost phase" is this only forward acceleration or does that include aerodynamic lift? If you're doing that in a plane, would that basically be "20 G without turning?"

Edited May 14, 2020 by Pds314

[sevenperforce]

Just now, Pds314 said:

Also by "20 G during boost phase)" is this only forward acceleration?

Yep, hence boost specifically.

[mystifeid]

Here is Fat Boy dropping 300 units of ore. Impact at 2:29.

Edit: Dammit. Forgot the engines were set at 58% size.

 

Edited May 14, 2020 by mystifeid

[ralanboyle]

My Kold War entry:

The Russians stepped in to help with their Bastion Missile Defense System! 

The rocket weighs in at 74T, I took fuel out of the SRB to get it low enough. 

She impacts the Control Tower at 479m/s at 1:07. 

It carries a 300 unit warhead. 

 

[Cavscout74]

So I can't find the video that inspired this, but there is/was a youtube video of a Russian missile launch from a Transporter/Erector/Launcher (TEL) that used a soft launch, followed by a pair or 2 of what were basically sepratrons to point the missile in the correct general direction after clearing the tube, then the first stage motor ignited.   This is still very much a WIP but that is what I'm trying to do, although I would like to know if that is within the rules of the Kold War scenario before I spend too much time on it.

Spoiler

 

After initial staging, two sepratrons burn for <1 sec to push the missile over slightly to the east

Then main engine ignites - hopefully before I fall back down too far

This one was only carrying 150 units of ore, but I've overshot the island carrying 300 also.  It's more about control than anything - it has a bad habit of turning retrograde unless I leave the second stage attached

 

[JcoolTheShipbuilder]

ok, would a bigger payload mean more points? idk, but im lobbing a payload of 4500 ore at the island airfeild with a big prop plane rn

y

you can just see the explosions next to the airfeild

after 7 minutes and 45 seconds, finally landed back at the KSC, all 4500 ore hit the island airfeild. the warhead hit at 3:07

did i do good? i know 4500 unit warhead is like... 30 times more than you needed lol, and very likely would have leveled the airfeild, as it was equivalent to a nuke lol.

ok, i apparently overdid the No Kill like Overkill by exactly 15 times lol

Edited May 15, 2020 by JcoolTheShipbuilder

[sevenperforce]

13 minutes ago, Cavscout74 said:

So I can't find the video that inspired this, but there is/was a youtube video of a Russian missile launch from a Transporter/Erector/Launcher (TEL) that used a soft launch, followed by a pair or 2 of what were basically sepratrons to point the missile in the correct general direction after clearing the tube, then the first stage motor ignited.   This is still very much a WIP but that is what I'm trying to do, although I would like to know if that is within the rules of the Kold War scenario before I spend too much time on it.

  Hide contents

r initial staging, two sepratrons burn for <1 sec to push the missile over slightly to the east

Then main engine ignites - hopefully before I fall back down too far

This one was only carrying 150 units of ore, but I've overshot the island carrying 300 also.  It's more about control than anything - it has a bad habit of turning retrograde unless I leave the second stage attached

 

Yep, def counts!!

[Cavscout74]

18 minutes ago, sevenperforce said:

Yep, def counts!!

Thanks.  Finally found the vid - or at least one very similar to the one I remember.  It was an anti-ship missile not an ICBM, which makes sense why it needed to pitch down so soon.

Spoiler

 

 

Edited May 15, 2020 by Cavscout74

[sevenperforce]

20 minutes ago, Cavscout74 said:

Thanks.  Finally found the vid - or at least one very similar to the one I remember.  It was an anti-ship missile not an ICBM, which makes sense why it needed to pitch down so soon.

  Hide contents

 

 

Wow that is some beautiful engineering.

[Pds314]

Aces high entry with No Kill Like Overkill.

My time was 1:50 to hit the runway mound with a bomb dropped by the Superprop Three Twenty Nine.

Note the video speeds up and slows down. This is to compensate for intermittent lag. Except on the actual bomb hit. Then it's for slow motion.
 

 

Edited May 15, 2020 by Pds314

[sevenperforce]

15 minutes ago, Pds314 said:

Aces high entry with No Kill Like Overkill.

My time was 1:50 to hit the runway mound with a bomb dropped by the Superprop Three Twenty Nine.

Note the video speeds up and slows down. This is to compensate for intermittent lag.
 

 

Not QUITE the runway but obviously within capability so I'll allow it! You are at the top of the leaderboard.

[ralanboyle]

1 hour ago, Cavscout74 said:

So I can't find the video that inspired this, but there is/was a youtube video of a Russian missile launch from a Transporter/Erector/Launcher (TEL) that used a soft launch, followed by a pair or 2 of what were basically sepratrons to point the missile in the correct general direction after clearing the tube, then the first stage motor ignited.   This is still very much a WIP but that is what I'm trying to do, although I would like to know if that is within the rules of the Kold War scenario before I spend too much time on it.

  Reveal hidden contents

 

After initial staging, two sepratrons burn for <1 sec to push the missile over slightly to the east

Then main engine ignites - hopefully before I fall back down too far

This one was only carrying 150 units of ore, but I've overshot the island carrying 300 also.  It's more about control than anything - it has a bad habit of turning retrograde unless I leave the second stage attached

 

Dude, you are talking about the Bastion Coastal Defense System which is what I submitted for this challenge. Look up in the thread a few posts and you’ll see it can qualify. 
edit, haha. I see my post is literally the post right above yours. 

Edited May 15, 2020 by ralanboyle
Edit

[Pds314]

I think Bill remembered some kind of acronym "Work It Stupid not Simple" or something. To that end, may I present the "Technically Correct (the best kind)."
Kold War - No Kill Like Overkill, No Warning, Extreme Prejudice - 1:12

So, we're not supposed to pre-orient the rocket at the island. It must launch vertically. Well this is vertical launch, and it starts by facing north. It slowly pivots in the general direction of the island from 3 fleas pushing it up in the first stage.


Then the second stage activates, and immediately must avoid slamming into the ground.


Accelerating at the island.


300 Ore warhead Straight through the tower. Ecoterrorists are dead as a doorknob. We are now free to destroy the environment. Mission accomplished.

Edited May 15, 2020 by Pds314

[sevenperforce]

5 minutes ago, Pds314 said:

I think Bill remembered some kind of acronym "Work It Stupid not Simple" or something. To that end, may I present the "Technically Correct (the best kind)."
Kold War - No Kill Like Overkill, No Warning, Extreme Prejudice - 1:12

So, we're not supposed to pre-orient the rocket at the island. It must launch vertically. Well this is vertical launch. It slowly pivots from 3 fleas pushing it up in the first stage.


Then the second stage activates, and immediately must avoid slamming into the ground.

Bravo! Adding you to the leaderboard.

Was rewatching your entry for Aces High. Imagine how fast you could have made that run with 10% fuel.....

[Pds314]

4 hours ago, sevenperforce said:

Bravo! Adding you to the leaderboard.

Was rewatching your entry for Aces High. Imagine how fast you could have made that run with 10% fuel.....

It could probably be improved by a few seconds. Especially if I limp home at 2% power or something, where I would be using >90% of my fuel on the journey there. Keep in mind however that the bomb weighs like 3.5 tonnes, is externally mounted, and has almost no effect on top speed. Maybe 1 m/s. So yes, carrying 2 tonnes of fuel is massive overkill, but the big difference it might make would be in the first 20 or so seconds of the run. The delay in going from 290 to 325 is all micromanaging-related. Which obviously could itself be improved. All in all you might be able to shave like... 2 seconds in the first 20 and 1 second beyond that, mostly due to turning being less draggy. And maybe an additional 3 seconds optimizing the acceleration profile and minimizing turns. So I think that aircraft sans most of the fuel and with better piloting could probably pull off 1:44 or something.

Edited May 15, 2020 by Pds314

[Pds314]

Oh, also my Kold War entry was 1:12? Not 1:15.

Hmm.. how many awards can I get at once....

So... it needs to be jet-powered for Supercruise.
Although that doesn't necessarily preclude it being Ace High since turboshafts are definitely a real thing that exists.
It needs at least 3 warheads for Carpetbagger, which, between them, must:
1. Have one land intact for 2 Foxtrot.
2. Have one hit at supersonic speeds for No Warning.
3. Have one hit the tower for Extreme Prejudice.
4. Have one with 300 ore for No Kill But Overkill.

Have a "second copilot" for Maverick. Unclear if they need to be able to control the plane, or if they even need to technically be crew on the plane at all.

Have the "second copilot" in a lawn chair for Breezy. Again, unclear if they need to be capable of controlling the plane, or the lawn chair can be launched separately in a rover to put in a cargo bay.

And land the whole infernal mess on the VAB helipad for K-35.

The others are probably incompatible with having a piloted craft powered by jets with no staging besides the warhead. Unless launching a Kerbal with jet exhaust qualifies as boost phase, or you're allowed to launch multiple craft so your "second co-pilot" in a lawn chair can be in a rover in a cargo bay without staging.

Edited May 15, 2020 by Pds314

[Pds314]

Ok so... I've found that Turboshafts can work, but they don't have the speed for supersonic impacts without bringing them to very high altitudes.

I'm not sure if any of these bombs count as hits. The supersonic one, which is also the heavy one, is very accurate but hard to time and I dropped slightly too early. The goal was to hit the tower but considering that just keeping this thing straight and level at that altitude, let alone aiming, requires a fair amount of micromanaging, that shot was one in a hundred.

The intact lander bombs do not fly straight and can diverge by hundreds of meters because they fly off center when semi-deployed in a way that's very awkward. One of them was in the water so obviously it wasn't a hit. The other technically hit the mound.

Time to first bomb impact: 5:04.
Time to all bombs impact: 7:29?
Awards definitely completed if the run is: Aces High, Supercruise, Maverick, Breezy.
Awards arguably completed: 2 Foxtrot, No Warning, No Kill But Overkill.
Awards attempted but definitely failed: Carpetbagger, Extreme Prejudice.

Edited May 15, 2020 by Pds314

[Pds314]

7 hours ago, JcoolTheShipbuilder said:

ok, would a bigger payload mean more points? idk, but im lobbing a payload of 4500 ore at the island airfeild with a big prop plane rn

y

you can just see the explosions next to the airfeild

after 7 minutes and 45 seconds, finally landed back at the KSC, all 4500 ore hit the island airfeild. the warhead hit at 3:07

did i do good? i know 4500 unit warhead is like... 30 times more than you needed lol, and very likely would have leveled the airfeild, as it was equivalent to a nuke lol.

ok, i apparently overdid the No Kill like Overkill by exactly 15 times lol

It's very impressive, but if we consider ore to be conventional explosives like TNT, it's more like an ultra-high yield conventional bomb. 45 tonnes of ore = ~45 tonnes of TNT. MOAB times 4 but still, nukes are thousands or even millions of tonnes equivalency. Even the infantry/spy-portable kind can have kiloton yields or more. Possibly much more. One high level Soviet/Russian defector claimed there were 90-kiloton yield backpack devices that were clandestinely smuggled to locations near strategic targets. Even if that isn't the case, the most powerful version of the SADM, made in like the 50s or 60s, is like a kiloton and it fits in larger airport carry ons, and close enough within the weight limits to actually bring it on a commercial flight, as there were at least 4 dummy models smuggled onto flights in the 80s to test US security around nuclear smuggling and terrorism. Obviously it was found lacking.

Primaries for some thermonuclear devices might be smaller still and in the low kiloton range.

Edited May 15, 2020 by Pds314

[mystifeid]

B-24 hits the strip in 1:48.

 

 

[mystifeid]

M3 takes out the Island Runway in 51 seconds.

 

[The_Stinky_Broccoli]

is making history or breaking ground allowed and do i need to make a video. i do not know how to record other than screenshots. i do not think ksp breaking ground or making history is physics altering. also can i have two liquid propulsion stages that fire at the same time but one separates 

Edited May 15, 2020 by epicfailure2020