Description
This mission takes place after the Shivan war. Tensions are mounting between the Terrans and the Vasudans. GTA Command learns of a science vessel secretely constucting a new Capital Class warhead without GTA approval or knowledge. Alpha wing is ordered to disarm and disable the Cruiser so that a demolitions team can plant a charge...

Storyline:
The premise is cloak-and-dagger, if you can get through the verbose briefing. The Vasudans are developing a new ultimate weapon, without the knowledge of the GTA, and must be stopped. This destruction must look like an "accident" to avoid any reprecussions. More suspense could be conjured, however, and the name of the bomb ("a Capital-class warhead") leaves something to be desired.

Balance:
No missile selection at all, except for disabling missiles. A logical choice for balancing, perhaps, but it is aggravating to have the option for heavy fighters and bombers that don't have any missles to fill those ample missle bays.

Design:
The Aten ship is very mobile, but also vulnerable. In the process of disabling this ship, it will often be reduced to 15-40% hull. Which makes it strange that a demolition crew is required to destroy the ship. The placement of ships is great, something which is harder to do than it looks. I especially like the 45 degree angle of exit for the demolition crew. A few changes to the briefing icons are in order to correct the default names. The Vasudan speech begins with "SHIP TRANSLATOR ON", which is unneccessary given the modulation of the .wav files.

Gameplay:
Well-balanced, enough ships to keep you occupied without overwhelming your wing. The Aten capital ship can slip by if you're not paying attention, making this mission a bit more challenging than you would expect. The "fun" factor is definitely here, since your wingmen will make appropriate and amusing comments to highlight the key moments in the mission. This is an excellent touch.

Other Thoughts:
A solid first mission, even better if the briefing and a few other things were cleaned up.