Description
Join the NTF and fly for Admiral Bosch! Takes place shortly before FS2 main campaign. The NTF Iceni conducts an assault on a disabled Hatshepsut-class destroyer. Victory should be certain for the NTF, but the GTVA has a surprise in store for the Admiral...

Storyline:
The plot of the mission is introduced with a lengthy command briefing, introducing you to the NTF destroyer you'll be serving on, as well as her crew. It was a bit odd to be flying for the NTF and see the GTVA logo in the command briefing animation windows, but this is a nitpick I suppose. The mission briefing is excellent, on par with those made by Volition. The developments that occur in mission were unexpected, and the plot is wrapped up nicely in the debriefing.

Balance:
Destroying the Vasudan cruisers isn't a problem, as a few Cyclops bombs will take them out. When the GTD Sultan arrives, you have your work cut out for you, protecting the Iceni from the beams of a Hecate destroyer, and from a wing of GTVA bombers. Your wingmen and reinforcements can handle the bombers, but taking out the Sultan's beams are up to you. There is a real threat to your own life, as well as to the Iceni, since flying in close to a Destroyer isn't exactly the safest place in the galaxy! You have to get in pretty close to the Sultan before launching a Cyclops at the turrets, since if you do it at a distance, your warhead will probably get shot down.

Design:
Design is solid, albeit nothing stands out as excellent design. All Events and directives work, and there are some planned sexps to balance combat between the Iceni and the Sultan. The mission is sort of planar though, with everything happening in the XZ plane.

Gameplay:
The mission has two parts: the easy first half, and the difficult second half. A better balance between these two parts would have been more enjoyable. There isn't a lot of replay value, since how you fly the mission will depend on knowing in advance to save your Cyclops bombs for the Sultan. Also, I was a little disappointed to see the Sultan become invulnerable, as I was looking forward to destroying it, after all the trouble it put me thorough.

Other Thoughts:
In the debriefing, Bosch executes the recon wing who falsely reported the Meskhenet disabled, and if you fail in your mission, youÂ’ll be executed as well. You know, from what I gathered from Bosch in the main FreeSpace 2 campaign, he didnÂ’t seem like the cold-blooded type who would execute people for tactical mistakes, but I suppose itÂ’s a subjective call...