Mission 28 S-rank: loadouts, Shadows & failed-run checks

Choose a reported setup

These are separate players’ results, not one tested build. Start with equipment you already own. A successful clear on one difficulty does not establish an S-rank on another.

Source spellings vary between FA-36 and F/A-36. We retain the names in each report. Do not substitute one player’s difficulty, parts or route into another player’s result.

Get to the Shadows with ammunition left

1. Intercept bombers before chasing escorts. Heartbreak One’s Veteran S-rank report prioritizes bombers, letting wingmen handle escorts until a lull. AfraidKnot’s Ace report follows Tu-95s → Tu-160s → B-1s.
2. Use the base to rearm when special ammunition is becoming the bottleneck. The F-22 report in Steam #11 uses repeated landing/resupply. Do not copy the Veteran no-rearm route if your difficulty limits gun ammunition.
3. Prepare the support you actually have. Steam #23 describes an Ace S-run using FA-36/SASM with EA-36 electronic-warfare crew aircraft. The author switches the crew to Cover before activating their special weapons so the ESM support stays close.
4. Enter the final fight stocked. That same report describes a last resupply near the end of the pre-Shadow phase. Treat it as that player’s route; the exact best landing time is not established.

These choices address two reported failure points: empty special-weapon ammunition and an extended Shadow fight. They do not establish a guaranteed mission timer or score formula.

When missiles miss: look for a shooting window

Successful kills exist; a missed missile is not enough to diagnose invincibility. The Shadows thread includes gun kills and QAAM/SASM successes. It also contains conflicting claims about flare supply and scripted evasion. Neither explanation is established as a mechanic.

1. Watch for a straight approach or a slowed flip. Steam Shadows #6 describes targets slowing and clustering while using flares; #9 recommends gun bursts during comparatively straight flight. Avoid trying to drag the gun sight through every sharp change of direction.
2. With SASM, time the follow-up. The Ace S-rank report in #22 uses a standard missile to provoke a kulbit, then switches to SASM toward the end of that maneuver. This is a reported successful sequence, not a promise that every bait works.
3. With guns or MGP, commit when the nose is aligned. Use the opening rather than firing continuously while the reticle trails the target. The MiG-21/MGP report supports the flip window; it does not establish an exact range.
4. With ESM support, keep the crew nearby. Use Cover before their special-weapon command as described in Steam #23. Do not assume an exact flare count, ESM multiplier or cooldown from that post.

If missiles keep failing and your gun sight never settles, change one thing on the next run: the weapon family, the firing window, or your pitch control. PC players struggling with pitch can use the keyboard pitch alternative.

Cleared the mission, but still got A?

• Spent too long on Shadows? Compare that phase first. Several successful players emphasize faster kills, but there is no verified hard time limit for S.
• Ran out of special ammunition? Plan a base resupply rather than entering the fight with the wrong weapon stock.
• Ignored available enemies? Steam #6 describes leaving a final Shadow alive while clearing other aircraft; other players prioritize finishing Shadows quickly. These are competing reported approaches. Test one at a time; neither is a guaranteed S route.
• Restarted from a checkpoint? Steam #19 reports a ranking deduction. Record restarts separately when comparing runs; the deduction amount and whether a refill offsets it are unverified.
• Copied a different difficulty? Keep Ace, Elite, Veteran and the Reddit author’s “Expert” label separate. Do not infer that they share scoring conditions.

Hidden-ace spawn claims, exact flare counts, time cutoffs and claims that damage never matters are not prerequisites in this guide: the available reports do not prove them.

Keep a useful record of the next attempt

Before launch, write down difficulty, aircraft, both special weapons, parts and crew. After the run, save the full result screen, total time, rank, restarts, resupplies and approximate time spent on Shadows. Compare runs on the same difficulty and change one choice at a time.

A first success is a mission clear. An S-rank success is the result screen showing S; reaching a score quoted in a comment is not a substitute. If a later patch changes enemy behavior or ranking, these launch-period reports need to be checked again.