After trying for over 20 times playing this one mission, I gave up on this due what in my opinion really is too much for the average Joe. Don't get me wrong here, this campaign up to this point was fist class and very well done. But now all of a sudden you have stiff constraints for this one mission and can't advance at all which I think is odd.
Having designed many missions for several different games and flight sims, I can say this one mission will make it difficult for plenty and they may end up wanting to quit and try something else for the lack of making any progress. I think the conditions given are too strict and I cant understand the goal for this one mission in the overall campaign makeup? From a tactical standpoint, why send the GTD to make a stand at the other node when all the others are trying to make a run for the this node? It's apparent they are out numbered to begin with and when your up against the wall, it's far better to make a straight shot and get your butt where you need to be in my opinion.
The Gauntlet mission is constructed very good, timing is good, but weapon and fighter ship selection is bad. I cant understand why they would want to go to Sol with the best ships the GTVA has and use weapons and fighters that are in this case, nearly 50 years old? Exception for the two new fighter and Recon ships which are done well!
But the weapon selection is just totally out of what you would expect from the GTVA sending a battle group to make first contact with Sol. They should have just about everything you can think of and then some and be very well stocked to boot to deal with the unknown. Remember, always go prepared for the worst!
However, If you have to live with the mission as it is, then OK, but give the user a better selection of weapons and ships to choose from if you must have the goal constraints as they are for this mission. I would like to see more use of the later ships that should have been in wide use by this time line such as the Ares and Erinyes for example. Doing this would have given the average Joe a better chance to succeed in this one mission.
As for Alpha 1, I personally would have liked to use a Bomber as the Artemis with cap-ship loadout as the Bomber force is kinda weak.
I may end up editing this myself just so I can get on with the campaign as I really want to complete this one