(In reply to comment #0)
> At start of mission the airship you're supposed to defend can glitch out and
> explode before the player can move, so the level begins with a failure message.
> Doesn't always happen; if the level starts successfully the same thing can
> happen mid-mission.
> 
> Running Linux Mint 11, 64bit.

It's a recurring problem with various levels in the game, on all platforms it seems.
This is because the «cinematic» parts are scripted and can fail due to physics glitches.
Sometimes you lose a mission before it starts and sometimes the level won't start or end properly.

See bug #5107

I have this problem on level 1-4 likewise, however it happens probably 13/17 times or more. And when it does fail, it doesn't properly end or restart the level so you can never buy your way forward to just skip the problem.
(Humble bundle linux hammerfight.)

I don't know if I have the exact same problem but I fail in the same place.  On Chapter 1, level 4, where I am supposed to defend an airship, the level begins and my character said something to the affect of "I will help you".  There is a sound and if the airship is on screen I see it crash.  I might also take a massive hit of some kind.  The character the says something about not being able to protect them, the defeat message comes and it restarts.  

Usually the first time after starting the game the sky is reddish, like it's dusk.  Every other time it's black with starts.  Sometimes I see an odd black flying creature after the defeat message appears.  He only is visible because he is above the defeat message.  I guess he's the opponent.

If I hit ESC to pause immediately at the start of the level, the game does pause, except I still see the two dialog messages about protecting the ship & failing and the defeat message still comes up.  I am then take out of the menu and the level resets again.

This is with the Linux version.  It fails for me every time.  I don't get the option to buy my way past the level.

No sooner do I make a report that it always fails for me and it works, once.  It started the game.  The first attempt I got a Look Out message instead of the usual Failed message.  The sky was black.  (Normally it's dusk/red on the first attempt and black all the others.)  

I got to fight the creature a bit until the airship just spontaneously crashed.  The creature and I were at the side of the screen the airship was in the middle.  I don't believe it was taking damage at the time.

I then attempted to replay the level a few dozen times and it failed every time as I reported previous.

I know the game engine source is available. Are there debug options I could try to compile or run with to get useful info?

I beleive this is related to the zepplins (or whatever they're called) failing to generate properly. I can see an arrow pointing outside my screen and disappear when it reaches the bottom.
Now, I could try editing my profile (/home/$USER/./local/share/Hammerfight/Saves/profile01.seria) but I need to know the name of the next level's file (all located in your installation folder, under Data/Levels), which I don't.
It could also cause sequence breaking.
But it's a possible workarround.

I must say that the new code drop makes the game much more playable and a lot more fun.  I have actually gotten to play the level about 5 times and lost each time due to normal damage instead of a bug.

I'm afraid I still have this bug.  I have had restarted the level dozens of times due to the bug that causes the airship to crash before I have a chance to do anything.  It can work at random times, but not very often.

I sometimes get the option to buy my way past the level.  I'd rather not do that if there is a chance the bug might get fixed, allowing me to play it out correctly.

Much like with bug 5107, I do not encounter this bug after using the new build and deleting my old configuration directory.

*** Bug 5181 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Any word on a fix or workaround ?