AvroLanc

Guys, I really wouldn’t expect too much from Petrovich, at least in the EA release. We’ll be able to command him to take over control and set certain ‘holds’: heading, speed, altitude etc. I guess he’ll be able to call out threats, and engage them on command with the ATGMs. But otherwise what’s been confirmed? Anything like Jesters command wheel and some of his switch settings options might be an expectation too far. The available publicity on his exact functions are worryingly absent.

Nice find.

Yeah OK, I agree with all that. JDAM still very is WIP, and remains one of the big WIP features. I don’t think AUTO is the one weak point either. It does integrate with most of those items you mentioned however. I was trying to rebut the opinion that AUTO/LFT was fully implemented and complete, that’s all. Cheers.

Indeed, it’s available in FD mode too. But FD mode isn’t modelled at all. As you know, FD mode isn’t even permitted with JDAM....At least at the time of the reference manuals publication. Doesn’t change the fact that our Auto/Loft mode is unfinished at the moment.

Applies to AUTO LOFT as well. The 'Elevation Steering Cue' and the 'Range to LP' should be available in AUTO LFT, as long as a LP is defined. The Loft Initiation Cue (on HSI) is only available in AUTO LFT (with an IZLAR displayed). Obviously mainly applies to PP mode.

Launch points require Auto Loft mode to guide you to the correct point in the sky. If we did have the loft initiation cues on the HSI it would make Auto mode more useful, they tie in together. The lack of all these functions means we can’t utilise Auto mode to its full design potential, hence my argument for it being simplistic at the moment. Anyway, it’s a minor point.

That’s probably being a bit pedantic. Yes, Auto Loft will show symbology and drop a bomb at the release cue. In that sense it’s modelled. However if you take a wider view, then clearly Launch Points, Loft Initiation cues, Multiple Target points, working dynamic IZLAR etc all are designed to integrate closely with AUTO LOFT. Hence AUTO LOFT being somewhat simple at the moment. It’s not a full experience.

OK thanks for that. Understandable, if a bit disappointing. The fairing version looks more elegant.

In the first image below, which is a grab from the Pre-order vid, are we looking at a UB-32 57mm Rocket Pod or a B8V20 80mm pod with a nose cone fairing. I think the later, which means we get the option to mount B8V20 with or without the nosecone fairing? Hopefully. More options = good. I don't think we've seen a shot of the 57mm UB-32 pod at all. See the 2nd image below. Personally I prefer the look of the 57mm pods, even if they were said to be ineffective in real use. The current 3D model of the UB-32 in game is looking dated, so maybe it's being updated before release and that's why we haven't seen it??

It is. But only in a very basic sense. JDAM can be released in AUTO LFT mode, but at the moment it offers no real advantage over MANUAL mode. The edge of envelope (Just inside Max Range / IZLAR) releases are very unreliable energy wise. This is especially true if you've set any terminal parameters. You basically have to construct (guess) your own IZLAR for anything but the most forgiving combination of impact HDG and ANG. You have to drive to well inside the LAR to get results. The 'LOFT' side of AUTO LOFT is useless since the IZLAR isn't reliable at all in any kind of dynamic maneuvering. The Loft Initiations Cues on HSI are not yet implemented.

Latest OB version. It's been in for at least a year though, so should be in stable as well.

Yeah, as I said, it’s working for JDAM but not for JSOW. You need to be in the IZLAR, i.e have a ‘IN ZONE’ on the HUD and on base stores page.

JDAM do have this already. The times are not shown until you're IN ZONE. JSOW doesn't yet have the flight times. It should, maybe 'later in EA, or 'later in product sustainment period', or just later. Maybe. Subject to change.

100% true, although I have no doubt that flying the Hind will feel awesome and fun for the first few hours. I'm immensely looking forward to it. However, we do have to accept that game mechanics in DCS are currently biased towards dropping smart munitions from high flying fast jets, and its whole eco-system over the last few years has been geared towards that. Hornet, Viper, Tomcat, JF-17, Supercarrier and others. Without heavy scripting the SP experience won't feel as real or immersive, and the employment of a relatively low tech helo will have many frustrations. I'll still buy it though.....but that's a whole other issue.

Exactly. This is kinda what I meant. Unfortunately DCS AI, particularly infantry and other soft target AI isn't good enough at the moment to support many attack helicopter roles, other than pure anti-armour. This will be an issue for Apache as well, although not as pronounced, as the pure precision of an incoming Hellfire doesn't rely on a suppression or splash damage effect. And they are lots of authentic scenarios where an anti-armour mission is a classic use case of that Helo. Unlike Hind. Perhaps when the damage model of modern ground units is looked at things will improve....I honestly think that will enhance the gameplay a-hundred fold in the future. That and wingman AI. I've just taken the Mi-8 up for a spin and re-learnt what I feared - using rockets and gunpods in the current helicopters is a lesson in frustration, they need a direct hit to be effective.

Once you’ve pressed WPDSG, the same option at PB 19 becomes O/S. Press this and you’ll designate the offset.

Thanks for the input guys, and the book recommendations. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited for flying the Hind for the first time as much as anyone. I'm sure it'll be awesome. Maybe it's my lack of insight into the tactics and employment of Mi-24 that's tempering my long term excitement. I find it easier to imagine the mission and 'day-in-the-life' of a western fast jet pilot, than a Soviet era gunship guy. I guess after 3 years of pretty much constant Hornet / Tomcat / Viper / Supercarrier Hype the new focus on helos will see DCS turn down another fork for a while.

Now that the Mi-24 is looking both pretty close to release and pretty itself to look at, I'm wondering exactly how I'm going to use it. At least from a SP perspective? Obviously DCS has it's genesis in Black Shark, so there's something to say for Russian attack helo gamplay, but the Hind is unlike any release in the last few years. Creating missions/scenarios for the multi-role fast jets is easy. They have a wide range of mission roles and creating reasonably authentic standalone SP missions is going to be more straight forward than for the HIND. For the jets, you can visualize and fly a simple SEAD / CAS / STRIKE / BARCAP etc and the result will be a close representation of the exact role the jet was designed for (DCS AI being a limiting factor). None of those missions rely on the combined arms nature of the Soviet doctrine the HIND was envisioned for. Currently the DCS AI and mission editor isn't capable of showcasing the HINDs role to the maximum extent. Add that to the fact passenger/air assault capability isn't coming till later in EA and it'll be a struggle to create realistic missions to fly the HIND that way it was supposed to be flown. The whole combined arms air assault doctrine is fundamental to the Mi-24 i.e. the idea that they would hover behind ridgelines and use ATGMs in the pure anti-tank role, ala Apache/Lynx etc is not really how they would be been deployed I believe. The idea of wide area suppression and shock tactics being more it's thing. I.e. difficult to coordinate in DCS. After Hornet, Supercarrier, Raven One etc, how are we going to become immersed in this new role? Anyone else same concerns?

+1 again. Has this been considered by the ED team? Last push for Hornet might see the remaining JDAM functions getting looked at. Surely the pickle delay (800-900 milliseconds) and quantity release interval (300ms), would be an easy addition. A10 and AV-8B have this pickle behaviour already.

'Adding the offset to the existing designation' is actually a cool feature. It enables the use of radar offset bombing; i.e identifying and designation an obvious radar target and applying a pre-measured pre-planned offset to hit a radar invisible target nearby. The utility of this in DCS is not really relevant since the INS/GPS system doesn't generate any drift in a GPS era, but the procedure can be followed all the same. It works well from the little testing I've done.

I’ve been using the ALT function on the STP options with great success. It seems to work well. It’s a height rather than altitude, so just input 1000ft etc and the missile should terrain follow at that height. The lowest I’ve tried is 500ft and it worked well. I’m not sure how the ALT setting interacts with the global FLT setting of LOW, MED, HIGH. It seems to override it, but more testing needed. It’s quite reasonable that a Sa-15 should engage and take out the SLAM-ER. But that’s why SEAD support and mission planning is a thing.

Yep F/C is Force Correlate but how does it's behaviour differ from the standard CENT mode? I'm assuming CENT stands for CENTROID and that the logic is similar to a maverick seeker. I.e.... In 'Centroid' the seeker will attempt to perform a contrast lock on the object within the crosshairs and attempt to maintain that lock (even if it moves??) on the object itself. Whereas in F/C the seeker is looking at the whole scene and merely attempts to stabilize on the crosshair point itself? That was badly explained. Maybe someone else can help. On a different note, it's not been emphasized, but you can use the STP option to actually set the ingress altitude at each STP. I.e set up a 1000ft height initially and then step the height down to 500ft at the next STP etc. The missile will terrain follow wonderfully and it opens up some nice mission options. I'm not sure what the VEL (velocity) option does, I'm not sure why you'd want to restrict the missile speed. Does it set a minimum energy level or something? Overall pretty impressed with the SLAM-ER. It's certainly the most advanced playable weapon in DCS.

It’s always been a dodgy mechanic in DCS. In real life I guess you can program multiple PP’s or simply use TOO and slew after each release.

It’s been a few hours since patch release now. I fear we have to wait for the June patch. No biggy.

The settings are on the SA page ‘Sensor’ sub level along the top, with options for Hostile and Friendly symbols. Although the friendly symbols are currently bugged, they never show. Used to work though. There’s also an option on the radar ‘data’ sub level. Top left - push button 5. RWR ATTK, I think it’s called. This applies to the symbols displaying on radar page only.