Kreutzberg

Syria is my favorite DCS map, for sure. However, PAPI lights at airfields are a little dim, as described here: Link. I'm including my picture from that thread as well. I would love to see really bright PAPI lights on this map, which promises to be outstanding! Thanks!

Thanks for adding the scoring document! Much appreciated.

For what it's worth, I also only got 90 on what felt like a pretty clean run.

I've actually been playing around with this and am only getting hits when using the LTS on the pod. I don't think it should work that way, as the Maverick-L should be able to track on the laser without the pod. If that's a bug, though, the campaign probably recognizes it and compensates by having the player call tally. ETA: Playing around with it more, I got a hit without using the pod out of curiosity. Doing some tests with this weapon, I note that the target needs to be fairly centered in the laser reticle. I was assuming it was more like a sidewinder which will track as long as it sees the target, but the laser mark should really be in the circle to make sure it will pick it up on launching.

Thanks, both! This may be useful for anyone else learning the systems!

I just finished the first mission in this campaign, and am enjoying it so far. However, the grid coordinates came through in an 8-digit format. As I understand it, the Hornet uses either 6-digit coordinates (normal) or 10-digit coordinates (precise). Does that mean that the proper way to input 8-digit coordinates is with trailing zeroes in precise (or cut off the trailing digit in normal)? For some reason, I intuitively wanted to put in leading zeroes, but that doesn't really make sense as I think about it! I also need to get up to speed on the offset system, too, but that's just reading the manuals! One of the really immersive parts of these campaigns is learning these nuances in systems.

Thanks. I didn't actually land, but loaded a different plane spawn. That may cause the same thing.

This bug has occurred a couple of times on larger missions with the F-4E. Sometimes, when in DT mode, Jester will say he is "unable" to capture a ground target, but then does it anyway. I've certainly seen other similar things posted, but this is a little more specific. In this situation, the issue seems to carry through the entire flight, regardless of additional targets. I've tried quite a bit to reproduce the issue, and have managed to do so a couple of times. The attached track file shows it in the second flight after choosing the ground start slot. So far, I think the issue has only occurred when starting on the ground, with a heavy loadout, though I'm not totally sure if those are required to create it. It might also have something to do with the bombing table use, though that's not clear either. I've seen the "unable" both before and after the "capture" call. I've also seen it seem to cause the capture to break after a few seconds, but I think it's all the same issue. Thanks! DT Unable.trk

I'm enjoying the new waypoint designation functionality. In the first mission of the Frog-7 mini campaign, waypoint 5 is preset as the VIP, which was a very intuitive way to learn that process. I wanted to designate waypoint 8 as IP and especially waypoint 9 as the target, as that would be a good way to tell that it's coming. However, the waypoint designation sub-menu only goes up to waypoint 8, and I don't see any way to get further. It also doesn't advance with the flight plan. In the attached screenshot (sorry for the low resolution--it was in VR), my current waypoint is 4, but I still can't get past 8. Is there some way to do this that I'm missing? Or perhaps a future feature? Thanks!

The other day, I noticed that the PAPI lights on the Syria map are quite dim even in 2D (see image). Some things like IFLOLS are much better in 2D than VR, but it seems like there may be a bigger issue. This is one of those core things that probably wouldn't be tough to fix but really hurts immersion.

I picked up the Kola map in preparation for the upcoming campaigns. It includes an F-4E mission, Red Dawn. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. There's nothing online about this mission, so I figured I'd extend my recommendation. The operations from a Finnish highway airbase is quite engaging, the nuclear delivery profile is a lot of fun, and there's an interesting twist after. The nuclear delivery pairs well with the training mission from MiG Killers, which I would recommend before trying it under much more difficult circumstances in Red Dawn. My only piece of feedback is that it might be worth including the maximum height in the briefing. On my first attempt, I figured something like 500 feet was pretty safe, but definitely triggered the MiG 23s. I looked up the trigger in the mission editor and pushed hard to stay below 100 feet AGL to do it successfully (I actually thought I breached it so may have gotten lucky!). Thanks for the great mission!

One other note about engine sounds--I've noticed that while flying in external view, there are some oddities with the sounds depending on the camera is. From some angles, the sounds nearly disappear (nowhere near supersonic speeds). Thanks for continuing to improve the module!

Thanks for the continued improvements to this map. I definitely think it's the best out there for DCS, and I'm looking forward to exploring all of the new helicopter landing spots especially! I note that PAPI lights on this map and many others are quite dim. The issue is most noticeable in VR, especially with a high resolution headset. But they're pretty dim even in normal 2D (see picture). The PAPI lights are much brighter on the Caucuses map, and on Runway 32 at Groom Lake on NTTR (but not elsewhere on that map, which is odd!). That suggests there is a way to do that--would it be possible to implement something like that? Thanks!

Completely agree!

For sure--sounds like an AI thing more than anything else. Thanks for taking a look!

Thanks for all your work with the F-4! I'm looking forward to starting MiG Killers, but in preparation, I was doing the included missions. On your Covey 41 mission, the FAC can give two targets. Every time he's given me the beach (probably 4 or so times), I've attacked. Then, my wingman lines up like he's going to attack but doesn't drop. He'll then go around and do the same thing. Therefore, the mission isn't progressing. The issue does not seem to occur when the target is the hill, but I've only had that once. In that instance, everything progressed normally (but the MiGs got me--I need to work on those BFM skills in MiG Killers!). Here's a track (not my best procedural effort, just a quick and dirty to show the wingman's behavior). I've done things like actually hit the target and wait for the smoke before, so I don't think that's it. Are others experiencing this? There are videos online of it working, but likely from before the most recent patches. My best guess is that some recent AI change messed up the wingman's attack. Hopefully an easy fix. Covey 41 Wingman Stuck.trk

Thanks, guys. Good to know that this is meant to be more of a graduate level series!

This is about the Red Flag missions, by @Sedlo, that are included with the module. I'm having a ton of trouble, especially on the first one. In most cases, it seems like fighter sweep is not very effective. I usually wind up being bounced by quite a few enemy fighters before I even get to the objective. I've tried hitting the push time perfectly, delaying it to give more time for the fighters and everything in between, but the enemy SAMs and fighters seem to really beat up on the friendly fighters. From watching the videos of this mission in other modules, it doesn't seem like the player is supposed to do much air to air before the strike, but I wind up fighting enemy aircraft nearly every time (I ran out of missiles one time!). I've had more success with mission 2, but largely because my friendly forces do a better job. It's tough to maintain situational awareness in the F-4. That's probably more to do with the limitations of 1960s technology. I'm hoping that my skills will get better on that front, that the radar/Jester may improve, or perhaps even that DCS's AWACS calls will get better. Am I missing something obvious? I don't get the impression that these missions are supposed to be quite this difficult!

@Dominik96 It looks like the VOR issue is fixed in yesterday's patch, probably the following: Navigation: Fixed VOR showing true instead of magnetic bearings. That's a really interesting, bug, actually! Thanks for addressing it!

This appears to be fixed in today's patch, 2.9.7.58923. I checked easy communications and mirrors, though not everything listed by @Drewbacca!

Thank you--glad to hear it's not just me! I haven't been using mirrors so am not seeing that part of it. Disabling the launcher for now definitely works.

I think this is only since 2.9.6.58056, but it could have started earlier. Whenever I start DCS, the "Easy Communication" box under "Gameplay" is checked. I can uncheck it (and hit OK) and get regular communications, but restarting DCS results in that box being checked again. Some missions don't work at all when the box is checked, even when using full communications procedures. Are others encountering this issue? Thanks.

Great--thanks!

I'm eagerly looking forward to the MiG Killers campaign (even featured in the newsletter this week)! One thing I've noticed with your other F-4E missions is that the radio voices (and other sound effects) are quite loud. Turning down helmet volume low enough to be comfortable then means I have a hard time hearing jester. I'm hoping the MiG Killers campaign won't have this problem, or there is some other good workaround. Do you have a recommended volume setting for your missions? Thanks!

Thanks for the information! Glad to hear that the track will be helpful with the VOR/TACs. That makes sense as well regarding ADF. I followed the manual's instructions and set up beacon. Under the right circumstances, it also points to an ATC station, but only when it's actually broadcasting!