Strider21

Not intended to be a complaint but just wondering what peoples thoughts about going against the AI Mig-31 in DCS. I have run some engagements and I have noticed the R-33 has a significant kinematic advantage over the AIM-54. If co-alt (25K, 0.9 Mach), the AI will fire at about 65 nm. If you fire a AIM-54 at the same time, crank and support, the R-33 will reach you well before your missile goes active (TGT Size - Large). This presents a challenge for the F-14, even though the R-33 is SARH because of its kinematic advantage you cannot launch and leave against it with the AIM-54. Some options I have tried are to notch at 65nm. The R-33 appears to lose tracking while in the notch but will start tracking again once you come out. It is not like the other SARH missiles that can you can trash and then continue. The AI seems to only fire and support R-33 at a time. So notching going cold and then trying to re-commit at a range to get a AIM-54 shot seems the best strategy. The challenge is that the R-33 remains a threat as soon as you re-commit. Against 2xMig-31s this becomes very challenging. Anyway wondering if what peoples thoughts/tactics are for dealing with the AI Mig-31s in DCS.

The EJECT CMD window does not display either Pilot or MCO regardless of setting of the Eject Command Lever in the RIO cockpit.

Even from the first mission you can tell this will be a high quality campaign. The briefing material, skins, voice acting and mission are great. I look forward to the rest of the campaign and maybe its just me, but that mission was not an easy intro.

100%. The current Jester elevation scan options make it difficult to search up or down without a human RIO. For example the +/- 30, +/- 16 seem to be useful in only limited cases. And the scan at range/altitude is number of levels down the Jester wheel (time consuming).

After a week of trying your advice. I have had really good luck running the G2 without controllers. Basically I don't go into the WMR or Steam VR portal at all and haven't had constant out of focus. Not having having the controllers disconnect has reduced distractions and hiccups.

I run the G2 on a 5800X, 32 GB and 2080 ti. The last couple months I have mostly played multiplayer. I do set G2 resolution down to 78% and run a mix of High/low settings with MSAA at x2. At the merge I do not have the issues you describe. The worst performance I have is on the supercarrier where framerate will drop below 45 (usually 30-40). Even on complex servers with lots of AI units I usually am able to get back to 45 fps once away from the supercarrier. At 78% SS I find the resolution considerably better than the Rift S which I used for about year running at SS of 1.5 in OTT. Performance between the G2 (at 78% SS) and the Rift S (at 1.5) has largely been similar for me.

Tom, Thanks for the help. Do have any tips for when the DCS does go out of focus. I have the DCS VR setting that keeps the mouse inside active window and I still get out focus about once every hour. A couple other times it looses focus is when I join a multiplayer server and the SRS auto-connect pops up I then need to tab into the desktop select yes and then tab back.

Has anyone had any luck utilizing the G2 with WMR and Steam VR without needing to use the controller? I find I always need to power up the controller to do things like disable Steam VR overlay and hit windows key on the controller to refocus DCS and reenable the mouse. During the sessions the controller will disable and this occasionally problems with the windows tab focus. I will sometimes randomly get an "Out of Focus" text, then lose all control in DCS, then scramble to find the controller reactive it, hit the windows key twice to regain focus, which usually happens at inconvenient times. Anyway, looking for any experience using WMR and Steam VR without controllers or preventing the Out of Focus tab/lose of Mouse control. Appreciate the help

Just finished Event 1, 1v1 and so far am really impressed by this campaign. The briefing materials are excellent and really well put together. The F-14 skins look really great and although fictional seem very plausible and look great as 1980s era Tomcats. The voice acting and script is as good or better than any other DLC campaign. Having Bio do the briefings during the transit portions of the flight is great way to keep the attention of the player and it feels like personal instruction from Bio. There is enough going on around the player that it really feels like an active airfield/operation which increases the immersion. While I have only finished the first event it is hard not to recommend this campaign particularly if you already have the F-14 and NTTR. So far seems like the definitive F-14 campaign currently released. Best of all there seemed to be no bugs or DCS hiccups in the mission flow/scripting. Only minor nitpicks (and I realize they are pretty nitpicky) are:

In the F-14B, not sure if it is the same in the A, I have noticed if the CV/TOWER/MARSHALL frequency is set on the rear the radio (only and not duplicated up front), for example 127.5, and you utilize the "Tomcat Ball" - Keybind you will hear the radio call go out (Matt Wagner voice "Tomcat Ball...") but the LSO doesn't acknowledge it and you will get a (BC) in your landing grade.

I noticed in Mission 3 the brief has the Stennis Freq as 225 but its actually set to 127.5. Probably the same for Mission 4.

Only minor complaint is that it appears the MODEX's are all the same for the F-14 (101) and the F/A-18s seem only have "random" MODEX's not consistent with a CAW. I know it is nit picky and doesn't effect gameplay but other Freeware and Paid campaign's do better skin/MODEX assignments.

I am playing on the latest Open Beta and it feels like there has been some tweaks to the enemy AI and missile performance that are driving the results I saw in Mission 3. I only ran it once so I guess I shouldn't draw too many conclusions. My Wingman was ordered to Engage - Bandits at about 25nm from the first group of Escort Mig-29s but he never actually got a missile away before being killed by a R-27ER. Thanks again and I will definitely give it another shot.

Really have enjoyed this campaign so far and you can definitely tell a lot of work was put into it. Thank you for creating it. Some minor feedback. Mission 2. The armed speedboats are very difficult to lock with the AGM-65Fs. This is obviously not your fault but it does make the mission very frustrating. I created a quick mission with just the armed speed boats and a single hornet with AGM-65Fs and with multiple runs/practice I still found it nearly impossible to lock the AGM-65Fs. {erhaps a different load out might be better given the game limitations. Mission 3. Overall a good mission but the Blue AI makes this difficult. For example, here is my recount of flying this mission (pieced together watching the TACVIEW). First set of bandits (2 x Mig-29 and 4 x Su-24) my wingman is killed by a R-27ER after firing zero missiles. I am left kill the remaining 6 bandits and end the engagement with 0 x 120s and 2 x 9X. I get the call about the other big group approach from the North and proceed over to intercept and help out the four Blue AI Hornets. The four Blue F/A-18s all get killed by the four RED AI Mig-29 and they only managed to down 1 Mig-29, though they do force the Migs to fire most of there missiles. I intercept the group, splash one Mig-29 with a 9x, a Su-24 with a 9x and then get another Su-24. This right is when they are launching their Anti-Ship missiles. While attempting to lock another Su-24 I get blind sided by a Su-24 firing a R-60 and it ends my mission. All told 6 Hornets face 16 x Su-24 and 6 Mig-29s. Blue loses all six hornets and Red loses 4 x Mig-29s, 6 x Su-24s. I feel this is a little stacked against the player. Perhaps this mission could be a little better balanced either with more Hornets (particularly facing the large group), reducing the Mig-29 loadout or skill, and reducing the Su-24 A2A loadout. It is very frustrating that the AI Su-24s have perfect SA and can very quickly engage hornets with R-60s despite moments before them being focused on getting the ASMs away. Again none of this is your fault but IMHO this setup could use some tweaking for better balance playability.

In Mission 14 on the run to the target there are a series on messages which I think are Mission Editor triggers that the player isn't necessarily supposed to see. A couple are: FL183 FLAK ON ~SA-15 ON ~SLEDGES INVISIBLE and a couple other ones. Not a huge deal but a little distracting and a little showing whats behind the curtain.

jmarso, Thanks for your thoughts. I did a normal start so the radar was in Standby until I hit WP3. I might try the mission again keeping the radar off until the codeword, as you mentioned. Not sure if that what is triggering the scrub.

I have question about Mission 14. I flew the mission and got about 40mins into it. When I reached WP4 we check in with the AWACS. The S-3 and other flights of F/A-18 climb to about 3000'. I climb to stay in formation past WP4 and then when we get the code word the mission is scrubbed. After WP4 is the player supposed to stay below 1000' AGL? When I climbed with the other formations did I hit the trigger to scrub the mission? Across the gulf I stayed at about 900' AGL right behind the S-3. Likewise in the brief, we energize our radars past WP3 to avoid maritime traffic? But he S-3 and other flights do not avoid any of the ships.Is the player supposed to avoid ships using the radar or fly formation on the S-3 (Tron 51)?. If we are flying form on the S-3 why do the hornets need their radar on? Anyway if anyone has any tips or thoughts on getting past this. I am hesitant to fly another 40 mins to inadvertently trigger a mission scrub again until I understand what I did wrong.

Having done this mission a number of times, I have gotten formed up before WP2 and the turn to WP3. For me it has gone, get close to Prince then "Press Space to tell him you saddled" and then a minute or two later you get another prompt where Flip reminds Price to change radios. Then Prince gives the instruction to turn and shortly after you get prompt to debrief Prince on his turn.

Early on in the mission you get a prompt to tell Prince about the radios. He then tells you to go Strike on Pri and enable Guard. Once he goes unconscious the mission unfolds on Strike and Guard. This is why you probably missed most of the discussion. The discussion follows the book and includes conservation with a few different parties.

Ok I did get the mission to work. Here is what worked for me: 1st Engagement: Not sure it matters but I made sure I was in SIM, MASTER ARM ON, and CATM-9 selected. Called Fox 2 Head-on before the merge at ~0.7 nm. On the cut away continued on a straight heading. After continue and fights on turned back toward Prince. 2nd Engagement: Same things as before head-on Fox 2 call at about 0.7nm. After cut away continue on straight heading. After continue and fights on turned back toward Prince. 3rd Engagement: Select Guns and call gun shot Head-on at about 0.7nm. After cut away continue straight on heading. After continue and fights on turn back toward Prince. 4th Engagement: Select Guns. Continue past merger and then maneuver behind Prince and call guns with trigger down on Price. Shortly after that Prince called Joker and then the mission continue as per designed. Hope this helps anyone get past the mission until the next patch. The let Prince gun you three times work around didn't seem to get me past this stage of the mission without Prince landing in Iran.

I am stuck on Mission 5. I have read the workaround BD put up on his website but at best it is inconsistent. First attempt couldn't get Prince to call joker. After the first run he breaks off and when he calls "turning in fights on" he kinda just turns in and doesn't engage. Second attempt I just selected "Prince Hits you" From the F10 menu, even if he wasn't in firing position and reset the engagement. He again eventually just flies away. I give up and proceed to return to mother and try to skip to next mission. Flying to mother Prince's trigger finally switches and proceed to the mission. I get in the dogfight with the Su-33 but the Su-33 crashes into me ending the mission. That was frustrating to have all that progress disappear. Third attempt do the initial breakaway Prince engages. I do a lazy arc to get Prince to hit me. He makes a couple bursts (which I only later saw in Tacview) doesn't hit me then breaks off the attack. I call a sidewinder shot and Prince calls for a breakaway he repositions and then turns back in but doesn't engage just flies past me. I try a couple different F10 calls (Prince Hits Me. Sidewinder shot, Joker) then Prince just flies in a straight line and lands at an airfield in Iran. So then I just decide to skip the mission. Return to mother land and end the mission. Then I go the next mission I am still at Mission 5.

Just a PSA. Once you start the CV alignment select Stored Heading on the HSI (bottom row just to the left). This will allow you align in 90s. Once you get 0.5 OK on the alignment select IFA vice NAV. It changed in the latest Open Beta and is explained here: https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=283532

Redid Mission 3. Followed the instructions a little better. For the second Show of Force I set up South to North as instructed and Smoke was behind me when the SAM launched. I was expecting it so was able to get Flares out quickly. I think the problem I had the first time is I set up North to South and when the SAM fired Smoke was just North and was hit by the missile. I assume this is pretty hard to account for in mission design. Nevertheless really enjoyed the mission the second time through.

For the INS Alignment if you select Stored Heading Alignment on the HSI it will significantly speed up the CV alignment. Once you get "0.5 OK" then you set it to IFA vice NAV to have the GPS update the INS continuously. It is explained here as well: https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=283532

On Mission 2 what I did that worked was take off first, go to 350/10 on the TACAN from Valley Forge at 15K (that is mission briefing join up point). I did a quick orbit there to let Smoke catch up before carrying on to WP2. This isn't my youtube channel but this person has all the Raven One missions on youtube. I find it useful to see where I went wrong and for me it is usually I misinterpreted the instructions.