Mack

First thing I do when I get hit is keep flying the plane and continue to do the evasive maneuvers. If the plane proves to be unflyable, I punch out. At the same time I look to put out any fires. After that, I look down at the MFCDs. If I can't use my ordnance I dump it. Then, I look around at the plane, what's the damage? After that, I usually decide whether I can continue the mission or whether I need to head home. If my damage is pretty manageable I'll keep lending a hand, though in a more circumspect manner. I've been known to hang out a long time and whack targets with the gun. It's satisfying and a challenge to line up a gun run while missing a stabilizer. That's a run where using the rudder is recommended.

These are a nice idea and I like it. Practically speaking what sort of performance hit does it incur? I understand that the answer depends on the available overhead in the system, but general impressions or results from Fraps with and without or the like could help inform my decision to pursue something like this or leave well enough alone.

GGTharos you have a talent for the wisdom. : )

As a ground dude in my day job I take eliminating the air threat seriously and I cringed when I saw the efficiency with which enemy air decimates blufor in Fast Missions. So, I try and whack a couple of fixed wing threats when I can as my first order of business before I go terrorizing redfor ground targets. At medium difficulty: When aircraft are merging, lock on with Mavericks at max range, loose a couple then get the hell out of the way--I have done it a couple of different ways, either one per target or two, and two seems to get the job done though you can do two at the first target and then one at the second and then see whether you need to send the fourth. How you do it is all a matter of how dextrous you are at locking up targets. Once the missiles are on their way, root hog or die. So long as you give enemy AI pilots a wide berth they seem perfectly willing to extend professional courtesy your way. The Maverick is too slow to chase from rear aspect and it's not exactly nimble but provided the target is not offset too much it can manage to put itself in the way of a target unawares. If you're lucky the enemy will not notice the incoming mail. Helicopters are easier and the PK rises accordingly. Generally, A2A with an A-10 is a losing proposition after the merge. Even the Hog's peers, the SU-25s, are computer controlled and as such have better power management, and certainly better targeting algorithms--I've followed SU17s around and watched them kill Bradleys with 20-30 round bursts at greater than 1Nm. You can't maintain power for a turning fight for long. The helos are tough because they can rotate and tear you apart in short order and they have good countermeasures and aren't shy to use them. Which means you often have to loose air to air missiles at half a mile or less to get it in there, which means exposure to punishment and a need for some luck (created or dumb) for a good release off the rack. I have found that it's great when you can get an A2A kill but for me it's always the result of somehow making the fight unfair. Which is good business as far as I'm concerned.

Paul, if I read you right you're ground crew which is righteous. A ground crew would have been handy when I was tear-assing around in M1A1s back in the day. USAF is looking for bidders for Suite 8. https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=16b08e0c6065072ba1ff4ecc78ccd3a5&tab=core&_cview=0 According to this article: http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/a-highertech-hog-the-a10c-pe-program-03187/ Suite 7 is current, though I would expect spread from state to state depending on the vagaries of budgets and so on that plague all upgrade programs. But I wouldn't expect you to confirm or deny (please don't even hint) and of course open source is open source.

Well, Olgerd, you guys certainly did a fine job. There are many betters that are the enemy of excellent, but at some point the product has to ship. It's never happened before that a computer product has me considering purchasing the best hardware to run it, but you've done it. Looking forward to more.

Yeah, I'm with Cal.50. I'm hooked pretty good too. And I agree that it's best to just go ahead and get all the gear at one time. If one big box with a bunch of stuff shows up you can claim that you slipped or had a momentary break. Kill it before the merge, you know? If you start playing the sim and the wife or girlfriend is able to get you in the weeds with discussions about how you won't buy a really expensive HOTAS then you're in a tougher spot (hmm...who could I be talking about?) :lol:

I break tails all the time. I like terrorizing my victims as they are being lit up and typically learn how to fly a broken ship as a result. It's a phase I am going through, mostly caused by a suboptimal joystick that I am replacing. In one case I had a rudder off and an engine flameout. It was like 50Nm of Caucasus Drift as I slew the Hog in for a landing. Good training.

These missions look like good training and I'm ready for a more formal approach now that I have gotten the hang of things. I have a friend nearby who flew Hogs (A model not C) so it would be fun to pass these missions by him to see what he thinks.

Excellent. From a personal standpoint, it seems that either Afghanistan or Iraq would be great areas for consideration. Western Iraq--Anbar, say--would be a little boring I think but northern Iraq or Diyala could be very interesting. Beautiful rolling hills out toward Iran. Afghanistan could offer some incredible terrain challenges what with the altitude and steep canyons. Best, John

I concur that newer drivers are not necessarily better. 266.18 works better than 280.26 for me.

Perhaps there are a variety of ways to hamstring the A-10 Forces. If the blue side is lighter in terms of being a HMMWV, LAV, and/or Bradley IFV-mounted force against a tank force it will add urgency to the blue side to emphasize their CAS mission and shift the Relative Combat Power instead of KA hunting. Meanwhile, if the KA pilots can evade and stall long enough then the AI ground units will resolve the issue nicely. Perhaps as a scenario...perhaps a Marine Expeditionary Force coming landing with tanks. The already present bluefor unit isn't evenly matched at first against an attacking red force. Just some musings... Best, John