Istari6

Gotcha, but I've seen that JDAMs regularly miss targets using Point Track with TGP. Given the blast damage limitations in DCS' damage model, close often doesn't do it, even for items that should be relatively fragile like SAM radars. So we've been trying to use Area track and focusing at the base of the target, since that seems to work better for LGB to hit the target rather than marking the terrain behind the target. So it sounds like there's no way to mix Area track in the TGP with designating a GPS target?

My group and I are now flying the F-16 in 2007 era Liberation campaigns (previously we were doing the 1996 era before GPS weapons). So we're all learning how to use the TGP to designate for JSOW, JDAM and WCMD. Here's our problem: Area track seems to be best for the TGP since it doesn't lose track and slew off when you maneuver aggressively (defending against a SAM, etc). Point track often seems to end up looking someplace totally different if you have to maneuver and come back to the target. Yet I don't know how to set a Markpoint off an Area TGP track for employing GPS weapons. If I go to Markpoint (via ICP) and use TGP, when I hit TMS Up to designate the TGP point of interest as a Markpoint, the TGP goes to Point Track. Is there a way to set a Markpoint off an Area track? That will allow us to get the most precise GPS coordinates for JDAM (Point Track often ends creating a GPS coordinate behind or "through" the target that can cause a JDAM miss).

Ah that makes sense. I remember that being an issue with the HARM when used alone, didn't realize it also applied to the HTS. Thanks for the answer!

One thing my group has noticed is that there's often a significant lag in detection between when the RWR picks up a SAM threat, and when it displays on the HTS. This has surprised us, since we figured the HTS is a specialized device for sniffing out and localizing ground threat emitters. Yet we've had many situations where we're being locked up or even fired upon by a SAM, and nothing is showing on the HTS to respond against. I know we can go direct to the HARM's HAS mode and fire back against threats that way, but it's certainly confusing how HTS is operating now. Is this realistic? Do we know if the real HTS has a lag in detection like this? Or are there any other workaround to let the HTS "catch up" to the RWR faster?

This is excellent. Thanks for the long-form reply, this is exactly the kind of info i was looking for. Interesting info on those flare dispensers. I was wondering about those, given I've never read anything about Hueys using flares. Also interesting that the radar altimeter wasn't a feature of the cockpit in the Vietnam style scenarios like Reflected's "Paradise Lost" campaign.

Interesting. Maybe that's how they did things back in 2013 when this came out. I know more recently they've really tried to model a specific model at a specific point in time. The F-16 is an F-16CM with M4.2 software updates, right around 2007.

I'm just learning the UH-1H, but I'm familiar with many of the DCS fast jets. When I see features in the DCS Huey like IFF, flare dispensers, the composite main rotor blade, I'm thinking that our Huey is not a Vietnam-era model. Also, the two "bumps" on the nose appear to be RWR receivers based on some resources, although I don't see any RWR receiver in the cockpit. Is there any source on roughly what era our Huey is representing? An early 1980s model? Late 1970s?

Ok thanks guys. I think the Vuichard Recovery is just a piloting maneuver. So I don't think it has to be implemented per se, but perhaps the VRS recovery is already easy enough in the updated flight model that it's not necessary.

Just learning the UH-1H. It's my first helicopter after 7-8 years of fixed-wing aircraft in DCS. So I'm learning all about helicopter flight in general, including new concepts like mast bumping, autorotation and the dreaded VRS :(. I've come across some YouTube videos demonstrating the Vuichard Technique for getting out of VRS. Basically it seems you go hard lateral cyclic and opposite anti-torque pedal to sideslip out of the developing vortex ring. Question is whether this is considered safe for the Huey to use? It seems like when you're getting into VRS, you're already starting to descend rapidly, creating a low-G state. Hard side cyclic in a low-G state seems to be the recipe for mast bumping in the Huey. So won't doing a Vuichard recovery risk mast bumping?

Gotcha. I ended up doing the same. The air boresighting definitely helped, like you I just had to trust it was locked onto the correct target. Ultimately I succeeded on the 3rd attempt and was able to proceed in the campaign. Good to know others were having the same problem.

So I'm really having trouble with Mission 12. I love the emphasis on realism, and I'm learning quite a bit about the challenge of doing CAS in a built-up urban environment with MANPADs. However, I've now flown it twice and failed both times, it feels like due to the limitations of D Mavericks. Is there something I'm doing wrong? Both times, I'm able to kill the AA crew on the rooftop with a GBU-12. No problems there. The problem is in hitting the technical next to the mosque. I hear the JTAC calling for AGM before his radio is cut, so I'm instructing Tally to use AGM-65. She takes out the southern Technical both times. However, for me it feels like an impossible challenge. Both times I sight the technical with my TGP. That's not the problem. The first time, I try to respect the MANPAD hard deck of 15,000 ft. I come as close as I can with that hard deck, and still can't make any specific target out on the D's thermal view in WPN page, even playing with contrast. After several passes, I finally just trust that I'm in the right place and lock onto something, and fire. I end up hitting the Land Rover and killing some of the blue infantry. Having dropped a GBU on another technical I spotted (which turned out not to be one of our two targets), I'm winchester. Nothing happens in the mission when I'm out of weapons and the "mosque technical" is still alive, so I fly home and land at Incirlik. I'm unable to direct Tally to take it out, the mission seems hung. The second time, I refly the mission, ensure I have Mavericks properly boresighted, and knowing it's danger close, I decide to press the attack until I have a confirmed target in my WPN view. This time I press to 5000 ft before I get a clear thermal signature in the WPN page. I lock and shoot, but multiple MANPADs come up after me, even despite pre-flaring the entire attack run. First one misses, second one kills me outright even though I'm zoo climbing. I get that I shouldn't get into the MANPAD range, but I can't seem to lock a tiny technical target in a dense urban setting when I'm staying above 15,000 ft. That's 3 miles of just vertical distance, plus whatever horizontal slant range is added. The D seeker doesn't seem to be able to discriminate until closer. Basically, it feels like I'm in a no win situation - JTAC wants me to use a Maverick, yet I can't seem to get a lock in an urban setting without getting within the MANPAD envelope. Note - I'm flying in VR with a Varjo Aero, so maybe this is easier on a 4K flatscreen? Is there some trick to playing with Contrast, Gain, etc where you can pick out a technical with a D seeker from safe distances?

I was burned by these kinds of details on the previous mission . I'd assumed that lead (#1) would hit Aimpoint 1, and #2 would hit Aimpoint #2. Sure enough, I put my JDAM right onto Aimpoint #2, then POKER chewed me out for hitting the wrong aimpoint. Taught me to read the briefing very carefully, not assume anything. Sure enough, I caught that reversal on the thermal image photo before the mission and was able to adjust my coordinates accordingly. BD is certainly teaching me to read carefully!

Aha! I just came here to report the same issue with Mission 3. Glad it's already been caught and will be updated in next patch. I did the same as Andrei - saved my wingman and engaged the convoy on my own, expending 2 x GBU-12 and my D Maverick. Then finished up with guns. I was totally stuck when we contacted the JTAC and he wanted me to drop GBU-12 on the tank. So I flew home and landed after my wingman dropped the GBU-38.

Just completed FIWOS last night. Really appreciative of all the hard work that went into FIWOS! I've now been flying DCS for 8 years (started with the P-51D in late 2016), and this might be the best campaign i've encountered yet. I'm a fan of Reflected and Baltic Dragon's campaigns, but there was so much here that was new to me. The ATC system, the scoring system, the political complexity of the theater, and most of all, the strong emphasis on realistic Weasel operations rather than doing a broader "sampler" of mission types. While others have already highlighted many points about this campaign, here are a few additional ones that resonated with me: The slow handover to memorization. You start us out by walking through all ATC steps in detail, but by Mission 2 you begin giving us higher level tasks ("return to H4") and have the player practice the ATC techniques without holding our hand. This was my first time working with a complex ATC system in DCS, and the learning curve was pitch perfect. Optional radio conversations. I listened to each one, and I appreciated how they offered political background on the theater, while sometimes linking to upcoming operations and tactical considerations. Created quite a bit of atmosphere, and the tension around the Russians was particularly compelling. The attention to detail in mission design. See the Blackhawks taking off and circling in mission #04 while the SOF go in to secure the intelligence. It would have been easy to just have the Blackhawks land and disgorge the troops, waiting there until the end of the op. But to have them take off and circle overhead in a protective overwatch, that was awesome to watch. Excellent voice acting. Forrest sounded professional and slightly "techie", not a Top Gun stereotype macho warrior. Popeye was outstanding as an experienced combat leader. The accents for Jordanian & Turkish ATC, even the British accents in the CSAR mission really deepened the immersion. Cool "bonus" touches like the B-52 flying over, waggling wings as it passed in FIWOS #10. Not needed for the mission, but added to the feel of being at the front-lines of a complex operation with many different units cooperating together. The IFR penetration following Devil 1-1 to Incirlik was a fun challenge. The attention to detail with having the Duluth ANG Vipers forward deployed there with the correct skins (and the H4 det grumbling about the new guys getting better a posting) made that stop in Turkey quite memorable. All in all, this was my first Ground Pounder campaign and I'm impressed. I'll be buying Last In as soon as its released, and when I get around to the Hornet (probably next year), looking forward to experiencing Operation Cerberus North. Thanks again for all the hard work on this excellent campaign.

Different strokes for different folks. I really liked having the mission reset for each portion of the BFM encounter. Initially, I thought it was all going to be a single mission, and I was super-stressed over how to conserve fuel when fighting a J-11A. That's a serious threat, and my limited experience doing some practice jousts ended up using a lot of AB. The Block 50 seems to need AB either in BVR (to get sufficient kinematics to duel with a J-11A's extended range Alamos), or in the dogfight to stay with the Flanker and prevent an Archer shot. By having the mission reload for each BFM phase, it topped up my fuel tanks each time, allowing me to really learn the Flanker's strengths and weaknesses in a series of engagements in short order. So this worked for me and I'm glad Bunyap built it this way.

I just completed this mission. My approach was to fly NOE after pushing from the Marshal point. Hit WP 8, then turned to IP at 9, headed towards WP 10. At that point I began a slow rise, trying to give the TGP a LOS onto the cave entrance without rising so much I entered the SA-10s range. Was able to sight the cave entrance and released both GBU-10s at probably 1500-2000 ft AGL, with good impacts on target. Then I broke down again to NOE. I was never lit up by the SA-10.

I had the same experience. The J-11As stormed through and shot my flight down shortly after we pushed from the Marshal point. Watching the datalink, I "think" there were escorts in the area (I saw green bubbles in the area), so perhaps the F/A-18s are now going to the right waypoint, but are just ineffective at engaging the Flankers. Fortunately, the "range officer" allowed me to continue on with my mission and rather than start over with a complete cold start, I pressed ahead and had a great rest of the mission, including a tense engagement with Flankers after hitting the target. The mission was counted as successful (100 score) and I completed the campaign. So I'm not sure it's "broken", so much as the current escorts are ineffective.

If Whiplash is the JTAC in the A-10 (Tusk 1), he was shot down in my Mission #09 before I arrived in the target area. I only realized it later when rewatching the Track (to see how my bombs impacted), and was surprised when the range officer called out Tusk 1 as dead.

All - bumping back up for visibility in the Bug queue. I've attached a Track file (as requested) on Friday. Hope this demonstrates the problem sufficiently to help investigate (or let me know what we're doing wrong in setting up the F-16). Thanks!

OK thanks Moonshine. I've seen that with higher level CCIP bombing in the past, but that also clarifies it shouldn't be wind causing these significant "overshoots" when I pickle. All the more puzzling.

Thanks to you both for trying to duplicate on your side. I didn't realize that you needed the Track Replay in DCS instead of TrackView. Moonshine - I've reflown and confirmed that fins are opening, and I'm dropping in the high 300s for speed, my understanding is the Snakeye is good to 450 KIAS in real life. Lord Vader - here's a Track I just created, reflying the start of the mission to show the problem. I'm pickling in CCIP when the "death dot" is on the runway from about 250 AGL, every time the Snakeye sails long and hits well beyond the runway. This is true approaching from both directions, so I don't think it's the wind, and doesn't the computer on the F-16 compensate for wind at this low an altitude? F16SnakeyeLongDropsCCIP102023.trk One additional note that might help. We're flying a "Final Countdown" campaign in Liberation to learn the F-16 in a 1944 WWII environment first, before tackling modern settings. It's been fun to use Normandy to really learn the F-16 from the ground up, and we're trying to simulate mid-1980s F-16Cs in this campaign. Since we're in 1944 and we only have mid-1980s Vipers, we turn off GPS, DL, MIDS and rely upon INS Fix updates for accuracy. Don't know if that could be contributing to the Snakeye performance here?

BTW - I've retested this under 2.9, and the issue is still present. Also reconfirmed that the M82S are set to NSTL, so it's not an issue of accidentally setting to NOSE only, which would fail to retard the bombs.

Several friends and I ran a DCS Liberation mission tonight in our F-16s. We're still learning the Viper, but we have moderate experience using Mk 82 Snakeyes in the AV-8B and F-14A. To our surprise, all of our Snakeyes were dropping long in this mission. It really messed up our attacks, and I promised to look into it. I reflew a test mission I have and CCIP Snakeyes seemed to work fine in low-level level deliveries. Then I refired up our Liberation mission and just ran passes at Carpiquet airfield to show the problem. Please see the attached TacView track. I'm crossing the runway from alternating directions and hitting pickle with the "death dot" on the runway. Every time (5 in this track) the Snakeye falls long and impacts well beyond the target. This is exactly the behavior we were seeing in the mission as well. Is this a bug? Is there something else happening with wind, FCR, etc that can be addressed by pilots to restore accuracy? Thanks for any guidance. Tacview-20231018-213456_BuggedSnakeyes.zip.acmi

Previous to 1994 I believe is the cutoff for GPS.

Resurrecting this thread for the following question Twistking asks. I have the same question here in 2023 as I'm trying to learn the Viper: "With the video about A-Cal now being up, i wonder what purpose Fix has anyhow. A-Cal seems to be able to do position fixes AND altitude fixes seperately or at the same time. Why is FIX needed in the first place when you have A-Cal. What am i missing?" I've learned INS Fixes and have that working well. Then I moved onto A-CAL and find that you can set it to BOTH (Altitude and Position). Given this, why isn't the default for the Viper to just do an A-CAL/Both and be done with it?