What Are People Doing With CA

[karambiatos]

So what I think am reading here is a volunteer offer to create some new quality mission content for the community.

Step forward comrade!

 

 

but he has a point.

[Paco]

I would like to do a Div versus Bde fight, but I am way to busy with Air War College. I have the scenario but would need a week off to organize a no kidding battle with about 15 players.

[calibro8185]

Count me in Paco

[BrassEm]

Please post more details.

[Bikko]

I've only recently reinstalled DCS world to muck about on Combined Arms, and I'm still getting the hang of everything. (I'm on a real potato of a machine, basically a stock Dell-755. I tried to generate a random scenario and it took ages to load into it and was horrifically slow, exasperating my bad flight skills on DCS using a keyboard and mouse.)

 

I'm still trying to figure out how everything functions at the most basic of levels so I can start figuring out how it work at a more advanced level as I play with other people who don't know squat so we can have much fun driving around on cruise control bumping in to each other as we figure stuff out.

 

It's probably been said before, but the ZSU-23/4 certainly appears to have a radar on it's butt, but doesn't seem to have a display, to my dismay. (Not like it matters much in my current test missions, where I'm sitting right there as a big juicy flight of Chinooks fly overhead for me to give them a cool new paint job called swiss cheese.)

 

Another weird thing, though I think I know the answer, is that MANPADS and some of the IR missile carriers seem to take tens of thousands of seconds to rearm- it's probably just the unlimited ammo function (and that I'm nowhere near a cargo truck) but it's slightly annoying because I kept forgetting to move the one MANPAD unit I had away from being able to shoot from the start so I could actually try the thing out.

 

Another thing I've been trying to do is figure out what has the longest range, and what isn't infurating to try to use. I'd taken out all of the stuff that the player couldn't directly command, but something still was showing a massive engagement ring, and I couldn't pluck it out from the gaggle of units I had, although I'm leaning towards the Gepard, because I only had two of those and I swear I saw only two huge rings. (Unrelated but, the 9K22's missiles are wire/laser guided? Even with a radar lock? Argh...)

 

Another thing I noticed was during one test, nothing had proper gears, it was all Reverse, Neutral and Drive, which was annoying because I couldn't get my Zeus' going at even 5mph for more than a split second. (Granted, I was on a sheer slope, but even when I got the level ground...) It's only happened twice, so it's not a big deal, I just hope it doesn't happen when I try to play for real!

 

And I've seen around that the AI has some godly aiming and detection skills, which would seem to explain why a trio of Pattons smoked a T-90 and then proceeded to wipe the floor with at least two dozen AAA units from lord only knows how far away.

 

So yeah, rambling aside I'm just fiddling around. If someone more experienced would like to get me going on the proper track, instead of me just whimsically switching tracks willy nilly, that'd be more than appreciated, if you have time. (I run DCS on Steam; on an interesting note, I have a copy of DCS-A-10C standalone on Steam too, from before World was added in, which amuses me for some reason I can't fathom.)

 

Just general instruction would be more than great, but if I could also get guidance on setting up a mission, that'd be great too. (Really, the only people I have to play with are two friends who have just World, one who has World and Huey, and one who has A-10C, but who may need to fiddle with World. (I know I had to completely reinstall some windows packages to get World to run on my one computer, which unfortunately completely and totally broke its ability to run Wargame:ALB. Thankfully, the one I play on cooperated without a fuss and runs both!)

 

Just be advised that I am a horrendous driver, my graphics are on the tail end of horrible (Yay for a GT430... said no one ever) and if there's too much going on everything turns to molasses. (Oh and firing the Zeus in first person is probably worse than it should be, I can't see squat past the muzzle flash) And the raretime I'll fiddle around with something in the air, I probably don't have my joystick plugged in (because it refuses to do gradual throttle on the Huey. It has seem to have only two settings: idle and FULL STEAM AHEAD)

 

If you'd like to help me learn the simulation controls for aircraft, sweet, but I'd like to print off a bunch of shorthand pages on how to start everything up and nail them to the wall, because my memory sucks. (I liked it when I had a dualscreen setup and could leave my notes up on the second screen, but that didn't last because my graphics card cried bloody murder when I did that.)

 

Finally, my current goal on Combined Arms is to figure out what constitutes good cover... on the graphics (or lack thereof) that a GT430 can supply, so when I do finally play with my Huey buddy, I can actually find somewhere I'm not painfully obvious with the naked eye, so I can go poke and jab at him until he panics and smacks into something. Other than that, I'm working on figuring out how you groupup units, so I can go out and get a cigar and blindfold for my graphics card, give it both, then let loose 20+ Zeus' and see what happens. (Besides a beautiful sky full of thousands of tracers, of course!)

[Chernaren Refugee]

Not much. Its nowhere near what I'm looking for. Just going to have to wait for DCS and partners / third parties to start making real vehicle modules and infantry. DCS: Tunguska would be nice! Of course I think your going to have to come down some on your prices and/or start making group packs for a decent price if you really want to attract buyers.

[Exorcet]

Not much. Its nowhere near what I'm looking for. Just going to have to wait for DCS and partners / third parties to start making real vehicle modules and infantry. DCS: Tunguska would be nice! Of course I think your going to have to come down some on your prices and/or start making group packs for a decent price if you really want to attract buyers.

That's sort of what CA (and FC3) are. There probably isn't a way to avoid spending a lot to get a decent collection of DCS modules unless you wait a bunch of them to both get old and go on sale.

[vicx]

I'm hoping CA will one day allow a game master to add real time smarts to ground units and ships. If you could do all the stuff in the mission builder during a live game then you would be almost there.

[jib]

I'm hoping CA will one day allow a game master to add real time smarts to ground units and ships. If you could do all the stuff in the mission builder during a live game then you would be almost there.

 

I'm not sure what you mean?

you have just described what combined arms is like now.

You can do most of the things in game with CA that you do in the mission builder (I assume it uses the very similar code) the only thing you cannot do is add new units and triggers.

[shagrat]

Well, spawning more Tanks when the battalion or platoon is on the loosing side, is pretty much cheating... what you can easily achieve today is placing reserves in the back and let them keep a distance to the action...

If you use the realistic templates for a Russian tank regiment or mot infantry regiment, you have a nice realistic setup to start from!

[Skitter]

Hi, Sorry for digging out this thread. Last time I had posted a video here, people where happy about it, so I allow myself to insolently :beer: post another one

You can definiately call it "Combined arms" example. There is a human JTAC player, A10C's, KA-50's and a Huey.

https://youtu.be/mrxCmf_FLos

Edited April 21, 2015 by Skitter

[Sabre-TLA]

We just released our Basic Vehicle Qualification Campaign for the M1A2 Abrams.

 

You can view the details about it here.

[Catastrophy]

For RP and immersion (doing scripted event missions as prelude to larger missions, creating huge battles with special effects)

For training uncle Teamus, Deamus and Seamus use in my A-10C

For viewing all the things in action (during sunrise)

For being disappointed that cannon muzzle flashes are not very spectacular in the dark.

For trying to figure out how reloading ammo works.

[Pikey]

CA is awesome for providing something important for the air groups to do. Specifically we have always had fun with convoy escorts. With as little as two players you can call out targets with an urgency that provides immersion.

 

Never mind 9-lines, never mind IR pointers, never mind smoke, never mind laser designation...

 

"WATCH MY TRACER, WATCH MY TRACER"

[chardly38]

In the last 3 months I have taken down 5 Mi-24. Watch them fall

[shagrat]

Well, yesterday we had a blast in a mission I actually designed for MEDEVAC and CAS in the Huey and Ka-50, and A-10C.

I had some JTACs added over time and some towns/villages had some pretty heavy defenses (AAA - Manpads, armored vehicles) making it basically off limits for Blufor patrols and the Huey's.

Yesterday I added CA slots, two Mig-21 slots and took control of the JTACs... Then we decided to give Tshkinvali defense forces a good hard workout.

I called in the Mig-21 and A-10 flights from Vaziani and used relaxed talk ons and smoke markers to guide them onto AAA and Manpads, guided some LGB strikes with the Laser designator and called out mobile AAA patrols etc. on the fly.

Tremendous fun for everybody... As JTAC you can see the Manpads launching and call break turns for the planes. Easier locate the AAA when the MIGs come in diving at 50° angle, yet too fast for the ZU-23s to hit them. Total new experience to move on the ground, using hill slopes as cover, lurking on a ridge and calling out targets.

Next was a village in the mountains. Infested with insurgents. Support from above took out the bunkers and AAA. Then I picked out the infantry with the 20mm HE, while the A-10s picked the APCs one by one... On we went to Leningori with again some AAA and APCs, lots of insurgents on foot. So one of us took a Huey and went in to "drop some troops" (well, if the CTTS would be working...yet he pummeled the ground troops with the guns).

Finally we had a mortar attack on a Forward Observation Base in Igueti that we defended.

Searched the hills for the mortars, in with the Huey's to take them down and in response the bad guys launched an RPG ambush on the FOB!

Hell broke lose! Casualties! Multiple RPG strikes on Humvees and APCs at the FOB. Huey's in to the rescue (Medevac) and I was rushing in with a Bradley from the nearby FARP / Operations Base when the Mortar attack started... Arrived in the middle of the first RPG strikes and circled around to flank a group of insurgents on a ridge line northeast of our FOB. Nailed them with the 7.62 heavy MG and pummeled some positions with 20mmHE. Swiftly changing firing positions... Then I saw what seemed to be heavy calibre rounds coming from an armed building. Time to call in something big. One of the MIGs was available and some ordnance quickly silenced that guys. With the firefight dying down, it was time to get the casualties out so I took the high ground watching over the FOB at the crossing, covering the Huey that came in to pick up our guys.

As soon as he picked up the first group a second wave of insurgents, obviously waiting for the medevac that was sure to happen opened fire, and we had to cover the Huey. I could see tracers but the insurgents his behind trees and buildings so I gave them some 20mm HE as good as possible.

Good, we still had a Huey in the air with miniguns! After a few minutes the firefight subdued and I rushed in to get the remaining enemies hiding between the houses while the second Huey covered our Medevac that just came back for the remaining casualties.

We pulled out of Igueti back to base under the minigun's cover and called it a day.

Round about three hours of fun, with a mission we never played that way... Can't wait for DCS 2.x and the new ground detail it may brings... Yes, the visuals on the ground are less stunning than in ArmA, the trees are invisible to the AI and so on, but still you can have tremendous fun with CA. For JTACs I recommend setting them to "invisible" in the advanced waypoint actions to simulate "good cover" and stealth. To be fair you shouldn't engage the enemy with invisible JTACs, keep to the mission and call in airstrike, observe, spot and designate, but don't go in guns blazing with an invisible tank.

 

That's what we did with CA :D

Edited April 26, 2015 by shagrat

[Sabre-TLA]

Great post shagrat!

 

We are also having a blast playing as enemy SAMs and AAA, playing JTAC and having huge tank battles with the VFA 113 and the INTA HUMAR.

 

You can read about our missions on this thread.

[Pikey]

I recall a mission with myself and a colleague in a convoy having to call for air support and having a four ship human chopper flight purring over us, nap of the earth, miniguns blaring. It's the best place to view the action, from the deck.

[Yurgon]

Well, yesterday we had a blast in a mission I actually designed for MEDEVAC and CAS in the Huey and Ka-50, and A-10C. [...]

 

This was one of the very few occasions I was completely winchester with the A-10C (I still had almost a full load of CM, but the gun had been damaged; other than that, I'd expanded 4*AGM-65D, 6*GBU-12 and 2*GBU-38 ), and that was just part of the ordinance expanded by the allied aircraft. :)

 

Having shagrat on the ground was massively immersive. We kept comms pretty relaxed and casual, deciding on the go whether to talk the pilot's eyes onto the target, mark the target with smoke or provide coordinates. The same went for lasing; this was the first time I had my LGBs lased by someone else and it worked 100% every time.

Also, quite often, some of the aircraft would spot convoys on the move and alert the JTAC to their presence. That mission was a blast! :thumbup:

 

I also managed to stay more heads up than I usually do, maintaining a higher level of SA. Still nowhere near what real pilots would strive for, but small progress is progress nonetheless. :smartass:

 

One of the guys loves to complain how slow the A-10 is; for this mission he picked a MiG-21. Of course I never stopped teasing him when he was winchester or bingo fuel (I didn't keep track, but he must have RTB'd like 4 times, if not more) while I still had a very comfortable amount of weapons and fuel left. :D

[Daisai]

Nothing, i expected to be able to control vehicles in a realistic way and the only thing you can do is basicly control a few vehicles in the most arcade way you can think of, at least not the level of detail you would expect after playing other DCS games.

[audax]

One of the guys loves to complain how slow the A-10 is; for this mission he picked a MiG-21. Of course I never stopped teasing him when he was winchester or bingo fuel (I didn't keep track, but he must have RTB'd like 4 times, if not more) while I still had a very comfortable amount of weapons and fuel left. :D

At least 5 times. The first time I showed up, a SAM surprised me (and the JTAC ;) ), my other loss was a crash into the ground and I once lost part of my electrics (don't know why…). The rest of my landings were just rearmings.

 

I've fired hundreds of rockets, a dozen S-24B rockets (WOW!), a few gunpods and I screwed up a few bomb deliveries.

 

It was very fun and something I couldn't do without a proper human JTAC since you can't see shit with your Mark I eyeballs at 5000m.

[shagrat]

Yep, TacView said it was two missiles from the Manpads that I missed, lucky for you the first one missed you, too. :D

Was trying to pinpoint that bloody AAA in the city center with the binos, so looking through the straw at that particular run.

I learned a few things, quickly:

-give directions for egress at least.

-after marking targets or talk on, keep your head on the swivel, unless you have to lase the target.

-there is always another MANPAD lurking in the area.

[Windsortheater]

I dream of combined arms turning into a collaboration between dcs and arma3.

[shagrat]

Difficult as DCS focus' on Real Life Planes and Vehicles you will have difficulties to find ArmA III like "M2A1 Slammer Tanks" or the "T-100 Varsuk tank, nor does anybody plan on modules like the "To-199 Neophron" or the "A-164 Wipeout"... If ArmA III would implement large maps and real planes and vehicles, than it could be an interesting option. :D

[BimC]

I dream of combined arms turning into a collaboration between dcs and arma3.

 

As for the infantry, yes, that would be cool.

 

As for the heavy machinery as well as planning and troop coordination, I would recommend Stealbeasts Pro.

 

With that said, hopefully CA develops itself to a leading position in all areas over time.