Target Acquisition Advice

[jcbak]

Old guy, new to DCS World....many years of flight sim (mostly civilian helicopters).....I'm addicted to DCS......its bad....I have a problem.....but I can handle it.....I can quit anytime I want.....really......

 

Anyway.....I need some advice regarding targets. There have been times recently during multiplayer (no wing man) when I've come across a cluster of AAA (hidden on map). I get a visual on the target based on the tracers. (I'm not a fan of labels and try to avoid them although used them in the beginning). I want to target the AAA. A gun run would be suicide. What I've done is create an overhead mark, egress the area and set up one of my Mavericks. As I make my way back to the Mark point, I scan the area with the TGP. That's where my problem comes in, since the Mark point isn't exactly on their location, its very difficult to acquire the targets. I've developed a much better eye for spotting targets than when I began, but it is taking WAY TOO long to find the targets. There must be a better way. I've tried triangulation with SAMS but haven't had any great success with that either as far as acquiring the targets in a timely manner. I may just need more practice.......

 

Any suggestions are appreciated.

[Blooze]

I have been doing this a long time and can't think of a better way other than perhaps increasing my distance from the target area and reducing speed to give myself more time to scan with the TGP. I believe that in real life the tracers would indeed point more accurately to their source than what is modeled in this sim and if it were possible to accurately model this feature it would prove to be more effective for target location. Real A-10 pilots have admitted to flying low on purpose to draw enemy fire so the pilot could pinpoint their location. I'll be watching this thread for other suggestions and thanks for posting the question.

[Boris]

Why not set the SPI with the HUD and slew your TGP to it once you've created a bit of distance, then run back in?

 

At least that way you'd get the SPI as close to the AAA as possible.

[Justin Case]

Why not set the SPI with the HUD and slew your TGP to it once you've created a bit of distance, then run back in?

 

At least that way you'd get the SPI as close to the AAA as possible.

 

Doing that while you're in close might be a bit dangerous, if you're too close that is.

 

I try to look for visual cue next to where I know or think the target is, so when I look through the TGP I might see "that powerline" or whatever again which was close to the AAA.

[baltic_dragon]

When it comes to TGP, have you tried to play a bit with Contrast / Brightness settings and then changing between the three vision modes using the Boat Switch? When set up correctly it makes distinguishing the targets from the background much easier, though it takes some time to fine-tune it.

Edited April 3, 2014 by baltic_dragon
Yay! A 100th post!

[kontiuka]

I'd have to kind of agree with Blooze. Using the tagetting pod in conjunction with mav's from a good distance (5+ miles) is a deadly combination. Using the corelate function on the AGM-65H also increases your engagement range.

[WildBillKelsoe]

so your problem is that

A) You can't spot targets unless you're very close to them

B) you can't set SPI without a markpoint and that leads to an altitude markpoint.

 

 

 

For A, I think you need to tweak your view.LUA file (after backing up) per PeterP's instructions on FOV distance. The zoom level maxed out default is shit compared to real life.

 

The A-10's loiter capability is what you should be using at slow speeds. Get high, get close but not too close, and start looking around the area.

 

For B, you can edit markpoint elevation using CDU rotary on Markpoint then with DMS up and down cycle waypoints till desired one appears on TAD with wedding cake yellow. Then you punch in 0 on ELEV field line respective LSK. This should get your TGP or SOI on ground level instead of current conditions altitude.

[Dejjvid]

I don't use overhead marks a lot, but are you saying they also mark the current aircraft elevation?

[Winfield_Gold]

interesting. on the TGP press Right ALT + left arrow key once on the keyboard which will change the thermal settings from white hot to black. Targets will usually be much easier to find as they show up white on black background.

 

then press use ; . , / to find a target with the TGP, once you found a tank use right control + up arrow for about 3 seconds which will change the spi to tgp, this changes the TGP from steerpoint to the target you are looking at. bring up the MAV MFD and set it as SOI. hold "v" on the keyboard and it will slew the maverick to the target that you are looking at with the TGP, if you just press "V" once it will zoom the maverick mdf closer to the target, press it again and it zooms out. on the maverick MFD you will see SLEW on the right side and it's default to 5, press 8 on the front centre console and then press on the mfd button next to the 5 for the maverick, it slows the slew rate for the maverick down and makes it easier to manually slew the maverick to targets closer to the TGP target.

 

1 last thing, when you slew the maverick to the TGP you will have the crosshairs focused on the target, you need to manually move the maverick slew just a touch to get it to lock on if it does not lock on. Just 1 touch of either the , / ; . when the maverick is set as SOI is usually enough and if you are in range.

 

Not sure what joystick you have, so I added the keyboard functions.

[Blooze]

so your problem is that

A) You can't spot targets unless you're very close to them

B) you can't set SPI without a markpoint and that leads to an altitude markpoint.

 

 

 

For A, I think you need to tweak your view.LUA file (after backing up) per PeterP's instructions on FOV distance. The zoom level maxed out default is shit compared to real life.

 

The A-10's loiter capability is what you should be using at slow speeds. Get high, get close but not too close, and start looking around the area.

 

For B, you can edit markpoint elevation using CDU rotary on Markpoint then with DMS up and down cycle waypoints till desired one appears on TAD with wedding cake yellow. Then you punch in 0 on ELEV field line respective LSK. This should get your TGP or SOI on ground level instead of current conditions altitude.

Can you post a link to PeterP's instructions?

[kontiuka]

I can see using the overhead mark if you've been jumped by AAA that you didn't see and you want to quickly mark the position before egressing for a propper attack run. Otherwise, I would use the TGP and make a SPI from a distance.

[hcf]

AAA is really hard to spot, especially the ZU-23, because it's tiny...might show up as one hot pixel at highest zoom level, typically looks like a fuzz ball until you get really zoomed in.

 

Contrast helps. I find that I still need to zoom in every once in awhile to get a good look (use wide mode to slew quickly, narrow to spot check for AAA). Make sure you are running with high render distances in options...or you'll have pop ups for real.

 

HTH.

 

1 last thing, when you slew the maverick to the TGP you will have the crosshairs focused on the target, you need to manually move the maverick slew just a touch to get it to lock on if it does not lock on. Just 1 touch of either the , / ; . when the maverick is set as SOI is usually enough and if you are in range.

 

Not sure what joystick you have, so I added the keyboard functions.

 

FYI, find the key binding for TMS up. Use TMS up short while mav is SOI and slaved to SPI, and it will try to acquire target without breaking slave. While mav is slaved, and TGP is providing SPI, you can slew TGP and mav will follow. I never slew mav directly, personally, I find TGP and TAD easier to use. So on Mav runs I put TGP on left MFCD and mav on right.

[Winfield_Gold]

I never slew mav directly, personally, I find TGP and TAD easier to use. So on Mav runs I put TGP on left MFCD and mav on right.

 

As hcf said, I also have the TGP on left MFD and mav on right. i left that out. keyboard shortcut to automatically slew mav to tgp is to hold "v" with the mav mfd set as SOI. I don't use keyboard keys to slew anything, it's set up on my stick so I don't use keyboard much at all.

 

when it comes to guided munitions, you will need to change the tgp to target a point not STP. Otherwise you will only end up dropping bombs on the waypoint markers

 

that might be worded wrong but you will know you are on a win when the hud lower left says TGP not STP

[jcbak]

Thanks for the suggestions. That didn't take long.

[WildBillKelsoe]

Can you post a link to PeterP's instructions?

 

I would if I could. Would have to dig up the thread. Give me some time please as I'm away from my simming rig and i will post my file for your use

 

Sorry I can't recall poster (it usually is Peter but it is either snapviews.LUA OR view.LUA

 

and you should be looking for

 

Snap[11][13]["viewAngle"] = 83.0

 

Set to, IIRC, Lower values gives higher zoom (or maybe vice versa).

 

MOST IMPORTANTLY... BACK IT UP BEFORE MESSING IT UP!!!

Edited April 3, 2014 by WildBillKelsoe

[Blooze]

I would if I could. Would have to dig up the thread. Give me some time please as I'm away from my simming rig and i will post my file for your use

 

Sorry I can't recall poster (it usually is Peter but it is either snapviews.LUA OR view.LUA

 

and you should be looking for

 

Snap[11][13]["viewAngle"] = 83.0

 

Set to, IIRC, Lower values gives higher zoom (or maybe vice versa).

 

MOST IMPORTANTLY... BACK IT UP BEFORE MESSING IT UP!!!

I think I found what you are referring to HERE but I have never been able to get my gun to fire when using that snap view. What am I missing?

Edited April 3, 2014 by Blooze

[WildBillKelsoe]

OK, hold on because I'm not referring to snap views AT ALL.

 

I'm referring to increasing maximum zoom FOV.

 

The tweak I'm referring to will let the letters on the UFC appear as giant numbers that you can actually see the first pixelation making up these numbers.

 

OK, the file I'm referring to is view.LUA

 

In this file, change the following line first number (20) to a lower value like 5

CameraViewAngleLimits[A_10A] = {20.0, 140.0}

 

 

so after change

 

CameraViewAngleLimits[A_10A] = {5.0, 140.0}

 

or it could be

 

CameraViewAngleLimits[A_10A] = {5, 140.0}

 

Then save. This should work per this Spanish thread

 

http://www.escuadron69.net/v20/foro/index.php?/topic/53729-truquillos-para-reconocimiento-visual/

 

In other words, the zoom will not be limited and if you are within 10 miles from a point, you should, engage bank autopilot, then make trackIR to PRECISION, otherwise any tiny head movement will not make you focus on anything.

 

As a workaround to my excess trackIR yaw profile, I set template not mirrored and let my left hand side be 1:1.5 or 2 movement replica, and the right hand side to 1:4 so I can grab the CDU. It is now practice that I start looking with left side only (meaning I'm starboard to any point)

Edited April 4, 2014 by WildBillKelsoe

[Blooze]

OK, hold on because I'm not referring to snap views AT ALL.

 

I'm referring to increasing maximum zoom FOV.

 

The tweak I'm referring to will let the letters on the UFC appear as giant numbers that you can actually see the first pixelation making up these numbers.

 

OK, the file I'm referring to is view.LUA

 

In this file, change the following line first number (20) to a lower value like 5

CameraViewAngleLimits[A_10A] = {20.0, 140.0}

 

 

so after change

 

CameraViewAngleLimits[A_10A] = {5.0, 140.0}

 

or it could be

 

CameraViewAngleLimits[A_10A] = {5, 140.0}

 

Then save. This should work per this Spanish thread

 

http://www.escuadron69.net/v20/foro/index.php?/topic/53729-truquillos-para-reconocimiento-visual/

 

In other words, the zoom will not be limited and if you are within 10 miles from a point, you should, engage bank autopilot, then make trackIR to PRECISION, otherwise any tiny head movement will not make you focus on anything.

 

As a workaround to my excess trackIR yaw profile, I set template not mirrored and let my left hand side be 1:1.5 or 2 movement replica, and the right hand side to 1:4 so I can grab the CDU. It is now practice that I start looking with left side only (meaning I'm starboard to any point)

I am not seeing these settings in the view.lua file.

[WildBillKelsoe]

then ED must have changed it. Oh, I forgot to mention I'm using 1.1.1.1 SORRY!

[Blooze]

then ED must have changed it. Oh, I forgot to mention I'm using 1.1.1.1 SORRY!

:(

[Maverick-X]

Don't have time right now to read the whole thread, so this is perhaps already mentioned, but I want to throw in my two cents:

 

When you get engaged by AAA and spot them visually, try to remember their location in reference to landmarks like villages and rivers. Then break away, turn back in and fire the maverick. Main thing is reaquireing the target after the turn, ofc. I guess only training will get you ahead with this tactic. The TGP is quite useless at these ranges. For target search I find 20nm is a good distance to possible target location. If you have them almost on spot 10nm will work, but any closer only the good ol' mark1 eyeball will work for efficient target aquisition. The zoom feature really comes in handy! (and headtracking like TrackIR ofc)

 

To the overall Issue of being engaged by AAA: you fly to low! You can only risk getting that low when you are sure to have destroyed all antiair assets or know of their existence and decide it is a reasonable risk to take. Go low and have a strela there, chances are good you end up at least as a mission kill.

[ralfidude]

I do this, it's not the most effective, but it gets the job done in a timely fashion. Practice is your friend, but luck is even better:

 

[Drunken_Skull]

interesting. on the TGP press Right ALT + left arrow key once on the keyboard which will change the thermal settings from white hot to black. Targets will usually be much easier to find as they show up white on black background.

 

then press use ; . , / to find a target with the TGP, once you found a tank use right control + up arrow for about 3 seconds which will change the spi to tgp, this changes the TGP from steerpoint to the target you are looking at. bring up the MAV MFD and set it as SOI. hold "v" on the keyboard and it will slew the maverick to the target that you are looking at with the TGP, if you just press "V" once it will zoom the maverick mdf closer to the target, press it again and it zooms out. on the maverick MFD you will see SLEW on the right side and it's default to 5, press 8 on the front centre console and then press on the mfd button next to the 5 for the maverick, it slows the slew rate for the maverick down and makes it easier to manually slew the maverick to targets closer to the TGP target.

 

1 last thing, when you slew the maverick to the TGP you will have the crosshairs focused on the target, you need to manually move the maverick slew just a touch to get it to lock on if it does not lock on. Just 1 touch of either the , / ; . when the maverick is set as SOI is usually enough and if you are in range.

 

Not sure what joystick you have, so I added the keyboard functions.

 

Another method would be to use the TGP to point track the target and set SPI (making sure the TGP isn't masked).

 

Then swap to the MAV MFD press V to slew the seeker head to SPI.

 

Finally press TMS short UP ( Lctrl + up arrow ) to manually lock the seeker to the SPI, then FIRE! (I find I may have to try the manual lock a few times as it doesn't always work first time). That way you don't have to slew the MAV at all in the last step wich can potentially lose your track.

 

I also found this vid very helpfull..

 

 

Edited April 6, 2014 by Drunken_Skull