Attack Action Improvements

[MBot]

I am having a bit a frustrating experience in using the existing options for attack actions to get the AI to do realistic air-ground attacks. There are some issues with the sequencing with multiple target points.

 

Let's take the premise of a basic air ground strike. 4 planes with bombs attacking a target with 3 individual target points, attacking simultaneously and releasing all bombs in a single run. Here is to closest you can set this up in DCS:

 

 

What will happen with this: Lead will drop all bombs on target 1, the rest will stay in formation. Then the flight will make a large circle and number 2 will attack target 2. 3 and 4 stay in formation. Then the flight will make another large circle and 3 will attack target 3. Not exactly a smart attack.

 

Now if we select "Group Attack" for the first target, then all 4 planes will drop simultaneous on target 1. So this isn't what we want either.

 

What we really want is that action 1 is satisfied immediately as soon as lead get's assigned to it (max attack quantity 1, so only one aircraft needed). Number two immediately and simultaneously get's attack action two, without waiting target 1 to be destroyed, etc. In this example, aircraft 4 would not attack. To get 4 to attack as well, I would either change attack quantity to 2 for one of the 3 actions, or add a 4th action with one of the existing targets (so one target would be struck twice).

[MBot]

Next let's have a look at anti-ship missile strikes. What I am expecting here is smooth flying, launching all missiles distributed on all eligible targets in one salvo and no loitering around the target ships. Saturation attacks are the norm in naval warfare in order overcome the air defenses of warships, so I want to be able to depict such attacks in DCS.

 

For anti-ship we have a multitude of options in the ME to set this up. Our standard mission here is a 4 ship Tornado flight, each with 4 ASM, attacking a group of 3 ships. Let's see what happens.

 

 

 

Attack Group

-Multiple aircraft in the flight launch missiles simultaneously, starting with lead.

-Not all missiles are launched. It seems the number is dependent on firepower needed to sink the targets.

-As ASM are killed by air defenses, flight re-attacks until are missiles are spent.

-No saturation of target.

 

 

 

Attack Unit, one action per target, one target with two actions

-Lead launches all missiles, then starts maneuvers. Flight stays in formation.

-When lead missiles are launched, two breaks formation and launches missiles.

-When two has launched, 3 breaks formation and launches missiles.

-When first missiles are killed by air defenses, 4 launches missiles.

 

 

 

Search then Engage Group

-Multiple aircraft in the flight launch missiles simultaneously, starting with lead.

-Not all missiles are launched. It seems the number is dependent on firepower needed to sink the targets.

-As ASM are killed by air defenses, flight re-attacks.

 

 

 

Search then Engage Unit, 4 actions, one per target, one target twice

-Simultaneous full launch of lead, two and three.

-4 re-attacks and launches when ASM are killed by air defenses.

 

 

 

Search then Engage in Zone

 

Doesn't seem to work, no aircraft engages.

 

 

As a conclusion, you cannot set up a saturation attack in DCS without loitering around the target and re-attacks. Also there is a lot erratic maneuvering making the attack look anything but smooth.

[MBot]

Here is an example with ground vehicles.

 

A group of 4 F-15E armed with 12 Mk-82AIR each is attacking a SAM site.

 

 

The good news is that each flight member is attacking an individual target vehicle simultaneously. The bad news is that we are missing advanced options like for Attack Unit. What is happening is that the 4 Strike Eagles are orbiting the target for 10 minutes and dropping pairs of bombs until all vehicles are destroyed, instead of dropping a stick of 12 Mk-82 and getting the hell out of there. The first way of attacking has its place in certain situations, but if we cannot chose, it is a horrible tactic to be stuck with.

[Silver_Dragon]

good finds Mbot, expeted a improve about them.

[MBot]

Perhaps we can narrow down the most basic improvements to these three:

 

1. Advanced options (weapons, quantity, n° attacks etc.) are enabled for all attack actions (currently only for attack/engage unit).

2. Max Attack Quantity: Selecting two results in the leader and the wingman attacking simultaneously (currently it results in the leader attacking twice with the wingman being idle).

3. Wingman that are excluded by the Max Attack Quantity of an action switch to the next attack action for this waypoint if available.

[Justificus]

Excellent observations MBot!

[Stonehouse]

It'd be nice to be able to specify the style of bombing (level, dive, loft etc etc) too

[MBot]

Just a small heads-up. Weapon type and expenditure can be enforced for every task by writing the respective variable directly into the mission file. Other advanced attack options such has attack quantity are ignored though.