Getting AI to illuminate a target

[609_Relentov]

I've been unable to get aircraft or helo's to illuminate ground targets or an area designated in the advanced waypoints area. I saw this in the hot tops thread, but it seems out of date as some of the info doesn't seem to apply to DSC 1.5:

 

Get AI to illuminate and mark targets.

 

Heres what i do:...

 

1. Su25T with SAB-100 illumination flare bombs, S-8TsM smoke rockets & mercury targeting pod. (depending on what you need)

2. Set Task to AFAC

3. Set Skill to Excellent (on normal... they rarely did as they were asked)

4. Set Target to both Point and Vehicles (planes had mix of flares and smoke rockets, and they illuminated the area and marked targets with smoke.

5. Make sure they fly over the target using waypoints. (sounds obvious, but..)

6. Altitude was at 2,500m (adjust this if the planes are not seeing their targets)

 

I had two Su25T flying a loop dropping flares and marking targets just as i wanted.

 

namely #4, setting target to point and vehicles. When you edit the waypoint actions, you have perform action and start enroute task, with sub-options, but it's not clear how it relates to statement #4 above. I think this was for back in DCS 1.2 or earlier. Has anyone had any success getting AI to illuminate anything in DCS 1.5+?

 

I've got a mission I'm working on thats starting at 5:30AM so it's still dark. I've tried using an SU-25T with the LLTV pod and SAB100's and it flies over the target but never drops the bombs. Similarly I"ve tried an A10C with the rocket pods with illumination w/parachute but it never fires them. I've used mission type of AFAC, ground attack, CAS.... no luck so far.

 

Thanks for any tips (using DCS 1.5+ please).

 

Relent

[MadDog-IC]

I've been unable to get aircraft or helo's to illuminate ground targets or an area designated in the advanced waypoints area. I saw this in the hot tops thread, but it seems out of date as some of the info doesn't seem to apply to DSC 1.5:

 

 

 

namely #4, setting target to point and vehicles. When you edit the waypoint actions, you have perform action and start enroute task, with sub-options, but it's not clear how it relates to statement #4 above. I think this was for back in DCS 1.2 or earlier. Has anyone had any success getting AI to illuminate anything in DCS 1.5+?

 

I've got a mission I'm working on thats starting at 5:30AM so it's still dark. I've tried using an SU-25T with the LLTV pod and SAB100's and it flies over the target but never drops the bombs. Similarly I"ve tried an A10C with the rocket pods with illumination w/parachute but it never fires them. I've used mission type of AFAC, ground attack, CAS.... no luck so far.

 

Thanks for any tips (using DCS 1.5+ please).

 

Relent

 

Have used the Su-25t and others with SAB-100 Candle Bombs, they work fine as described, I ust to use 3000-3500m for height in 1.216, but in Dcs 1.5 they have to be dropped at approx 2500-2000 for them to light properly.

 

I just use normal bombing commands, but instead of describing it I will attach a couple of mission with it working in, these are from the Ka-50 Deployment Campaign I have just finished fixing.

 

Regards, Ian.

[609_Relentov]

Thanks Ian - appreciate your including mission files, as I was able to figure it out.

 

The key ingredient I needed to add was to Perform Command > Invisible :). Apparently the aircraft was so concerned about enemy ground units that it was distracted from it's objective. Also, I had the waypoints at 10000 feet and the aircraft dropped the candle bombs without any issues.

 

I also liked your use of Perform Command > Switch Waypoint to send him back to the previous waypoint and make the run again. I used Set Option > RTB on out of ammo/Candle bombs and he RTB's as expected once he dropped the last candle bomb (i.e. he continued onto the next waypoints).

 

So here were my waypoints and actions for anyone else interested:

 

Aircraft: Su-25

Loadout SAB-100*8, R-60*2

Task: AFAC

Skill: Excellent

 

WP0 (starting point, Turning point):

Perform Command > Invisible

Set Option > RTB on out of ammo (Candle bombs)

 

WP1 (ingress to target, Turning point:

Perform Task > Bombing (Candle bombs; qty: One)

 

WP2 (past target, Turning point - line between WP1 and WP2 passes near/over target area):

Perform Command > Switch Waypoint (to waypoint: WP1)

 

WP3 (egress from target, Turning point):

 

WP4 (Landing)

 

Worked great - thanks again Ian!

 

Relent

[609_Relentov]

Actually a minor update to the advanced waypoint actions...

 

I needed to add:

 

Perform Command > Invisible

 

for WP1 and WP2 as it was inconsistent - i.e. the Su-25 sometimes just flew over the target after dropping the candle bombs just once. Making it invisible on the waypoints that had the bombing action seemed to do the trick. I also added

 

Set Option > RTB on out of ammo (Candle bombs)

 

to these waypoints as well to ensure it would RTB (this may be overkill since this is an option and thus should apply to all waypoints)