Some A10C questions

[Jogui3000]

About the laser guided bombs, which mode is better, auto laser or manual? At which altitude does the bomb (GBU-12) have enought energy to hit the target?

 

What exactly are the laser codes for?

 

How can I lase for a buddy? And is it possible to lase for other planes that are not the A10C?

 

What is the SPI ON and OFF on the TAD display for?

 

About the Laser guided and GPS guided bombs, Can I drop them and engage other targets (with the same bombs) without waiting for the impact?

 

One last thing... About the GAU-8/A Avenger

 

I've been flying the A10C for some weeks now and it seens that the GAU-8 is doing almost no damage to tanks and BMPs? (Using Combat Mix Ammo, sometimes I fire like 200 rounds in one single vehicle and there is no damage!) I've tried Everything, Frontal, side, rear and even the roof of the tanks. (I am indeed shooting from less than 2nm)

 

Is it only me or is someone else also having that problem? :helpsmilie:

 

EDIT: By the way one more question... Is there anyway to be precise using CCRP with the stupid bombs? (non-guided weapons?)

[Padi]

Fire from 0.6 nm or closer!

[Jogui3000]

Fire from 0.6 nm or closer!

 

Quite dangerous, since the AI has a Super OP Aimbot, if I get to 0.6Nm I'll be dead, those machine guns are dead accurate :/

[Aginor]

About the laser guided bombs, which mode is better, auto laser or manual? At which altitude does the bomb (GBU-12) have enought energy to hit the target?

 

You can use both. When lasing manually I recommend using "latch on" so you don't have to hold the key.

When auto-lasing keep in mind that lasing for too long or too short may cause you to miss, so you have to adjust for altitude.

EDIT: I like dropping them from 15,000ft, with 10-15 seconds laser time.

 

What exactly are the laser codes for?

That way several planes (or even one plane) could - theoretically at least - drop multiple bombs on multiple targets simulataneously without a bomb following the wrong laser.

 

How can I lase for a buddy? And is it possible to lase for other planes that are not the A10C?

Yes, it is possible. It basically works like when you are dropping the bomb. Your buddy has to tell you he is inbound, and when he drops the bombs you start your laser (manually), and you lase until impact.

It works with other planes, too (or at least it should).

 

What is the SPI ON and OFF on the TAD display for?

It means your plane is broadcasting your SPI over the data link, so other planes in your group can see where your SPI is. Very useful when flying online and you found a target for your wingman to attack.

 

 

About the Laser guided and GPS guided bombs, Can I drop them and engage other targets (with the same bombs) without waiting for the impact?

For GPS-Guided bombs: yes.

For Laser guided bombs: Whoever is lasing has to do that until impact. So yes if you are not the one lasing, no if you are the one lasing.

 

One last thing... About the GAU-8/A Avenger

 

I've been flying the A10C for some weeks now and it seens that the GAU-8 is doing almost no damage to tanks and BMPs? (Using Combat Mix Ammo, sometimes I fire like 200 rounds in one single vehicle and there is no damage!) I've tried Everything, Frontal, side, rear and even the roof of the tanks. (I am indeed shooting from less than 2nm)

 

Is it only me or is someone else also having that problem? :helpsmilie:

Modern tanks are tough. And maybe (ongoing discussion) the Gau-8 is too weak in DCSW. But you can destroy tanks. Try hitting them from not too far away and from above or behind. Front armor is very tough to crack.

 

EDIT: By the way one more question... Is there anyway to be precise using CCRP with the stupid bombs? (non-guided weapons?)

Try dropping from a steep angle and at a rather high speed.

Also practice of course. :)

Edited March 24, 2016 by Aginor

[QuiGon]

About the laser guided bombs, which mode is better, auto laser or manual? At which altitude does the bomb (GBU-12) have enought energy to hit the target?

There is not really a better or worse lasing mode. Auto-lase provides you carefree handling, because the laser is beeing fired automatically, while in manual mode you have to do it yourself, but you also have more control over the laser.

I don't quite understand your question regarding altitude/energy? The CCRP solution will tell you at all altitudes when you're at the right distance to drop the bomb, which depends on altitude and speed.

 

What exactly are the laser codes for?

It is used to enable multiple aircraft to drop different bombs on different targets nearby, because the LGB can distinguish the different lasers by their codes.

 

How can I lase for a buddy? And is it possible to lase for other planes that are not the A10C?

You tell your body to drop a LGB on a specific target and when he releases the bomb you just fire your laser on the target. You both need to use the same laser code of course.

Yes, it is possible to buddy lase for other planes. For now, only the Mirage 2000C can use them (and needs buddy lasing, because it lacks a TGP), but in the future there will be more planes like the F/A-18.

 

What is the SPI ON and OFF on the TAD display for?

It is used to broadcast your SPI on the data link, so everyone with the same NET-ID will see where your SPI is pointing at on their TAD if it's activated.

 

About the Laser guided and GPS guided bombs, Can I drop them and engage other targets (with the same bombs) without waiting for the impact

When using LGBs you have to wait until the bomb impacts before you can attack another target, because you have just one laser and he needs to guide the bomb until it impacts. When using JDAMs (GPS) you don't have to wait, because they're guided by their own GPS/INS system. You can drop multiple bombs on different targets at the same time.

 

One last thing... About the GAU-8/A Avenger

 

I've been flying the A10C for some weeks now and it seens that the GAU-8 is doing almost no damage to tanks and BMPs? (Using Combat Mix Ammo, sometimes I fire like 200 rounds in one single vehicle and there is no damage!) I've tried Everything, Frontal, side, rear and even the roof of the tanks. (I am indeed shooting from less than 2nm)

 

Is it only me or is someone else also having that problem? :helpsmilie:

The problem is the damage simulation of DCS for ground (and naval) units, which is just a healthpoint system, where a unit dies if it's healthbar drops to 0% (you can see the health bars for friendly units on the F-10 map). The Avenger usally does not kill tanks by blowing them up, but it causes major damage on the tanks systems or killing the crew inside. DCS does not simulate that kind of damage unfortunately.

[Zabuzard]

About the laser guided bombs, which mode is better, auto laser or manual? At which altitude does the bomb (GBU-12) have enought energy to hit the target?

 

What exactly are the laser codes for?

 

How can I lase for a buddy? And is it possible to lase for other planes that are not the A10C?

 

What is the SPI ON and OFF on the TAD display for?

 

About the Laser guided and GPS guided bombs, Can I drop them and engage other targets (with the same bombs) without waiting for the impact?

 

One last thing... About the GAU-8/A Avenger

 

I've been flying the A10C for some weeks now and it seens that the GAU-8 is doing almost no damage to tanks and BMPs? (Using Combat Mix Ammo, sometimes I fire like 200 rounds in one single vehicle and there is no damage!) I've tried Everything, Frontal, side, rear and even the roof of the tanks. (I am indeed shooting from less than 2nm)

 

Is it only me or is someone else also having that problem? :helpsmilie:

 

EDIT: By the way one more question... Is there anyway to be precise using CCRP with the stupid bombs? (non-guided weapons?)

 

1. Auto Lase and Manual are both good. In Auto Lase your laser goes automatically on at bomb release and off some seconds after impact (you can set other time points in the profile page of the weapon). In Manual the laser toogles when you hit the NWS Button (the button to engage Nosewheelsterring on the ground).

 

2. Every laser uses a laser code. Imagine 10 A-10Cs and some ground units lighting many targets with their lasers. How would you know for which laser you need to search? You would use a laser code to distinguish between them.

 

3. Just light the target with your laser (as you would do when bombing it). Your buddy slews his TGP in the general area of the target and activates the LSS (Laser Search) mode on his TGP. His TGP finds your laser, locks it and tracks it in LST (Laser Track) mode. He can then release his bombs at this target. In the settings page of the TGP you can set the Laser Code for your own laser and the code to search for in LSS mode.

You can Buddy Laser for other aircrafts. AFAIK there is a mod that enables this feature for Ka-50. Also Mirage should have support for that.

 

4. SPI On and Off means that you're broadcasting your SPI to your flight. If set to on, all members of your flight can see your SPI on their TAD and also lock it by hooking it. Flight settings can be done on the TAD by clicking on Net (lower right).

 

5. You can drop multiple bombs that engage different targets as long as they are "Fire and Forget". Laser guided bombs need a laser signal on the target until impact thus you can not engage different targets. However GPS guided bombs need no further guidance from your aircraft, they are fire and forget. You can for example mark 4 targets with markpoints, set your CDU for cycling between markpoints instead of waypoints, and then drop a bomb, shift to the next markpoint and drop the next and so on. With some training you can engage 4 targets in one attack with that technique.

 

6. GAU-8 is a strong weapon. You can engage weak, light armored targets well from about 1.5nm. For hard or medium armored targets you need to attack from behind and above the target or you will not penetrate the armor. Tanks have a weak armor on their rear and their top, exploit that. If your attacking a T-72 at his front you probably need all your ammunition to destroy him. By attacking his rear from a high angle you will just need ~100 rounds.

 

7. Are you releasing your unguided bombs with wind? If yes, setup a wind profile in your CDU (Laste Settings). You can also try to release them from lower alltitudes like 4000 feet.

[Jogui3000]

Thank you guys :)