DCS Carrier Discussion

[Raisuli]

Sailing close aboard doesn't happen very often; other than an unrep I can count on the numbers of times it was done in three and a half years on my thumbs; one just because, and one was a towing exercise.

 

 

When we were the plane guard we sailed behind the carrier by a mile and a half or so. Only did it once (we were Alpha Whiskey and Alpha Sierra for the battle group) and that was at night, so no good pics. We spent most of our time a few hundred miles down the threat axis all by our little grey lonesomes.

 

 

I look at the PG map and think two things; first visibility was NEVER that good, second I'm glad I'm not there anymore. Hazy, hot (scoop injection (water) temp of 92F), nasty, boring...

[AG-51_Razor]

You're welcome. I'm glad someone else cares. Most of the DCS missions I've seen seem to be based on strike group photo op formations.

 

Also, I think it's in CV NATOPS that the planeguard helo should be no closer than 1.5 miles to starboard of the carrier. When I was stationed on a carrier, we called that the "Starboard Delta" because of the D-shaped pattern the helo flew. If memory serves, the planeguard helo flies at 300 feet and below to keep 500 feet of vertical separation from the CASE I pattern.

 

Also, we rarely flew a planeguard helo when there was a ship on the shotgun station astern of the carrier.

 

Yoda, do you have a swag as to the makeup of the Carrier Strike Group in terms of numbers and types?

[Yoda967]

Good info, can we find anything documenting the stand-off spacing for cyclic ops vs general cruise? I realize that resupply happens pretty close quarters parallel when transferring fuel and supplies. Most of the IRL videos on YouTube don't show any other ships near the carrier during launch and recovery. I've been spreading my group out about 1NM.

Juice,

 

There's no difference. The type of flight operations happening on the carrier just doesn't matter at all to the small boys in company. They're not oriented to a relative bearing off the carrier, they're oriented to a true bearing off the carrier most of the time. As Raisuli says, the small boys usually spend their time over the horizon along the threat axis. Think of it this way: Your carrier is in the Gulf of Oman (GOO), in company with a cruiser and two destroyers. The cruiser will be close, generally in the planeguard position off the carrier's stern, and the two destroyers will be off to the North, or Northwest, depending on where the greatest threat to the carrier is. How far they are depends on the threat, but generally at least ten miles.

 

As Raisuli says, they might come close aboard the carrier for underway replenishment (the carrier does carry fuel for the small boys), but only if the replenishment ship isn't available on a day the small boy needs replenishment. Now and then, you might see the replenishment ship alongside the carrier (always on the carrier's starboard side) and a small boy on the replenishment ship's starboard. I've been stationed aboard a carrier, a replenishment ship, and three small boys, and never have I seen fixed-wing flight ops being conducted while the carrier was being replenished. Lots and lots of VERTREP (vertical replenishment, with helos transferring cargo slings), though.

 

Razor, to answer your question, there's a lot of suitable info on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrier_strike_group

[Ifikratis]

Guys, is there any confirmation that the release date will be announced some days before so that we can use the discount? I want to buy but I'd rather hold for the days before release if possible.

[Raisuli]

...but only if the replenishment ship isn't available on a day the small boy needs replenishment.

 

 

Bear in mind gas turbine powered ships, at least DD and FF, will run out of gas in just over three days at 30 knots. I learned this while drag racing 963 'cans in the Pacific. They got off the line nicely and laughed at us...for a little while.

 

 

The other time was in the IO; we were in Diego Garcia and the rest of the BG was in Mombasa. For reasons defying logic we were all ordered to get back to the bathtub as quickly as possible. My ship started dead last, but got their first. Another long high speed run; those were fun, especially doing medivac missions.

 

 

 

Gas turbine ships burn the same gas as airplanes. Conventionally powered aircraft carriers burn asphalt, but that doesn't mean they want to run out of JP-5 any time soon. We burned uranium, but used JP-5 for helos and the diesel generators.

 

 

 

That didn't stop us from telling topsiders we were refilling the reactors with those big black hoses during unrep, and try not to stand too close...

 

 

 

As someone pointed out logistics is everything in the real world. DCS is not that, thankfully.

[pimp]

Guys, is there any confirmation that the release date will be announced some days before so that we can use the discount? I want to buy but I'd rather hold for the days before release if possible.

What's the point in that?

[Ifikratis]

What's the point in that?

 

economics?

[Eaglewings]

economics?

Supercarrier release date is end of March.

I am sure Ed will announce a specific day of release.

Edited March 9, 2020 by Eaglewings

[pimp]

economics?

Huh? But you're saying you are getting it anyway, now or days before. Either way, it's going to be the same price for you.:huh:

[Akula]

Supercarrier release date is end of March.

I am sure Ed will announce a specific day of release.

 

End of March is code for end of August :megalol:

[RaisedByWolves]

End of March is code for end of August :megalol:

 

 

 

They likely regret setting the March deadline. Or they will surprise all of us.

[Ifikratis]

Huh? But you're saying you are getting it anyway, now or days before. Either way, it's going to be the same price for you.:huh:

 

Yes but maybe I rather use these money right now on something else. Why is so hard to accept it?

[Flamin_Squirrel]

They likely regret setting the March deadline. Or they will surprise all of us.

 

Nah, ED don't tend to miss release dates.

 

What they release might be buggy, but they'll likely release on time :D

[Raisuli]

Nah, ED don't tend to miss release dates.

 

What they release might be buggy, but they'll likely release on time :D

 

 

So only ten feet of freeboard, green water over the deck, and you have to launch on the crest? I can live with that.

[Flamin_Squirrel]

Haha, nah, I think it'll be alright.

[Raven68]

Nah, ED don't tend to miss release dates.

 

What they release might be buggy, but they'll likely release on time :D

 

I agree Squirrel. When it was announced back in January that was enough buffer time to release on time. I think every reasonable person will expect some bugs after the initial release like every module that has been released to date and the cleanup and bug squashing will continue thereafter.

[Raisuli]

I agree Squirrel. When it was announced back in January that was enough buffer time to release on time. I think every reasonable person will expect some bugs after the initial release like every module that has been released to date and the cleanup and bug squashing will continue thereafter.

 

 

There are no bugs in my copy of DCS. Some things work this way, some things work that way, some things are a little odd, but I just plays what I sees. Getting worked up over a 'bug'?

 

 

Waste of time. Besides, I like the F/A-18 now. I only laughed at it when it was new.

 

 

 

I suppose bunker gear is warranted at this point.

[pimp]

Yes but maybe I rather use these money right now on something else. Why is so hard to accept it?

It's not. Just curious on what you meant by your question is all. I get it now.:thumbup:

[ouky1991]

NineLine's answer on reddit today:

[VWJ]

They could start introducing it though …

[Raven68]

NineLine's answer on reddit today:

 

I have a nagging question, but why does it seem ED staff are more open to answering these type of questions on the reddit forums instead of their own in house forums? This is a perception that I am getting.

 

I do appreciate the effort in trying to get a response though.

[rrohde]

I have a nagging question, but why does it seem ED staff are more open to answering these type of questions on the reddit forums instead of their own in house forums? This is a perception that I am getting.

 

I do appreciate the effort in trying to get a response though.

 

+1

 

I think it's because here's it's a more civil, moderate (and actively moderated!) forum, while reddit and the likes of it are more like the scribble on the wall of a public toilet that - when left unchallenged - will run wild with more scribble and eventually lead to trolling and wild rumors...

 

But that's just a guess on my part.

Edited March 11, 2020 by rrohde

[QuiGon]

I have a nagging question, but why does it seem ED staff are more open to answering these type of questions on the reddit forums instead of their own in house forums? This is a perception that I am getting.

You're not the only one with this perception :music_whistling:

[pimp]

NineLine's answer on reddit today:

 

I have a nagging question, but why does it seem ED staff are more open to answering these type of questions on the reddit forums instead of their own in house forums? This is a perception that I am getting.

 

I do appreciate the effort in trying to get a response though.

Thanks for that info. All we get here is info/vids/ "soon". Even that little info was good enough.

[Raven68]

+1

 

I think it's because here's it's a more civil, moderate (and actively moderated!) forum, while reddit and the likes of it are more like the scribble on the wall of a public toilet that - when left unchallenged - will run wild with more scribble and eventually lead to trolling and wild rumors...

 

But that's just a guess on my part.

 

Yeah that's a pretty good comparison! :D Over in reddit it reminds me of what SimHQ use to be, but a little more tamed. Not trying to be off topic, but please share the same openness here, IMO, where it should be.