Mission 3 issues...

[KevyKevTPA]

OK, I'm a relative noob to DCS, and maybe this campaign is just too advanced for me, but I need help with mission 3.  (And 2, I never could find the hill with the tower and just gave up...)

SPOILERS:

 

When I get retasked to go see what's going on with an inbound Russian plane, I'm given BRA from the bullseye.  Problem is the F10 map is so limited that I can't see my own plane, or where the bullseye is, so I'm really not sure where to go.  I did manage to get a red plane on my radar, but couldn't get it locked up in RWS or TWS mode.  I also got yelled at for going into Turkey, but since the map is all but useless, I had no idea I was even close.

So, is this a "me problem" because figuring out a BRA from the bullseye should be easy, or am I missing several pieces of knowledge and skills to even take on this mission yet?

Oh, one last thing...  I've trimmed this thing to the right so far (based on the time I hit the trim button), but the imbalance is still causing me to roll left if I'm not counteracting it, or don't have the autopilot on, and even that isn't working correctly, for example I input a heading, hit heading select, and it doesn't even try to go to that heading, so that's not helping a bit.

[ChillNG]

15 hours ago, KevyKevTPA said:

OK, I'm a relative noob to DCS, and maybe this campaign is just too advanced for me, but I need help with mission 3.  (And 2, I never could find the hill with the tower and just gave up...)

SPOILERS:

 

When I get retasked to go see what's going on with an inbound Russian plane, I'm given BRA from the bullseye.  Problem is the F10 map is so limited that I can't see my own plane, or where the bullseye is, so I'm really not sure where to go.  I did manage to get a red plane on my radar, but couldn't get it locked up in RWS or TWS mode.  I also got yelled at for going into Turkey, but since the map is all but useless, I had no idea I was even close.

So, is this a "me problem" because figuring out a BRA from the bullseye should be easy, or am I missing several pieces of knowledge and skills to even take on this mission yet?

Oh, one last thing...  I've trimmed this thing to the right so far (based on the time I hit the trim button), but the imbalance is still causing me to roll left if I'm not counteracting it, or don't have the autopilot on, and even that isn't working correctly, for example I input a heading, hit heading select, and it doesn't even try to go to that heading, so that's not helping a bit.

Hi, so for the bullseye, in the Hornet you need to set up a manual waypoint as the the bullseye using the coords given in the kneeboard.  When you select the bullseye option on the HSI then you will see references to bulls appear on the HSI/SA page.  Would always recommend Chucks guides for proper details on how to do this.  That's all you're missing in terms of steps.

The moving map not showing the colour map is a real pain, fortunately it's been bugged on Syria for ever, but it does still work on a lower scale (10 miles I think?) so you can still use it to monitor your position in relation to Turkey.

 

[KevyKevTPA]

10 hours ago, ChillNG said:

Hi, so for the bullseye, in the Hornet you need to set up a manual waypoint as the the bullseye using the coords given in the kneeboard.  When you select the bullseye option on the HSI then you will see references to bulls appear on the HSI/SA page.  Would always recommend Chucks guides for proper details on how to do this.  That's all you're missing in terms of steps.

The moving map not showing the colour map is a real pain, fortunately it's been bugged on Syria for ever, but it does still work on a lower scale (10 miles I think?) so you can still use it to monitor your position in relation to Turkey.

 

 

Damn, dude, you made this thing hard as f to win.  I did all the atc procedures correctly for takeoff, even though I went a bit over 1,500' for a bit, and then turned to 085° like told, when released I went to WP1 at mach .75, hooked up with my wingman, figured out how to make a new waypoint for bullseye, went and found the bomber, escorted him out until he hit his burners, then despite being almost bingo, went offshore and got the intel Sentinel wanted, only to get shot down by a SAM that it seemed like shot ALL his missiles at me, though I did dodge quite a few of them, and still only scored a 50.  I've gotten a 50 before when I never even took off.  I think I'm just gonna take the draw and move on,, I've had enough of this mission.

 

I'm not the kind of guy who likes having to train for it 55 times before I finally get it right.  Even if the SAMs weren't there, I'm  not sure I had enough go juice to get home.   

[ChillNG]

1 hour ago, KevyKevTPA said:

 

Damn, dude, you made this thing hard as f to win.  I did all the atc procedures correctly for takeoff, even though I went a bit over 1,500' for a bit, and then turned to 085° like told, when released I went to WP1 at mach .75, hooked up with my wingman, figured out how to make a new waypoint for bullseye, went and found the bomber, escorted him out until he hit his burners, then despite being almost bingo, went offshore and got the intel Sentinel wanted, only to get shot down by a SAM that it seemed like shot ALL his missiles at me, though I did dodge quite a few of them, and still only scored a 50.  I've gotten a 50 before when I never even took off.  I think I'm just gonna take the draw and move on,, I've had enough of this mission.

 

I'm not the kind of guy who likes having to train for it 55 times before I finally get it right.  Even if the SAMs weren't there, I'm  not sure I had enough go juice to get home.   

In general the missions are fairly straightforward to complete, as the objectives are always forgiving...failure is always an option and you will be able to RTB and complete, just with a lower score and maybe a wounded ego.  However to achieve higher scores in these missions and obtain full completion is a significant challenge, especially later in the campaign.  Just a couple of observations from what you just said that might help you. 

Fuel management is important throughout the campaign, make sure you follow the fuel plan as best you can, limit your use of afterburner unless you really need it.  I could be wrong (I've not flown this mission myself in months) but I don't remember ever being close to bingo on this one so early (but like I said I could be wrong).

The other really important consideration is your position, if you got shot at you went within Russian controlled airspace, there were warnings if you got too close to the coast and Sentinel advised you keep at least 20 miles away.  I always build these missions so that if you do something you shouldn't they still keep working and don't break, but there will be often be consequences instead (like getting fired upon).  I do like to push then player in these campaigns, so pulling together the info you're given, building and the maintaining your situational awareness are key skills throughout, a lot of player love this challenge, but it's not for everyone and takes time and practice in DCS to develop.

So in summary, this campaign will push you and will test you, but it will I hope also help you improve your skills.  Should a task be too challenging then abort it and live to fight another day, and if you ever need tips or guidance I'm always here to offer it.

[BeerNfrites]

On 5/30/2022 at 8:56 AM, ChillNG said:

Hi, so for the bullseye, in the Hornet you need to set up a manual waypoint as the the bullseye using the coords given in the kneeboard.  When you select the bullseye option on the HSI then you will see references to bulls appear on the HSI/SA page.  Would always recommend Chucks guides for proper details on how to do this.  That's all you're missing in terms of steps.

The moving map not showing the colour map is a real pain, fortunately it's been bugged on Syria for ever, but it does still work on a lower scale (10 miles I think?) so you can still use it to monitor your position in relation to Turkey.

 

I think bullseye is set as WP59 or 58 as standard, I'm sure I've found it already set in at least any mission which has referred to bullseye for BRA calls.

Even without F10 map, the kneeboard maps work and you can update your position on them.

[ChillNG]

2 hours ago, BeerNfrites said:

I think bullseye is set as WP59 or 58 as standard, I'm sure I've found it already set in at least any mission which has referred to bullseye for BRA calls.

Even without F10 map, the kneeboard maps work and you can update your position on them.

Ah yes good point thanks, think the WP59 bulls was just added so good call.

[BeerNfrites]

On 5/31/2022 at 2:52 PM, ChillNG said:

Ah yes good point thanks, think the WP59 bulls was just added so good call.

Once you select it you should set it as a/a and then as you move your curser on either the SA, HSI or Radar the BRA from bullseye is shown in the top left (I think, not at the sim at the moment to double check)

[KevyKevTPA]

On 5/30/2022 at 4:19 PM, ChillNG said:

In general the missions are fairly straightforward to complete, as the objectives are always forgiving...failure is always an option and you will be able to RTB and complete, just with a lower score and maybe a wounded ego.

 My point is that if you achieve every mission assignment, whether you knew about them when you took off or not, but then fail to RTB alive, I do not think that giving your life for your country should result in an automatic mission failure.  Of course, IRL that would mean that you will not ever be flying another mission, ever, this is not real life and to make dying an auto-fail even in consideration that all mission goals had been accomplished it too extreme.

But, hey, maybe that's just me. 

In fact, before the SAMs started flying (and it seemed like they all went in my direction like I didn't even have a wingman), and I question if they had real life ammo loads because I did dodge quite a few of them, I was actually thinking about bugging out of my bird and hoping for a rescue as I'm as close to certain as I can be without sitting down with a sectional and calculator that I didn't have enough gas to get home, but I guess that would have also resulted in a mission failure.

On 5/31/2022 at 7:34 AM, BeerNfrites said:

I think bullseye is set as WP59 or 58 as standard, I'm sure I've found it already set in at least any mission which has referred to bullseye for BRA calls.

Even without F10 map, the kneeboard maps work and you can update your position on them.

 

I tried putting it at WP59, but even if I managed to get that setup, it wouldn't go to WP59.  Just 0-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-0.  Although I can't in any way discount that I did something wrong, as this is the first I've dealt with this.

[ChillNG]

1 hour ago, KevyKevTPA said:

 My point is that if you achieve every mission assignment, whether you knew about them when you took off or not, but then fail to RTB alive, I do not think that giving your life for your country should result in an automatic mission failure.  Of course, IRL that would mean that you will not ever be flying another mission, ever, this is not real life and to make dying an auto-fail even in consideration that all mission goals had been accomplished it too extreme.

But, hey, maybe that's just me. 

In fact, before the SAMs started flying (and it seemed like they all went in my direction like I didn't even have a wingman), and I question if they had real life ammo loads because I did dodge quite a few of them, I was actually thinking about bugging out of my bird and hoping for a rescue as I'm as close to certain as I can be without sitting down with a sectional and calculator that I didn't have enough gas to get home, but I guess that would have also resulted in a mission failure.

Well I fully respect your point of view, it's completely valid, we all like different things and ways of doing things after all.  But for the sort of missions I build I wouldn't consider going in this direction...exactly the opposite in fact, for me the ability to fail all the objectives, so long as you remain alive, and that the campaign's missions will react to that is one of the campaign's biggest strengths.

You were right about the SAMS...they were only targeting you, one of the consequences of having continuity of characters is that they need to survive for the story-line, so they don't get shot at unless I specifically want them to.  The SAM in question was an SA-10 I believe, with 4 launchers at that site, so thats 16 missiles ready to go.  With an SA-10 you did well to dodge any of them to be fair .

 

[unlikely_spider]

2 hours ago, KevyKevTPA said:

...but then fail to RTB alive, I do not think that giving your life for your country should result in an automatic mission failure...

Isn't that how every campaign in DCS works? (And other sims)

I think it's generally understood that you have to rtb to pass a mission.

I understand the frustration with spending 1.5 hours in a mission only to be shot down, and the lack of a good checkpoint system can be pinned to DCS. But I don't think this failure design is anything out of the ordinary. And you do always have the Skip Mission option. That does just what you need it to, correct?

[rob10]

5 hours ago, KevyKevTPA said:

I tried putting it at WP59, but even if I managed to get that setup, it wouldn't go to WP59.  Just 0-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-0.  Although I can't in any way discount that I did something wrong, as this is the first I've dealt with this.

You have one of the SEQ selected (likely SEQ1).  It will be boxed when selected (bottom right - OSB15) and when boxed you can only cycle through the yaypoints in that sequence.  If you unbox it (it will go from SEQ1 boxed to SEQ2 unboxed then SEQ2 boxed, SEQ3 unboxed, SEQ3 boxed, SEQ1 unboxed etc) you can select all waypoints and markpoints.  Note that it won't show you course line between waypoints on your HSI or SA pages when SEQ is unboxed.

[jetsimace]

On 5/30/2022 at 9:56 AM, ChillNG said:

Hi, so for the bullseye, in the Hornet you need to set up a manual waypoint as the the bullseye using the coords given in the kneeboard.  When you select the bullseye option on the HSI then you will see references to bulls appear on the HSI/SA page.  Would always recommend Chucks guides for proper details on how to do this.  That's all you're missing in terms of steps.

The moving map not showing the colour map is a real pain, fortunately it's been bugged on Syria for ever, but it does still work on a lower scale (10 miles I think?) so you can still use it to monitor your position in relation to Turkey.

 

I love to constantly being challenged within a campaign which requires to learn something new in every mission 
Of course such a helpful community providing hints like here (many thanks!) will also be required so that it won't get too frustrating at any point.
Btw: AA waypoints & bullseye can be found in Chuck's F-18 guide at page #636