Usable in SP without swapping seats or using AI?

[Tiger-II]

Perhaps a dumb question (I seem to be asking a lot of those lately...), but is it possible to employ any weapons from the pilot seat without a gunner of any kind?

I know from trying to operate the Tomcat single-crew and jumping seats just seemed wrong, and I personally didn't like it.

I'm out of trial time to dig into anything, and if the AH-64 requires AI or a human to operate even slightly, then there are better options for me to get right now (e.g. M-2000C).

I'm not hating on the AH-64 - it looks to be a great module and I had fun in the 5 minutes I spent flying it. I shouldn't have started the trial right before Christmas!

Edited January 5, 2023 by Tiger-II

[firefox121]

I only fly solo, my mates don´t have time, an use Always pilot seat, and IA for firing only mavs, it works at least for me.... Didn`t try to launch maveriks from pilot seat, but I think there is a way sure.......but george AI does it well for you.

IA is easy to use, just pont with your visor where you want to scan, ad tell george to do, then will drop a list where you choose the target, and boom.....not perfect.

but works.

Of course I am losing half of the fun but....

Edited January 5, 2023 by firefox121

[MrReynolds]

Now that the Apache is moving along quickly in early access, I can now personally fly pretty much the way I want.

Front seat, just like a single seat fighter.

I can scan, set targets, fly around at will.  Shame there isn't a simple procedure for flipping around targets and waypoints, but that's life in the apache.

 

I DO however, once setup in a hover, engage George for height adjustments - up and down, rotate left and right.  I used to do this manually in the Gazelle, but the Apache's auto systems aren't quite there (real or not, no worries).

I have a quick macro to disengage him when I need to escape quickly if need be.

Loving it.

 

Not asking for the radar yet (although wouldn't say no), but would love spot track to come along sooner rather than later  

Edited January 5, 2023 by MrReynolds

[sirrah]

40 minutes ago, Tiger-II said:

Perhaps a dumb question (I seem to be asking a lot of those lately...), but is it possible to employ any weapons from the pilot seat without a gunner of any kind?

I know from trying to operate the Tomcat single-crew and jumping seats just seemed wrong, and I personally didn't like it.

I'm out of trial time to dig into anything, and if the AH-64 requires AI or a human to operate even slightly, then there are better options for me to get right now (e.g. M-2000C).

I'm not hating on the AH-64 - it looks to be a great module and I had fun in the 5 minutes I spent flying it. I shouldn't have started the trial right before Christmas!

 

Answer to you're first question: yes, you can definitely employ weapons from the PLT seat. With help of a remote laser designator (e.g. JTAC) you even pretty much don't need George AI at all). Then again, George AI is really super easy in use. Much less (no) micromanagement needed in comparison with Jester AI for the F-14. Nothing bad about the Tomcat, Heatblur did an awesome job recreating this iconic machine, but I've never really liked that you are so dependent on the RIO (or pilot). It is very different in the Apache imo. In the Apache both crew members can almost do everything (main differences: pilot controls engine start procedure and CPG controls finding and lasing targets)

 

Personally, I just love the Apache 

 

I fly mostly (like 95%) SP and enjoy playing both crew stations equally. Depending on the mission style and what I feel like doing at that moment, I switch to the CPG seat to operate the Hellfire's and gun, or just focus on flying and have George engage with Hellfire's for me.

 

So, yeah, I can't talk for anyone else, but I very much fancy playing the Apache solo.

By the way; It's not that I don't like multi crew with an actual human operator, but it's just that I'm in a phase of my life (young daughter, wife, a busy job and to many hobby's ) where I can't properly commit to MP.

[poochies]

George as cpg is ok but how do you get him to lock onto target with lmc or iat if the helo oscillates a little the laser drifts off the target and hellfire just missies it's frustrating is there something i'm missing to get him to lock it via iat or Lmc ? thx 

[Floyd1212]

No, not a this point.  He does not use LMC or IAT.

Your best bet is to provide a stable hover, but he can also track okay while moving, if you aren't flying erratically.  Fly in a straight line and he can mostly keep the laser on target.  If he starts drifting right at the end, like less than 3 second til impact, you can nose up or down a bit to get him to correct.  If he is drifting high, nose up (which is counter-intuitive) and he will respond by moving his track back down onto the target.

[GrEaSeLiTeNiN]

Tomcat in SP wasn't for me either. But the Apache is not the same as the Tomcat when it comes to the 2-seater/pit thing in solo. The Apache pilot and CPG share quite a lot of hocas commands. You can fly and fight in either seat unlike in the Tomcat. George may not be perfect or smart but he can keep his targeting bracket on a moving target such as a helo better than a human can (even before IAT came about). And he can pick out targets you can't see (labels off). He is useful if you know how to use him IMO. When I switch seats, it's not so much because I need to but because I want to (for example, as pilot I get into the CPG pit because I want to have a go at the TEDAC). So I can enjoy both. Also, like all attack helos, the Apache only has a few weapons (and no radar at this point). So there isn't a lot of commands to grapple with in the AI menu as compared to a 2-seat fighter jet.  

[corbu1]

vor 19 Stunden schrieb sirrah:

Answer to you're first question: yes, you can definitely employ weapons from the PLT seat. With help of a remote laser designator (e.g. JTAC) you even pretty much don't need George AI at all). Then again, George AI is really super easy in use. Much less (no) micromanagement needed in comparison with Jester AI for the F-14. Nothing bad about the Tomcat, Heatblur did an awesome job recreating this iconic machine, but I've never really liked that you are so dependent on the RIO (or pilot). It is very different in the Apache imo. In the Apache both crew members can almost do everything (main differences: pilot controls engine start procedure and CPG controls finding and lasing targets)

 

Personally, I just love the Apache 

 

I fly mostly (like 95%) SP and enjoy playing both crew stations equally. Depending on the mission style and what I feel like doing at that moment, I switch to the CPG seat to operate the Hellfire's and gun, or just focus on flying and have George engage with Hellfire's for me.

 

So, yeah, I can't talk for anyone else, but I very much fancy playing the Apache solo.

By the way; It's not that I don't like multi crew with an actual human operator, but it's just that I'm in a phase of my life (young daughter, wife, a busy job and to many hobby's ) where I can't properly commit to MP.

I fully agree!

I think we can use the Apache in a flexible role. 
I often manually  launch the hellfires from PLT seat, just letting George as AI CP/G finding the targets and lasing. Gives me just a bit more flexibility.

[Tiger-II]

4 hours ago, corbu1 said:

I often manually  launch the hellfires from PLT seat, just letting George as AI CP/G finding the targets and lasing. Gives me just a bit more flexibility.

What about rockets/gun, or are they front-seater only?

On 1/5/2023 at 8:58 PM, sirrah said:

Answer to you're first question: yes, you can definitely employ weapons from the PLT seat. With help of a remote laser designator (e.g. JTAC) you even pretty much don't need George AI at all). Then again, George AI is really super easy in use. Much less (no) micromanagement needed in comparison with Jester AI for the F-14. Nothing bad about the Tomcat, Heatblur did an awesome job recreating this iconic machine, but I've never really liked that you are so dependent on the RIO (or pilot). It is very different in the Apache imo. In the Apache both crew members can almost do everything (main differences: pilot controls engine start procedure and CPG controls finding and lasing targets)

 

Personally, I just love the Apache 

 

I fly mostly (like 95%) SP and enjoy playing both crew stations equally. Depending on the mission style and what I feel like doing at that moment, I switch to the CPG seat to operate the Hellfire's and gun, or just focus on flying and have George engage with Hellfire's for me.

 

So, yeah, I can't talk for anyone else, but I very much fancy playing the Apache solo.

By the way; It's not that I don't like multi crew with an actual human operator, but it's just that I'm in a phase of my life (young daughter, wife, a busy job and to many hobby's ) where I can't properly commit to MP.

I have the same problem!

[Floyd1212]

Rockets are primarily the domain of the pilot.  Because they are not guided, the PLT needs to maneuver the aircraft to get the proper alignment before firing.  Theoretically, the CPG can pull the trigger when the PLT has alignment, but normally it is the PLT with rockets WASed.  (COOP mode for rockets helps the PLT with the alignment and ranging, but the PLT would still pull the trigger.)

Guns can be handled by either seat.  With the active Sight set to the pilot's helmet display, it is very easy for him to aim the gun where he is looking, and pull the trigger.  With PNVS active, you can even look "through" the cockpit to targets on the ground below you.  This work well for close-range engagements.  The CPG can use the gun more effectively at longer ranges using the TADS.  Zoom in and set your man range with ranging data from the LRFD and take out targets at 2500m+  Be patient, as the gun is not a laser beam at that range.

[kgillers3]

2 hours ago, Tiger-II said:

What about rockets/gun, or are they front-seater only?

I have the same problem!

After getting the engines started you can swap to the front seat and fly solely from the front seat and operate similar to a ka50.