Mission: Artillery Potshots -- Is there a way I'm supposed to do this?

[Poptart]

Is there an easier way I'm supposed to do this mission? Seems like I completed it through sheer dumb luck. I recreated what I did so there are screenshots.

 

Mission start:

I get a message saying that troops are in contact and to fly heading 050 for 27NM to toward friendly forces:

Message

I fly 050 and put a mark point at the location at about 27NM:

Mark Point on A/G radar

I get a message saying that friendly forces are taking artillery fire 4 to 8 NM to the NE. I create aimpoints at those locations:

TSD aimpoints

I create a HRM of the area and notice there is a big hill between the two aim points:

HRM map

I use the TPOD to look in the area but can't find anything. I'm eventually directly over the hill when I just start looking outside:

Visual

Was there another way I'm supposed to do this without a JTAC?

Edited July 5, 2023 by Poptart