TAC 11, TAC12, TAC13 instructs start up comms not working correctly

[gutersnipe]

Hi

I have been recently working my way through the TTQ campaign in the A-10C II module and I have noticed some issues with the startup sequence/comms of the instructor. For example on TAC 11, while he is explaining the mission to me, he suddenly he asks for take off permission and then a few minutes later announces he is airborne which interrupts his mission briefing. Then a few minutes later, he asks for startup and taxi permission even though he is circling WP1 already. So there seems to be some trigger issues there (see  attached track file for start of TAC 11). Same pattern for TAC 12 and TAC 13. Additional issue in TAC 13 is that he asking to do a radio check after switching to mission frequency 124 but there is no F10 option. 

I have double checked and I have no mods of any sort installed. 

Otherwise, from WP1 onwards, missions are working fine and I am enjoying them. The BFT, AFT and TTQ campaigns have really helped me get to grips with the A-10C II. 

Thanks

tac11.trk

[Sabre-TLA]

Thanks for letting us know!  We will retest and make any updates required to fix them.  Glad you are enjoying the campaigns.

We were able to reproduce the bug in the latest close beta instance so will work on a fix for the next patch release.

Fix has been developed and tested and sent to ED to be included in the next patch release.

Files are in the repo and should be in the next patch release.

Edited February 21 by Sabre-TLA
ED has added the files to the repo for patch inclusion.

[gutersnipe]

Thanks. Just tested and everything is working perfectly after the latest patch. Thanks for sorting it out so promptly.

[nts76]

Hello, I'm having issues with the comms too, I cannot contact the JTAC's on mission TAC12.  Sometimes the first will come on-line but most of the time it says (N/A) next to their names.  Please help, it takes too long to get to that point to fly around in circles.  Also, I thought this was going to be more of a tutorial style set-up by reading the campaign description.  

[Sabre-TLA]

Thanks for reporting the issue.

Are you patched to the latest version and do you have any MODS installed?  Does it happen in the practice campaign mission too?

Check to make sure you have the radios tuned to the correct frequency and using the correct radio when making the JTAC calls.

The time spent flying to the range has detailed dialogue to explain each mission but you should know some basics like how to contact the JTAC through the F10 menu.

Please post a trk file if you manage to reproduce it.  We will retest to see if any recent game changes have impacted the JTAC functionality.

 

[nts76]

Hey Saber,

My DCS is pretty stock, VIACOM Pro and my trackIR/Oculus.  No other mods at the moment. Radios set to easy comms and I can verify they are going to the proper channels. 124.0, 30.00 and such. I have it not trigger in the first mission too but with repeated attempts it worked. I get the same results with ViaCom as without it too. I was only doing the mission, they are straight forward enough and only did the training for the first TAC11 and the second I decided to to just do the actual mission. I just purchased these, basic, tac 1/2 in the last sale so they are up to date and I’m on the latest version 2.9 release.  I’ll be away for a month for work but I wanted to share my information while it was still on my mind. Cool campaign, kind of a bummer when you can’t get it to cycle through the JATAC’s though. The A-10 is so fun to use. Also, I was in the A-10C II in case that matters.  Oh and I forgot I have SRS but nothing bound to it. Not that into multiplayer at the moment and I fresh installed everything after the last big update to DCS. 

[Sabre-TLA]

Ok thanks for sharing the details.  VAICOM has proven some mission issues in the past so I'd recommend trying without it and see what happens.

Edited March 28 by Sabre-TLA
Corrected spelling of VAICOM

[nts76]

4 minutes ago, Sabre-TLA said:

Ok thanks for sharing the details.  VIACOM has proven some mission issues in the past so I'd recommend trying without it and see what happens.

Roger that, I tried both ways with the same results.  Thanks for getting back so quickly. 

[MAXsenna]

VAICOM guys, VAICOM!
Viacom might take offence...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viacom_(2005%E2%80%932019)

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

[atrcaptainjohn]

I am having problems in mission 11 as well.  I can contact Axeman fine, but when I attempt to contact UZI11 I can't get him.  I have tried on VHF on 124.0, and 127.5 which is what is on the mission briefing card.  I have also tried to contact him on FM on 30 and 31.  I am in easy comms, and 124.0 shows up next to his name when I hit JTAC, but it also has [N/A] before his name, even though 124.0 is tuned in the VHF.  This is on the A-10C II.  I don't use any mods at all, all I use is Voice Attack to make keys easier.  Any ideas?

[Sabre-TLA]

Investigating...

[atrcaptainjohn]

I figured out that I can contact UZI if I just hit the backslash instead of hitting one of the directions on the Mic button.  So that I'm not worried about.  But having another problem with TTQ11.  Of the third target, which is the first one that UZI gives me, it is marked by LASER 1688.  I enter the coordinates into a new waypoint, they are MM82290226.  I set that as steerpoint and slave the TGP to it, call IP INBOUND, then call LASER ON.  He lases the target, I hit LSS and I get a DETECT and a LTRACK.  And then, either right before or right after I call SPOT the JTAC says TERMINATE, NO MARK.  And since I can't find the target without the spot I can't attack it.  I have flown this at least 10 times and it has happened every time.  Any help?  Am I doing something wrong?

[Sabre-TLA]

Your procedure looks correct and it's good that you can contact UZI.  There is a 10 SECONDS call you can use to inform the JTAC that you will ask for the LASER ON call within 10 seconds.  Not sure if that has any specific implementation in the game but it's more true to SOP.

We were able to contact UZI as well in our test with using our mic switches on the throttle so I don't think that is broken.  Unfortunately we had to abort our test before we could confirm the lgb drop but I do recall the JTAC does have a time limit for lasing (so as not to burn out the laser). Will check that in our next test.

I recommend you try to have him lase when you are close to the target area (within 30 to 60 seconds of dropping).  I know lasers on the TGP have a 2 minute burn out time so I suspect the JTAC may be similar.

The other option is that once you have confirmed the target you could set a mark point then do your LGB drop using your own laser on the TGP.  You don't need to use the JTAC's laser if you can kill the target yourself.

The mission only cares that the targets are eliminated but it's best to follow the JTAC recommendations for an accurate experience.  

Let us know how you make out.

[atrcaptainjohn]

How do you set a mark point once the TGP finds the laser?  I haven't been able to figure that out.  If I could find the tank on my own I would certainly bomb it, but I haven't been able to find it. 

[Sabre-TLA]

Here is a good short tutorial on Mark Points:
https://youtu.be/Pkpqpu7G-ug?si=Cx8P2lBCYvgKP0yc

[atrcaptainjohn]

I get how to create a mark point, but what I'm asking is after I have the LTRACK on the TGP, if I hit TMS right short will it greate the mark point on the spot that the laser was found?  Or if I hit TMS up long will it create a new SPI where the laser was found?  I have the TGP zoomed fairly far out for this search and I don't notice it changing from the coordinates that the JTAC gave me, but it may be without me noticing.

Edited April 11 by atrcaptainjohn

[atrcaptainjohn]

OK, new wrinkle.  I have flown the practice mission 3 times, with this happening all three times.  After I contact UZI and he gives me the first target, before I can reply with the 9-line readback he says NO MARK.  The first time I flew it he didn't provide a mark after he said that.  The second time he did, and the third time he didn't.  Good news is I think I found where the tank is hiding behind the trees so I may be able to self lase and get him anyway.  Kind of frustrating though.

[Sabre-TLA]

The mark point gets created where the TGP is pointing so it would be the ground reference either at the target or beside it if you are not on the target itself.

UZI is an FAC flying in a KIOWA so it's possible that he can't mark the target continuously.   

The JTAC grid references are just that so it's unlikely they would be exactly at the target itself but gives you a reference area to locate the target.  If they can lase the target then it is a more accurate reference but as you indicate sometimes they cannot.  If you call CONTACT once you have the TGP locked on a target the JTAC will confirm if it's the correct target or not.

[Sabre-TLA]

I retested the TAC11 mission in the latest game engine version and had no problems with contacting UZI or killing the targets as expected.  In some cases UZI did provide lasing but other times it was a TYPE 3 Attack so I self lased and everything worked as expected.

Unfortunately it looks like ED introduced a game engine bug on the 3rd JTAC (Hammer 1-1).  It shows up as Scout HWWV  in the drop down menu and won't respond to the radio calls on 31.0 MHZ FM.

I recommend skipping this mission for now and we will see if ED corrects it in the next patch.

I suspect TAC12 has a similar issue (since the units and triggers are the similar) but I'll test that next to see if I get the same result.

Edited April 12 by Sabre-TLA

[atrcaptainjohn]

Flew it again this morning and everything worked perfectly, at least up to the point that the instructor flew into me just before I turned base.  FWIW I had a feeling it would happen, was looking at him when he started veering into me, tried pulling up and he pulled up with me until we hit.  Oh well, at least I know I can finish the mission   Thanks for the help!