So, Convince Me :D

[AhSoul]

I generally play DCS co-op with a few friends, mostly playing the excellent Pretense dynamic campaigns. I've recently found myself flying helicopters a lot more and when we play I'm often in the Apache or ferrying capture squads about in the Huey.

I love the look of the Kiowa, but I'm trying to justify to myself when I'd end up flying it....

As far as I'm aware there's no datalink to other aircraft, so if I go off reconning how is my lovely targeting data going to end up in the hands of my friends? Am I going to have to read out coordinates for them to enter into their TPODs? Am I going to end up trying to convince them to let me buddy lase when they could just use their own TPODs? I could do both of those things from the front seat of my Apache.

I don't want to buy another module that ends up gathering dust - I've got enough of those already.

So what will make the Kiowa the preferred choice? How would I integrate it best into our gameplay?

Thanks!

 

[LorenLuke]

8 hours ago, AhSoul said:

I generally play DCS co-op with a few friends, mostly playing the excellent Pretense dynamic campaigns. I've recently found myself flying helicopters a lot more and when we play I'm often in the Apache or ferrying capture squads about in the Huey.

I love the look of the Kiowa, but I'm trying to justify to myself when I'd end up flying it....

As far as I'm aware there's no datalink to other aircraft, so if I go off reconning how is my lovely targeting data going to end up in the hands of my friends? Am I going to have to read out coordinates for them to enter into their TPODs? Am I going to end up trying to convince them to let me buddy lase when they could just use their own TPODs? I could do both of those things from the front seat of my Apache.

I don't want to buy another module that ends up gathering dust - I've got enough of those already.

So what will make the Kiowa the preferred choice? How would I integrate it best into our gameplay?

Thanks!

 

So, a couple things it has that the Apache doesn't- APKWS laser rockets, and Stinger missiles. While the Gazelle might have the Mistral, you can't load anything but those on the aircraft, while the kiowa has two mix and match pylons of two missiles each. Additionally (though more extreme), the OH-58D has its observation equipment above the cockpit, like the Gazelle, although much higher and above the rotor, allowing it to observe from cover, giving it surveillance and coordination capabilities beyond what we have.

 

To your questions of working with friends, let's look at two points raised-

1) Laser Designator. Theoretically, you absolutely can do it as described where you lase for missiles the whole time. Alternatively, you can use the laser as a 'hey, look here', they use the LST, and then one on target, you slap their back and say 'go crazy'.

2) Talk on/Coords. You absolutely can do this, and I believe Kiowa supports MGRS (and Apache only supports 8digit MGRS input), so if you're very close together, you're looking at 2 letters and 6/8 numbers to hand off. With a good crew, it's not terribly difficult or time consuming to do.

And finally-

Both. By generating any target point(s) for them, they can turn them into an acquisition source to throw hellfires at in a high arc from behind cover, and then you lase the targets (also from behind cover), and you can engage units in the target zone without retaliation. 

[AhSoul]

i didn't know about the the APKWS and Stingers - that's great! For non/lightly-armoured targets that significantly increases the combat potential.

I'd forgotten about LST. Will definitely get my group to learn their LST functions on their TPODs so we can try this out. I guess we could use the Apache for that, but as you rightly point out the Kiowa can do it from behind cover due to the MMS.

In a CAS situation I wonder if my friends are going to have the time and space to plug MGRS coords into systems. But LST or smoke grenades plus talk-on might work.

I think part of the challenge will be getting the others to work this way - and not just buzz around finding targets by themselves.....

 

 

Edited May 8 by AhSoul

[LorenLuke]

6 hours ago, AhSoul said:

i didn't know about the the APKWS and Stingers - that's great! For non/lightly-armoured targets that significantly increases the combat potential.

I'd forgotten about LST. Will definitely get my group to learn their LST functions on their TPODs so we can try this out. I guess we could use the Apache for that, but as you rightly point out the Kiowa can do it from behind cover due to the MMS.

In a CAS situation I wonder if my friends are going to have the time and space to plug MGRS coords into systems. But LST or smoke grenades plus talk-on might work.

I think part of the challenge will be getting the others to work this way - and not just buzz around finding targets by themselves.....

Probably the best way to frame what it did (granted, DCS players may not necessarily adhere to this practice) is similar in some ways to  JTAC.

For a squad, the biggest ordinance they can carry might be a recoilless gun, or a 60mm mortar. But you give them a radio, suddenly it's like having a bunch of Mk82s in your back pocket. So in a way that the bombs on the jet are the JTAC's, the Kiowa can command the Apache's ordnance.

So with a flight of 3 with typical loadouts, the Kiowa might not be thought to have 2 Hellfires, but 26 (2+8 from each other aircraft). Obviously, if they want to break off and do their own thing, you can't stop them, but scouting for targets and directing fires as the 'Hunter' part of 'Hunter-Killer' teams is absolutely what this aircraft is designed to do. 

[AhSoul]

Yeah I think the issue is that this is a sim, not RL, and in the sim players tend to just go around shooting at stuff and generally not following command structure

[Jarhead0331]

How about the fact that it just looks bad ass…oh, and the M4. Definitely get it for the M4.