Designating via TGP for GPS weapons - question on Area vs Point

[Istari6]

My group and I are now flying the F-16 in 2007 era Liberation campaigns (previously we were doing the 1996 era before GPS weapons).  So we're all learning how to use the TGP to designate for JSOW, JDAM and WCMD.  

Here's our problem:

Area track seems to be best for the TGP since it doesn't lose track and slew off when you maneuver aggressively (defending against a SAM, etc).  Point track often seems to end up looking someplace totally different if you have to maneuver and come back to the target.  

Yet I don't know how to set a Markpoint off an Area TGP track for employing GPS weapons.  If I go to Markpoint (via ICP) and use TGP, when I hit TMS Up to designate the TGP point of interest as a Markpoint, the TGP goes to Point Track.  Is there a way to set a Markpoint off an Area track?  That will allow us to get the most precise GPS coordinates for JDAM (Point Track often ends creating a GPS coordinate behind or "through" the target that can cause a JDAM miss).

 

[VarZat]

17 minutes ago, Istari6 said:

My group and I are now flying the F-16 in 2007 era Liberation campaigns (previously we were doing the 1996 era before GPS weapons).  So we're all learning how to use the TGP to designate for JSOW, JDAM and WCMD.  

Here's our problem:

Area track seems to be best for the TGP since it doesn't lose track and slew off when you maneuver aggressively (defending against a SAM, etc).  Point track often seems to end up looking someplace totally different if you have to maneuver and come back to the target.  

Yet I don't know how to set a Markpoint off an Area TGP track for employing GPS weapons.  If I go to Markpoint (via ICP) and use TGP, when I hit TMS Up to designate the TGP point of interest as a Markpoint, the TGP goes to Point Track.  Is there a way to set a Markpoint off an Area track?  That will allow us to get the most precise GPS coordinates for JDAM (Point Track often ends creating a GPS coordinate behind or "through" the target that can cause a JDAM miss).

 

Hey, for marking with TGP you need to be in point track. After entering point track, press TMS UP SHORT agin to mark the location.

[Istari6]

Gotcha, but I've seen that JDAMs regularly miss targets using Point Track with TGP.  Given the blast damage limitations in DCS' damage model, close often doesn't do it, even for items that should be relatively fragile like SAM radars.  So we've been trying to use Area track and focusing at the base of the target, since that seems to work better for LGB to hit the target rather than marking the terrain behind the target.  

So it sounds like there's no way to mix Area track in the TGP with designating a GPS target?  

[Gilligan]

Once you've created the markpoint, set it as the current steerpoint and TMS down to "unlock" or zero out the cursor, then re-set your lock with the area track.

 

You can also use TMS down (once the cursor is unlocked) to set an INS track - similar to an area track but even less likely to lose the lock point when maneuvering. 

Edited November 19, 2024 by Gilligan

[Istari6]

Makes sense.  Thanks!