Is navgrid useful for only singleplayer content?

[DejmienoPl]

Hi,

I'm learning tomcat and I wondering if should I learn also how to use navgrid? I play only single player (campaigns, user missions) and I think navgrid is useful only for multiplayer to communicate with team and make call outs. I don't see any usage for it in single player...

[Zabuzard]

If you are playing singleplayer campaigns, you will get the communication aspect as well. For example there might be a radio call that asks you to fly somewhere.

(Especially the DLC campaigns include heavy scripts and voice-overs and other custom content that lets it feel like you are not a "single player" at all)

Edited October 15 by Zabuzard

[Ivandrov]

3 hours ago, DejmienoPl said:

Hi,

I'm learning tomcat and I wondering if should I learn also how to use navgrid? I play only single player (campaigns, user missions) and I think navgrid is useful only for multiplayer to communicate with team and make call outs. I don't see any usage for it in single player...

AWACS picture call outs. Use the NAVGRID all the time for that because Bogey Dope simply gives you the closest Bandit. Which might not be the one you are going for.

[DejmienoPl]

Ok, sounds good but player can configure navgrid by he's own way. So player and AWACS can have set different reference point, threat axis, coverage, number of sectors. How do I know how to setup navgrid to have the same parameters like other aircrafts, AWACS etc? Is it specified in the mission briefing? 

[draconus]

18 hours ago, DejmienoPl said:

Ok, sounds good but player can configure navgrid by he's own way. So player and AWACS can have set different reference point, threat axis, coverage, number of sectors. How do I know how to setup navgrid to have the same parameters like other aircrafts, AWACS etc? Is it specified in the mission briefing? 

AWACS can give you two different calls: either BRAA from your position or Bulls Eye referenced. For BRAA you wouldn't need navgrid unless the mission is specially crafted in the way that you're responsible for defending given sector (haven't seen one yet) and check if the bandits entered the sector. For BE you'd set navgrid accordingly and have great SA on every call right on your TID. AWACS does not have built in navgrid functionality in DCS.

[Ivandrov]

On 10/16/2025 at 8:15 AM, DejmienoPl said:

Ok, sounds good but player can configure navgrid by he's own way. So player and AWACS can have set different reference point, threat axis, coverage, number of sectors. How do I know how to setup navgrid to have the same parameters like other aircrafts, AWACS etc? Is it specified in the mission briefing? 

The reference point that the AWACS uses is the same one as the one on the F10 and the briefing.

 

The other parameters are up to you. Set threat axis to where you would expect bandits to be based on the briefing. Sectors and angle coverage are preference. I like to use pairs of settings that make the sectors 10's of degrees wide with an even number of sectors so that the border of the two middle sector goes right through the threat axis.

(120/4, 120/6, 90/6, 80/4 ) You need less angle coverage the farther away bullseye is from the expected engagement area.

 

That just makes it faster and easier to process bandit positioning on the NAVGRID. Say we have a threat axis of 300, with 6 sectors that are 20 degrees wide.

 

If AWACS calls a bullseye 270, you can immediately deduce that he is in the middle of the 2nd sector to the left. Even if he's not showing up on datalink for whatever reason.

 

I cannot overstate how useful NAVGRID is, especially when datalink drops the ball. You can very quickly plot an entire picture call on it like a spider card with self updating own position and indicators for your radar coverage.

Edited October 17 by Ivandrov

[roobarbjapan]

Navgrid is very useful in organized groups. In our group we have had upto 4 sections on CAP and we can quickly co-ordinate via voice codes. Sure the Hornet guys have no idea what’s going on but it’s an amazing Tomcat feature and super fun when everyone is onboard with it. I just wish it was imported into Lotatc so our controllers could utilize it too.  

[captain_dalan]

On 10/15/2025 at 2:09 PM, DejmienoPl said:

Hi,

I'm learning tomcat and I wondering if should I learn also how to use navgrid? I play only single player (campaigns, user missions) and I think navgrid is useful only for multiplayer to communicate with team and make call outs. I don't see any usage for it in single player...

My 5c, the grid is an absolute life save in anything more complex then a one on one scramble. I usually tell Jester to set it over the Bullseye, and then align it a way that the vector that bogies/bandits are most likely expected takes the dominant place in the visible quadrant. But I also use the center on plane feature, to orient myself where I am in relation to the Bullseye. This make Bullseye calls a breeze to quickly understand and visualize.