Spotting Targets ?

[Svetlano]

I'm clueless on target spotting, i'm almost always ending up destroyed before actually seeing anything.

I'm flying the first mission campaigns.

What i do is to look at the f10 map to check where the targes are located, but still can't find their positions with mavericks camera even from big distances and in 10 or 20 seconds i'm hit by some air defense missile.

Could you guys kindly spare some basic tips for a noob ? I've no problems flying, taking off and landing at all, but never properly played a modern air simulation. Just Blackshark, but it's all a different thing.

[Maverick322]

I'm also having this problems.. I'm using labels now, because the little box that should appear around the targets are always at an object further away.. never on the main target or nearest.. :s

[159th_Viper]

I'm clueless on target spotting, i'm almost always ending up destroyed before actually seeing anything.

I'm flying the first mission campaigns.

What i do is to look at the f10 map to check where the targes are located, but still can't find their positions with mavericks camera even from big distances and in 10 or 20 seconds i'm hit by some air defense missile.

Could you guys kindly spare some basic tips for a noob ? I've no problems flying, taking off and landing at all, but never properly played a modern air simulation. Just Blackshark, but it's all a different thing.

 

Which Specific Mission?

 

Might be able to assist a wee bitty (Die-Hard Bomber-Boy) - just need to know the Mission you're struggling with :)

[Ven]

Setting the res of cockpit displays in the options to 1024 actually helps identifying targets. I used 256 at first to save frame rate but couldn't identify anything until I got too close. And frame rate hit actually wasn't even noticeable. At least for me.

 

Don't rely on default way points. Default ingress point in many of the missions put you too close. Start scanning for targets earlier and take out any SAM's and AAA's in the primary target area first. Again, higher cockpit display resolution helps and it does take some time before you can clearly identify IR signatures but once you do, you should be able to identify air defense targets from 5nm out at least. You can change the ingress point in the mission editor if you want.

 

This may be considered cheating but I never was able to get much use out of my wingman. So I enabled cockpit jumping in the options and fired Mav's from his cockpit myself.

 

Study the briefing and and use RWR to keep track of the air defense targets.

[jib]

First it does help to use a nice high resolution screen (1920x1080 is good )and make sure your resolution is set up properly in the options.

 

Use the view zoom. the default is Num/ but it is best to bind it to your joystick. this will help in spotting far off targets alot.

 

Reconnaissance. If you think you know where a target is don't fly directly over it but to one side and have a look out of the side of your cockpit (helps if you have Trackir) and pick out landmarks that can help guide you to the target on the next run

 

Military vehicles are camouflaged for a reason, it makes them very difficult to spot especially from the air. I often see the bright yellow civilian bus going along the road and miss the T-72 sitting next to it.

 

Maverick322 you can cycle the targeting box through all the targets that are in the attack zone or that your wingman picks out for you, not sure what button I will just check.

 

If you get frustrated, yeah put on labels, I used to have my labels set to full stops ( . ) they are still quite hard to see so it doesn't take all the realism out of it.

Edited April 11, 2010 by jib

[Svetlano]

But what about "Hey Man i Marked your Targets with yellow smoke !?"

 

I CAN'T actually see any smokes !

Thanks guys i'll try some of the tips you suggested, my resolution is 1920*1080 , but to not lose framerate i 'm using the 256 cockpit screen.

[Nate--IRL--]

Use the view zoom. the default is Num/ but it is best to bind it to your joystick. this will help in spotting far off targets alot.

.

 

This is the main secret to spotting targets, even using the zoom they are difficult to spot. The Second secret is preparation, memorising and understanding the briefings.

 

Nate

[BeachAV8R]

I agree with Nate. Also, during the preflight, really zoom in on the target area on the planning map and make note of things that can help point you toward your target area. Things like bridges, roads, terrain contours, or even where urban areas start or end. They don't necessarily have to be right on top of the target either. If you see a bridge or road intersection on the map you can use a bearing and distance to get your Maverick seeker onto the area. Use your standoff range, and personally, I fly slow 210 knots or so, until I get really close, then I speed up to give me energy for the evasive maneuvers. If you don't see the target, break off the attack from several miles away and reset. Don't keep driving on or you'll surely get shot down.

 

Good luck and keep at it..! It gets better with more time!

 

Regards..

 

BeachAV8R

[Stangpilot]

How can you zoom in on the target map? Also can you zoom in on the satellite image of the area? I'm going to try the missions soon

[Vecko]

If you dont know area good and if your RWR is silent you need to fly high(3000-3500m),in that way you will be save from AAA and IC SAMs below you...Open four eyes ,use max zoom while you searching ground.And take your time, if you are in hurry you can get an arrow easy. If you spot something, don't try to kill it wright away , remember ground configuration and location of units,take some distance and try again...

 

P.S.

If this does not help then turn on labels and kick their but...:)

Edited April 12, 2010 by Vecko

[Renato71]

But what about "Hey Man i Marked your Targets with yellow smoke !?"

I CAN'T actually see any smokes ! .

 

Hmh, you better check you VGA drivers and settings. I can see them very clearly. Gforce 8800GT, 1920*1080, all setting to medium.

 

Here are few pics from instant mission for Su-25T.

First one is the way somke looks like.

Second, smoke seen trough HUD, distance 4.4 km.

Third, distance about 16 km with max zoom.

Fourth, same position, zoomed out a bit.

 

[Lightning]

What works for me is taking the AGM-65 D ( Infrared variant ) and flying at 2000 - 3000 feet heading to hot zone.

 

Then i use my ruder pedals ( speed approx. 290 knots ) to slide to left or right.

This way you can keep your alltitude and have a nice and slow search in distance.

When you spot a target ( bright white dots on the TV ) you can zoom in and identify the target ( best way is cockpit setting to 1024 as mentioned aboove ).

 

Thats it , i hope this helps a little.

[JonK]

The 65D certainly makes the job easier. Looking through the 6x zoom spotting out some highlighted SAMs and taking them down makes eyeballing the remaining targets much easier.

 

Who actually uses the 65K? No zoom and no IR, seems completely inferior.

[Ramstein]

I was chatting with some fellow Pilots and was telling them I too have a hell of a time spotting targets (if not using labels/icons). Just have to practice and do the best we can..

:joystick:

[Svetlano]

Hmh, you better check you VGA drivers and settings. I can see them very clearly. Gforce 8800GT, 1920*1080, all setting to medium.

 

Here are few pics from instant mission for Su-25T.

First one is the way somke looks like.

Second, smoke seen trough HUD, distance 4.4 km.

Third, distance about 16 km with max zoom.

Fourth, same position, zoomed out a bit.

 

Again thanks all for the suggestions, they are really appreciated.

I have no VGA problems at all, it's just that i cannot see it, i'm still fighting the trimmer configuration with the x52, because i figured out that i can't still keep the plane stable, and being able to flight "head down" or cycling the views.

I found that the trimmers configuration on the rotary axis it's just too sensitive and keeps turning the fighter even with slight movements.

I have still no practice and the correct hotas configuration to spot target without actually being killed by sams, even with labels turned on (i tried that).

Could finally someone suggest a good trimmer setup to use with the X52 model ? I tried also to assign the button for trimmer left, right, and reset trimmer, but i'm still getting unstable positioning during area scannings (i'm providing myself a head tracking system to improve the visibility aspect also). :joystick:

[Maverick322]

 

Maverick322 you can cycle the targeting box through all the targets that are in the attack zone or that your wingman picks out for you, not sure what button I will just check.

 

If you get frustrated, yeah put on labels, I used to have my labels set to full stops ( . ) they are still quite hard to see so it doesn't take all the realism out of it.

 

I found the keys for that, but they don't work.. Any help?:pilotfly:

[Lightning]

I found the keys for that, but they don't work.. Any help?:pilotfly:

 

We are talking about the A-10 Maverick Crosshair here right ?

You choose mavericks and then move the targeting crosshair with 4 keys (up/down/left/right)

If the keys do not work, then there is something wrong with your keyboard or you use the wrong keys . :music_whistling:

 

By the way, the maverick targeting crosshair is the thin circle with one pixel dot in the middle ( the crosshair of the Rockets look similar but it says RKT under the crosshair ...you cannot move rockets crosshair ! its only possible with mavericks crosshair and bombs crosshair )

 

If you want to cycle between targets ( switch the targets by pressing NEXT Target / PREVIOUS Target button) you must use simplified game mode .. that does not work in simulation mode !

game mode = easy targeting

Edited April 12, 2010 by Lightning

[Maverick322]

Oke thanks, so I can only see my targets in my HUD in game mode? I thought pilot in real life also see a square around their target on the HUD..

[Lightning]

As far as i know this would only work in real life if the aircraft had an air-to-ground radar and the ability to process and synchronize the radar data with the HUD targeting system.

 

The A-10A ( which is simulated here ) has no ground radar, not sure about the new A-10C which will be offered in the next DCS Module.

I even read that some A-10 A Pilots were using binoculars to spot camouflaged targets in a distance..so no there are no squares around targets by just pressing the NEXT target button on their Flightsticks.

 

I would propose to watch some A-10 Cockpit/HUD Videos on You Tube etc. to get a better imagination of what i am talking about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szX45PdUOmo

Edited April 12, 2010 by Lightning

[Maverick322]

Thanks for the reply but I think you don't understand me. Here is a screenshot in Game mode. The game mode adds the red square around the target which you can change. I'm talking about the little green square! This one is also visible with game mode off.;) How can I cycle between targets with the green square?

[Renato71]

Again thanks all for the suggestions, they are really appreciated.

I have no VGA problems at all, it's just that i cannot see it,

 

Could you run Su-25T quick mission, let it run for a minute, wait until you get info that targets are markedd with smoek, and then take a screenshot?

If you cannot see the smoke at all, then it must be up to your graphical settings. Maybe that will give a clue to someone else as how to solve this.

[Ven]

I don't use labels anymore but this is label setting I used to use when starting up. It only puts small faint dot over the units and doesn't give any name or distance information on ground units. It still gives distance for aircrafts and missiles however. And I set it to use same color for both side. Yea it's cheating but can be considered training. And it's better than using Game mode I think.

 

AirFormat = {}

AirFormat[10] = ""

AirFormat[5000] = "}%N%n%D"

AirFormat[10000] = "}%n%D"

AirFormat[20000] = "]%n%D"

AirFormat[30000] = "'"

 

GroundFormat = {}

GroundFormat[5000] = "{"

GroundFormat[10000] = "~"

GroundFormat[20000] = "`"

 

NavyFormat = {}

NavyFormat[10000] = "{%N"

NavyFormat[20000] = "~"

NavyFormat[40000] = "`"

 

WeaponFormat = {}

WeaponFormat[5000] = "[%n%D"

WeaponFormat[10000] = "|%n%D"

WeaponFormat[20000] = "|"

 

-- Colors in {red, green, blue} format, volume from 0 up to 255

 

ColorAliesSide = {143, 146, 50}

ColorEnemiesSide = {143, 146, 50}

[SFJackBauer]

Thanks for the reply but I think you don't understand me. Here is a screenshot in Game mode. The game mode adds the red square around the target which you can change. I'm talking about the little green square! This one is also visible with game mode off.;) How can I cycle between targets with the green square?

 

The diamond square is not a target cue, is just a reference point created by the mission designer to steer you towards the targets general area. Maybe the diamond can point directly over a target, but that doesn't preclude the possibility of existence of additional targets in the area.

[NotiA10]

just a few things in regards to this thread:

 

trim: you need to trim constantly especially when not flying in a stable horizontal position. as your speed changes (normal when in a dive) the effect of your trim will also change. when attacking a target your speed should be at around 300kts so trim the plane slightly nose down for that speed.

 

spotting targets: as has been mentioned, paying attention to the briefing usually is a good start. memorize landmarks such as bridges, riverbends, roadbends, smaller cities etc. the diamond is only visible if the target is being lased and designed by a FAC. This helps a lot however more ofter you will have to rely on your MK1 eyeballs. fly with a buddy. 4 eyes see more than 2. dont rush into an attack make sure you have a good approach (distance, altitude, speed, angle, heading).

 

one more thing: try to always plan ahead so you know what your next move will be.

 

hope this helps a bit

 

cheers,

NotiA10

[billposters]

How can I cycle between targets with the green square?

 

You can do this by pressing the same key combination you use for cycling through waypoints in nav mode (Ctrl-~ by default).