Shkval lock on airborn targets... HOW??!?!?

[ShuRugal]

I am stuck on a mission with two opposing MI-24 birds that just keep chewing my flight up like so much grist. I have once been able to get a Shkval lock and shoot one down, but it took me so long to get the box over the bandit and to get my shots off that the other one blew me out of the sky.

 

So, my question is, how am i supposed to lock my Shkval onto the enemy Hind while i'm manuevering? only way i can see my shkval display well enough to see the enemy on it is to snap-view to it, and have no idea what my attitude/heading is. then i have to fiddle with the blasted keys to somehow get the target box over the bandit without overshooting and then hit the lock command.... head-tracking is all well and good for getting the Shkval pointed at the bandits, but without blowing a few hundred bucks on a professional system, there is no way in hell i can get precise enough control out of it to lock a moving target that way...'

 

Any suggestions? is there something i have missed that makes acquiring airborne targets easier?

[Nate--IRL--]

Any suggestions? is there something i have missed that makes acquiring airborne targets easier?

 

Nope you aren't missing anything - it is really difficult.

 

Nate

[159th_Viper]

Extend and re-engage. The closer you are the more difficult it is. Also, do not chase them around with the Shkval cursor - anticipate their flight path and wait for them to fly into the tracking gate and then lock.

Edited February 4, 2012 by 159th_Viper

[Rotareneg]

View padlock and the HMS work quite well together. :D

[Puddlemonkey]

Extend and re-engage. The closer you are the more difficult it is. Also, do not chase them around with the Shkval cursor - anticipate their flight path and wait for them to fly into the tracking gate and then lock.

 

The target is locked when you release the lock button. You can place the shkval over a space that it is about to fly into and let go of the lock button as it gets into it. I find it easier to time it this way.

 

Also, map your shkval to a hat which allows you to slew diagonally (on x52, not the silver one).

 

PM

[BeachAV8R]

Send your wingmen after them as bait..that way they will be preoccupied with them and you *might* get a shot off at them.

 

Was it THIS mission by chance? Tough one.. :D

 

Good luck!

 

BeachAV8R

[ShuRugal]

Send your wingmen after them as bait..that way they will be preoccupied with them and you *might* get a shot off at them.

 

Was it THIS mission by chance? Tough one.. :D

 

Good luck!

 

BeachAV8R

 

 

yeah, that's the one. Between engine blowouts crossing the ridge and getting raped up the exhaust manifold by the Hinds, i've about had enough for today.

[Bushmanni]

Locking nearby airborne targets is hard but if you have your Shkval controls in a good ministick you can follow him manually well enough to get him with Vikhr in AA mode. If he's really close you can follow him with helmet sight to guide the missile. Shkval won't lock when it's slewed so the ambush method for locking is the only one that works. But then again you shouldn't try to lock close range helicopter threats at all as Ka-50 will most likely lose any close range dogfight with other helicopters due to lack of turreted gun and co-pilot. Ka-50 is fast so use that to extend and then turn around and re-engage with ample time to acquire a lock on target.

 

The most important thing that helped me locking airborne targets was a throttle with a good ministick with custom curve to make it manageable. With that airborne targets are relatively easy to track and lock.

[ShuRugal]

so really what i need to do is just bite the bullet and get an x52

[Jona33]

If you're close range and can see him go fixed gunsight mode and gun him down old school.

[ShuRugal]

If you're close range and can see him go fixed gunsight mode and gun him down old school.

 

 

if i'm that close he's already gunned me down.

[Jona33]

if i'm that close he's already gunned me down.

 

Aah... That's a problem. Run away.

[Speed]

If you're close range and can see him go fixed gunsight mode and gun him down old school.

 

BBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.......... BBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[159th_Viper]

BBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.......... BBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

 

Burp....

 

7fX3t5bg7N4

[Speed]

For airborne targets, it's just hard as hell. Use the HMS, and hope they start flying at you. Put the weapons system in air to air mode, auto turn, and, if the target is flying at you, head on aspect. If you get a shot at a Hind, DOUBLE TAP HIS @$$ with a double Vikhr launch. You may not get a second chance! I've directly hit hinds before with Vikhrs and had them STILL close the range and kill me. So HIT THEM TWICE.

 

Don't try to hit an airborne target with Vikhrs that is not flying more or less directly towards or directly away from you. When you are in air to air mode (or ground moving target mode), then your guns will automatically lead moving targets. Thus, it is vital during a guns engagement that you repeatedly fire your laser range finder (enter). This will provide an updated range to your guns so that they will lead the proper amount.

 

If an engagement is looking bad, don't be afraid to run- you will either out-run, or at least fly at the same speed as the pursuer, away from anyone chasing you. One time, that's what I had to do with the "On the Other Side" mission- the Hinds overwhelmed me, shot down my wingmen, and I just had to run like hell. I ran for about 25 km at 270+ km/h, and eventually, the Hinds stopped chasing me. I was able to return and complete the mission. It really helped that I was carrying fuel tanks on my inner pylons!!!

 

Keep in mind that the Hinds may launch missiles at you as well- typically from something like 5km, IIRC. You have a longer missile range, so make sure you SHOOT FIRST! If they get a missile off on you, remember, it's an ATGM, so to evade, you only need to fly perpendicular to the missiles approach direction at a speed of >100-120km/h or so.

[Boberro]

I usually try to predict flying path and press LOCK about 1 second before plane will appear in the target designator gate. Then I fire.

 

Few poor Ghey-Tens met ground faster than they usually can fly :D

[Speed]

Burp....

 

Somehow, I just don't feel that "burp" describes it appropriately.

[Bushmanni]

Vikhr is a fast for ATGM. Even if the enemy fires an ATGM at you first the Vikhr will get him if you get your shot off right after him.

 

And about ministicks, it should be good quality, accurate and have enough range of motion so that it won't be twitchy. I have CH pro throttle and while it's not perfect it does perform very well nevertheless with custom curve. I don't have any experience with other sticks so I won't say anything about them. I have the feeling that most people use the digital controls for Shkval despite having ministick available as it's very twitchy with axis control. But if you reduce the maximum saturation of the curve to 30% of the original and make the center area even more shallow it is pretty nice to use and has still enough slew rate to follow airborne targets. You can also set the last 10% of the axis to 100% so that you can throw the Shkval around really fast.

[KosPilot]

And about ministicks, it should be good quality, accurate and have enough range of motion so that it won't be twitchy. I have CH pro throttle and while it's not perfect it does perform very well nevertheless with custom curve. I don't have any experience with other sticks so I won't say anything about them. I have the feeling that most people use the digital controls for Shkval despite having ministick available as it's very twitchy with axis control. But if you reduce the maximum saturation of the curve to 30% of the original and make the center area even more shallow it is pretty nice to use and has still enough slew rate to follow airborne targets. You can also set the last 10% of the axis to 100% so that you can throw the Shkval around really fast.

 

I have CH Pro Throttle too but was never able to use that mini-stick effectively. Simply too twitchy. I will try your setup. Thanks for the advise!

[213]

i use the keyboard commands for slewing, quite accurate.

[StoOopiD]

with the hms, go guns, hold down the uncage shkval and light him up.

[WildBillKelsoe]

My God!!! I flew that mission before.. :(

Actually, its better to just RTB and drop out the Ka-50 program with this mission. It is VERY tough.. Today, I decided to get into it again (intrigued by that very thread). Bummer... I got shot in the CMS and then got shot again while aligning for the targets... I wish it was easier to actually spot the bastards....