CAS Mission / JTAC Orders Question

[Bushaman]

Hey Folks,

 

I'm just getting the hang of the A-10 and today I had a mission to fly CAS for two tank groups. I'm not sure if I needed too, but I checked in with JTAC and they gave me a couple tanks to kill (these tanks were way off from my TRGT waypoint). I used up all my munitions and ordered the two friendly tank groups to move ahead. They got blown away.

 

Curious what the procedure is to find the proper targets in CAS mission? My impression is I hit non-mission targets.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Dethmagnetic]

The JTACs in this game are pretty dumb when it comes to mission objectives. They don't seem to have any knowledge of what your specific objective is, and will blindly point at you whatever has caught their eye instead of the targets that are highest priority for your assigned mission.

 

For missions where I have a specific objective (kill a specific group of tanks, blow up a specific bridge, etc) I normally just ignore the JTAC completely until I've completed my primary goals. If I have any munitions left, then I'll call up the JTAC and let him guide me to some targets.

 

Also remember, if you run out of stores but haven't completed your mission yet, you can always return to base, rearm, and head back out to fight some more. The ground crew can rearm a running airplane, you don't even have to shut your engines down.

[Bushaman]

Got it. Thanks. So I take it you search around the target zone for the targets? Presumably go after targets that present a threat to the friendlies? Do you know if there are specific mission targets?

[Dethmagnetic]

It depends on the mission. If the objective is something like "Support armored company to waypoint Alaska", then no, there's no assigned targets, your success is only based on whether the ground units reach their target. If the objective is something like "destroy target bridge" or "attrite command units at X coordinates", then yes, there are specific targets you have to destroy to complete the mission.

 

The first type of mission is the trickier. The JTAC can sometimes guide you to appropriate targets, but sometimes they will send you after units that are nowhere near where your ground units are advancing to. You have to use your best judgment whether the targets they give you are worthwhile to attack or not given your mission objective.

 

Many missions (especially in the campaign) have multiple JTACs - if one is giving you garbage targets, try switching to the other one.

[Bushaman]

Ill give it another shot. Thanks for the help.

[Yurgon]

Dethmagnetic sniped me, so this mostly reiterates some of the points already made.

 

Got it. Thanks. So I take it you search around the target zone for the targets? Presumably go after targets that present a threat to the friendlies? Do you know if there are specific mission targets?

 

There's a "Score window" that you can open at any time. I believe the default key is: '

 

The key to a successful mission really depends on the mission. It may be enough to strike a single target like a bridge if that's what you're tasked with. In another mission, the success trigger may be friendly units reaching a certain position so in theory not a single enemy needs to be destroyed (although mission designers tend to put the enemies between your friendlies and the trigger location, those pesky bastards... :music_whistling:).

 

In campaigns, mission success may depend on the overall success rate of the factions involved. In the Ka-50 GOW campaign I've lost missions where I'd personally destroyed more than a dozen tanks, and I've won missions where I couldn't score a single kill - the player's actions are just one of the many factors determining the outcome.

 

Any good mission should be very specific about the goals in the mission briefing, so that's what you should stick to. But destroying lots of enemy units doesn't usually hurt. :)

 

My advice would be: Fly high, take your time, use your wingmen (and other assets if they're available) and stick to the mission objective as it was given in the briefing. Also, I find that using the mission planner increases my awareness of the battlefield, and it's often useful to adjust the flight plan.