What's The Best Learning Aproach?

[Guest Jinker]

I've been flying FC now for a couple months, and I've flown all the A-10 training missions, have become familar (well, for the most part) with alot of the systems, and avionics. I already know how to navigate and fly instruments from full sclae flight experience and the years and years I've flown civilian sims. I can land the A-10 spot on the 1000' markers, and can land farely well in the F-15...still got to get that F-15 'flare' down.

 

What I'm mainly interested in learning is tactics, using Lock On to it's fullest, and learning how to use and setup missions. I also would like to learn how to set up these expensive controllers I bought. I have a full CH HOTAS setup complete with Fighterstick USB, Pro Throttle, and pro Pedals, and I ordered TIR 4 yesterday.

 

I also have experience with aerobatic radio control models. I know alot abut aircraft, but i know very little when it comes to combat aircraft. I mean *really* know...not what you see on the Military channel. I want to learn tactics, and how to make the right decisions, and select weapons quickly. I have become keenly aware, that if you get a shot off first you stand a good chance in battle. The A-10 using mav's against Sam threats is a good example. It is very difficult to avoid SAM's once they are launched, but if you hit them first before they can launch you stand a good chance of winning the battle.

 

I also would like to learn about how to get the *BEST* use out of the systems, and what works best on what targets. Right now, i have unlimited weapons set, but i feel like such a n00b doing that. I want to use the aircraft to it's fullest with a real weapons load, and not needlessly waste rounds and missles.

 

There's so much to learn, and i wish there was a training regime like the services use. That way, I would be trained like everybody else, and the training would be effective and complete, and I wouldn;t be missing stuff.

 

I know that you don't just magically learn everything there is to know about flight, but a good general knowledge would sure help me.

 

All you guys use abbreviations that i don;t know what they are, or you talk of these weapons, and some of them i can tell are weapons, but i don't know what they do, and haven't seen them yet.

 

I am at that place where it's not a "game" anymore. I want to really get serious about this stuff, and learn how to do things right, and know where to find info on all these weapons systems, and ground based units, and all the stuff I wrote about.

 

It's like "Where do i start, and where do I go" hehe

[BuzzU]

I think your best bet would be to join a squad that trains.

[Guest Jinker]

I would love to do that, but i don't have the Internet service for it, and none is available here. No DSL, No Cable. :(

 

I have Satelite, but the download is only 1M, and the upload is a pitful 64K at best. The lag is in the 2000ms range. They'd probably run me off laughing trying to connect to their server with that kind of service.

[Brit_Radar_Dude]

Some articles over at SimHQ.com that may be helpful.........

[Guest Jinker]

Some articles over at SimHQ.com that may be helpful.........

 

Thanks, I'll be checking those out right now, and putting them in my favorites LOMAC folder I made special for LOMAC.

 

All suggestions welcome. :)

[SUBS17]

Well the Maverick D is my favourite for taking out tanks, I rarely use the K as finding IR signatures is much easier and the added benefit of greater range. Depending on the circumstances dictates my approach to engaging the ground targets. First of all do a recon of the map, work out the location of any SAMs/AAA units and single those out first. If they aren't on the map then use external view F7. From there you use Mavericks on the SAMs/AAA units. SAMs are the higher priority as they are the greatest threat. From there you can use cluster bombs such as Mk20 and CBU97s to get multiple kills per each pass. This is not so effective against tanks but soft/medium armour you stand a good chance of doing alot of damage. The SAMs and AAA units are far more deadly if a search radar is present and the AI level is expert. They will shoot down the incoming missiles so in some cases high altitude CBU delivery is a good option although risky it is guaranteed to do alot of damage. CCRP or CCIP methods but try to release early and break away to evade SAMs. Strela 10 can hit you if you are using CCIP and diving from 10 000ft so be ready to pop chaff and remember to try to hit the search radar first. After that the rest are fairly easy to pick off. In lockon you do have the luxury of being able to rearm in mission so in some cases you might need to rearm to finish off the SAM threats before you can mop up the rest.

[Yellonet]

Just post one thing you want to know more about at a time and I'm sure there are people here who are willing to help...

[Yellonet]

Well the Maverick D is my favourite for taking out tanks, I rarely use the K as finding IR signatures is much easier and the added benefit of greater range. Depending on the circumstances dictates my approach to engaging the ground targets. First of all do a recon of the map, work out the location of any SAMs/AAA units and single those out first. If they aren't on the map then use external view F7. From there you use Mavericks on the SAMs/AAA units. SAMs are the higher priority as they are the greatest threat. From there you can use cluster bombs such as Mk20 and CBU97s to get multiple kills per each pass. This is not so effective against tanks but soft/medium armour you stand a good chance of doing alot of damage. The SAMs and AAA units are far more deadly if a search radar is present and the AI level is expert. They will shoot down the incoming missiles so in some cases high altitude CBU delivery is a good option although risky it is guaranteed to do alot of damage. CCRP or CCIP methods but try to release early and break away to evade SAMs. Strela 10 can hit you if you are using CCIP and diving from 10 000ft so be ready to pop chaff and remember to try to hit the search radar first. After that the rest are fairly easy to pick off. In lockon you do have the luxury of being able to rearm in mission so in some cases you might need to rearm to finish off the SAM threats before you can mop up the rest.

Hey! Using F7 is kind of cheating ;)

[SUBS17]

Sometimes people who host servers or make missions don't give information on target location.(HL is quite bad for this) So we acquire the target by obtaining its grid reference and flying to it from there. Its ok to fly to a waypoint and hunt them, but we need to know which waypoint and what is to be destroyed.;)

[Ironhand]

If you haven't already found them, there are a some tutorials on my website that you might find helpful. Most are for outdated versions of the sim. But there are several which are compatible with FC V1.11 and one (Su-27 vs F-15) which is only compatible with V1.1. I'm presently working on re-recording that one with voiceover.

 

Anyway...compatibility for each is marked. So just check before downloading. All Flaming Cliff tutorials are simple ZIP files. Just download and unzip them where you want. You don't need LoMan for installation.

 

Also...An excellent book on A2A combat is Robert Shaw's "Fighter Combat: Tactics and Maneuvering".

 

Rich

[Kula66]

Also...An excellent book on A2A combat is Robert Shaw's "Fighter Combat: Tactics and Maneuvering".

 

Rich

 

While Shaw is great (degree level ACM) ... I find it a bit heavy and concentrates on WVR combat - something that rarely happens on-line. There are some great discussions/threads on Frugals re: BVR combat in F4 that are also applicable to LO ... some very well written . Also, some about the use of the jammers thats well worth reading.

 

BTW, Ironhands tutorials are just great ... well worth downloading and viewing multiple times!

[golfsierra2]

1. Read the manual

2. Begin with own created missions, watch tutorials for questions arising

3. Join a forum for further answers

4. Join an online squad for training and fun

5. Rookie rule: "Learning by doing" - there is no substitute for practise

6. Advanced pilots rule: "train as you fight, fight as you have trained"

7. Don't give up and have fun.....

[golfsierra2]

While Shaw is great (degree level ACM) ... I find it a bit heavy and concentrates on WVR combat - something that rarely happens on-line.

 

I disagree here: WVR is what many people attracts, because they 1. see LO / FC as an advanced ego-shooter or 2. they think is has to be played like IL2 and else...

See what is flown in Hyperlobby and the "ladder" competion that recently was posted here. I think that gun and IR-MSL fights are what many pilots mean when they talk about "having fun and action".

 

What a pity, LO / FC really is an very advanced sim capable of so much more (tactics, radar work...)

[Kula66]

I disagree here: WVR is what many people attracts, because they 1. see LO / FC as an advanced ego-shooter or 2. they think is has to be played like IL2 and else...QUOTE]

 

While I agree WVR is great fun (although I'm not good at it) you rarely see it on the major servers on HL ... its invariably a lone wolf BVR setup. And now they've unlocked loads again, gunzo often ends up with some idiot loading missiles :(

[Guest Jinker]

Wow, what a response! I appreciate all the information. I have actually done very little as far as actually learning how to fly combat. I have been using the "Fly" button most of the time with the exception of flying the training missions in the A-10 and F-15. I have flown the Su25-T, but man that thing flies like a pig! LOL I cannot land that plane to save my life, and I'm an instrument rated full scale pilot with an ME rating! I'm almost embarrassed to admit that.

 

These military aircraft fly alot different than even the most high performance civilian jets.

 

I really need to learn how to use the mission editor. I don't understand alot about that end of it. All of this kind of thing is new to me. It's alot different than MS Flight Simulators, and many of the other civilian sims. I did manage to open a mission one time, but it was very depressing. I got shot down like the total n00b I was, and still am for the most part. I can fly and fire missiles, but in a real fight where they actually shoot back with a vengeance (not like the "easy" Fly Now level) I'm getting owned by the AI.

 

I really need to learn avoidance tactics, and learn how to approach threats without sticking out like a damn scarecrow saying "here I am, come and get me" LOL

 

I got my whole damn tail blown off lastnight by a SAM in a training mission flying the A-10. I knew where the threat was at from flying it before, but got wrapped up in the buttons, and wasn't paying attention and got too close. I had labels off and was trying to learn how to do it the "right way" but the SAM threat fired a salvo of 2 missiles, and I don't have the skill to evade them. I did the break and pop flares maneuver, but one of them got a direct hit. I ejected, and was alarmed at the damage! The entire tail section was broke off halfway down the fuselage in front of the engine nacelles and the aircraft went down in two halves. It literally blew me in half.

 

If that had been a real engagement, I would've been dead. I take that mindset with it. When I'm flying, it is very real. I don't "play a game". I'm there to "fight a war and win" and not get killed. That's my goal is to learn the A-10 very well, and become an effective combat pilot that won't get his ass shot off and be a disappointment when I'm able to get online one day. There is talk of the cable company coming out this way.

[britgliderpilot]

I really need to learn avoidance tactics, and learn how to approach threats without sticking out like a damn scarecrow saying "here I am, come and get me" LOL

 

I got my whole damn tail blown off lastnight by a SAM in a training mission flying the A-10. I knew where the threat was at from flying it before, but got wrapped up in the buttons, and wasn't paying attention and got too close. I had labels off and was trying to learn how to do it the "right way" but the SAM threat fired a salvo of 2 missiles, and I don't have the skill to evade them. I did the break and pop flares maneuver, but one of them got a direct hit. I ejected, and was alarmed at the damage! The entire tail section was broke off halfway down the fuselage in front of the engine nacelles and the aircraft went down in two halves. It literally blew me in half.

 

If that had been a real engagement, I would've been dead. I take that mindset with it. When I'm flying, it is very real. I don't "play a game". I'm there to "fight a war and win" and not get killed. That's my goal is to learn the A-10 very well, and become an effective combat pilot that won't get his ass shot off and be a disappointment when I'm able to get online one day. There is talk of the cable company coming out this way.

 

The basic answer to this is to keep your distance and stay high where possible. The A10 is good when getting close-in and dirty, but it gets much, much more dangerous the lower and closer you get to your target.

 

 

It's tempting, especially when starting off, to whip round for another attack as soon as possible - the best approach is instead to egress some distance from the target, gain some height, and come in again. Get out of the threat area and venture into it as little as possible.

 

The A10 has the stand-off capability with the Maverick, and when using dumb bombs and rockets you want to use them from as high an altitude as possible - dive, get sight picture, pull up and get the hell out ASAP.

 

Pop flares regularly inside the threat zone, and watch very careful for heaters coming up.

 

 

And just avoid Tunguskas or watch Ironhands "Dodging SAMs" track. Very useful.

[BuzzU]

Before you give up on the Su-25T. Try landing it empty. Drop all your weapons, fuel tanks etc. She'll glide in as pretty as a Piper Cub.

 

If you like ground attacks, the Su-25T is more fun for me than the A-10.

[Weta43]

The Su25 & Su25T are both a lot of fun & worth persevering with. The Su25T is underpowered when all the pylons are full & the tanks are full - choose your weapon with care, also it's not big on multiple control surface imputs while executing extreme manouvers ( you'll suddenly find yourself upside down & heading for the ground if you don't catch it quickly. Still managing the flying & the weapons - & the various autopilot modes - while hunting for targets & threats is a lot of fun. More workload, less margin for error.

[Coffee999]

You have to read the manual. I'm a manual reader. Doesn't matter what it is. If I buy something new, and it comes with a manual, I will read it. More than once.

 

Read a little in bed before falling asleep. A week of that and you will have read that monster. Every time I read it, maybe 4 times now, I take away more and more informatin I can use.

[BuzzU]

You have to read the manual. I'm a manual reader. Doesn't matter what it is. If I buy something new, and it comes with a manual, I will read it. More than once.

 

Read a little in bed before falling asleep. A week of that and you will have read that monster. Every time I read it, maybe 4 times now, I take away more and more informatin I can use.

 

That works if you want to spend the money to print it out.