How do you know where enemy units are?

[AhSoul]

This is probably going to sound like a stupid question but here goes....

 

I'm gradually learning to fly the A-10. I've built a cockpit, I've bought the Warthog HOTAS and Thrustmaster MFDs, I've played the training missions to learn how to deliver my ordnance etc etc. I'm not saying I'm at all good at it yet BTW!

 

But when I hit quick mission and head off to blow stuff up I've got the little indicators in red and blue to show where the units are. All along I know this is 'cheating' so I need to ditch this crutch and be able to do without.

 

But how do I find targets? Those little red units don't appear on my TAD. JTAC(?) often tells me nothing if I call it. So how am I supposed to work out where the tanks/BMPs/trucks etc actually are so I can kill them? Surely I can't just scan everywhere with the TGP, and the enemy units are scattered far and wide from the mission steerpoint so it's not like I can just look at that area.

 

Any advice etc welcome!

[SkateZilla]

the mission should be programmed into your Mission computer,

 

So you should have waypoints on your tad, and the labels will be mission specific,

 

read the briefing and take notes.

 

When you get on station, contact JTAC, enter the coordinates he gives you, move TGP to that point, mark target, blow stuff up.

 

I havent used JTAC in a while, as I usually orbit and scan target areas using TGP and TAD (Tag will show the where TGP is Looking, so it's easy once you get proficient at it.)

[Mike Busutil]

TGP, But don't forget you get your head out of the cockpit and look out through the canopy....

[Flying Penguin]

Or, if desperate, take a leaf out of the SU25's book and fly low over what you think is the target area until you hear the clunk clunk of rounds making holes in wings....

 

More fun that way. Real men don't need no stinking JTAC! :P

[AhSoul]

Ok I understand it for missions with specific targets, as you can scan near the target waypoint.

 

But if you create a random mission with enemy units on Max say, they are spread all over the place (like in an area bigger than the port city I'm flying over for example).

 

You can't scan an area that large with TGP can you?

[SmokeyTheLung]

You can't scan an area that large with TGP can you?

 

You certainly could but it probably wouldn't be very efficient. I think that a very big factor in your searching tactics would be the type of air defense units that the enemy has (this might be stated in the mission briefing, or you may have to poke and prod until your radar warning equipment starts chirping/your plane starts exploding :)). Assuming its just AAA, tanks and softer stuff, fly yourself towards where you think the enemy is (at a safe altitude) and start looking out the canopy as suggested before. You'll cover a lot more ground in a much shorter time frame (I'd recommend that you get the zoom view commands mapped to your joystick for this). Once you have a more refined sense of where you targets are you can get you targeting pod slaved for weapon delivery... Or just go in guns blazing like a real man! :D

[AhSoul]

Maybe that's it - I've just got to overfly the general area and use the Mk1 eyeball to find stuff.

 

They're just so very small :)

[FatalCalamity]

I'm with you, too. I am getting decent at using my weapons and flying, but having a hell of a time finding things on the TGP.

[NineLine]

Learn to utilize the JTAC in missions, if its set up right its like paint by numbers... but with bombs... (I dont know if JTAC is setup in generated missions)

 

I'm with you, too. I am getting decent at using my weapons and flying, but having a hell of a time finding things on the TGP.

[AhSoul]

Interesting - perhaps that's it and JTAC doesn't work on random stuff. I'm sure the mission brief says JTAC is available and gives freqs though....

 

I probably need to try the campaign now to see what a properly organised sortie is like.

[NineLine]

I may be wrong, and now will have to check it out, as I dont play the random generated stuff at all...

 

Interesting - perhaps that's it and JTAC doesn't work on random stuff. I'm sure the mission brief says JTAC is available and gives freqs though....

 

I probably need to try the campaign now to see what a properly organised sortie is like.

[secret1962]

Trying to find targets with TGP requires a big patience... just yesterday it took me about 20 minutes flying around :P

[Bushmanni]

You can scan quite a large area with TGP quite quickly with practice and find the targets that are visible. You just need to know the general location of the enemy and take 2-10min to check the area from distance (10nm is about ideal for searching). When you are too close to effectively use TGP you can find the targets by zooming the view and doing "visual" search. Visual search (now I mean finding stuff with your eyes in general) is a skill that needs to be practiced. Whether its white dots in TGP picture or dark dots in digital Georgian landscape, you will find them faster with practice.

[Nealius]

I personally find 10nm too close for searching with the TGP. I can't zoom out far enough and it's like looking through a soda straw. I usually orbit about 20nm out, but during roughly half of the orbit I can't see anything because parts of the aircraft are blocking the view.

[Davros23]

but during roughly half of the orbit I can't see anything because parts of the aircraft are blocking the view.

 

Right handed orbits are slightly better at mitigating this (as I'm sure you know).

[ENO]

Unless you're a NASCAR fan and have your TGP on the other wing.

 

OP, I'm impressed that you have weened yourself off the labels- means you really are interested in learning the true marvels of this sim. A couple things to look into:

 

Mark points. If you read the briefing and it gives you a general idea if where to look, find that area on the tad and while SOI do your TMS left short to put a mark point down. You can then set your HUD to cycle through this mark points instead by switching your computer to mark instead of mission or flight. (Can't remember what that dial is called.)

 

Radios: make sure you are on top if how to contact jtac and on what radio- I used to forget the am / fm settings by always doing my radio switch forward while trying to contact jtac. Of course that was wrong but it prevented me from contacting jtac until I figured it out. Make sure you're familiar with the 9 line format.

 

Also- 25nm is a great range to search with the tgp. Lets you cover much greater distances so you aren't looking through a proverbial soda straw.

[Nealius]

Right handed orbits are slightly better at mitigating this (as I'm sure you know).

 

Would be even better if I lost the Sidewinders. I doubt I will ever need to use them anyway.

[Hamblue]

Pretty much covered. Search from 20mi out to give more area. You can switch the tgp view between wide and narrow as well as change the Light/Dark setting. You'd be surprised at how much stands out when you select the dark view on the TGP.

After a while you'll start spotting easier once you get some experience.

 

Good Luck

[Maverick-X]

Would be even better if I lost the Sidewinders. I doubt I will ever need to use them anyway.

 

I like to have Sidewinders, if you have to defend yourself or find a Helo they are your best bet. Even in SP-Missions, I suddenly had a Mig diving down on me less than 5nm away. Was able to dodge the R73, turned after him and shove a Sidewinder up his... Engine ^^

 

For Target-Aquisition 20nm+ is best for searching with the TGP. Set markpoints on targets you find! On less than 10nm it is a good idea to have a look out of the Canopy. Use zoom to get a look on certain locations.

[AhSoul]

Well after all my good intentions I now can't find where the option to turn the labels off actually is!

[shagrat]

Well after all my good intentions I now can't find where the option to turn the labels off actually is!

In the Gamplay settings tab. Or look into the control settings, there should be Keyboard commands to deactivate the labels even separate for ships, ground, air and missiles...

edit: check you have settings active in "all missions"

[Bra1n]

Left shift and F10 for labels toggle.

 

As for finding targets JTAC is your best friend. If there no JTAC available then fly low and use your mk1 eyeball. Like someone else said move ya head about and look around aslong as you have clear weather.

If using TGP then use black hot or white hot.

[AhSoul]

Is that in options? I'm using a 30" LED TV atm and the resolution is crap. The game seems to struggle with this in the main menus and some stuff is just offscreen etc :(

[shagrat]

Is that in options? I'm using a 30" LED TV atm and the resolution is crap. The game seems to struggle with this in the main menus and some stuff is just offscreen etc :(

yes in options and then the gameplay tab or control settings, respectively. :thumbup:

[shagrat]

use the LSHIFT+F10 as advised by bra1n!