Gaming Digital Combat Simulator Thread

[Hielor]

Next mission finished. Not really my best showing, but a solid win for the red team.

It was a "support advancing forces" mission, with 3 main fronts. Winds were high (~6m/s at ground level, ~17m/s at 2000m), so I was particularly careful about the direction I made my attack runs from, and only lost one Vikhr of the 9 I fired. As an aside, I think the wind direction as listed in the mission briefing is backwards--it gives the direction the wind is blowing *towards*, not the direction the wind is blowing *from*.

In the first couple passes I took out the MANPADs close to the front, then finished off the MBTs on the front to keep them from causing problems for our advancing troops. While working on one of the MBT groups a bit further back (after taking out the last MANPAD), I took some AAA and lost an engine and hydraulics. SIGH.

I limped back to base and landed. Meanwhile, I was spoonfeeding the wingman--order him to attack air defenses, let him run in and launch a couple missiles, then order him back into formation so he wouldn't go and overfly active defenses. A few minutes of this and he'd finished off the AAA, so I let him loose to attack whatever.

Between him and our ground forces, the enemy was mopped up in fairly short order--by the time I'd finished repairing there weren't even any targets left. The wingman had apparently picked a random vector and was flying on it until I ordered him to RTB--no idea what he thought he was doing. I waited for the last of the friendly groups to reach their destination and exited the mission, to a result of 100.

 

[Urwumpe]

OK, finally had a chance to also drop LGBs and IAMs by JTAC request. The LGBs had a pretty poor performance against T-72 tanks - I needed two bombs, the first GBU-12 missed the tank by about 1.5 meters. The GBU-38 on the otherhand was a pretty success.

After the first JTAC was happy with Mavericks and GBU-12s and dismissed me, afterwards I called the second JTAC and got the chance to drop a single GBU-38 on a tank before the JTAC cancelled the attack and send me home.

Sadly, the airport I left from and to which I returned, was overrun by a few BMP-2, resulting in me getting shot down right after touch-down, false assuming that the lack of radio communication is another radio glitch.

 

[ex-orbinaut]

Sadly, the airport I left from and to which I returned, was overrun by a few BMP-2, resulting in me getting shot down right after touch-down, false assuming that the lack of radio communication is another radio glitch.

Now that really must be a bummer! After all that...

OK, finally had a chance to also drop LGBs and IAMs by JTAC request. The LGBs had a pretty poor performance against T-72 tanks - I needed two bombs, the first GBU-12 missed the tank by about 1.5 meters. The GBU-38 on the otherhand was a pretty success.

After the first JTAC was happy with Mavericks and GBU-12s and dismissed me, afterwards I called the second JTAC and got the chance to drop a single GBU-38 on a tank before the JTAC cancelled the attack and send me home.

Pave-penny designator on the A-10, isn't it? Or Pave-tack, or is that on the F-111? Don't remember that much detail anymore from when I was a military aircraft "fan". Have to look it up now. Sounds interesting, all that JTAC stuff you have been mentioning. Talking of the F-111; that (or a Tornado IDS, or even that Fencer made flyable) would be very cool. I think I am a deep strike sort of chap, though that said I am getting used to CAS, and I don't think the role has ever been so well represented as in this sim.

Myself, still dealing with the campaign. The totals now are 13 ejections and 4 deaths. Two of the last I have already described, but one of the others was silly. I ejected and landed in a river (of all the places you can alight over solid ground). The pilot tragically drowned, it seems! :lol: I am not getting any more medals, BTW. It would appear that you only get them while you still have a clean "no deaths" record?

Ran into some of Hielor's woes with apparently bugged missions, plus the stepping up of the threat level when US forces appear on the scene. They put those Stingers on everything, and they are a bit more challenging to shake (hence the ejection increase). Nonetheless, I have worked out a pretty good procedure for Vikhrs strikes, using Hielor's high angle attack run, followed by a diving break to 90º of the run in track, "cleaning up", glancing at the threat area for SAMs, and picking up speed in order to have the energy to evade any they might launch. This followed by another turn 90º in the same direction (ie; going back parallel to the way I ran in), staying low and fast to use any terrain as cover, and once out of range using the energy to execute a high chandelle, putting the aircraft back in a situation for another high angle attack run on the same target area. It works 90% of the time, but stingers being what they are, the odd one gets through. On the last mission I played I ended up flying in "formation" with expended Stingers during the egress legs a few times, until one detonated too close, caused damage, and forced a return to base for repair, after a landing on partially extended gear.

I did a bit of everything in that mission (including an uncharacteristic "Rambo", a track save and a high-lights video afterward - but I will not treat/bore you with that!), as I was determined not to lose it. My own "bad luck" streak started with a "bugged" reconnaissance mission (different from the known one) which required overflying three zones. There was some cleaning up of air defenses to be done in the first one in order to overfly it, but in the next two zones there were just unarmed convoys. As the briefing did not state any need for interdiction, I left them alone and went home after getting the respective "recon objective" messages. Score; 30(!). Checked the mission in the editor, and it was a similar flag problem, but too late; I was already knocked back and the campaign was on the defensive.

The next mission I dubbed "Mission Impossible". The objective was to neutralize some forces (Abrams and Bradley/Avengers) crossing a bridge. It was on this mission that I really worked out the quick sequence Vikhrs attack procedure, wiped out the enemy force as quickly as possible (two sorties; there were a lot of them), and had a very tatty aircraft by the end of the second sortie (the drowning incident was here). Score, something like 40. What?! There was some activity well to the north of the designated objective, but if they were part of the required score, the briefing might have been kind enough to say so. After that there was one more mission, back to Russian hardware opposing and with the enemy still on the offensive, which was won easily, and then the last, already described, mission. Up to date.

Other DCS activity; I am continuing my exercises with the Mission Editor every odd session, and working on a home made campaign to gently introduce "no labels" flying. It is a counter insurgency campaign in the Abkhazia region, in cooperation with a battalion on operations. I still have not used any lua scripts in the missions so far (need to read up more on that, and MIST), but am using triggers and conditions to spring RPG ambushes on supply convoys, mortar attacks on garrisons, friendly smoke designation, and such. It is a fun editor, I think I have already said before.

Finally, four days ago, I urgently had to have a molar pulled. After the procedure I did not feel like driving home immediately, and a short distance from the surgery was a toy shop. Sometimes they have plastic scale models (sometimes, they are scarce around here), and I have not made one in years, so I went in to have a look clamping a bit of bloody gauze in the gap where the tooth had been. Lo and behold, they had an "assortment" of seven models in stock; one of them was a Revell 48th scale SU-25 Frogfoot. Needless to say, I got it!

 

[Urwumpe]

Pave-penny designator on the A-10, isn't it? Or Pave-tack, or is that on the F-111?

With the LITENING Targeting Pod (TGP), a more advanced successor to the Pave Tack.

The Pave Penny is a pure laser receiver, it detects laser reflections like the LGBs do. The reflection is then displayed in the HUD and can be used by JTACs for marking a target for the A-10, even if the A-10 does not use LGBs.

Don't remember that much detail anymore from when I was a military aircraft "fan". Have to look it up now. Sounds interesting, all that JTAC stuff you have been mentioning.

Its pretty fun, though the quick missions place the JTACs often far away from the action, so that it is no real help marking targets.

Talking of the F-111; that (or a Tornado IDS, or even that Fencer made flyable) would be very cool. I think I am a deep strike sort of chap, though that said I am getting used to CAS, and I don't think the role has ever been so well represented as in this sim.

Same here, though I would prefer the Tornado a bit more than the F-111, but the F-111F looks like a cool addition to DCS anyway.

 

[Hielor]

Haven't seen it posted here yet--Steam is currently running their autumn sale and all DCS products except those still in beta (Mi-8/Huey) are 50% off. They might be on a daily or flash sale for more, so I'm going to wait for the 3rd and pick them all up at 50% if there's nothing better before that.

Might be time for me to upgrade to something a bit more complex than the Su-25T. Not sure which I want to do next...

 

[Urwumpe]

Might be time for me to upgrade to something a bit more complex than the Su-25T. Not sure which I want to do next...

Well, if you are used to CAS missions, the A-10C might be your best friend, but seriously: It is way more complex and a way steeper learning curve.

The Black Shark 2 would be a completely different alternative, it is also pretty complex, but simpler to use and fly than the A-10C. While you in both cases need just a few button presses to kill a tank, the A-10C requires more preparation before take-off and before reaching the combat zone.

The P-51 on the other hand, is a great simulation of the plane, but lacks missions.

 

[Hielor]

Was thinking about starting with the A-10A instead of the A-10C, then maybe moving up to the C. Simpler introduction to the Western aircraft, both because of the simpler interactions (closer to the Su-25T level) and because of my experience many years ago with the systems in A-10 Cuba, http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/A10_cuba , which would be rather closer to the A than the C. Then, could move up to the C with less brainpower required. Make sense?

Alternately, go to the Black Shark, where my familiarity with the Shkval and the specifics of Russian weaponry will give me a bit of a leg up into understanding the more complex systems. I haven't spent very much time at all simulating helos, but I do have the X45 and its two handy throttle knobs might make helo control a bit easier than if I had something like the TM HOTAS Warthog, which doesn't have those knobs...

 

[Urwumpe]

Was thinking about starting with the A-10A instead of the A-10C, then maybe moving up to the C. Simpler introduction to the Western aircraft, both because of the simpler interactions (closer to the Su-25T level) and because of my experience many years ago with the systems in A-10 Cuba, http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/A10_cuba , which would be rather closer to the A than the C. Then, could move up to the C with less brainpower required. Make sense?

I had played the A-10A in LOMAC up and down, but the A-10C is really a lot different, I really needed a lot of training to get so far. Especially that you can also do more for survivability means a lot more to learn.

 

[n122vu]

I'm thinking I should have started with the A-10A myself simply from a standpoint of time. I have yet to even get into the weapons tutorials for the A-10C TBH.

At $19.99 during the sale, I may just pick it up and backtrack a little.

 

[Urwumpe]

Well, I now managed to get the A-10C tamed fine, though I cheated with the new joystick. I just now need to get better with the tactics and learn to execute the procedures faster under combat situations. But I generally feel multiplayer-ready by now, just a whole lot noobish.

This weekend, I want to create a small mission of my own, that includes the chance to practice aerial refueling. Theme: ACR Squadron vs Motorized Rifle Regiment.

 

[ex-orbinaut]

Haven't seen it posted here yet--Steam is currently running their autumn sale and all DCS products except those still in beta (Mi-8/Huey) are 50% off.

Aw, I did not get my DCS on Steam. Matter of fact, I have not got Steam installed at all (anymore). Looked at it several months ago, but decided I would not have the time for playing all those games. Next time there is a DCS sale if at all, perhaps I'll treat myself to some modules simultaneously. Otherwise, as follows...

About what I would consider flying next? It is based on a few conclusions drawn from the SU-25T experience and possibly a "certain" law of primacy I have regarding sims. It would probably have to be a helicopter (running home to mama, here is the first sim I ever played, in the very review that convinced me it was what I was waiting for on the Spectrum 48k!), and as there is no flyable Apache in DCS, then it has to be the Ka-50. Why? I want to fly without labels, but short of being able to spot SAM launches without much problem, I can't find a thing to shoot at without them! Moving around at 450-650 Kmh does not help, either, except for SAM evasion purposes once they are spotted :lol:. Unless the JTAC for the A-10C is really good at pointing you in the right direction, I want to be able to stop, hover near some cover, and have a good look around for targets. I have done everything but eliminate labels (turned them into the most unobtrusive shade of light olive, the same color for both sides, and only for ground units, with no distance or unit information, and appearing at 7 Kms). They are now themselves difficult to see, but I still need them and think I always will.

I sense the SU-25T campaign end is near. The enemy is sort of routed to the area south of Kobuleti, in retreat. The next mission is a search and destroy assigment to find a pocket of resistance behind our lines. Sounds very like the sort of missions I have been concocting for my home made COIN campaign.

 

[Hielor]

AFAIK, if you buy modules on Steam you can use them in the standalone DCS by entering your Steam product key.

And that mission sounds exactly like the next one in my campaign, that I haven't gotten to yet and won't be able to do until next week sometime.

As far as labels...given how all it takes is a single MANPAD to ruin my day in an Su-25T, I think that using it for CAS without labels would just be severely frustrating. Long-range SEAD, maybe, but for CAS, even with knowing where the bad guys are it's very vulnerable to enemy fire.

I was thinking about trying through the Su-25T campaign with labels off to fulfill my flight desires, but with the steam sale I think I'll move on to something else instead...

 

[Urwumpe]

As far as labels...given how all it takes is a single MANPAD to ruin my day in an Su-25T, I think that using it for CAS without labels would just be severely frustrating. Long-range SEAD, maybe, but for CAS, even with knowing where the bad guys are it's very vulnerable to enemy fire.

CAS is risky business. You can see that well in the facet, that the A-10A pilots had the highest number of casualities of all allied pilots in the Second Gulf War. Even if you do everything right and have a plane, that can come home on one and a half wing.

Usually, you operate under air cover and with SEADs suppressing the more dangerous weapons. But you can also be send out to go against shorter ranged SAMs.

JTAC/FAC will usually not send you against the air defenses, but against artillery first, it has a higher priority for fixed-wing CAS planes.

 

[astrosammy]

Avsim has a 50% sale as well.

Anyway, time to reinstall and update and see what happens now that the minimum RAM requirement exceeds my 4 GB...

The KA-50 will stay in the hangar for now to save disk space. Helicopters CAN'T fly when I am flying them. :lol:

 

[vlad32768]

Was thinking about starting with the A-10A instead of the A-10C, then maybe moving up to the C. Simpler introduction to the Western aircraft, both because of the simpler interactions (closer to the Su-25T level) and because of my experience many years ago with the systems in A-10 Cuba, http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/A10_cuba , which would be rather closer to the A than the C. Then, could move up to the C with less brainpower required. Make sense?

I think you should start with A-10C. It's more interesting than A-10A and not that difficult, you will learn it very quickly. However, HOTAS is highly recommended.

Ka-50 is the easiest helicopter to fly in DCS.

Mi-8 is slightly more difficult to fly than Ka-50, and it hasn't got guided weapons and advanced targeting systems. It's a transport helicopter. It has an old style navigation system, missions with complex navigation tasks are possible.

UH-1 is the most difficult helicopter to fly. There is an interesting UH-1 campaign.

P-51 is very well done and very interesting, although it has neither complex avionics nor advanced weapons. It's a taildragger with high power engine. That's why it's rather difficult to fly, especially during take-offs and landings.

 

[ex-orbinaut]

Campaign concluded. The last mission was relatively simple; an exercise in mopping up remnants of the enemy holding onto a bastion on a ridge south of the river at Batumi. Some artillery pieces, and further south down the coast, a pair of rocket launchers were the only offensive units, plus a couple of MANPADS and mobile radar guided AAA, which were taken out early with a pair each of Karens and Kedges. Eveything else appeared to be in retreat to the Turkish border. I was not sure if it was the last mission while playing it, but got back intact, with wingman, to a celebratory message and a poster of something that looked like one of my dogs snarling, saying "Try me" :lol:. Cool.

Stats;

35 missions, 4 deaths, 86% success, air to ground kills 509, air to air kills 6. The ejections in the campaign are not recorded, but by estimates of the total and those I remember not in the campaign, I would say it is around 14 -16. Hours, I cannot begin to say an accurate figure, suffice to say I was extremely cautious in my approach to the enemy on most of them (thanks to Hielor for those tracks, they really did help get a feel for the battlefield and what to expect before diving in), so they are probably in excess of an average of 1.5 hours per mission. 509 AG kills sounded very high, but on average that works out at a little over 14 units killed per mission, so I guess it is right.

Finally, I did figure out a while ago what was causing the odd front tire bursts on landing in crosswinds (for me, at least), but neglected to post. Using the drag chutes in a stiff crosswind causes some weather cocking, and the application of the required correction to stay on center line appears to put more load on the tire than it can handle. I don't use the chutes anymore if there is a crosswind component in excess of 2 m/s.

So, 8 GB of RAM (on order) and then the Ka-50 gets wheeled out for some abuse. Meantime I can dedicate my DCS time to continuing with my own "no labels focus" campaign.

It has been great fun, and though I am obviously hooked, I am metering it out as wisely as possible!

 

[Hielor]

One thing I would love to see in an Su-25T campaign: night ops (with the appropriate warning in the briefing that you should take the LLTV pod in your load out). The campaign doesn't have any AFAIK and it feels like I'm completely missing out on a potentially challenging/fun opportunity.

 

[ex-orbinaut]

Yeah, it would also provide the opportunity to use those SAB illuminant bombs.

Tested them before starting the campaign, in expectation that there would be some night operations at some point, but there were none. I also expected some poor weather, but there was none of that, either. See what I can do about integrating some into my own campaign, at least a couple of scenarios come to mind...

 

[Hielor]

Yeah, it would also provide the opportunity to use those SAB illuminant bombs.

(snip)

Tested them before starting the campaign, in expectation that there would be some night operations at some point, but there were none. I also expected some poor weather, but there was none of that, either. See what I can do about integrating some into my own campaign, at least a couple of scenarios come to mind...

That seems like a somewhat excessive amount of illumination...

 

[Urwumpe]

That seems like a somewhat excessive amount of illumination...

Thats pretty realistic for battlefield illumination, even the good old Carl Gustav had a pretty large radius with 250 meters for a 80 mm RPG fired from the ground.