Noob questions

[hiddenranger]

Using the SU-25T
1- Why wont my lazer guided missiles fire, i have an AC indication, and the lazer is on. When LA appears on the hud, i press space bar, hold it and nothing happens. All other weapons fire correcly.
2- How do I spot anything? Unless I pause the game, look at the map, and try to find anything in an open field, I pretty much never see anything go by because it is too small.

[Chameleon_Silk]

1 - are you in a training mission trying to launch the vikhr?
2 - try playing with F10 map as map only!

honestly the spotting stuff gets easier over time and with experience and also goes hand in hand with navigation and situational awareness... gotta put some thought into things preflight, look at where the FEBA (forward edge of battle area) is located and at what point along the route, using this bare bones information you can perhaps notice allied units facing off against the foe, anything facing at you is probably enemy... once past the FEBA you should consider that low flying and flying over that area as dangerous as there may be manpads or triple A.. it is afterall enemy territory... some other tricks are taking note of what you should see, if you are flying along a coastline and know that the enemies are somewhere along the coast, overfly the water since there isn't going to be a manpad in a boat :P and likewise for mountains and stuff you can use the valleys and peaks to conceal yourself and give enemy hard time to shoot you down with SAMs, once you know they are firing at you from an area you can inspect and come back and do your thing.

if you are trying to find something based off vague information then the breifing sucks and the mission designer is not a very good one.... in real life sorties are not flown with no intelligence and if the designer isn't giving you enough information then its poorly designed and thought out.

again I have to stress that you pay attention to your route and the distance you should be before you start looking for targets.

hope this helps

[hiddenranger]

Originally posted by twitch.tv/land_force:

1 - are you in a training mission trying to launch the vikhr?

No, launching the 25L in a mission, but the vikhr wont launch either.

Thanks for the info, I can manage to see targets that are in plain sigh, but do you have any tricks for units in the forest?

[=AiR FORCE=]

The laser actually turns on automatically on Vikhr-M launch.
Just use the launch permission override LAlt W so you don't have to line it up perfectly.
Unlike the cannon, you do need to hold the launch/weapon release button for 0.5 secs or until launched.

To spot anything, you gotta know where to look first.
This information can be gathered from the mission briefing, then use the navigation.
Keep a 10km buffer between you and the waypoint where the enemy units are expected.
Go perpendicular to it and zoom in, like using binoculars, with *, zoom out with / or use the mouse wheel.

The units will be somewhat visible, like small dots. Note the relative terrain, and on the next pass, stabilize Shkval on it and look for targets to engage.

It's important to be able to recognize each unit visually.
Then prioritize like Radar SAMs first, then IR SAMs, then AAA, APC, MBT.
There's an encyclopedia in DCS that has most units and you can further use the Mission Editor to familiarize yourself with them.

There's also a Kneeboard (K, Shift K, move pages with [ ]) that you can customize.
It has the maps by default, you can mark your position with RCtrl K, useful if no F10.
Here's a nice template for the SAMs to add to the Kneeboard or just print out.
http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=128958

The units scaling will improve with DCS 2.0 EDGE free upgrade coming out.

[hiddenranger]

Originally posted by =AiR FoRCe=:

The laser actually turns on automatically on Vikhr-M launch.
Just use the launch permission override LAlt W so you don't have to line it up perfectly.
Unlike the cannon, you do need to hold the launch/weapon release button for 0.5 secs or until launched.

Thanks a lot, il go try out LAlt W.

[=AiR FORCE=]

You are welcome.
And I'm gonna plug a couple of my videos with the Su-25T, to maybe inspire you more to learn it, as this aircraft is very good, if not the best bomber, even though it's free!
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=316679900
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=316679606

[hiddenranger]

I think I figured out the missile problem, when I start the mission over with shift+R, random controls stop working. Last time it was the fire button, then it was the guiding system that went stupid (but I could still launch missiles).

Well thanks for all the help.

[=AiR FORCE=]

Also make sure to uncheck the game flight and avionics modes in the options.
Do not use game, but realistic mode only, not to get used to it, but also avoids some control bugs.

Set a dead zone of at least 5 and a curve of 20 for all 3 axis including the rudder.
You will find it easier to control the aircraft.

Also the trim can be managed with the autopilot, for example, LAlt 1 attitude hold, wait, LAlt 9 off and the trim will remain there.

Use combat flaps during approach to the targets and maneuvering.
Once the missile is launched, you want to minimize the closure rate, so it's possible to get multiple targets in one pass without getting too close.

You may notice I manage to keep two Vikhr-M in the air and switch targets on the fly. All kinds of stuff is possible, like controlling its trajectory to lob over buildings, and ability to use it against air targets also! Gotta love this weapon Vikhr-M with Shkval. :)

[hiddenranger]

Originally posted by =AiR FoRCe=:

Also make sure to uncheck the game flight and avionics modes in the options.
Do not use game, but realistic mode only, not to get used to it, but also avoids some control bugs.

Already done :)

[Chameleon_Silk]

there is no way to really engage units it the forest, especially fortified non moving ones, moving ones will kick up dust and you will be able to track that way.

if designer places em in forest then its just a crappy mission, with some exceptions like infantry firing into a convoy where you can visually see the tracers comming from the forest or if they are smoked by a mission trigger.

manpads in a town can be a nasty surprise too so just use general guidelines like after FEBA never over fly a town below 3500m (manpads wont aquire a lock on you and your safe from AAA)

infact I would go so far as to say always scan from 3500m first and try to spot from there because you are safe from all threats besides radar guided SAMS

[stupititykills]

Wierd Su-25t Kh-29L issue

Keeping this short, when I use the Kh-29L, I am never given launch authorization, despite having a target lased and being in range, so I can never fire them. Vikhr and laser guided bombs work fine, so I don't see what my problem is. Any help would be appreciated.

[kazereal]

Merged threads.

[=AiR FORCE=]

Here's sort of a secret:
Use the Launch Permission Authorization Override with LAlt W.
This will let you release any weapon at any time.
In fact, the Kh-29L can target at up to 20km range, just gotta keep the lock and the laser on, but last 5 secs can be released, and it will hit ballistically anyway, if there isn't much wind.

So, Alt W, launch, the Laser Automatically turns on, so don't worry about that, but it will turn off also, so you gotta turn it off about half way and force it on, while it's blinking/cooling, press Shift OOO 3 times, and it will override the laser. However, you gotta then turn it off manually, not to overheat it, after the missile has impacted, OR about 5 secs prior to that, but turn off the laser, do not let it snap outside the Shkval view with the laser on, as it will change its trajectory.

The Kh-29T, however, doesn't need a laser paint, and can be released as soon as the LA shows up, up to 12km at day time, fire and forget TV low light guided.

So even though the indicated range of the Kh-29L is lower than that of the Kh-29T, the first one can be overridden and launched out much farther, although has to be guided almost all the way. Do not override 29T, as it has to have a lock on prior to launch, like say the 27ET A2A missile.

[Chameleon_Silk]

just dont try to use a KAB-500 at night! :P

[=AiR FORCE=]

As a general rule, do not use a dumb bomb from a helicopter, that is if you have a sense of self-preservation, and considering most attack helicopters have ATGM and other stand-off weapons, it's really unnecessary.

The Ka-50 CAN carry those weapons, as well as the Kh-25ML, but it's not normally done, in fact, never since the initial Kamov tests of the airframe and the weapons.

But if you do decide to practice, you need to drop the bomb on the move.
Refer to the sections 3-3 3-4 then section 11-13 for bombs employment.

..(SteamApps)\DCS World\Mods\aircraft\Ka-50\Doc\DCS BS2 Flight Manual EN.pdf or elsewhere online.

And it's all done manually, "eye balling it".
Good for undefended structures and only really.

But again, do it on the move, as hostile targets will not let you bomb while hovering and IRL it's a tradeoff between altitude/speed/accuracy and your will to stay alive, as the blast wave will impact your aircraft control ability quite unpredictably. So it's simply not practical.

Maybe one day DCS will simulate vortexes and other natural and artificial air displacements that would have a realistic impact on the subjected airframes.