Gepard trackinng broken?

[Yeeeesh]

I just researched the gepard and added the keybind for tracking a target. Sometimes when I press the tracking button, it sets the target around 100/200 meters below the actual target. This results in an inaccurate placement for where to shoot.

Am I doing something wrong or is this a bug?

[N1thecaptain]

This only happens when the target is close to the ground, right? If so, then that's an actual feature and a problem radar guidance systems (especially earlier ones) have called ground clutter, where the radar waves reflect off the ground, so it makes it seem like the target is on the ground instead of 50 meters above it. The radar then tells the tracker that the target is on the ground, so the tracker places the reticle on the ground.

Some radars have an IRST mode, which is much less affected by ground clutter, maybe even not at all, and IRST mode also doesn't warn people who have RWR. The downside is that it can track and detect enemies from shorter ranges, but in a cannon AA like the Gepard, that doesn't matter, so if it has an IRST mode, there's no reason not to use it. You do have to set a keybind to toggle between radar and IRST though.

There is a chance that the Gepard doesn't have IRST though, so if that's the case, you're just gonna have to try to get a visual on the target, look at how much lower the radar says it is than it actually is and aim that much higher than the tracker says you need to aim. Or alternatively just wait for the target to get close enough that you can do it without radar, or high enough that he radar isn't affected by ground clutter anymore.

[Neckstabba]

Originally posted by N1thecaptain:

There is a chance that the Gepard doesn't have IRST though, so if that's the case,

It does not. The explanation was good tho. On point.

Edit: Also to add, the Gepard hits really good at 3km or below. Do not shoot above 3km and dont shoot after planes that are further than 1,5km. Unlikely to hit and only reveals your position.
Best bet is if they go for the dive to wait once they go below 3km or 2,5km and then start shooting. Either they pull out and save themself or they will die if they keep the dive.

[N1thecaptain]

Originally posted by IR9 Andyflosse:

Originally posted by N1thecaptain:

There is a chance that the Gepard doesn't have IRST though, so if that's the case,

It does not. The explanation was good tho. On point.

Edit: Also to add, the Gepard hits really good at 3km or below. Do not shoot above 3km and dont shoot after planes that are further than 1,5km. Unlikely to hit and only reveals your position.
Best bet is if they go for the dive to wait once they go below 3km or 2,5km and then start shooting. Either they pull out and save themself or they will die if they keep the dive.

That sucks, though it's not that unexpected, seen as it is only 8.0. It is still a good vehicle though, I still use it from time to time. Like Andyflosse said, don't even try to hit targets more than 3 km away, or planes more than 1.5 km away. You can also encounter the A-4E, which has RWR, so if you think a plane might be an A-4E, quickly switch your radar off and don't lock on to him until you think he's about 1.5-2 km away, to maintain the element of surprise.

[Yeeeesh]

Originally posted by N1thecaptain:

This only happens when the target is close to the ground, right? If so, then that's an actual feature and a problem radar guidance systems (especially earlier ones) have called ground clutter, where the radar waves reflect off the ground, so it makes it seem like the target is on the ground instead of 50 meters above it. The radar then tells the tracker that the target is on the ground, so the tracker places the reticle on the ground.

Some radars have an IRST mode, which is much less affected by ground clutter, maybe even not at all, and IRST mode also doesn't warn people who have RWR. The downside is that it can track and detect enemies from shorter ranges, but in a cannon AA like the Gepard, that doesn't matter, so if it has an IRST mode, there's no reason not to use it. You do have to set a keybind to toggle between radar and IRST though.

There is a chance that the Gepard doesn't have IRST though, so if that's the case, you're just gonna have to try to get a visual on the target, look at how much lower the radar says it is than it actually is and aim that much higher than the tracker says you need to aim. Or alternatively just wait for the target to get close enough that you can do it without radar, or high enough that he radar isn't affected by ground clutter anymore.

Thanks for your explanation! It does make sense now.

[Yeeeesh]

Originally posted by IR9 Andyflosse:

Originally posted by N1thecaptain:

There is a chance that the Gepard doesn't have IRST though, so if that's the case,

It does not. The explanation was good tho. On point.

Edit: Also to add, the Gepard hits really good at 3km or below. Do not shoot above 3km and dont shoot after planes that are further than 1,5km. Unlikely to hit and only reveals your position.
Best bet is if they go for the dive to wait once they go below 3km or 2,5km and then start shooting. Either they pull out and save themself or they will die if they keep the dive.

Thanks for the tip!

[Yeeeesh]

Originally posted by N1thecaptain:

Originally posted by IR9 Andyflosse:

It does not. The explanation was good tho. On point.

Edit: Also to add, the Gepard hits really good at 3km or below. Do not shoot above 3km and dont shoot after planes that are further than 1,5km. Unlikely to hit and only reveals your position.
Best bet is if they go for the dive to wait once they go below 3km or 2,5km and then start shooting. Either they pull out and save themself or they will die if they keep the dive.

That sucks, though it's not that unexpected, seen as it is only 8.0. It is still a good vehicle though, I still use it from time to time. Like Andyflosse said, don't even try to hit targets more than 3 km away, or planes more than 1.5 km away. You can also encounter the A-4E, which has RWR, so if you think a plane might be an A-4E, quickly switch your radar off and don't lock on to him until you think he's about 1.5-2 km away, to maintain the element of surprise.

Yup, I've been killed by an A-4E a couple times. I'm not really into the jets, so its a learning curve for me to identify them :P Thanks for the tip!

[N1thecaptain]

Originally posted by Yeeeesh:

Originally posted by N1thecaptain:

That sucks, though it's not that unexpected, seen as it is only 8.0. It is still a good vehicle though, I still use it from time to time. Like Andyflosse said, don't even try to hit targets more than 3 km away, or planes more than 1.5 km away. You can also encounter the A-4E, which has RWR, so if you think a plane might be an A-4E, quickly switch your radar off and don't lock on to him until you think he's about 1.5-2 km away, to maintain the element of surprise.

Yup, I've been killed by an A-4E a couple times. I'm not really into the jets, so its a learning curve for me to identify them :P Thanks for the tip!

What I always do when I know a certain vehicle is extra dangerous for me, but I have difficulty identifieing it, is just assume the worst every time. It's better to be too careful than to be too dead.