Gaming Digital Combat Simulator Thread

[ex-orbinaut]

No problem--if it's interesting to you I can post more.

A couple of the subsequent campaign missions you have flown would be good, perhaps? They more or less constitute all the stages of a good, thorough briefing.

There was some talk in the old introductory training video about flight controls, but it was not very detailed, IIRC. In practice, it seems that you maintain control redundancy on the rudder and elevators, but loose ailerons, speed brakes and flaps with a dual hydraulic failure. Enough to get you home in one piece. I suspected it from a previous session's damage, but wanted to see it again.

This was definitively tested today as a result of taunting a Chaparral. I was trying to loft bomb it with a couple of FAB-500's. Serves me right for trying delivery methods the aircraft was not designed for. Time to start the campaign, I believe.

Ahem, I correct myself. Maintain redundancy on what's LEFT of the elevators. Note, been pushing up the graphics settings, flight by flight. Still no frame rate complaints.

A gravity gear extend method would be nice, though, and would save writing off the aircraft with the belly landing.

I fly completely without labels. Not sure if it is a good idea, since you really need to pay attention to detect a vehicle on the ground.

I would NOT be ready for that, just yet! :lol: I even edited distance information back in, as from 2 Km for all units, for the moment!

 

[Hielor]

A couple of the subsequent campaign missions you have flown would be good, perhaps? They more or less constitute all the stages of a good, thorough briefing.

I can, but there's definitely some randomness in the way the campaign works--not only are subsequent missions based on how well you did in the previous one (the front line will move), it also seems to have a small set of different tasks to choose from for each mission--recon, CAS, taking out artillery, for example.

Even within a given mission, there's some randomness as to what forces you have on your side, and what you're facing.

So, watching my tracks wouldn't be a perfect briefing for whatever your campaign is doing, but I can certainly keep posting them anyway. Although, it might not always be useful--sometimes the track deviates greatly from what actually happened.

 

[ex-orbinaut]

I can, but there's definitely some randomness in the way the campaign works--not only are subsequent missions based on how well you did in the previous one (the front line will move), it also seems to have a small set of different tasks to choose from for each mission--recon, CAS, taking out artillery, for example.

Okay, thanks for the clarification. So, it is a dynamic campaign, even for the introductory SU-25T. That's good, really. Tracks still useful for tips and tricks, and quite entertaining, to boot!

Does anyone know exactly the function of the dll that would be built by the Video Capture API source code in the docs folder? Or, tried it?

It's nice to see so much activity with DCS.

Is it true that you can't use DCS World only to play MP missions?
Otherwise we could once do some shooting range or something.

You can play MP with just DCS:World, but you can only fly the Su-25T there. What you need is an ED Store log-in for multiplayer, not more.

Does that mean our log in for this page? And by that, does it mean I would be restricted only to a certain server?

 

[Urwumpe]

Does that mean our log in for this page? And by that, does it mean I would be restricted only to a certain server?

No it only means that there is a license check prior a MP Session, like it sounds. Once I have the A-10C under control I will try MP.

---------- Post added at 09:44 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:38 AM ----------

I would NOT be ready for that, just yet! :lol: I even edited distance information back in, as from 2 Km for all units, for the moment!

It is not that painful except that you no longer see long-range missiles coming except by RWR. It only makes it more important to look at the sensors.

 

[Hielor]

Back up to mission three again, and I think I should be done for the night--the girlfriend's giving me dirty looks.

This time it was a Recon mission, where apparently the primary objective is to recon things.

Screw that, that's what satellites are for. My primary objective is to BLOW STUFF UP.

I'll post the track, with the caveat that the whole track-saving thing in DCS seems kind of irrelevant since the outcome of the track can be very different from what actually happened...

I also flew this mission with the labels set to just ticks/apostrophes. I think in some ways I actually prefer this way. It's nice to not have all that text covering everything...

As usual, wingman took out a couple SAMs/AAAs and got himself shot down--but hey, he let me know where some SAMs were, so that's good I guess. (Note that when I watched the track, the wingman made it safely back to base...)

Rather than going straight for the primary recon objective, I noticed that friendly tanks were slugging it out with some enemy tanks in the south end, so I helped them out a bit while also taking out MANPADs and SAMs as I saw them. Using a Kh29T on a MANPAD duo seems like using a nuke to take out an ant, but hey, if it works...I need to do some research to figure out what the guaranteed kill radius of a 29T against a solider is, so I can maybe take out a nearby APC or truck or something and get the MANPADs with the splash damage. Also, the track I watched showed me shooting Vikhrs at already destroyed tanks a couple times...I assure you that didn't happen the first time through

With the SAMs and MBTs taken out of the front lines, I took out some of the artillery as well before heading to the main recon objective in the rear. They were only defended by a single MANPAD, which I took out with a 25ML. I then proceeded to wreak havoc on the trucks & APCs with rockets and the cannon--the effectiveness of the cannon really being the most memorable thing about this mission, I think. Previously I'd be lucky to get 2 or 3 kills with the cannon, this time around I got 10 or more. Trick seemed to be in this case to not worry about trying to get more than one truck on a single pass--I couldn't really switch the Shkval over to the new target quickly enough, and having the Shkval locked on my target made kills a bit easier in two ways:
- Since the cannon CCIP pipper and the Shkval reticle are the same, it's obvious when they're lined up for a hit
- Using the Shkval, you can see if you've made a kill or if you need to keep firing. This allowed me to conserve a lot of ammo that I might otherwise have wasted.

I wasted a few rockets on a truck early on before I figured out which targets were the trucks and which were the APCs. I worked my way through the trucks with the cannon, saving the rockets for the APCs, and then proceeded to not get any further kills with the rockets. Cool.

Running low on fuel, I left a few alive in the rear area and heading back west. The southern front still had a few targets, so I sent my last couple Vikhrs that way and made a couple cannon passes to finish off a couple more trucks.

The landing was one of my better ones (the plane was usable afterwards, that's more than I usually can say), but was complicated by the speed brakes having been shot off earlier in the fight and the flaps being stuck only partway. The HUD presentation of the ILS is completely wrong (there's a thread on the ED forums about it), so there's that.

Mission was a result of 100, even though I left a few targets at each of the waypoints alive. Not sure what was needed for completion--I made a point of taking out all the items that were showing up on the map, so maybe that was it?

 

[ex-orbinaut]

It is not that painful except that you no longer see long-range missiles coming except by RWR. It only makes it more important to look at the sensors.

Thanks, I will bear that in mind. However, it is the "quiet" IR SAMs that bother me. :lol: I am probably going to get my long surviving pilot slaughtered as a result of taking this advice! Anyway, he'll have to buy the farm sometime.

I'll post the track, with the caveat that the whole track-saving thing in DCS seems kind of irrelevant since the outcome of the track can be very different from what actually happened...

:thumbup:

The landing was one of my better ones (the plane was usable afterwards, that's more than I usually can say), but was complicated by the speed brakes having been shot off earlier in the fight and the flaps being stuck only partway. The HUD presentation of the ILS is completely wrong (there's a thread on the ED forums about it), so there's that.

Solution for the landing bit of the comment; do like you would on your C-152; a session of touch and go's. The SU-25T greases on. The ILS, agreed. The HUD representation wouldn't hit a barn door with a brass fiddle on a foggy night, though the HSI works okay.

Today did the final part of my own training/test "program" (as that is what I seemed to have turned it into!). V1 cuts and single engine take offs to determine some OEI climb gradients at 15,530 Kg TOW. I was also, as a result, able to positively identify what hydraulic system does what;

Flight Controls and NWS - Sys 1 and Sys 2.
Flaps - Sys 1
Speed Brakes - Sys 1
Landing Gear - Sys 2
Wheel Brakes - Sys 1 and Sys 2

No mishaps, and quite exciting, really! DCS AFK for two days now, will resume with the campaign. Expecting the worst, as it looks hard, and I will be brief about the results.

PS: I really need a new joystick, the potentiometers appear to be done for on my six-odd (or four, I don't know, can't remember) year old Genius 10 button "MaxFighter" (though hardly used up until now, save for the odd Orbiter stint and a couple of weeks of WT). The graphic representation of the stick in the cockpit spends the whole flight "trembling". Something like what you all were talking about in earlier posts would be nice, but cannot seem to find them here. It will just have to be another Genius!

PSS: BTW, I compiled that Video Capture source earlier (long time since I used MSVC, as I have been on GCC in Linux these last couple of years), and it is nothing special. It is only there, it seems, to make a home built dll for custom codecs, which you could then use from the ME to turn a track-save into a video, like what's already there for three standard formats.

 

[Urwumpe]

Thanks, I will bear that in mind. However, it is the "quiet" IR SAMs that bother me. :lol: I am probably going to get my long surviving pilot slaughtered as a result of taking this advice! Anyway, he'll have to buy the farm sometime.

The RWR also detects IR SAMs because of the Missile Warning System, you just have a shorter warning time compared to a radar guided missile.

If you have the countermeasures on AUTO and look at the RWR to see where the missile is coming from, you can pretty well evade.

 

[Richy]

Unfortunately, if you are beeing tracked by some radar, the CMS automatically selects a chaff programm and some strela or stingers are launched at you you'll dispense the in this case useless chaff instead of the flares. But it's this ole' Auto or Manual CSM discuission. Just keep that in mind.

 

[Urwumpe]

Unfortunately, if you are beeing tracked by some radar, the CMS automatically selects a chaff programm and some strela or stingers are launched at you you'll dispense the in this case useless chaff instead of the flares. But it's this ole' Auto or Manual CSM discuission. Just keep that in mind.

Yes, but then the chaff is fired to defeat the tracking of radar guns.

I agree, SEMI is better if you have to expect radar tracking, while AUTO is better against MANPADS.

 

[Hielor]

I've never seen or heard any warnings about incoming IR missiles. Looks like I need to retake the countermeasures training...

 

[vlad32768]

I've never seen or heard any warnings about incoming IR missiles. Looks like I need to retake the countermeasures training...

You don't need to retake Su-25t countermeasure training.
Su-25t can not detect IR missile launch, it has got only a simple SPO-15 radar warning system.

But A-10C can.

 

[n122vu]

I'm going to get in some more training in the A-10C this afternoon after I take my daughter to her mother's. Nowhere near ready for multiplayer, but definitely interested once I get up to speed.

 

[Urwumpe]

I'm going to get in some more training in the A-10C this afternoon after I take my daughter to her mother's. Nowhere near ready for multiplayer, but definitely interested once I get up to speed.

Same here, but also getting better. At least take-off and landing is now flawless. I just have trouble using the weapons effectively... still practicing.

 

[Fabri91]

Here's an uncut video of yesterday's shenanigans with Richy:

 

[Hielor]

Finished campaign mission 4. Another recon mission this time. Lost hydraulics to a MANPAD early on, but it didn't seem to be causing too many problems so I kept going.

Wingman's performance...well, see any previous report. Same old same old.

While I was turning around to make another pass, I lost aileron control and ended up upside down heading for the water. Oops. Was able to eject safely. Hope there's some kind of personal floatation device in the ejection kit.

On the bright side, I didn't have to worry about landing!

Was able to finish the mission objectives (not really sure what all they were, but I visited all the recon waypoints and took out a few SAMs, MBTs, APCs, and trucks). I neither took out all of the available targets at each waypoint, nor did I take out all of the targets shown on the map, so I have no idea what exactly constitutes 100% completion, but apparently I hit it. Also, I apparently earned a promotion to first lieutenant...

---------- Post added 10-28-13 at 01:08 ---------- Previous post was 10-27-13 at 21:30 ----------

Campaign mission 5 complete. This was another of those "take out a target in the back of the enemy lines" missions, where the friendly ground forces aren't advancing and I'm basically on my own.

Primary target was a mobile command post, which I located (after an initial SAM/MANPAD sweep) and took out without much difficulty, along with the other vehicles in its group (per the map). Got a message saying something along the lines of the primary target having been eliminated, so I proceeded to take out anything else that looked expensive--SAMs/Shilkas getting first priority, of course. Ended up bagging a bunch of MBTs and artillery, a few APCs, and a couple of trucks.

Had a bit of cannon ammo left at the end, but was running low on fuel so I returned to base anyway. Landing was probably my best so far, despite a crosswind. I used the method I picked up in the L-39 in FSX -- while on approach, keep the throttle up (~65% in the SU-25T seems to work) and the airbrakes out. Not the most fuel efficient, but gives you good options when your speed starts going one way or the other.

Not sure what I missed, but the mission result was only 91%. I really don't like how vague they are about what needs to get done--my campaign average is now down to 99% instead of the perfect 100 I had before Guess in the future I'll need to reload/refuel and go back out again to KILL EVERYTHING. Nuke it from orbit--it's the only way to be sure.

As an example, the next mission has in the briefing "Fly to the three designated points and engage enemy forces as needed to complete your mission." Well, WTF does that mean? I wish it was more specific as to what needed to get done.

Wingman did his usual "take out one SAM, get shot at multiple times" performance, but this time around he managed to limp back to base on one engine, so I guess I'll get to keep the same guy through the next campaign mission. Damn, I was hoping I'd get a new one who would be smart...

Next mission is again of the recon type, with a fairly target-rich environment, and according to satellite surveillance (the mission planner) lots of SAM sites close together. I think I'll take a different tactic with wingman management this time around. He seemed to do okay at surviving when he was just following me around before I realized I needed to order him to shoot stuff, so I think I'll try keeping him passive while I take out most of the SAM sites/MANPADs, then I'll let him loose. He can't be trusted on the SAM sites himself since he doesn't understand how to stay out of range. However, I can't really take over the SEAD role entirely for the inevitable SA-8 Osa, since I'd need to drop either the Kh-29Ts or the Kh-25MLs, both of which I rely on to take out MANPADs from a safe distance... Of course, I could always drop the Vikhrs for a Kh-25MPU, but that just seems silly--I wish I could fill all my hardpoints with Vikhrs, they're fantastic.

I think I'll give the wingman the SEAD equipment (as usual) for the Osa and Shilkas, approach over the water until we get the Osa on radar while staying well away from the rest of the SAMs. Order the wingman to engage air defenses until he launches at the Osa, then order him to rejoin formation while I pick off the remaining SAM sites & MANPADs.

Has anyone else found a good "wingman management" strategy? I think that keeping him alive through the initial part of the engagement would be a fantastic way to ensure more enemy stuff gets dead, helping to ensure that I reach 100% results...

 

[n122vu]

Finished the landing tutorial for the A-10C, figured I'd have a go at the cold start of the Mi8. After startup, decided to go for a quick flight around the airfield and then bring it in for a landing. Somewhere in the process, I started yawing right uncontrollably, the likes of which I haven't seen since Flight Sim 2000. No amount of left rudder would compensate. The only solution to the yaw problem was cutting the collective, which resulted in a nose-down attitude that was unrecoverable without adding collective, which brought back the yaw. I almost had her under control near the ground, but at the last second, she rolled on me. It didn't end well....

 

[Urwumpe]

Did you activate yaw SAS? If yes, disable it in flight. Only activate it once you have already turned into the wind. (Centre Console)

You only need Pitch-Roll-SAS.

 

[Hielor]

Campaign mission 6 complete. New wingman management method was a huge success, and I strongly recommend it.

Mission was the recon type, with three recon waypoints well behind the front line of engagement--a mobile command post, an artillery group, and a small MBT group. Additionally, there was a front-line group consisting largely of MBTs and SAMs and another artillery group closer to our engagement area.

I had the wingman take out the Osa, I took out the remaining SAMs and MANPADs(in all groups, not just our primary targets), told him to engage remaining air defenses (for AAA) while I began working on the primary mission targets. When he rejoined after finishing the AAA, I initially tried ordering him to attack mission targets, but he didn't do anything, so I ordered him to attack targets of opportunity. I had to issue the order a few times for it to stick, but once it did...

What followed could best be described as a total slaughter. Final score was only two friendly vehicle losses to nearly 80 enemy losses (including air defenses). The AI wingman excels at taking out "soft" targets with the cannon (compared to me, anyway), and when we were done and had to RTB for fuel reasons there were no intact enemy vehicles anywhere to be seen.

So, if you're looking for how best to utilize your wingman to accomplish things that are harder/more boring to do yourself, there it is--taking out soft targets. I might be adjusting his loadout in the future to specialize in this--there's only been one Osa per mission and the Shilkas can easily be taken out with the standard Vikhrs since they're not a long-range threat. I think I might get him a pair of gunpods to replace the Kh-58Us...

On that note, I can't stress enough how important it is to alter your loadout before each mission. The default mission loadout has been pretty much worthless for each mission (as an example, this one suggested 4 AA missiles despite there being no enemy aircraft) and trying to accomplish all the mission objectives with the default loadout will likely just lead to frustration.

Track is here (probably not that interesting, mostly just me failing to hit trucks with cannon and my wingman swooping in and finishing stuff off), and I've attached a screenshot of the victorious pair back at base at Sukhumi-Babushara. It's rather less glorious in the resolution the forum constrains it to than the full 5760x1080, but you get the idea.

 

[ex-orbinaut]

Way too tired to think of starting the campaign tonight. However, yesterday there was that NVidia Experience update, ShadowPlay. I was wondering if it was only for what they call "supported games" (DCS does not seem to be one), so I thought I would try it with DCS tonight. The following is a brief recording of a track save from just about a week ago, in which I learned some respect for ground fire and nearly CFIT'ed in the process...

There is a bit of "glitchiness" every now and then in the video, which I don't get in normal gameplay, but I think it might have been because of disk access (recording and accessing the track save simultaneously, perhaps?). Notwithstanding, it is not bad, considering the output is HD 1080.

All the best.

 

[ex-orbinaut]

Well, yeah. Said I would post results of the first mission. So, survived it. Three take-offs and landings. I followed my initial feeling and went for the southern forces first, then went for the northern blue forces.

Noted the following;

Strangely poor Vikhr performance (as mentioned before on this thread). However, I believe I know the reason. They don't like being launched cross-wind, and there was a hefty breeze from the south in the first mission. It is actually quite a reasonable deduction; the designating platform (ie; you who launched it) is drifting with the mass of air and the Vikhr is having trouble riding the constantly changing angle of the beam on target (ie; cannot maintain co-linearity). I know the Vikhr is in the same mass, but the ground target isn't, and the changing beam angle defeats its guidance, it seems. As I had already cleared the southern flank (from the south, with no Vikhr inaccuracy evident), I reverted to attacking the main offensive up the valley from the same direction and presto, regained Vikhr accuracy.

The weapon I used for MANPADS was the S-24 unguided. I had previously tested its lethal radius on exposed infantry, and it is pretty good. Go at them fast, line up early, fire at max range, and use the energy to break low to the safest sector, launching flares. Worked a treat.

Something unexpected (some lurking shoulder launched SAM, I suspect) hit me during the third sortie, and I got the everlasting dual hydraulic failure. I dumped all weapons and headed for home. I tried to use the residual (accumulator) pressure left in system 2 to extend the gear early, but only got a partial extend. Got home, landed and ignominiously called it a day.

Some moments.

Well, again, thanks for the introduction to this cracking simulator, and the help and advice (in particular Hielor's debriefs!). The circle closes, really, as this thread was started for the DCS F-35, and in the news yesterday was another important step in the type's journey to becoming operational.

All the best, and happy landings!