Mission Building Advice Please

Is there any ground unit that will engage a >Mach1, low-flying fighter?

I can consistantly fly a plane straight through that line of defense without so much as a peep out of anything but the S-300 and occasionally, the OSA. Altitude is between 50 and 200 feet. I can even see the smaller SAMs/AAA as I pass, but they never fire, and never even spike me.

The one thing I just thought of might be the "Host gets a free ride" bug, if it still exists. It's a MP mission. I'll try to get a client to try it.

Given that they're not meant to engage targets travelling at this profile ... given that it would be rather unlikely for a real fighter to even attempt it, AFAIK ... I think you're seeing the right response (ie. they are unable to engagE) ... though they ought to be trying.

Just another thing that AFM and uh, FOD are needed for ;)

First, a client got through untouched as well. So, that's not the problem.

Consulting the LOMAC encyclopedia (possibly a mistake, I know) at least the Strela shouldn't have any problems with anything under 420 m/s and above 10m. I was above 10m and slower than 420 m/s, in full burner with a big heat signature. GG, why shouldn't they engage me? I am going too fast for the Iglas.

I'm going to try again with Rolands and Gepards.

I suppose it would depend on the weapon you want to use. Tunguskas and Tors are always good down to low altitudes against high speed targets (in single player) assuming LOS is clear.

IR SAMs may not be a good choice. LOS becomes an issue. By the time the target is visually acquired and the unit is ready to launch, the aircraft has passed and the SAM quickly falls out of parameters for a launch.

Rich

What skill level did you assign to the units? Reaction time is the main difference here, so if they're on average, you may pass over them before they have time to react.

Otherwise, try a Tor ;)

Unfortunately, Tungs and Tors are not an option. Russia is on the red coalition. To move them would mean scrapping the whole mission.

LOS shouldn't be a problem for the ground units. They are out in the open and the terrain is quite flat in that area.

Just as an experiment, I will try to fly through some tungs and tors in a seperate test, though.

edit: Caretaker, they are all on excellent.

Tung and Tor do the trick. Especially, the Tor.

Still, that's no help for my mission.

Target speed is an important factor for a number of these systems as modeled in the sim. If you run these two missions: Speed/SAM Test, you'll see what I mean. Start each mission and press "H" and "J" to lock speed and altitude. The results are enlightening.

BTW, I know the common wisdom is that the unit skill level effects launch range. While it used to be true in past iterations of the sim, I don't see it in V1.11. The unit skill level has no bearing on much of anything that I've been able to measure. Though I haven't spent much time investigating, I think you'll find that target speed, altitude, and bearing are the factors that impact results, not skill level.

Rich

Is there a Dog Ear radar somewhere in the Strela group, to improve its reaction time?

-SK

I'm running some experiments of my own. I made a new mission and flew a gauntlet of strela 10s, shilkas, dog ears, and both types of EWRs at 450 feet altitude and full burn. Nothing engaged. I will adjust speed and alt until I get a bite.

My gut tells me the ineffectuality of radar at lower alts is the biggest problem. Target velocity should certainly be a factor as well, but I'm not even getting painted.

How does this make sense? I just flew the gauntlet at ~470 feet and varied speed above and below mach 1.

If I went supersonic, the spikes disappeared. If I dropped to subsonic, they came back.

It makes sense in the way LOMAC is modelled. If the radar can't see you (except for being out of range of beamed, I think) at all, it dissapears from your RWR. I've seen this happen before in high-speed chases.

So there's probably an issue with the radar parameters for those SAMs.

BTW, I know the common wisdom is that the unit skill level effects launch range. While it used to be true in past iterations of the sim, I don't see it in V1.11. The unit skill level has no bearing on much of anything that I've been able to measure. Though I haven't spent much time investigating, I think you'll find that target speed, altitude, and bearing are the factors that impact results, not skill level.

Hmm you're right, just checked again - looks like something has changed. In fact, it's the opposite now, with the average AI having the lowest reaction time. The attached screenshot shows 4 Strelas with excellent, high, good and average skill from left to right; all with the target in range when the mission starts. The difference is small though and probably negligible in any non-artificial mission setup.

At 1500 feet, still no spikes while supersonic. Both closing and receding.

(snipped)...The difference is small though and probably negligible in any non-artificial mission setup.

Actually, if you run 10 trials of each skill level controlling for speed, altitude, and bearing, I bet you'll see a spread within each skill level and the average of each skill level will be identical within measurement error.

Rich

At 1500 feet, still no spikes while supersonic. Both closing and receding.

The same is true in the very limited testing I did.

Rich