I've been playing a lot on our SimHQ server... when it's daylight in game, lol... and we've had some really good games lately, especially with the likes of Tental, Fanatic, and a few others (the guy that was the biggest help last night I forgot the name... sorry)... We have all gotten good enough in the flying and killing department of this sim, but I did notice a need for explanation on the data link and targeting info.

I am in no way an expert, still make mistakes, and still learning... just trying to share my version of what I see and how teamwork can be better on our server. I'm sure this is not the best way, or right way...feel free to add your 2 cents or corrections.


1. First thing I've got to say, is try and be on teamspeak before joining the server... it really helps with the communications and teamwork. (Yesterday, i started typing in the chat for the attack plan... thats when I realized I never hit the chat (`) box open key... needless to say things went from bad to worst fast, lol.)

2. when you first join the server and start up, talk with others already on or just joining and decide what your wingman ID number will be. The rule of thumb is that the first person on the server takes 1, the 2nd... 2 and so on.

Then once you know your ID number, change the Data Link ID panel to "wingman" then the number you've been assigned:

In my case here, I've been assigned 3 (while Fanatic is 2)


Once you've been assigned and activated your ID number (we used the default freq BTW) you'll see your fellow wingmen on the ABRIS map:

See my aircraft, then the red number 2 (Fanatic) on the map



OK.. so we know who we are no we fly to an object/waypoint or whatever...

In the above image you'll see that I've pulled into a hover outside the blue area, which is the defensive range of the enemy...that you know of.

OK... to share a target with your wingman, first you find the target by zooming in and you should see the little black dots:



Lock the target with your Shkval:



Once you have locked the target you need to store it in your onboard computer by selecting what type of target it is, (top row of the Data Link Control Panel... armor, AA, other) then click send to memory (bottom row, right):



Once it's stored in memory, your not done... reset your Shkval and you'll see your target on your map, in this case the armor symbol, see it in the center of the map:



Then you hit that same button up in the top row, till you see the one you want flashing in your map, this is because you probably will have 3 or 4 or more of the same target types in memory... once you have the one you want flashing, you then send it to your wingmen by clicking the second row, what wingman you want to receive it, I usually click send to all, then send to memory. They will then receive that target, you can then use the wingman comms to order them to attack the target or whatever.

Now to receive targets sent to you...

You will get a "Watch Egran" warning:



to receive and download those targets you click the type flashing in the top row, and send to memory:




and that is it for today... this is all basic, and just the basics...more can be done with this data link sharing... i recommend you watch ,matt's developer note video number 8... explains it better.



Basically...in review...

Remember the 3 S's...

Store:

Store the target by locking onto it then storing to memory on your plane.

Select:

Select the target to send to a wingman by reseting your Shkval, clicking the target type icon till it flashes in the map.

Send:

Then send the target to your wingman by clicking who gets it in the second row and send to memory.

Receiving:

Receive a target after the Egran advises, by clicking the type icon light up in the top row and store to memory in the bottom row.

Good luck, hope this helps, see you on the virtual battlefield.

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For me it seems dead on the SimHQ server. Most of the guys I see on TS have been hosting their own missions lately. Are there plans to add some missions to the rotation on the SimHQ server?


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KA50.com is where I have been - SimHQ server is always dead. The guys on KA50 are a fun bunch.

Thanks Magnum. That's a very helpful guide.

Concerning the SimHQ server, we are working on getting a regular meeting setup so that there will be someone to run the server. As you probably know, until ED releases either a patch or dedicated server, there is no way to restart a mission automatically. There must be a human at the server console to restart the mission. What's happening is that since the mission is not being restarted, it will eventually become dark.

Stay tuned.

I was on the server tonight with Opfor and by Jimney, it works.

We cleared the first waypoint, including a really nasty duel with some Bradleys.

After clearing out the first line, I edged forward to some buildings to the left of that little lake to see what I could see ahead and maybe get an angle on an Artillery position we had spotted.

Of course there was four Bradleys right on the other side of the building, and I found myself pinned down. Slip right and a TOW would whiz by through a tree (cheaters!), slip left and the same. Got the one on the left with my cannon, but couldn't zero in on the one on the right quick enough.

My flight lead was a bit back (I was doing recon) and said they were coming around me fast and furious.

The funny thing was that we couldn't locate them again when I got back up in a fresh bird and wound up stumbling on them again. I wound up literally on top of them, slipping with my nose at them in a big circle firing my cannon. The TOW launchers nor cannon couldn't elevate enough to get me, and mine couldn't depress low enough. Closely run thing, but we prevailed.

A nasty man with a rifle shot out my Shkval camera a little later on. Great fun!

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We also learned that the Shkval won't lock on dead targets. It took us a long time to figure out why it wouldn't lock on what was clearly the hull of a Bradley...

yes... the SimHQ server has issues... but were working on that... and I've been able to join and play with 4 to 6 others almost daily... someone just has to get organized, step up to the plate and lead... but yes, more missions are definitely needed, along with some server controls.

Or just talk to each other. Loosey-goosey coordination on the same target is often the best way to go, just keeping track of each other and communicating what's out there.

very helpful magnam.
magnam any advice on air to air ok for enemy choppers on ground and lock on targets.having trouble getting a lock on in mid air.flying on bob server with enemy choppers any hints we all have trouble only seems tobe guns.

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I hope they patch it soon. I hear March sometime. This is one of those titles where even if they waited a month or two past that people wouldn't stop flying. Just goes to show the quality out of the box.

We get a few folks hosting on the left-coast when it's late. It makes things interesting due to player made missions but it would be nice to see server admin functionality like ArmA where we can pick an admin in game.

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...it was just a turkey Shoot on there tonight. Some fun to be had.