SimHQ Editors Erik "EinsteinEP" Pierce and Chuck "Magnum" Ankenbauer provide the "training film" version of the basics.

http://simhq.com/_air14/air_535a.html

Awesome article guys!!!

Great!

Nice article, short and sweet.

Great article. Finaly someone that have got it right.

Nice short and sweet with the info needed. I am getting excited about DCS and CA again as the JTAC for our group.

<blush> Thanks guys! There's a lot more to do in the way of a "This is how you do JTAC/CAS" guide, but I wanted to get a quick guide out so folks can start enjoying this aspect of the games. Remember, I'm usually hanging out on our SimHQ TS3, waiting for folks to join up so I can test out new stuff. If you've got some time to game, hop on and let's form up!

That is just way too friggin' cool.

Forgot to mention, I love the very last screen shot too, fantastic shot.

Yes..that really captures the atmosphere of the sim..

Great job on the article Erik and Magnum.. It looks like so much fun!

Only fun when people actually do what they're meant to be doing instead of playing it like air quake.

THIS!

This is why we need to spread more AARs, screenshots, and videos of "doing it right" so folks know what they're missing! And to be patient and respectful and not just share with others what we have learned, but learn from others who know different aspects than we do.

Great article! Thank you

Cheers

Good article. Makes me want to participate as either the FAC (ground or air) or the striker. I tried a little of this last night with minimal success but still very engaging.

Thanks for the article.
Now I am eager to jump back in the cockpit of my Shark, just waiting for the patch to enable the upgrade version in DCSworld.
Thanks again!

You know that BS upgrade is working in World with version 1.2 (available since 10th of July)?

Interesting but contains the fundamental flaw of most missions I have flown in this A10 sim (200 hours online): OPFOR interceptors and fighter opposition is nor mentioned not accounted for. The Hawg is being permitted to rule the skies.

The particular community I fly with isn't all trained and current to USAF requirements so we make a few concessions in our games. Additional things this particular experience was missing: realistic radio comms, realistic mission briefs, real CAS procedures, check-in and authentication procedures, 9-line briefs, realistic loadouts, wingman/lead pairing, debriefs, etc. etc. etc.

One of the things it did have, however, was fun, and I hope to repeat the experience. Maybe, someday, there will be enough of us online with the skills and experience to make a completely accurate mission worthwhile, but in the meantime, we have to settle with limited scenarios.

We'd love to have folks like yourself, who appreciate increased realism, to join in and help us inch towards that goal, step by step. Jump in the SimHQ TS3 channel from time to time and help us learn the skills that are needed to fly Truly Tactical(tm).

Good stuff. I am an operations intel guy with an F-16 FS strike mission unit so we run a ton of CAS. I help the JTACs come up with training scenarios for this stuff.

Good job! The only feedback I would give is typically the friendly location is given in meters in a 9 line, your JTAC is considered in that line as well as any other friendlies in the area, whoever is closer. The coords are 99.9% going to be MGRS, lines 1-3 are typically "NA", they just don't use those lines or IP's. They do use the keyhole or "wheel" system, set a safe wheel (think of it as a CAP)for your A-10 to hang out in while you find targets, you give them the 9 line, they come in and take the target out then head back to the wheel. Keyholes are basically the same idea, they are just preset locations your A-10 will ingress/egress from. None of this is game breaking stuff, of course.....but we are SIM guys right? Hope you appreciate the tips for added realism!

Once again great job, can't wait to try this.

ScoutsOut, we would love to have you join a session, help walk us through what is real (and still manageable within the limitations of the sim, our home-systems, and FOUO/ITAR/classification issues.

I am "away" right now and get about 2-4kbps on this connection lol, but looking forward to it when I get back.

The good thing is you have everything you need in the JP 3-09.3, that is what we use. The only classified stuff is typically in the actual ordnance and systems. Even the scenarios we come up with are typically UNCLASS, and only the SPINS are FOUO because they contain altitude blocks and times.

And after thinking about it the whole wheel thing won't work in a linear engagement such as in conventional warfare which you are probably playing in DCS (I have yet to be able to get it). We use the wheel in today's scenarios because of the permissive engagements we are in right now in Afghanistan. No SAMs or enemy air to worry about there;) You would be more likely to use IP's and lines 1-3 in your DCS scenarios, assuming they are conventional in nature. The JP 3-09.3 is very intuitive and will do you well with all this. Exciting stuff, can't wait to get back and get into it.

Probably considered an 'old' article now - but it's the only one that comes up in Google when one is looking for info on CA (videos aside) and much may have changed since (which is probs why the first video is not available any more).

I think it's a great, concise article, though - a very nice summary.

One thing that gets me a bit about the JTAC in CA is that, well in my experience a JTAC doesn't command anything on the ground - perhaps other than his own transport. It must just need to be so for the sim - because obviously the ground troops are not going to be telling the JTAC which targets they want taking out etc.

This seems to mean that I am going to have to run pretty much the entire battle as a commander, from the 'allied' side, and use the JTAC function accordingly.



I didn't do the JTAC (in my day just a ground FAC) whilst with Air Support - I was only responsible for making sure the gear worked and the message got through - but I'm pretty sure they would have no idea about enemy air threats and this would be handled in the pre-ops briefing before take-off and updated by AWACS.

Suggesting that it is the responsibilty of the JTAC to give this info is, imo, a bit wide of the mark.