The only reason I fly the SU-25T is to SAM bust with SEAD setup, so that would be my pick. I always customize my 25T loadout anyways, so as long as we can do that I'm good.

Looking at Microsoft's site re DEP -
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/what-is-data-execution-prevention

"If DEP notices a program on your computer using memory incorrectly, it closes the program and notifies you."

I don't recall ever seeing any DCS related shut down message that mentioned DEP.



---

Further down on the DEP page it says how to turn DEP off for a particular program. I am on Win 8 Pro 64 bit - I just might try this.

WC

it closes the application and gives you the generic Application Error pop up.

DCS uses a memory like crazy, so depending on pre-load, and other things, this could kill the app everytime you click fly, or when the game decides to spool audio/radio messages and/or texture files.


Ie, With DEP on, Adobe Premiere was crashing on me left and right with the same Application Error.
(Because it loads SEVERAL UNCOMPRESSED AVI Files, and when scrolling the time line, it loads the Temp Videos w/ FX Applied for preview window)

Turn off DEP, hasnt crashed once.

"You cannot set DEP attributes on 64-bit executables."

So much for that idea.

WC

Yeah from what in reading its either on or off for our purposes.

Molasses -
Couple of questions re the Huey -

Can the Huey operate OK at 3,000'? You guys won't run out of air or anything up there?

Are ZU-23's a manageable threat? What about Shilkas - too much?

Can the Huey go against a tank or a BTR/BMP?



("The Road To Persa")

WC

Eh Crew...

From the feedback I got from him the ZU-23s are a mouthful for the Huey... he was talking about BMP1s and BMDs as suitable opponents. We went through this a bit when I was building S+P.

Not sure about the altitude...

Frank the Tanked V2 is nearing completion.

More of an active training mission than anything (the way Full Throttle started out), Frank the Tanked V2 brings Russia over to the blue side so that Russian tankers can be brought into the equation. By the time I realized my mistake in the original Frank the Tanked mission, I had put too many assets into the map to start over with Russia on Blue.

The premiss of the mission is that all aircraft start at Sochi-Adler and make their way south. Coastal cities / towns are peppered with various static targets that you can cooperate with JTAC to locate or orbit and find on your own. 3 JTAC positions exist to assist with a variety of locations.

KA50s and Hueys can run the valley that most will be familiar with from Eastbound and Down- only this time they have a few static treats (not threats) to knock out. Make your way back along the valley to the NW and venture back to Sochi city where you can hunt down static convoy targets throughout. Careful though- don't touch the sides! Destroying civilian structures can result in SEVERE concequences.

A-10A / C aircraft exist, alongside SU25T aircraft, F-15C, SU27, MiG29 and P51s. 2 tankers exist for both US and Russian aircraft- and they split a track between sochi and Batumi. The flight can be as long or short as you want, with all nearby bases (Gudauta, Suk, Kob, Sen, and Bat all eligible Blue side air bases. Reload, refuel... but careful of the civilian structures.

I noticed that DK55 was up last night- anyone get a glimpse of it?


By the way Skoop- I've been thinking about what you said earlier- originally I wasn't going to allow the fixed wing aircraft on either side rearm at the base of origin but I am thinking that because there really isn't a SEAD component to the mission for the SU25T that maybe I should just let the pilot bring what he wants.

I need to limit the A-10s a bit because if all of them haul in 6 CBU97s apiece it will be a very short battle (unless the red ground commander knows his stuff!)

I will be evaluating the need for balance as the mission is played and I get feedback. I may need to dramatically increase the number of ground troops on red (it's already a tad lob sided)- or maybe they're just right?

We'll see.

DK55
We played DK55 had a Red GC (Rider) and a Blue GC(Skoop) it and it was pretty overwhelming. The red forces were coming out of the wood work from all directions. Blue forces were present but from what I saw when I was in the mission could do little to stop the Red. Red Occupied the hill for at least 30 minutes but I never saw a win condition posted... I was in a huey so I couldn't tell if they actually was occupying the mountain or not. I was too busy popping up and ripple firing Willie Petes (Huey's can't do much against tanks... except mark targets for the A-10s and Ka-50s it seemed pretty effective doing that) and ducking for cover again. So I am not so sure the trigger didn't fire or the conditions were not right for a win. It was sure fun though. I bowed out early.

I love what they did to the Huey in the last update... I took a hit from a Shilka last night flying low along a hillside... the Huey hit the ground nose low... skidded about 50 feet then turned and rolled down a hill loosing the tailboom on the way. A week ago it would have just exploded into a grease spot. It has become more realistic.

Salt and Pepper
We also made Wheel and I and Dozer made it about halfway thru Salt and Pepper and we was able to rearm refuel and repair at 2 of the 3 Farps... we didn't make it to the third but I imagine its fine too. Its a really long mission the highway probably takes about 30 or 40 minutes to fly non stop not considering trying to eleminate convoys on the way. We may have to put it up on a weekend and fly it all the way thru to be sure everything is working on the basket end.

I was also in for DK55 last night. I don't have too much input as I haven't been flying the hog online until very recently.

I will say that having an enemy ground commander compared to AI is really great. Dealing with shilkas wasn't the low threat experience it is when the AI just sits them in one spot with active radar always on.

Strategically what essentially happened was the blue ground units kept back from the hill a bit while (seemingly all) the red ground units made a mass charge at the hill. At first the multiple dust clouds looked like my TGP just had a bunch of fuzzy smears on the screen. This basically led to an initial panic, and when all the red units were crammed all over the hill it boiled down to destroying mass stationary tank targets. I had been on station for at least an hour and a half and while the message that the countdown was starting worked correctly the mission never ended. Eventually it got very late and framerates dropped so we called it quits.

That isn't to say that it's a badly designed mission, I always have a lot of fun with active ground targets. Nothing was stopping blue from trying the same tactic or from having them both charge and duke it out. Without artillery support on either side it seems like the best strategy is to put every unit on the hill with the AA being sneaky; it seems near impossible to destroy that many targets quickly enough with the 2-4 hogs and 2ish hueys/sharks we had last night.

It seems that the red side had flat terrain and gentle hills to negociate which allowed the full blown mass assault on the hill. The blue side had to move through steep valleys on narrow roads, with the AI pathing issues, this made for cumbersome traffic jams. It took the blue side a considerable amount of time just to get into position.

The game killing lag I suspect might be all the arty firing at once along with the high unit count all moving around. The lag got so bad that it crashed my game. I reconnected and the lag was gone.

I kept playing to test the victory trigger. I moved all blue troops onto the hill and eliminated all the red forces which had been camped out for over an hour. I then got the message " both side have met conditions...ect" then a few minutes later another message " red side has controlled the hill for 15 minutes". This was after I killed everything on the hill. I kept searching around for more red units on the hill when I got the " red side has held the hill for 30 minutes, victory conditions met ". The scenario just continue on, there was no auto reload once reaching the end.

It seemed odd that the victory trigger fired once I eliminated everything in the zone and moved my troops in there.

I'm glad it was a challenge though I admit the trial run was a tad premature. I was surprised to see it up already. The message still firing is simply a case of me not actively turning that flag (that they are in position) off when they got killed. I wanted to pour over that logic last night but when I saw it up I went and worked in tanked v2

I am hearing all your feedback and will make necessary adjustments to truly capture the essence of this armored knife fight!

Sorry to those of you who were left waiting for the end that never came.

No biggie, all the scenarios take so long to complete I don't think I've ever been around for a win. I figured it was still in "beta" since I saw your post so recently about it, but it was still fun so no harm no foul

WC ,

Yes the Huey can operate relatively fine up to around 10,000 ft although I haven't tried this in the game. The highest I have had the Huey in game was about 5,000.

ZSU-23s are a formitable threat to a Huey. I have gotten fairly successful at attacking them with rockets. You have to manuver when you approach them and don't give them a predictable flight path as soon as you are in range then you let em have it.

For the salt and pepper mission that Eno made the Trucks with the ZSU-23 in the back are tough. Mostly because when they are in a group of trucks you can't tell which truck is armed and which isn't so... you just hope you get lucky. Although they are relatively thin skined and easily destroyed they normally get as many holes in you as you do them.

The BTRs I haven't delt much with I assume that they are formitable because they are later models than the BMP-1 which I have been up against a number of times. BMP-2s have the 30mm gun in them and would rpobably tear a Huey to pieces... and the BMP-3 has a guided gun if I am not mistaken.

Anything with radar tracking is too much for the Huey. I have killed Shilkas before but it was merely luck. It only takes one burst from a shilka to bring down a Huey. A Huey trying to fight a Shilka would be like putting a Mallard up against Phil Robertson. Huey wouldn't stand a chance.

I have even been shot down by a large number of enemy infantry.

Also a tank's armor is too thick for any ordinance that the Huey can carry. I put at least 6 2.75 inch rockets into a T-72 and he was shrugging them off like I was throwing popcorn at him.

Hope this helps.

The BTR and BRDM would probably be bigger threat to a Huey than a BMP-1, because while they have thinner armor, they engage you with their 14.5mm KPV heavy machine gun. Compared to the 7.62mm PKT the BMP has mounted co axially, it should be able to turn faster and engage from further out. (This is however DCS, where the rules are made up and limitations don't matter).

The BMP-2/3 on the other hand have 30mm autocannons, and are bad news for just about everyone.

I'm still pretty stoked to hear that it went reasonably well- that helps to invigorate my efforts to make it perfect!

I'm just traveling home from work now- I don't know if I'll be on tonight but definitely tomorrow!

I hope to have a few moments to go over the logic and evaluate the terrain. Perhaps I need to establish new starting points? Mission end triggers, verify the logic between holding the hill and the overtaking...

May balance out some things by allowing Huey's to land troops (more than 10) on the hill in advance... Once they are landed and their numbers are kept up I may need to fortify their position somehow.
Hmmmm.

If I do that I will be removing ka50 slots from blue- but I will also remove blue aircraft load out restrictions.

Also if there is too much Sam protection... Then I will trim it slightly... However I don't want to assure a blue victory either. I want it to be a grand slugfest... So keep the feedback coming!

Just wanted to add.. Wheel and I occupied the Huey's last night on DK55 and although they were loaded for a fight they were up against too much armor. After I was shot down I loaded up with twin 19 2.75 in rockets... one side was HE the other side was WP. It seemed to work because If I ran up against a BMP or something thin skinned I would have something to kill it with yet... I was able to also mark targets for the A-10s with the Willie Petes.

The Mini Guns were useless.

Thats the way it went down last night. With a GC anything can happen and the Mini guns may be needed. At least we have the option now to rearm....

So at this early juncture I know it'll be hard to establish a route forward- but I welcome the input on the following:

How can I balance out the terrain advantage of red-


Can I:


a) Increase the distance Red has to travel over open terrain by moving it further North?
b) Make a full range of weapons available to the blue side off the get go?
c) More blue side aircraft available? (Specifically A-10)


I noticed mention about lag resolved by a disconnect- I'm concerned about this a little because I have a pretty thick upload pipe... was anyone out of sync with the version or running high lag?

I think this is worth to note... I also did get "connection interrupted" two times... I have noticed since the patch it takes anywhere from 2 minutes to 6 minutes to get in an aircraft after a shoot down or from the beginning of the mission after I first join. It was in this time that I got the connection interrupted. Maybe I should use this as added incentive to have only one life to live

--- Trailer ---

The Road To Persa -
Blue a/c COOP, CA

Persa is southwest of Khashuri along the U8 Highway.


The RDR is attempting to establish a forward base along this route.


Blue UH-1B Hueys and A-10C Warthogs must counter this Red ground threat.

--- Soon To Be Released ---

WC