Getting back into F18 again---a good stab at representing naval aviation makes up for any lack of graphical glamour (DCS take note)---but struggling to deal with SAM's.
Setting up low level pop-up attack against building with terrain masking till pop at 4nm but getting my arse repeatedly handed to me by the next door SA 11. Tried all sorts of auto CMDS programes while focusing on putting the thingy on the thingy --no help. Aside from obliterating anything emitting with a standoff harm volley it's no-go.
Tips on dealing with SAMs (which appear to be refreshingly brutal aka Falcon4)?
Effectiveness of countermeasures, split attacks, terrain following ?
Which are the most dangerous?
How to tactics transfer to attacking naval ships with little terrain masking?
Are you effectively smoke if you stray into the engagement envelope of a SAM?
If any game vets out there bored starring at grey skies and rain--like me-- who could pass on any info it would be gratefully received

Thanks TIM

Sounds like you did all the obvious things, nap-of-the-earth, avoidance on ingress, etc.

I set my EW on auto, beam the threat and head back for the deck as low as I can get. Pump out the chaff.

If that doesn't work then the mission ATO requires SEAD or stand off munitions.

Wish I could be more helpful.

Dragon

Yes, it is a major drag. I had wrongly thought that ACMs in combat situations, all those BVR engagements versus SA in complicated pictures and dogfighting in merges would prove a high learning curve, but surprisingly it went pretty smoothly,at least against the AI. Then de \livering the packages on targets, night missions etc. - wrong pick again. But ground defences are making many a mission a hellish and mostly a failed endeavour and I am glad if I make it out at all, getting back in one piece albeit in a poor state quite often. I am reading Robert L. Shaw on "Fighter Combat ..." and he points to an unavoidable clash between flying high and teasing SAMs as opposed to NOE navigation and risking close encounters with AAA, greater efficiency of lower calibre small arms and very short range SAMs. Well, the greatness of this simulator is that it's what we can clearly observe here. I usually choose semi EW and deploy my chaff and flares manually, turn the jamming on, deploy the decoys, order the flight to suppress/destroy what they can and that still may be no joy against the ground defences. Like in "The Flight of the Intruder" - a single stray bullet ricocheting off your airframe may cause an avalanche of malfunctions in ten minutes or half an hour.

I found an annoying thing while operation above waters - the Harpoons are not deployed by the AI from the maximal or just optimal distance , they always need to get within a visual range as it seems and get obliterated as a result many a time. That list would go on, but I guess we all know that here.

Thanks for the replies.
Enjoying the challenge. I find the info on SAM capabilities easier to digest using the info from Falcon4. In the end I think I just need to creatively use the assets and capabilities/weaknesses represented in the game and understand this might not(in fact certainly won't) reflect what happens in reality. I think it's good enough that the game makes you respe4ct the threat.
Thanks again ...TIM

I seem to recall discovering that the max altitude of the most potent long range SAM threat (SA-10) was much lower than the "real world" value. I found that I could cruise in at 25,000 feet and be essentially invulnerable to launched SAMS allowing me to get within HARM range to take out the long range high altitude threats, and then drop down a bit, while still above the range of short range SAM and AAA threats to perform a medium altitude delivery of guided or unguided ordnance. Obviously, there are still risks against well layered SAM defenses as there are not enough HARM's, but it seemed to work in the right circumstances.

Against ships, an approach taking advantage of the fact that the HARPOON/SLAM has a longer range than the HARM, but the HARM is faster. Low approach to within max HARPOON range. Fire... Keep boring in fast until within HARM range, FIRE and turn around. The HARM will USUALLY take out the radars before the HARPOON is within the countermeasure envelope and allow it to score a hit.

Or, to help out the AI, you have to be the HARM truck and take out the ship's radars before ordering the AI to attack with HARPOON. Then it isn't that bad when they get in closer...

I recall there was an issue with the HARPOON having way too large a radar cross section allowing ships to EASILY defeat them. The SLAM was a better weapon (though not designed for Anti-Ship attacks in real life). I think the TSH tweaks fixed this, but I don't recall if it made the HARPOON better or the SLAM worse

Thanks for the game specific advice.
I am presently trying to find ways of getting off 2 mavs on one pass.
It probably isn't how its done in reality...what is real is having a tool with strengths and weaknesses and developing tactics that work.
Having a surprisingly good time playing BOB2 and Janes FA18.......aahh the good old days of gameplay over graphics!!

The best way to rapid fire Mavericks is to use the "Click on Target Through the HUD" to get a designated target.

A little simplified, but similar to Falcon/DCS capability for having HUD being SOI and slewing the designation cursor. Quite a bit easier using the Mouse, of course. It does rely on having a Visual reference, but assuming that you can slave the FLIR or Maverick Camera to your target and refine the aimpoint with a magnified sensor it is a good tactic. Still easier than trying to slew the FLIR or use an EXP radar mode to get a good designation on a point target unless....

.....the targets are close together (e.g. a tank farm or something), then it might be even easier to just use the FLIR. Once it is Ground Stabilized you can easily slew around the target area and DESIGNATE once you find the target and the MAV seeker will slave to the FLIR target.

I read a good book called Black Aces High about VF-41 during the war is Serbia in 1999. I read it a long time ago but the major thing I took away from that book was that modern air war campaigns are fought from high altitude and depend on high tech sensors and smart weaponry. Just to second what's already been said, stay high, use jamming and your ALE-50 decoy, and beam any SAM that may be tracking you.

Wizard

Several points:

1. Use of decoys ahead of you - you can load up a couple of AI with just decoys get them to fire them off and then RTB

2. If SAM has you locked - use jammer, use towed array, pump several bundles of chaff, keep it on your 3 or 9... use HARM in SP mode...

Also EW aircraft with jammer work well in degrading the IADS - EA-6B - I tested it once...

TSH has some really excellent documents written up on the Decoys, towed array and HARMs, but have unfortunately gone with the disappearance of the TSH site - anyone still have these guides? Rudel was hosting the TSH site for a while - maybe worth contacting him?

I like setting up various SAM sites in the editor and practicing different SEAD tactics and missile avoidance...

Interesting information about the use of decoys. I didn't know there were types that could be fired ahead to confuse radar systems.
it is a pity, all though understandable given the age, that the knowledge gained through experience in the use of this flightsim is fading. I also understand TSH released guides on various aspects but despite some well meaning advice I've still not been able to locate them.
I never cease to be amazed at my own stupidity, short- termism and superficiality. Now sixteen years plus after release this must be the fifth time of returning to this game. I have owned two complete box sets of this software and at various stages thrown them out disgruntled with the so so graphics, occasional stutter, lack of dynamic campaign blah blah. Back again as a result of finding the one stop TSH repackaged download and a desire to experience a carrier ops simulation....I am loving it. All the previous gripes remain but completely outweighed by the excellent flight model, brilliant carrier ops, comms, excellent mission editor(with easy ability to randomise elements for increased replayability), complex ecm enviroment (IADS, stand-off jammers, decoys ,gci), good basic offensive/defensive AI. Yes it may show its age and be a bit cranky at times but it is a high quality in depth piece of software successfully combining GAMEPLAY and SIMULATION; not unsurprising given the size and quality of the programming team, and the time and resources made available to them.
Managed to find a technique for rippling off four mavs with accuracy using the ATFLIR. Now trying to home basic ACM using DACT easy to set up in quick missions; balancing the SH's superb nose pointing ability without Going G for brains and losing energy against that F15 who will smartly use the vertical as necessary.
Just to ram home the stupidity I am waiting for a boxed copy of Janes F15 to be delivered (don't ask how many copies of that I've had !)
Hope the weather is better in Perth than here in Blighty.
Thanks for the info,

TIM

Hi mate,

Yeah it's still a great sim! My favourite.

Couple things really bug me (rudder, AI not landing unless I speed up time or record a video at 36 fps) but I'm not really bothered about the graphics...

Closest I could find for the TSH website: http://archive.is/Bak3x

Yep the ADM-141 TALDs (Tactical Air Launched Decoy) are launched and glide (these days they are powered) and can saturate the enemy IADS - I loaded up some on this mission: http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4137376#Post4137376


Cheers