Is it posible to play w/out labels? I mean, keeping track of your flight and other flights, especially ground targets and stuff? Any tips on how to keep the SA up so as to be able to play without labels?

When i opt to a be a member of a flight and not leader, ATC always clears me for taxi first, so I'm stuck behind my flight and being ordered to taxi while I cant becuz of my flight, and ATC doesnt seem to wanna let them taxi. Any way around this?

Also, two n00by ones is this. After I select a AA or AG weapon, how do I deselect it after the fight so that the symbology disapears from the HUD? Also, how to de-designate a radar contact besides banking to get it out of the radar scan range?

I'm a newbie too, but I know the answer to that one: To de-designate a radar contact (I guess you have bugged it by pressing "0" on the numerical keyboard), just press "," or "Del" on the numerical keyboard. At least that's the keys to use in my version of AF (Norwegian setup, but I think those keys are the same in other versions).

As for the other questions, I don't really know. Have you applied the latest patch (1.05)? I heard it solves a lot of bugs :-)

1) Yes it is possible. Ground units are extremely hard to find, but it is possible. Learn to use the padlock functions and your radar. Takes a while to get used to it if you've had labels on, but it is possible.

2)Not sure about this one. Are you requesting taxi? If you're not the flight leader probably best to wait till the flight lead (and numbers two and three depending on what number you're flying) to request taxi before you do. AI flight lead will usually make the request bang on take off time.

3)Deselect AA or AG mode by pressing the button again (there is apparently a minor bug in there but I've never seen it. I would suggest that if you're in either M or D AA submode (dogfight or MRM) that you press C on your keyboard first to cancel the sub mode and then press the AA key to return to Nav mode).

4)Check your key assignments in the set up options. There's a keyboard command to deselect a target (can't remember what it is offhand since I've got it mapped to my HOTAS).

Hope this helps.

I play without labels, always have.

I'm a newbie myself, so I don't know all, but I play without labels. For air targets, I use the radio a lot.

I use the radio commands to know where my wingmen / package / flight are (you can ask them to give you their position). This gives me a rough picture of where my friendlies are.

I also radio the AWACS to ask them if a radar contact is friendly or not - use the "declare" command when you have bugged (tracked) a target in your radar. Usually the AWACS replies that it is friendly or not. You may also ask the AWACS to give you a "Request picture", which gives the position of the nearest hostile aircraft. Sometimes the AWACS is not available or unable to give a precise answer, but that's the fog of war for you....

It is also possible to use the radio to call the plane you just bugged: The command is called "Raygun". The bugged plane should respond with something like "Buddy spike", if friendly. (This radio procedure I haven't tried yet.)

The radio commands is in the manual, page 452 onwards.


Edit: It is also possible to radio the awacs for vectors to your (ground) target, and to the nearest airborne threat. Se the manual, page 452 onwards.

Edit II: Here's an excellent tutorial on the use of radar: http://www.users.bigpond.com/harries/Reference/Technique/tech/RadarTutorial.html

This helped me a lot, trying to use the radar properly, thus increasing my SA tenfold!

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Since I am a newbie myself, I hope that other more experienced pilots will supplement my answers. I hope I could help a little bit at least... :-)