Is there a trick to rockets that I'm missing?

I'm on mission 2 of the Deployment campaign (the fixed one by MadDog). I have failed it so many times now I've given up. I have tried to keep the helo stable when attacking with rockets, but cannot get it to work. I have no issue with Vikhrs, or the gun, and have no trouble with rockets in the target missions I've made to practice.

I try to line the enemy up when they spawn in, but when I tip the helo down to aim (can't see the reticle otherwise) I either gain too much speed too fast and break up, or am bobbing up and down so wildly I can't control it and end up getting shot down by ground fire.

I've tried from a hover and rolling in as slow as I can to no avail. So, what is the proper way to trim for a rocket attack, or is it simply hold the trim when you are rolling in? Or should I just hover and try to fire from there? Any help appreciated.

Rocket themselves are very ineffective. Especially for armors. Rocket exploding 2 meters away from a truck may not damage it. This is main reason why Rockets are hard. Not so much with deployment method. I personally boosted its damage in warheads.lua to compensate but that's personal preference.

And if you can't see the reticle, it may be because the laser range info is outdated. Try pressing lock again and reticle may pop up higher. You have to do this as you get close. If not, try moving your seat up.

What I also do is deploy during hover. Some will say this is "Bad habit" but it's actually quite fun. You hover in stand off distance and use the auto turn to line up the rocket reticle to the target vertically on your HUD. Auto turn will not line up perfectly so what you do is offset the Shkval reticle to the side. Then you will rotate more to line up the rocket reticle to the target. Then use the altitude to line up rocket reticle horizontally. If the target is higher than rocket reticle on the HUD, gain altitude and opposite if lower. Fine tune with your stick when close enough and launch.

You can actually toss the rocket for more range if you practice. Highly effective against those Manpads.

Wait, Deployment #2. Is that where tons of enemy soldier appear out of nowhere? I think I edited that mission so the enemy soldiers appear earlier. So I have bit more time to kill them. I think the mission is intended for you to annihilate them with rockets in just 2 passes but it was too hard with them hiding under trees. And those infantry skill levels are set to excellent so they knock out my HUD with AK47. Friendly convoy is set to random skill I think.

I made them appear earlier by moving the trigger zone earlier. I find it unrealistic that many soldeirs can be invisible and pop up out of nowhere just when my convoy is in range.

I've been in so many court martial over that mission too. And you will lose the scout BMP regardless of whether you kill all enemy units before they get to them or not so don't worry about that one.

Wait, Deployment #2. Is that where tons of enemy soldier appear out of nowhere? I think I edited that mission so the enemy soldiers appear earlier. So I have bit more time to kill them. I think the mission is intended for you to annihilate them with rockets in just 2 passes but it was too hard with them hiding under trees. And those infantry skill levels are set to excellent so they knock out my HUD with AK47. Friendly convoy is set to random skill I think.

 

I made them appear earlier by moving the trigger zone earlier. I find it unrealistic that many soldeirs can be invisible and pop up out of nowhere just when my convoy is in range.

 

I've been in so many court martial over that mission too. And you will lose the scout BMP regardless of whether you kill all enemy units before they get to them or not so don't worry about that one.

Yes, that's the one. My issue isn't the rockets themselves, it's getting the helo stable enough to employ them. When I do get a few shots off I do lots of damage, but then get shot up almost instantly by ground fire. I will try it again with a low hover from a good distance to see if that works. Passing over top is just a way to get shot out of the sky in this one.

Yes, that's the one. My issue isn't the rockets themselves, it's getting the helo stable enough to employ them. When I do get a few shots off I do lots of damage, but then get shot up almost instantly by ground fire. I will try it again with a low hover from a good distance to see if that works. Passing over top is just a way to get shot out of the sky in this one.

Problem with hover approach... in this specific case is that you have to reposition. Because many of them will be behind trees. And this mission doesn't give you enough time to reposition. MadDog will be screaming at your ears. You have to fire from distance, break off before you get in range, then make another pass. But in my case, there wasn't enough time to do more then 2 passes and I couldn't get them all in 2. So I ended up giving myself more time.

Use FD mode to suspend the hold channels on the autopilot (holding trimmer essentially does this). Use the collective as a means of vertical reticle control. Slightly high and letting the helicopter settle onto target by lowering collective is a good final adjustment technique. A slanted flight path downward helps a lot too. I don't think I would be as useful in a hover or near it. There are ways to be smooth and relatively accurate with rockets but this mission doesn't seem to require it. Fast reaction with fire roughly where enemy might be seems more important than precision.

I did this twice, second time knowing where the ambush was. I flew quite high about 130km/h. When ambush sprung I had all stations, low rate of fire, laser arm, and HMD came on shortly. Putting eye on I uncaged and fired bursts of four, about sixteen total toward tracer origins. I think I started about 2500m and broke off about 750m as V-warning was sounding. Next two attacks varied from .75 to 1.25km separation. After that I changed to HE gun and picked up the last contacts while convoy was leaving ambush.

Time between lead vehicle fired on to first rocket away 14 seconds.

It's not a very precision type rocket delivery. Once shkval was grounded near the area with laser range I didn't try to put pipper on shkval circle it was just point and shoot and reticle should be more or less correct due to ranging being equal. I think firing all stations in bursts of four was a good idea as you don't overkill any particular area and can try lots of aim points. I did my best not to hit any houses and of course the convoy itself. Sergey was lost but I think that always happens?

Use FD mode to suspend the hold channels on the autopilot (holding trimmer essentially does this). Use the collective as a means of vertical reticle control. Slightly high and letting the helicopter settle onto target by lowering collective is a good final adjustment technique. A slanted flight path downward helps a lot too. I don't think I would be as useful in a hover or near it. There are ways to be smooth and relatively accurate with rockets but this mission doesn't seem to require it. Fast reaction with fire roughly where enemy might be seems more important than precision.

 

I did this twice, second time knowing where the ambush was. I flew quite high about 130km/h. When ambush sprung I had all stations, low rate of fire, laser arm, and HMD came on shortly. Putting eye on I uncaged and fired bursts of four, about sixteen total toward tracer origins. I think I started about 2500m and broke off about 750m as V-warning was sounding. Next two attacks varied from .75 to 1.25km separation. After that I changed to HE gun and picked up the last contacts while convoy was leaving ambush.

 

Time between lead vehicle fired on to first rocket away 14 seconds.

 

It's not a very precision type rocket delivery. Once shkval was grounded near the area with laser range I didn't try to put pipper on shkval circle it was just point and shoot and reticle should be more or less correct due to ranging being equal. I think firing all stations in bursts of four was a good idea as you don't overkill any particular area and can try lots of aim points. I did my best not to hit any houses and of course the convoy itself. Sergey was lost but I think that always happens?

I didn't know that about FD, thanks. I usually just hold trim, but find myself letting go when frantically trying to get shots on target. I also think I'm maybe not far enough away on approach, and am trying to be too precise. It gets annoying having to fly all the way there, wait for the ambush, immediately get shot up and have to do it all over again. A save point would sure be nice in this game. I'll give all of this a try, thanks.

After doing Deployment and GOW, I realize Deployment is supposed to be played after GOW. But most people will play it first because it's at the top of the list.

After doing Deployment and GOW, I realize Deployment is supposed to be played after GOW. But most people will play it first because it's at the top of the list.

That’s weird, i was going to skip GOW becuase I flew the Su-25T version.

But the tip about vertical pipper control with collective is great!!

That’s weird, i was going to skip GOW becuase I flew the Su-25T version.

 

But the tip about vertical pipper control with collective is great!!

It just felt that GOW was more for starting out in Blackshark. Doesn't have to fly long, enemy is right in front of your FARP, not a lot of time critical missions early on... Only issue is the stupid wingman who doesn't fight.

Deployment, as aleader said, fly 40 minutes to your target and screw it up to start all over.

It just felt that GOW was more for starting out in Blackshark. Doesn't have to fly long, enemy is right in front of your FARP, not a lot of time critical missions early on... Only issue is the stupid wingman who doesn't fight.

Deployment, as aleader said, fly 40 minutes to your target and screw it up to start all over.

Yah, funny you say that as when I gave up I assumed GOW would be harder (because it's listed 2nd) but tried the first mission and found it a lot 'better/easier' than Deployment. Why is it also in 3 parts though? Mini-campaigns of the larger version?

The wingmen are utterly useless in both and refuse to do anything but get shot up. They really need to fix this if a dynamic campaign is going to be of any use to us.

Only just skimmed over the thread, so not sure if this has been suggested, but it may be as simple as the rocket variant. I know The Ka-50 loadouts have a habit of loading the S-8KOM variant, which is the HEAT version, and is so close to useless I haven't really bothered using them. The only place I find them applicable is on the Su-25A/T, firing just before the minimum-range gate, but that's a whole other topic.

Anywho, I'm just guessing here, but it might be worth rearming to load up the S-8OFP2 variant, which is actually quite respectable against infantry targets. Fire in bursts of 2-4, apply liberally to the hillside near the town and you're golden.

EDIT - Extra notes:

- For the approach to target, trim the helo out to be doing ~50-100km/h, point the Shkval in the rough area of the target, get a range and trust the reticle. Effective safe range of the OFP2 variant against infantry is between 3-6km

- If you do manage to rearm with the OFP2 variant, make sure that you adjust the ballistic calculator selector on the rear-right panel. I believe the setting is 4 for S-8OFP2, though I can't readily remember.

- If the trim is still giving you trouble, try engaging the flight director control (The 5th, right-most blue autopilot button). Generally, it makes the aiming process easier.

Huh good to know. I have been using the S-8KOM all these years (granted I haven't flown the Ka-50 in years until recently again). I'm kind of excited to try the S-8OFP2's out later now. Good tips, thanks!

 

Posting this below from the Ka-50 Doc:

 

НР/АКС selector. Unguided rocket and gun pods ballistics data settings.

 

0 – S-8KOM rockets with anti-tank/antipersonnel warhead

1 – S-8TsM rockets with smoke warhead

2 – S-13 rockets

3 – S-24 heavy rockets. Not used

4 – S-8M HE rockets

5 – UPK-23 gun pods, twin 23mm

S-8M HE rockets is OFP-2

Game will automatically select the correct ballistics for you unless you rearm and change the weapon during mission.

make sure you have the right rocket and you use the right BALLISTIC SETTING for them.

This is at the back on the right side.

Consult the manual for the right setting

Just quickly. The Ka-50 (In Game) does this thing where, for the duration of trigger depression - with rockets selected - the aircraft will pitch-up rather rapidly.

My guess would be that this is to facilitate dispersion for area targets; Never the less, it can be a pain to deal with for point targets.

The 3 solutions I've discovered are as follows:

- Pitch down during fire to compensate (Difficult)

- Fire short bursts, or just tap the trigger (Better)

- Enable flight director control as it completely disables the behaviour (best)

EDIT:

- Note that the behaviour is not 'recoil' from the rockets, since (last I checked) it still happens when you select empty pods.

Just quickly. The Ka-50 (In Game) does this thing where, for the duration of trigger depression - with rockets selected - the aircraft will pitch-up rather rapidly.

 

 

My guess would be that this is to facilitate dispersion for area targets; Never the less, it can be a pain to deal with for point targets.

 

 

 

The 3 solutions I've discovered are as follows:

- Pitch down during fire to compensate (Difficult)

- Fire short bursts, or just tap the trigger (Better)

- Enable flight director control as it completely disables the behaviour (best)

 

 

EDIT:

- Note that the behaviour is not 'recoil' from the rockets, since (last I checked) it still happens when you select empty pods.

It is a bug.

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=282246

If you remove the recoil compensation from the FMoptions.lua, then it doesn't pitch up. So they built recoil compensation into the autopilot but the rockets don't have recoil.