How to recon/spot targets?

I'm having issues with some missions. I know there's an known issue with mission assets located in forests after the Caucasus update, but that's only part of my problem.

For example, I'm struggling with the Operation Medvedev II campaign. On the second mission, you're tasked with clearing out some AAA emplacements so that the MI8 can land safely. I had absolutely no idea where they were, so I tried to fly around somewhat quickly around the perimeter of the city on the other side of the hill. The only way I can figure out target locations is when I start seeing tracers heading my way.

I noticed if I have enough speed, dodging incoming fire isn't too difficult, and then I'll know where they are. I cleared 3 emplacements this way, and I couldn't find the others, so I had no choice but to overfly the city. There must have been an emplacement hidden behind a building, because at one point I saw tracers coming straight up from directly below me and it damaged me to the point that I had to RTB and end the mission.

So, when flying solo, how on earth do you look for targets in a city/town? Do you have no choice but to fly a perimeter and really take your time with the shkval?

Quick tangent - the units in the forests are really mission breaking. On another attempt, I got shot down by some AAA in a forest that didn't fire at me last time I flew overhead. I also noticed manpands in the forests will sometimes hit the tree right in front of them and kill themselves.

So no choppers in DCS (and generally no choppers irl) can be fast enough to really dodge AAA. Once you see them firing at you, the only tactic is to change your trajectory (vertical and horizontal) every 10 seconds so they cannot properly anticipate your position. A 23 mm round is generally not good news for a chopper. Even the Ka50 which is a bit more armored than the others. Most likely you will loose your shkval or your hud, and the party's over because you cannot shoot anymore except in manual mode for gun and rockets with a good guesstimate. But this means you have at some point fly a straight line to the AAA and most likely you gonna get killed.

Finding targets in a city is extremely hard with the Skhval unless the said target is in a clear area like a park or a large roundabout. If SAMs and Air Threats (enemy fighters or gunship helicopters) are not a factor in your mission, your best option is to hover high (at least 800 meters) and out of range from the AAA (4 km) so you can see above most of the obstructions.

Briefing is critical and often overlooked in those SP missions. You should be able to select different "drop points" aka BP (battle positions) that offer a quick cover in case of an attack, preferably out of the enemy weapon range and in range of your own weapon. If you can't see the target from one BP, navigate to the next one with a different point of view. Avoid at all cost the usual "target fascination" where you are getting closer and closer to find the target.

Finally, and I know it doesn't work well in SP, but for this kind of mission, you should always operate with a wingman. So having a friend flying with you in MP that you can coordinate with, exchange datalinks, warns of incoming fires.

Finally, choppers missions should be specifically designed by choppers pilots. Avoid public servers that usually build missions for fix wings, then add rotaries as an afterthought.

Thanks for the tips. I tried that mission a few more times, but the only way I can complete it is with labels on, since some units you need to clear out are in the woods.

I think I'll have to wait until they fix the old missions to continue with my campaign playthroughs

Almost all missions have AA threats visible on your ABRIS as a small blue circle.

The circle will be marked with "unit 01, unit 02" and so on.

All Air threats will aslo have their threat/detection ranges displayed as a blue "shadowed" area on the map.

Lots of patience.

That is all that is needed with the KA-50, move around the target area and choose a position that has a height advantage over your opponents. maintain maximum attack range. I suggest ensuring you are set to high resolution on the shkval camera in the options menu.

lots of hover time, lots of looking and lots of moving around the target area is the order of the day here. the work load is exhausting.... you will be swinging your skull around the pit like crazy, looking for targets and constantly zooming in and out, like a sniper, you work very hard for one kill.

DCS is not a game.

DCS is moving towards perfection.

So no choppers in DCS (and generally no choppers irl) can be fast enough to really dodge AAA. Once you see them firing at you, the only tactic is to change your trajectory (vertical and horizontal) every 10 seconds so they cannot properly anticipate your position.

The problem in DCS is that the AI is trying to hit you. While in real world the AA personnel is not trying to hit you, but deny your operation in the area.

The difference is big one. By trying to hit you, AAA is constantly calculating a target trajectory for its range and speed, so you know where they will be at the time the shells will reach that range, and then shoot at that position. And that gives all the possibilities and changes for the target pilot to take precaution and fly "zig-zag" as wanted and then perform controlled turn to the target to release bombs etc. The problem is that all the time the cannons are turning and pointing to that calculated intercept point, that is constantly moving, and so on every single shell that leaves the barrel, is already missing the target when it is changing direction.

The result is failure for the AAA to do its job = deny the enemy air operations in the air space/protected area.

In reality the AAA is not trying to hit the target, instead the target is tracked that where it is likely heading and then shoot a very short burst ahead of the target at random positions. Cannons are not tracking the target, they calculate the lead and then quickly turn cannons ahead of the possible target flight path and shoot there by keeping cannons still, and then again predict and jump to new direction and shoot there.

The pilot is not anymore in control, no instead pilot being able just taking precaution, the pilot is now forced to constantly look outside and search all the tracers as they are going anywhere front of him, and then once spotting them, maneuver if it is going to be on the flight path. And when you have multiple AAA saturating the flight path of the target, the pilot is stressed heavily by the random shell bursts all around its flight path, and the changes are that the pilot will fly the straight line of shells if not spotting them in time and specifically maneuver so that he doesn't fly to another.

The result is mission success for the AAA to do its job = cause high stress to pilots, deny their capability focus on the target area or perform the attack at all, as all they are forced to do is to look out the shells and just fly away from the area.

And that is as well why the infantry own AA support works with rifles, as every rifleman has different prediction of the distance and different aiming point, and when the squad leader commands fire, every soldier is shooting straight short bursts to their own individual predicted point front of the air threat. This generates very effective "bullet net" that will land multiple hits to the aircrafts anywhere from 300-600 meters up to 1200-1500 meters. And even when at those ranges a small caliber bullet doesn't likely cause any serious damage, there is a change and pilot will get stressed to fly at that area.

A 23 mm round is generally not good news for a chopper.

It ain't good for anything. A 23mm HEI shell will blow a head size a hole on impact area, only a more heavily armored cockpits (KA-50, Mi-28 etc) withstand that, otherwise just the 12.7mm for few hits and rest nothing.

A 23mm shell ruins anyones day with single hit really.