A few simple Mirage 2000c Questions not in Campaign or Not Easy to Find

Love the Mirage. Went from the Mustang, to the F5, and then Mirage. 6 months into DCS.

There are a few things I just can't seem to find. These are small but they are driving me a bit crazy lol !

1 - The INS waypoint altitude manual input. Are we supposed to do this? In the campaign it keeps mentioning that we should manually update each waypoints altitude. I saw somewhere else that one of the guys that made the campaign replied in these forums somewhere and it seemed like he said we aren't really supposed to do that. Thoughts?

2 - What is the trick to keep weapons working when switching between them? It always bugs out. I know how to use guns, Magic, etc. but when you use drop tanks or even no drop tanks at all....it just seems that swapping between all the weapon systems causes many of the next weapons you switch to to not work. I can use guns, swap to missiles, fire 2 missiles, then its kind of hard to get guns to work again. Any tips?

3 - The auto pilot. I can easily get it to use the "main" autopilot feature of simply holding altitude. Easy. When I try to use the one that causes the Mirage to fly up or down to the target altitude that I manually put in, it never works. Let's say i put in 20,000 feet. I'm flying at 15,000. I hit autopilot green button then I copy what some other DCS pilot showed in his video...and I just can't get the altitude adjusting autopilot to engage. Any tips?

4 - Bombing. The campaign mission 6. Honestly, it barely teaches anything about how to bomb. I know the Mirage is an interceptor but I'd love to still learn how to do this. The mission is fun and immersive....but doesn't really say too much. I watched some videos and they are far more in depth and still vague. I almost figured I'd just give up on bombing (in the Mirage) but that feels kind of lame of me.

5 - Flares. I know the little black "box" on the left is turned on. Ok, gotcha. But then what else do I need to do to use flares. They are tricky and don't always work.

Thanks all !

Love the Mirage. Went from the Mustang, to the F5, and then Mirage. 6 months into DCS.

 

There are a few things I just can't seem to find. These are small but they are driving me a bit crazy lol !

 

1 - The INS waypoint altitude manual input. Are we supposed to do this? In the campaign it keeps mentioning that we should manually update each waypoints altitude. I saw somewhere else that one of the guys that made the campaign replied in these forums somewhere and it seemed like he said we aren't really supposed to do that. Thoughts?

 

2 - What is the trick to keep weapons working when switching between them? It always bugs out. I know how to use guns, Magic, etc. but when you use drop tanks or even no drop tanks at all....it just seems that swapping between all the weapon systems causes many of the next weapons you switch to to not work. I can use guns, swap to missiles, fire 2 missiles, then its kind of hard to get guns to work again. Any tips?

 

3 - The auto pilot. I can easily get it to use the "main" autopilot feature of simply holding altitude. Easy. When I try to use the one that causes the Mirage to fly up or down to the target altitude that I manually put in, it never works. Let's say i put in 20,000 feet. I'm flying at 15,000. I hit autopilot green button then I copy what some other DCS pilot showed in his video...and I just can't get the altitude adjusting autopilot to engage. Any tips?

 

4 - Bombing. The campaign mission 6. Honestly, it barely teaches anything about how to bomb. I know the Mirage is an interceptor but I'd love to still learn how to do this. The mission is fun and immersive....but doesn't really say too much. I watched some videos and they are far more in depth and still vague. I almost figured I'd just give up on bombing (in the Mirage) but that feels kind of lame of me.

 

5 - Flares. I know the little black "box" on the left is turned on. Ok, gotcha. But then what else do I need to do to use flares. They are tricky and don't always work.

 

Thanks all !

Hey! Glad you like the M-2000C :) I wil try to reply as good as I can.

Ad.1. Up to you. When buiding the campaign and training missions I heard arguments for both doing and not doing it. AFAIK INS by default shows you the elevation of the given waypoint, so puts it on the ground for specific coordinates, but you can make it think that the real elevation is higher than that (up to 20-something thousand, check the manual).

Ad. 2. Not sure if I understand the problem here. For Magic / Guns use the HOTAS switch, for the rest the weapons panel - just click on what you want to use and you should be golden.

Ad.3. Have you read the manual? AP is pretty well explained in there. For the selected alt to work you have to put the jet in a climb or descent and only then press the selected alt button. It won’t start climbing by itself if you’re in a level flight.

Ad. 4. Campaign is only meant to supplement the training missions and manual. Have you flown the training for bombing (there are two missions IIRC) and read the appropriate chapter in the manual? Again, if I am not mistaken you will find there everything to get you on track with bombing! And if you have any further questions after- shoot!

Ad. 5. The Eclair box is not simulates fully so or the flares you should use the countermeasures panel on the right. In the kneeboard you will find different programs with description how many chaffs / flares / both you will release. Again, check the manual too for further details.

Hope this helps and enjoy your time with the M2K!

1 - The INS waypoint altitude manual input. Are we supposed to do this?

No. INS expects that the waypoint elevation is equal to the surface elevation at that location and not the flight plan for INS updating.

2 - What is the trick to keep weapons working when switching between them?

For whatever reason when you exhaust a store category the jet removes the button label without deselecting that button. For example you see "RP" label for a button and maybe S and P on the button itself. You select it and jettison it and now everything is black. But that button is still selected despite no visual indication. Click it again to deselect it. And make sure with selective-jettison that you completely return all switches to normal including the yellow-striped switch cover!

When I try to use the one that causes the Mirage to fly up or down to the target altitude that I manually put in, it never works.

It works on a capture principle. When selected yellow it's armed and will cease the climb or descent to capture as the commanded altitude is approached turning green. It won't initiate a climb of descent on its own. Make heavy use of the autopilot suspend paddle. It's the most pressed control in the airplane.

4 - Bombing.

Bombing is full of details. For all AG it's roll into a dive from 60~90 degrees offset, put some kind of designator HUD symbol on the target. For "CCRP" type weapons you designate that spot with the diamond symbol, pull up slightly, and fly through release with the trigger held. For "CCIP" you pull the trigger when the symbol is on the target. Everything else is managing the range, dive angle, speed, height of the attack. And of course set up the number and spacing of bombs and their arming appropriately.

5 - Flares. I know the little black "box" on the left is turned on. Ok, gotcha. But then what else do I need to do to use flares. They are tricky and don't always work.

I only trust the thing in manual in which the box is half on and I set the A-1-2-3-4-5... knob on the right console to the appropriate program and use the program or panic buttons on the joystick or throttle. I'm pretty sure it does automatic countermeasures and jamming but see beginning of paragraph.

5 - Flares. I know the little black "box" on the left is turned on. Ok, gotcha. But then what else do I need to do to use flares. They are tricky and don't always work.

The countermeasures section of the manual (from p186) covers the settings pretty well, but I'll try to give a TL;DR version of how I use this:

Countermeasures Panel:

"Modes" (Sabre mode switch) - square (middle)

"BR" (Sabre master switch) - M (on)

"D.A." (RWR) - M

"D.2M." (Missile launch detector) - M

"LL" (Spirale mode switch) - S.A. (Semi automatic)

11 position dial: A (Off)

I then use the panic button to dispense as needed, and this will dispense both chaff and flares.

Notes:

The manual states that the automatic Spirale decoy programs don't work

AIM-120 AMRAAMs can home on jammers like Sabre, so I bind the

"jammer Activate/standby" toggle to a button so I can use it selectively in case I fight someone using AIM-120s.

I can’t do better than the masters here, but #3 the ap works beautifully smooth, if you set target altitude before and use trim wi5 ap on first to set a pitch att. Then turn on stby for the alt intercept and it will capture. I usually set the target alt takeoff with ap on stby and when pressure is released on stick after rotation, it will keep the pitch I released (say 5°), then I toggle intercept alt, then all is golden.

#4 Bombing on the mirage using hud and ccrp is straight forward, set a waypoint, when less than 10nm look for wpt cross on gnd, set hud diamond to target and cage it, keep aligned until release time. I usually do one pass to target first, turn back 10nm out, lazer on and drop. For me its either snakeyes or lazer gbu12, the slicker unguided ones are a waste since a few meters off they wont kill a fly.

Regarding #2, I have issues with that too. I suspect changing armament on ground is causing issues. Curious thin is I normally fly with the jettison cover out (the switch obviously off), to make it simpler to jettison. Can this really cause issues too?

#5 The countermeasures box on the left doesn’t even need to be on, I think its just a counter and I suspect its accuracy. I simply turn on the switch on right and use programs 5 for chaff and 1 for flare (1C+1F). One thing I dont know is how to create a custom program, like in the F18 and perhaps it is possible via file editing. If you press the panic shortcut it will quickly toss all you got, so be careful with that.

#5 The countermeasures box on the left doesn’t even need to be on, I think its just a counter and I suspect its accuracy. I simply turn on the switch on right and use programs 5 for chaff and 1 for flare (1C+1F). One thing I dont know is how to create a custom program, like in the F18 and perhaps it is possible via file editing. If you press the panic shortcut it will quickly toss all you got, so be careful with that.

The 'box' on the left is to manage the ECLAIR Pod. In case you don't have it equipped, it will indeed just work as a counter. But in order to have it operate, you have to turn it on.

Counter measure panel on the right manage the SPIRALE dispenser.

Seems ECLAIR pod can be operated from the SPIRALE Manual/Auto mode or independently but i don't think independent mode is implemented yet (quite sure it's not)

 

I then use the panic button to dispense as needed, and this will dispense both chaff and flares.

 

Program 5 also dispenses chaff and flares, 1 each

Panic button launches Program 0 which dispense 6 chaff and 3 flares at each button press, so you can quickly run out of flare if you abuse it(especially without Eclair pod equipped)

Panic button is normally reserved to react to a missile launch detected visually without knowing what launched it and the type of missile launched

Program 5 also dispenses chaff and flares, 1 each

Panic button launches Program 0 which dispense 6 chaff and 3 flares at each button press, so you can quickly run out of flare if you abuse it(especially without Eclair pod equipped)

 

Panic button is normally reserved to react to a missile launch detected visually without knowing what launched it and the type of missile launched

6 and 3 for the panic button is correct, and I did neglect to mention it should be used in response to an unknown type of missile in the air, thanks for elaborating :thumbup:

Thats great info, never realized that about the eclair control. What about the little yellow cover for the jettison, is there a bug where keeping it open interferes with weapons not launching?

I don't know of it's a bug or the actual switch has an electronic sensor in it that reports when it's not closed. But cover position does matter to the avionics in DCS.

"A" on dispenser knob is arret, off.

What I don't get about Eclair control box is switch is 3-position but manual just says "on/off"

 

What I don't get about Eclair control box is switch is 3-position but manual just says "on/off"

I guess it's used to control Eclair pod release program independently from Spirale but it's not functional. So Manual and Auto simply act as ON currently and release programs are controlled from the Spirale panel on right console.