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River Raider mission - How would you do it


filthymanc

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Hi, I'm finally getting to grips with the A10C after many months of dipping in and out of learning.

 

I'm now at the stage where I'm trying to figure out the variety of weapons and dealing with air defence.

 

So I'm having a good go at the River Raider mission and trying various things out, making mistakes, rectifying mistakes, and so on.

 

I'm really quite clumsy at it so I would really value the experience of others so that I can compare and see where I'm going wrong. I'm interested in how experienced pilots would tackle this mission with minimal messing around.

 

Thanks.

 

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I've never flied that one before but just took a look at it. You got AAA's, IR guided sam's, radar guided sam's in there. 6 main targets which are bunkers. Now im not actually sure what weapon you need to destroy those bunkers, you should take the lightest weapon that can take out those effectively. By effectively i mean that the weapon should damage the target easily and it shouldnt put you in harms way while employing it. So if guns can kill the target easily but there are air defences around the target, dont use the guns, just go high and drop a gbu12/38 on it.

 

There is a long range radar sam over watching bunker 1 and 2. Its pretty easy to take out that one with guns using pop-up manoeuvre. I recorded a video doing just that ill upload it tomorrow and post it here.

 

If there are any other radar guided sams with AAA's or IR sam's covering them, that will be a bit tricky. You can try to use force correlate with agm65h's to engage them from range or you can fly high, at edge of its engagement zone and force it to waste all of its missiles or you can do the smart thing and get a sead flight to take them out.

 

Stay away from AAA's at all times, especially the non-radar guided ones. Radar guided ones are easier to spot from range cos you can see them on your rwr but the other ones are pretty deadly. You can never be sure if you took them all out or not.

 

IR guided sam's are much easier to deal with. Fly at the edge of their maximum engagement zone and keep watching your surroundings. As soon as they fire, take a mental note of their general location, dodge the incoming missile, disengage and take them out on your second pass.

 

Then again, if you can stay out of their range and engage your target safely, dont bother with them.


Edited by kylekatarn720
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Hi, I'm finally getting to grips with the A10C after many months of dipping in and out of learning.

 

I'm now at the stage where I'm trying to figure out the variety of weapons and dealing with air defence.

 

So I'm having a good go at the River Raider mission and trying various things out, making mistakes, rectifying mistakes, and so on.

 

I'm really quite clumsy at it so I would really value the experience of others so that I can compare and see where I'm going wrong. I'm interested in how experienced pilots would tackle this mission with minimal messing around.

 

Thanks.

 

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

In dealing with air defenses, just learn as much as you can about the different threats that you're expecting to encounter along the way. Many of those air defense systems can be defeated just by flying high enough when you're closing in to kill your target.

EVGA Z690 Classified, Intel i9 12900KS Alder Lake processor, MSI MAG Core Liquid 360R V2 AIO Liquid CPU Cooler, G.SKILL Trident Z5 RGB Series 64GB DDR5 6400 memory, EVGA RTX3090 FTW3 Ultra 24GB video card, Samsung 980PRO 1TB M2.2280 SSD for Windows 10 64-bit OS, Samsung 980PRO 2TB M2.2280 SSD for program files, LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray burner. HOTAS Warthog, Saitek Pedals, HP Reverb G2. Partridge and pear tree pending. :pilotfly:

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modern western ground attack doctrine has changed somewhat over the life of the a10.

 

it used to be get low with guns and rockets to find and destroy targets. why the a10 has a big gun.

 

but now with modern microprocessors radar controlled guns and MANPADs are way to lethal.

but so are your own guided munitions.

 

so they stuck a litening pod on the a10 and reversed its doctrine.

 

and the rule now is stay high above 12000ft to avoid 2/3 of the enemies weapon platforms.

so avoiding AAA and MANPADS.

and use guided munitions to destroy ground targets and provide support. via the sniper/litening pod.

then you only have to deal with one enemy. the SAMS.

 

so spend your time studying the enemy SAM and figure out ways to defeat each type (lots of youtube vids on this)

 

once you deal with or avoid the sam you can pretty much do what you like. as long as you stay up above 12000ft.

My Rig: AM5 7950X, 32GB DDR5 6000, M2 SSD, EVGA 1080 Superclocked, Warthog Throttle and Stick, MFG Crosswinds, Oculus Rift.

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If you are going to climb you can take 6 JDAMs and drop them all in a single or two passes
When you use the phrase "going to climb", does that pretty much mean staying at high altitude?

 

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no people still get down and low with the a10 because being shot at is fun in a computer game :)

 

doing it the proper way is also the most boring :) do it right and you don't get shot at..

 

its like moths and flames..

 

 

" but the tracer fire is so pretty...." :)

My Rig: AM5 7950X, 32GB DDR5 6000, M2 SSD, EVGA 1080 Superclocked, Warthog Throttle and Stick, MFG Crosswinds, Oculus Rift.

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When you use the phrase "going to climb", does that pretty much mean staying at high altitude?

 

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Well I was going off from what the others were suggesting. Haven't played the mission myself in ages so I don't remember it

 

So, I believe the answer to your questions is Yes, if that was what the other guys were intending.

 

I meant that if you are going up high you might as well kill them all in ones pass. Altitude will give you extra time to get the JDAMs off. Doesn't mean that you can't chuck 2 or 3 at a time at lower altitudes (depends how fast you are on the HOTAS ;) )

'Shadow'

 

Everybody gotta be offended and take it personally now-a-days

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Get high and stay south, attack from the south side, turning back to the south after run in.

 

2 GBU's first, then JDAM's, the Mavs on the last bunkers.

 

If you really want to have fun, try taking out the SAM site north of the river first :)

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I did the mission. It is quite fun since you can do the mission the "proper way" just climbing and using standoff missions while flying outside of the SA11 envelope, or you can go "Gun Ho" and have fun with the gun and the close range stuff.

 

My problem is that all I could see was "if I had a Hornet doing this I could do the same in half the time"

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

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My problem is that all I could see was "if I had a Hornet doing this I could do the same in half the time"

 

 

And now you can! (In theory, assuming you can pull the A-10 from the mission and throw an F/A-18C in in its stead.) Just so you know, the F/A-18C Lot 20 is now available in Early Access. Not so sure about your comment about half the time. Yes, it's faster, by a lot, but its ordinance load is, I'd guess, roughly half that of the A-10. Also, like the F-4, fuel is always an issue with the Hornet, so staying time on station is limited.

 

 

 

I'm not a fan of the real deal, but I bought the F/A-18 specifically to train for the F-14. However, it looks really, really, good. As with every other DCS platform I have, I am, once again, thoroughly impressed with the level of detail and "realism" in this aircraft. As close to the real deal as I'll ever get, and it's pretty damn close compared to other flight sims I've flown over the years. It is a "study sim", after all. The fact that it's a naval aircraft helps immensely in my book as well.

 

 

 

Per realism, I immediately noted that it does have two of the things I hate most about the Hornet: Lack of sufficient internal fuel and loads of drag from the fixed hardpoints... plus even more drag from the external fuel tank(s) you're pretty much required to take on any mission of any duration - even with a tanker nearby.

 

 

Semi-thread jack complete. We now return to your normally scheduled thread. :music_whistling:

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And now you can! (In theory, assuming you can pull the A-10 from the mission and throw an F/A-18C in in its stead.) Just so you know, the F/A-18C Lot 20 is now available in Early Access. Not so sure about your comment about half the time. Yes, it's faster, by a lot, but its ordinance load is, I'd guess, roughly half that of the A-10. Also, like the F-4, fuel is always an issue with the Hornet, so staying time on station is limited.

 

 

 

I'm not a fan of the real deal, but I bought the F/A-18 specifically to train for the F-14. However, it looks really, really, good. As with every other DCS platform I have, I am, once again, thoroughly impressed with the level of detail and "realism" in this aircraft. As close to the real deal as I'll ever get, and it's pretty damn close compared to other flight sims I've flown over the years. It is a "study sim", after all. The fact that it's a naval aircraft helps immensely in my book as well.

 

 

 

Per realism, I immediately noted that it does have two of the things I hate most about the Hornet: Lack of sufficient internal fuel and loads of drag from the fixed hardpoints... plus even more drag from the external fuel tank(s) you're pretty much required to take on any mission of any duration - even with a tanker nearby.

 

 

Semi-thread jack complete. We now return to your normally scheduled thread. :music_whistling:

 

Precision munitions aren’t available right now however so good luck with the manpads.

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And now you can! (In theory, assuming you can pull the A-10 from the mission and throw an F/A-18C in in its stead.) Just so you know, the F/A-18C Lot 20 is now available in Early Access. Not so sure about your comment about half the time. Yes, it's faster, by a lot, but its ordinance load is, I'd guess, roughly half that of the A-10. Also, like the F-4, fuel is always an issue with the Hornet, so staying time on station is limited.

 

 

 

I'm not a fan of the real deal, but I bought the F/A-18 specifically to train for the F-14. However, it looks really, really, good. As with every other DCS platform I have, I am, once again, thoroughly impressed with the level of detail and "realism" in this aircraft. As close to the real deal as I'll ever get, and it's pretty damn close compared to other flight sims I've flown over the years. It is a "study sim", after all. The fact that it's a naval aircraft helps immensely in my book as well.

 

 

 

Per realism, I immediately noted that it does have two of the things I hate most about the Hornet: Lack of sufficient internal fuel and loads of drag from the fixed hardpoints... plus even more drag from the external fuel tank(s) you're pretty much required to take on any mission of any duration - even with a tanker nearby.

 

 

Semi-thread jack complete. We now return to your normally scheduled thread. :music_whistling:

I have the Hornet already :lol: but as our forum mate said before me, it still lacks guided weaponry.

 

Once it gets it, with HARMs, SLAMs, mavs and JDAMs, you will be able to finish that mission fast and easy. You will need help from your wingman though, not enough stations onboard!

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

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I have the Hornet already :lol:

 

 

Ah, so you know! Yep, I definitely find the Hornet lacking in the hardpoints department as well, especially after so many years of A-10ing. One thing's for sure, though: It can (and almost assuredly will) only get better!

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Per realism, I immediately noted that it does have two of the things I hate most about the Hornet: Lack of sufficient internal fuel [...]

 

Yup, Hornet pilots will have to get proficient at AAR real quick. ;)

 

Back on topic, the River Raider mission is quite fun as I recall it. It teaches pilots to make good use of their inventory, requiring the use of stand-off weapons against the more heavily defended targets while leaving enough dumb bombs for the less defended ones. It's probably not all that realistic, but it's nice to have completed it once or twice.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I'm also doing the 'many months of dipping in and out of learning' thing haha, bought the game during steam sales.

 

 

 

I remember playing that mission a few months ago. At first it puzzled me until I realised they can't hit you at 20000+. I can't remember everything in the mission but here goes:

 

If I recall correctly the mission starts you off with 4 mavericks(?) I think there's 6 bunkers right, so after bombing the first and second bunkers from high altitude, you can jettison the rest of the rockets and bombs, climb, and just take the bunkers out with the mavericks, ignoring every single threat.

 

One thing that the mission doesn't explicitly explain (I think?) is that the enemy controls the river and everything left of the river. There's no defences or anything to the right of the river, except in the towns further ahead which may have manpads sitting in the town (I distinctly remember being launched at there and seeing the missile hit a building lol). In my opinion you should have easier access to this fact. I'd take good note of this and use the right side for your ingress and egress routes, pulling hard away from the target/split s after each attack.

 

There is this long range sam to the left of the river. It's pretty stupid. It will launch a billion missiles at you as you head in its direction but it's max range is just left of the river, so as long as you stay right of the river as I said it's not even a threat. Honestly though why would a long range sam fire at ground attack aircraft at that range, lol.

 

I did try a low alt run one time, staying lower than the trees. I was planning on using rockets and guns but they dont seem to do anything against the bunkers. Need bombs or mavs. Just jettison the rockets altogether, they are useless. They're CAS weapons, I don't see why i'd ever take them on a mission like this in the first place.

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