Su-27/33 Predicted Target Range

Hi,

I had a major PC failure and lost all my data, including my Warthog input. No worries - I memorised it many months ago but assigning the controls back again it made me realise that some of them were very rarely used - either because I was an ignorant or because they actually weren't that important.. The ones I'm on about are "Predicted Target Range Decrease" & "Predicted Target Range Increase". I "kinda" understand the mechanic behind it but I can't remember when I used it last time. Perhaps that's my mistake and it's the explanation why I get shot down so often ;P but perhaps these functions are not crucial to the effectiveness of the Sukhoi.

What are your thoughts? I could definitely use 2 unassigned inputs...

FWIW, the only time I ever worry about the predicted target range is if I want to center a target I'm told about in my scan to make sure I don't miss him. Otherwise I've never had cause to use anything other than the default. I'm sure someone will be along to say that's wrong but, like I said, FWIW.

It aligns your RADAR so the vertical adjustments correspond with thousands of meters at the selected range...I.E. AWACS calls a bandit at 60km at 3000 meters.

If you're at 4000 meters, you set the expected range to 60km and antenna tilt to -1.

If your expected range was 10km, that -1 tilt would correspond with a much more dramatic antenna movement. You might still be able to find the guy, but you're just guessing at that point. It's not something you need to worry about constantly once you find your target, but it can be immensely helpful in locating it initially IMO.

Anyway, unless the enemy be a complete rookie, doesn't matter the distance, you will miss with russian missiles in DCS at any distance, the only kill achivement is with an IR at close distance, and unnoticed by the enemy aircraft. If the enemy release any chaff or flares, or simply make a barrell roll, forget it.

Those are not critical, you can leave the distance at 10 (default) and only move the antenna a little bit to -1 or +1, whenever you're searching for targets, this will cover a lot of altitudes.

I have these commands on the keyboard, not the HOTAS, because I don't have too much buttons on my HOTAS.

Anyway, unless the enemy be a complete rookie, doesn't matter the distance, you will miss with russian missiles in DCS at any distance, the only kill achivement is with an IR at close distance, and unnoticed by the enemy aircraft. If the enemy release any chaff or flares, or simply make a barrell roll, forget it.

I am not pretending being very good at A2A but It's not only a matter of achieving a kill, long range shot is mostly "shoot for effect" or to distract the enemy, make him go defensive, postpone his initial shot, put you on a better position for the merge etc... sneaky tactics are not always applicable (flat terrain with enemy awacs for example) so you have to use what you have to gain as much advantage as you can. Being able to detect the target earlier is always better than no to.

On the topic feefifofum covered it perfectly. I am always using predicted target range when awacs gives me bra.