Mission 3 - Tanker despawns

[SharpeXB]

The tanker disappeared right in front of me as I was about to connect. 

[Badger633]

Hi 

Can you give me more information so I can check it out. What was your location when this happened. Did you take a long time to find the tanker?

As much info as possible and I will look into it.

Thanks
 

[Dr_Watson]

To add, I never got a tanker, completed my tasks, said to tank if needed (I didn't need as I added a fuel tank before takeoff), but Tacan would not show the tanker, so it was lucky I didn't need it.

[Badger633]

On 12/30/2020 at 7:43 PM, SharpeXB said:

The tanker disappeared right in front of me as I was about to connect. 

Checked this out. The tanker will fly for 83 miles and then despawn.  As this Campaign has been designed to be VR friendly once  a unit is no longer needed it is removed to help  VR resources.  Normally there should be plenty of time to find the tanker and plug prior to the tanker travelling the 83 miles as it spawns quite close to your initial position.  Do you think this is what happened? The tanker would be almost at the coast.

Hope this helps

[Badger633]

21 hours ago, Dr_Watson said:

To add, I never got a tanker, completed my tasks, said to tank if needed (I didn't need as I added a fuel tank before takeoff), but Tacan would not show the tanker, so it was lucky I didn't need it.

Hi

 

To be honest the A2A refuel is part of the mission challenge. You shouldn't really add a fuel tank at the beginning. For pilots that haven't quite got A2A refuel down yet I actually provide an additional campaign version with 'easier 'A2A refuel' with the  normal version.

The brief and Radio instructions do not say to tank if needed.  They give an instruction to tank.  This is because  unless you issue the F10 message that the tank is complete the rest of the mission will not unfold.

I just checked out the mission. I had no problems picking up the tankers Tacan. Not sure why you didn't. Are you sure you used the correct Tacan channel  and also selected the AA option when setting up your Tacan?

 

Hope this helps

 

 

[SharpeXB]

On 12/31/2020 at 6:41 AM, Dr_Watson said:

but Tacan would not show the tanker, so it was lucky I didn't need it.

Did you set Tacan to A2A? I almost forgot myself.

On 12/30/2020 at 5:53 PM, Glyn said:

Hi 

Can you give me more information so I can check it out. What was your location when this happened. Did you take a long time to find the tanker?

As much info as possible and I will look into it.

Thanks
 

I’m sure I was flying for quite a while doing the mission because I almost ran out of fuel. So it took me a long time to reach the tanker since I was keeping my speed down to reduce fuel usage. I’m sure next time I’ll be able to zap the targets faster and then get the tanker. 

Edited January 1, 2021 by SharpeXB

[Badger633]

2 hours ago, SharpeXB said:

Did you set Tacan to A2A? I almost forgot myself.

I’m sure I was flying for quite a while doing the mission because I almost ran out of fuel. So it took me a long time to reach the tanker since I was keeping my speed down to reduce fuel usage. I’m sure next time I’ll be able to zap the targets faster and then get the tanker. 

 

I’m sure you will. also there is no time limit getting to the targets so you can conserve fuel on the way.

[Dr_Watson]

I have no problem tanking, but I wanted to see if changing the loadout worked, just out of interest.  I think when the centre line is free, it's always good to add a tank.  I had the correct Tacan and AA setup, but it just kept searching, will try it again sometime.

 

On the mission "now or never", it would be good to have a tanker at WP3, instead of it triggering as you get to WP3, just to make it feel less of a "triggered" mission if you know what I mean.  But I realise that the mission setup has limitation.

 

On another note, the Maverick mission with JTAC; if you try and contact the JTAC at 15 mins out (standard way), it then stops the mission working.  You need to contact after the game trigger asks you to, the only issue with that is by the time all comes are completed, you are over the target.  No big deal, prob a limitaiton of the mission editor, but an earlier trigger to contact would be better.

 

Only other issue I have is, I think if you ask for the cords to stay on screen for 2 mins, you then dont get text about the next assignments, but Im still testing that.  Overall, enjoying this very much, just got shot by the Migs though on Now or Never, again, no text, so trying to listen to what the task was, but hard to understand.

[Badger633]

2 hours ago, Dr_Watson said:

I have no problem tanking, but I wanted to see if changing the loadout worked, just out of interest.  I think when the centre line is free, it's always good to add a tank.  I had the correct Tacan and AA setup, but it just kept searching, will try it again sometime.

 

On the mission "now or never", it would be good to have a tanker at WP3, instead of it triggering as you get to WP3, just to make it feel less of a "triggered" mission if you know what I mean.  But I realise that the mission setup has limitation.

 

On another note, the Maverick mission with JTAC; if you try and contact the JTAC at 15 mins out (standard way), it then stops the mission working.  You need to contact after the game trigger asks you to, the only issue with that is by the time all comes are completed, you are over the target.  No big deal, prob a limitaiton of the mission editor, but an earlier trigger to contact would be better.

 

Only other issue I have is, I think if you ask for the cords to stay on screen for 2 mins, you then dont get text about the next assignments, but Im still testing that.  Overall, enjoying this very much, just got shot by the Migs though on Now or Never, again, no text, so trying to listen to what the task was, but hard to understand.

Hi Dr_Watson 

 

Thanks for your feed back and glad you are enjoying it. 

Just run through your comments.

 

Note your comment on the tanker . Will have a look at it . But what I am trying to do is help those with VR and maximise performance by only having units active when they start to play a role in the mission, its all about maximising resources and of course timing as well to ensure the tanker is in a location which keeps with the flow of the mission.

 

Mission 8, the Maverick mission , I have checked your comment out on the distance to contact  JTAC. You found if too far out the mission does not proceed.  Checking the script , neither  the JTAC or their lased targets are the result of a trigger  they are both there from the beginning of the mission. This means there is nothing in the campaign  scripting restricting you from contacting them earlier. (If you already know their contact details etc).   Maybe you have not had success at a longer distance as a result of radio  and line of sight etc, they are down in a valley. Anyway only restriction from doing what you suggest would be the DCS Simulation and not the campaign scripting there is no trigger input as you suspected.

 

Regarding requesting the second coords . You are given  the original mission message and coordinates to start with. These coordinates will stay on line for a good period maybe 90 seconds. The idea is you only select the re-show of the coordinates if the original mission message and coordinates disappear before your finished. In this  case you can then select the F10 menu  to reshow the coordinates. This will only show the coordinates  not the mission message again. Its very much a back up for those of us with our heads in a VR headset trying to remember the coordinates.  

 

Just checked the mission scripting for the last mission " Now or never".  You should be getting a text message when the MIGs  are first spotted telling you what to do . This radio and text message is up for 60 seconds. So not sure how you missed it.  I will fly it my end by way of a check but that's  what is in the campaign scripting. Let me know if you are still having a problem.     

 

Thanks again for the feed back sounds as if you have almost got "Snake" beat  

 

[Dr_Watson]

Done the Now or Never again, and scripts are working, maybe I missed it first time.  I missed Snake the first time, LGB lock kept dropping out after a while, I did find him again...eventually, parked at the end of the road and got him, but a Mig got me....not saying too much as not to give away the story line.

 

One improvement I would recommend, the mission where you escort the F18 back to Stennis, a good idea, not sure how realistic it is, maybe escort a C17 to an airbase of something would be cool, I think that actually a mission from F15 Baltic Dragon.  Escort missions are always cool, just would be good if it was changed a little.

 

Really like that it tests your Hornet knowledge, I learned a lot so far!   

 

Would like if all missions started C&D, also I think some mission winds are not stated correctly, ofter saying wind is 000 deg, when it's from the south.  One mssion says mission sucess, just a small spelling mistake, should be success.  Just in case you want to make small corrections.

 

Please confirm, you are making some Super Carrier Campaign?  That would be beyond awesome!!

 

 

Edited January 2, 2021 by Dr_Watson

[Badger633]

 

Can confirm well down the road to the completion of the next follow on campaign. It’s a 15 mission campaign following Fords next adventure. It starts briefly in the Black Sea when Ford and his wingman are posted down the Gulf on to the USS Abraham Lincoln SC. Things are about to warm up in the region.  Includes much of what you have just suggested.

it is called ‘Rise of the Persian Lion’

Edited January 3, 2021 by Glyn

[rob10]

I had the disappearing tanker happen to me in the same mission and I know it was because I was having a bad AAR day (and the S3 is just that much harder) .  I figured it disappeared for a time reason, but it would be good to mention somewhere in the documentation/notes what's happening with tankers spawning/despawning and why.  In the taking out the hangars mission I was getting a little concerned that I wasn't going to have enough to make it back to the tanker while I waited for missile 4 to hit and couldn't find the tanker on TACAN because it hadn't spawned yet (increasing my anxiety further ) -- would have been nice to know why I couldn't find it.  When it spawned I could pick it up immediately and had more than enough fuel to get to it since it was only 10-15 nm away.  Fun campaign so far, looking forward to the next one too!

[Badger633]

2 hours ago, rob10 said:

I had the disappearing tanker happen to me in the same mission and I know it was because I was having a bad AAR day (and the S3 is just that much harder) .  I figured it disappeared for a time reason, but it would be good to mention somewhere in the documentation/notes what's happening with tankers spawning/despawning and why.  In the taking out the hangars mission I was getting a little concerned that I wasn't going to have enough to make it back to the tanker while I waited for missile 4 to hit and couldn't find the tanker on TACAN because it hadn't spawned yet (increasing my anxiety further ) -- would have been nice to know why I couldn't find it.  When it spawned I could pick it up immediately and had more than enough fuel to get to it since it was only 10-15 nm away.  Fun campaign so far, looking forward to the next one too!

Thanks for your comments. Certainly some food for thought. Think I will add a comment regarding the tanker spawning and also extend their travel zones for those bad A2A days

Glad you enjoyed the campaign. That’s the whole point of the exercise. 

Edited January 6, 2021 by Glyn