Zone 5 - Lectures and Tactics

[Reflected]

As you may have noticed, Bio often references certain 'lectures' in his briefings. In real life, the course did not only consist of actual flying but a lot of classroom lectures as well. These are of course not part of the campaign. However, we collected some videos for you to watch that will hopefully fill any knowledge gaps you may have, and that are genuinely interesting to watch. If you watch these in preparation to the campaign, you'll definitely have a much better experience.

 

Additionally I would like to dedicate this thread to tactics discussions during specific events. If you have a good gameplan for the engagements, they can be won without too much difficulty. If you approach them the wrong way, they can be downright impossible. So if you're having trouble with one of the events, or you have a gameplan that worked well for you, please post here.

 

Original 1v1 lecture from Topgun in the 1970s:

 

 

 

Some more 1970s Topgun footage:

 

 

 

Bio’s ‘Tomcats and Topgun’ presentation at the Applied Physics Laboratory:

 

 

 

 Air Combat Sim Podcast interview with Bio and me where he explains about the different challenges presented to the player in Zone 5:
 

 

 

Bio talks about Tomcats and Topgun with DCS enthusiasts:

 

 

 

 

Here's a GREAT post by Victory205 about how to handle the F-14A properly. It helped me immensly:

 

http://server.3rd-wing.net/public/Bureau_VF31/Docs F-14B Autres Sources/Pilotage/F14 Practical Handling Tips.pdf

[kotor633]

These are things that I personally have always missed with the F-14. I love this module. But I find it very difficult to do it right. And it has kept me from buying the Zone 5 campaign so far. A kind of Top Gun training should be simulated and re-enacted, but without any theoretical background knowledge. I will personally check out the videos and read the PDF. Maybe I'll change my mind. In any case: Thank you for providing it !!

[Raviar]

nice, I was looking for the videos which Bio mentioned it

[WOPR]

I love the campaign, but this information is obviously missing.  It would be awesome if you recommended a video or something to read before each mission.

 

@kotor633The best way is to just get in and fly.   There are some videos for the DCS F-14, especially the early ones, which should help you with tips that improve your enjoyment.  One of the things that make the F-14 module great is that you know when you've done well.  It's a hard bird to fly well, especially if isn't your primary bird.

[84-Simba]

Downright impossible ...

You nammed it.

1 vs ... is ok.

But 2 vs ... no dice.

The wingman/leader gets shot down pretty much 2 min max after the fight's on.

You're left with alone vs 4 or 5.

 

I'm certainly not doing well. I spend my time in survival and if I try to take an opportunity Fox 2 ... I'm dead sec later.

 

For now it is a very frustrating experience ...

[Reflected]

@RoxSy it was never meant to be an easy walk in the park, it's an elite training after all, and even I struggled with some of the missions. The point is not winning them all, but learning. You get to fly home either way and the mission counts as 'completed'.

 

Let me know exactly which hop you have a problem with, and what happens to you, and I can give you a few tactical advice.

Edited March 12, 2021 by Reflected

[Spartan111sqn]

Looks very promising this campaign, I already bought it but I didn't have time to start it, is possible or has sense to fly it coop? the wingman coordination among humans looks also a key factor.

 

 

[Reflected]

13 minutes ago, Spartan111sqn said:

Looks very promising this campaign, I already bought it but I didn't have time to start it, is possible or has sense to fly it coop? the wingman coordination among humans looks also a key factor.

 

 

 

It uses triggered radio transmissions for maximum realism, but those are currently bugged and don't work in MP. Once that's fixed I'll try to come up with a coop option but it's not in my hands.

[Spartan111sqn]

7 minutes ago, Reflected said:

 

It uses triggered radio transmissions for maximum realism, but those are currently bugged and don't work in MP. Once that's fixed I'll try to come up with a coop option but it's not in my hands.

great man!, thanks a lot, I love your approach and the realism you focus on your missions and campaigns, I hope that for the dynamic campaign development ED counts on your feedback.

[84-Simba]

On 3/12/2021 at 8:40 AM, Reflected said:

@RoxSy it was never meant to be an easy walk in the park, it's an elite training after all, and even I struggled with some of the missions. The point is not winning them all, but learning. You get to fly home either way and the mission counts as 'completed'.

 

Let me know exactly which hop you have a problem with, and what happens to you, and I can give you a few tactical advice.

 

Thank you very much.

I watched Growling Sidewinder and Ate's video about tactics and strategy and I'll try harder.

 

I'll get to you if I cannot figure it out.

Basically, I struggle with my wingman. 

He gets shot down in less than 2 minutes every single time.

Then I'm left alone against 3/4/5 ...

 

I'll get back to you if I can't do better.

 

Thanks man.

[Reflected]

In which mission do they get shot down? I'm asking because for me they usually don't. Unless it's mission 4 or 6, and you forgot to visually identify the bogeys. Until then your wingman won't attack or defend.

 

Or maybe he gets shot down by the wildcard? You need to spot it in time, otherwise you'll be left alone.

Edited March 15, 2021 by Reflected

[84-Simba]

Hmmm ... we are into something here then.

I got surprised by the WC the first time but then I got them in time.

 

Now, if you say wingman isn't attacking nor defending it may be because I VID way too late.

I usually keep my head in a swivel while cranking until I see and discard the WC, and wait for Jester to call ''that's a ...'' and then I press ''space'' to confirm VID and turn in to make a shot.

 

Based on what you say, I will have to change my approach and VID myself using the TID and STT lock.

 

I don't remember reading about that specific behaviour in the briefing but I may have missed it.

If it is not written, maybe it would be worth it.

 

Now I know what I can do differently and I hope to have better results

 

Other than that, the campaign is great and the magic you did with different aircrafts doing specific manoeuvers is really working well to have enjoyable ''key moments''

 

Another fine work you did here !

[Reflected]

Not all missions require VID though, and not all missions have WC either.

 

BTW Bio told me that in real life they didn't use the TCS to VID because the picture quality was worse than in DCS. It's really up to you how you want to do the training. Put yourself in a more difficult knife fight situation, or not.

[84-Simba]

Well,

In this case I don't know how to proceed if the wingman/leader is not reacting to agression pre-merge/Eyeball VID.

[Reflected]

Tell me what exactly happens and in which mission. Each one is different so I need to know in order to help

[Indianajon]

I think you should start asking tacview for support, as a direct result of this campaign I've gone and bought it so I can better evaluate my performance after each mission.

Thanks for such a great campaign, seems fitting that where Heatblur redefined the quality expected in a module with the Tomcat you did the same with This campaign, again with the Tomcat.

[84-Simba]

I finished the campaign.

My 1vs1 has greatly improved but I still get lost when there are multiple targets.

I have the impression that Jester increases my workload, his calls confuse me, he pretty much never manage to STT a bandit dead ahead of loses the lock ... Fox3 shots are wasted everytimes.

 

Basically, I find myself flying the Cat like I fly the M2000 ; survive until the merge.

 

Anyway.

That campaign was awesome my friend !

I liked your work for WWII, I wasn't disappointed.

 

Now, I need to improve my BVR philosophy.

[winther101]

What is VID stand for...? video?visually identify?

 

Edited July 7, 2022 by winther101

[Reflected]

5 hours ago, winther101 said:

What is VID stand for...? video?visually identify?

 

 

Visual IDentification

Bio told me they never used the TCS for this because of its poor quality (worse IRL than in DCS).  They used mark 1 eyeballs. 

[Dentedend10]

I fly in VR and thus VID is quite tricky. I wonder when real pilots called out VID? Was it possible to do before the merge?

[84-Simba]

3 hours ago, Dentedend10 said:

I fly in VR and thus VID is quite tricky. I wonder when real pilots called out VID? Was it possible to do before the merge?

Before the merge I don't think so, at least before the pods were good enough.

That is why there are interception tactics and scenarios.

Add to that, the visibility is poor in DCS in general. I don't think you can VID much earlier but you can actually see something coming way easier IRL.

When I'm travelling by plane I'm always amused at how I can spot cars and details on the ground much easier at much higher altitudes than in DCS.

Using the ''dots'' labels is a good compromise.

It doesn't spoil too much but it really helps.

[Reflected]

6 hours ago, 84-Simba said:

Before the merge I don't think so, at least before the pods were good enough.

That is why there are interception tactics and scenarios.

Add to that, the visibility is poor in DCS in general. I don't think you can VID much earlier but you can actually see something coming way easier IRL.

When I'm travelling by plane I'm always amused at how I can spot cars and details on the ground much easier at much higher altitudes than in DCS.

Using the ''dots'' labels is a good compromise.

It doesn't spoil too much but it really helps.

Yes I use dot labels too, because I fly on a 15” laptop. It’s a hood compromise but it doesn’t help VID. I think it’s fair to compensate our poor visibility - especially in VR by using the TCS that is sharper than in real life. 
 

this being said, if the bogeys fire at you, then you can be pretty sure they’re hostile

Edited July 8, 2022 by Reflected

[Indianajon]

Maybe it says more about my old screen than  anything but I have found that VR has improved my resolution at mid to long ranges (inside the cockpit is still blurry but I know where abouts the needles need to be so no worries there). I used to fly with the spot mark but now I do without. It tool a while but I am getting better. I think the main factor in my mind is the draw distance and power of the computer.

[The_Tau]

I would like to point out that where Bio mentions "perform intercepts" I am pretty sure he is referring to this

This one explains the basics, whats shown on TID and basic intercept gameplans↓

This one for missile employment↓

This one for arriving at offensive position for FOX 2 or guns at merge 

 

Shoutout for @Karon for fantastic job on subject. Strongly recommend to check his website and e-book! 

https://flyandwire.com