Maybe we could get a scalpel UAV?

[ChronoZoggt]

I am playing the UAV OP quite a bit lately, and although having the two UAVs with two GBUs each is pretty nice, when the darters decide to play along, maybe it would be possible to get one of those UAVs oufitted with the scalpel missiles?

 

I know that would probably make taking out armour a bit too easy, so maybe increase the respawn-timer of that UAV in turn? And maybe only make it reload at the plane restock pad (as it takes way longer). Especially as Zeus missions get more and more common right now, having a precision option instead of just pure GBUs would really be appreaciated (a lot of missions have failed because of UAV OPs bombing the target with the GBUs).

 

Or maybe implement it as a side mission reward?

 

Also, maybe there could be an option in the UAV Terminal to let the UAVs hold at 1100m, just above the safe margin? Especially on lower-end computers, needing to crank the view distance up when UAVs loiter at 2k meters is unbearable and the lock-on of the GBUs is also not that reliable from that range/height. (Holding a UAV at a custom height can bug out sometimes, but it is no problem at all, just not as convienient, so I though I would share this thought).

 

Well these are just my two cents, so let's get a constructive discussion going on that topic!

[Amentes]

Scalpel UAVs aren't necessary, and will be massively abused by a vast majority of players.

 

That said, I can talk you through how to acquire and paint a target and then bomb it using the same bird, if you wish. Granted, I haven't been on the I&A servers in a long time, but I'll wager I still got the UAV magic fingers.

[Jason.]

The UAVs are designed to SUPPORT the ground troops, and the GBUs fit that role very nicely. If the Greyhawks had ATGMs then the UAV operator would be able to take out ground targets by himself too easily, and people on the ground would no longer be able to designate ground targets for him.

 

Another option would be to switch the AA Buzzard to the CAS version, which is armed with Skalpels and GBUs, but that's for a different topic...

 

Also what Amentes said ^^

[ChronoZoggt]

The UAVs are designed to SUPPORT the ground troops, and the GBUs fit that role very nicely. If the Greyhawks had ATGMs then the UAV operator would be able to take out ground targets by himself too easily, and people on the ground would no longer be able to designate ground targets for him.

 

Another option would be to switch the AA Buzzard to the CAS version, which is armed with Skalpels and GBUs, but that's for a different topic...

 

Also what Amentes said ^^

Well I NEVER had someone designate somethign for me, but I am still taking out a big chunk of an AO on my own (Greyhawk/Darter Combo), it is just that they are very situational and not that support you are talking of, at least in my experience. You can take out something at the start of an AO/Zeus, but as soon as multiple teams get in you cannot bomb anywhere to support, as there will be troops scattered everywhere. That is why I am thinking about the lower payload missles... I would prefer lower-yield bombs or missles that cannot lock vehicles though and if the scalpels would get in, maybe only give it three to as max ammo.

[ShortsNL]

Veteran uav Op here, my 2 cents:

-Gbu are perfectly precise, depending on the skill of the uav operator. The atgm variant makes no difference other than that its way easier and way stronger.

-Uav are balanced perfectly right now for I&A. You wouldnt need a stronger uav unless the designed zeus missions rely on it. In that case the zeus mission is most likely unbalanced and not the Uav. Eu1/2 run I&A, so the game is balanced for I&A and zeus missions should be too, not the other way around.

-I have a pc thats 5 years old and I run I&A which is 3 years old just fine on low settings at a view distance of 3500m, which is plenty for loitering at 2000m.

It sounds to me like there are some important tips I can give you to improve your play. I'll be happy to give you some tips over teamspeak during the week, just make sure you're in a Channel thats not passworded so I can actually talk to you

[ChronoZoggt]

Veteran uav Op here, my 2 cents:

-Gbu are perfectly precise, depending on the skill of the uav operator. The atgm variant makes no difference other than that its way easier and way stronger.

-Uav are balanced perfectly right now for I&A. You wouldnt need a stronger uav unless the designed zeus missions rely on it. In that case the zeus mission is most likely unbalanced and not the Uav. Eu1/2 run I&A, so the game is balanced for I&A and zeus missions should be too, not the other way around.

-I have a pc thats 5 years old and I run I&A which is 3 years old just fine on low settings at a view distance of 3500m, which is plenty for loitering at 2000m.

It sounds to me like there are some important tips I can give you to improve your play. I'll be happy to give you some tips over teamspeak during the week, just make sure you're in a Channel thats not passworded so I can actually talk to you

Yeah, I'd like to get some more tips, I cana lways improve my game If I am in a passworded channel, just hit me up and i can change ^^

 

"having a precision option instead of just pure GBUs would really be appreciated" 

 Bad wording on my side here. What I meant was that the GBUs have way more power and thus cannot be used to do precison-strikes in close proximity to objectives (in intel side missions or similar scenarios).

 

But yeah ultimately I agree with you: It works how it is right know, I just thought I would put this up to maybe get some variety in there

[ShortsNL]

There's nothing wrong with a suggestion dude. It means you are actively thinking about how stuff works, never a bad thing.

If i see you on I'll come talk to you, cya soon.

[P057code]

Well I NEVER had someone designate somethign for me...

 

Give us a shout next time I'm on and you're in the UAV seat. I'll get a vehicle, a shedload of Designator batteries, and start laying stuff down for you.

[ChronoZoggt]

Give us a shout next time I'm on and you're in the UAV seat. I'll get a vehicle, a shedload of Designator batteries, and start laying stuff down for you.

Well you guys always get me a darter to the AOs, which is even better, anyways, so no complaining from me I meant mostly that randoms don't really call out targets to get/designate them. You guys on TS always call targets and cooperate with the UAVs from the ground ^^

[Amentes]

[Orbit]

After you've got your Orbit waypoint set up, you can manually adjust the ground level altitude your UAV should keep by taking manual control, flying it to said altitude, and then releasing. The UAV will return to the previously set orbit, but at the altitude you left it at. Setting a waypoint without a specified altitude will assume the current altitude.

 

[Ctrl+T]

Locks the Gunner camera to what it was pointed at. If done correctly, this can even lock onto a moving vehicle, and will stay locked even if you relinquish UAV controls entirely to the AI. It will still be locked when you return, provided the target hasn't despawned. It also doesn't give a shit about the mountain that's in the way.

 

[Paint!]

To paint; to shine a targeting gizmotron at; whatever you want to die. Turn the laser on.

 

[Release the Paveway]

Method 1: Use secondary Greyhawk or Plane to acquire the paint, lock and drop. Provides the best chance of destruction, and all but guarantees rendering your target combat ineffective.

 

Method 2: Take manual fire control of primary Greyhawk, approach your target, lock and drop. IMMEDIATEDLY SWITCH INTO GUNNER POSITION, to ensure that the UAV returns to a stable orbit. Manual flying after bomb drop will likely result in the UAV camera being unable to follow the target due to limitations in camera translation, i.e. if you're upside down, it can't look at the ground and thus can't look at your target.

 

[Profit]

[ShortsNL]

In method 2 switching back to gunner is not a hard necessity.

A reliable alternative is after bomb drop: turn slightly away from target, point nose upwards at 15 degrees, keep speed low and pitch/yaw steady until impact. This way you are preventing camera shake by preventing unnecessary movement.

[Jason.]

I don't usually designate targets from greyhawks so I don't have so much experience with it, but when I do I do what Shorts said.

I'd be interesting in knowing why you think it's better to let the AI fly after the bomb drop, as in my experience it causes far more unstable flight.

[Amentes]

The flight being unstable has no real impact on the UAV's ability to keep the laser on target. It will stay locked in place, rain or shine.

 

You're looking to avoid bringing the UAV into a position where the camera can no longer stay on target due to translation limits.

 

Switching out of pilot, thereby letting the AI take back over and start bringing itself back into the orbit you likely had it in prior to taking control, is in my experience the most effective way to both ensure a good paint all through the drop, and ready the bird for another strike in a timely manner.

 

It's also hands-free, and lets you look at what you did to whatever you were dropping bombs on.