Falcon Combat: Air-to-Air Help
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Dogfight Override kicks the FCR into ACM (as opposed to CRM). ACM initializes into 30x20 standby. The various radiating (and autolocking) ACM submodes are accessed by various directional presses of TMS or the slew switch.
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Guys I have a simple question,
When I switch on my Dog mode, isnt supposed to lock on target automatically ? What do I do if the target is right infront of me but for some reason the Dog fight mode is not locking on.
So use TMS up after entering DGFT mode and the missile will be slaved to the radar at boresight. See manual for other TMS presses to change management of radar in dfgt mode.
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Guys I have a simple question,
When I switch on my Dog mode, isnt supposed to lock on target automatically ? What do I do if the target is right infront of me but for some reason the Dog fight mode is not locking on.
Yes, “lock” is automatic in Dogfight/ACM (visual) mode when 1)“NO RAD” is not visible at the top of the HUD, 2) if the bogey is in range of the ACM mode (about 10 miles) and 3) bogey is also in the visual radar search cone of choice:
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SLEW 30 X 20 HUD: default ACM mode (cross with slewable circle in middle, slew the small circle with the throttle cursor control, TMS right once to return to SLEW from other visual mode).
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BORESIGHT: straight ahead of your plane’s nose (cross with no circle in the middle of the HUD, TMS up twice to call up this mode**).
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VS 10 x 60: Vertical Search, very useful when already engaged ACM and wanting to lock up a bandit that is somewhere above your plane’s nose in the direction of your plane’s lift vector (vertical line in the middle of the HUD, TMS down twice to call up this mode**)
** If no bandit currently locked up, “NO RAD” can be toggled on/off with TMS up or down once (NO RAD simply means your plane’s radar is not emitting although the radar equipment is still powered on). If stuck in SLEW 30 X 20 mode (i.e., can’t call up BORE or VS), make sure the slewable circle is centered in the middle of the HUD cross then try again (not sure if this quirk is RW or game bug). Use TMS down once to manually break any of these visual mode locks.
FASTEST way to master HOTAS manipulation is use Enhanced Padlock and also fly invulnerable, unlimited missiles/chaff/flare/fuel, no collisions, etc in Settings then blast away in Instant Action.
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Corrections and additions to the above
Slew is a 60x20 scan volume selected by displacing the slew switch.
Bore is a minimum size scan volume selected by TMS forward.
30x20 is the fixed ACM scan volume selected by TMS right.
TMS aft cancels any radiating mode back to 30x20 standby. When TMS aft is pressed when in 30x20 standby, 10x60 is selected. So any mode is accessible directly from any other mode with one switch press with the exception of 10x60 which is only accessible from 30x20 standby.TMS left is reserved for RCR which is a function to attempt a count of closely spaced aircraft which only appear as a single contact (not modeled in BMS).
When TMS forward is held in ACM BORE mode, locking is inhibited until TMS forward is released
When HMCS is active holding TMS forward slaves the bore scan pattern to the HMCS LOS. -
Google Art of the Kill for youtube. Great video from the Master.
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how much cheese can you take
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Everyone is posting information in theory, but my question is technical.
How do I enable my Dog fight mode to automatically detect target aircrafts, as in what do I press etc…
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Everyone is posting information in theory, but my question is technical.
How do I enable my Dog fight mode to automatically detect target aircrafts, as in what do I press etc…
Negatory, all info I (and Fred) have posted is “technical” (instructional, practical)! It would appear that you’ve encountered one of your first major challenges to learning BMS (something all of us had to go through at one time): discarding a keyboard mindset for a HOTAS one for many of the avionics functions. The instructions I had provided presume you have a HOTAS modeled as closely as possible to game specs (which are close to real world too).
From C:\Falcon BMS 4.33\Docs\Falcon BMS Manuals\TO-BMS1F-16CM-1.pdfStrongly recommend you setup a HOTAS as close to “real” as possible then learn the avionics using the HOTAS. This is the path of least resistance, headache, frustration, etc. especially considering the overwhelming bulk of the language in the game docs reference HOTAS or cockpit functions, not keyboard keys. HOTAS is also much faster and more immersive too.
If you still want to use a keyboard mindset and interface, this would be a good place to start:
C:\Falcon BMS 4.33\Docs\Key Files & Input\BMS Keystrokes - Defaults.pdf (TMS functions are listed as Home, End, Delete, Pg Down). You can also browse your keyfile of choice in Setup\Controllers for particular keyboard functions.F1
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Negatory, all info I posted is “technical” (instructional, practical)! It would appear that you’ve encountered one of your first major challenges to learning BMS (something all of us had to go through at one time): discarding a keyboard mindset for a HOTAS one for many of the avionics functions. The instructions I had provided presume you have a HOTAS modeled as closely as possible to game specs (which are close to real world too).
Strongly recommend you setup a HOTAS as close to “real” as possible then learn the avionics using the HOTAS. This is the path of least resistance, headache, frustration, etc. especially considering the overwhelming bulk of the language in the game docs reference HOTAS or cockpit functions, not keyboard keys. HOTAS is also much faster and more immersive too.
If you still want to use a keyboard mindset and interface, this would be a good place to start:
C:\Falcon BMS 4.33\Docs\Key Files & Input\BMS Keystrokes - Defaults.pdf (TMS functions are listed as Home, End, Delete, Pg Down). You can also browse your keyfile of choice in Setup\Controllers for particular keyboard functions.F1
Thank you for your response,
I currently have the Saitek Stick and Throttle, doesnt really give me the enough resources for full immersion.
As for now Im learning how to land the big bird.
But I was hoping someone would silver spoon me and give me the basics for a dog fight. Ill probably have a look at the keys layout.
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A lot of pilots use the Saitek X52 and X55 stick/throttle, and I think they would agree that you can accomplish a great deal using it properly in BMS. (even though they do not mimic perfectly the actual F-16 HOTAS). If you have not looked into how to program it, I would suggest you do and you find much more joy in flying. Everything in BMS takes more time that you may initially think it will, and there is a great deal of learning and then practice (to get some muscle memory when using your HOTAS for example), but it pays off when you get immersed in it. Good luck.
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try checking here https://www.benchmarksims.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?52-Saitek
you will probably find a profile for your stick if programing your hotas is daunting -
Thank you, im gr8ful for this experience and your support.
Time for me to hit the books for the next couple of days, hopefully it will help.
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Thank you, im gr8ful for this experience and your support.
Time for me to hit the books for the next couple of days, hopefully it will help.
Oops…forgot to answer your specific question, “press which key to enable dogfight?” Use the ‘D’ key to enable dogfight (DF) mode (guns and IR missiles). Similarly, use the ‘M’ key to enter “medium range missile” (MRM) mode (AIM-120). Note that ‘D’ and ‘M’ are not a toggle you can press again to exit the respective mode. Instead, you have to cancel out of either MRM or DF with the ‘C’ key. After you’ve entered either the MRM or DF mode, then you can use the HOTAS (or keyboard keys) to manipulate the aforementioned TMS switch to select the ACM visual radar mode of choice (HUD, BORE, VS).
Also forgot to mention you can use the FCR MFD to enter/exit the ACM modes (e.g., press MFD OSB: CRM > ACM > 20, SLEW, BORE, 60; to exit press ACM > CRM).
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Oops…forgot to answer your specific question, “press which key to enable dogfight?” Use the ‘D’ key to enable dogfight (DF) mode (guns and IR missiles). Similarly, use the ‘M’ key to enter “medium range missile” (MRM) mode (AIM-120). Note that ‘D’ and ‘M’ are not a toggle you can press again to exit the respective mode. Instead, you have to cancel out of either MRM or DF with the ‘C’ key. After you’ve entered either the MRM or DF mode, then you can use the HOTAS (or keyboard keys) to manipulate the aforementioned TMS switch to select the ACM visual radar mode of choice (HUD, BORE, VS).
Also forgot to mention you can use the FCR MFD to enter/exit the ACM modes (e.g., press MFD OSB: CRM > ACM > 20, SLEW, BORE, 60; to exit press ACM > CRM).
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Ok updates,
After reading the manual,
It seems that every A2A radar has also a sub-radar. There are three types, I cant remember their names, but whenever you switch to dog mode, its best to browse your sub-radar modes and one of them will autodetect the aircraft close to you.
I already feel like a champion, although my average score on campain is only “average” for exclusive A2A missions, havent started reading on A2G yet.
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I would strongly recommend running though the training TE’s
and Krause’s tutorials https://www.benchmarksims.org/forum/showthread.php?5822-Krause-s-BMS-4-32-Tutorials
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It seems that every A2A radar has also a sub-radar.
All modern fighters only have one fire control radar, like the F-16. But the radar can work in different modes and submodes. There’s no “sub-radar”.
Some fighters or bombers may also have terrain following radars (internally, or in a pod, like F-16s), but it’s a totally different matter.
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I would strongly recommend running though the training TE’s
and Krause’s tutorials https://www.benchmarksims.org/forum/showthread.php?5822-Krause-s-BMS-4-32-Tutorials
I have heard so much about Krause’s tutorial on the forum, I will check them out indeed. Still thankfull for your help on that setup menu issue
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Ok updates,
After reading the manual,
It seems that every A2A radar has also a sub-radar. There are three types, I cant remember their names, but whenever you switch to dog mode, its best to browse your sub-radar modes and one of them will autodetect the aircraft close to you.
I already feel like a champion, although my average score on campain is only “average” for exclusive A2A missions, havent started reading on A2G yet.
Good job, you’re learning. I just want to mention that when switching to 1 of the 3 submodes in dogfight mode, and you used the word “autodetect”, the target plane must be within the parameters of the particular submode and the radar must be active, of course, in order to be “autodetected”. For example, you can be in the boresight submode and have the bandit in your HUD but will not achieve lock until you point the nose at it. Have fun.
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Ok updates,
After reading the manual,
It seems that every A2A radar has also a sub-radar. There are three types, I cant remember their names, but whenever you switch to dog mode, its best to browse your sub-radar modes and one of them will autodetect the aircraft close to you.
I already feel like a champion, although my average score on campain is only “average” for exclusive A2A missions, havent started reading on A2G yet.
Dogfight is a “master mode”. With one click of a throttle button to select dogfight mode*, the FCR MFD is set to ACM, and the weapons MFD and the HUD are configured for A2A guns and IR missiles. While the FCR is in ACM mode, as already mentioned, use the FCR MFD OSBs and/or the TMS to select one of the ACM sub modes (20, SLEW, BORE, VS 60).
*You do have your HOTAS correctly set up by now, right?
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Dogfight is a “master mode”. With one click of a throttle button to select dogfight mode*, the FCR MFD is set to ACM, and the weapons MFD and the HUD are configured for A2A guns and IR missiles. While the FCR is in ACM mode, as already mentioned, use the FCR MFD OSBs and/or the TMS to select one of the ACM sub modes (20, SLEW, BORE, VS 60).
*You do have your HOTAS correctly set up by now, right?
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Yeah I got that alright, im already getting better slowly by the day.
Question: Do you know how to setup autopilot manually ? because I want to be able to fix my throttle at specific 300 Knots and fly together with my lead group at a specific height. Trying to put the throttle with your throttle stick is not variable and bot fixed.
Hope you can help.