Mission Planning - How do you do it?

[Planehazza]

Just looking to improve my planning. I’m focusing mainly on AG missions, mostly DEAD and some OCA strikes. I’m doing all my planning in BMS, and saving targets as STPTs to the DTC. I’m then using WDP to output a datacard to my server share which I access wirelessly on my phone for charts and briefing etc.

How do you keep track of target STPTs? Do you write them down? It’s easy to screenshot STPT page from WDP, but coordinates aren’t helpful once in the air.

Any tips or ideas welcome

[Metso77]

I’m using WDP’s targetlist. There you get target’s coordinates, elevation and name.

[Eagle-Eye]

Planning as a whole contains a lot of things: latest intel on what I call the 3 big T’s (Target, Time, Threats), weather, route, ordnance, AAR available and many more factors to consider.

Though it depends on the profile I’m flying, I usually write down the target type, coordinates, elevation, sometimes adding info on what I should see once I get there (target shape and approximate size, orientation, nearby buildings etc.), and if known, heading I’ll be flying during the final stage of attack. Especially during pop-ups (where you only have a few very short seconds to get tally, line-up, release and get out) I’ve discovered that kind of information can make the difference between off-hot or off-dry.

Coordinates are most definitely useful once in the air, by the way. On the DED, you can check the steerpoint’s coordinates, so once the DTC is loaded, you should always verify your steerpoints are correct. If not, you can / should manually edit them using the ICP.

[Planehazza]

I see a lot of people like to mark ABs via the DTC. I see lots of ROK AB names in teh drop down, but not DPRK. What should I use as the PPT type for enemy ABs?

[Darkman]

Whatever you want; just edit the ppt.ini file in your \Falcon BMS 4.33 U1\Data\Campaign\Save folder.

[Red Dog]

What should I use as the PPT type for enemy ABs?

Targets

[DUSTOFF17]

I use AAA rings because I never use them for legitimate threats. There is usually something more deadly than AAA to be worried about where they are located.

Zooming out on the HSD the AAA threat rings dotted around on the active hostile airbases can be useful for SA when AWACS calls ‘launch activity’ with a BE reference.

[Planehazza]

@Darkman:

Whatever you want; just edit the ppt.ini file in your \Falcon BMS 4.33 U1\Data\Campaign\Save folder.

Never thought to do that! Thanks!

@Red:

Targets

Haha touché. I’m playing a fairly easy RF campaign as I’m 100% single player and VERY rusty. Much of the enemy air force is done, and my current strategy is to task myself DEAD missions to pummel the DRPF AD force. Working well so far. Will concentrate on AAA soon, leaving BAI/CAS etc. tasked by HQ to A10s.

[Planehazza]

Did not know could create my own default PPT type! Used WDP to make a new one called Airbase, and set the HSD label to AB with a 5nm ring. Handy!

[Darkman]

@Planehazza:

I’m playing a fairly easy RF campaign as I’m 100% single player and VERY rusty.

Stop pussyfooting around and get back into MP flying; you know you want to :mrgreen:

[Cik]

there is a default PPT for airfields, it’s called “basedefensezone” and it’s a 30nm ring, AFAIK.

[Planehazza]

@Cik:

there is a default PPT for airfields, it’s called “basedefensezone” and it’s a 30nm ring, AFAIK.

I saw that and guessed that it might be that, but I assumed a 30nm was a little too large. Ah well, I have two options now

[hoover]

I’ve been using this self-designed “mission sheet” for a while to help with mission planning in addition to MC, kneeboards and maps both in MP and SP:

You can download the LibreOffice source file here:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1983539/bms/mission_sheet.odg

it contains two copies so you can print them out in a convinient A5 format.

All the best,

Uwe