MajorH
Member
> you need 2 or 3 H - near misses to route an airstrike
Repeated from TacOps Gazette 97.07. I think all or most of this still applies.
Major H.
- - - - -
What follows is the current game logic controlling the TacOps surface to air missile (SAM) implementation. Most of the logic sprang from advice provided in 1995 by members of the TBRSTABVDM (TacOps Blue Ribbon SAM Threat Analysis Board and Volunteer Day Marchers). In early 95 (the Mac only days) neither I nor a lot of TacOps users liked the SAM routines. A group of 20 or so enthusiasts argued about the topic via email for a couple of months and I then implemented the group's consensus in an update to the Mac version and later in the Windows version.
LINE OF SIGHT RULES.
Line of sight is determined for SAMs vs helicopters flying at nap of the earth altitude (NOE) in the same way as for ground units firing at ground units.
A clear line of sight is assumed to exist from a SAM launcher to a fixed wing airstrike or to a helicopter at medium altitude if there is no intervening woods or town terrain within 125 meters of the SAM launcher - or if a man portable SAM is dismounted in town terrain (assumed to be on a rooftop). Otherwise, if there is intervening woods or town terrain within 125 meters of the SAM launcher then the line of sight is usually blocked.
ACQUISITION AND TARGET EFFECT LOGIC.
SAM firing is a two step process. The first step is a target acquisition attempt. If acquisition is successful then the SAM is launched and a second step occurs in which the effect on target (if any) is determined.
STEP 1 - ACQUISITION LOGIC.
If there is a clear line of sight from the SAM launcher to the aircraft then the basic acquisition probability is 85%. The following cumulative percentage modifiers are then applied to the basic probability to determine the final acquisition probability. If the cumulative modifiers cause the acquisition probability to fall to less than 5% and if the SAM is not otherwise prohibited from acquisition then the final acquisition probability will be 5%.
If the SAM is a man portable weapon and is embarked aboard a vehicle: -20 for being mounted, - 50 if the vehicle is moving, -70 if the vehicle is suppressed,-5 if in edge of woods, -5 if in edge of town, -50 if the SAM is in smoke, even if the SAM has a thermal sight. Man portable SAMs that are being carried in or on vehicles are limited to one target acquisition attempt per vehicle per fifteen second fire pulse. In other words, if you have more SAM's in a vehicle unit marker than there are vehicles, then the excess will not even attempt to acquire a target.
If the SAM is a man portable weapon and is dismounted: -30 if the SAM gunner is moving, -70 if the SAM gunner is suppressed, -5 if in edge of woods, -5 if anywhere in town, -50 if the SAM is in smoke, even if the SAM has a thermal sight.
If the SAM is not a man portable weapon (i.e. is permanently mounted on a vehicle): -30 if vehicle is moving, -50 if vehicle is suppressed, -50 if vehicle is smoked, even if the SAM has a thermal or radar sight, -5 if in edge of woods, -5 if in edge of town.
STEP 2 - TARGET EFFECT LOGIC.
Target effect percentages vary according to the model of SAM but in general ...
Versus fixed wing targets.
In the real world, fixed wing aircraft are seldom shot down by man portable SAMs or by small vehicle mounted SAMs, even in high threat environments - in relation to the total number of sorties flown - but they frequently get discouraged and or handicapped. By discouraged I mean they miss the target. By handicapped, I mean that they are directed by higher authority or good pilot judgment to attack at altitudes/attitudes different from what would provide the best accuracy. In TacOps, if there is SAM launch against a fixed wing aircraft then the most likely thing to happen will be that the aircraft will unload and probably miss the target, the next most likely thing to happen is that the aircraft will abort the bomb run - actually hitting and or destroying the aircraft is the least likely thing to happen. If multiple SAMs are launched against a single airstrike, as each succeeding SAM is launched a bonus/cumulative modifier is applied to the chances that the aircraft will miss the target or abort.
Versus airborne helicopter targets.
Small SAMs are very effective against helos. Accordingly in TacOps there is no discouragement result in SAMs versus helo engagements. The SAM either hits or it misses. If it hits, the helo will usually be destroyed.
Repeated from TacOps Gazette 97.07. I think all or most of this still applies.
Major H.
- - - - -
What follows is the current game logic controlling the TacOps surface to air missile (SAM) implementation. Most of the logic sprang from advice provided in 1995 by members of the TBRSTABVDM (TacOps Blue Ribbon SAM Threat Analysis Board and Volunteer Day Marchers). In early 95 (the Mac only days) neither I nor a lot of TacOps users liked the SAM routines. A group of 20 or so enthusiasts argued about the topic via email for a couple of months and I then implemented the group's consensus in an update to the Mac version and later in the Windows version.
LINE OF SIGHT RULES.
Line of sight is determined for SAMs vs helicopters flying at nap of the earth altitude (NOE) in the same way as for ground units firing at ground units.
A clear line of sight is assumed to exist from a SAM launcher to a fixed wing airstrike or to a helicopter at medium altitude if there is no intervening woods or town terrain within 125 meters of the SAM launcher - or if a man portable SAM is dismounted in town terrain (assumed to be on a rooftop). Otherwise, if there is intervening woods or town terrain within 125 meters of the SAM launcher then the line of sight is usually blocked.
ACQUISITION AND TARGET EFFECT LOGIC.
SAM firing is a two step process. The first step is a target acquisition attempt. If acquisition is successful then the SAM is launched and a second step occurs in which the effect on target (if any) is determined.
STEP 1 - ACQUISITION LOGIC.
If there is a clear line of sight from the SAM launcher to the aircraft then the basic acquisition probability is 85%. The following cumulative percentage modifiers are then applied to the basic probability to determine the final acquisition probability. If the cumulative modifiers cause the acquisition probability to fall to less than 5% and if the SAM is not otherwise prohibited from acquisition then the final acquisition probability will be 5%.
If the SAM is a man portable weapon and is embarked aboard a vehicle: -20 for being mounted, - 50 if the vehicle is moving, -70 if the vehicle is suppressed,-5 if in edge of woods, -5 if in edge of town, -50 if the SAM is in smoke, even if the SAM has a thermal sight. Man portable SAMs that are being carried in or on vehicles are limited to one target acquisition attempt per vehicle per fifteen second fire pulse. In other words, if you have more SAM's in a vehicle unit marker than there are vehicles, then the excess will not even attempt to acquire a target.
If the SAM is a man portable weapon and is dismounted: -30 if the SAM gunner is moving, -70 if the SAM gunner is suppressed, -5 if in edge of woods, -5 if anywhere in town, -50 if the SAM is in smoke, even if the SAM has a thermal sight.
If the SAM is not a man portable weapon (i.e. is permanently mounted on a vehicle): -30 if vehicle is moving, -50 if vehicle is suppressed, -50 if vehicle is smoked, even if the SAM has a thermal or radar sight, -5 if in edge of woods, -5 if in edge of town.
STEP 2 - TARGET EFFECT LOGIC.
Target effect percentages vary according to the model of SAM but in general ...
Versus fixed wing targets.
In the real world, fixed wing aircraft are seldom shot down by man portable SAMs or by small vehicle mounted SAMs, even in high threat environments - in relation to the total number of sorties flown - but they frequently get discouraged and or handicapped. By discouraged I mean they miss the target. By handicapped, I mean that they are directed by higher authority or good pilot judgment to attack at altitudes/attitudes different from what would provide the best accuracy. In TacOps, if there is SAM launch against a fixed wing aircraft then the most likely thing to happen will be that the aircraft will unload and probably miss the target, the next most likely thing to happen is that the aircraft will abort the bomb run - actually hitting and or destroying the aircraft is the least likely thing to happen. If multiple SAMs are launched against a single airstrike, as each succeeding SAM is launched a bonus/cumulative modifier is applied to the chances that the aircraft will miss the target or abort.
Versus airborne helicopter targets.
Small SAMs are very effective against helos. Accordingly in TacOps there is no discouragement result in SAMs versus helo engagements. The SAM either hits or it misses. If it hits, the helo will usually be destroyed.
