The VG Air Force - Group Ideas & Discussion

[=VG= SemlerPDX]

Now that we've got the VG Air Force group officially created as a part of this website, I thought it would be good to discuss the plans and ideas for the future of the VG Air Force.

First of all, I would like VG Air Force to be a home for pilots on the VG BMS Server, and should be the home for more than one VGAF Virtual Fighter Squadron, that way a VG Air Force pilot might enjoy being part of some VGAF Harriers Squadron with some unique name and number, and also take part in the events of the VGAF F-16's Strike Squadron, or something.  Would like to let this thing grow into the different aspects of BMS that we enjoy, and organically let our members take up leadership roles if desired for training others, or hosting VGAF events of any kind.

We should try to mix up the scheduling as well, so as to not stack too many during other events (some of us play other games here at VG, as well), so care should be taken when deciding on times for regular repeating events.

It would be wise to begin creating some forum post materials that can serve as easy reference for standards we may like to encourage, from manner of dealing with in-game comms to use of in-game radio commands and communicating with ATC/AWACS/ETC. -- we can also try to discuss common multiplayer concepts and standards that we all might want to get on the same page with.  Obviously, pilots learn these things as we all fly together, but having a central location to point people to will help create actual reference guides in the future.

Thought it might be fun for us to all start at the 2nd Lt. and move through the ranks of this group based on some agreed upon criteria, including time with the VGAF, time on the server, and proficiency in a number of tasks from mundane to challenging, as appropriate.  Needs discussion, and ideas.

So, let's have at it in this thread, and flesh out this new VG Air Force into something we all enjoy!   

[Jeffu]

I think a proficiency rating system for different combat roles and aircraft would be good. Something like a bronze, silver and gold for A-A, A-G and for various aircraft would help people track their progression in the game as well as help instructors with what topics to cover.

[=VG= BLuDKLoT]

I feel like Rudolf right now. 

 

[=VG= SemlerPDX]

I don't know why this went 'under the radar' for folks here, but this is STILL the ground floor, and I literally just created this thing last week - and posted this stuff up for everyone to see.  After Kav included me in the group message thread where they had been training up some interested members, I realized the need to provide a base for all our members who have become interested (and serious) about this thing that BLuD and I (and others) have been into for years and years, the BMS 'niche' at VG.

Really want anyone here (especially YOU, Blud) to be part of this and help direct it - those who have time to help manage things, as always, should step up to help out with the things that need doing so others not so involved may enjoy being part of this as pilots and just fly with the group.

Please join!!  

[=VG= Kavelenko]

I think this is a great idea Sem, and is a natural progression from what started as a private message thread between Stark and myself  12 weeks ago. We've been training together every week since then just learning how to ramp start, communicate with the tower correctly, navigate to a target, drop our bombs and return to base and land safely. Several players have joined our unofficial group since then which is fantastic!

This simulator is a huge challenge for new players and its very easy for them to get discouraged and give up so in my opinion we do need some sort of organised training "school" to get players up and running as quickly as possible without over stressing them. I remember Stark telling me one time he was actually "sweating" under the pressure rofl! Anyway we persevered and he's going well and hooked. This is a brilliant game but seriously complicated which is one of the draw cards for me.

We know you and BLuD have been doing this for years so it would be great to see you guys take us to the next level.

Currently we train at 15:00:00 ZULU because it suited both Stark and myself (12:30am for me) on Sunday mornings, perhaps someone could start another training session time slot for others who find this time difficult to attend?

[=VG= Kavelenko]

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[=VG= BLuDKLoT]

If I had all my gear up and running I would have already applied. I just can't until I get a new TIR and some kind of bed table set up for my FCS. Plus I need some intense remediation, I haven't played in a couple years lol. But it looks really fun and I want in! I'll try to get my shit unfucked and join soon. 

[=VG= SemlerPDX]

On 6/25/2020 at 4:34 PM, =VG= Kavelenko said:

We know you and BLuD have been doing this for years so it would be great to see you guys take us to the next level.

The thing is, both BLuD and I have been "out of it" for so long, it is us who will rely upon you guys to help get us back up to speed, and to understand things that are different from BMS/Falcon versions we were familiar with - while it might amount to reminders (a metric fuck ton of them) other times it will require learning a whole system again, or just trying to bypass it for a single flight just to not bring everything to a grinding halt mid-flight or something, to come back to it when we have time to watch a tutorial video and do a re-training flight for that system.  It's gonna be frustrating as shit and require a fair bit of patience, and only so much of that a human can take in any one day.   Looking forward to it, nonetheless!!

Not sure about Blud, but my brain is messed up with a decade of past info from Allied Force, Free Falcon, and the Falcon BMS 4.32-current versions - so when I try to remember something, sometimes it's not for the same jet/sim that I'm in.  Fun fun!  The longer the break you take, the longer it takes to retrain, but definitely not as long as that first time learning.  Both BLuD and I still have to set up our gear, so it's like actually starting from scratch there.  Personally, I told myself I'd get this next AVCS4 BMS version into pubic beta before I lose myself in the 3D world in any game (hard to do when you have "to-do" list nagging at ya).  Looking forward to a list including BMS, ARK, Arma 3, Elite Dangerous, SQUAD, and even Red Dead Redemption 2 (when we get some other hombres into an online posse) - even some creative world stuff like COOP Satisfactory or Stormworks.  Played so many games for so many years here, I just wanted to 'produce' something substantial so I can look back at these years and not say that all I did was play... mid life crisis, maybe? lmao .. ten years of VG for me so far...

For me, it will be a little while after coming back before I'm comfortable leading a flight, might even have a hard time keeping up as a wingman, blowing through too much fuel and all that noob shit.... but it's like riding a bike, ya know, you never truly forget... well, a bike with like a thousand little switches and buttons, that is

[=VG= SemlerPDX]

I think one of the coolest group missions that the VG AF can work towards one day would be combined package on an OCA Strike mission.  Offensive Counter Air is a strike against an enemy airbase, and these are highly protected, often by dedicated SAM sites.  A large multiplayer package might include a SEAD or DEAD flight (Suppression/Destruction of Enemy Air Defense) as the tip of the spear, followed by an AI (Air Interdiction) flight to deal with any bandits, and the actual OCA Strike flight with each jet carrying as many as 12 BLU-107B 450lb Anti-Runway High Drag Penetrator bombs each.  The goal would be to bring all pilots home safely, and maybe get some great video and pictures along the way.

This would be a long term goal to work up to, so everyone should practice these various mission types - OCA strikes being much less dangerous in the latter days of the war when SAM's and interception by bandits are less likely - but SEAD/DEAD strikes must be practiced in the first few days of the campaign (unless outside the VG campaign in training/tactical engagement missions) before the enemy air defenses are completely wiped out by Day 5 or sooner.

[Jeffu]

Here's my proficiency rating proposal, complete with appropriate manual references for future training purposes. It might be interesting to have an accompanying document reader that could interact with the list.

The levels can be renamed or reworked. Please chime in if you see something missing or think something is in the wrong place.

A-A

Bronze
Basic knowledge of FCR: Range-while-scan, Targeting, Antenna elevation (-34, 1.4.4)
Basic employment of AIM-120 and AIM-9 with radar targeting (-34, 2.1)
Basic missile defense, use of countermeasures (Chaff, Flares) (-34, 1.7)
Engagement: RWR, Fight or Flight, Target sorting (-34, 1.4.4.1, 1.6.1.4 to 1.67)
Aircraft Identification using TGP (-34, 1.10.7.5.1)

Silver
Intermediate FCR, sorting and assigning datalink contacts (-34, 1.5.5)
IFF Basics (-1, 1.16, 1.16.4.2)
Engagement: Threat Assessment
Missile launch cues (-34, 2.1.3)
Intermediate missile defense, ECM (-1 1.2.1.8), (-34 1.7 )
Dogfight master mode, helmet radar sighting (-34, 1.11)

Gold
Advanced FCR, all modes (-34, 1.4.4.1.3)
Engagement: Knowledge of common weapons and flight profiles of threat aircraft
Group BVR tactics
Basic Dogfight Proficiency
Full A-A Datalink Proficiency (-34 1.5)

A-G

Bronze
A-G FCR (-34, 1.4.5)
TGP Basics (-34, 1.10)
CCRP and CCIP(-1 1.4.5.2)
Dumb bombs
Cluster munition settings (-1 1.4.5.2)
GPS/JDAMs/SDBs (-34, 3.4)
Basic HARM, HAD, HTS pod (-34, 3.3)

Silver
Marking target areas with Steerpoint Lines and Pre-Planned Threat points (in map)
TGP Lasing (-1, 1.2.3.1) (-34 1.10.4)
Laser guided bombs (-34, 1.10)
Adv HARM, WPN Page (-34, 3.3)
Basic Mavs, without handoff (-34, 3.2)
AG Datalink cursor (-34, 1.5.6)

Gold
Advanced TGP features: LST, Buddy Lasing, Frag Circle (-34, 1.10.7.4, )
Mavs w/ handoff (-34, 1.10.8, 3.2.8, 3.2.9)
Advanced bomb delivery: Popup, Toss
Markpoints (-1, 1.3.10)
AG Datalink Steerpoints (-34, 1.5.6)
Low level delivery of retarded weapons (Mk82 Air, Mk82 SE, Mk84 Air, BLU)

F-16

Bronze
Working IVC (Technical Manual 18.1, 9.1)
Maintain contact with flight lead after takeoff
Singleplayer basics: Training TE01 (Training Manual Mission 01) (BMS Comms-Nav Part 1)

• Ramp Start (-1, 2.1)
• Communicating with tower using radio presets, (Technical Manual, 9.1), (-1, 1.3.13, 1.3.14)
• Taxi (-1, 1.13)
• Takeoff, Departure
• Steerpoint Navigation (-1, 1.3.4, 1.4.3, 1.5)
• Contacting approach, Landing (-1, 1.5.3, 1.13, 2.3)

Silver
Basic airmanship: Level turns, speed control, loose formation, formation knowledge
All the Controls (-34 1.1.1.4)
Recovering from a hot start (-1, 3.5)
Learning the instruments (-1, 1.2.3.2 to 1.2.3.22)
Visualizing the Bullseye
ILS Basics (-1, 1.3.5)
Advanced Radio Management & Controls, entering manual frequencies, verifying and changing presets in-flight (BMS Comms-Nav Part 2) (-1, 1.3.13, 1.3.14)
DED (-1, 1.3)
Using Master Modes (-34 1.1.2), (-1 1.4.18)
MFD Controls, Pages (-1 1.4)
Datalink basics: modes, sending information (-34 1.5.5.1, 1.5.7)

Gold
Advanced airmanship: Tight formation, flying as #1, leading a flight
Deep Stall Recovery (-1, 4.4)
Flying on instruments, inclement weather approach and landing, HSI proficiency (-1 1.2.3.14-15) (-34 1.3) (BMS Comms-Nav Part 3 & 4)
Aerial Refueling
Advanced recovery: formation landing and overhead break (BMS-Comms-Nav 1.4.1, 1.4.3)

[=VG= BLuDKLoT]

Hey sem I'm so far removed from all those sims that I don't think I'll have that problem anymore lol.