Issues with Mines
Posted: Sun May 28, 2017 7:50 am
Hi All,
I've been experimenting with mines, and saw some issues I wanted to report:
1. When laying a minefield in scenario editor, it seems to be able to be done only once. I discovered this trying to lay a 2nd field of different mines over the original minefield, and it would not let me. After deleting the mines, I could not add any more mines anywhere, in any new set of ref points. It appears its a one time shot, so definitely have lost the ability to lay multiple types of mines. I haven't played with minelaying yet, so I'll try that to supplement the single set of mines.
2. I read in the manual that not all mines are sweepable/clearable. Not being familiar with mine technology, I was happy to the see the US having the MH-60S Helicopter with the AN/AQS-20A MCM package which detects with side looking sonar and sweeps with the "Seafox Mine Neutralization Torpedo". Well, a few observations: a) when fit with that loadout, there is no MCM button, but mine detection sonar works great b) the aircraft doesn't try to attack the mine, just goes around detecting c) I did not see any "seafox weapon" under the mount, even though the name is in the mount d) the AN/AQS-20 sonar is listed as a weapon, under the loadout which I believe is fine.
So, that lead me to look at the CMANO WIKI. According to the WIKI, the MH-60S doesn't even use the AN/AQS-20 package. Strange mismatch, so I'm not so sure its a 'database' problem per say, and wanted to report it here.
3. Now, I then tried the MH-53E which also has the AN/AQS-20A loadout, but I discovered in this loadout that 1x SeaFox [Killer ROV] is listed, and shows up in the weapons mount. Great! I tried it, but had disappointing results. The SeaFox's weapon stats look fine and great. However, several problems: a) the Heli would not try to attack the mine b) the Heli did not have an MCM button. c) when I flew the Heli over the mine, nothing happened, I tried again and realized I could only fire it BOL (my ROE is tight, tried free, no change) d) when I BOL fired the weapon, it ran out of energy after 29s even though its stats say it should have +2min of endurance at flank speed of 6knts. e) I got really close this time, < 500m, and BOL launched. Once it got 300m from the torpedo, it just bounced back and forth, sitting and spinning, in a way. I can't recall the exact type of mine I laid, but with a Killer ROV there should be no reason it can't destroy it. In a way, it's dancing around the mine just like a traditional sweeper that works....they dance around the mine for a while, and then it blows up eventually.
(Going back to issue #2, it might be that the "realistic" loadout for the MH-60S is to have only 1 drop tank, and the other pylon used for the ROV - or not, maybe the procedure is jsut for the crew chief to through it out the hatch, haha)
4. I've seen some missing MCM loadouts for the MQ-8b and MQ-8c, but I'll address that in the DB Update thread
Scenario attached as well.
That's it for now. REALLY enjoying the mine game, experimenting with it. Giving me ideas for scenarios. Unlike some scenarios that I have seen so far where mine sweeping is just 'a task to do', I want to put the sweepers in harm's way. Force the play to give cover to the sweepers, and even have to follow a fairly narrow swept path that they "hope" is clear.
One tactical note - I lost 2 CUSV Remote Controlled surface craft while hunting and sweeping. The first was when it ran straight into a mine because it has no FWD sonar (only sides), and the 2nd loss was when it was dancing around the mine, trying to explode it. It worked many times before, but this time, the mine won. [:D] So, the moral of the story is if you want it done right, get a human in a Helo (but MQ-8b/c will phase that out soon enough).
I've been experimenting with mines, and saw some issues I wanted to report:
1. When laying a minefield in scenario editor, it seems to be able to be done only once. I discovered this trying to lay a 2nd field of different mines over the original minefield, and it would not let me. After deleting the mines, I could not add any more mines anywhere, in any new set of ref points. It appears its a one time shot, so definitely have lost the ability to lay multiple types of mines. I haven't played with minelaying yet, so I'll try that to supplement the single set of mines.
2. I read in the manual that not all mines are sweepable/clearable. Not being familiar with mine technology, I was happy to the see the US having the MH-60S Helicopter with the AN/AQS-20A MCM package which detects with side looking sonar and sweeps with the "Seafox Mine Neutralization Torpedo". Well, a few observations: a) when fit with that loadout, there is no MCM button, but mine detection sonar works great b) the aircraft doesn't try to attack the mine, just goes around detecting c) I did not see any "seafox weapon" under the mount, even though the name is in the mount d) the AN/AQS-20 sonar is listed as a weapon, under the loadout which I believe is fine.
So, that lead me to look at the CMANO WIKI. According to the WIKI, the MH-60S doesn't even use the AN/AQS-20 package. Strange mismatch, so I'm not so sure its a 'database' problem per say, and wanted to report it here.
3. Now, I then tried the MH-53E which also has the AN/AQS-20A loadout, but I discovered in this loadout that 1x SeaFox [Killer ROV] is listed, and shows up in the weapons mount. Great! I tried it, but had disappointing results. The SeaFox's weapon stats look fine and great. However, several problems: a) the Heli would not try to attack the mine b) the Heli did not have an MCM button. c) when I flew the Heli over the mine, nothing happened, I tried again and realized I could only fire it BOL (my ROE is tight, tried free, no change) d) when I BOL fired the weapon, it ran out of energy after 29s even though its stats say it should have +2min of endurance at flank speed of 6knts. e) I got really close this time, < 500m, and BOL launched. Once it got 300m from the torpedo, it just bounced back and forth, sitting and spinning, in a way. I can't recall the exact type of mine I laid, but with a Killer ROV there should be no reason it can't destroy it. In a way, it's dancing around the mine just like a traditional sweeper that works....they dance around the mine for a while, and then it blows up eventually.
(Going back to issue #2, it might be that the "realistic" loadout for the MH-60S is to have only 1 drop tank, and the other pylon used for the ROV - or not, maybe the procedure is jsut for the crew chief to through it out the hatch, haha)
4. I've seen some missing MCM loadouts for the MQ-8b and MQ-8c, but I'll address that in the DB Update thread
Scenario attached as well.
That's it for now. REALLY enjoying the mine game, experimenting with it. Giving me ideas for scenarios. Unlike some scenarios that I have seen so far where mine sweeping is just 'a task to do', I want to put the sweepers in harm's way. Force the play to give cover to the sweepers, and even have to follow a fairly narrow swept path that they "hope" is clear.
One tactical note - I lost 2 CUSV Remote Controlled surface craft while hunting and sweeping. The first was when it ran straight into a mine because it has no FWD sonar (only sides), and the 2nd loss was when it was dancing around the mine, trying to explode it. It worked many times before, but this time, the mine won. [:D] So, the moral of the story is if you want it done right, get a human in a Helo (but MQ-8b/c will phase that out soon enough).