SAM site construction, seeking a guide.

[KJakker 901]

I would like to ask for some help. I am trying to make a Missile Test Facility for testing SAM's out of a modified Rang/Mescalero Proving Grounds terrain but I am having trouble trying to get a complete SAM site with EW_Radar, SAM_Radar, and SAM_Launcher ground objects to all show up together.

 

What I am trying to do is make it so that by changing the date of the mission by month it will swap out one SAM site for another allowing for easy swapping of the associated radars and launchers.    

[Wrench 9,846]

they don't.

 

and I wouldn't use months, I'd use years.

 

the major fault in the game engine is the use of generic terms. If one does it that (which will generate emitters that WILL show on RWRs, all types - 3 ring, vector and TEWS) the engine just throws things together. I've seen every possible combinaton of SAM launcher and SAM Radar from the items available.

It dosen't seem to matter WHAT the data ini says for  NetworkType= or the userlist for the launchers and radars. You get a mix-mash. Sometimes, they DO set themselves up correctly (mostly for SA2 and FanSongs). But never seemingly twice in a row

 

conversley, if one "calls directly" the units wanted (as is done in many historically accurate terrains), the radars, EW and SAM, go into stealth mode. You'll never hear the warning they're looking at you, and never hear them go into launch/track modes

[Snailman 517]

SAM placement is done by three things... availability date, nations and Network type.

 

If the given SAM site is active (by date), then all SAM network types (SAM radars available) will be chosen which have their nations active on that map, and the given launcher types (of the same network type) are also available.

 

In EuropeCE too many nations to choose from in the given time frame... East German Dvina and Kub together with Volkhov M3...

 

If there would be a choice for target areas to set nationality... would be little easier

 

I did multiple missiles for SA-2 to show up, old and new in a single site. But a little messy. I have to revise all Userlist.inis ... especially for the SA-3 units. The 0.1 Beta was very poor, sorry.

[stephenmcparlin 8]

I've been trying to work out how to plug together SAM sites for Blue. Some of these (Hawk, Patriot, Bloodhound, Nike) work pretty well, once you've identified the appropriate surveillance and tracking radars. There are some limitations. The usual configuration for a Bloodhound site involves eight missiles and a mobile Type 86 radar. It's not too dissimilar from the classic SA-2 site.

But... the one real bugbear. I've not managed to find a working configuration for Rapier, either in the Mk. 1, 1E or 2 forms available in the SAM packages. It's puzzled me, as I've been able to fly ferret missions where the Blindfire radars acquire me, but no response from any of the launchers. I'd be keen to know what I'm missing.

[Snailman 517]

I try to explain it in short.. In game, there are three types of components which can be in a SAM site. Two is necessary, the SAM Radar and the SAM Launcher.  They have be available at the same dates, and they have to be in the same network (Eg. Networktype=Hawk)

 

If all is correct, then need to check functionality, maybe the equipment is faulty itself. Check radar minimum altitude, track strength, min launch range... etc etc.

 

You can add early warning EW Radar to a SAM site, by  building network specific EW radar. It has not much functionality,  but it will appear together with the rest of the system. It hasn't been proved that they give visibility only to their own network - but non network specific EW radars give visibility to the entire side that's for sure.

[stephenmcparlin 8]

Thanks... I have now been successfully (!?) shot down by a working Rapier site. The key lies in making modifications to the files in the SAM packs. The EW Radar item is set for a non-existent network, RapierSAM, which needs to be edited depending on which variety of Rapier you're using, as the 1E and 2A field standards have different network identifiers from the basic derivative. The files describing the launchers need to be modified too, as, critically, the lines decribing the azimuth and elevation of the launchers have been commented out, and need to be restored.

With the restored settings, my advice when crossing targets defended by Rapier sites (EW Radar, Blindfire radar and Rapier Launcher) is to stay high enough or move fast enough to make it difficult for them to track or reach you. Rapier is a SACLOS-guided hit-to-kill weapon, and even with the radar systems taken out, it can still engage optically, if you're close enough.

Rapier was exported widely, including to the US, who used it for protecting USAF bases in the UK from the mid 1980s until the end of the Cold War.

[Snailman 517]

EW radar is not necessary component, but useful to emulate soviet height-finders and multi-radar systems, etc. Need guidance radar and launcher only.

 

If you want to work on a "realisticisation"   I can help.  I don't have time for Blue side SAMs, although we need them for Red SEAD.

 

If you provide data I can correct the missiles as well.

Edited March 1, 2017 by Snailman