4th Jan --OPERATION BLAGGARD--

[Black-Witch]

Op Blaggard .miz attached,

Only Blue are shown so you can check your flights, or rather, check that I've pasted them in correctly.

I still have some time tomorrow if you need any adjustements.

Cheers

Op Blaggards Blue Check.miz

(101.98 KiB) Downloaded 59 times

[Black-Witch]

As my wise Jedi mentor Andrew has pointed out some issues with the errors that creep in when copying and pasting your flights into the final miz file, I need to ask a couple of questions if you have the time. I ask these questions so I can learn to do this better and make sure I know what you want included.

1F, your wpts are slightly off target, only by 20 feet, is that because you’re using Mavericks and the offset doesn’t matter?

3F, your tgt wpts are at your normal flight altitude, very high, not at the tgt altitude, ground level. In the past Andrew has altered these wpts to be at tgt height. As you’re using targeting pods I assume they should be at ground height but you may have a process I don’t understand to deal with that.

I will adjust all these wpts for tonight’s mission, no need for you to send anything back, as I say, I’m just trying to get a grip of what you want and what errors creep in from the copy and paste, such as call signs, waypoint heights, camouflage skins, wpts being offset.

[Flyco]

Black Witch, I have 2 points. Firstly, some of our route hts/alts have been changed - not a major problem, but why?

Of more significance, our TOT has been brought forward. I had planned route, heights and weapons, for the original time set, which had us rolling at dawn, which meant that on the run in to our targets we could see the ground, as could our weapons. Again, not an unsurmountable problem, but it does mean that the planning was largely pointless. We will have to suck it and see.

Why do we publish times in advance and then change them without notice or reason?

[0405 Andrew]

Alan, Black Witch is just getting to grips with his first mission and is doing an admirable job.

The check miz is published so flight leads can check to see if any changes have been introduced in the mission building process. Thankyou for highlighting yours, I think you would have to agree that the planning side works if these can be addressed before 19.30 tonight.

Building missions takes an awful lot work and can swallow hours, that applies to squadron planners as well as the mission designer. The work done by them adds to the enjoyment of everyone's evening, that is the reason why the joint planning is not pointless.

I hope we can all get behind new mission writers and offer all assistance and understanding if something does not go quite right.

[Danny]

Hi Lee,

No problem for us, we use the DTC to plumb in target heights these days

[Flyco]

Andrew, criticism is at the heart of progress. If we don’t criticise we will never even know that there is (or might be) something wrong. Weather, time, location, targets all need to be considered when planning a mission; a change to any of them may well require re-planning.

I do not underestimate the effort that goes into writing missions. However, I still do not know why the time was changed. Perhaps there was a valid reason, but planners do need to be given the opportunity to amend their plans in reaction to any changes.

There is an old saying ‘A camel is a horse designed by a committee.’ A bit unfair on the camel which is ideal for the circumstances in which it exists, but it does make a point. Unless we accept that changes need to go to all the planners, there is little point in their planning.

[Black-Witch]

It states in the FRAG that the server will start at 7:30 pm UK time which is 0330z in the map, then our playtime is 0400z = 0800 local map time and take off is 0440z = 0840 Local.

I wouldn't have changed anyone's flight start times, but it may be something I need to check in the future as it could be another thing that is changed when copying and pasting flights from 1 miz to another miz.

In fact it's not a matter of me changing things you send me but rather me checking everything to find out what's changed, and in my VERY short experience of this so far it seems different with every miz file sent back to me!

Constructive criticism is welcomed, it speeds learning for me

[Matt]

1F, your wpts are slightly off target, only by 20 feet, is that because you’re using Mavericks and the offset doesn’t matter?

All good for us buddy, the waypoint being ever so slightly off are no real issue for us tonight as we will be low level with dumb weapons so the waypoints are just to identify target location, strikes will be carried out visually.

Thanks again pal,

Matt.

[0405 Andrew]

Alan,
Please see attached check miz.
I hope this has sorted out the TOT.
Regarding the altitudes. When transferring way points these are usually lifted by 100ft by DCS, I have no idea why. Mission writers check the target points only unless asked specifically. It would be a considerable undertaking to change every waypoint for all flights.

[Black-Witch]

Hi Lee,

No problem for us, we use the DTC to plumb in target heights these days

Of course, using JDAM's your wpt's will still be very high, thanks

Cheers