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Even though it was a very hard mission for pretty much everyone involved, I really enjoyed it. Got to be JTAC for the first time, though I had some prior theoretical and second hand pratical knowledge.
Hope my performance there was at least aduquate, but already have some stuff in mind I should improve on for next time such as marking aproach and egress routes on the map to make communications more clear with the air assets. I feel like a few times when I said aproach from the west and egress to the south (as example) the opposite was understood, and I am just chalking that up to my inexperience to communicate this properly and clearly to the air assets.
Another issue (that would be fixed for next time I think Clarke mentioned) is that platoon sarge does not start with a flare gun, so the first dumb fire attack I ordered for Falcon turned into me having to run basically into the open to hand throw a smoke grenade. This worked, but by the time Falcon located and engaged, the smoke had blown closer to us and the rocket strike was a little off as well, resulting in two friendly deaths (though I think it also took out a bunch of hostiles).
Anyway, was fun, I need and want more experience doing it so hopefully I get to do this again soon.
EDIT:
Also to add, I would love it if people use dots and text on maps as little as possible to stop clutter. Use the appropriate NATO markers instead. Those are instantly clear and obscure less.
[quote user_id=“319225” avatar=“https://assets-cloud.enjin.com/users/319225/avatar/medium.1399937338.png” name=“Aether”]Even though it was a very hard mission for pretty much everyone involved, I really enjoyed it. Got to be JTAC for the first time, though I had some prior theoretical and second hand pratical knowledge.
Hope my performance there was at least aduquate, but already have some stuff in mind I should improve on for next time such as marking aproach and egress routes on the map to make communications more clear with the air assets. I feel like a few times when I said aproach from the west and egress to the south (as example) the opposite was understood, and I am just chalking that up to my inexperience to communicate this properly and clearly to the air assets.
[/quote]
A couple of tips I can give since FAC (JTAC ew) is my favourite role:
- Understand the capabilites of the aircraft you’re dealing with. With AA around, your helo gunship was always put in a tough spot whenever you called them in, something Falcon could have handled from 3km in the sky (when the AA isn’t invincible that is cough cough)
- When giving planes ingress,egress directions, either draw a line on the map or don’t give any at all. Also take into account terrain, since you asked Falcon to bomb a target twice that we could not hit from your approach angle.
- Understand the ordnance. There was a really frustrating moment when you guys were in one of the villages and Falcon was standing by to nuke some rice fields but you asked for a "least explosive option" due to danger of friendly fire. Which was fair, until we noticed contact about 250m away from your position which we could have bomber without putting you guys in danger whatsoever.
- Lastly, always remember the FAC is not a rifleman first in my opinion. He’s an infantryman that has access to 1000lbs bombs and just so happens to have a rifle . You can change the tide of an entire firefight with one phone call.
Thanks for the tips, they are all good ones that I knew but need actual practice to employ properly. About the last two point though, while I definitely agree in principle and I barely acted as rifleman, our engagement and visibility ranges were so short that I had no choice but to get involved a few times.
I expect that with more experience, and with a more forgiving map, I’d be able to do a lot better there
Still, keep the feedback coming if you have any next time. Same for you Quantum & chuchu
Liberating Vietnam one village at a time.