Hi folks!
I still struggle with using LGB’s, apart from determining the proper firing distance mostly also because of gimbal limits of the laser marker system: I often have the target get out of the TGP’s total field of view before the bomb hits, especially of course when dropping from higher altitudes.
What’s the best tactic to avoid that? Any recommendations?
And would the bomb still follow its last (controlled) trajectory, or go completely haywire when that happens?
For the targeting lasers “FOV” for lack of a better term, use test drive and stay in the pod view and watch the crosshair marker as it moves to the sides of the targeting box to get a feel for it, you can watch it in a match of course but it’s better to just get a feel for it.
If flying 1st person the MFD displaying the TGP view should have an indicator:
That depends on the bomb and Gaijins modeling accuracy, IRL Paveways (at least the 1 & 2) use “bang bang” controls that are full on/ full off which means they are constantly over correcting so if they lose the laser they will just fly wherever they where pointing at the time, other non-IOG bombs I’m not sure and it’s hard to test currently due to them being bugged and just going bonkers even if they can see the laser.
I’m theorizing that due to the “bang bang” I mentioned causing excessive drag SOP was to drop using CCI/RP into the general target area and only lase the target as the bomb got close to reduce the control inputs and thus drag, I think Gaijin simulated this by making the bomb not track the laser until about 2kms from the target, but now for some reason it’s not reacquiring it.
Sorry, that ended up far more long winded than I intended, hope at least some of it is useful.
I don’t know what targeting pod you’re using, but using the ATLIS just turning about 60° to either side to crank a bit when I’m threatened manages to keep the target withing the gimbal limit well enough. If the target isn’t firing back, just passing over straight to have the largest zone guarantees that you’ll keep it till impact, even from 10km up.
As for losing the track, on the GBU-12 it’ll go dumb and just drop like a steel bomb, missing as drag pulls it short of the initial target.
On mixed guidance bombs like the GBU-24, the IOG will take over but most likely miss due to inertial drift, and GNSS now has a 10m margin of error. Thankfully those tend to come with better pods that don’t really have constraining gimbal limits, such as the DAMOCLES.
If you’re interested, I have a replay where I do some mid-altitude bombing using the SEM and GBU-12, where I almost went 4-4 but one of my targets got itself killed before my bomb reached him. It’s not really the best example out there, since the AAs I was facing were sorta sleepy, and my last bomb was extra greedy to get a ninth kill, but s’all I got for now. Bombing starts at 10:30ish.
