Jump to page:
Sponsors:
supposed to be, the missile searches the target area. On a "bearing-only" contact, you don't get range data, only direction data.
The dialogue asks you where to turn on the radar and start searching.
If you are too far away from where the target really is, the missile runs out of fuel while searching and never finds its victim.
The right answer depends on what else you know about the target and how many missiles you can waste covering your bets. If you have enough missiles, you can try a variety of ranges. If I don't know anything else, I stick with the computer's recommendation.
- Ted Kim (tek@penzance.cs.ucla.edu)
QU: WHAT ARE THESE AIR-TO-AIR BACKFIRES ?
ANS: One twist thrown into the Computer game are the modified Soviet bombers with air-to-air missiles (eg the Backfires with AA-9s in the
NACV: Ambush scenario). They were put in to give the Soviet player some way to escort his bombers on long range attacks. As far as Iknow, though, there are no such things.
- Ted Kim (tek@penzance.cs.ucla.edu)
QU: CAN YOU USE A FORMATION EDITOR FOR PLANES ?
ANS: It is not possible to do this with strike groups. Fighter escorts need to be micro-managed manually to stay at a desired distance in front of the bombers. But aircraft can be put in the formation editor for
CAP patrols around groups. [Ian]
QU: HOW CAN YOU DETERMINE A PLANE'S EXACT REMAINING FUEL RANGE (AS THE
RANGE CIRCLES AT BEST CAN ONLY GIVE AN INDICATION) ?
ANS: Click on the offending aircraft group in the Group window, and then centre it in the unit window. Then click on the aircraft unit in the unit window, and then type F (or Command F/Alt F/whatever your equivalent) to get a full report on the unit and pull up its specs.
The listed aircraft range is the remaining aircrafts range.
- Gary Snow (snow@clark.edu)
ANS: Alternatively, if a suitable enemy group is around call up the aircraft intercept screen and read off it's fuel range. [Ian]
QU: WHEN YOU ORDER A PLANE TO A DIFFERENT BASES DOES THE BINGO RANGE
CIRCLE ADJUST ACCORDINGLY ?
ANS: Harpoon does not change the 'bingo' range circles when you select a new landing destination--sorry.
- Adam M. Fugman (THREE-SIXTY PACIFIC INC.)
(76711.240@CompuServe.COM)
QU: WHY DOES THE COMPUTER LET ME LAUNCH PLANES ON ATTACK MISSIONS AND I
THEN FIND THEY REACH BINGO FUEL WELL BEFORE THE TARGET ?
ANS: The reasons for this happening are:
(1) When you are launching the flight, the first planes off have to circle until the last planes make it up. This is a major problem when you have an airfield that only has one runway. With a large group of planes, you end up losing a couple of minutes of flight
(2) Air groups with different plane types will fly at the lowest speed of the group. So when you launch 2 F-14s to escort that
E-2, those F-14s are penalized and have to fly at the E-2s speed and don't get optimum fuel performance.
My solutions (obvious):
Launch groups of the same plane type.
Launch small groups, my fav size is around 10.
Since you will probably want to escort those A-6s when they go after the Soviet battle group, launch the A-6s first. Hopefully you'll have enough CAP in the immediate area of the carrier. After a bit, not more than a minute of real time, launch the escorting fighters -
F/A-18s in my opinion (save the F-14s for carrier CAP). The F/A-18s are faster than A-6s, so they catch up and eventually overtake the
A-6s. They'll be out in front to nail anyone who threatens the A-6s.
Or have the F/A-18s loiter every now and then so they stay with the
A-6s. - jtgorman@cs.arizona.edu (J. Taggart Gorman)
QU: CAN YOU PROGRAM AIRCRAFT TO NOT FLY OVER ENEMY UNITS ?
ANS: In Harpoon v1.x this is not possible without a watchful eye and careful micro-management of the assets. In Harpoon II it appears you can defined "off limits" areas and the class of plane the exclusion zone applies to - I hope it works ! [Ian]
QU: DOES JAMMING WORK ? DO I REALLY NEED TO TAKE EA-6B's TO 25nm FROM THE
ENEMY RADAR ?
ANS: Harpoon appears to model jamming as simply reducing a radar's probability of detecting a group, rather than blinding it from particular axes. [Ian]
ANS: First of all, the jamming pods don't have a range of 25nm, but reaches out to the radar horizon. So, the higher your aircraft is, the longer range for the jamming.
What I usually do, is place an EA-6 just outside the maximum radar range for the airfield, and put them up high. I also try to put them a little out of the way of the A-6's that's doing the bombing. Once the bombers cross the max radar range, I move the jammers in too, still keeping them at high altitude. It hasn't failed yet.
Also, if you have EF-111's, you can really mess things up. An EF-111 from Scotland hanging over Keflavik would make the USSR believe that there's an attack coming from that angle, and they'll send out a few fighters to dispose of the single jammer. So, while they are on a wild goosechase, come in from the other side with your A-6's accompanied with F-14's ... They won't stand a chance.
- Lars Martin Hansen
QU: SOMETIMES WHEN THE COMPUTER SAYS I HAVE AN EXACT FIX ON AN ENEMY UNIT,
WHY DOESN'T IT APPEAR ON THE GROUP MAP DISPLAY (RESULTING IN ME
FORGETTING IT'S THERE) ?
ANS: The unit is part of the CAP around a local enemy base/group. It does not appear in the group window, but will appear in the unit window (if you find it !). To attack such units you need to attack the base and select "aircraft". Unfortunately the computer will direct your units to the nearest enemy CAP, not necessarily the one you want ! [Ian]
QU: HOW FAR CAN I LEAVE SONOBUOYS BEHIND?
ANS: Harpoon v1.x does not require a unit to be monitoring (ie patrolling in the vicinity) a sonobuoy for the sonobuoy to report a detection.
So even though a plane is no way near or has landed, as long as the sonobuoy is still active, you will be able to make the detection.
It appears that the sonobuoys in Harpoon are passive only (ie subs can not detect a sonobuoy field). [Ian]
QU: CAN YOU PROGRAM ASW PATROLS TO DROP SONOBUOYS ALONG A SET PATH ?
ANS: No, this is not possible. In v1.3x pushing the "." key when selected on a group/unit carrying sonobuoys will cause all relevant units in that group to drop one sonobuoy each. [Ian]
QU: WHY IS THE DIPPING SONAR ON THE NAVAL OSPREY MODELLED AS BEING SO
EFFECTIVE ?
ANS: Unsure. The Osprey is still on the drawing board and not in service, so no firm data is available on it. Still....150nm range contacts...??? [Ian]
QU: DOES COMPUTER HARPOON TAKE THE BAFFLES INTO ACCOUNT ?
QU: I've been setting up submarine patrols to include regular small loops in the path - to clear the baffles and, hopefully, give the submarine a better chance of finding something coming up behind.
Is this a waste of time?
- Keith Wain (postmaster@manadon-engineering-college.ac.uk)
ANS: Yeah, its a waste of time (unless it gives you something to do
:-). Computer Harpoon doesn't take into account the baffles on a submarine.
- Gary Snow (gsnow@clark.edu)
QU: WHY DOES SEA-LANCE ONLY APPEAR IN THE NACV BATTLESET ?
ANS: It would appear that when NACV went out Sea Lance was about to enter service, but then was cancelled (or Three-Sixty thought it would be nice to try it out ;-) [Ian]
QU: HOW DO I EVADE TORPEDOES ?
1. Evasive manoeuvring of the unit under attack
2. Run away !
Note - all countermeasures (eg noisemaker decoys etc) ate already taken into account when the hit probability is calculated. There is no way to "shoot down" an incoming torpedo with a depth bomb or another torpedo in the current version, and isn't even clear whether this can be done in the real world.
- Ted Kim (tek@penzance.cs.ucla.edu) (amended)
QU: WHAT IS A TORPEDO COUNTER-ATTACK ?
ANS: From the Harpoon Battlebook (p193):
Question: What conditions trigger a "torpedo counterfire"?
Answer: This happens when a torpedo is detected down a bearing from which there has been no submarine contact and the enemy submarine is possibly within the range of the torpedo to be counterfired. The computer side will always attempt torpedo counterfire.
- Ted Kim (tek@penzance.cs.ucla.edu)
ANS: ...it also has to be undetected, on the theory that engaging a detected target that's in range is your own business.
A torpedo has a high-speed propeller, making it (relatively) easy to detect on passive sonar. It's not too unlikely that you might detect the torpedo without having detected the sub. It's a good gamble that a torpedo fired toward the point where the incoming torpedo was first detected will pass pretty close to the sub.
Even if the incoming torpedo doesn't give you enough of a fix to hit the sub, your counterfire may prompt the sub to take evasive action and give his position away. An incoming torpedo course is a good place for ASW aircraft to start searching with MAD and sonobuoys, too....
- David Gillett (dgil@ipsaint.ipsa.reuter.com)
QU: ARE MALFUNCTION RATES REALLY SO HIGH ?
ANS: It also seems to me that the malfunction rate is too high, especially for the Soviets. It seemed to me that time compression increased the malfunction rate beyond the linear ratio of time compression.
Apparently, malfunction in the computer game is not related to actual use of the system, nor does it happen to anything but weapons systems.
At the rate illustrated in the game, the US would only have wait a week for all Soviet subs to break everything. Now, I don't bother to turn the malfunction option on.
- Ted Kim (tek@penzance.cs.ucla.edu)
QU: HOW DO YOU WIN AT THE KOLA PENINSULA SCENARIOS IN GIUK ?
ANS: First of all, what version of Harpoon do you play? If it's 1.3x then just refine your tactics. In 1.3, it's very hard to find those darn submarines.
If it's 1.2, there are several suggestions:
1. Go slow, keep them in creeping speed.
2. Change your course if you detect anything, don't try to kill them if they are not the SSBNs. If you do, swamps of ASW aircrafts will be on your head so fast...
3. You can always send out a couple of old subs, like the Sturgeons to get their ASW forces worked up and sneak in when they are attacking those old ones.
4. Change your depth irregularly, be creative about your path, depth, and speed.
5. SAVE EVERY TIME YOU DODGE A TORPEDO OR SEE A TORPEDO OR DETECT
ANYTHING! THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL. - yuqian@bvc.edu (Suicidal Freshman)
QU: HOW DO YOU GET SHIPS AND BASES TO RELOAD THEIR MOUNTS / WHY DO USSR
UNITS USUALLY RELOAD THEIR MOUNTS WHILE NATO SHIPS DON'T ?
ANS: Reloadable launchers is very class dependant. On the NATO side, ASROCs reload if you fire all of them from the oct-launcher, but there are/have been ship classes with ASROC that did not have reloads.
Single cell Harpoon and Tomahawk launchers are not reloadable, although some ships fire Harpoon from the single arm launcher (specifically the Perry class). In this case the number of reloads is dependant upon the weapon mix in the magazine, and usually there are not many Harpoons. The vertical launching systems are a different animal, but the still the number of weapons of each type is determined by the initial loadout. SAM reload immediately after firing. Combined launcher loads immediately after firing. Whereas Kiev's, Kirov's and
Slava's (SS-N-12) all have a magazine.
I think the staff only tell you when SSM mounts are reloading. - merged replies from: o trooker@bombe.nswc.navy.mil (Terry Rooker) o yuqian@bvc.edu (Suicidal Freshman)
ANS: The Harpoon Battlebook has a list of the units that can reload their mounts (p211/2) [Ian]
QU: WHY DOES IT SOMETIMES TAKE SO MANY AIR TO AIR MISSILES TO SHOOT DOWN
PLANES AND CRUISE MISSILES (HARPOON/TOMAHAWK) ?
ANS: On the radar guided air-to-air missiles side, it has been noted that there have been so few air-to-air combat situations in real life, no one knows what a realistic kill ratio is ! Harpoon can only estimate.
Infra-red missiles (eg Sidewinders) have a much better record. [Ian]
ANS: I've noticed that MiG-29s are particularly hard to shoot down -- presumably this is supposed to reflect an unusually high level of ECM.
(Radar-guided Sparrows seem to be far more susceptible to this effect than heat-seeking Sidewinders are, which makes some sense.)
- David Gillett (dgil@ipsaint.ipsa.reuter.com)
ANS: There are quite a few factors that come into play here. The more complicated ones include such variables as the target AC's DATA, ECM and manoeuvring capabilities, the type of missile being fired. Also, does it have ECCM and/ or dogfight capability. All of these combined will usually make the hit probability lower against high performance
AC's.
The best ways I've found to increase the hit probability are to launch from the 3 to 9 o'clock position of the target AC. His radar can't see you or the missiles there in most cases. Going to low or vlow and turning off your radar works well when your at close range using heat seekers. If you're approaching from the front get him to turn off his radars prior to firing.
- Chuck J. Rouhier (rouhier@wpdis03.wpafb.af.mil)
QU: WHY DOES THE USSR SIDE NEED FEWER ANTI-SHIP MISSILES TO KILL A SHIP
COMPARED TO NATO ?
ANS: That's because Harpoons/Tomahawks carry smaller warheads (typically
500 pound) while most Soviet missile (eg Shipwrecks) have 1, 2, or 3 thousand pound warheads. - sscotten@email.bony.com
QU: WHY ARE SAM AREA DEFENSES SO BAD FOR THE HUMAN SIDE ?
ANS: Once missiles are coming, set your defense fire to heavy and 1/2 max range, you will stand a much better chance shooting down double digits incoming missiles. It can be accessed via Alt-F8 (PC version) - yuqian@bvc.edu (Suicidal Freshman)
5.2 SYSTEM SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
*****************************
QU: CAN COMPUTER HARPOON BE PLAYED BY MODEM/NULL MODEM CONNECTION ?
ANS: Harpoon v1.x does not support this. Neither will the first release of
Harpoon II, but I think Three-Sixty plan to include it in the second release after the summer 1994. [Ian]
QU: IS THERE A VERSION OF HARPOON SPECIFICALLY FOR THE 386 ?
ANS: v1.3x has a separate HARPOON.EXE file specifically for the 386
The dialogue asks you where to turn on the radar and start searching.
If you are too far away from where the target really is, the missile runs out of fuel while searching and never finds its victim.
The right answer depends on what else you know about the target and how many missiles you can waste covering your bets. If you have enough missiles, you can try a variety of ranges. If I don't know anything else, I stick with the computer's recommendation.
- Ted Kim (tek@penzance.cs.ucla.edu)
QU: WHAT ARE THESE AIR-TO-AIR BACKFIRES ?
ANS: One twist thrown into the Computer game are the modified Soviet bombers with air-to-air missiles (eg the Backfires with AA-9s in the
NACV: Ambush scenario). They were put in to give the Soviet player some way to escort his bombers on long range attacks. As far as Iknow, though, there are no such things.
- Ted Kim (tek@penzance.cs.ucla.edu)
QU: CAN YOU USE A FORMATION EDITOR FOR PLANES ?
ANS: It is not possible to do this with strike groups. Fighter escorts need to be micro-managed manually to stay at a desired distance in front of the bombers. But aircraft can be put in the formation editor for
CAP patrols around groups. [Ian]
QU: HOW CAN YOU DETERMINE A PLANE'S EXACT REMAINING FUEL RANGE (AS THE
RANGE CIRCLES AT BEST CAN ONLY GIVE AN INDICATION) ?
ANS: Click on the offending aircraft group in the Group window, and then centre it in the unit window. Then click on the aircraft unit in the unit window, and then type F (or Command F/Alt F/whatever your equivalent) to get a full report on the unit and pull up its specs.
The listed aircraft range is the remaining aircrafts range.
- Gary Snow (snow@clark.edu)
ANS: Alternatively, if a suitable enemy group is around call up the aircraft intercept screen and read off it's fuel range. [Ian]
QU: WHEN YOU ORDER A PLANE TO A DIFFERENT BASES DOES THE BINGO RANGE
CIRCLE ADJUST ACCORDINGLY ?
ANS: Harpoon does not change the 'bingo' range circles when you select a new landing destination--sorry.
- Adam M. Fugman (THREE-SIXTY PACIFIC INC.)
(76711.240@CompuServe.COM)
QU: WHY DOES THE COMPUTER LET ME LAUNCH PLANES ON ATTACK MISSIONS AND I
THEN FIND THEY REACH BINGO FUEL WELL BEFORE THE TARGET ?
ANS: The reasons for this happening are:
(1) When you are launching the flight, the first planes off have to circle until the last planes make it up. This is a major problem when you have an airfield that only has one runway. With a large group of planes, you end up losing a couple of minutes of flight
(2) Air groups with different plane types will fly at the lowest speed of the group. So when you launch 2 F-14s to escort that
E-2, those F-14s are penalized and have to fly at the E-2s speed and don't get optimum fuel performance.
My solutions (obvious):
Launch groups of the same plane type.
Launch small groups, my fav size is around 10.
Since you will probably want to escort those A-6s when they go after the Soviet battle group, launch the A-6s first. Hopefully you'll have enough CAP in the immediate area of the carrier. After a bit, not more than a minute of real time, launch the escorting fighters -
F/A-18s in my opinion (save the F-14s for carrier CAP). The F/A-18s are faster than A-6s, so they catch up and eventually overtake the
A-6s. They'll be out in front to nail anyone who threatens the A-6s.
Or have the F/A-18s loiter every now and then so they stay with the
A-6s. - jtgorman@cs.arizona.edu (J. Taggart Gorman)
QU: CAN YOU PROGRAM AIRCRAFT TO NOT FLY OVER ENEMY UNITS ?
ANS: In Harpoon v1.x this is not possible without a watchful eye and careful micro-management of the assets. In Harpoon II it appears you can defined "off limits" areas and the class of plane the exclusion zone applies to - I hope it works ! [Ian]
QU: DOES JAMMING WORK ? DO I REALLY NEED TO TAKE EA-6B's TO 25nm FROM THE
ENEMY RADAR ?
ANS: Harpoon appears to model jamming as simply reducing a radar's probability of detecting a group, rather than blinding it from particular axes. [Ian]
ANS: First of all, the jamming pods don't have a range of 25nm, but reaches out to the radar horizon. So, the higher your aircraft is, the longer range for the jamming.
What I usually do, is place an EA-6 just outside the maximum radar range for the airfield, and put them up high. I also try to put them a little out of the way of the A-6's that's doing the bombing. Once the bombers cross the max radar range, I move the jammers in too, still keeping them at high altitude. It hasn't failed yet.
Also, if you have EF-111's, you can really mess things up. An EF-111 from Scotland hanging over Keflavik would make the USSR believe that there's an attack coming from that angle, and they'll send out a few fighters to dispose of the single jammer. So, while they are on a wild goosechase, come in from the other side with your A-6's accompanied with F-14's ... They won't stand a chance.
- Lars Martin Hansen
QU: SOMETIMES WHEN THE COMPUTER SAYS I HAVE AN EXACT FIX ON AN ENEMY UNIT,
WHY DOESN'T IT APPEAR ON THE GROUP MAP DISPLAY (RESULTING IN ME
FORGETTING IT'S THERE) ?
ANS: The unit is part of the CAP around a local enemy base/group. It does not appear in the group window, but will appear in the unit window (if you find it !). To attack such units you need to attack the base and select "aircraft". Unfortunately the computer will direct your units to the nearest enemy CAP, not necessarily the one you want ! [Ian]
QU: HOW FAR CAN I LEAVE SONOBUOYS BEHIND?
ANS: Harpoon v1.x does not require a unit to be monitoring (ie patrolling in the vicinity) a sonobuoy for the sonobuoy to report a detection.
So even though a plane is no way near or has landed, as long as the sonobuoy is still active, you will be able to make the detection.
It appears that the sonobuoys in Harpoon are passive only (ie subs can not detect a sonobuoy field). [Ian]
QU: CAN YOU PROGRAM ASW PATROLS TO DROP SONOBUOYS ALONG A SET PATH ?
ANS: No, this is not possible. In v1.3x pushing the "." key when selected on a group/unit carrying sonobuoys will cause all relevant units in that group to drop one sonobuoy each. [Ian]
QU: WHY IS THE DIPPING SONAR ON THE NAVAL OSPREY MODELLED AS BEING SO
EFFECTIVE ?
ANS: Unsure. The Osprey is still on the drawing board and not in service, so no firm data is available on it. Still....150nm range contacts...??? [Ian]
QU: DOES COMPUTER HARPOON TAKE THE BAFFLES INTO ACCOUNT ?
QU: I've been setting up submarine patrols to include regular small loops in the path - to clear the baffles and, hopefully, give the submarine a better chance of finding something coming up behind.
Is this a waste of time?
- Keith Wain (postmaster@manadon-engineering-college.ac.uk)
ANS: Yeah, its a waste of time (unless it gives you something to do
:-). Computer Harpoon doesn't take into account the baffles on a submarine.
- Gary Snow (gsnow@clark.edu)
QU: WHY DOES SEA-LANCE ONLY APPEAR IN THE NACV BATTLESET ?
ANS: It would appear that when NACV went out Sea Lance was about to enter service, but then was cancelled (or Three-Sixty thought it would be nice to try it out ;-) [Ian]
QU: HOW DO I EVADE TORPEDOES ?
1. Evasive manoeuvring of the unit under attack
2. Run away !
Note - all countermeasures (eg noisemaker decoys etc) ate already taken into account when the hit probability is calculated. There is no way to "shoot down" an incoming torpedo with a depth bomb or another torpedo in the current version, and isn't even clear whether this can be done in the real world.
- Ted Kim (tek@penzance.cs.ucla.edu) (amended)
QU: WHAT IS A TORPEDO COUNTER-ATTACK ?
ANS: From the Harpoon Battlebook (p193):
Question: What conditions trigger a "torpedo counterfire"?
Answer: This happens when a torpedo is detected down a bearing from which there has been no submarine contact and the enemy submarine is possibly within the range of the torpedo to be counterfired. The computer side will always attempt torpedo counterfire.
- Ted Kim (tek@penzance.cs.ucla.edu)
ANS: ...it also has to be undetected, on the theory that engaging a detected target that's in range is your own business.
A torpedo has a high-speed propeller, making it (relatively) easy to detect on passive sonar. It's not too unlikely that you might detect the torpedo without having detected the sub. It's a good gamble that a torpedo fired toward the point where the incoming torpedo was first detected will pass pretty close to the sub.
Even if the incoming torpedo doesn't give you enough of a fix to hit the sub, your counterfire may prompt the sub to take evasive action and give his position away. An incoming torpedo course is a good place for ASW aircraft to start searching with MAD and sonobuoys, too....
- David Gillett (dgil@ipsaint.ipsa.reuter.com)
QU: ARE MALFUNCTION RATES REALLY SO HIGH ?
ANS: It also seems to me that the malfunction rate is too high, especially for the Soviets. It seemed to me that time compression increased the malfunction rate beyond the linear ratio of time compression.
Apparently, malfunction in the computer game is not related to actual use of the system, nor does it happen to anything but weapons systems.
At the rate illustrated in the game, the US would only have wait a week for all Soviet subs to break everything. Now, I don't bother to turn the malfunction option on.
- Ted Kim (tek@penzance.cs.ucla.edu)
QU: HOW DO YOU WIN AT THE KOLA PENINSULA SCENARIOS IN GIUK ?
ANS: First of all, what version of Harpoon do you play? If it's 1.3x then just refine your tactics. In 1.3, it's very hard to find those darn submarines.
If it's 1.2, there are several suggestions:
1. Go slow, keep them in creeping speed.
2. Change your course if you detect anything, don't try to kill them if they are not the SSBNs. If you do, swamps of ASW aircrafts will be on your head so fast...
3. You can always send out a couple of old subs, like the Sturgeons to get their ASW forces worked up and sneak in when they are attacking those old ones.
4. Change your depth irregularly, be creative about your path, depth, and speed.
5. SAVE EVERY TIME YOU DODGE A TORPEDO OR SEE A TORPEDO OR DETECT
ANYTHING! THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL. - yuqian@bvc.edu (Suicidal Freshman)
QU: HOW DO YOU GET SHIPS AND BASES TO RELOAD THEIR MOUNTS / WHY DO USSR
UNITS USUALLY RELOAD THEIR MOUNTS WHILE NATO SHIPS DON'T ?
ANS: Reloadable launchers is very class dependant. On the NATO side, ASROCs reload if you fire all of them from the oct-launcher, but there are/have been ship classes with ASROC that did not have reloads.
Single cell Harpoon and Tomahawk launchers are not reloadable, although some ships fire Harpoon from the single arm launcher (specifically the Perry class). In this case the number of reloads is dependant upon the weapon mix in the magazine, and usually there are not many Harpoons. The vertical launching systems are a different animal, but the still the number of weapons of each type is determined by the initial loadout. SAM reload immediately after firing. Combined launcher loads immediately after firing. Whereas Kiev's, Kirov's and
Slava's (SS-N-12) all have a magazine.
I think the staff only tell you when SSM mounts are reloading. - merged replies from: o trooker@bombe.nswc.navy.mil (Terry Rooker) o yuqian@bvc.edu (Suicidal Freshman)
ANS: The Harpoon Battlebook has a list of the units that can reload their mounts (p211/2) [Ian]
QU: WHY DOES IT SOMETIMES TAKE SO MANY AIR TO AIR MISSILES TO SHOOT DOWN
PLANES AND CRUISE MISSILES (HARPOON/TOMAHAWK) ?
ANS: On the radar guided air-to-air missiles side, it has been noted that there have been so few air-to-air combat situations in real life, no one knows what a realistic kill ratio is ! Harpoon can only estimate.
Infra-red missiles (eg Sidewinders) have a much better record. [Ian]
ANS: I've noticed that MiG-29s are particularly hard to shoot down -- presumably this is supposed to reflect an unusually high level of ECM.
(Radar-guided Sparrows seem to be far more susceptible to this effect than heat-seeking Sidewinders are, which makes some sense.)
- David Gillett (dgil@ipsaint.ipsa.reuter.com)
ANS: There are quite a few factors that come into play here. The more complicated ones include such variables as the target AC's DATA, ECM and manoeuvring capabilities, the type of missile being fired. Also, does it have ECCM and/ or dogfight capability. All of these combined will usually make the hit probability lower against high performance
AC's.
The best ways I've found to increase the hit probability are to launch from the 3 to 9 o'clock position of the target AC. His radar can't see you or the missiles there in most cases. Going to low or vlow and turning off your radar works well when your at close range using heat seekers. If you're approaching from the front get him to turn off his radars prior to firing.
- Chuck J. Rouhier (rouhier@wpdis03.wpafb.af.mil)
QU: WHY DOES THE USSR SIDE NEED FEWER ANTI-SHIP MISSILES TO KILL A SHIP
COMPARED TO NATO ?
ANS: That's because Harpoons/Tomahawks carry smaller warheads (typically
500 pound) while most Soviet missile (eg Shipwrecks) have 1, 2, or 3 thousand pound warheads. - sscotten@email.bony.com
QU: WHY ARE SAM AREA DEFENSES SO BAD FOR THE HUMAN SIDE ?
ANS: Once missiles are coming, set your defense fire to heavy and 1/2 max range, you will stand a much better chance shooting down double digits incoming missiles. It can be accessed via Alt-F8 (PC version) - yuqian@bvc.edu (Suicidal Freshman)
5.2 SYSTEM SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
*****************************
QU: CAN COMPUTER HARPOON BE PLAYED BY MODEM/NULL MODEM CONNECTION ?
ANS: Harpoon v1.x does not support this. Neither will the first release of
Harpoon II, but I think Three-Sixty plan to include it in the second release after the summer 1994. [Ian]
QU: IS THERE A VERSION OF HARPOON SPECIFICALLY FOR THE 386 ?
ANS: v1.3x has a separate HARPOON.EXE file specifically for the 386
Jump to page:
Sponsors:
Other files from this game:
- Harpoon FAQ by System on 09/03/2006, 09:50