Shilka placement?

[Tankbuster 1747]

I was just wondering, what criteria people use for placing Shilkas on co-op maps?

I've had a look around the internet, there seems to be no information on the doctrine for placing the real thing, so, what do we do?

I assume just plopping one on a summit makes them too vulnerable to missile attack, but putting them at low altitude in plenty of cover limits their AA role.

So the ideal is (and I'm hypothesising now) 3/4 of the way up a slope, facing the expected approach vector of enemy aircraft; or maybe high up a mountain, but actually in a slight depression or hollow, so it can see plenty of sky but is 'hull down', a bit like you see tanks in ditches with only the turret visible.

Also, I've never seen them move (drive around) in OFP. What's the thinking behind this?

Thanks in advance,

Tanky -Paul-

[DEAD_RABBIT 0]

My opinion:

Well, the purpose of Shilkas is either to kill the enemy aircraft or to scare it away in order to prevent the enemy aircraft of dropping its bombs or firing its missiles. Therefore, constant presence of fire is needed, aka suppressive fire. When I use AA defense effectively, I oftentimes use three Shilkas, put in a spread-out triangle formation, placed pretty much according to your ideal. On flat terrain, I put them near forests. It's not so much that you to go after the kill, you simply want to put the pressure on the enemy.

When an enemy plane/chopper flies over or near proximity, at least one Shilka starts firing, then two as the enemy aircraft approaches and finally when the aircraft is stuck between three Shilka's fire, there is almost no chance of escaping.

And Shilkas don't move when they fire, because that would affect their accuracy.

[Tankbuster 1747]

Yes good point. Use Shilkas in packs. I wonder what the collective noun is for AA. Battery? Or does that denote just one asset?

I wonder if topography plays a part in the considerations for shilka placement? My research continues.

[-Grenadier- 0]

This is from http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/zsu-23-4.htm.

"A platoon of four ZSU-23-4s is assigned, along with four SA-9/GASKIN SAM systems, to the antiaircraft battery of motorized rifle and tank regiments to cover the deadspace of the SA-6/GAINFUL in the division air defense umbrella. Two ZSU-23-4s usually will be in support of each of the two first-echelon battalions, each weapon normally separated by 200 meters, typically traveling 400 meters behind the battalion's leading elements.

The ZSU-23-4 is not amphibious, but has a fording capability of just over one meter. During river assault operations, the ZSU-23-4s would be ferried to the far bank immediately after the leading companies."

Maybe you could check for some SA-9 or SA-6 addons?

[snipman 0]

btw if you want to view the website just take off the . at the end

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/zsu-23-4.htm

[Tankbuster 1747]

That's all very usefull, thanks guys.

Actually, a 6 or a 9 might be good fun and might have a place in the mission I'm laying out now.

[ricoadf 0]

I find the Russian star formation as an extremly effective formation for defending a stationary object/area.

Pics of what I mean:

The Formation in mission editor (the T-80 in the middle is standing in for the object that the AA is defending). As you can see the formation is a star shape, the top shilka (the tip of the star) would be faceing the direction that hostile aircraft are expected to come in from.

The formation in game with the stand in T-80 in the middle.

An internal view from an aproching F-15

An external view from an aproching F-111.

The expected (and usual) result from this formation.

I found out about this formation in Act of War: Direct Action, they claim that its a typical Russian stationary AA defence formation. So I tryed it out with shilkas 1 day and quickly noticed that its reasonably effective

And it doesnt have to be in an open area (I did it so that you can see the whole formation), so its a versitile formation.

[Metal Heart 0]

If the player has hellfires those Shilkas wouldn't live long unless the view distance is low. I think it's better to have them spread out and "hidden" so they have a good chance of surprise. Also, take the drivers out so they seem like passive targets (white boxes on the radar-representing-thingy, a careless pilot might think it's a gas station or something).

[Serclaes 0]

Indeed, to protect against choppers they will need to be hidden. But against planes its better to see as far and as much as possible...

[pazuzu 21]

Quote[/b] ]Also, take the drivers out so they seem like passive targets (white boxes on the radar-representing-thingy, a careless pilot might think it's a gas station or something)

I tried just putting a gunner in a shilka and no driver or commander but it still showed as red on my radar and map.

I don't understand how you can get an enemy vehicle to show as white if there is an enemy inside

[ColonelSandersLite 0]

Where you playing cadet or veteren mode?

I do believe that in veteren, a vehicle only turns red instead of white when it moves or fires.

[pazuzu 21]

Quote[/b] ]Where you playing cadet or veteren mode?

Cadet mode.

I'm also wondering how its supposed to look on a planes or choppers radar? Both in cadet and vetmode.

Thanks.

[Chris Death 0]

@Pazuzu - did you try <table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">this setCaptive true

in Shilka's init field yet?

@Rico - If it's about ofp, then any formation of those 5 Shilka's would have been deadly (not the star-formation only).

~S~ CD

[pazuzu 21]

Quote[/b] ]Pazuzu - did you try this setCaptive true in Shilka's init field yet?

I didn't want them setcaptive true for the whole mission because they are enemy and I don't think it would be very realistic. They appear blue on map which is supposed to be civilian or neutral.

I ended up making a looping script that makes a few of the armor setcaptive true then go back to setcaptive false so it kinda looks like their turning their radar on and off. At least it makes them a bit harder to target.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Rhodite 3]

One thing to remember (as I am sure your aware) is Shilka's do lag the game once they open up on a target.

A battery of Shilka's is effective but consider gameplay as well

[vektorboson 8]

One thing to remember (as I am sure your aware) is Shilka's do lag the game once they open up on a target.

A battery of Shilka's is effective but consider gameplay as well

That's an issue with sound drivers. After I upgraded my sound driver, the firing Shilkas did not create any lag anymore.