The A-10 Attack! FAQ
Version 1.0
Compiled by Petteri Sulonen
psulonen@helsinki.fi
http://www.cs.hut.fi/~psu/
Table of Contents
Introduction
Section I: About A-10 Attack!
What is A-10 Attack!?
System requirements
Speed tips
Bugs
Crashes
The amazing self-repairing runways
The bad spelling and grammar
Announced but as yet unimplemented features
Save Mission
Networking
Section II: Playing the game
Taking control of a plane
Waypoints and battle plans
Assigning new waypoints
Changing your mind
Tips about placing waypoints
Managing ordnance
What weapon to use where?
The CCIP
Managing loadouts
Section III: Where to get background info?
Internet resources
Documents
Introduction
This FAQ is meant to help solve some of the problems the beginner Hog
driver is liable to run into. It is a compilation of stuff I've discovered
myself, stuff that's been posted at comp.sys.mac.games.flight-sim, and
stuff from certain WWW sites. Some major sources are Tom Morrison, Scott
Cherkofsky, Tim van der Leeuw, and Art Day. They've provided invaluable
background information on the game, the plane, and many related topics,
and made it available on various WWW sites.
This FAQ will not (at this point, anyway) include any of this rich
background info - if you decide you like A-10 Attack!, it's strongly
suggested that you check it out yourself - there are pointers in Section
III of the FAQ. Instead this is a "bare-bones" FAQ that only includes the
truly most frequently asked questions.
One more thing: this document is anything but definitive. Suggestions,
tips, questions, answers, comments, resources etc. are welcome - mail them
to me (psulonen@helsinki.fi), and I'll include them in the next update to
this FAQ.
This FAQ is freely distributable, but please distribute it only in its
original form.
Oh yeah: All trademarks are property of their respective owners; when they
are used here it is for an editorial purpose and does not constitute an
infringement.
Section I: About A-10 Attack!
What is A-10 Attack!?
A-10 Attack! is a game by Parsoft Publishing International that combines a
combat flight simulator with a tactical game. It features the best flight
modelling currently available on the Macintosh (or, many argue, on any
microcomputer), a wide variety of ordnance, many different kinds of
vehicles, and a "virtual battlefield environment". The latter means that
it is easily expandable with plug-in type modules. Parsoft has announced
its intention to release VBE modules with more missions, more maps, more
aircraft to fly, etc.
System requirements
A-10 Attack! requires System 7.0 or newer, 4 MB of free memory, a 640 x
480 pixel or bigger 256-color (or grayscale) monitor, and a 68030 or
faster. It fully supports larger and multiple monitors. It is partly Power
Macintosh optimized. It performs best on the new PowerPC 604-based
machines and the Quadra 840AV. Performance is acceptable on all Power
Macintoshes, especially after implementing the speed-up tricks described
below.
Speed tips
(These are from Tom Morrison's flight sim page,
http://www.xmission.com/~morrison/MFS/home.html.)
o Move the "PowerPC Only" VBE file into the same level (folder) as the
A-10 Attack! game. (PowerMac only!)
o Re-boot with all inits/cdevs off, except your joystick software and
software required for the game.
o Switch to 256 colors.
o Close all Finder windows (like Launcher, Monitors) and quit all
background applications.
o Trash your A-10 prefs file (don't trash your pilot file if you want
them), re-boot, rebuild desktop and re-enter your serial number.
o Install the native sound manager (or don't use sound manager for sound.)
o Quit the Finder using an AppleScript, a dedicated program such as
NoFinder, or with a system modifcation program that adds a "Quit" to the
Finder's file menu.
An appropriate AppleScript would be:
tell application "Finder"
quit
end tell
Bugs
A-10 Attack! 1.0 is something of a rough diamond. There are many
documented bugs and some rather inexplicable ones. Here are some:
Crashes
Several people have reported crashes especially when switching from
tactical view to simulator view and back and when firing large ripples of
HVR's. There seems to be no easy fix for this. The game is somewhat
sensitive to INIT conflicts and low memory situations, so it is advisable
to give the game as much memory as possible and to play with minimum
extensions.
The amazing self-repairing runways
Runway damage is not handled correctly. Bomb craters in runways disappear
in less than a minute. This is very annoying, as one very nicely modeled
weapon, the Durandal, becomes next to useless. Also, this makes it
impossible to try alternate approaches to certain missions. Parsoft has
promised a fix.
The bad spelling and grammar
The mission briefings are abysmally badly written, with spelling and
grammar errors galore. Obviously this doesn't affect actual flight much,
but it is annoying.
Announced but as yet unimplemented features
Save Mission
The manual (page 3-15) states that the File menu includes commands for
saving and reloading missions. This is not true, more's the pity. The
commands in question are to be implemented in a future update.
Networking
One of the most hyped-about things about A-10 Attack! (before release!)
was networking. This did not make it into version 1.0, but Parsoft has
promised a free update for it.
Section II: Playing the game
Taking control of a plane
To take control of a Hog, you drag a pilot from your pilot roster to it.
The pilot with the red check mark next to it is the one that the Return to
Cockpit command will return to. You can move the check mark by clicking
next to a pilot. You can take command of any plane with a pilot in it by
selecting Take Command from the chit pop-up menu.
Note that taking command of a plane disables the battle AI of the plane -
after that, the autopilot will just fly the plane from waypoint to
waypoint.
Waypoints and battle plans
The most confusing part about A-10 Attack! is the waypoint system. It's
badly documented and the user interface isn't too good either. However,
once you get the hang of it, it isn't so bad. Much of the enjoyment in the
game comes from being able to make your own battle plans and implement
them; therefore it's worth the trouble to figure out the system.
To begin with, in most missions one A-10 has pre-set waypoints. It's
represented by a chit with the waypoint symbol (sort of like crosshairs)
in the corner. Chits that don't have that symbol don't have assigned
waypoints.
There is no way to copy a set of waypoints from one plane to another; you
have to place each waypoint separately.
Assigning new waypoints
1. Select the waypoint tool from the palette.
2. Select the plane you want to give waypoints.
To do this, select New Waypoints from the chit pop-up menu (hold down the
mouse button on the little arrow in the appropriate chit to see the menu).
If the plane already has waypoints, select Way Info.
You'll notice that a waypoint marked IN (initial) will turn red.
3. Add the first waypoint.
Hold down the option key. The cursor will change to a boxed "+". Click
wherever you want to place the waypoint.
4. Add the other waypoints.
Repeat step 3 for all other waypoints.
5. Move the waypoints.
If you like, you can move around the waypoints with the waypoint tool.
6. Add waypoints in the middle.
If you like you can add waypoints in the middle of the path by holding
down the option key and clicking on a line between two waypoints. Useful
for rounding out tight turns.
If you just want to use the waypoints as navigational aids for the plane
you're going to fly, this is enough. However, if you want to "program" the
autopilot of the computer-controlled planes, read on:
7. Assign attributes to waypoints.
Waypoints can be assigned different kinds of attributes, including
targets, airspeed, and altitude. Note that the attributes only take effect
once your plane arrives at the waypoint.
a. Altitude and airspeed
In the waypoint window, click on the line representing a waypoint. To the
left are two fields. Enter the desired airspeed in the Set Vel: field, and
the desired altitude in the Set Alt: field. Check the TFR box if you want
the Hog to use its terrain following radar instead of barometric altitude.
b. Targets
You can set the Hog to search for targets. Select the desired target
type(s) from the pop-up menu labeled Targets:. This will cause the Hog to
start looking for targets at the waypoint in question; i.e., if you put
the waypoint directly on top of a target the plane will be past it before
it sees it. (See below for tips about placing waypoints.)
c. Actions
The Hog knows how to take two actions: Take Off and Land. If you want the
Hog to take off by itself, you must give the first waypoint in the list
the Take Off command (with the check box). If the Hog is on the airfield,
it will take off.
If you put a waypoint lined up with a runway (not on the runway!) and give
it the Land command, the Hog will land.
8. Switch on the TACAN with the On button in the waypoint window.
Off he goes!
Changing your mind
If you want to change the attributes for a waypoint, note that the
commands only take effect if the altered waypoint is after the current
waypoint. To make sure, you should use the Next button to scroll once
through the waypoint list - this updates all the commands.
Tips about placing waypoints
Targets
Do NOT place a waypoint with a Targets: command directly on top (or even
very close to!) a target. Instead, place the waypoints so that the flight
path of the plane goes over the targets, and have the plane look for
targets well in advance. This gives the pilot time to deploy his weapons.
Also, note that hills block line of sight - if you're having your pilot
sneak on a SAM site from behind a hill, he might not see it until it's too
late to shoot it.
Tight turns
If the Hog is damaged or heavily loaded (or if you're assigning waypoints
to C-5's), the poor pilot might fly his plane into the ground when trying
to pull a tight turn close to the ground. Most commonly this happens when
you have the initial waypoint at one end of the runway and waypoint 1
"behind" the plane - the pilot will start a tight turn immediately after
take-off and may crash. To avoid this, either drag the initial waypoint to
the right end of the runway or use more waypoints to round out the curve.
Flying into hills
If a heavily loaded and/or damaged Hog flies low and slow and runs into a
hill, it might not have enough power to clear it, and you might lose a
perfectly good pilot and plane for nothing. Make sure your damaged Hogs
get to limp home safely by giving them enough altitude in the waypoints!
Threats
If enemy chits (especially radar!) appear under your flight paths, take
some action - otherwise your planes are liable to be cut to shreds by
SAMs. Either take out the SAM site or move the waypoints so that the
planes will steer clear of the site.
Landing
It's a good idea to use two waypoints to set up for landing - one placed
some way back from the end of the runway, with the Land command, and
another before it so that the flight path of the plane is parallel to the
runway. Otherwise damaged or heavily laden planes might find the
maneuvering a bit too tough. Besides, it makes lining up easier for you,
the human pilot, as well.
Managing ordnance
There's a bewildering amount of ordnance in A-10 Attack!. This section
includes some tips about managing your inventory.
What weapon to use where?
Read through the manual pages 5-1 to 5-8 to get an idea of what the
different weapons do. Not all of the uses of the weapons are very well
documented, though:
Durandals
As stated in the Bugs section, Durandals are next to useless as the runway
damage is repaired very quickly. They're also a beast to target, as the
CCIP is useless with them because they're not free-fall bombs. A good
technique is to fly over the runway as if you're landing but at a couple
of hundred feet and ripple about 4 - 6 of them with the FAR (Feels About
Right) method. But for the bug, this would really mess up a runway.
Hyper-velocity rockets (HVRs)
HVRs are very useful, as they're so fast they don't need much leading and
they do a lot of damage. A ripple of 6 with an interval of 1 tears up most
everything. They're rather devastating against other aircraft, too.
The AGM-88A HARM
The HARM is useful not only against ground-based radar sources, but also
against radar-emitting aircraft (such as the MiG-29). I don't know if this
would work in real life, though. It carries a much bigger warhead than the
A/A missiles, but it turns slower.
Note that in A-10 Attack! the ground-based radar is fairly smart: it
doesn't just sit there and wait to be hit. Instead, it only switches on
the radar when it is needed - this means that HARMs are often usable only
at close range. HARMs generally hit when fired at 1000 - 4000 feet as soon
as a radar source is detected.
The CCIP
The A-10 CCIP is not as sophisticated as in some newer aircraft.
Furthermore, wind increases the difficulty of bombing, as you might be
flying somewhat diagonally relative to the ground. Practice makes perfect,
though - fly the Air to Ground training mission and practice CCIP bombing.
You should be flying level when the bombs are released. The CCIP
"inaccuracy" is not a bug, though - it's a feature.
Managing loadouts
The variety of ordnance and the large number of hardpoints pose a problem:
in the heat of battle, it can be tough to select the right weapon. Three
solutions have been proposed.
"Cheat."
Hit Command-P to pause the game, then select the ordnance at leisure, then
return to game. Of course, this isn't exactly fair - and probably won't
work with networked games once they become available.
Use Post-Its on the function keys.
Paste a Post-It (or similar) next to each function key, specifying which
weapon is at which hardpoint. Helps a lot!
Standardize your loadouts.
In other words, decide which hardpoints to use for which weapons and
memorize them. The "general-purpose" mix I use has Mavericks at points 3
and 9, Mk 82's at points 4 and 8, HVR pods at 2 and 10 and an ECM pod at
1. For specialized missions use loadouts with fewer different kinds of
weapons - for radar-busting, say, load up with an ECM at pod 1, Mavericks
at 3 and 9, and HARMs in all the other hardpoints. For a carpet-bombing
mission, just load up with free-fall ordnance at every hardpoint. Once you
decide on a "system" to use, you'll find that it's easy to find the right
weapon at the right time.
Ripples
Rippling ordnance is especially useful for two things: free-fall bombs
(carpet bombing) and HVRs. If you're carrying enough bombs for carpet
bombing, you probably won't be carrying HVRs, and vice versa. This means
that you can "pre-set" your ripple to match your mission - for example,
ripple count 6 and interval 1 for HVR's, and ripple count 4 and interval 8
for carpet bombing. Set these before you actually get into battle. When
you're in combat, all you have to do is switch between RMS (single) and
RMRS (ripple). (If you want something in between, use RMP and RMRP instead
of diddling with the actual ripple setting.)
Of course, some sort of programmable weapons system controller (the
Thrustmaster WCS, a game pad or the as yet unreleased CH Products Pro
Throttle) would help a lot here - you could just program one button for
RMS and another for RMRS.
Section III: Where to get background info?
There's a lot of info available about A-10 Attack!, the A-10 plane, the
various weapons and related topics.
Internet resources
o The comp.sys.mac.games.flight-sim newsgroup.
This is where the action (well, discussion of action) is.
o Tom Morrison's flight sim home page:
http://www.xmission.com/~morrison/MFS/home.html
The best archive of Mac flight-sim related stuff.
o Scott Cherkofsky's flight sim home page:
http://www.shirenet.com/~crusader/html/Flight_Simulators.html.
Another archive of stuff related to Mac flight sims. Notably, the Things
to do, Places to see list can be found here.
o Tim van der Leeuw's A-10 Attack! home page:
http://www.cs.vu.nl/~tnleeuw/A10/index.html
o Todd Hartmann's home page:
http://www.metronet.com/~toddh/.
The documents below can be found at these sites.
Documents:
o "A-10 Flying Qualities" by Art Day
A very detailed and enjoyable tour of the A-10 Attack! flight model.
Taught me that "Dutch roll" isn't some kind of pastryŠ
o "A-10 FAQ€Rev 1.1"
This is an FAQ about A-10 the plane, not A-10 the game. It contains lots
of info about the Hog, the Avenger gun, and related topics. Definitely
worth a read!
o "A-10 Attack! demo help" by Michael Hutchens
A how-to guide for the A-10 Attack! demo. A bit dated now that the actual
game is out, but worth a look.