The Tactics Series #2; Former tactics instructor talks recon ops for DCS mission building

[@benswanson914]

Appreciate the perspective and insight, and specifically the framing of how to apply real-life thinking to DCS mission design and play. Helps make a static shooting gallery feel more like a dynamic and responsive environment; I find the ground game AI behavior in DCS is the most limiting factor. Please keep these coming!

[@MyFavoriteDisease]

Speaking of AI, have they fixed the ground units' lines of sight yet? Last thing I remember before quitting DCS years ago was that they would immediately see & shoot me through trees.

[@radsy5821]

Thanks Casmo, this is a really useful series for mission builders. Hope it inspires some top class content for the KW.

[@CasmoTV]

Thanks!

[@jasper_colorado]

As a Cav Scout it’s interesting to hear you dumb down recon. And you using ACR which is an animal all it’s own. Light scouts/recon do way more then an ACR does. An in Zone recon, map recon really eliminates much of the zone based off the known/expected treat. But as a light scout the use of you air scouts helps us in a lot of area and zone recons so we can focus on the routes to the objectives and other tasks hand to us. Light scouts will also use sections or squad size teams to be on the ground on foot to speak and peak an objective. Great series that I have watched you do helping people without this experience understand how to get more out of DCS. If You Ain’t Cav, You Ain’t …….

[@Apocalypse31]

Great video. So many good discussion points, and a nice breakdown behind the PURPOSE of reconnaissance. Recon forces don't just go find the enemy for the sake of finding them. There are specific questions that need to be answered that will change how a commander arrays his force for action. Random thoughts: -CCIR (PIR & FFIR) are always closely tied to DECISIONS. -IF (PIR) AND (CCIR) THEN (DECISION POINT) -Recon Tempo is important, but tied to time available (rapid/forceful versus stealthy/deliberate) -Engagement Criteria as defined by the commander (when do we forego stealth for firepower) -Recon Push/Pull (knowing a enemy COA versus attempting to figure it out)

[@nimitzg]

Gee Cosmo your voice has changed that much in the past 3 years? I wondered whether this is you lecturing or some other guy specialized in Recon hosted by you in the channel. Very interesting lecture.thanks

[@TheFri13]

We still have the recon squads, regardless does it belong to mechanized or motorized infantry. Their job is to live in the forest, move behind enemy lines and perform recon. 30 km a day is minimum requirement for the travel capability on foot, they are fully standalone units with light equipment like field radio, FLIR and if required then a laser designator. Those guys literally are ready to jump from the sleep in a tent and be on the go in less than a minute with everything they have. The terrain they cover and travel are anyways too hard for the vehicles. And vehicles do reveal your position and your intentions: If you are interested about some place, then it has value for you and it can be used against you. Closest to their operations in US army are maybe the Green Barets. What here was shown is more about our company (110-260 men) basic doctrine with recon squads, as we have in every platoon a squad capable to perform the recon as required but as they belong to the company, they do not operate as standalone units behind enemy lines. They are more like the US Army Rangers.

[@pitbullvicious2505]

Excellent tutorial again! Not only for DCS, but playing games like Combat Mission, or Armored Brigade. I have one question, though: I guess this is mostly from US point of view? How does the doctrine of different nations come into play with this? I've done my conscript service in the Finnish military where I was in the beginning a recon squad radioman. Mind you that was only for a short time, before I got injured and was transferred to an office job (my glorious military career..), and that was 25 years ago. However, what I remember from that, the focus was a bit different for us, when what we expected to go against was a massively larger force in terms of numbers (I suppose you can guess the rest about that assumed adversary, looking at Finland's geopolitical position :) I'd imagine that while a lot of here applies, a cold war gone hot kind of situation might be somewhat different from most modern day insurgency kind of scenarios. Would be nice if you could bring up some diverse situations as examples in the future also (after all the basic stuff, which I'm sure is still good for a quite a few more episodes).

[@CasmoTV]

When I was teaching this stuff we would occasionally have partner nations attend. Had the recon battalion commander for Norway in my class once. Generally our tactics and partner countries are similar in scope, tho we may use different terms or have varying levels of aggressiveness, capability or desired end states. Coalition ops are difficult because of those differences. Thanks for watching.

[@pitbullvicious2505]

@@CasmoTV Thanks for the reply! Yep, one would expect that lot of the basics apply to any situation (that's why they are the basics :) I'd also assume that a lot of NATO countries would have similar doctrine to begin with. Anyways, if you have anything to say about this in the future, I'd be thrilled :) Keep up the excellent work!

[@Skilly_J]

So for next week's video I'm gonna need a CONOP with all least two alternates prepped, a hefty supply of Green Bean and maybe your thoughts on the Grey Eagles and Shadows that took yer jobs

[@CasmoTV]

Only job shadow took was the enemies as I spend more time looking for lost UAS crashed in the woods then bad guys. Thanks for watching!

[@tmting4942]

Back to the beginning.. Can this OH adjust indirect fire from FA or maybe Mortars with its pod in the DCS environment❔

[@CasmoTV]

A one armed cook with a lisp can call in indirect. It doesn’t require anything special.

[@rmack9226]

What was it I heard the artillery guys wanted the Kiowa to do for them? Spotting targets for them?

[@CasmoTV]

The Kiowa was originally funded by the artillery community as a aerial spotter. It evolved over time to fill some niche roles. Check out the DCS Kiowa interview for the summarized history. Thanks for commenting!

[@mikesolyom6884]

Interesting video. Even if it came from plebe tactics instructor.

[@CasmoTV]

No plebes here lol. Fort Benning school for boys. Thanks for watching.

[@TechGaming45]

A few miles ain't that far. Great vid tho.

[@CasmoTV]

No it’s not that far. But I’m a pilot so anything more than 500ft is way outside my comfort zone for walking. Thanks for watching!