Some DC How-tos
Posted: May 16th, 2009, 10:08 pm
Found this info on http://dcfaq.planetbattlefield.gamespy.com/index.html
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I don't like the new Iraqi voices, how can I change it?
In your sound options on page 2, there's a check box for english dialog, check it.
How do I remove the splash screens and intro movie when starting up DC?
Right click your Desert Combat shortcut; click properties. In the 'target' box add this at the end: +restart 1
How do I auto-join a specific server from a shortcut?
Make a shortcut from your battlefield1942.exe on your desktop. Right click, properties. In the 'target box' add this:
"C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\Battlefield 1942\BF1942.exe" +restart 1 +game "mod type" +joinServer "server IP address:14567"
To make a direct link to the EA 117 server, it should look like this: "C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\Battlefield 1942\BF1942.exe" +restart 1 +game DesertCombat +joinServer 8.12.64.130:14567
For Win 64
"C:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\Battlefield 1942\BF1942.exe" +restart 1 +game DesertCombat +joinServer 8.12.64.130:14567
Kit Locations
Click on this link for kit locations for each DC Map - I think many people will find this useful.
** just remember that due to some maps being modded, there might be a few kit locations which were moved **
Below is a Artillery Guide for DC
DC Artillery Guide by Berrern
The artillery is a devastating vehicle, and is definitely one of the most important units in the game when it comes to supportive fire.
A 3-man team consisting of 1 spotter and 2 artillery operators can effectively keep an enemy flag under constant bombardment, making it impossible for enemies to build up any defense, and making it easy for friendly units to capture a base.
They can also keep key road intersections free for enemy vehicles, and can with ease prevent the enemy army from getting a single airplane into the air.
A team using artillery vs a team not using it can be the single difference between victory and defeat.
Because of this; practice a lot with artillery, once you get the hang of it you'll be an invaluable resource to your team.
First of all, you need someone to spot for you. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen often enough on public servers, I've been inside an artillery vehicle for upto 10 minutes without getting any spots :/
Anyway, let's assume someone's spotted a nice target for you, like the enemy runway or a flag. Now there's a lot of things to take into consideration, I'll go through them all.
Choosing your class
This is an important point, and depends very much on the map you're playing, and the tactics you'll be utilizing.
Generally, always try to be a Support soldier, because this way you'll be able to repair your vehicle in case you get attacked.
However, if nobody's spotting for you, you might want to spot yourself. In these cases your personal preference counts, whether you want to be a sniper, assault or spec ops is entirely up to you and your skills.
For example, on Medina Ridge, I often take the MLRS and drive it onto the top of the mountiain located east of flag 3, jump out, spot the flag for myself, jump back in and start firing.
Positioning yourself
In order to be able to give good artillery support fast, you need to know the maps. In order to take out enemy units all across the maps, you should know about any obstacles that might obstruct your shell, like hills, buildings etc.
When you're in the artillery's second position (gunner position), open your map. You should see a yellow 'triangle' where the spotter is. It consists of two straight lines, and the point where these 2 lines meet is where the camera is placed (where the spotter spotted from).
Now, move your artillery so you'll have a clear shot at this target. For example, if you're standing at the foot of a mountaint that's between you and the target, you need to find a better spot to fire from. On some maps this can be very tricky, I often drive my artillery very close to a corner of the map, preferrably in a very high/elevated position. By positioning yourself high like this, there's a good chance that there wont be any obstacles in your line of fire.
If you're in a more or less risky position, turn the front of your artillery towards the direction where the enemy will most likely come from. The frontal armor is the most powerful, so by positioning yourself like this you'll be able to take more hits from an enemy tank, and possibly have time to kill him before he kills you.
Aiming
Definitely the most important, and hardest task when being in an artillery vehicle.
First, get into the gunner position, and try to point your cannon in the general direction of the place you want to fire at. Now, click your Alternative/Secondary Fire button. This calls up the artillery aiming interface.
You should see a crosshair, and the middle of it is where the spotter wants you to shoot. On the outer circle, you can see a tank icon, this is your vehicle. Move the turret right and left until the turret icon points directly towards the centre of the crosshair.
Now, hit Alternate fire again, and adjust your turret up/downwards. Make sure you aim ABOVE any obstacles in your way, otherwise your shell wont reach it's target (doh :p ).
Return to the artillery aiming interface, and fire a shell. You'll see the camera following the shell, and you'll see where it lands.
NOTE: When firing insane distances (like across an entire map), the shell explosion is a bit buggy. The camera will normally follow the shell all the way till it explodes, but in these cases, it explodes a small distance before/after the camera stops. Therefore, pay attention to the explosion, not the end position of the camera!
In most cases your first shot will miss, so it's time to adjust. If you overshot your target, move your aim downwards a bit. If it didn't go far enough, move the turret upwards. Also make the necessary right/left adjustments.
To help you adjust, there are 4 yellow markers on the upper and left lines. The static markers are where you aimed your last shot, the moving markers (they move when you move your mouse), is your new aim. Pay close attention to these markers, they are crucial if you want to be precise.
The '0' mark on the horizontal and vertical indicators means your barrel is level. If you have to aim so far to the right or left that the yellow marker disappears off the screen for the vertical indicator, you should jump into position 1 and turn your artillery to compensate.
Repeat the process over until you hit your target, and when you finally hit, you can just keep firing and firing until you run out of ammo, or your team moves into your target zone.
NOTE: Before EVERY shot, make sure you check the map. Look for friendly units in the target zone - if any teammates are close to the impact area you don't wanna fire at them!
Remember one thing, when the spotter dies, the camera will disappear. It'll also disappear automatically after 120 seconds. If you've adjusted your aim perfectly before the camera disappears (i.e. you are hitting your target), you can just keep firing without the camera, but BE SURE NOT TO MOVE YOUR MOUSE, or you'll f*ck up your aim!
Artillery types
There are currently 4 artillery types available in DC; Howitzer, MLRS, SCUD and mortar.
Howitzer
The most armored artillery unit in the game. This vehicle can operate at all ranges, and is ideal at taking out enemies across an entire map.
In addition to long-range support, it can be used in direct engagement - however this is not recommended until you get comfortable with the direct artillery aim (i.e. without a spotter). Missing your target will most likely mean death, because of your long reload time.
I will not recommend attacking flags alone with this unit though, as both its movement and turret speed are very slow. A rule of thumb; if you are to engage directly with this vehicle, always either stick together with a tank or similar, or hide yourself in a pit/hole in the ground (as in the map DC Battle of Easting).
MLRS
The best unit for constant pounding of enemy positions. This vehicle shoots very rapidly, and can alone cover a large area. The rockets it launches are not as powerful as the Howitzer's, but you can launch several missiles per second.
Its armor is very weak, a single tank shot or 1-2 SMAW/RPG shots will take you out. Because of its weak armor you should definitely stay out of sight when using this vehicle. Beware though, it's range doesn't even come close to the Howitzers.
A very good spot to use this vehice is on Bocage, as opposition. If your team controls the middle flag, park yourself behind the fence (between the building and the fence), as close to the it as possible - facing the coalition base. Switching to the behindview mode (F10 if I remember correctly) here gives you a complete overview over the coalition main base and the flag on the other side of the river. No need for spotters here, with this view you can take out everything that moves on the other side of the river
SCUD
The most powerful artillery unit in the game. The blast radius on this thing is insane, and as opposed to it's real life disadvantages, it's very very accurate in DC.
It's very tricky to aim this thing, because you have to adjust your vertical aim from position 1 (driver seat), and your horizontal aim from position 2 (gunner seat). However, once you are perfectly aimed at an enemy flag/base/airfield/encampment it's time to start wrecking havoc
The SCUD has a rather weak armor and a very long reload time. Because of this, if you take a hit from an enemy vehicle, you should get the hell out of the vehicle. In 99% of these situations, you wont have time to reposition yourself, so you will not be able to attack him.
In addition, the SCUD cannot attack units at close to medium range, unless you are positioned in a downwards facing slope. Therefore, stay out of sight, it's DEFINITELY not an attack vehicle!
Mortar
In DC 0.6 you can't use this mortar like before, i.e. it can't be used for close range engagement. However, if you position yourself in a downwards slope, you are able to shoot at fairly close distances. The mortar is not good for taking out heavily armored vehicles like the M1 or T72, but it's effective against light vehicles and infantry. Be careful though, if the enemy infantry sees you, be sure to hit with your first shell or he will easily put a bullet through your head. When using the mortar you're a sitting duck, so be very careful!
Try to stay out of range with this weapon too, as you are virtually defenseless when operating it.
Other
Ther are also some other artillery units, like stationary coastal cannons and some of the ships. When operating the stationary cannons, use the external views a lot, as you're very vulnerable to incoming enemy units.
When using ships to lay supressive fire, stop the ship first. It's more or less impossible to adjust your artillery aim over great distances if the ship is moving. Always watch out for enemy aircraft and naval vessels, if any of them comes close, try to take them out.
Spotting
- When you spot, try to spot from an elevated position (i.e. point your binoculars downwards). This gives the artillery operator a better chance to see what enemy units are in the target zone, and adjust his aim accordingly.
- If the artillery is located up north, and the target zone is down south, try to spot from the west to east, or opposite. Don't spot from north to south (or opposite). It's much easier to have a camera crossing the line of fire, instead of a camera parallell with it.
- Always spot targets. If you are a soldier class with binoculars (sniper, assault, spec ops) and see an enemy encampment, or simply an enemy unit standing still, spot them immediately. The more spotters, the more artillery = much more fun and varied battle
I think that's about it, good luck
And remember: Practice, practice, practice - and you'll be an artillery champion in no time!
*******************************************************************************************************************************************************
I don't like the new Iraqi voices, how can I change it?
In your sound options on page 2, there's a check box for english dialog, check it.
How do I remove the splash screens and intro movie when starting up DC?
Right click your Desert Combat shortcut; click properties. In the 'target' box add this at the end: +restart 1
How do I auto-join a specific server from a shortcut?
Make a shortcut from your battlefield1942.exe on your desktop. Right click, properties. In the 'target box' add this:
"C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\Battlefield 1942\BF1942.exe" +restart 1 +game "mod type" +joinServer "server IP address:14567"
To make a direct link to the EA 117 server, it should look like this: "C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\Battlefield 1942\BF1942.exe" +restart 1 +game DesertCombat +joinServer 8.12.64.130:14567
For Win 64
"C:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\Battlefield 1942\BF1942.exe" +restart 1 +game DesertCombat +joinServer 8.12.64.130:14567
Kit Locations
Click on this link for kit locations for each DC Map - I think many people will find this useful.
** just remember that due to some maps being modded, there might be a few kit locations which were moved **
Below is a Artillery Guide for DC
DC Artillery Guide by Berrern
The artillery is a devastating vehicle, and is definitely one of the most important units in the game when it comes to supportive fire.
A 3-man team consisting of 1 spotter and 2 artillery operators can effectively keep an enemy flag under constant bombardment, making it impossible for enemies to build up any defense, and making it easy for friendly units to capture a base.
They can also keep key road intersections free for enemy vehicles, and can with ease prevent the enemy army from getting a single airplane into the air.
A team using artillery vs a team not using it can be the single difference between victory and defeat.
Because of this; practice a lot with artillery, once you get the hang of it you'll be an invaluable resource to your team.
First of all, you need someone to spot for you. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen often enough on public servers, I've been inside an artillery vehicle for upto 10 minutes without getting any spots :/
Anyway, let's assume someone's spotted a nice target for you, like the enemy runway or a flag. Now there's a lot of things to take into consideration, I'll go through them all.
Choosing your class
This is an important point, and depends very much on the map you're playing, and the tactics you'll be utilizing.
Generally, always try to be a Support soldier, because this way you'll be able to repair your vehicle in case you get attacked.
However, if nobody's spotting for you, you might want to spot yourself. In these cases your personal preference counts, whether you want to be a sniper, assault or spec ops is entirely up to you and your skills.
For example, on Medina Ridge, I often take the MLRS and drive it onto the top of the mountiain located east of flag 3, jump out, spot the flag for myself, jump back in and start firing.
Positioning yourself
In order to be able to give good artillery support fast, you need to know the maps. In order to take out enemy units all across the maps, you should know about any obstacles that might obstruct your shell, like hills, buildings etc.
When you're in the artillery's second position (gunner position), open your map. You should see a yellow 'triangle' where the spotter is. It consists of two straight lines, and the point where these 2 lines meet is where the camera is placed (where the spotter spotted from).
Now, move your artillery so you'll have a clear shot at this target. For example, if you're standing at the foot of a mountaint that's between you and the target, you need to find a better spot to fire from. On some maps this can be very tricky, I often drive my artillery very close to a corner of the map, preferrably in a very high/elevated position. By positioning yourself high like this, there's a good chance that there wont be any obstacles in your line of fire.
If you're in a more or less risky position, turn the front of your artillery towards the direction where the enemy will most likely come from. The frontal armor is the most powerful, so by positioning yourself like this you'll be able to take more hits from an enemy tank, and possibly have time to kill him before he kills you.
Aiming
Definitely the most important, and hardest task when being in an artillery vehicle.
First, get into the gunner position, and try to point your cannon in the general direction of the place you want to fire at. Now, click your Alternative/Secondary Fire button. This calls up the artillery aiming interface.
You should see a crosshair, and the middle of it is where the spotter wants you to shoot. On the outer circle, you can see a tank icon, this is your vehicle. Move the turret right and left until the turret icon points directly towards the centre of the crosshair.
Now, hit Alternate fire again, and adjust your turret up/downwards. Make sure you aim ABOVE any obstacles in your way, otherwise your shell wont reach it's target (doh :p ).
Return to the artillery aiming interface, and fire a shell. You'll see the camera following the shell, and you'll see where it lands.
NOTE: When firing insane distances (like across an entire map), the shell explosion is a bit buggy. The camera will normally follow the shell all the way till it explodes, but in these cases, it explodes a small distance before/after the camera stops. Therefore, pay attention to the explosion, not the end position of the camera!
In most cases your first shot will miss, so it's time to adjust. If you overshot your target, move your aim downwards a bit. If it didn't go far enough, move the turret upwards. Also make the necessary right/left adjustments.
To help you adjust, there are 4 yellow markers on the upper and left lines. The static markers are where you aimed your last shot, the moving markers (they move when you move your mouse), is your new aim. Pay close attention to these markers, they are crucial if you want to be precise.
The '0' mark on the horizontal and vertical indicators means your barrel is level. If you have to aim so far to the right or left that the yellow marker disappears off the screen for the vertical indicator, you should jump into position 1 and turn your artillery to compensate.
Repeat the process over until you hit your target, and when you finally hit, you can just keep firing and firing until you run out of ammo, or your team moves into your target zone.
NOTE: Before EVERY shot, make sure you check the map. Look for friendly units in the target zone - if any teammates are close to the impact area you don't wanna fire at them!
Remember one thing, when the spotter dies, the camera will disappear. It'll also disappear automatically after 120 seconds. If you've adjusted your aim perfectly before the camera disappears (i.e. you are hitting your target), you can just keep firing without the camera, but BE SURE NOT TO MOVE YOUR MOUSE, or you'll f*ck up your aim!
Artillery types
There are currently 4 artillery types available in DC; Howitzer, MLRS, SCUD and mortar.
Howitzer
The most armored artillery unit in the game. This vehicle can operate at all ranges, and is ideal at taking out enemies across an entire map.
In addition to long-range support, it can be used in direct engagement - however this is not recommended until you get comfortable with the direct artillery aim (i.e. without a spotter). Missing your target will most likely mean death, because of your long reload time.
I will not recommend attacking flags alone with this unit though, as both its movement and turret speed are very slow. A rule of thumb; if you are to engage directly with this vehicle, always either stick together with a tank or similar, or hide yourself in a pit/hole in the ground (as in the map DC Battle of Easting).
MLRS
The best unit for constant pounding of enemy positions. This vehicle shoots very rapidly, and can alone cover a large area. The rockets it launches are not as powerful as the Howitzer's, but you can launch several missiles per second.
Its armor is very weak, a single tank shot or 1-2 SMAW/RPG shots will take you out. Because of its weak armor you should definitely stay out of sight when using this vehicle. Beware though, it's range doesn't even come close to the Howitzers.
A very good spot to use this vehice is on Bocage, as opposition. If your team controls the middle flag, park yourself behind the fence (between the building and the fence), as close to the it as possible - facing the coalition base. Switching to the behindview mode (F10 if I remember correctly) here gives you a complete overview over the coalition main base and the flag on the other side of the river. No need for spotters here, with this view you can take out everything that moves on the other side of the river
SCUD
The most powerful artillery unit in the game. The blast radius on this thing is insane, and as opposed to it's real life disadvantages, it's very very accurate in DC.
It's very tricky to aim this thing, because you have to adjust your vertical aim from position 1 (driver seat), and your horizontal aim from position 2 (gunner seat). However, once you are perfectly aimed at an enemy flag/base/airfield/encampment it's time to start wrecking havoc
The SCUD has a rather weak armor and a very long reload time. Because of this, if you take a hit from an enemy vehicle, you should get the hell out of the vehicle. In 99% of these situations, you wont have time to reposition yourself, so you will not be able to attack him.
In addition, the SCUD cannot attack units at close to medium range, unless you are positioned in a downwards facing slope. Therefore, stay out of sight, it's DEFINITELY not an attack vehicle!
Mortar
In DC 0.6 you can't use this mortar like before, i.e. it can't be used for close range engagement. However, if you position yourself in a downwards slope, you are able to shoot at fairly close distances. The mortar is not good for taking out heavily armored vehicles like the M1 or T72, but it's effective against light vehicles and infantry. Be careful though, if the enemy infantry sees you, be sure to hit with your first shell or he will easily put a bullet through your head. When using the mortar you're a sitting duck, so be very careful!
Try to stay out of range with this weapon too, as you are virtually defenseless when operating it.
Other
Ther are also some other artillery units, like stationary coastal cannons and some of the ships. When operating the stationary cannons, use the external views a lot, as you're very vulnerable to incoming enemy units.
When using ships to lay supressive fire, stop the ship first. It's more or less impossible to adjust your artillery aim over great distances if the ship is moving. Always watch out for enemy aircraft and naval vessels, if any of them comes close, try to take them out.
Spotting
- When you spot, try to spot from an elevated position (i.e. point your binoculars downwards). This gives the artillery operator a better chance to see what enemy units are in the target zone, and adjust his aim accordingly.
- If the artillery is located up north, and the target zone is down south, try to spot from the west to east, or opposite. Don't spot from north to south (or opposite). It's much easier to have a camera crossing the line of fire, instead of a camera parallell with it.
- Always spot targets. If you are a soldier class with binoculars (sniper, assault, spec ops) and see an enemy encampment, or simply an enemy unit standing still, spot them immediately. The more spotters, the more artillery = much more fun and varied battle
I think that's about it, good luck
And remember: Practice, practice, practice - and you'll be an artillery champion in no time!