Thread: Harrier Guide

Using The Harrier AV-8B (GBU-12)

Using the Harrier AV-8B (GBU-12) to help your team is a simple task. I'm sure every one of you could do it immediately, but why jump on it now when you can read my guide complete with pictures! In this guide you will learn how to utilize this powerful asset to aid your team effectively.
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The Why

No one likes dying.

I'm sure we've all been in some unfortunate situations. You and a friend are walking over a hill to reach your next destination, but when you peek over the hill you finally get a good look at your target. Sitting right on top of your target are 20 infantry of all sorts with 2 T-72s, a BRDM and a BMP-2. Yes, this would be an 'Oh S***' moment. At this point you have 2 options. By instinct you go with the obvious approach. You pull out your launcher to smoke the BRDM as your pal tries to shoot off as many infantry as he can. Sadly, this always ends the same way. Those aimbotting AI enemies just look at you and pick you off in a couple of seconds. You can try as many times as you want but all you're accomplishing is a nice suicide. What you should have done is stay hidden in the hills. You could have pulled out your laser designator and pointed it at the center of the troops. Within a few minutes, a harrier could have come around and blown your enemies to dust. You'd be left alive with an unguarded target.

That's why we use this Harrier. The Harrier is useful in scenarios where the ground troops are outnumbered by enemy forces or when you want an enemy base taken out without having to charge it by land. It can just as easily destroy buildings as well as it can destroy squads of infantry or armor. This is no specialized unit, it takes out everything. Furthermore, a Harrier can fly high and fast and still hit its target for maximum destruction. These Harriers fly outside of a Shilka's or Stinger's range.
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The How

To successfully utilize the Harrier, 2 people are required.

You need a pilot with a Harrier:
[img width=750 height=562]http://www.texasteamplayers.com/gallery/3783_25_07_08_10_47_11.png[/img]

As well as a spotter on the ground with a laser designator:
[img width=750 height=562]http://www.texasteamplayers.com/gallery/3783_25_07_08_10_47_49.png[/img]
These 2 units work together in tandem to accomplishing an awesome feat of destruction.

The role of the pilot is to keep his Harrier in the sky and ready for an air strike. He is the person that makes sure the plane is fueled and supplied. He also moves the plane into position as well as unload the explosives.

Even though the pilot delivers the 'boom', he is still worthless without the spotter. The spotter is the one on the ground finding targets. He guides the bombs towards they're objectives and makes sure they destroy something useful. Harrier pilots are blind to any ground activity and spotters are their eyes.
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The Spotter

I will begin with the spotter. The spotter should try and stay far away and hidden from the enemy units. This unit needs to stay alive long enough to keep the target lit up.

As the spotter, look around until you see your targets as well as a safe place to hide. In this picture, I have stumbled across 3 armored units in the distance.
[img width=750 height=562]http://www.texasteamplayers.com/gallery/3783_25_07_08_10_48_33.png[/img]

When you see your targets, pull out the laser designator.
[img width=750 height=562]http://www.texasteamplayers.com/gallery/3783_25_07_08_10_48_58.png[/img]

The designator is just like a binocular; you can see farther.
[img width=750 height=562]http://www.texasteamplayers.com/gallery/3783_25_07_08_10_49_26.png[/img]

When the enemy is in your sights, activate the laser with a left click or 'firing' your weapon. This should place a white diamond in the center of your screen. If you're aiming correctly, then a little red dot will appear on the enemy unit.
[img width=750 height=562]http://www.texasteamplayers.com/gallery/3783_25_07_08_10_49_55.png[/img]
[img width=750 height=562]http://www.texasteamplayers.com/gallery/3783_25_07_08_10_50_15.png[/img]

If the pilot in the Harrier is a human player, then call out that you have a target and give its general location to the pilot using VoIP or text. Otherwise, you only need to keep the laser on target. The harrier will do the rest. Sit back and enjoy the fireworks.

[img width=750 height=562]http://www.texasteamplayers.com/gallery/3783_25_07_08_10_50_42.png[/img]
[img width=750 height=562]http://www.texasteamplayers.com/gallery/3783_25_07_08_10_50_57.png[/img]
[img width=750 height=562]http://www.texasteamplayers.com/gallery/3783_25_07_08_10_51_17.png[/img]
[img width=750 height=562]http://www.texasteamplayers.com/gallery/3783_25_07_08_10_51_37.png[/img]
[img width=750 height=562]http://www.texasteamplayers.com/gallery/3783_25_07_08_10_52_07.png[/img]
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The Pilot

Now for the pilot. Get yourself a Harrier loaded with GBU-12s into the sky and fly around until someone tells you they have a target. As you can see, you are usually flying too high and too fast to see most ground units effectively on your own.
[img width=750 height=562]http://www.texasteamplayers.com/gallery/3783_25_07_08_10_52_30.png[/img]

When another player tells you the location of a target, begin flying towards it while pressing 'tab' to select it. The target will show up as 'Laser Target' and tell you how far away it is.
[img width=750 height=562]http://www.texasteamplayers.com/gallery/3783_25_07_08_10_52_53.png[/img]

You can release the 500 pound bombs at any height, just don't get too close. If you fly below an altitude of around 250, then you risk enemies shooting you down as well as getting hurt in the blast of your own bombs.

These bombs can fly quite a distance to reach their targets, however you shouldn't push the limits. Since you are flying above the enemy's range, there is absolutely no reason to release the bombs too early. You only have 6 and don't want to waste them, otherwise you'll have to land back at base too often. Harriers are useless on the ground and it can take quite a while to land and take-off again.

Once you are lined up and within range, then bombs-away.
[img width=750 height=562]http://www.texasteamplayers.com/gallery/3783_25_07_08_10_53_22.png[/img]

Even as a pilot you can still enjoy the carnage you create.
[img width=750 height=562]http://www.texasteamplayers.com/gallery/3783_25_07_08_10_53_45.png[/img]
[img width=750 height=562]http://www.texasteamplayers.com/gallery/3783_25_07_08_10_54_09.png[/img]

Nice job Blah.

And you're converting this to an article, right? I will see the submitted article soon, yea?

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