=Sarc=

The purpose of this document is to demonstrate some techniques that will help identify enemies and extend techniques discussed in the cover and concealment document. It is a difficult skill to master and it can always be improved, especially in the lush environment of Joint Operations. This document is extensive yet does not cover all that is needed to spot targets. What will be given is the skill to carefully observe an area for enemy activity. Keep in mind that these screenshots were compressed so a lot of detail was truncated. So, it may be really difficult to spot the example targets. Nevertheless, it can really be like this during a game of JO.

I’ll start off with a difficult target to spot. This might be a typical sniper providing information to his team or a rifleman waiting for reinforcements. The upper-left of the picture shows the enemy’s view. A casual glance to the hillside indicates nothing is there. A careful scan would still yield nothing. It’s not often enemies hide like this or maybe it happens all the time and we just don’t notice. The key lesson is that the enemy is not seen because the enemy is not doing anything. Don’t fret, if I scan with my sniper rifle, I can spot the enemy.



This would take a very careful scan with the sniper rifle to spot the enemy. The idea is to look for irregularities in the terrain. Look closely and you’ll be able to see the outline of the enemy. There’s a sudden break in the grass pattern and a solid colour appears in place of the body. This is what you’ll be looking for the majority of the time.



This is the worst of all the examples. The enemy has hidden in the grass with good visibility of his target. He’s also in the shadow of a tree, which will help mask parts of his uniform that stick out. If you’re wondering, the character’s skin is the regular jungle uniform. It isn’t anything special like the sniper’s ghillie suit. So, don’t be afraid to use whatever skin you prefer. A ghillie suit is not required to get the best concealment.

The next target should be a little easier to spot. The only difference from the previous target is this one is in the light. It’s hard to find a good spot in the shade and most of the time enemies are forced to hide in bad places. Still, this one has done quite well. From his perspective, he can see the base and where I am stationed.



Let’s confirm if you’ve spotted the target. Take a look at the picture below. This is the problem of hiding in the light. It’s easy to spot pieces of uniform sticking out of the grass. Some enemies are worse at hiding and this is what betrays their positions. Notice that spotting this enemy isn’t based on finding the body’s silhouette. The contrast in colours is what you’re looking for and it’s usually an odd looking black dot.



Let’s take it to the air. Spotting targets from the air is much more difficult. If you’re the pilot, you can’t really take out your binoculars for a closer look. Your advantage is that you can be directly above the target and see more of the uniform. This isn’t a perfect example since the effect is diminished because of compression and the fact that it’s a picture. You’ll have an easier time in game when you circle an area and can see it from different angles. Try and spot the target and remember the tips from the previous two examples.



If you haven’t spotted the target, I’ve circled and enlarged him in the picture below. This is the effect you’ll get when flying around an area and see a target. He sticks out because you quickly get to see him from multiple angles and looking from above minimizes the effectiveness of the grass masking. The key to this example is the angle to the target.



The next example is a tough one if you’re not a sniper. However, if you spot the target, it will be an easy kill. Take a look at the spin map at the bottom right of the picture and you’ll see a green dot. This is where the enemy is located. He’s tough to spot because he’s not doing anything. JO is a fast paced game so players tend to constantly perform actions like running or shooting. Hopefully, you have a well concealed hiding spot yourself. The key to this example is engaging on your terms. Well, it isn’t your terms when you cannot see the target. So you hide and wait for the target to expose his position. You can go ahead and try to spot the target but the compression makes it even worse to spot him.



Now your eyes have popped out looking for targets and you see nothing. Well, let’s fast-forward to the part where the enemy starts shooting. Dead giveaway! You should be able to see the muzzle flash and tracer coming from his weapon in the picture below. Sometimes you have to wait and you’ll get your prize. Notice how effective the technique shown in the cover and concealment document is in when you’re on the other side. The enemy is exposed but is virtually invisible because the uniform blends in so well with the rock.



The next example shows an inexperienced attacker. He’s hiding really well in the hills because he’s lying down. However, the mistake is hiding in the hills. The hills have no cover such as rocks or trees or bushes. You can use the techniques of looking for an odd change in colour or bits of uniform sticking out. However, the compression has made it virtually impossible to find the target. This would be much easier in game. So, let’s assume you’re not a good spotter. Use the technique of the last example and wait for the enemy to make the first move. His first move will be his last mistake.



Eventually, the target will move to get to a better position, to move into the base or for a better view because the grass is in his face. Now, you can clearly see the target as a black silhouette. You wouldn’t even need binoculars to spot this target. It’s often you’ll spot targets like this if you lie down and wait. If you pick a good hill to watch, there’s bound to be an enemy soldier that will walk over the hill and attempt to hide. As long as you have the patience and keep your eyes peeled for anything different, you’ll spot targets.



Hopefully, you’re getting the hang of this now. This last one is so easy that I’ve circled it for you so you don’t waste any time. The mistake of this person is trying to hide at the top of a hill. His silhouette is a dead giveaway. From his position, he might think he’s got a great hiding spot because the grass is in his face. This is not the case because where I took the screenshot I’m far enough that grass at the top of a hill is not drawn. To not show an obvious person hiding in the grass, the game draws the person as green to blend in with the grass. The problem is there is no grass to others so we all see a green lump on a hilltop.



It’s tough to find targets and it’s even tougher to explain how to do it. It requires lots of practice and lots of patience. A good way to practice target spotting is jumping in a Stryker or BTR’s cannon seat while on a populated server. Scan the hillside and the trees for targets. Watch for movement and black dots. It’s difficult because of the screen’s scan lines but you’ll be protected from most infantry and given plenty of time to scan around yourself.

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Mirfee

Another outstanding guide, Sarc. Thanks! I look forward to putting this to good use.

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Opus

Sarc, to borrow one of our teammate's phrases: "go pro!" Great job.

deleyt

Nice articles Sarc.

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=Sarc=

I just wanted to remind everybody about the first example. Since we're all getting better at cover and concealment, we have to keep our eyes peeled for the oddities shown in the first example. I spotted Bear tonight while scanning for targets. He had a great spot with perfect concealment. Not one bit of his uniform was showing. By luck, I noticed an odd pattern in the grass shaped like a person. All I saw was a green shape among the regular grass texture. It was very much like the first example and I managed to eliminate him with my M203.

Keep those eyes peeled!

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Mirfee

The best way I can describe the 'green human shape' is that it looks kinda like the Predator camo/cloak effect.

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GraveD

one question....

what happens with the shadow (first example) if I turn off "Shadows" in the video settings....

will this still be a good location, or am I visible there if my counterpart has shadows off ?!?

.R

=Sarc=

The shadows from trees do not show up when the player has them turned off. However, you can still find good shaded hiding places during the day by keeping the sun at your back on the front side of a slope. The problem is you will see dark areas around clumped trees so you might think it's shady there to all players.

If you hide very well in the grass, you'll still get great concealment. It's just that the shadows help conceal you even more. What can give you away is a patient player that looks for movement, weird green shapes, and bits of uniform. The best is to use bushes as much as possible.

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