Operation "Blue Flag" - 24/7 PvP Campaign - ROUND 4

[Jacks]

Greg, XCom,

 

Could the script be updated so in order to capture a base a force needs to drop a certain number of standard troops onto it? This number could be the number of remaining enemy units plus 1. Therefore a flight of three helos could capture a base under fire with 2 enemy vehicles or bunkers remaining, this would allow more ways to capture bases and would allow groups to take risks instead of the usual keeping a helo in the wings and then systematically destroying everything before signalling it in. Furthermore this feature would make the strike assets be more selective of their targets, leaving the ones less likely to inflict large amounts of damage on the helos to last. I also think this would promote target recce so a force fully knows the strength of the remaining enemy before launching their air assault under fire.

 

On capturing these bases, the remaining enemy units would be deactivated to prevent a firefight between them and newly spawned friendly defences.

 

Or there could be a timer function so the dropped troops need to be in the zone for a certain amount of time meaning they would require CAS until the base is fully captured.

 

Just some ideas.........

[xcom]

Cept me, because i'm thicker!

So Greg.... We kill all units at the airfield, it closes and you cannot takeoff. We kill just the bunkers and it closes and you cannot take off.

 

Whats the objective of the change? Assuming since all the air defence is down for you to work the bunkers there only seems to be a 10 minute exposure difference between closed and fuel closed. I must be missing something. Are they on different repair cycles? What's the objective here? Amplifying A10 use?

 

There are no 2 cycles, what is does is that the repair starts for example on EWR system, randomly it chooses 20 minutes for the repair, after 15 minutes, the fuel tanks at that airbase are destroyed.

What will happen is that the fuel tanks will be rebuilt after 5 minutes as they are pushed forward for the repair, and the EWR system which was supposed to be repaired will generate new random time for it's repair.

 

I know, this contradicts the actual repair time, and in some cases does not look logical.

The idea is to make the fuel tanks a relevant tactical target, but at the same time, not to close the aerodrome operational ability for very long periods of time.

 

This system can be optimized and hopefully we will find the best way to run it, but at the moment this is how the repair worker runs.

 

In this whole test period i`m not make one complete flight to CAP zone. Same is for my squadmates.

 

Freezing, lagg, sim crashes...

 

I don`t know what to say. I know this is DCS problem but...

 

- We join, refuel, taxing...lagg >> colision, damage, deaths, ...

- Let`s join again - REFUEL, taxing, takeoff >> after some time SERVER CRASH

- Ok, we hope and trying... REFUEL, taxing, takeoff >> some of us DCS CRASH

- Ok, we hope and trying, and trying... REFUEL, taxing, takeoff >> some of us DCS crash somewhere in CAP zone and some simple crash because freezing after some time...

...

...

What we doing actualy 1-2h??? REFUELING and rearming all the night

 

My suggestion is FULL FUEL in all airplanes so we can go in CAP before our memory leaked and limit number of client slots to 40-45 or this round will be reserved only for MEGA COMPUTERS. (RedFlag is reserved for Nevada owners already...)

 

We really want to fly this campaign but how? :mad:

 

Regards

 

Totally agree that it is frustrating.

But we are in a testing phase, the official round has not started so it can be expected that issues would occur and crashes/downtime from the server is possible.

 

This is why we do testing, we optimize and try to get to the best result for a stable round.

 

Greg, XCom,

 

Could the script be updated so in order to capture a base a force needs to drop a certain number of standard troops onto it? This number could be the number of remaining enemy units plus 1. Therefore a flight of three helos could capture a base under fire with 2 enemy vehicles or bunkers remaining, this would allow more ways to capture bases and would allow groups to take risks instead of the usual keeping a helo in the wings and then systematically destroying everything before signalling it in. Furthermore this feature would make the strike assets be more selective of their targets, leaving the ones less likely to inflict large amounts of damage on the helos to last. I also think this would promote target recce so a force fully knows the strength of the remaining enemy before launching their air assault under fire.

 

On capturing these bases, the remaining enemy units would be deactivated to prevent a firefight between them and newly spawned friendly defences.

 

Or there could be a timer function so the dropped troops need to be in the zone for a certain amount of time meaning they would require CAS until the base is fully captured.

 

Just some ideas.........

 

Thanks, We will look into it and try to toy with the idea.

 

 

 

I think tonight we had a really good stress test with our latest updates.

The server was handling good with 60 players after 2 hours of game play.

There was an issue that we believe caused the server to crash later on which we fixed.

 

Thanks all for your patience, we are doing the best we can to find the issues and squelch them so we have a stable start!

[Darkwolf]

Closing time must be relevant with flight time as well. Closing something 5-10min isn't much, whereas strikers or helos faces 20 to 60min flight time...

[Ashilta]

Greg,

 

I still think there's a problem concerning the time in which things on the airfield repair. We had a situation yesterday where two A10s working very well together were able to clear a FARP in 12 minutes. Unfortunately, our helicopter pilot had managed to flatten his battery and as a result, we couldn't get there within the three minutes required to capture the FARP. Even in the best of circumstances, with a helicopter standing by with rotors turning, ready to move, three minutes is incredibly optimistic.

 

I truly feel that the unit respawn timer needs to be reconsidered. Perhaps, in the interests of balance, the respawn timer could be longer for FARPs than for airfields to 'simulate' units moving to the FARP to support it?

[gregzagk]

Greg,

 

I still think there's a problem concerning the time in which things on the airfield repair. We had a situation yesterday where two A10s working very well together were able to clear a FARP in 12 minutes. Unfortunately, our helicopter pilot had managed to flatten his battery and as a result, we couldn't get there within the three minutes required to capture the FARP. Even in the best of circumstances, with a helicopter standing by with rotors turning, ready to move, three minutes is incredibly optimistic.

 

I truly feel that the unit respawn timer needs to be reconsidered. Perhaps, in the interests of balance, the respawn timer could be longer for FARPs than for airfields to 'simulate' units moving to the FARP to support it?

 

Hey,

 

the repairing time starts when the last unit of each group is destroyed.

In FARPs there is only one group in total. So you have 15-35 minutes (it's random each time) to place troops after you destroy the last unit of the specific group.

 

So the choppers can plan their way along with the attackers. In airbases we have more groups that enter the repair sequense (EWR, SAM, TANKS, BUNKERS, INTERCEPTORS).

 

Again the time of repair starts when the last unit of each group is destroyed.

It can take up to ~2.5 hours to get an airbase completely repaired.

 

Greg

[D4n]

Greg can you pls reply to my last question? (One page back)

[gregzagk]

Greg can you pls reply to my last question? (One page back)

 

Sorry I missed it before.

Unfortunately we woudn't like to have moving ground units again at this point as it definately causes lag.

 

Greg

[D4n]

But I am quite sure the lag is simply caused by the dust from the moving ground vehicles, some graphics effect that is not optimized at all...

[Sierra99]

Hey,

 

the repairing time starts when the last unit of each group is destroyed.

In FARPs there is only one group in total. So you have 15-35 minutes (it's random each time) to place troops after you destroy the last unit of the specific group.

 

So the choppers can plan their way along with the attackers. In airbases we have more groups that enter the repair sequense (EWR, SAM, TANKS, BUNKERS, INTERCEPTORS).

 

Again the time of repair starts when the last unit of each group is destroyed.

It can take up to ~2.5 hours to get an airbase completely repaired.

 

Greg

 

Greg,

 

This is good information! It doesn't completely fix the problem but knowing how long we have helps.

 

Sierra

[Pikey]

Some feedback on the overcast inclement weather with low cloud base in yesterdays session.

 

A-10C's became pointless without using stupid exploits or getting a JTAC somewhere near the enemy thats not inside 2nm or outside 6nm on elevated ground with clear LOS to targets, or reconnaisance and taking down 10fig MGRS and doing pinpoint JDAM.

 

Full night was better as they get NVG's and their sensors work at any altitude.

 

I love variation but the game consisted of helicopters laying as many SA6 in 4 hours as they could and turtling a farp, which whilst was almost comical led to an SU25T vs transport fight and whilst you woudl think, yay power to the choppers they are getting their own back, they now can stalemate chokepoints fairly effortlessly because the 2nm crate range is just requiring no flight time, so any farp or airfield not only has the airdefense you gave it, its got 3-4 SA6 too!

[gregzagk]

Yes the Rain and Overcast versions are still in but have been tweaked in order to be more "operational". They will be available from tonight.

 

We are going to look more on the transport capabilities as this can be also heavy for the server along with the ability to spam systems around.

 

Greg

Edited February 4, 2016 by gregzagk

[Frostie]

EWR systems being one. :)

I think it's getting a bit out of hand is there not a way to limit them?

[0xDEADBEEF]

Regarding the Sa-6 problem (yes I'm guilty of spamming them, it was so much fun!!)

 

I think it is very important to implement some code changes in how crate-transport works. Pickup needs to be reduced to something like 300m from a farp, and drop needs to be made possible at a minimum distance from the farp of 4-5km. Right now, you would just find the 3km line and drop some smoke at the line. Then spawn, pickup drop within less than 200m. While this was indeed great fun doing, it was a little too effortless. I remember when finally enemy airplanes came in, and i got like 10 sams launching around me ...

 

I'll dig into the code tonight, maybe I can fix this for you.

[Ciribob]

Regarding the Sa-6 problem (yes I'm guilty of spamming them, it was so much fun!!)

 

I think it is very important to implement some code changes in how crate-transport works. Pickup needs to be reduced to something like 300m from a farp, and drop needs to be made possible at a minimum distance from the farp of 4-5km. Right now, you would just find the 3km line and drop some smoke at the line. Then spawn, pickup drop within less than 200m. While this was indeed great fun doing, it was a little too effortless. I remember when finally enemy airplanes came in, and i got like 10 sams launching around me ...

 

I'll dig into the code tonight, maybe I can fix this for you.

 

Ah so it was you! :D

 

Fixing this tonight... sorry :)

[Pikey]

There's definitely no guilt in testing that, the great use of choppers needs to be pushed to explore how powerful they might be. As it happens this caused a completely different game, which whilst it was enjoyable, we were pretty stalemated!

Expoits have to come out in testing modes, the max/min ranges will help, in previous BF round stingers were limited to 15km away so its was not a short route to drop them.

 

I believe that because the airfields and FARPS have a very finely tuned air defence in them, that the max range of the SA6 should be the min range of the placement of crates.

 

Regarding the Sa-6 problem (yes I'm guilty of spamming them, it was so much fun!!)

 

I think it is very important to implement some code changes in how crate-transport works. Pickup needs to be reduced to something like 300m from a farp, and drop needs to be made possible at a minimum distance from the farp of 4-5km. Right now, you would just find the 3km line and drop some smoke at the line. Then spawn, pickup drop within less than 200m. While this was indeed great fun doing, it was a little too effortless. I remember when finally enemy airplanes came in, and i got like 10 sams launching around me ...

 

I'll dig into the code tonight, maybe I can fix this for you.

[0xDEADBEEF]

I also think 3 crates per KUB would be appropriate. 1 radar and 2 launches. 1 launcher for rearm is fine, but for setting it up i really think it should be 2 launcher crates ...

[ApoNOOB]

I would also suggest that you don't need different SAM crates, but just the same one multiple times? Was no fan at all of the weather missions, 5m/s wind on the ground is way above my hover skills.

[ViFF]

Small suggestion perhaps to make it more realistic in terms of what a heli can realistically lift: use HAWK battery instead of SA-6 ?

S!

[0xDEADBEEF]

Apo: always hover into the wind. It's the easiest hover you've ever done. Having your tail into the wind is whats causing problems and calls for VRS ;)

[Pikey]

Its realism or fun here, straight tradeoff.

Small suggestion perhaps to make it more realistic in terms of what a heli can realistically lift: use HAWK battery instead of SA-6 ?

S!

[0xDEADBEEF]

btw, i just remembered I was streaming yesterday during the SAM-building madness :D

http://www.twitch.tv/taw_deadbeef/v/40205536

[Darkwolf]

A LITTLE NOTE ABOUT REALISM

 

 

Last campaign saw blue losing 694 planes. That is "SPAMMING". realistically, not even a hundred of planes would be allocated to a georgian sized theater field.

That's a quarter of what NATO deployed in entire gulf war (support asset included), and even more than the iraki forces had.

 

Realistically, for a Georgian size theater, you should have less plane and face more SAM. :P

 

Also, realism allows SA-6 to drive around, and not require heli drop.

 

To avoid SA-6 spawning, we may just need a cool down at spawn crates, like not being able to spawn more than 1 radar/30min. If quantity limitation arises, then I want plane restriction as well :P

 

 

edit :

3 crates / Kub battery may cause trouble as they isn't much heli on FARP. ;)

Edited February 4, 2016 by Darkwolf

[IASGATG]

A LITTLE NOTE ABOUT REALISM

 

 

Last campaign saw blue losing 694 planes. That is "SPAMMING". realistically, not even a hundred of planes would be allocated to a georgian sized theater field.

That's a quarter of what NATO deployed in entire gulf war (support asset included), and even more than the iraki forces had.

 

True fact, the Gulf War was entirely an air war hand had no moving ground forces involved at all.

[Darkwolf]

Thanks for your sarcasm, it justify even more my argument ;)

[Sweep]

A little note on realism: We don't have capabilities or training similar to those in the mentioned conflict.

 

There isn't really a simulation that can pull that off...We can get close, but there are some things missing here and there that'd play into an air war (like jamming, proper AI where we can't control things, AWACS/other ISR assets, etc), IMO.

 

Blue Flag is for FUN! Its open to all sorts of people and sometimes you don't really have coordination or skill on one side or another...Of course your losses will be high! :book: