Infantry Combat (Script request?)

[Wrench]

Hey guys.

I'm wondering if anyone knows how to do the following.

I'd like to have 2 groups on infantry shooting at each other, but can't kill each other, like they're set to invincible. But, I'd like for players to be able to kill them.

The reason for this is, I'd like to have CAS missions where the infantry is involved in combat like you see in the middle east, but the problem is infantry forces usually kill each other in just a few minutes.

 

I think their must be some sort of scripting solution to this, but I don't know LUA scripting very well at all.

 

Let me know what you guys think.

[ESAc_matador]

the easyest way, put the AI OFF at the beggining of the game, and then when you are flying over them put AI ON.One of the main problems is they run out of ammunition easy.

 

also, you can put a group of 3 o 4 infantry units in invencible mode close to another so they can fire each other. Then you put the rest of each coalition little bit in the back with Red status so they wont move. Then you can put when all mortals are dead, the invenciviliy ends.

 

another solution is spawning ground groups with CTLD. THey will spawn in the trigger zones you choose and when you want, and they will go to fight the enemy.

 

I had a mission over there, that there were to trigger zones, at about 2 kms. Then every 5 minutes or so a new infantry groups was spawned, they moved to the enemies´trigger zone. once the one forces where 4 times the other force, the enemies stops spawning groups.

 

The way to achive that was by eliminating the enemy

Edited September 27, 2016 by ESAc_matador

[shagrat]

Another workaround may be to position the groups a bit farther away than the weapons reach, set them "invisible", and add a "fire at point" waypoint action...

Not tested. Just an idea.

[baltic_dragon]

As Shagrat says, I confirm that this works. Some of them will occasionally get killed by the ricochets or stray bullets, but mostly they will stay intact. It is true though they need to be at invisible for it to work, so your wingman will not engage.

 

Another option is to set a building or a vehicle close to their position (an ammo truck would be the most obvious option if you want them to shoot longer) and make it visible. Then with some luck the wingman can attack both the vehicle and get some of the infantry as well.

[Wrench]

Good suggestions all. I particularly like the "fire at point" solution.

[ESAc_matador]

Yep i liked it too

[Wrench]

It seems that infantry won't do fire at point, only vehicles like artillery will. hm...

[gromit190]

I suggest a script that reinforces the combat zone when the infantry is killed. Basically, a script that does the following:

 

If a combat zone has less infantry than some constant (of red or blue), spawn new infantry in a "spawn" zone and make them move to the combat zone.

 

Me and my friend is working on a similar thing, but with vehicles. This way, the combat zone will always be populated with targets for both sides while the AI are fighting each other (or the players): https://github.com/birgersp/dcs-bajas/

 

If you like this idea, OP, I could write the script for you. If you make combat and spawn zones in your mission, I could take care of the code. Just put the zones in your mission like this:

Edited September 29, 2016 by gromit190

[ESAc_matador]

You can use CTLD spawn option for such script, so the infantry moves to engage.

[shagrat]

It seems that infantry won't do fire at point, only vehicles like artillery will. hm...

I'm pretty sure they do. I used it for an attack on a container wall with mixed AK-47 and RPG soldiers.

Maybe the ammunition is already spent, when you arrive? Did you check with F7 view at engagement start?

[Wrench]

Hey grommet, sorry I missed your post. That sounds like a great plan.

The only problem there is if they respawn forever, it makes the mission feel pretty futile.

How'd the script you were working on turn out?

[Pikey]

You mean the script just a few threads down that he started and developed through December and January? https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=179522

 

It's great :)

 

You are best to simulate the extended firefight with some of the techniques discussed in the thread, the issue we all have is that infantry can't really get cover or simulate hunkering down to extend their life time and thus, they die pretty fast. There's a catch 22 here....you want them to fire at each other but not die. This means they need to be in Line of sight and weapons range and there's the issue. There's either respawning, invulnerability or artificially creating fire and tracer via fire at point, I can't think of another way right now that works without some kind of game modification (ie increasing their hitpoints so only something big will take them out).

 

I use respawning as my solution, we have to live within game design else we make things terribly complicated. Perhaps a limited respawning that only adds to a depleted group, but unfortunately that will decrease immersion as you need to respawn the entire group and you will see that close up where units jump. If you can make the combat near an armed house or bunker or some other feature you can respawn a little less obviously with the thought being that the troops are exiting and entering the shelter?

 

Thinking about this more, if there was a way to stop the respawning once you are overhead it does give you some time back, that will have to be outside of AutoGFT I think, but it was on the roadmap at one point. So the process would be to have two groups, with two triggers, when a group is dead to respawn it, until you are within range.

Hey grommet, sorry I missed your post. That sounds like a great plan.

The only problem there is if they respawn forever, it makes the mission feel pretty futile.

How'd the script you were working on turn out?

Edited February 8, 2017 by Pikey
Possible solution?