Forrestal Deck Templates

[Nealius]

I've been using RedKite's lua scripting to make deck templates with the Forrestal. Here's my first one, which needs no external mods other than CVW-5 liveries. Old Hornet models to go easy on framerates. AI support briefly tested: They will work with some management, and will ghost through some statics or despawn on the angled deck after trap, but they do work. Sample mission showing triggers for a 1+00 cycle (ish) and the luas for the four deck configurations are in the attached zip.

"CV 62 'Independence' CVW-5"

Recommended Liveries

Old FA-18C model CVW-5 liveries: Download (NOT Lot20 Hornets! Check installation instructions)

E-2D livery pack: Download (I think....I have so many Hawkeye liveries I'm not 100% certain)

S-3 livery pack: Download

F-14A liveries (if you don't want to use default VF-154): Download

Decks

Launch

Spoiler

Client support: 4x Sixpac, 2x Elev1, 2x Elev3 (Total 8 )

AI support: 2x Sixpac, 2x Elev1, 2x Elev3 (Total 6); Use 1 second spawn delay to avoid aft Sixpac spawns

Flex

Spoiler

Client support: 4x Sixpac, 2x Elev2 (Total 6)

AI support: Runway start only; select Cats 1, 3, or 4 (Total 3)

Flex Alternate (for AI)

Spoiler

Client support: 2x Sixpac, 2x Elev1 (Total 4); Use 1 second spawn delay to avoid aft Sixpac spawns

AI support: Same as Client

Recovery

Spoiler

Updated 08NOV

-3 aircraft not spawning in Launch lua FIXED

-1 aircraft not spawning in FlexAI lua FIXED

 

CV-62 Deck Template.zip

Edited November 19, 2021 by Nealius

[Nealius]

CV 59 (CVW 6) Deck Template Released

Files included

-LUA files for three deck states

-Miz templates for Caucasus, Marianas, Persian Gulf, and Syria with triggers set for two 1+00 (esque) cycles:

      +00:00: Launch state (Event 1)

      +00:15: Flex state

      +01:00: Launch state (Event 2)

      +01:15: Recovery state

      +01:30: Flex state

      +02:00: Recovery state

Required mods

VSN A-6A ; VSN EA-6B

Required Liveries

VF-31 by Reflected ; A-6A Skin Pack by Tomcatter87 ; VAQ-132 by Tomcatter87 ; S-3B Skinpack by uscstaylor

Recommended Liveries for AI

VAW-122 by Tomcatter87

Decks

Launch

Spoiler

Flex

Spoiler

Recovery

Spoiler

 

CV 59 PACKAGE.rar

Edited November 20, 2021 by Nealius

[LanceCriminal86]

Tomcatter did a VAW-122 skin for the 88 cruise:

 

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3318646/

[Rudel_chw]

On 11/7/2021 at 6:06 AM, Nealius said:

I've been using RedKite's lua scripting to make deck templates with the Forrestal. Here's my first one, which needs no external mods other than CVW-5 liveries.

 

Hi, thanks a lot for sharing this 

[Nealius]

3 hours ago, LanceCriminal86 said:

Tomcatter did a VAW-122 skin for the 88 cruise:

 

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3318646/

I was tempted to add E-2s for the CVW-6 deck, but the E-2Ds mixed with A-6s just looked sooooooooooooooo wrong to me. 

[Baz000]

IDK why ED decided to model a E-2D instead of the ubiquitous E-2C...

[LanceCriminal86]

Because ED's trying to make a much more modern F/A-18 than the era that the Tomcats fit into, so an E-2D and Supercarrier would fit together more closely with the Hornet than the Tomcat. That's why.

[Nealius]

Our Hornet (2007?) still doesn't jive with the E-2D (2019/2020?) though. I guess one of the modelers thought the props and things looked cooler and they rolled with that instead.

[Baz000]

24 minutes ago, LanceCriminal86 said:

Because ED's trying to make a much more modern F/A-18 than the era that the Tomcats fit into, so an E-2D and Supercarrier would fit together more closely with the Hornet than the Tomcat. That's why.

https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/E-2D

"Initial Operational Capability (IOC): October 2014"

2014!!!

Edited November 20, 2021 by Baz000

[Nealius]

First operational use 2015 on Big Stick, apparently. I must have confused 2019/2020 with the refueling capability they added fairly recently.

[Reccelow]

I've put together some instructions and files to make the USS Ranger a separate selectable carrier in the ME.  If the Ranger re-skin artist can do the others in class, I'll whip those up too.

I've also added a modded Moose file to include the Ranger for AirBoss users (like myself)....

 

Ranger Files and Instructions.zip

Edited November 29, 2021 by Reccelow
added moose

[Rudel_chw]

34 minutes ago, Reccelow said:

I've put together some instructions and files to make the USS Ranger a separate selectable carrier in the ME. 

 

Thanks a lot for sharing this, worked perfectly:

 

[Reccelow]

Forgot to add:

This version has Cat 1 not in use and no 6 pack parking.

 

If you need those, here is the default Forrestal parking and all cats in use.  Copy and put in your new Ranger folder

 

CV-61-RunwaysAndRoutes.lua

[toan]

Hi Naelius, I just discovered your template and use them a lot.  They're absolutely amazing to provide dynamic scenarios on the carriers. Many thanks for your excellent work and sharing it. Fly low....

Edited April 9, 2022 by toan

[toan]

Hi All, I love those static deck templates ! Great job !  However, it seems that the "ClearDeck" lua script, which can be used to clean the carrier deck before activating the various available configurations, erases ALL the static aircraft on ALL the ships included in a mission could this be modified so that only the static aircraft on that specific carrier be erased ? Thanks very much for your help Fly low....

Edited April 10, 2022 by toan

[Nealius]

The clear deck lua should only clear statics that have "delete-" prefix added to their name, if I recall correctly. If you have multiple carriers in the same mission using these luas, you can rename the prefix to differentiate between the ships.

[toan]

Hi Naelius, thanks for your quick answer  The static aircraft in all your lua scripts have names that start with an "X-" prefix, e.g., "X-F14-something". This is OK, but the problem with the "ClearDeck.lua" script is that it scans for static aircraft to delete, using the following statement (line 5) : "if string.match(staticName, "X-*" then  static:destroy()"  . This unfortunately interferes with the lua syntax, for which the "-" sign is reserved  That "-" sign has a specific meaning in the lua syntax for string matching, which makes trouble when used here. The solution is straightforward : replace that line by this one : "if string.match(staticName, "X.*")..." It just replaces the "-" sign after the "X" by a dot, i.e., ".". This solves the problem, and all goes well, then Thanks for your scripts ! Very nice work, indeed Fly low...

Edited April 10, 2022 by toan

[markturner1960]

On 11/19/2021 at 10:30 AM, Nealius said:

CV 59 (CVW 6) Deck Template Released

Files included

-LUA files for three deck states

-Miz templates for Caucasus, Marianas, Persian Gulf, and Syria with triggers set for two 1+00 (esque) cycles:

      +00:00: Launch state (Event 1)

      +00:15: Flex state

      +01:00: Launch state (Event 2)

      +01:15: Recovery state

      +01:30: Flex state

      +02:00: Recovery state

Required mods

VSN A-6A ; VSN EA-6B

Required Liveries

VF-31 by Reflected ; A-6A Skin Pack by Tomcatter87 ; VAQ-132 by Tomcatter87 ; S-3B Skinpack by uscstaylor

Recommended Liveries for AI

VAW-122 by Tomcatter87

Decks

Launch

  Reveal hidden contents

Flex

  Reveal hidden contents

Recovery

  Reveal hidden contents

 

CV 59 PACKAGE.rar 73.84 kB · 90 downloads

 

HI Nealius, firstly thanks for this! Could I ask a favour. Have just a long time downloading all the required mods to go with this and there is a LOT of work involved with installing them all correctly....I hope I have done it right, but there are no instrcutions for many and its very confusing....

An example of my confusion: You list the  S3 skins by USC taylor as required. when the downlaod is unpacked, its clear these are skins for the earlier linked VSN A6A mod, as in the file structure you get, it goes: New S3 Viking skins/mods/aircraft/VSN_A6A/liveries/VSN_A6A/ and then the individual livery folders.   The S3 is a DCS root folder mod, as its skins for teh standard DCS S3 model in the main DCS folder, yes? So why is it installing to a VSN mod A6A which installs to the saved games folder?   I am confused.......

 

Can you also confirm, the VSN mods should be installed as follows: Saved games/ Mods/Aircraft/VSN A-6A (For example) .  So then liveries for this mod should be installed as follows: Saved games/ Mods/Aircraft/VSN A-6A/Liveries/VSN_A6A/and then the individual livery folders. Correct? 

 

Could you post the correct file structure breakdown for the various mods / skins and where they should go? ? it would really help. Thank you so much! 

Edited August 16, 2023 by markturner1960

[Rudel_chw]

On 8/16/2023 at 3:55 AM, markturner1960 said:

Can you also confirm, the VSN mods should be installed as follows: Saved games/ Mods/Aircraft/VSN A-6A (For example) .  So then liveries for this mod should be installed as follows: Saved games/ Mods/Aircraft/VSN A-6A/Liveries/VSN_A6A/and then the individual livery folders. Correct? 

 

For liveries you have two options for where to place them:

1) Place the liveries within the Mod's folder. The path would be /Saved games/DCS or DCS.openbeta/Mods/aircraft/name of the aircraft/liveries/code-name-of-the aircraft/  ... for example:

 

2) Place the liveries at /Saved Games/DCS or DCS.openbeta/Liveries/code-name-of-the-aircraft/  ... like this:

 

 

Option 1 is ideal for the liveries that came included with the aircraft mod. Option 2 is better for additional liveries that don't came with the mod ... this way you dont lose these liveries if you ever update the Mod.

 

Please note that for this captures I used another A-6 Mod, as I don't have the VSN one at the moment, so don't copy/paste folder names, you need to inspect the VSN files to see what is the code-name of the aircraft.

Edited August 17, 2023 by Rudel_chw

[markturner1960]

Thanks will look at that. 

OK, I think I have figured it out... 

 

Edited August 17, 2023 by markturner1960