TROOPS IN CONTACT! (V10 released, now on github)

[fargo007]

Mods may wish to move this - it's not being managed as a "mission" anymore but a mission design tool/script.  

 

 

Attack aircraft, CAS, Helicopters....   We always hear that:

"It's about supporting the guys on the ground..."

So in that spirit, I've adapted a "Troops in Contact" scenario I came up with at BSD (I'm a mission/scripting gremlin there) for more general usage. Fixed wing, or Rotary wing, no matter.  

 

This is just hours of fun.

 

You check in on station via F10 menu:

Then decide if you want light or heavy enemy.  Light are APC class, infantry, artillery.  Heavy will see BMP's AAA guns, and hard armor.

Enter into, and remain in a grid area. You'll receive some tasking.  

You can request the friendlies to throw a new smoke, or clean up old sets of friendlies when you are finished.

As you begin your runs, if you are getting good hits on target, the guys on the ground will cheer you on.

The friendlies may take some hits if it takes you a while to get there.....  But they'll just hunker down until you start bringing some hurt.

I tried to make aspects of the mission editable/tunable to suit.  

The concerned zones can be moved, reshaped, or otherwise manipulated as you like. 

 

 

CUSTOMIZATIONS:

*** See the script file. There are a huge number of configurable parameters. ***

Top left of the map are the groups. You can control the makeup of the enemy and friendly groups entirely.

Groups and statics that are to be included must be named according to a convention:

• FRIENDLIES-1, FRIENDLIES-2, etc.
• FRIENDLYSTATIC-1, FRIENDLYSTATIC-2, etc.
• HEAVY-1, HEAVY-2, etc.
• LIGHT-1, LIGHT-2, etc.
• SUPPORT-1, SUPPORT-2, etc.

 Each category must have minimum 1, and that one must be named with the appropriate string, and "-1". There are no upper limits on any category, only a minimum.

 

Instructions, also contained in the briefing inside the mission:

---------------------------------------------------------

TROOPS IN CONTACT! 

BY [BSD] FARGO OF BLACKSHARKDEN,  A.K.A. BSD.

FREE TO RE-USE PUBLICLY WITH @ATTRIBUTION.

PILOT INSTRUCTIONS: 

1 - PLACE YOUR AIRCRAFT CONFIGURED HOW YOU LIKE THEM, WHERE YOU WISH.
2 - USE THE F10-OTHER-TROOPS-IN-CONTACT MENU TO GO ON STATION WITH EITHER LIGHT, OR HEAVY (HARD ARMOR, AAA).
3 - ENTER ONE OF THE CHOSEN GRIDS AND REMAIN IN IT.
4 - YOU WILL GET A CALL FOR SUPPORT WITH RADIO TRAFFIC.
5 - PROSECUTE, AND WHEN READY, REACTIVATE TIC IN THE MENU.

---------------------------------------------------

MISSION DESIGNER INSTRUCTIONS:

** SEE THE SCRIPT!!!  NUMEROUS CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS ARE DESCRIBED THERE TO TUNE TIC EPISODES TO YOUR LIKING. **

1 - IN THE TOP LEFT CORNER OF THE MAP YOU WILL FIND A SPAWN FARM. IF YOU WISH TO MODIFY THE MAKEUP OF THE FRIENDLY OR ENEMY GROUPS, THIS IS WHERE YOU DO IT. 

2 - YOU CAN HAVE AS MANY OR AS FEW GROUPS AS YOU WANT IN EACH CATEGORY, (MINIMUM 1).

GROUPS WITH NAMES  CONTAINING THE STRING "HEAVY-" SPAWN WHEN HEAVY TIC IS ACTIVATED. DON'T USE THIS NAME UNLESS YOU WANT IT TO SPAWN
WITH A TROOPS-IN-CONTACT CALL.

THE SAME APPLIES FOR "LIGHT-" ,  "SUPPORT-", "FRIENDLIES-" AND "FRIENDLYSTATIC-" (THESE MUST BE STATIC OBJECTS, NOT UNITS/GROUPS).

PORTABILITY:

1 - THE TIC AREA (YELLOW)  ZONES CAN BE ANY SIZE, AND MAY BE MOVED ANYWHERE ON THE MAP. YOU MUST MOVE THREE THINGS:
a. THE LARGE SQUARE OR ROUND ZONE. THIS IS THE "PATROL AREA." 
b. THE SMALLER INDIVIDUAL ROUND ZONES WITHIN IT. THESE ARE WHERE THE CONTACTS CAN APPEAR.
c. THE MAP DRAW ARTIFACTS IF DESIRED.

IF YOU WISH TO PORT IT TO A DIFFERENT MISSION, RECREATE ALL THE ZONES, GROUPS, ETC. AND LOAD THE SCRIPT & SOUNDS AS IS DONE HERE. 

Give it a try and let me know if you like it.

 

/Fargo

 

----------------------------------------------------------

 

CHANGELOG:

V5:

• No triggers required. TROOPS IN CONTACT! is now entirely script driven.
• Feature added to have friendlies throw a new smoke.
• Numerous config options available, e.g.
  • show/disable messages, and display time
  • use/disable sounds
  • names of zones
  • onstation_time = how long you might wait to be called by friendlies.
• FLANKING!
• 
  • flanking percentage = the likelihood that a heavy group will separate from their support elements and attempt a flanking maneuver on the friendlies. A 0 means never, 100 is every time.
  • flanking delay = amount of time they will stay in their initial position before attempting their flank.
• offsetX, offsetZ = the distance from the friendlies the enemies will appear.

 

 

 

 

 

Please see the git repository for this project for the latest version including required sound files and an example mission.

 

https://github.com/Fargo007/TROOPS-IN-CONTACT

 

 

 

Edited June 6, 2022 by fargo007
v10 released

[sirrah]

Thanks @fargo007! 

 

Just tried your mission with the Hind and I have some minor feedback for you:

1. It would be nice if you added map markers and a briefing image, to indicate the operations boundaries (I now had to put off my VR headset and browse to this thread, to know where to go)
2. I stumbled upon an issue where there seems something wrong with Petrovic' targeting reticle and his ability to fire AT6 missiles. (or I am missing something, in which case I gladly hear what )

 This is the normal target reticle:

(in this case red, because weapon system hasn't been activated yet)

 

And this is how the reticle looks in your mission:

 

Initially I just ignored this and flew to the target area and started engaging targets. Petro did lock up targets, but I don't get the normal HUD crosshair and Petro won't fire missiles.

Again, perhaps I'm missing something here, but I've never had this issue before on a hot start Hind (also just tested in other missions and there everything worked like normal)

 

 

[fargo007]

You can place and configure aircraft as you wish. That's there in the instructions. I put a few there just for illustration but people will want to configure and arm them their own way.  The one you chose has the info boxes deliberately shut off in the aircraft options tab.  

The areas are clearly marked on the F10 map, e.g.

You could configure waypoints if you chose to in order to maintain distance from center or some other purpose.

 

Have fun with it!

 

/F

 

[sirrah]

9 hours ago, fargo007 said:

You can place and configure aircraft as you wish. That's there in the instructions. I put a few there just for illustration but people will want to configure and arm them their own way.  The one you chose has the info boxes deliberately shut off in the aircraft options tab.  

The areas are clearly marked on the F10 map, e.g.

You could configure waypoints if you chose to in order to maintain distance from center or some other purpose.

 

Have fun with it!

 

/F

 

Strange.. no markings whatsoever on my F10 map when I tried it.

I'll open it in the ME next time and see if that helps

[Arkangel]

This script looks very good.  But to give it more randomness, would it be possible that in the F-10 menu options an option would appear that would digest, for example, JTAC contact and that the script would decide if the enemy is light, heavy or mixed?

[fargo007]

Thank you guys,

Sure, It could very easily be randomized in terms of light/heavy.  

You could also hamhock that in now by mixing the group contents up as you see fit. They're already chosen randomly within their own sets.

I left it as a choice because with a helicopter we go out loaded in a more particular way sometimes, or want a target set that lets us work rockets and guns.

Been considering a possible future update of doing the voice comms as one of the friendlies giving a RW five line.

Edited November 10, 2021 by fargo007

[Arkangel]

This script has a lot of potential, especially when it comes to avoiding missions overloaded with units and it greatly reduces editing time. It would be great if allied units had a voice and were able to work more like a JTAC would.

[fargo007]

That's the limiting factor, because you'd have to have pre-recorded voice for every possible circumstance. They did build some JTAC functionality right into DCS but that would be one hell of a wheel to re-invent. 

Having them rip off a five line and then shut up wouldn't be difficult though.  Anything with a big possibility tree, back and forth interaction (like check in, game plan, etc) and supporting voice would be very hard to do.

[Arkangel]

Ok, I just tried it and I really liked it. Things that I would add and that I don't know if it is too much to ask but I will mention it to you anyway. When I eliminate units I would like at least a text to appear indicating the remaining enemies (BDA). In the mission that I just flew, when I eliminated all the units, I had to look at the F-10 map to find out if indeed there were none left alive. There is a script that allows you to subscribe to a BAI mission and it makes you a report of the units that are and those that are remaining as you eliminate them and also informs you when you eliminate them all, it would be great to have it in your implemented script. It would also be of great help, if they could provide coordinates of the approximate area where the enemy is located. Another thing that I would also like would be the ability to be able to designate enemies by laser and IR pointer for night missions. Well, I've already given you my Santa Claus list :).

[fargo007]

LOL - I'll see what I can do.  The grids are definitely possible, and in our internal version they are already there (displayed in text, not voiced). 

For the BDA, you can set the map how you like and see them. The default I used was fog of war, so if the friendlies see the enemy they'll be there.  

Shouldn't be difficult to schedule a once-execute function to detect the absence of enemy in prox to the friendlies, and have some "thanxbro" voice indicating they're all dead.

Will look into it.

 

ETA:

Definitely gonna happen. Easier than I thought it would be. 

Edited November 10, 2021 by fargo007

[Arkangel]

I have managed to get your script working together with the designation script and the task dispatcher.

 

 

[fargo007]

Nice!  No reason it shouldn't work with any other pieces of functionality. I sort of intended that mission creators could build this in if they wished to.

 

You could also have a drone in the overhead and run the detection off that.

 

Version 2 is coming, and will have the grid refs in the message, and also a spiffy BDA radio transmission when the enemy is all down. 

[Arkangel]

hace 25 minutos, fargo007 dijo:

Version 2 is coming, and will have the grid refs in the message, and also a spiffy BDA radio transmission when the enemy is all down. 

[Draken35]

Sounds like fun... Waiting for 2.0 to jump on it

[fargo007]

Version 2.0 is released with requested features.

Keep the feedback coming.

/F

[Arkangel]

Good job!!!!

[Draken35]

Good Job indeed!

Question for you, how will the friendlies mark their position at night? And, would they use IR to mark the target?

[fargo007]

Thanks,

Not sure, probably IR strobe, glowstick on a string or something like that.  None of which exist in DCS. 

As far as the script goes, they don't know daylight from dark, so they will still pop smoke.  That's still visible though you don't see the color of course.

Even lasing at night isn't an absolute answer because you can't tell which end is which. Flares might be an option.

[Steel Jaw]

Excellent. ..cheers brother 

[Draken35]

38 minutes ago, fargo007 said:

Thanks,

Not sure, probably IR strobe, glowstick on a string or something like that.  None of which exist in DCS. 

As far as the script goes, they don't know daylight from dark, so they will still pop smoke.  That's still visible though you don't see the color of course.

Even lasing at night isn't an absolute answer because you can't tell which end is which. Flares might be an option.

Figure that would be the answer... One day, DCS will model it...I hope.

[Arkangel]

Something that would be good to implement and that I have seen in other scripts such as the shooting range, would be the option of being able to implement a specific radio frequency in each area of responsibility.  Thus the messages would not disturb other flights in the area with other missions.

[fargo007]

The initial radio stuff only goes to helicopters/planes in that specific grid.

[Arkangel]

Ah ok, I did not know.

[sirrah]

Having lotsa fun with this @fargo007! Thanks a lot!

 

I really like that your mission also allows easy editing. For instance, I moved one of the grids (and target locations) to a more mountainous area and everything still works great!

 

Excellent for practicing helo skills

[fargo007]

On 11/13/2021 at 8:47 AM, sirrah said:

Having lotsa fun with this @fargo007! Thanks a lot!

 

I really like that your mission also allows easy editing. For instance, I moved one of the grids (and target locations) to a more mountainous area and everything still works great!

 

Excellent for practicing helo skills

Thank you! Really glad you are enjoying it.

 

My intent was to make this as easily portable as possible from the beginning, so people could shape it according to their own needs, or build it into MP missions for their own squadrons.