"Dock 5 Daggers" - Attack Helicopter / Artillery FO (1-2 Players, 2-4 CO-OP Cockpit)

[cfrag]

"Dock 5 Daggers" - Attack Helicopter / Artillery FO (1-2 Players)

Version:  20221219 (Ka 50 III update)

Download: please click here   

Required Modules: One of Ka-50 (2/3) Black Shark, SA 342 Gazelle, AH-64 Apache, or Mi-24 Hind 
                 Optional: SSB installed for Slot Blocking
                 Optional: Save Mission and continue later (requires de-sanitizing DCS)

Players: 1 - 2  (up to 4 when Co-Op Apache/Hind)

Difficulty: This mission is Easy-Medium in a Ka-50 or Hind; Medium-Hard in a single Gazelle. Try not to grin in COOP Apache

Feedback: Please use this thread to post suggestions, bug sightings etc.

Summary:
This is a multiplayer-capable helicopter assault mission where the players are required to provide forward observation (FO) for an artillery attack to destroy strategic targets.

Duration:
This mission takes about 80 minutes to complete successfully with two players. Mission can be saved and continued later (requires de-sanitize DCS for serving instance). 

Weather:
Broken cover at 2500ft, light winds from the West, winter mid-morning.

How to play:
This mission is the first to integrate my new Artillery FO system, and serves as a test-bed for expanding this technology. Feedback appreciated. Most of the mission plays like an assault mission. There are two targets that you can't destroy on your own and require artillery support - use the provided Artillery FO abilities to neutralize these (and other) targets. You also have access to a make-shift FARP half way through the mission to re-arm and re-fuel. 

Commanding Artillery

• Target Zones
  Artillery target zones are currently pre-determined locations on your map, and they are marked as such (note: an experimental manual in-game target designation feature exists, but this is just for those who know how to unlock it). In order to guide artillery fire on the target zones, your helicopter must be close enough to observe, and have direct line of sight (see below) to the target zone.
   
• Forward Observer Functions
  Artillery FO functions are accessed from the Communication-->Other-->Forward Observer menu. There you are presented with the following options: 
   
• List Artillery Targets
  This presents you with a list of artillery targets and their bearing and range relative to you.
   
• Fire Command on "Observed"
  In order to have artillery fire on your targets, they must be visible to you, and you must be in damage assessment range to accurately guide artillery. In this mission, when you are close enough to a target zone to provide observation, that target's description changes from BRA/range to "Obscured" or "Observing". Obscured means that you have no direct line of sight (LOS) to the target area and must maneuver for a better look. "Observing" means that you have direct LOS to the target area. 
  When you are observing a target zone, it appears in the Artillery Fire Control menu, and you can command artillery to start firing. Note that the shells take some time to arrive on target, and that the accuracy they hit the zone depend on your distance to the target zone (the closer you are, the more accurately the shells will hit the zone). 
  Once fired, artillery requires some 2 - 3 minutes to re-load, and are then ready to fire again. Some target zones are removed automatically when the theater commanders deems enough destruction has been dealt. 

Note that the mission gives you hints when your target status (observing/obscured) changes for targets so you don't have to constantly check your map. 

Additional Features:

Auto Recon
Whenever a player can see enemy ground forces, that is broadcast to all players of the same side, and the locatioon is marked on the F10 map. Note: the mark isn't updated, so the forces may have relocated. The mark disappears from the map 30 minutes after detection, and can be manually erased by any player.

Intelligent Slot Blocking (optional)
This mission supports intelligent slot blocking for better immersion. A makeshift FARP appears after 5-10 minutes that players can use as a spawning point. If you have installed SSB and run the mission as MP (even for single-player), this feature is automatically activated. Only the server/hosting computer needs to install SSB.
If not active, players can spawn from the FARP immediately (read: they'll have a lesser experience but it is still functional).

 

BACKGROUND
A cargo of stolen radioactive material - enough to build a number of "dirty" nuclear bombs - has been traced to this region. Intelligence suspect that almost a month ago, the cargo was transported into this region by train and then stored in a secret bunker that is located under the Marshalling Yard's main building just south of Stantsionnyy. 

Last week, the cargo was loaded into trucks and moved to Grozneft's industrial complex east of Tuapse Harbour, where a contact was able to positively identify it: part of the Cobalt-50 that went missing two years ago in Argentina. Our source was also able to asses it's state: it's sealed into explosive-proof containers for long-range, secure transport. 
This gives us a window of opportunity to act: Disassembled and disguised, we have brought two attack helicopters to Stantsionnyy where they were re-assembled and armed. They are now being prepped for a surprise punitive assault on the marshalling yard and industrial complex that was scheduled for the day after tomorrow.

New developments are forcing our hand: We assumed that the nuclear material was going to be processed on-location in Grozneft. Unexpectedly, this morning it was loaded onto the bulker 'Roseanne' that arrived last night and that is now moored at Dock 5. Intel confirms that the bulker is owned by a Mid-Eastern shell company. This company has strong ties to known terrorist organizations - and who are tolerated by the local political potentates. We suspect that the material has been sold to be used in some imminent terrorist plan.

Consequently we have moved our action date forward to today. Be advised: as a result, the helicopters have only limited fuel and aren't fully armed.
 
Moreover, we have no authority to operate here, and our presence is likely to violate a number of international laws. Nevertheless, this threat can't be ignored and we want to also send a clear message to anyone foolish enough to entertain similar plans. We are now committed to destroy everything that was used to transport the nuclear material, and sink the Roseanne in the harbour. Any call for an investigation will result in the inspectors finding the outlawed material, allowing everyone to save face and return the material to a neutral party for safekeeping, which is acceptable for us.

YOUR OBJECTIVES
You are ordered to destroy everything that was used to support the the terrorists, namely:

• Train marshalling Yard and Bridge (artillery support)
• Supply Trucks
• Roseanne (Bulker) at Dock 5 (artillery support)
• Dock Defenders (artillery support)
• Harbour North SAM (artillery support)

Clandestine convoy "Wineskin" to provide support is currently underway and will set up a make-shift FARP 30 km southwest of here. They should arrive there in 5 to 10 minutes and stage a road-side break-down. In order not to arouse suspicion, they will move on after 60 minutes.

You are to egress west, where a LHA will enter national waters as soon as the Roseanne is sunk. Be sure to neutralize the northern Harbour SAM site before you start your egress. 

All targets are marked on the map. Artillery support is provided for some targets by a warship off the western coast that is moving into place now. Make sure to monitor your FO channel when closing in on artillery targets.

Time is of the essence: Sat imagery shows that Roseanne's boilers are heating up, we expect her to leave the harbour within the next two hours.

Weather is clear, with a broken cloud cover at 2500ft, a light breeze from the West. Winter, so low temperatures.

 

Enjoy,

-ch

Edited December 19, 2022 by cfrag

[sirrah]

Interesting stuff @cfrag

Thanks!

(Will try as soon as life allows me )

[cfrag]

MINOR UPDATE: 1.0.2 (20211118)

Hi all, and thank you for your kind comments and suggestions. I've updated the mission slightly as follows

• Easy Communication enabled (for simplified access to Artillery)
• Added some muddies to keep you entertained
• Makeshift FARP allows access to two airframes per type instead of one (remember to play in MP and use SSB for optimal fun)
• Added Simple Scoring

Enjoy,

-ch

Edited November 18, 2021 by cfrag

[sirrah]

21 hours ago, cfrag said:

MINOR UPDATE: 1.0.2 (20211118)

Hi all, and thank you for your kind comments and suggestions. I've updated the mission slightly as follows

• Easy Communication enabled (for simplified access to Artillery)
• Added some muddies to keep you entertained
• Makeshift FARP allows access to two airframes per type instead of one (remember to play in MP and use SSB for optimal fun)
• Added Simple Scoring

Enjoy,

-ch

 

I just tried your mission (Hind single player) and perhaps I'm doing something wrong here, but I can't seem to rearm/refuel

Tried both the start location as the make shift FARP, but no joy. In my other Hind missions I don't have this issue. Any ideas?

 

EDIT:

Sorry, I just noticed that intended time delay on making the FARP "active"

 

Some kindly meant feedback:

1. I really like the short distance, low level flying, high level action in your mission. As someone who usually doesn't have long DCS playtime, I like getting into action quickly (to be honest, I didn't even have time today to finish the mission, but I'll certainly give it another go next time). So keep popping out those missions @cfrag 
2. Personally I'd prefer flying this mission without the small drum rolls . First time I started the mission, the initial "mission start drum roll" almost gave me a heart attack, because 1) I didn't expect it and 2) it was way too load. (and I'm a drummer myself, so I'm kinda use to loud noises )
3. Although I understand the reason why you set a activation timer on the make shift FARP, it would be nice if the player(s) were able to change their loadout as desired, when starting at the "Start FARP". (I edited the mission and added an invisible FARP landing pad, to give myself this option)

Edited November 19, 2021 by sirrah

[Resection]

This looks really good. Only got as far as destroying the bridge and station so far before I had to go back to real life. It has worked as described for me up to now. Will play more and try and finish it in the next few days and report any issues I come across.

I like the mechanic of acting as a forward observer in this way. We need features like this to give us helicopter users more variation in missions. I look forward to see how you develop and expand this.

Thanks for another fun mission

 

 

[cfrag]

Thank you @sirrah and @Resection for your kind feedback! 

With regards to the drumroll - yes I guess sound fx are somewhat a personal taste thing, as can be attested to by what my godson listens to - which to me sounds like a leaf blower stuck in high gear (I think it's called "kaipop" or similar)   -- short of removing the "Quest snare" sound from the mission file itself, I'm afraid you are stuck with it. Oh - and be warned: there's another (different) fx that plays when you complete the mission. 

The FARP thing is a feature intended for those who have installed SSB - the FARP only activates after a couple of minutes, and before that, you can't start from there. As you noticed, if you don't have SSB installed, or play as local, you can spawn Forward immediately. The unavailability of services to your Helo isn't tied to the FARP, though. To have re-arm/re-fuel services available from the get-go, you can simply remove the 'Late Activation' flag from the "Wineskin" group (or, as you did, supply the structures). The vehicles provide you with those services, and when you remove the 'late' flag, they appear when the mission starts. 

Oh, and the start location doesn't have a FARP for backstory reasons. Perhaps not a good reason, I admit, but a reason nerverless  -- I'll look into it.

Have fun,

-ch

Edited November 19, 2021 by cfrag

[sirrah]

Some additional feedback, now that I completed the mission (heard the other fx ):

• The main target area at/near the harbor could use some heavier AAA
• You might want to add some sort of "report for debriefing" kinda message after landing on the Tarawa
• We need more Syria helo missions! Any plans for a Syria version?

[cfrag]

Thank you for the feedback, @sirrah! I've already added more, and more difficult AAA for the harbour (Zoos and MBT), as the consensus was that Daggers is too easy (at least in a Shark; in a Zelle it's challenging). 

The debrief is a good point, to mark the actual end of the mission. I'll add the code in the next days. 

With regards to Syria - yes, definitely, as Syria is my favorite map. I want to test the artillery script a bit more first, and I've also added my auto recon abilities to the current version, so this mission is load-testing three technologies: slot-blocking, recon, and arty. Once the daggers are sharp, they'll ship out to the Mediterranean , maybe even as another chapter in the "Sea Flea" saga. 

 

[sirrah]

12 hours ago, cfrag said:

Thank you for the feedback, @sirrah! I've already added more, and more difficult AAA for the harbour (Zoos and MBT), as the consensus was that Daggers is too easy (at least in a Shark; in a Zelle it's challenging). 

The debrief is a good point, to mark the actual end of the mission. I'll add the code in the next days. 

With regards to Syria - yes, definitely, as Syria is my favorite map. I want to test the artillery script a bit more first, and I've also added my auto recon abilities to the current version, so this mission is load-testing three technologies: slot-blocking, recon, and arty. Once the daggers are sharp, they'll ship out to the Mediterranean , maybe even as another chapter in the "Sea Flea" saga. 

 

Ah wait, yes you are right. I flew in the Hind, which made the mission not to difficult. In the Huey it'll probably be impossible as of now, let alone if you add AAA.

Perhaps you could make the mission adept itself to which helo type(s) is/are active.

Like: Hind in zone - activate harbor Shilka's

[cfrag]

Minor Update: 1.0.3 - 20211126

Version 1.0.3 adds the following

• Auto Recon: enemy groups are reported on the Map automatically for all players
• Start position allows refuel/rearm
• Added more threats
• Landing on the Tarawa now feels much more appropriately 

Enjoy,

-ch

[cfrag]

Minor Update: 1.0.4 - 20211129

Version 1.0.4 Changes:

• Removed a small bug in the Recon script when removing dead groups from the F10 Map

Enjoy,

-ch

[cfrag]

Update 1.0.5 - 20220319

The "I was made for Hellfiring you" update:

Have fun.

 

[cfrag]

Update 1.2 - 20220801

This update brings the ability to save the mission's progress and continue at a later point in time. Requires that the serving DCS instance be de-sanitized.

Edited August 2, 2022 by cfrag

[Phoonzang]

This was a very enjoyable mission, nice job!

We did have one problem though:  the trainyard didn't trigger as destroyed no matter how much artillery we dropped on it.

[cfrag]

8 hours ago, Phoonzang said:

trainyard didn't trigger as destroyed

Thank you for the heads-up -- I've just checked, and yes, a recent release changed the objectID of the train yard. I'll release an update ASAP

Edited October 20, 2022 by cfrag

[cfrag]

Minor Update: 20221020

Version Changes:

• Destruction of Train Marshalling Yard now registers correctly

Enjoy,

-ch

[cfrag]

Update 20221219

Changes:

• Added Ka-50 III

Enjioy,

-ch

 

Edited December 19, 2022 by cfrag

[Retnek]

Very nice mission - a pop-up window during loading, phase "Export Start", mission still is doing fine after that.

Hope it helps & thx

[cfrag]

5 hours ago, Retnek said:

a pop-up window during loading, phase "Export Start"

Thank you for the heads-up. This was caused by some (too) lazy checks on start-up for the persistence part (where you can save the mission and continue later, that only works when you allow DCS missions to write to file) - and is now fixed and uploaded.

Cheers,

-ch