WARZONES - Ready to use dynamic and persistent mission script

[Pantera93]

WARZONES

Are you searching for a dynamic, persistent, randomized, customizable, simple to install and simple to configure script for your missions? Then D.C.S. "WARZONES" may be what you are looking for!

 

Full documentation: https://github.com/Pantera93/dcs-warzones

Latest release: https://github.com/Pantera93/dcs-warzones/releases/latest

Roadmap: https://github.com/Pantera93/dcs-warzones/issues

 

What is "WARZONES"?

WARZONES is a standalone mission script that works with trigger zones.
The main goal of this script is to provide even the most basic mission designer with the ability to deploy a BLUE player group of choice and have a fully dynamic RED zone with random CAP, moving ground units and SAM Sites in under a couple of minutes.

Starting from here, the mission can be customized further by creating more "warzones" to expand the battlefield or by configuring how these zones will behave in a global manner or individually.

WARZONES is born with persistence in mind. BLUE forces main objective is to deplete RED resources for each zone or to strike vital targets to stop units respawning. The battle progression is automatically saved and restored at each sortie if the DCS "MissionScripting.lua" file is sanitized.

WARZONES is multiplayer compatible, and runs both on dedicated and local servers even if not completely and properly tested.
It focuses on a PvE BLUE Client vs. RED A.I. scenario, even though it can support RED Clients that can play a defense role.

Being standalone, WARZONES doesn't need any additional framework, but it is fully compatible to be used along with others (Mist, Moose, CTLD,...).
It is also compatible with DSMC to achieve random date or weather swapping (just DISABLE the option to keep spawned units on DSMC special page).

How to use "WARZONES"?

Grab the last warzones_x.x.lua release from HERE. It is a single LUA file.

Enter DCS Mission Editor and create a new mission (or open an existing one). BEWARE! WARZONES uses a randomized function to select which country to assign the spawned groups to, based on the pools available for each coalition defined for the mission. Be sure to set for Blue and Red ONLY the countries you actually want to use, the others must go to NEUTRAL.

Create a new TRIGGER ZONE and call it "WAR-WHATEVER_YOU_WANT". The important section is the first 4 characters, "WAR-", what comes after the "-" will be the actual name of the zone in game. Just don't call it "WAR-CONFIG", you'll see later why.

!!!ONLY CIRCULAR ZONES ARE ALLOWED!!!

Increase the zone size to cover the area where you want to operate (RED units will spawn and move inside the zone perimeter).

Add a new TRIGGER ACTION in the editor to go ONCE, when TIME IS MORE than 1 SECOND, and it has to DO SCRIPT FILE warzones_x.x.lua, just like below:

Place your Blue client/player group, even with AI Wingmen (starting from where and as you want), arm it up and play, that's it!

WELCOME TO WARZONES!

What will basic "WARZONES" configuration give me?

The basic WARZONES configuration described above automatically gives you a BLUE (Player) vs. RED (Russian sided units) Cold War simulated scenario.

The script will create the necessary configuration as soon as it starts (When mission TIME IS MORE...). After 10 seconds it will launch the first "Zone check" function and create the first batch of RED units for the zone. This first iteration may cause the only performance issue you should experience, since it will spawn a significant number of units in the mission. From now on:

• 1 CAP Group with 2 units will patrol the area and engage every (visible) BLUE air unit inside the zone. Their skill will be randomly picked for each unit from "Rookie" or "Good". The group will be of Mig-19s, Mig-21s, Mirage F-1s, Mig-23s or Mig-29s in a descending probability from first to last. They will be armed for A-A combat according to their arsenal.

• 2 Ground groups with 4 units each will start to move inside the zone in a patrolling fashion. Units will be a mix of light, medium and heavy armored targets, with the probability of having AAA units for self-defense. "Weaker" and "less capable" (trucks) units have higher probability of spawning.

• 2 SAM Nests will be placed in the zone. There's a remote probability to have a SA2 sam site active, or to have a RED ground EWR Radar that will guide red CAP to intercept you. Otherwise, you will face SA8 or SA9 or similar threats.

• 1 BLUE CAP Group on strike frequency 257.000 MHz with 2 units will be patrolling the zone. It will be a group of F4s or F14s. This group will be INVISIBLE and on WEAPONS HOLD until a unit is killed in the zone, or you issue them with the radio command to engage (See "HOW TO PLAY" section).

• 1 INVISIBLE BLUE MQ-9 reaper drone will automatically lase a ground target on laser frequency 1578.

• Some random black smoke effects will be placed in the area

The red resource count is of 6 cap units and 12 ground units. As you destroy units, these numbers are updated accordingly. When an entire group is destroyed and if red resources are still available, a new one will be automatically spawned each minute. SAM groups will not respawn.

Along with units, you will now have access to a "WARZONES" section in the "F10 Other" radio commands. Inside you will find commands to select the zone of interest, check the economic status of the mission (See "HOW TO PLAY" and "HOW TO CONFIGURE") and call functional supports on the zone selected.

Once every minute you will see an HQ report of the selected zone, indicating RED CAP groups positions relative to your group and map coordinates for the first units of the first spawned ground group.

If you added a BLUE Tanker or AWACS to your mission, should they land, they will automatically be replaced with same call signs, frequency, route and options you defined in the mission editor for them (This is intended for long-running multiplayer missions).

If you have sanitized your DCS MissionScripting.lua, once every minute your progress will be saved in the DCS Saved games folder (On Missions -> WARZONES -> WARZONES.lua file).

How should I play WARZONES?

So... now you have a populated battlefield zone crowded with red forces. Your task is to destroy them!

But what's the point of going out and destroying units (except it's fun)? WARZONES gives you the opportunity to enter a battlefield that you don't know anything or very little of and your main objective is to free that zone of enemy presence. Automatic persistence will allow you to, for example, plan a DEAD strike with your buddy with F-16s on a SAM site on Monday night and then go in for CAS in single player with your A-10 to clean the area two days later.

With persistence enabled, RED CAPs and Ground Units are always random at each sortie, but SAM sites positions and killed units are saved.

Each killed unit will decrease RED resources and give you an amount of money to spend on radio supports for the zone(s). With the basic WARZONES configuration, you will be able to:

• Permanently increase the amount of available BLUE CAP groups in the zone (saved for next sorties)

• Pop smoke on ground units and sam sites

• Let the BLUE CAP Groups go weapons free in the area.

If you placed more than one "WAR-" zone you can select which one your group should have reports of and on which one to call supports. Radio commands and messages are multiplayer-synchronized.

The reaper drone will also help you by constantly lasing one unit at a time on laser code 1578.

Now, let's say you finished liberating a zone, and you just landed for a beer... What to do next? DELETE your persistence file and start over, the experience will always be different, I promise! Or try a new map, change the zone position and dimension, add more "WAR-" zones or do anything you want. Or else... go to the full documentation and see how to fully customize your next experience!

 

Full documentation: https://github.com/Pantera93/dcs-warzones

Latest release: https://github.com/Pantera93/dcs-warzones/releases/latest

Roadmap: https://github.com/Pantera93/dcs-warzones/issues

 

 

Fly safe and happy hunting!

Edited April 8, 2023 by Pantera93

[dark_wood]

Hi, nice concept

Question: what happens if i set a SP mission, one aircraft as "Player" and in first round i die?

Or if i have multiple "Client" planes, i use one and is destroyed?

Thanks

[Pantera93]

1 hour ago, dark_wood said:

Hi, nice concept

Question: what happens if i set a SP mission, one aircraft as "Player" and in first round i die?

Or if i have multiple "Client" planes, i use one and is destroyed?

Thanks

Hi @dark_wood, thank you!

I have to answer both of your questions with "nothing special" .

There is no "client slot blocking" mechanic included in warzones, so following rounds will still allow players to use planes that were shot down before, both for SP and MP (player or client skill).

Also, I didn't want to decrease the economic status when a blue unit was destroyed, even though i thought about.

These concepts are surely something interesting and I will note them down for next releases, both as a new configuration parameter.

Surely, progress made on the battlefield is persistent even beyond "death", so on next sortie you will still have the updated environment (yes, kamikaze runs are supported ). Just wait on spectator for a minute to make sure progress is saved before quitting the mission.

Were you asking for something else in particular?

 

[dark_wood]

Hi @Pantera93, your answers are right on spot, thanks!

I will try your script in this week-end, seems easy to use and configure.

[markom]

Loving the concept. Still haven't played, but I can 100% see how having the economics aspect of the "blue" side lead to folks being just a tad more careful with their aircraft :-). If there's not cash on hand, no airplane

[Pantera93]

@markom thanks, then I will be looking for an elegant solution . I will add a configurable "fee" for BLUE downed jets and maybe also for those that just takeoff, to simulate "maintenance cost". ,Maybe lock downed client slots for some time, I'll think about that.

Should ED release a Warehouse LUA interface for mission scripts it will be perfect for this, and I will be the first one to jump in and use it, but I think it won't be out any time soon... 

[mimamema]

Hi @Pantera93!! , I had a quick look a this and it looks quite good. I will give it a try in the next days. 

 

[dark_wood]

So, i did some mission using Warzones, everything run ok - one question: how you can hide "Zone is still active" message? I have deactivated the other, but i haven't found any setting for this one.

As an improve, (and if is not to har to do, of course), the CAP flights should have the option to take off from ramp/cold - and if this can be set, to scramble when enemy is detected (intercept).

Thanks

[Pantera93]

Hi @dark_wood, glad the experience wasn't a disaster 

I already had on my list a "Deactivate / Activate zone report" function to call with the F10 radio to hide /display the message for the player group. This will help you out, just wait a bit to see it implemented.

I will also add "Ramp" and "Hot" as available "starttype"s (same logic as "Runway"), this shouldn't be too hard.

The "Detect and Intercept" feature sounds really cool! I think I can do it easily as "Player unit is inside zone and intercept" and push it in next releases, maybe building up from there for a "detect" feature.

Thank you again for the precious feedbacks!

[Pantera93]

WARZONES 0.2 IS OUT!

Latest release: https://github.com/Pantera93/dcs-warzones/releases/latest

Full documentation: https://github.com/Pantera93/dcs-warzones

 

Dead blue units (blue cap or clients!) will now decrease global money if the new "blueloss" configuration is set. Default value is "0" (no loss).

CHANGELOG:

• ADDED: BLUELOSS global configuration value with "0" as default
   
• FIXED: MGRS format with lack of leading zeroes
• FIXED: Money gains configurations not working
• FIXED: SAM template names (added "A"s to "SA"s not having it. Old values will still function)
   

Fly safe and happy hunting!

 

[Pantera93]

WARZONES 0.3 IS OUT!

Latest release: https://github.com/Pantera93/dcs-warzones/releases/latest

Full documentation: https://github.com/Pantera93/dcs-warzones

Remove radio status report and start ai units from parking, hot or cold

CHANGELOG:

• ADDED: Radio command to toggle on / off the zone reports (works for group)
• ADDED: "Hot" and "Cold" starttype configurations.

• FIXED: Airbase recognition logic. Some Caucasus airfields were excluded from "nearest airfield" availability. Now they work as expected
• FIXED: RED AWACS now always starts in air to avoid blocking runways
   

Fly safe and happy hunting!

[dark_wood]

Thanks for updates man, i will give it a try this evening

[dark_wood]

Ok, so i have replaced the warzone.lua inside my mission (attached), updated the config zone parameters, start the mission, after 2-3 minutes i get an error, see attached screenshot.

Persistence file was also deleted, so it was a first mission.

Hope will help you debugging

WARZONES.lua

[Pantera93]

WARZONES HOTFIX 0.3a!

Latest release: https://github.com/Pantera93/dcs-warzones/releases/latest

CHANGELOG:

• FIXED: Blueloss calculation error due to refactoring (thanks to @dark_wood)

Fly safe and happy hunting!

[Six Gun]

Not having any luck getting the persistence to work. Sanitized and put the missions folder string into the WAR-CONFIG trigger zone. Not sure where i'm going wrong.

[dark_wood]

1 hour ago, Six Gun said:

Not having any luck getting the persistence to work. Sanitized and put the missions folder string into the WAR-CONFIG trigger zone. Not sure where i'm going wrong.

Have you destroyed anything? I think it won't write the persistence file until you make something to be recorded - @Pantera93 is this correct?

[Pantera93]

Hi @Six Gun!

I'm sorry it didn't work for you on the first try... 

Can you share with me your WAR-CONFIG configuration? Be sure to point to a FILE, NOT a FOLDER, and that the parent folder of said file already exists.

Does it work If you remove the "filename" configuration?

 

@dark_woodno, persistence file is written as soon as the first units spawn and then updated every minute 

[Six Gun]

@Pantera93 It's all good. Thanks for the reply! I'm pretty sure it's an 1D10T problem on my end. Was hoping these files (attached) would help. Not sure which config file you need. I'm still learning how to script and have only gotten as far as some MIST and GCICAP.  I did make a WARZONES.Lua file in the WARZONES folder like in the documentation and had the WAR-CONFIG trigger pointed at it. It's empty though. I tried it with the file and without it being pointed at. Should the Warzones.Lua save file be stored in the missions folder? I haven't tried that yet. I apologize for so many questions. I'm still learning even the terminology for this stuff as well.

If there are ground vehicles outside of the zones. Will they be persistent or just the items in the zones that spawn with Warzones?

Syria Warzone.miz warzones_0.1.lua

[Pantera93]

Hi @Six Gun, I took a look at your mission and, first of all, I have to say I've never seen such a complex scenario, congrats .

This is why, I think, you don't need warzones in your mission... This script is meant to create a random battlefield in a "WAR-"zone of choice with little to no effort, and persistence works only on the units generated by it (the only exception are zone targets).

The mission you sent me is already populated with numerous units and I think it already has a random spawning mechanic... If you need a persistence-only mechanic that works on every unit I think you should take a look at DSMC.

Also, you can only save things from scripting inside your saved games dcs folder, so the "filename" path configuration need to start from there (e.g. if you want to save persistence in "C:\user\you\Saved Games\DCS\Something\warrrr.lua", you need to use "Something\warrrr.lua" as filename).

Hope this helps you out, and I hope you give warzones a chance in the future!   (Maybe when I will implement a every-unit-persistance function in it )

Good luck with your mission! 

[Six Gun]

3 hours ago, Pantera93 said:

This is why, I think, you don't need warzones in your mission... This script is meant to create a random battlefield in a "WAR-"zone of choice with little to no effort, and persistence works only on the units generated by it (the only exception are zone targets).

This is where I slap myself silly. I didn't realize it was only persistent in the zones put down. Which is still badass!

 

Thanks for the help and i'll be making a Warzone mission to try it out over the weekend on it's own. Thank's so much for the replies as well. There is sooo much potential with Warzones and I hope you don't give up on it.

[Pantera93]

WARZONES 0.4 IS OUT!

Latest release: https://github.com/Pantera93/dcs-warzones/releases/latest

Full documentation: https://github.com/Pantera93/dcs-warzones

Roadmap: https://github.com/Pantera93/dcs-warzones/issues

 

RED Cap will now spawn only when needed with intercept mode

CHANGELOG:

• ADDED: Intercept mode for RED Cap
• ADDED: Persistence of groups radio setup. In the next rounds blue client groups will maintain their preferences for displaying radio reports and selected zone.
• ADDED: Vietnam-like template "VNM"

• FIXED: Template configuration logic. Adding different configurations when using templates won't break the other fields
• FIXED: Ground groups units will have their spawning point checked for water/shallow water/runway and placed on the nearest roads instead
• FIXED: Templates

Fly safe and happy hunting!

Edited April 8, 2023 by Pantera93

[dark_wood]

Hi @Pantera93, i did a quick mission with the new release, all good man

If you have Tacview and want to see your script in action, see attached.

For future, you should add as BLUE support SEAD and CAS - if you can/want/have time, of course.

Now i got to go, have to destroy an enemy EWR...

Thanks again for the hard work!

Tacview-20230408-130938-DCS-WARZONES.zip.acmi

[Pantera93]

HI @dark_wood! Thank you and good job with those migs!

Glad everything worked as expected 

I think I will populate the repository Issues to use them as a roadmap, for everyone of you to take a look at the progress of this framework HERE

Fly safe! 

[Pantera93]

WARZONES 0.5 IS OUT!

Latest release: https://github.com/Pantera93/dcs-warzones/releases/latest

Full documentation: https://github.com/Pantera93/dcs-warzones

Roadmap: https://github.com/Pantera93/dcs-warzones/issues

 

BLUE clients now should watch out when doing stunts at low altitude with slot blocking!

At least the new blue CAS and SEAD supports can help you out...

 

CHANGELOG:

• ADDED: Client slot blocking via "slotlock" global configuration
• ADDED: Auto zone-target generation via "autotarget" zone config
• ADDED: Blue CAS and SEAD flights
• ADDED: Ability to set blue as always weapons free with "blueweaponsfree" zone config
   
• FIXED: Zone configuration init for multiple zone battlefields
• FIXED: Sam spawn logic
• FIXED: Templates

Fly safe and happy hunting!

Edited April 12, 2023 by Pantera93

[dark_wood]

Can't wait to test the new version, question, what happens if you change the zone config settings after 2-3 rounds, it will conflict with the persistence file?

Thanks