How to prevent AI from entering a trigger zone?

[MTM]

Hello to all. I'm trying to figure out if there's a way to prevent the AI controlled aircraft from entering a certain trigger zone. I'm making a mission where Blue has F-14s on CAP and Red has Flankers on CAP. The Flankers are protected by an SA-10 so I don't want the F-14s to chase them into the SA-10 threat zone, but they always do and they always get shot down. Is there a way to create a trigger zone that they won't enter? I already tried using an AI Task Push command that told them to go back to Waypoint 1 if they entered a trigger zone, but they ignored it. Other than that, I'm stumped. Any thoughts? 

[dmatsch]

1. add trigger zone on map

2. add triggered event to group "switch waypoint" (or really any other event you want -- RTB, go to tanker, etc)

3. add mission trigger for "if unit/group/part of/etc in zone", then fire group's triggered event

may not be EXACTLY what you want, but it'll get you in the ballpark

[MTM]

Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll give that a try and post the results.

[IanC58]

if you have a BLUE AWACS in the mission that can cause AI to overide specific user Instructions so maybe remove it.

ALSO

Don't have your blue F14s as CAP, just have them as Nothing

Edited July 19, 2023 by IanC58

[MTM]

If the F-14s are set to “Nothing” will they still engage the flankers? I want them to engage, I just don’t want them to come within 40nm of the SA-10. 

[MTM]

Tried these ideas and here’s what happened…

1) Removing the awacs had no effect unfortunately.

2) Changing task to “Nothing” stopped the F-14s from chasing the flankers, but then all they do is fly their route and wait for the Flankers to show up and shoot them down. 

3) I tried to use the triggered actions the way dmatsch suggested, but the only way I can find to switch the waypoint is through AI Task Push, which is what I already had and the command was ignored. 
 

Seems like this would be a good wish list item - a “Break Off Pursuit” triggered action. 

[dmatsch]

did you remove the group's default actions on waypoint 0?  Especially the F14.  CAP, etc...  add that as a triggered start onroute task action.

This is one of the major issues of DCS:  the AI.  You have to basically lua script your entire support flight's actions to get them to do what you want, or most appropriately, what they SHOULD do based on their actions.

[MTM]

That’s a good idea! I’ll give that a try!

[MTM]

I've tried every combination of Tasks, Triggers, Conditions, Triggered Actions, etc. that I can think of and I always get the same results. Either the F-14s chase the Flankers immediately and the SA-10 shoots them down, or they won't engage at all and the Flankers shoot them down.

As far as I can tell, there is no way to get the F-14s to ignore the Flankers if they're in one location, but attack them if they're in another location. They either always ignore or they always attack. 

Maybe it's time I learned lua scripting. 

[SUNTSAG]

There are so many variables attached with such a requirement that it makes it difficult to deliver a complete solution.

Is there an engagement prior to reaching the zone?

 Is the flanker running for the cover of the SAM site?

Should both aircraft re-engage once the flanker has left the protection of the SAM site?

I have a basic solution in the attached example but I have no idea if it meets all your needs. In this example the aircraft will re-engage when the Flanker leaves the protection of the SAM zone.

ENGAGEDISENGAGE.miz

[MTM]

Thanks Sunstag! I’ll check it out as soon as I have a chance. 

[MTM]

Well done Sunstag! Pure GOLD! I opened it in mission editor and went straight to your triggers. They were similar to what I had already been trying so I didn't think it was going to work, but voilà! It works! I'll have to go through everything you did to see what I had wrong, but very exciting to see it can be done! And to dmatsch and IanC58, I think I must not have fully understood your advice because you were both clearly on the right track. Thanks to all for your help!