Mission 2 Wingman? Off on a jolly!

[Leg2ion]

Hi. Finally got around to running this campaign. Just flew M2 for the 1st time, and was heading for WP3 to meet up with the convoy. Happily cruising along at 1500 feet, investigating some external views and admiring a 2 ship in all its glory with the scenery/clouds etc. Every so often jumped back into the seat to ensure was still on track. Hopped back out - no wingman? F2'd and found him down in the weeds heading to 'somewhere'...no radio option to rejoin.

Any clues?

Side note anecdote...in M1, when receiving the message to check/use F10 to swap image and also check co-ords for the TIC, I hit F10 map - wondering why I was checking a map (to see my cab head off the screen at speed) to call radios etc. Complete mindfart! 

[Florence201]

On 2/14/2025 at 8:28 PM, Leg2ion said:

Hi. Finally got around to running this campaign. Just flew M2 for the 1st time, and was heading for WP3 to meet up with the convoy. Happily cruising along at 1500 feet, investigating some external views and admiring a 2 ship in all its glory with the scenery/clouds etc. Every so often jumped back into the seat to ensure was still on track. Hopped back out - no wingman? F2'd and found him down in the weeds heading to 'somewhere'...no radio option to rejoin.

Any clues?

Side note anecdote...in M1, when receiving the message to check/use F10 to swap image and also check co-ords for the TIC, I hit F10 map - wondering why I was checking a map (to see my cab head off the screen at speed) to call radios etc. Complete mindfart! 

Thank you for your feedback. I have noticed this happen before and have tried to add follow commands to negate the AI just wandering off. I'll add a few more to this mission.

 

And yes, the F10 in M1  and throughout is for the radio menu hahah

[Florence201]

@Leg2ion

It you experience it again (please ensure you have no unofficial mods installed), please save off and post here, a trk file from the flight. That'll help me troubleshoot and possible pass on to ED

[Leg2ion]

7 hours ago, Florence201 said:

@Leg2ion

It you experience it again (please ensure you have no unofficial mods installed), please save off and post here, a trk file from the flight. That'll help me troubleshoot and possible pass on to ED

Will do, hopefully time/work permitting will give it a go this week some time and provide some feedback. 

[Leg2ion]

Hi @Florence201. OK - so mixed results - got a track for the first one - which didn't show any real issues apart from during contact. Typing on a laptop whilst I can remember things so will upload the track later.

First time around - flying along nicely together with wingman towards WP2 and 3 - got the radio message for Foghorn to tune the radio to the ground units. No wingman. Put mine into stable flight and went looking. Seemed my wingman had put himself into an orbit whilst tuning the radio, then was back on his merry way. I then did the same for a couple of laps of a field and he rejoined. We both then went into an orbit above the ground units, then headed onto WP4 and 5. Once we had contact - hit space, then directed wingman to engage. He took this as a direct order to seemingly head the other way - unless I am just being impatient and he was moving out to stand off out of harms way - then engage. Once I neutralised the targets (sounds impressive but forgive me - still learning and took an age) he came hotfooting back to rejoin.  I then binned the mission as just wanted to try to capture the issue - which I don't think I did. Track attached.

2nd time - had a bit of a 'ropey' takeoff so we didn't depart together. Wingman spent ages catching up, and rejoined a minute or so before being instructed to tune the radios. Looked around - gone. F10'd (the map!) and this time found him heading off at about 30^o towards what looked to be WP4 or 5. Once I reached the ground troops went into an orbit, and he hung a left and started heading back. Unfortunately my tail took a direct hit as I approached WP5 and game over. Unfortunately this is the one I backed out of too quick so didn't get a track.

Next time will try to replicate the 2nd flight - though one thing and whether of any bearing is when he veered off course I was quite a way from the flight path line on the TSD.

Edit - tried to replicate the issue and no joy -wingman played properly - apart from the veering off when Foggy gets a message to tune the radios, and when instructed to engage. 

M2.trk

Edited February 18 by Leg2ion

[Florence201]

11 hours ago, Leg2ion said:

Hi @Florence201. OK - so mixed results - got a track for the first one - which didn't show any real issues apart from during contact. Typing on a laptop whilst I can remember things so will upload the track later.

First time around - flying along nicely together with wingman towards WP2 and 3 - got the radio message for Foghorn to tune the radio to the ground units. No wingman. Put mine into stable flight and went looking. Seemed my wingman had put himself into an orbit whilst tuning the radio, then was back on his merry way. I then did the same for a couple of laps of a field and he rejoined. We both then went into an orbit above the ground units, then headed onto WP4 and 5. Once we had contact - hit space, then directed wingman to engage. He took this as a direct order to seemingly head the other way - unless I am just being impatient and he was moving out to stand off out of harms way - then engage. Once I neutralised the targets (sounds impressive but forgive me - still learning and took an age) he came hotfooting back to rejoin.  I then binned the mission as just wanted to try to capture the issue - which I don't think I did. Track attached.

2nd time - had a bit of a 'ropey' takeoff so we didn't depart together. Wingman spent ages catching up, and rejoined a minute or so before being instructed to tune the radios. Looked around - gone. F10'd (the map!) and this time found him heading off at about 30^o towards what looked to be WP4 or 5. Once I reached the ground troops went into an orbit, and he hung a left and started heading back. Unfortunately my tail took a direct hit as I approached WP5 and game over. Unfortunately this is the one I backed out of too quick so didn't get a track.

Next time will try to replicate the 2nd flight - though one thing and whether of any bearing is when he veered off course I was quite a way from the flight path line on the TSD.

Edit - tried to replicate the issue and no joy -wingman played properly - apart from the veering off when Foggy gets a message to tune the radios, and when instructed to engage. 

M2.trk 28.59 MB · 0 downloads

Thanks for this. I'll take a look at your track and check triggers for the radio tune portion. This may or may not be an issue with the campaign, but in fact be, a larger DCS issue that will need something like you have passed here, reporting in the AH-64 section of the forum. Let me check and get back to you before you report to ED.

Be aware that AH-64 AI wingmen will go out to 3-4 miles from a tgt to start their attacks. This is a hard coded DCS thing, that i have no control over. I have added something if he goes too far out upon being ordered to attack through the radio-F10 menu and it seems that didn't fire. So Belly was probably just repositioning for the attack.

 

As far as the "ropey" take off portion. Belly won't "life" until you are approximately 10 feet off the ground. Once he's airborne, again, despite me settings FOLLOW commands as soon as he lifts, if the player isn't correctly airborne and moving, the DCS coding take over and the AI can go off on their own route (not the one i have set).

[Leg2ion]

14 hours ago, Florence201 said:

Thanks for this. I'll take a look at your track and check triggers for the radio tune portion. This may or may not be an issue with the campaign, but in fact be, a larger DCS issue that will need something like you have passed here, reporting in the AH-64 section of the forum. Let me check and get back to you before you report to ED.

Be aware that AH-64 AI wingmen will go out to 3-4 miles from a tgt to start their attacks. This is a hard coded DCS thing, that i have no control over. I have added something if he goes too far out upon being ordered to attack through the radio-F10 menu and it seems that didn't fire. So Belly was probably just repositioning for the attack.

 

As far as the "ropey" take off portion. Belly won't "life" until you are approximately 10 feet off the ground. Once he's airborne, again, despite me settings FOLLOW commands as soon as he lifts, if the player isn't correctly airborne and moving, the DCS coding take over and the AI can go off on their own route (not the one i have set).

@Florence201 Cheers for the response. My ropey take off, basically I managed about a 20 foot transition to the left - though not sure at what altitude though was higher than the sangers at one point, did a 180 and set down again - badly. I will try a few more attempts (and try to recreate my premature landing!) as really want to get it to show the reported issues to give you something better to work with. 

Wingmen distance - that would make sense and possibly what I am seeing, but again will try to capture a bit more.

Edit. So managed to replicate said ropey landing, wingman nearly took out the barricade as he put down as well, then once I was airborne he headed off in a different direction - but this time didn't keep going - and did turn and rejoin eventually. Track attached.

M2_2.trk

Edited February 19 by Leg2ion
More info.

[Florence201]

14 hours ago, Leg2ion said:

@Florence201 Cheers for the response. My ropey take off, basically I managed about a 20 foot transition to the left - though not sure at what altitude though was higher than the sangers at one point, did a 180 and set down again - badly. I will try a few more attempts (and try to recreate my premature landing!) as really want to get it to show the reported issues to give you something better to work with. 

Wingmen distance - that would make sense and possibly what I am seeing, but again will try to capture a bit more.

Edit. So managed to replicate said ropey landing, wingman nearly took out the barricade as he put down as well, then once I was airborne he headed off in a different direction - but this time didn't keep going - and did turn and rejoin eventually. Track attached.

M2_2.trk 25.69 MB · 0 downloads

Thanks buddy.

[Leg2ion]

Hi @Florence201. Can safely say I have not managed to recreate this at all now - so must've been something I was doing (or not doing!). 

A couple of further issues though. I cannot for the life of me get past M2, and the trigger for the message to go provide top cover to the broken down vehicles seems way off?

M2 not finishing properly is a known about issue I believe after looking at other posts - is there anywhere in particular I need to flag it with ED?

Triggers - I take out the hostiles at WP4 and WP5 with accompanying confirmation that the threats have been neutralised, then head off to follow the flight plan and scout ahead. I think I may be going too fast, or should be orbiting back between waypoints and Warlord to stay local, as I have had the request to provide top cover either at the same time as I was getting directions back to the FOB, or on the way back into the FOB, or as of today after I had landed and there was much talk of a well earned beer!  

One final question - but does Ugly 5-2 actually land after the mission, as he seemed intent on scaring the c**p out of the folks in the FOB buildings by repeatedly 'near missing' them? At one point he was over the LZ, I had a quick flick through available unit views, and he was off meandering around the copse opposite the FOB again.

[Florence201]

You should stay with WARLORD until cleared of by them. At this point, RTBV using the flight plan route, whereupon AWACs chat should start. Not revealing anymore than that hahaha

 

It's not that M2 can't be finished, it was that there was issues with the campaign picking up the fact that it was complete and to move onto the next mission.

 

But as for 5-2 landing, yes he should. If you have a trk file i can take a look and see what is happening. He should land from where he took off from. This may be a new DCS core bug.

[Leg2ion]

14 hours ago, Florence201 said:

It's not that M2 can't be finished, it was that there was issues with the campaign picking up the fact that it was complete and to move onto the next mission.

Ah - apologies - my bad wording! I have completed M2, but it won't roll onto M3 - so the issue with the campaign not picking up the completion appears to be back?

14 hours ago, Florence201 said:

If you have a trk file

Unfortunately flew a training mission without saving it - but will give it another go and spend more loiter time with Warlord - see if that triggers anything. If not will attach it.

 

Edited March 31 by Leg2ion