Tasking targets to AI / broadcast SPI

[coolts]

I am having some trouble understanding the correct employment of my wingman. In the “instant action” easy mission for instance the second target consists of 2 trucks and some infantry. Flying towards them my wingman calls “contact”. This I assume means he has visual.

 

I target the trucks in area mode, set SPI, (make sure “broadcast SPI is set”) and call “engage with”, “utility trucks”, or infantry or whatever, “guns” and “default”...

 

“negative”

 

No matter what I say, I get negative. I’m sure this used to work but I may be missing something.

 

Looking at page 313 of the manual on “tasking targets” this seems to imply that as part of a datalinked team, the AI should be creating TAD objects referencing enemy / friendly positions as they did in BlackShark. It also says that you can task targets to allied aircraft if you, “Set the SPI to the location of the TAD symbol that you wish to assign as the target”. The only way i have come across for creating TAD symbols is when tasked by a JTAC.

 

Can TAD symbols be created in flight?

 

Am I doing something wrong, are these features not implemented or is it a WIP issue?

 

(beta 3 BTW)

Edited November 18, 2010 by coolts

[jazjar]

the only TAD symbol you can create in flight and send to your wingman is the red triangle/attack symbol. I have no clue about the the symbols you are referring to, on the pg. 311. These symbols seem non-existent in the game as of Beta 3, they are either not implemented into the datalink yet, or probably will never be, though it's kind of strange they put it in the manual if it's not there.

[coolts]

So, other than accepting JTAC targets to get the red target triangle, how do i create my own?

 

If we can't then having a wingman say "contact" is not much use as he gives no clue as to the threat location.

 

He might as well say "Ice Cream"

Edited November 18, 2010 by coolts

[jazjar]

just proof that it exists in real life:

http://www.dm.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/062607-F-0602B-001.jpg

[jazjar]

You can't create them, the only thing you can create is the red triangle symbol.

[coolts]

You can't create them, the only thing you can create is the red triangle symbol.

 

How? apart from Jtac reponse

 

just proof that it exists in real life:

http://www.dm.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/062607-F-0602B-001.jpg

 

 

Thats what we need. thats what was in the demo screenshots IIRC

Edited November 18, 2010 by coolts

[JHepburn]

You can't create them, the only thing you can create is the red triangle symbol.

 

Sure you can. In that picture, on the 12 o'clock line is a "wedding cake" with one less layer than than the normal SPI. In this diagram, it is a broadcast SPI from 2 (which you can then hook and make your own SPI if you like). If you broadcast your SPI (DMS left long to turn on, and DMS left long to turn off -- note it's not momentary), then others will see your SPI as indicated in this picture as long as "SPI ON" is indicated in the top right of the TAD.

 

In MP, it's easy to say..."do you see my target...go attack it". In SP, you probably have to assign the target for attack rather than just broadcast SPI prior to issuing the attack order. On this point, I'm not sure since I haven't played with it yet.

[FZG_Kes]

You have several ways to send SPI to another plane :

 

1. With DMS Left Long you can Broadcast your SPI. Check your TAD and on the upper right you'll see SPI OFF which turns green to SPI ON. By doing this, other planes in the same group as yours will see half a wedding cake on their own TAD and a blue line coming from your plane to your SPI. They can hook it, slew the TAD cursor to it and set it as their own SPI.

 

2. This part will create the "red triangle" you are looking for. Hook the plane you want to send your SPI to by slewing the TAD cross to the plane you want and press TMS Up Short. Then you'll see SEND OSB to the right of your TAD. Press it, select your SPI, press SEND OSB again. A "NEW TASKING" will appear to the MFCD of the plane you selected, they will have WILCO (Will Comply) on the left of their TAD or CNTCO (Cannot comply) to the right, by choosing WILCO they'll see the red triangle. Then you can assign your wingman to it with selecting "Engage with" in the radio command.

 

At least this is how I undestood the whole thing and how I use it ingame.

Edited November 18, 2010 by FZG_Kes

[PhoenixBvo]

It seems, what we need is a radio command: "Engage my SPI"... That's much faster than Kes' second method and the first with Broadcast your SPI doesn't work for AI. So another feature wish... Too bad ED as frozen the feature list :(

 

But for those with a programmable HOTAS/Gamekeypad it maybe feasible to program a macro to do the second method automatically?

[coolts]

Cheers guys.

 

I guess the limited SADL implementation will be fine for MP but for SP its really crippled ATM. Having an AI wingman who cant / wont broadcast the SPI targets he sees ("CONTACT"), and wont acknowledge your broadcast SPI and therefore wont attack ("NEGATIVE"), make single player an exercise in frustration ATM.

 

Hopefully its some WIP glitches as ive used attack orders in beta1/2 and they generally worked.

[Garfieldo]

I am positive that the "Engage tanks at my SPI with missiles from the North"-Command has worked for me in the Easy Instant Action Mission using Beta3 (at the "Tanks" Wpt). All I did was broadcast my SPI, give him the command and 30 seconds later he called in 3 tanks destroyed, all done with Mavs.

 

I have not yet had time to reproduce this, will look into it soon.

[jazjar]

How? apart from Jtac reponse

 

 

 

 

Thats what we need. thats what was in the demo screenshots IIRC

what demo screenie are you referring to?

[PhoenixBvo]

I am positive that the "Engage tanks at my SPI with missiles from the North"-Command has worked for me in the Easy Instant Action Mission using Beta3 (at the "Tanks" Wpt). All I did was broadcast my SPI, give him the command and 30 seconds later he called in 3 tanks destroyed, all done with Mavs.

 

I have not yet had time to reproduce this, will look into it soon.

 

Cool, I didn't know the "at my SPI" part... it's not in the manual, is it context sensitive? Only available if you're currently broadcasting? I'd definitely be interested in a track file/video or at least a precise walkthrough for that. Thanks!

[Garfieldo]

Cool, I didn't know the "at my SPI" part... it's not in the manual, is it context sensitive? Only available if you're currently broadcasting? I'd definitely be interested in a track file/video or at least a precise walkthrough for that. Thanks!

 

Its not context sensitive and does not appear in the menu. It's only what the your pilot says (He pronounces it Spee, as in "Speed") when you give the ...

-> "Wingman"

-> "Engage with..."

-> "Armor (or Tanks?)"

-> "Missiles"

-> "North"

...-command.

I wrote the command from memory, so it might be a little different in-game. I'm sure it works with any other target, weapon or direction.

[coolts]

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt. In FC/LOMAC the AI had to have visual to engage otherwise you got "negative".

 

In BS you can send shkval target and get AI to engage

In A-10, even broadcast SPI and "attack from SPI" gets a negative 50% of the time now.

 

Hopefully WIP

[jazjar]

I just use "default" and it always works with me. only time it doesn't work is when I assign a weapon that the wingman doesn't have, then it's "negative". And what "demo screenshots" are you referring to, Coolts? ( it was a couple of posts back )