How do I get MLRS units to fire?

[VFA41_Lion]

Yeah.. question in topic title. I've tried using the fire at point taskings, and I've tried triggered fire at point taskings but these things never seem to fire. Halp? :(

[nomdeplume]

The 'fire at point' command was broken in 1.1.0.8, it should now be fixed again in 1.1.0.9 (though I've yet to try it). Also, it takes several minutes from when the 'fire at point' is triggered until they start actually firing. They should start aiming pretty much straight away.

 

They also have a fairly long minimum range, and won't fire if the target point is too close.

[VFA41_Lion]

Oh. Any guesses as to what the minimum range is?

[VFA41_Lion]

Awright, I got it firing.

 

Too bad my game crashes now whenever they do. :(

[mvsgas]

How many are you trying to get to fire at the same time?

Could you post the logs found here:

C:\Users\username\Saved Games\DCS Warthog\Logs

[VFA41_Lion]

Actually, seemed like it was a one-time thing, as it stopped crashing. o.O

[mvsgas]

Ok

[Ripcord]

Mine seem to fire without the fire at target command - in fact just letting them do their thing on their own seems to work better. I notice that they will often stop while on the move, driving along a road or moving through a field, and suddenly open up a barrage of hurt on some enemy unit, waaaaaay across the valley. Then they kinda just pack it up and get back on the move again. Maybe they launch again later, maybe they don't. Haven't been able to determine that just yet. But when they do get in that optimum range of a target, they will stop and fire. Same with the Russian Grad trucks.

[Druid_]

yep AI have bionic vision & sixth sense. Really need dumbing down or better still made more realistic.

[Speed]

Mine seem to fire without the fire at target command - in fact just letting them do their thing on their own seems to work better. I notice that they will often stop while on the move, driving along a road or moving through a field, and suddenly open up a barrage of hurt on some enemy unit, waaaaaay across the valley. Then they kinda just pack it up and get back on the move again. Maybe they launch again later, maybe they don't. Haven't been able to determine that just yet. But when they do get in that optimum range of a target, they will stop and fire. Same with the Russian Grad trucks.

 

Units have a detection range at which they tend to very rapidly or instantly detect anything that is line of sight and within that range (ED has got some pretty darned efficient line of sight code if you think about it). When a MLRS detects something within this range, it goes into a direct-fire mode and OBLITERATES it! It's quite awesome to watch. I've seen four Smerches spot 10 M1s, go into direct fire, and obliterate the poor tanks before the tanks could even get a shot off. It's great! :D

 

However, Ripcord, this is not how MLRS units are supposed to be used- they aren't supposed to be close enough to front lines to go into a direct fire mode. The Smerch, for example, has something like an 80km range, and I believe that the Grad has something like a 16-18km range. I think the M270 has something like a 40km range, but I forget exactly. Try using "fire at point" tasks for them.

 

However, last I checked, there was still the long-standing "fire at point" inaccuracy bug. Artillery and MLRS will consistently miss in certain directions. The amount they miss by is consistent enough that it appears to be some mis-calculation somewhere deep in ED's code.

 

So anyway, be prepared to have to adjust the fire at point task till it hits the spot you want it too. For example, at long range, Smerches overshoot by about 1km.

 

 

yep AI have bionic vision & sixth sense. Really need dumbing down or better still made more realistic.

 

I'd rather see levels of AI detection capability... so you can set it in the mission editor in some kind of "advanced options" setting for a unit. Levels will probably go from "drunk" at the lowest to "omnipotent" at the highest :)

 

The ability to follow waypoints and tasks correctly is where the AI needs the most work, IMO. It's such a headache trying to make a mission where a lot of units are moving from point A to point B, or you need AI to orbit at some point without going full AB and RTBing early. If I make another mission similar to Kashuri CAS, it's going to happen out on the plains where I can ever telling the ground units to drive on roads!!!

[Druid_]

I'd rather see levels of AI detection capability... so you can set it in the mission editor in some kind of "advanced options" setting for a unit. Levels will probably go from "drunk" at the lowest to "omnipotent" at the highest :)

Yes that would be a solution but to be honest it should be more than just a range thing. Elevation data of units(i.e. If you are looking down on plains from a plateau then you are much more likely to spot any enemy units on the low ground) , weather, trees (unlikely to happen, units see through trees remarkabley well) and a random element to the amount of time the units are LOS before the detection occurs. If you were to go a step further then how well camoflaged the units are with regard to their background would add even more realism.

 

Unfortunately, realism comes at a cost. FPS. So until we see more powerful PCs or a mutlicore/thread environment I doubt these kinds of things will be implemented for some time yet. In the meantime Speeds suggestion is the best (i.e. Set a limit to their visibility).

Edited July 25, 2011 by Druid_