New mission preview: "Open Ground"

[Bahger]

 

 

 

 

I thought I'd share this with you guys before releasing it via the usual channels.

 

I set myself the task of creating a battalion-level battle, a set-piece assault with all the trimmings: 3 Stryker Brigade Combat Teams with SEAD (4x Tornado IDS), anti-artillery strikers (2x F-15E), high cover (2x F-15E) and CAS (4x A-10Cs, all playable) in in assault on two towns and an airfield defended by a Russian T-72 battalion, 2 6-gun Akatsia batteries, mech infantry and two 4-launcher SA-6 batteries with command radars.

 

The mission features 85 triggers, 34 custom radio messages, 43 flags and 17 trigger zones. It has trigger-activated BLUFOR mortars, MOUT in two locations and a "one pass, haul ass" bombing run by F-15Es on the artillery batteries using 4 CBU-97s for each drop.

 

It's basically done, but the following small issues remain:

 

- The scoring is mathematical, based on the survival level of leading assault vehicles once the objectives have been taken. I've made this easy on myself by selecting 10 vehicle groups and deducting 10 points from a flag set at 100 every time one of these groups is attrited by more than 20%. Ideally, though, I'd like to monitor every one of the 58 assaulting vehicles (excluding the additional 30 or so statics/support units). However, in order to do this, for the victory conditions I'd need a round number for 75% and 60% of 58 and I assume I'd need to make a separate triggered flag for each of these units. This strikes me as impossible unless there is a scripting solution, which, if so, please explain it to me, as usual, as though you were addressing a 10 year-old.

 

- Ideally, I'd like to program a TOT at the IP for both the A-10 flight selected by the player and the AI flight that spawns in as the other pair. However, I am totally convinced that computed TOTs do not work at all in this sim without a time hack feature that can start the clock on takeoff, thereby discounting variable start-up times. I could have staged a coordinated ingress like this using TOTs in "Tornado" 15 years ago but have not come across any sim since that has this function working properly. It's no big deal; absent time hack/TOT, the briefing includes a selected flight profile that can get the job done and deliver both flights to the IP on time, or at least close together within a window.

 

Anyway, I'd appreciate your comments, on any of the above or on the .miz itself. I think it's my best yet, FWIW, and by far my most ambitious. I'm pleased with how it plays and with the scaling.

 

I'm attaching the .miz and the briefing. Thanks in anticipation for all comments, suggestions and AARs.

Open Ground Briefing.pdf

Open_Ground_SP_Beta_03.miz

Edited May 11, 2013 by Bahger

[TC]

- Ideally, I'd like to program a TOT at the IP for both the A-10 flight selected by the player and the AI flight that spawns in as the other pair. However, I am totally convinced that computed TOTs do not work at all in this sim without a time hack feature that can start the clock on takeoff, thereby discounting variable start-up times. I could have staged a coordinated ingress like this using TOTs in "Tornado" 15 years ago but have not come across any sim since that has this function working properly. It's no big deal; absent time hack/TOT, the briefing includes a selected flight profile that can get the job done and deliver both flights to the IP on time, or at least close together within a window.

 

Anyway, I'd appreciate your comments, on any of the above or on the .miz itself. I think it's my best yet, FWIW, and by far my most ambitious. I'm pleased with how it plays and with the scaling.

 

 

Hey Bahger,

have yet to testfly the mission but re the TOT; the player can adjust the DTOT via the CDU, and for the AI I use an orbit ideally very far away from anything enemy related and have them push from there in the desired sequence. If they don´t have to change altitude/ speed much it works ok.

 

Yeah, would love to have a Map & Mission planner like the one in Tornado, but TOT´s do work well in F4 too. I can plan complete 20-30 ship packages there in less than 2 hrs time and not only do they take off in a reasonable manner, they are where they must at any given time, hit their target and come home as planned, only to be directed to a perfect landing by the ATC ;) A dream for any mission builder ... :smilewink:

 

Cheers

TC

[chromium]

Only one question, cause I can't open the mission in this moment: afaik one STBC is pretty bigger that a battalion, do you effectively managed to include 3 of them?

 

If confirmed, I definitely want to take a look at the mission structure :)

 

 

 

thanks :)

[Bahger]

Hey guys. TC, yes I use holds with push commands to coordinate the SEAD element but the A-10s take off from the same airfield, in sequence, so having a computed TOT would enable me to automate a coordinated ingress to the nearest second. As it is, however, you have to analyse how the AI flies -- best climb speed vs best climb rate, etc -- and the inability to convert TAS to IAS in the ME doesn't help.

 

As for precise scale, well, the Stryker teams are not structured like a conventional battalion but let's just say that the forces engaging here are much larger than a company but smaller than a division! I'd like to thank my old squadron mate Stuka for his superb force composition templates.

Edited May 10, 2013 by Bahger

[chromium]

I'd like to thank me old squadron mate Stuka for his superb force composition templates.

 

+1. That work is a milestone for mission designers.

[cobragva]

Testing mission

 

Hello,

 

Just started quickly testing the mission but had to stop unfortunately.

 

What I didn't enjoy is that at the tank east wp, when we use the TGP to point to it, it points in the air. When you then look down in order to find the tanks, there nothing nearby.

 

I never use the label but as I couldn't find them, I did and I could see that the tanks or ennemies are not nearby the wp 4. Therefore, we could spend a long time until finding them (I did and without the labels, i would have spent a big amount of time)I don't know if this is what you wanted

 

All these comments are done by not an expert in A10c :-) but I also like to build mission and like to get feedback as well.

 

But congrats to build a mission that seems exciting :-)

[Bahger]

There's a very easy way to handle this, cobragva.

 

The targets are indeed located at the named waypoints but the WPs are navigational and therefore at navigational height per the flightplan. To make them useful as target locators for your sensors, you need to do the following, on the ground or while fencing-in:

 

In the TAD, zoom in using EXP2 mode and get the closest you can to the target waypoints. Put the TAD cursor on each WP and set a MARKPOINT using TMS/right/short. This will place a ground reference point in all your sensor systems; as you place markpoints, they are alphabetically named from A to Y. When you've placed your markpoints, on ingress switch from "FLTPLN" to "MARK" with the navigation rotary at the bottom of the right/middle panel. This mode will switch your nav references in the HUD, TAD etc. to the markpoints you've made, and they are all at ground level.

 

I believe this is how it's done IRL. Certainly it's bad mission design to place navigational waypoints on the ground, as it will cause AI aircraft to fly NOE or lawn-dart into the ground at the waypoint and I don't want to create separate flightplans for AI flights vs client flights.

 

I could have put this in the briefing; maybe I will. It's good to know about markpoints. You can also create them immediately below where you are and markpoint "Z" is automatically created at the location of your last target impact point.

 

I'm sorry you found the mission frustrating for this reason but the solution is very simple and I hope this helps.

Edited May 10, 2013 by Bahger

[cobragva]

There's a very easy way to handle this, cobragva.

 

The targets are indeed located at the named waypoints but the WPs are navigational and therefore at navigational height per the flightplan. To make them useful as target locators for your sensors, you need to do the following, on the ground or while fencing-in:

 

In the TAD, zoom in using EXP2 mode and get the closest you can to the target waypoints. Put the TAD cursor on each WP and set a MARKPOINT using TMS/right/short. This will place a ground reference point in all your sensor systems; as you place markpoints, they are alphabetically named from A to Y. When you've placed your markpoints, on ingress switch from "FLTPLN" to "MARK" with the navigation rotary at the bottom of the right/middle panel. This mode will switch your nav references in the HUD, TAD etc. to the markpoints you've made, and they are all at ground level.

 

I believe this is how it's done IRL. Certainly it's bad mission design to place navigational waypoints on the ground, as it will cause AI aircraft to fly NOE or lawn-dart into the ground at the waypoint and I don't want to create separate flightplans for AI flights vs client flights.

 

I could have put this in the briefing; maybe I will. It's good to know about markpoints. You can also create them immediately below where you are and markpoint "Z" is automatically created at the location of your last target impact point.

 

I'm sorry you found the mission frustrating for this reason but the solution is very simple and I hope this helps.

 

Thanks for the tip. As I mentioned, I am not an expert in A-10c so I will use it to do the mission.

 

will let you know more :-)

 

have a good day

P

[Keats]

A new Bahger mission, yay! Just played it in single player, good fun.

 

Comments: I don't know if you are going to add voice-overs at a later point (it certainly helps with immersion) but if you don't, consider playing a short radio squelch-like sound whenever the player receives a message. Right now radio messages are easy to miss.

[Bahger]

Thanks, Keats, I appreciate the support.

 

I appealed for voices but got only one response and this monster of a mission requires at least four different American voices with about five messages each.

 

The squelch sound effect is a great idea, though, I'm astonished it never occurred to me, especially as I actually have one. Thanks!

[ENO]

That is a neat idea actually...

[Bahger]

'Tis done already. Thanks, Keats. I will test it once then swap the file out in my first post.

[Bahger]

OK, file updated with squelch sound effect (it's not all that great, anybody got a better one?) and (duh...) missing flight comms in briefing:

 

Dodge: 255.00 UHF

 

Ford: 251.00 UHF

Edited May 11, 2013 by Bahger

[cobragva]

OK, file updated with squelch sound effect (it's not all that great, anybody got a better one?) and (duh...) missing flight comms in briefing:

 

Dodge: 255.00 UHF

 

Ford: 251.00 UHF

 

 

Hi Bahger,

 

I use the file Atmospheric.ogg in the file \Eagle Dynamics\DCS World\Sounds\Effects\Aircrafts\Cockpits.

 

with these settings:

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1664338&postcount=4

 

 

I hope this can help you

[Bahger]

Thanks, Cobra. No need to lay on effects, I'll just trim it to one and a half seconds in Audacity. The original .ogg is three and a half seconds in length, which will try peoples' patience...