How to make "support" units in custom missions?

[Flogger23m 2]

I am wondering how I would make "support" units for my custom missions. In particular, air strikes from fixed wing aircraft.

An example would be in one of the single missions that ships with ArmA 2. I am not sure what the name of the mission is called, but you play as the USMC and must clear out a town of insurgents. You have the option of calling in CAS from an A-10 (or AV8B). However, you do not have direct control over them and you must access them by clicking the space bar, and selecting Communications.

I know I can put them under direct control/in my group, but I plan on filling these slots up with infantry and armor units.

[james mckenzie-smith 1]

First, Place a Trigger on the map, pretty much anywhere. In this trigger, leave everything at the default settings, except cut and paste this...

[["tactical_airstrike"], player, [[]]] call BIS_SOM_addSupportRequestFunc;

...into the Condition field of the trigger's menu, overwriting "this".

Second, place a Module on the map by pressing your F7 key and clicking on the map. Double click on the SecOp module you placed, and cut and paste this...

this setVariable ["settings", [[], true, nil, nil, false]];

...into the Initialization field.

Finally, select Synchronize by pressing your F5 key, and drag a line between the module and the player. Enter the mission, and try it out. A pair of A-10s should appear (or sometimes AV8Bs or F-35s, if I recall correctly) and circle around. They will drop on a laser designation that you set, or failing that, they will drop an LGB each on the designated target location after a few passes, although in this case, they have been known to miss or go after enemy concentrations, and they might also attack enemy vehicles on an opportunity basis.

Here's a couple more options for you:

Artillery on-call:

[["artillery_barrage"], player, [[]]] call BIS_SOM_addSupportRequestFunc;

Air recce:

[["aerial_reconnaissance"], player, [[]]] call BIS_SOM_addSupportRequestFunc;

All three:

[["aerial_reconnaissance", "tactical_airstrike", "artillery_barrage"], player, [[]]] call BIS_SOM_addSupportRequestFunc;

That should about cover it. In future, try posting your editor question in the mission editor forum, lots of knowledgeable people there.

http://forums.bistudio.com/forumdisplay.php?f=93

[Flogger23m 2]

Thanks for the advice, I will use that sub forum from now on. Figured it was more for mods. :o

Also, is artillery the 105/120mm artillery pieces or the the mortars?

[james mckenzie-smith 1]

Also, is artillery the 105/120mm artillery pieces or the the mortars?

155mm, to judge from the available ordnance and the sheer damage when it splashes. It's murderous, and has saved my virtual bacon on more than one occasion when I have nearly been overrun by Taks.

Fankly, I prefer it to the game's air support. It gets there faster, there's a selection of lethal rounds, and while a single LGB is the biggest damned thing you can use to eff up your enemies, the volume of HE in a long 155 stonk is just amazing.

Send me a PM at SimHQ with your contact info, I will send you some template missions, orbats, loadouts, and other stuff to help you out some more.

[Longbow116 10]

ok, so far it works perfectly for me, but how can i manage it to get CAS by a helicopter? it would be great to see a apache in action.

anyway, thanks for this thread!

go ahead

Longi