How do you make Tank / Apache target and fire automatically ?

[malau 10]

It's driving me nuts that I can't find out how you do this.

In the original OFP, tanks and choppers used to target and fire automatically UNLESS you selected 'Manual Fire'. But whatever tank I am driving, or chopper I am piloting, the AI never target and shoots for me, consequently I get trashed very quickly.

Can someone explain how you turn on auto-targeting and shooting, so I can just concentrate on driving/piloting ?

[Muahaha 10]

afaik, apache gunner will only auto fire when cannon or hellfire is selected and they are being instructed to engage (3,5) while only will fire maverick missile if there is a radar lock and you press the fire button. For tank gunner is the same, MG will be auto fired at enemy while main cannon will need to wait for you to instruct so with a radar lock w (ctrl + fire)

[Gunter Severloh 3949]

When you get into the chopper, with an AI you command, give him the order to 3.5 engage at will, then 7,2 danger.

then you can switch between weapons you want by changing the weapon selector on your end,

the Ai will change the guns based on the order you give.

you can also put the chopper on manual fire so you have control, basically you do the shooting,

the Ai gunner does all the targeting, and you can still drive/fly.

When flying around looking for targets, continually to hit tab, the AI will report targets availiable, from there you can hit keyboard #2 and

look at the list of targets you want the Ai to engage, choose the target you want, and weapon, and once the AI locks on lets say

with hell fire then hit your fire button to tell hi to shoot, or hit 3,1 which is fire.

Watch the radar as there are two radar views, yours what your field of view is,

an the feild of view of your Ai gunner.

Same applies for a tank, you can drive, just have your AI gunner do all the targeting,

and you can either shoot yourself as in manual fire, or have the AI do it.

[malau 10]

Thanks for the help.

What is "keyboard #2" ? Is it the same as pressing ~,6 (the actions menu) ?

I remember that the Flashpoint Tank/Chopper Commander could select which target to attack merely by clicking on the Red Squares on the HUD. There doesn't seem to be such a HUD in Arma 2 ?

I can't help but feel the NPC foot-soldier AI is lacking compared to Flashpoint.

Arma 2 AI told to 'return to formation' (ie follow me) always end up 100 or so metres behind and getting lost - they often get stuck by running into a tree non-stop.

Also they don't seem too keen to engage the enemy at all. I'm forever having to go to the map and force them to attack individual infantry units.

[mlenser 10]

What is "keyboard #2" ? Is it the same as pressing ~,6 (the actions menu) ?

I think he means key 2 (above q w) which is the default key for the "Target" menu. Pressing ~,6 would select all team members and then the action menu. Usually you would just select your gunner (often F2) and then 2 to bring up the list of targets he has available.

[Gunter Severloh 3949]

2 above w and e, hit 2 for target,a nd select the targets from the list.

If i said num pad no.2 then that would be the right side of the keyboard, theres only two 2's on the keyboard.

[malau 10]

Aha ! Thanks guys !

I notice that when the entire crew of a tank is friendly AI that they are absolutely deadly and fire immediately at targets. As soon as I get in as a driver then turn into simpletons who do nothing.

[Gunter Severloh 3949]

Ya that can happen, but you can still use the same system, to have them target the enemy through no.2, and the list,

might be better as commander, but I find the AI still to be idiots at driving, all depends.

[navy996 10]

It's driving me nuts that I can't find out how you do this.

In the original OFP, tanks and choppers used to target and fire automatically UNLESS you selected 'Manual Fire'. But whatever tank I am driving, or chopper I am piloting, the AI never target and shoots for me, consequently I get trashed very quickly.

Can someone explain how you turn on auto-targeting and shooting, so I can just concentrate on driving/piloting ?

ya i was kinda wondering that myself

[.kju 3240]

malau there are critical bugs related to crewed vehicles that cause some of the problems you observe. See:

> AI gunner of a jeep with the player inside will not engage hostile targets.

http://dev-heaven.net/issues/15307

> AI commanders keep gunners silent in certain situations

http://dev-heaven.net/issues/14839

> Disabled vehicle AI targetting and spotting when player is effective commander in cargo

http://dev-heaven.net/issues/2353