Artillery Modules

[LorenLuke 11]

Dear Community:

I just want to get a brief survey from you guys concerning the vanilla arty module or any arty addon you used, such as: What mod (or lack thereof) was used or if you even used it, how easy it was to use, how balanced did you feel it was, what did you like or dislike, and if any features you would want added, implemented, or improved.

-Thanx

Luke

[noubernou 77]

Vanilla arty module is broken mostly in OA.

OA introduced the engine level Artillery Computer. It is a joke, its point and click and its pinpoint accurate and very fast. In terms of balance it is incredibly unbalanced.

R3F is good, I haven't used it really, but its pretty comprehensive. Only problem I have with it is that its pretty bloated feature wise.

ACE includes a few different modes for Artillery. For mortars it use the T&E mode where it shows the tangent (direction) and elevation for the mortar. You then have to use ballistics tables to calculate the solution. For a few other pieces the T&E works the same. For the M119 105mm at least it is very realistic, including prepping rounds, aiming the gun using aiming stakes (and hopefully a collimator soon) and includes a battery computer system for processing fire missions. This should eventually cover most artillery assets in ACE.

The M109A6 is a dedicated addon of the Paladin self-propelled gun. It includes its own custom fire control system.

[LorenLuke 11]

Much appreciated NNou. You see, I've been wanting to build myself an Arty Mod, way back in the OFP days, and have created, alpha'd and scrapped about four iterations. Unfortunately my lack of knowledge for the game's arty coding, and little more than basic calculus has left me scratching my head how they factor drag and whatnot into their equations, and has left me with managing perfect parabolic arcs (which I do rather well... ;p). But I wanted to get a feel for how many other systems are out there, what they have, how they aim, how intuitive they are, or how friendly their GUI is, etc... before deciding to embark on this project yet again, as I feel there are things here and there that are missing (like vanilla intuitive arty, and a nice bow of a dialog to tie it together with). So tell me what you think, is there room for another arty addon/mod/module and if so should I do it?

-Thanx

Luke

PS if anyone cares to know the features, either post or PM.

[noubernou 77]

You might want to see what you can commit to other projects. It depends on what angle you are going for.

I am actually the author for the ACE artillery stuff an I worked with Soul Assassin and Rexe on the M109A6.

If you want to get a grasp on how the game does artillery, in terms of drag and things like that, take a look at the Vanilla ArmA2 Artillery Module code. It is in the modules pbo in the arty folder. I actually use Headspace's ballistics table generator (slight tweaked) to generate the tables I use and it works really well.

[LorenLuke 11]

Really the angle is just adding a script suite that the community can use freely to distribute or use while just using vanilla ammo types or units to facilitate not downloading massive mods, and so that whomever can use whatever snippet of scripting or code they may chose... in short benefit the community with an open distribution project with the positive side effect of self-satisfaction in something that comes from my hands actually working... but also include things I haven't seen (though I've not tried ACE2 due to being rather n00bish in that I can't get it to run, instead receiving some client-error-thing.) such as:

• laser frequency coding for Simultaneous Laser-Guided rounds,
  
• adjustable height on VT fuzes,
  
• adjustable time settings on MT fuzes,
  
• XM982 (Excalibur) programmable GPS-guided rounds,
  
• ADAM Rounds with AP mines,
  
• RAAMS with antihandling devices on some of the mines,
  
• dud rounds and UXOs,
  
• a scaled 72 short ton yield for a W48 155mm Nuclear artillery shell,
  
• working TOT and MRSI,
  
• realistic ammo storage and tender vehicles,
  
• ability for a human player to participate asset-side,
  
• Mobile artillery,
  
• Mobile mortars,
  
• TOS-1 Buratino (cool stuff, that :D),
  
• a nice GUI to wrap it up in, a la COC's UA 1.1 FCC Dialog,
  
• and for everything to be vanilla; that is, all scripts or what comes in A2/OA.
  

About this point I'm singing 'These are a few of my favourite things.' But I feel that should give you a good feel of what my aim happens to be.

-Thanx,

Luke

[noubernou 77]

I advise you check out the M109A6 Paladin then as you seem to be going down the same path I am.

It includes a number of the features you are working on including the CLGP with laser codes (though it only works reliably in ACE due to a bug in Vanilla where laser targets do not update at a distance), Excalibur, VT, Time, Delay, and Quick fuzes, ADAM and RAAMS (though no anti-handling devices for RAAMS yet), DPICM (no duds, yet, been thinking about it), and a number of other features.

ACE artillery for the M119 105mm light gun supports most of the common ammo that it supports and of course fuzes (both the 155mm and the 105mm rounds I am simulating use the M782 MOFA for the fuze).

As for models, I definitely need more. For the M109 we have most everything covered, of course the gun, we modeled all the rounds, including the FAPPs and ammo cases. Another group is supposed to be working on the FAASV ammo carrier/FDC as well. I want more towed guns though, like the M777 or the M198. Also eastern pieces as well, like the D20. I could do the D30 now using the ArmA1 model.

I'd also like to do rocket artillery, but again need models.

[LorenLuke 11]

I advise you check out the M109A6 Paladin then as you seem to be going down the same path I am.

On my to do list!!

It includes a number of the features you are working on including the CLGP with laser codes (though it only works reliably in ACE due to a bug in Vanilla where laser targets do not update at a distance)

I work around that by using some call compile script bits, and store the laser variables on a gamelogic, when it sees the target, it accesses the variables on the corresponding gamelogic, and if it returns what it wants it goes after it.

Excalibur, VT, Time, Delay, and Quick fuzes, ADAM and RAAMS (though no anti-handling devices for RAAMS yet)

Easy to script using the 'vectorup' command as disarming tilts the mine, and removing yields a null, so using a less than function adds that... just spawn an RPG and delete the mine, or remove the mine from the dead unit's inventory. BTW, Do you happen to know if there is a script command to set off a mine without a vehicle?

DPICM (no duds, yet, been thinking about it), and a number of other features.

What about APICM, and Incendiary WP (not just the smokescreen WP)?

I'd also like to do rocket artillery, but again need models.

For models you could try porting some stuff around, or use the vanilla MLRS or GRADs.

-Thanx,

Luke

[wraith_v 11]

I used the vanilla artillery module for the first time in a mission i was making yesterday, it was very simple to implement but lacked customization. You could only assign a single fire mission to a player and only add another after that fire mission had been used up.

You should be able to assign a single battery to a player or number of players and it should be restricted by ammunition (number of rounds available to fire and type), time (before the battery is assigned to other units) and availability (is it already on a fire mission)

currently batteries using the artillery module have unlimited ammunition, only limited by the number of fire missions assigned to players

When calling a fire mission some simple features like

- choose number of guns to fire

- mission type (infantry, armour, smoke, precision etc)

- rate of fire (fast, medium, slow)

- duration of fire (short, medium, long, exhaust ammo supply)

Combat mission shock force uses a similar system and it's very simple and effective, there are plenty of videos on youtube if you want to have a sticky beak.

also you should be able to adjust the battery's fire mid mission or cancel it

hope this is helpful

Edited July 28, 2011 by Wraith_V

[wolfbite 8]

I dont particuarly like in arma that the Bm-21's are pretty much useless.. because you cant teel them to fire at particular co-ordinates or use them in any artillery like ways... frustrating...

[gossamersolid 155]

OA introduced the engine level Artillery Computer. It is a joke, its point and click and its pinpoint accurate and very fast. In terms of balance it is incredibly unbalanced.

I like the artillery computer lol. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the artillery we have these days are that accurate, aren't they? Especially at the ranges we are firing them at.

[noubernou 77]

I like the artillery computer lol. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the artillery we have these days are that accurate, aren't they? Especially at the ranges we are firing them at.

None of the systems in the game are that accurate. The M119 is a horribly inaccurate weapon, the D30 as well. The Grad is an area saturation weapon, not a point target weapon, and the MLRS in game could be that accurate if it was using something like GMLRS, but even then it wont hit in the EXACT same spot every time.

Mortars are never that accurate.

Also the response time is so fast that its unbalanced.

[LorenLuke 11]

Honestly, my problem with the vanilla module is, to me, it's unituitive and non-customisable, and lacks several features I think would be necessary to any arty suite. But I am very much liking what I am seeing come out from the community, however I would like to see something come out that's script-based and compatible with vanilla.

-Thanx,

Luke

Edited July 29, 2011 by LLukeL

[Tango hotel 0]

Why can't every artillery in arma 2 have custom fire control system