Close Air Support - Day 1

[StrongHarm 13]

Thanks Antorugby! It's helped my flying a lot too.

I will definitely be creating other missions of a support type. I would think something like Combined Support and Logistics.. CSL. This may include; Convoy Support, Troop Insertion and Extraction, Search and Rescue, Anti-Submarine Operations, etc. I'm excited about the introduction of a recon helo too! Recon missions will rock. These missions will all be under names other than CAS, since in the Military world pilots typically have duty of one type or another. As for my next mission, it will be CAS day2.. to include the AH99. I'm well under way on the code and have high hopes for it.

Hey, I'm starting to fly in Arma and your video and the mission really helped me to train myself, i'm not really good but pratice will do his job, i hope, so thank you and great job.

By the way, Iknow it's a CAS mission but i think it will be a good feature to add some fast extraction of under attack squads, do you think it's a good idea?

[kats 10]

Hi

Thanks for this great mission, I was expecting helo missions like this since Alpha Launch!

How could I play it in CO-2 or CO-3? I mainly play Arma in coop with a friend (who likes helo too), and unleashing hell from the sky with a buddy could be veeeery fun.

Anyway, nice job, keep up the good work!

[StrongHarm 13]

CAS Day 1 was my first real serious attempt at making a mission in the Arma environment. I got creative and added in a whole lot of scripting that turned out not to be MP compatible. Right now I'm working on Day2 where the AH99 will be utilized.. and once again.. a whole lot of SP only code is necessary to pull it off. By the time I finish with this one I should be more proficient at the Arma scripting commands. I intend to do a series of MP missions in the future, perhaps using the CASd1 codebase, but it will have to be a whole lot less fluffy with features.

Hi

Thanks for this great mission, I was expecting helo missions like this since Alpha Launch!

How could I play it in CO-2 or CO-3? I mainly play Arma in coop with a friend (who likes helo too), and unleashing hell from the sky with a buddy could be veeeery fun.

Anyway, nice job, keep up the good work!

[Jockulation 10]

If I crash the chopper at any point I can't restart/exit the mission.

I can open the map etc, but pressing ESC doesn't bring up the menu for restart/options/exit

[StrongHarm 13]

You should see "You Died..." then

RESTART = (start mission fresh)

TEAM SWITCH = (switch to JTAC)

END = (end mission)

Now.. if you're saying that you crashed your helo but didn't die in the crash, and were stuck out in the middle of nowhere.. you have a special device for that. Look down and hit your G key.

If stepping on a nade to end it all after an embarrassing crash is too much to bare, you can use the shortcut ALT+F4.

Also, be aware that you do have a full gear kit in your backpack if you need to solo exfil a hostile area. I've done it before and there's something satisfying about walking back to base to get another helo then flying back to the AO for some hostile retribution while blaring Metallica's 'Seek and Destroy'!

If I crash the chopper at any point I can't restart/exit the mission.

I can open the map etc, but pressing ESC doesn't bring up the menu for restart/options/exit

Edited June 29, 2013 by StrongHarm

[gliptal 25]

Looks VERY nice, I'll try it right away!

Yay!

EDIT: Seems like I'm getting an error when loading the mission, about a config.bin...

Edited June 29, 2013 by Gliptal

[StrongHarm 13]

I can't reproduce your problem. I completely deleted the mission from a test system, redownloaded the mission from the BI Forums, unzipped the pbo file into C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Arma 3\Missions, then played it successfully.

My only theory is that something is amiss with your installation. Go into Steam, rightclick on Arma3 > Properties > Local Files > Verify Integrity of Game Cache.

If that doesn't work, try redownloading the mission. Sorry your having trouble.

Looks VERY nice, I'll try it right away!

Yay!

EDIT: Seems like I'm getting an error when loading the mission, about a config.bin...

[gliptal 25]

Damn it, sorry but it was all my fault: I mistakenly placed the folder extracted from the .rar with the .pbo inside "Missions", instead of correctly placing only the .pbo... :(

Sorry for the wrong call...

Yay!

[kats 10]

CAS Day 1 was my first real serious attempt at making a mission in the Arma environment. I got creative and added in a whole lot of scripting that turned out not to be MP compatible. Right now I'm working on Day2 where the AH99 will be utilized.. and once again.. a whole lot of SP only code is necessary to pull it off. By the time I finish with this one I should be more proficient at the Arma scripting commands. I intend to do a series of MP missions in the future, perhaps using the CASd1 codebase, but it will have to be a whole lot less fluffy with features.

Thanks for answer!

Can't wait for new mission like this one.

[gliptal 25]

Just finished trying the mission, and it was truly awesome, probably the best helicopter mission I have ever flown in all ArmA games and the most immersive mission ever played...

Bravo! :D

Yay!

[gliptal 25]

New High Score, and NO blue on blue!

Yay!

[StrongHarm 13]

Awesome!

Be aware all, I'll be in Europe for the next 7 days so may not be able to respond to help requests. Day2 is getting finishing touches. I've added a lot of commands to the gunners position of the AH99 such as:

Fly to That Point

Proceed to AO

Hold Position

Turn to Target

Fly at 100ft

RTB Winchester

When I started testing, being the Gunner for an AI pilot was not feasible. With these added commands I think it's super fun. You do still have the option to just be pilot and take control of guns (the AI gunner is nearly useless).

I should have this mission out shortly after returning from Europe.

[Antorugby 2]

After the last update I have a problem launching the mission, it says that i cannot play because is dependent on downloadable content that as been deleted a3_sign_f_ad

[masonator 10]

Yeah, this mission is absolutely awesome. StrongHarm -- you've got serious talent, dude -- it's folks like you that make Arma great. I normally just lurk on the forums, but I signed up just to tell you how awesome this mission is and how much fun it is.

Massively looking forward to Day 2. And I'd agree with lots of the other comments: would be awesome to have CASEVAC, strike, recce, interdiction, escort, etc missions as well. Anything!

Big thanks, StrongHarm.

[StrongHarm 13]

Back from Europe!

Antorugby - you probably need to re-download the mission. You're most likely still running the version that's for the Alpha builds. The download link in the first post is always updated to the latest version, and Armaholic is pretty good about picking it up right away and replacing their copy as well.

masonator - It's comments like that which make me work all the harder on future missions! Thank you sir I do appreciate it. Day 2 is almost done. There's a lot of code put into being the gunner as the AI is not a very good pilot. So I dumb him down so he won't do his own thing, and add commands to the wheel menu to make him move, hover, turn to target, etc. Also, the AH99 is much more powerful, so I'm increasing the scope of the attacks. CAS Day1-X will be exclusively devoted to Close Air Support, but I will be doing another series of missions based on strike, patrol, logistics, recon, etc. I should be starting those within the next few weeks.

[Antorugby 2]

Back from Europe!

Antorugby - you probably need to re-download the mission. You're most likely still running the version that's for the Alpha builds. The download link in the first post is always updated to the latest version, and Armaholic is pretty good about picking it up right away and replacing their copy as well.

Nope, it keep show the error.

Anyway, CAS 2 will be only single player? It would be fun to play as a Gunner while another friend is the pilot.

[Livedeath 10]

I liked the Mission. I needed more ammo than a Battleship can carry to kill all objectives (:D) but i liked it.

I hope you will make a Day 2?

[StrongHarm 13]

I deleted the mission from my system and re-downloaded the mission from this site and it started without error. I wonder if you're placing it in the proper folder?

Yes, CAS would be great multiplayer, but I'd have to make some big changes to the theme of the mission to make it compatible. I will do so after I'm better with scripting. Expect MP versions soon :)

Nope, it keep show the error.

Anyway, CAS 2 will be only single player? It would be fun to play as a Gunner while another friend is the pilot.

[Antorugby 2]

It's in the proper folder, it was always there, probably is a problem with my Arma, not of the mission.

Btw, can't wait for CAS 2!

[irfanahmed1979 10]

I'm a bad pilot. Boy!! are these machines tough to fly and even more difficult to land (killed two repair specialists on my landing attempts and the turnaround service just wouldn't end).

[StrongHarm 13]

ROFL! I've had some alt+f4 moments myself. The more I fly CAS the more precise I get though. Watch the video response to the Mission Overview video that's in the original post. It gives some flying tips.

Speaking of crewman.. has anyone spoken to the air crewmen near the message of the day board? That's a conversation I heard IRL! hehe

[jjjayb3 12]

Thanks for making this mission Strongharm! It is amazing! Any plans to include any of the other attack helicopters?

[StrongHarm 13]

If you've flown this mission since the last patch, you know that there are some errors and the maint crews animations are all screwed up. This is to be expected in Beta, and in my opinion is welcome as it shows progress in work on the code. As I started working on revising the code for this version, I decided to expand the mission greatly. I'm still working on it, but here's a briefing:

- Added the other attack helos

- Created action commands to allow you to be a gunner and have the AI fly the bird (change alt, fly to AO, hold position, turn to target, etc.)

- Created case script to attach crewmen to different helos at the appropriate spots for maintenance

- Made a lot of changes to object placement

- Added the new JTAC soldier models (thanks BIS!)

- Added more OpFor to each CAS sortie

- Added possibility of OpFor armor to sorties

- Added option to dismiss copilot, if you just want to take control of guns as pilot on the 2 crew aircraft (so he doesn't move your turret around.. grr)

- Added script to make AI pilot fly to pad for rearm/repair

I'm thinking about adding a few sorties at other areas of the island.. but haven't decided if I want to do that in a future build. Either way I should be done with it within a week or two. Thanks for all the kind comments!

[avigrace 1]

Great to hear you're continuing with my favourite mission in Arma :D

[jjjayb3 12]

Thank you thank you thank you! The mission as it is, is already awesome! Can't wait to see the changes!