Advanced Ballistics (WIP)

[Raytesh 10]

Something I have noticed that I don't know if its taken into account in the game or not. Just exploring this today on a firing range on Stratis that While shooting at 1000 meters I was missing the target left and right. After putting a flag down i noticed that the wind was shifting directions on me and pushing the bullet in the correct way. Once i had a flag it became easy to compensate for the wind at the target. However even though wind was 0 at my location and almost full value at the target changing directions rapidly without the use of the flag i would not have been able to see it. Is this normal for the Arma engine or part of Advanced Ballistics?

I guess a better question is how accurately does it take into consideration varying wind speeds at different places in the bullets flight path? I know it is possible to have different wind speeds at different locations with opposite directions along the bullets trajectory. Or rather does Armas engine support that many different wind variations?

Because its entirely possible that a lot of these miscalculations you guys are seeing shooting at those ranges is wind speed and direction. The math is fine but you can never 100% predict what the wind is going to do especially at long ranges.

[ruthberg 7]

Advanced Ballistics does not modify the wind direction or wind strength. The wind direction and strength can change over time, but they are location-independent.

You can either let the ArmA engine control the wind or use mods like: http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?178674-Dynamic-weather-script-and-addon-tort_DynamicWeather

I guess a better question is how accurately does it take into consideration varying wind speeds at different places in the bullets flight path?

Advanced Ballistics uses the vanilla wind as reference and attenuates it depending on the environment. See: http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?181324-Advanced-Ballistics-(WIP)&p=2765597&viewfull=1#post2765597

The wind speed at the current position of the bullet is continuously calculated.

[Raytesh 10]

Advanced Ballistics does not modify the wind direction or wind strength. The wind direction and strength can change over time, but they are location-independent.

You can either let the ArmA engine control the wind or use mods like: http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?178674-Dynamic-weather-script-and-addon-tort_DynamicWeather

Advanced Ballistics uses the vanilla wind as reference and attenuates it depending on the environment. See: http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?181324-Advanced-Ballistics-(WIP)&p=2765597&viewfull=1#post2765597

The wind speed at the current position of the bullet is continuously calculated.

That's what I was thinking. Armas vegetation does not allow for very accurate estimations of the wind along the bullets flight path so predicting the wind speed/direction at your target is going to be a challenge. That certainly makes the cold bore shot extremely challenging.

[TiborasaurusRex 11]

Dear Ruthberg and Friends, i've spent my X'mas Eve creating this AB Muzzle Velocity Variation Table to ease the process of MV calculation. Knowing the fact that some of you still have a hard time calculating the correct MV and probabily despise its importance :(

This table contains all Muzzle Velocities of AB projectiles at any temperature (-15°C - 35°C). You'll find this table useful especially when you're too lazy or unable to use "Chronograph" on 360° Training Course mission. I usually set up a steel target at 1 m, shoot it, & the statistics will show the initial velocity/MV.

Hopefully Ruthberg likes this X'mas gift & doesn't mind posting it on the front page ;) But keep in mind that MV will also vary depending on the Barrell Length so perhaps you might find some actual MV kinda different from this table. I made this table outta Ruthberg's Ammo Parameters :)

Just remember that AB standard Muzzle Velocity is always at 21.1°C, and that Muzzle Velocity will always change roughly about 1.2 - 1.5 m/s every 1°C shift.

Merry X'mas you all! Good Luck and Good Shooting!

After putting a flag down i noticed that the wind was shifting directions on me and pushing the bullet in the correct way. Once i had a flag it became easy to compensate for the wind at the target. Because its entirely possible that a lot of these miscalculations you guys are seeing shooting at those ranges is wind speed and direction. The math is fine but you can never 100% predict what the wind is going to do especially at long ranges.

@Raytesh: how do we put a flag downrange? i need this to compensate for downrange wind! Windage is always a challenge even to veteran shooters lol XD

Edited December 25, 2014 by TiborasaurusRex

[Raytesh 10]

@Raytesh: how do we put a flag downrange? i need this to compensate for downrange wind! Windage is always a challenge even to veteran shooters lol XD

As of right now when I'm in the 2D editor i use one of the NATO flags or even a white red or any color normal flag with the flag pole. It may even be possible to place them with MCCs 3D editor or even Zeus. I haven't check on those 2 recently. But they normally are listed under Objects (Flags). When I was testing this on the Kamino range on Stratis I would find the wind would be shifting up to every few seconds.

[alexrandom 10]

I do do not speak nothing for speed. I can customize it. Issue of the removal the bullet from the wind. In windless strike targets at me turns. And with the wind (constant, no interference areas) bullet withdraws aside is much stronger than "should". Settings at least no coincide into several tens.

[ruthberg 7]

@AlexRandom, the measured wind velocity at ground level (Kestrel 4500) is approximately 20% lower than the actual one (> 20 m above ground). The difference is even more dramatic in urban areas.

@Raytesh, the Editor allows you to define the desired wind behaviour.

@TiborasaurusRex, awesome! I added the muzzle velocity variation table to the front page.

[alexrandom 10]

So you want say that I have to add 20% to the calculation speed? And it will be the right decision? Or it is necessary take into account also height on which measured wind speeds and repelled from it?

One more question:

If I shoot from the edge of the ravine, abrupt breakage where there is wind, and on the way to the goal there is no wind. The bullet will use the wind which was at the beginning of the shot or will be are counted each meter (one hundred meters) way?

[stoffl 13]

if you have areas with less or more wind during the flight of your bullet these will affect your shot. So the path of the bullet is calculated and re-calculated throughout the shot. That's why shooting with this mod is so fun, it's part calculation and part educated guess

[ruthberg 7]

So you want say that I have to add 20% to the calculation speed? And it will be the right decision? Or it is necessary take into account also height on which measured wind speeds and repelled from it?

Watch this: http://vimeo.com/105137449 (green = no wind, red = full wind). You have to consider where you measure the wind and where your bullet will fly through.

This video demonstrates how the Kestrel output changes with location: http://vimeo.com/105135099

The bullet will use the wind which was at the beginning of the shot or will be are counted each meter (one hundred meters) way?

Everything that affects drag is calculated once per frame (simulation step).

You have to guestimate the average wind before you can input it into the ATragMX.

Edited December 25, 2014 by Ruthberg

[Raytesh 10]

So you want say that I have to add 20% to the calculation speed? And it will be the right decision? Or it is necessary take into account also height on which measured wind speeds and repelled from it?

One more question:

If I shoot from the edge of the ravine, abrupt breakage where there is wind, and on the way to the goal there is no wind. The bullet will use the wind which was at the beginning of the shot or will be are counted each meter (one hundred meters) way?

The wind is calculated every meter. That's what I was talking about earlier. The wind can vary in speed and direction at multiple places along the bullets trajectory.

[raspu86 92]

If I put the advancedballistics.dll into my Arma root directory my .rpt gets spawned with

12:01:47 Error in expression <_bullet setVelocity (_bulletVelocity [0.051311, 14.864096, -0.012167]); _bull>
12:01:47   Error position: <[0.051311, 14.864096, -0.012167]); _bull>
12:01:47   Error Missing )
12:01:47 Error in expression <_bullet setVelocity (_bulletVelocity [0.000028, 0.000070, -0.000101]); _bulle>
12:01:47   Error position: <[0.000028, 0.000070, -0.000101]); _bulle>
12:01:47   Error Missing )
12:01:47 Error in expression <_bullet setVelocity (_bulletVelocity [0.000028, 0.000070, -0.000101]); _bulle>
12:01:47   Error position: <[0.000028, 0.000070, -0.000101]); _bulle>
12:01:47   Error Missing )
...

Complete .rpt

I only use CBA and AdvancedBallistics.

Any ideas?

Edited December 30, 2014 by Raspu86

[ruthberg 7]

Are you using the latest AdvancedBallistics.dll and is your ArmA 3 version 1.26 or newer?

[raspu86 92]

Are you using the latest AdvancedBallistics.dll and is your ArmA 3 version 1.26 or newer?

I'm using Arma version 1.36 and the AdvancedBallistic.dll from the 3.1 package.

[ruthberg 7]

Ok, thanks for the detailed report. My first guess is that the 3.1 release contains a deprecated DLL.

Edit: This seems to be related to what DGeorge85 reported: http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?181324-Advanced-Ballistics-(WIP)&p=2842333&viewfull=1#post2842333

---------- Post added at 17:31 ---------- Previous post was at 17:05 ----------

Version 3.1.1 Changelog:

-Replaced outdated AdvancedBallistics.dll

[TiborasaurusRex 11]

Dear Ruthberg & friends, here's a nice short article from Todd Hodnett (president of Accuracy1st) about "Cowboy" approach to Ballistics Solver especially for newbies

https://www.accuracy1stdg.com/content/docs/A1DG_Website_Info/Ballistic_Solvers.pdf

Worth noting that Todd Hodnett put emphasis on the importance of Ballistics Calibration/Truing especially the Ballistics Coefficient (BC). All ballistic solvers are just predictive algorithms. This means they are close mathematical guesses. They're just “predictive†which means “just close†so we need to true the algorithms especially the BC to get the precise calculation. We gotta realize that the BC we plug into the solver is a suggested/claimed BC which sometimes is not truly accurate. Even if we have input all the parameters correctly, input the correct MV (through chronograph) and the correct Air Density (Atmospheric Condition through Kestrel), we may still get inaccurate calculation for not using the actual BC.

Same thing goes with AB. You may find some claimed BC's kinda different from the actual ones. You plug all the correct parameters but your shot is still off. Therefore, i'm planning on getting the actual (in-game) BC's of all AB projectiles and sharing it with you all :) i'm gonna use some of my Truing tools to get the actual BC's, hopefully they'll work for AB, so stay tuned ;)

You guys can actually true the BC yourself. Here are the steps:

1. Make sure you've input all the parameters correctly

2. Set up a target at your bullet max effective range (e.g., M118LR at 800 m, .338 LM at 1500 m, .408 CT at 2100 m, etc)

3. Shoot some rounds at the target

4. Find the difference between where you aimed (current elevation adjustment) and where your bullets actually hit (the actual bullet drop).

5. True or change the BC in the solver to match the results of what you just shot. There are 2 ways:

A) Old school - If it's low, you lower the BC. If it's high, you higher the BC. you keep tweaking the BC until your solver matches the actual bullet drop.

B) New school - you can use Ballistics Calibration/Truing tool through some apps like EBC, Applied Ballistics, StrelokPro, etc. they're all really accurate.

6. After you come up with the new BC, test it out at uprange and midrange to check if it works for all ranges.

7. After getting the actual BC, please share it with us all in this thread

May dear God in heaven bless you all and happy new year! ;)

[sonsalt6 105]

Updated mod 3.1.1 available at withSIX. Download now by clicking:

[miller 49]

Thanks Ruthberg

ArmA3.de Mirror updated:

Advanced Ballistics (v3.1.1) by Ruthberg

Kind regards

Miller

[DGeorge85 10]

With todays update I still have to disable the .dll to get AB working. Let me know if I can do anything to help.

Edit: Nevermind. For whatever reason after disabling it and running the game to test, then enabling it again to double check, it is now working.

Edited December 30, 2014 by DGeorge85

[raspu86 92]

Thanks for the quick update Ruthberg. Works as expected now. Happy new year!

[Sanya 97]

at the sight Leupold Mk4 switching is in mil, but they in a real life MOA.

[TiborasaurusRex 11]

at the sight Leupold Mk4 switching is in mil, but they in a real life MOA.

why would you wanna use MoA adjustment while Arma 3 scope is using Mil-Dot reticle?!

Trust me dude, you'll end up busting your a** converting Miliradian to MoA, vice versa lol XD and that's gonna give you lotta headache!

I highly suggest you guys to use a scope which has same angular measurement between the Reticle and the Adjustment Turret

If your scope uses Miliradian reticle, you better stick to Miliradian adjustment! If your scope uses MoA reticle, you better go with MoA adjustment!

Miliradian & MOA are equally effective. These are the minor differences between Mil & MoA:

- 1/4 MoA adjustments are slightly more precise than 1/10 MIL → at 100 m, 1/4 MoA = 0.7 cm & 1/10 MIL = 1 cm

- MIL values are slightly easier to communicate

- If you think in Yard/Inch the math for range estimation is easier with MOA. If you think in Meter/cm the math is easier with MIL.

- If you have a friend that is already using one, there is some advantage to being on the same system.

- Around 90% of the pros use MIL

- More product options in MIL nowadays

- Whatever you decide, go with matching turret/reticle (i.e. MIL/MIL or MOA/MOA)

please just read this article "MIL vs MOA: An Objective Comparison"

[Sanya 97]

- Whatever you decide, go with matching turret/reticle (i.e. MIL/MIL or MOA/MOA)

please just read this article "MIL vs MOA: An Objective Comparison"

The matching is unacceptably for the sights (RHS) of Arma 2. Must be the sights with matching and must be siths with not matching.

[TiborasaurusRex 11]

The matching is unacceptably for the sights (RHS) of Arma 2. Must be the sights with matching and must be siths with not matching.

well...can you just use LRPS (or any Mil/Mil scope) and put it on RHS guns through LEA Virtual Arsenal?

I don't mean to sound subjective but imho Miliradian adjustment is likely to be more practical for Advanced Ballistics since we mostly use metric system. We're already awesome with Mil adjustment, bro :D Yes, i admit i'm a Miliradian fan boy lol XD

But it's all up to Ruthberg whether he also wants to implement MoA adjustment or not. MoA adjustment would be a pretty good addition to the mod especially for MoA lovers...but to be honest, i think MoA adjustment is not necessary at all coz we still don't have any MoA reticle scope in this game. So Miliradian ftw, baby! XD

Edited January 1, 2015 by TiborasaurusRex

[Sanya 97]

How can i open a range card, playing in the game?

Edited January 1, 2015 by Shurka