Arma 3 - APEX - NEWS and SPECULATIONS

[cosmic10r 2331]

What weapons were left out of marksmen for apex... ?

[CaptainAzimuth 714]

Looking at the picture that seems rather impossible, if you look closly you can see some reference of the pilots in the cocpit, having that "cannon" on that spot woul mean that the gunner has to go prone to reach it let alone use it properly, if you look by example at a spooky gunschip

 

it looks like its low but acctually the weapon systems are on a proper hight for use. it only looks as if they are low from the outside. with this new VTOl that is not possible because the pilot size is roughly the same as in the osprey making it roughly the same size therfore it is impossible it has the same layout as a gunship that is allot larger.

 

A doorgun on it also seems unlikly

seeing the posittion of the soldier in the door a doorgun would have to be mouted either just outside (which migh conflict with the rotors) or inside. but than stil it would have to be allot higher than in that picture

 

So the only reasons I can think of that thing there is if it is in some way instrument related or if the concept artist of BIS had to snees for a moment while photoshopping the original osprey picture ;)

 

I disagree, and this is why. In a gunship configuration, the cannon can be placed lower with its ammo stores in a compartment in the same area inside the Osprey. The rotors will not get in the way given that they rotate up and front, not going near the bottom side. The cannon would only be firing at a fixed angle, with limited room to aim much anywhere else, other than to correct firing.

Secondly, in a gunship, I don't think anyone physically gets down, prone, kneeled, or in any other position to physically use the cannons. Why? They're automated. Someone gets on a targeting computer, much like in a traditional Attack Helo, and they fire it with a control stick. Physically firing any of the cannons on a gunship as you said, I would imagine is impossible. A gunship has to be automated to begin with. This is my conlusion. In the picture the cannon looks in detailed, probably the dev was thinking about it. Honestly, I hope they do. As Chortles mentioned before the U.S. Air Force or which ever branch, wanted the Osprey armed to begin with. This configuration.would be neat, probably not optimal, but better than both the belly mounted gun, and not having supportive fire at all.

What weapons were left out of marksmen for apex... ?

They did not reveal them. However they indeed did hold back a "couple", or a few. Could be a single gun, but honestly, who knows. Oh wait, they do. =P

[cosmic10r 2331]

Ahhh... gotcha. Thanks. Missed that completely...

[lexx 1363]

Don't forget the osprey concept art is just that... A concept art. The final model isn't necessarily 1:1 the same. Me personally, I do indeed hope for a huge ass gunship. :>

[kbbw123 115]

 

I disagree, and this is why. In a gunship configuration, the cannon can be placed lower with its ammo stores in a compartment in the same area inside the Osprey. The rotors will not get in the way given that they rotate up and front, not going near the bottom side. The cannon would only be firing at a fixed angle, with limited room to aim much anywhere else, other than to correct firing.

Secondly, in a gunship, I don't think anyone physically gets down, prone, kneeled, or in any other position to physically use the cannons. Why? They're automated. Someone gets on a targeting computer, much like in a traditional Attack Helo, and they fire it with a control stick. Physically firing any of the cannons on a gunship as you said, I would imagine is impossible. A gunship has to be automated to begin with. This is my conlusion. In the picture the cannon looks in detailed, probably the dev was thinking about it. Honestly, I hope they do. As Chortles mentioned before the U.S. Air Force or which ever branch, wanted the Osprey armed to begin with. This configuration.would be neat, probably not optimal, but better than both the belly mounted gun, and not having supportive fire at all.

inside a gunship:

 

Armed osprey:

 

Its not that i don't want a vtol gunship its just to unrealistic. the osprey only has a minigun attached underneath its belly that is remotly acceseble but thats about it. you can't have wing attached weapons because of the size of the rotors, eacht time you would shoot those would be when you are in hover mode with the rotors tilled up, not realy adviseble in a war situation when you want to shoot a tank with a helfire >.>

Also a system like in the spooky up there as you can see you do have to activly change the ammunition (don't think a autoloader system would work there) this also means the crew has to reach it properly (don't think you wan't to reload a 40/30 mil cannon prone) that alongside the fact that the only real succesful weapon system on a osprey was 1. belly mounted minigun and 2. ramp mounted m2/m240 would make it impossible to put a gunship applicance to that vtol. (I mean if a BI concept artis could fix this problem he would have allready been kipnapped by the us defence department to make the first working prototype >.>)

[chortles 263]

The "Blue Whale" was merely another one of AVIC's vaporware concepts that were never commissioned or requested by the PLA. Nothing similar to it has been shown ever since because the PLA has no interest with VTOLs in the first place.

Presumably never commissioned/requested because of a mix of PLA procurement philosophy seeming more evolutionary than revolutionary and the inexperience of the PRC's aviation industry with Osprey-style tiltrotor much less a quad tiltrotor (like the old Curtiss-Wright X-19)... plus PLA planners may have an eye on all the issues surrounding the Osprey even now that a Future Vertical Lift (FVL) winner might be intended to resolve.

that alongside the fact that the only real succesful weapon system on a osprey was 1. belly mounted minigun and 2. ramp mounted m2/m240 would make it impossible to put a gunship applicance to that vtol. (I mean if a BI concept artis could fix this problem he would have allready been kipnapped by the us defence department to make the first working prototype >.>)

*ahem*

[CaptainAzimuth 714]

inside a gunship:

 

Armed osprey:

 

Its not that i don't want a vtol gunship its just to unrealistic. the osprey only has a minigun attached underneath its belly that is remotly acceseble but thats about it. you can't have wing attached weapons because of the size of the rotors, eacht time you would shoot those would be when you are in hover mode with the rotors tilled up, not realy adviseble in a war situation when you want to shoot a tank with a helfire >.>

Also a system like in the spooky up there as you can see you do have to activly change the ammunition (don't think a autoloader system would work there) this also means the crew has to reach it properly (don't think you wan't to reload a 40/30 mil cannon prone) that alongside the fact that the only real succesful weapon system on a osprey was 1. belly mounted minigun and 2. ramp mounted m2/m240 would make it impossible to put a gunship applicance to that vtol. (I mean if a BI concept artis could fix this problem he would have allready been kipnapped by the us defence department to make the first working prototype >.>)

I suppose you're right. However, the U.S. Army doesn't have to look far for a solution. Concepts of the V-280 Valor already clean up that issue quite well. BI could essentially mix the ideas of the armed Valor, into their concept VTOL, and just as easily do away with those limitations. And Good example of inside the gunship. I had no idea they had to sit there and load the thing, that's pretty sweet. But now seeing that, it'd mean that a VTOL gunship would have to have an Auto Cannon like that of an Apache, since having crew to load a cannon would be quite a problem in a smaller airframe.

[R0adki11 3949]

I would love to see an VTOL enabled aircraft similar to an Orca - like C&C (http://cnc.wikia.com/wiki/Orca_aircraft)

[zukov 490]

I suppose you're right. However, the U.S. Army doesn't have to look far for a solution. Concepts of the V-280 Valor already clean up that issue quite well. BI could essentially mix the ideas of the armed Valor, into their concept VTOL, and just as easily do away with those limitations. And Good example of inside the gunship. I had no idea they had to sit there and load the thing, that's pretty sweet. But now seeing that, it'd mean that a VTOL gunship would have to have an Auto Cannon like that of an Apache, since having crew to load a cannon would be quite a problem in a smaller airframe.

 in theory on this year there will be a laser on the AC130

[silentghoust 132]

Only now I realized how much is view obstructed on concept art on the cockpit.Bigger windows please : D

 

 

It's wider, that is just the picture of the Osprey squinting for better view.  :P

 

As for CSAT getting a VOLT craft. They didn't exactly mention in would be a transport and honestly I would be pretty disappointed if it was just a V-22 clone. I know both Russia and China have various prototypes and other concepts for VTOL based fighters. 

[en3x 209]

Hopefully is not only wide but high too - keep in mind that this is helicopter and aircraft,

it would do good if visibility would be decent.

[arziben 23]

If CSAT get to have a VTOL, I just hope it'll be as alien in design as a lot of their stuff !

[chortles 263]

I suppose you're right. However, the U.S. Army doesn't have to look far for a solution. Concepts of the V-280 Valor already clean up that issue quite well. BI could essentially mix the ideas of the armed Valor, into their concept VTOL, and just as easily do away with those limitations.

As was supposed to be indicated by my "*ahem*" link there's already at least one workaround in the form of the seven-rocket pod (unguided or laser-guided APKWS or DAGR) and apparently two missiles can be mounted to/launched from the same strut -- essentially a "cheek" pylon -- instead of just launching from the ramp.

But now seeing that, it'd mean that a VTOL gunship would have to have an Auto Cannon like that of an Apache, since having crew to load a cannon would be quite a problem in a smaller airframe.

It must be pointed out that the "AV-280" concept art is more in the vein of the AH-1 Cobra/SuperCobra/Viper (and Bell's seemingly pitched the Valor to the USMC accordingly) instead of a utility aircraft with a forward-pointable door gun like a Huey/Venom or a fixed-forward gun like vanilla's armed Hellcat. There's also no indication about whether a utility Valor can have a nose gun attached without taking away from passenger capacity -- a relevant consideration that the Osprey was suppposed to have an under-nose-turret, co-pilot-operated GAU-19 -- and while "Bell and Lockheed are already looking to put common launch tubes on the V-280 that can launch rockets, missiles and even small unmanned air vehicles forward or aft with no rotor interference", last I saw the fuselage Hellfire bays are where passengers would have been.

As for CSAT getting a VOLT craft. They didn't exactly mention in would be a transport and honestly I would be pretty disappointed if it was just a V-22 clone. I know both Russia and China have various prototypes and other concepts for VTOL based fighters.

I haven't heard of any current Russian VTOL plans -- not after the Yak-38 was withdrawn from Soviet service after a crash some months before the 1991 coup attempt, and the Yak-41 (aka Yak-141) program ended for want of funding despite a partnership with Lockheed that may have led to the design of the latter's X-35B -- so at this point who knows. As for Chinese military VTOL, beyond the AVIC Blue Whale proposal the only 'specific' thing I've heard was a possible V/STOL fighter called the "J-18" which may be a V/STOL derivative of the Shenyang J-31. Emphasis on may, since as in America so it goes in China: not everyone's onboard the idea.

[theevancat 277]

If anything, I'd assume they'd base a CSAT VTOL on existing heavy helicopter designs with some rotors added on. Like how the V280 looks like a VTOL Blackhawk.

[Ranwer135 308]

If CSAT get to have a VTOL, I just hope it'll be as alien in design as a lot of their stuff !

 

 Don't forget the AAF too! Sometime they gotta have some attention somewhere, including the FIA. ;)

[mistyronin 1181]

 Don't forget the AAF too! Sometime they gotta have some attention somewhere, including the FIA. ;)

The AAF are Altis Armed Forces.

It wouldn't make much sense to have them in Tanoa, half the World away from them. 

[R0adki11 3949]

The AAF are Altis Armed Forces.

It wouldn't make much sense to have them in Tanoa, half the World away from them. 

Im guessing we will see some Tonal Tanoa Defence Forces as an independent force.

[kbbw123 115]

Im guessing we will see some Tonal Tanoa Defence Forces as an independent force.

 

The fun thing for this is guessing what they wil have in gear...

 

I mean its a 100km2 iland thats not really big (smaller than luxembourg i believe) and countries that small often have a weaker kind of military. so they would have to be more FIA orientet as force than AAF with  max of some amphibious apc's maybe

 

And maybe a helicopter if they are  lucky (transport one tough)

 

I gues maybe like the phillippine army only even smaller

[zukov 490]

maybe Tanoa is a region of a CSAT member

[ProfTournesol 956]

maybe Tanoa is a region of a CSAT member

 

Or a disputed region. China loves to capture some islands nowadays.

[zukov 490]

in theory Tanoa is very far from China, my doubt is   why NATO don't become SEATO?

[dr death jm 117]

If CSAT get to have a VTOL, I just hope it'll be as alien in design as a lot of their stuff !

I'm in the proses of making/fixing a vtol for all planes. in mission RTS3, all are welcome to its scripts when mission is done ..

there just wont be any wing animation, but so far all is good.

[mistyronin 1181]

I'd love some jungle guerrilla with "old" weapons (meaning old for 2035), maybe some Norinco Russian clone?

in theory Tanoa is very far from China, my doubt is why NATO don't become SEATO?

Almost as far as Japan... and Japan did invade Fiji and many other Oceanic & South Asia islands. Heck they attacked Pearl Harbor... the Ocean reduces the distances.

I'd love to see some Chinese version of CSAT, with Chinese weapons & maybe even an amphibious IFV :)

[zukov 490]

Almost as far as Japan... and Japan did invade Fiji and many other Oceanic & South Asia islands. Heck they attacked Pearl Harbor... the Ocean reduces the distances.

I'd love to see some Chinese version of CSAT, with Chinese weapons & maybe even an amphibious IFV :)

yes but in this case would be a world war not a regional conflict,  i bet a CSAT forces with a some chinese equipment and a local militia with indonesian stuff

[lone.wolf 80]

I would like to a brand new/old faction in the Apex, like some russians or chinese spec forces...