[Release] Support By Fire (SBF)

[beno_83au 1362]

 

 

Download:

MIL_SBF_Pack - Dropbox

* Demo scenario included (as seen in the below video).

 

Description:

MIL_SBF is a set of functions that allows a user to set AI up to provide support by fire WHERE, WHEN and HOW they need it.

MIL_SBF currently only comes in one version, Basic, and supports infantry and static weapons/turrets (including autonomous turrets). An advanced version will be added to the pack at some point, which will allow far greater control over most aspects of the SBF function. I'll also do up a sniper specific version.

This is something I started working on around 2 1/2 years ago and developed it for a little while in tandem with a SBF function I was working on in VBS3. Along the way it's changed and improved and I've added things and removed some, and now I've gotten around to building a releasable version of it in a simplified form. My old build required editing a number of lines in the actual scripts and wasn't user friendly at all.

It's probably also worth noting, I've also used my old build for sniper point target engagement with 100% hit rate once set up properly, and have also used it for other various times when the AI needed to fire at specific times and with specific results. And it wasn't until about a year ago that I first used it for an ambush, so there may be more that it's capable of achieving that I haven't yet considered.

 

Features:

- Allows the AI to provide suppressing fire where and when you want.
- Predefined roles for rifles, machine guns, grenade launchers and marksman rifles.
- Predefined roles for medium and heavy machine guns, and grenade machine guns.
- Medium and heavy machine guns are automatically designated as such (although vanilla ArmA 3 only has .50cal HMG, so no MMG without mods).
- Machine guns and grenade machine guns will fire in a staggered pattern with each other.
- Predefined rates of fire for sustained and rapid, and also includes an ambush option.
- Length of fire mission can be controlled by a timer, or by setting a user-defined variable.
- Options for staggered group fire or individual fire, unlimited ammo, setCaptive and allowDamage.

 

To use:

- Download and read the readMe.txt in each folder.

- Sorry, but the instructions are slightly different between soldiers and turrets, and are a bit involved. However, I have included plenty of instructions and examples for both. This way, the OP won't be so cluttered.

 

Credits:

- Various help along the way on the forums.

 

Media:

Demo video of the different rates of fire, different unit types, and combining them (4:17):

 

Demo video of an AI section using the newly implemented staggered firing option (1:27):

 

- My YouTube channel playlist of all the videos I've put up to show the progress over the couple of years it's taken - Playlist - MIL_SupportByFire.

 

- Other videos of mine where SBF has been used (either as immersion or directly impacting the player):

    - 4 x fire teams on the left flank of the assault providing SBF.

    - 2 x M2 firing on the left flank against incoming enemy HMG SBF.

    - 1 x enemy HMG firing SBF (round strike can be heard, this is the HMG the M2s were engaging, they also re-engage a short time later).

    - Enemy flees an assault, runs into USMC squad ambush.

- Also a little bit of the SBF stuff I did on VBS3, for anyone curious enough - Playlist - VBS3 SBF (vehicle SBF was a lot easier to achieve in VBS3, at least back then it was).

 

Known bugs:

- The GMG has on occasion not fired in the correct spot. I was unable to reproduce it with any consistency, but it had not happened during the last dozen or so tests so HOPEFULLY(!!??!?!?) it's gone. Otherwise, I'll employ a work-around I'm using on the grenade launcher attachments/UGLs/EGLM/whatever's under there at the time.

- Actual weapon rates of fire are dependent on FPS (and the scheduler). This is something that I read early on in the SBF development that is hard coded into the game. So, don't over-do the amount of SBF being used at once.

 

 

 

If anyone happens across any bugs, or has any suggestions, please let me know. This has only been tested by myself, though old builds have been successfully used in private Coops with mates.

 

Thank you.

 

Change log:

Spoiler

v1.1:

Added - Staggered fire option for MIL_SBF_Men. Groups of soldiers can now stagger their fire to allow for better ammunition conservation and extend their time on SBF.

                - Grenadiers will fire in a stagger with each other

                - All other units (rifles, machine guns, marksman) will stagger their fire fire with each other, rather than everyone firing individually.

                - Defaults to false.

Fixed - Grenade launcher rounds will now land in a random position within the target area. They would previously land at the first random location ONLY.

Fixed - 3GL launchers (or any grenade launcher magazines of more than a single round) will now work as intended with unlimited ammo.

Changed - Autonomous weapons will now fire their exact round counts. Units firing 5 or more rounds have a inaccuracy added to their burst size of +/- 1, to replicate real world occurrences. However, it didn't seem right that autonomous weapons would accidentally fire +/- 1 round (because, they're computer controlled.....).

 

[Guest]

An Armaholic mirror is now available:

 

Support By Fire (SBF) v1.00

[GEORGE FLOROS GR 4206]

Congratulations beno_83au for the release !

[beno_83au 1362]

Update.

 

v1.1:

Added - Staggered fire option for MIL_SBF_Men. Groups of soldiers can now stagger their fire to allow for better ammunition conservation and extend their time on SBF.

                - Grenadiers will fire in a stagger with each other

                - All other units (rifles, machine guns, marksman) will stagger their fire fire with each other, rather than everyone firing individually.

                - Defaults to false.

Fixed - Grenade launcher rounds will now land in a random position within the target area. They would previously land at the first random location ONLY.

Fixed - 3GL launchers (or any grenade launcher magazines of more than a single round) will now work as intended with unlimited ammo.

Changed - Autonomous weapons will now fire their exact round counts. Units firing 5 or more rounds have an inaccuracy added to their burst size of +/- 1, to replicate real world occurrences. However, it didn't seem right that autonomous weapons would accidentally fire +/- 1 round (because, they're computer controlled.....).

 

OP has been updated with a short video showing the staggered fire being used on "Rapid", "Sustained" and "Ambush". Staggered firing wasn't intended to be used with "Ambush" though (it's not really how an ambush is meant to be fired), so I just turned up the ROF on the stagger.

 

If anyone feels that the readMe files are a bit convoluted or confusing, let me know. To me, it seems like it could be a bit complex to someone not used to using the function so I'll try and rewrite them if I need to.

[Guest]

The Armaholic mirror has been updated with the new version:

 

Support By Fire (SBF) v1.1