Incoming!! Y.A.A.A...

[chops 111]

Yet Another Artillery Addon!

From the readme

Quote[/b] ]

This is an artillery addon that allows M119 artillery strikes of four different warheads, through the action menu and mapclicks, out to a range of 7600m.

Features

-Indirect fire out to 7600m

-Four different warheads

-M760 HE

-M916 DPICM

-M84 smoke

-M314A3 illumination

-Just copy the template user mission into your own missions and you're ready unleash hell!

Why an addon and not just a script?

The standard BIS M119 ammo disappears after about 20 seconds (I think). In the (very sloppy) config of this addon, the timetolive has been increased, so the shells stay in the game long enough to fly further. In addition the initspeed of the default ammo wasn't enough to propel the shells very far. The init speed for CPS_arty ammo is 3500.

The field of motion of the m119 has also been increased in the config so it can fire in high angle trajectories, limiting the problems caused by mountains, see image below.

The tutorial.

This is a masterful piece of work that I've horded on my hdd from the OFP days. Oringinaly from www.ofpec.com. It explains clearly, consisly and humorously the way any barrel can be used to create accurate indirect fire using non linear regression parabolas (whatever they are). Full credit to nyarlatothep@aliceposta.it for this great piece of work!

The missions

Three single player missions to test out the addon.

Limitations

Due to my very basic scripting and zero config knowledge, there are a few...

-Single player only.

-Different warheads are from "fired" eventhandlers, not different cfgammo.

-AI do react to HE shells, but no the others

-Smoke shells do not block AI view.

Download here

Edit: Mirror kindly provided by Armed Assault Info.

I spent the entire day stuffing about with higher initspeeds to get the realistic range of 11,400m for M119, but the 25000+ init speed starts to stuff up the scripts (as far as I can tell). I'm releasing this is in the hope that those who know more than me (ie nearly everyone) can use this great tutorial to help produce some high quality, realistic artillery for the community.

Regards

Chops.

[ArmaVidz 0]

lol attack of the artillery mods

Cool man, checkin this out when I get home from work

[colligpip 0]

god you wait for ages for arty and they all come at once typical.:-)

I think we need some sort of arty contest to find the best one.

[quiet_man 8]

this arty stuff is KILLING me

PS: Good work

QuietMan

[scubaman3D 0]

Is it possible to script the artillery to fire first on a high angle and again on a low angle so they impact the same position at almost the same time??

You could have 4 arty pieces have 8 rounds on target within seconds.

[NonWonderDog 0]

The initspeed was actually pretty close to realistic (1100 m/s, right?). The parameter you need to change for realistic range is airFriction.

This is defined in the main ini as airFriction = - 0.005000 for the default projectile. All projectiles inherit this attribute, but it's WAY, WAY, WAY too much for anything above 15 mm (it's not nearly enough for small arms bullets either, which I've changed in my NWD_Ballistics mod). A value of airFriction = -0.000300 or thereabouts is probably more realistic. The real value will depend on your initspeed, since the airFriction value is completely pathological.

I'm currently redoing tank ballistics and coding tank FCS (I've got a nearly-fully functional 1A40 targeting computer installed on the T72 already), and I've found that airFriction = -0.000275 is about right for an average 120mm HEAT round, while airFriction = -0.0000375 is good for modern 120mm APFSDS rounds. It took a lot of research to find trajectories for US and Soviet tank rounds, though, and I don't have the same for artillery rounds.

Here's the list of big shells I've come up with so far, if just so you can see how hard it is to relate airFriction to anything. This is all determined by trial and error:

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">

Shell Type airFriction

120mm M829A2 APFSDS-T -0.0000375

120mm M830A1 HEAT-MP-T -0.0001800

120mm M830 HEAT-T -0.0002750

125mm 3VOF-36 HEF-FS -0.0001500

125mm 3VBK-25 HEAT-FS -0.0002625

125mm 3BM-42 APFSDS -0.0000500

[skickahit10 0]

The initspeed was actually pretty close to realistic (1100 m/s, right?). The parameter you need to change for realistic range is airFriction.

This is defined in the main ini as airFriction = - 0.005000 for the default projectile. All projectiles inherit this attribute, but it's WAY, WAY, WAY too much for anything above 15 mm (it's not nearly enough for small arms bullets either, which I've changed in my NWD_Ballistics mod). A value of airFriction = -0.000300 or thereabouts is probably more realistic. The real value will depend on your initspeed, since the airFriction value is completely pathological.

I'm currently redoing tank ballistics and coding tank FCS (I've got a nearly-fully functional 1A40 targeting computer installed on the T72 already), and I've found that airFriction = -0.000275 is about right for an average 120mm HEAT round, while airFriction = -0.0000375 is good for modern 120mm APFSDS rounds. It took a lot of research to find trajectories for US and Soviet tank rounds, though, and I don't have the same for artillery rounds.

Here's the list of big shells I've come up with so far, if just so you can see how hard it is to relate airFriction to anything. This is all determined by trial and error:

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">

Shell Type airFriction

120mm M829A2 APFSDS-T -0.0000375

120mm M830A1 HEAT-MP-T -0.0001800

120mm M830 HEAT-T -0.0002750

125mm 3VOF-36 HEF-FS -0.0001500

125mm 3VBK-25 HEAT-FS -0.0002625

125mm 3BM-42 APFSDS -0.0000500

I think the part that I wrote about the math explains the air friction-constant pretty good (if someone is interested why these numbers matter and what they do).

Check it out here (scroll down to the part about math).

I also agree with you about the default constant being way to big.

[NonWonderDog 0]

Ah. I'd suspected that airFriction was a multiplier for velocity squared, but I hadn't actually checked it.

Since you've said

Quote[/b] ]After some testing using a script, some trial and error and some wild guessing I have concluded that k is equivalent to about (-500 / 1000000).

I guess we can conclude that drag acceleration is indeed computed as velocity^2 * airFriction. The default value of airFriction is exactly -500 / 1000000.

This knowledge doesn't actually make my ballistic mod any easier though. I guess it means I could fit the ballistics in MATLAB instead of testing every change in ArmA, but I'm far too lazy to write the code.

[skickahit10 0]

Ah. I'd suspected that airFriction was a multiplier for velocity squared, but I hadn't actually checked it.

Since you've said

Quote[/b] ]After some testing using a script, some trial and error and some wild guessing I have concluded that k is equivalent to about (-500 / 1000000).

I guess we can conclude that drag acceleration is indeed computed as velocity^2 * airFriction. The default value of airFriction is exactly -500 / 1000000.

This knowledge doesn't actually make my ballistic mod any easier though. I guess it means I could fit the ballistics in MATLAB instead of testing every change in ArmA, but I'm far too lazy to write the code.

no, it's true that it doesn't make anything easier.

I was simply thinking about the part where you said that it's hard to "relate airFriction to anything", just meant to explain the relation between the friction-constant and the drag

[M.Andersson(SWE) 4]

Is this addon usable in editor without the mission?

If so its truly an addon worth trying..

[bravo 6 0]

Does this support MP?

Will we be able to hear the shell coming in MP?

[o3oDeath 0]

I am tweaking the ballistics for version 1.3 of my mod. and this seems to be the most acurate config for the ballistics of the 105mm

airFriction = -0.0001500

powder charge 1 initSpeed = 150;

powder charge 2 initSpeed = 300;

powder charge 3 initSpeed = 450;

powder charge 4 initSpeed = 600;

powder charge 5 initSpeed = 750;

powder charge 6 initSpeed = 900;

powder charge 7 initSpeed = 1050;

at powder charge 7 the max range is about 12.4 km

I can't find much documentation on muzzle velocities and associated ranges for  the 105mm round so it is a rough estimate.

I took a look at your script on your ammo classes:

Quote[/b] ]class CfgAmmo

     {

     class Sh_105_HE;

     class CPS_Sh_105_HE : Sh_105_HE

             {

             timeToLive = 180;

             //timeToLive = 20;

     hit = 210;

     indirectHit = 40;

     //indirectHitRange = 20;

     indirectHitRange = 10;

             };

you can add this

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">class CfgAmmo

     {

     class Sh_105_HE;

     class CPS_Sh_105_HE : Sh_105_HE

             {

             timeToLive = 180;

             //timeToLive = 20;

     hit = 210;

     indirectHit = 40;

     //indirectHitRange = 20;

     indirectHitRange = 10;

                 airFriction = -0.0001500

};

You have to change the initSpeed in your magazine class. I have measure a speed of 1050 at 23 degrees elevation at 12.4 KM.

Some tweaks to your script and you could hit any where on the map.  Your script is a notch above other scripts I have used and I look foward you your next version

peace

[chops 111]

@scubaman 3D, it is indeed technically possible, I plan to include low angel trajectories in any subsequent version. Might have to drag out my old maths textbooks...

@NonWonderDog. I rarely play arma without your mod intalled and as I was getting pissed off with stuffing about with crazy initspeeds, I then recalled hearing something about airfriction values......somewhere.....too late! I'll definitely use this in any next version. There is a rocket assisted round for the M119 that fires out to 18km...

@Fk Andersson. There's a template mission, for the editor. Currently all M119s and a spotter need to call scripts in their init lines. Hope to fix this.

@bravo 6. Not at this stage (as per first post ).

@o3oDeath. Thanks dude! It's pretty time consuming gathering the data for the scripts I use, for different init speeds, so Im unsure about using different "charges" realistic as it is. But the airfriction value is the answer to the range problem. Cheers!

Thanks all for your valuable feedback and help !

My plans for this are (in no particular order).

-Add the airfriction value (well actually that IS first).

_Add the D30.

-Add magazines for the various ammo types, instead of EHs. Also be good to include White Phosphorous.

-Add the scirpt call via the config, rather than init line in editor.

-Create a fire control dialog for the spotter.

-Make it all MP compatitble.

If anybody is willing to help out with any of the above, that we be an act of kindness we could all celebrate with digital carnage

At some point, it'd be great to get custom sounds and particle effects too.

Regards

Chops.

[volkov956 0]

I am still waiting for mobile arty hehe but nice addon

[o3oDeath 0]

i have a small spread sheet of muzzle velocities with ranges at various angles. as of now it is incomplete and i am also working on the rocket assisted round. Right now the main priority is getting a good sound for the flying sound to get that whistling incomming sound. When I get all the data compiled I will PM it to you.

In order to get those ranges you will have to create new magazine classes. but that is half the fun.

[NonWonderDog 0]

As to the rocket-assisted round, you probably won't be able to use ArmA's rocket simulation for it. Rockets will fire out of gun barrels, that isn't the problem, but they have this weird mechanic where they use active control surfaces to fly in a perfectly straight line for as long as the motor is burning.

This is why the RPG-7 ballistics are so damn hard to make accurate. Maybe the Mando Missile mod will help, but you'll probably end up having to script the trajectory if you want it to work correctly.

[Maces 0]

mhhh what i must make that i can call for a artillery strike?I don´t know how i do that,what i must do in the Editor in the Artilleryunit?Or what code i must took in the Init of the Unit?

[Viper169th 0]

Updated sorry about confusion

1. I updated the smoke effect to keep them from disappearing on the screen when too much smoke present

2. changed default shots to 3 rounds

3. added 30 second delay between weapon selections

4. fixed error on templates not picking up M119IF

Download Here:

http://mihd.net/6xc7q1

[snoops_213 74]

Nice addon! 1 question though, the firing solution, what does it take into account? Coz when i use this with NWD ballistics+FCS there is no way in hell of hitting the target unless i spot where the rounds fall and then adjust accordingly ( i guess this is how it is irl, but still in that case we should have an option to fire a spot round) and if the target is towards to outer limits it will fall short everytime. Does it take into account different initspeeds and airfriction values for different ammo? if so how would one adjust it?

Other wise a great addon!

[Guest]

New Version 1.2

I am correct you are re-releasing someone elses work with your own changes to the file?

Has the original creator given permission for others to release "changed" versions?

All I can tell from reading is that he has planned to make changes to this himself so...............I am just curious.

Or, are you the same person as chops?

[Viper169th 0]

Quote[/b] ]I am correct you are re-releasing someone elses work with your own changes to the file?

Has the original creator given permission for others to release "changed" versions?

All I can tell from reading is that he has planned to make changes to this himself so...............I am just curious.

Or, are you the same person as chops?  

I'm not the same person Chops in the forum asked if someone knew how to do some extra coding to do so

there for I looked at the addon seen what he was trying to do with it and was trying to help out sorry if you thought I was trying to take over his mod just trying to help make it more realistic and improve by adding east artillery and fixing issue with both running at the same time I worked on this for 4 days trying to make it compatible with each other

I give all the credit for the mod to Chops I just updated to make it alittle better the class went from Cps_arty to Chops_artyW and Cps_artyE ....... I was trying to help I seen the list of changes he wants to make and I figured atleast this might be one less thing he'll have to do to get the artillery running the way he wants to and we'll be closer as a community to getting actual artillery that was in BIS original plans for Arma

[Viper169th 0]

Nice addon! 1 question though, the firing solution, what does it take into account? Coz when i use this with NWD ballistics+FCS there is no way in hell of hitting the target unless i spot where the rounds fall and then adjust accordingly ( i guess this is how it is irl, but still in that case we should have an option to fire a spot round)  and if the target is towards to outer limits it will fall short everytime. Does it take into account different initspeeds and airfriction values for different ammo? if so how would one adjust it?

Other wise a great addon!

You'll have to ask Chops about that one it uses arma's ballistics so you'll probably have to run without  NWD ballistics+FCS  mod ......if you set it up to with  NWD ballistics+FCS  you'd have to recaculate the rounds for people that don't uses it.....I just added East compatibility with alittle extra coding so both sides are more realistic to what they shot in r/l

has anyone tried to play in multiplayer mode yet shouldn't have any problems but never know I played agianst the ai a couple times but like playing with a Dee Dee Dee LOL

[acog99 0]

Would making it MP ready be a large undertaking?

[Guest]

Quote[/b] ]I am correct you are re-releasing someone elses work with your own changes to the file?

Has the original creator given permission for others to release "changed" versions?

All I can tell from reading is that he has planned to make changes to this himself so...............I am just curious.

Or, are you the same person as chops?  

I'm not the same person Chops in the forum asked if someone knew how to do some extra coding to do so

there for I looked at the addon seen what he was trying to do with it and was trying to help out sorry if you thought I was trying to take over his mod just trying to help make it more realistic and improve by adding east artillery and fixing issue with both running at the same time I worked on this for 4 days trying to make it compatible with each other

I give all the credit for the mod to Chops I just updated to make it alittle better the class went from Cps_arty to Chops_artyW and Cps_artyE ....... I was trying to help I seen the list of changes he wants to make and I figured atleast this might be one less thing he'll have to do to get the artillery running the way he wants to and we'll be closer as a community to getting actual artillery that was in BIS original plans for Arma

No worries

I was just wondering. If chops himself approves about this than who am I say its not good

I didnt know he asked for help with this stuff.

[chops 111]

Hi all, sorry for taking a while to post here, been busy.

Viper169th. No offence taken at all mate, as you said, I did ask for anybody to pitch in with anything that they could, much appreciated. It's a relatively simple addon, in game, but putting it together took me back to the bewildered state of year 11 maths class at times (minus the schoolgirls ). Thanks for your efforts mate!

El nino Foxhound. Good onya for sussing it out champ. I'd be well pissed off if I saw another thread with "Oooh look what I made" only to discover it was my work. Seems there's a bit of that a foot at the moment. Thanks for looking out for me!

acog99. Probably not. I think it'd just need some public global variables or something. I'll look into it.

snoops_213 As Viper169th said, NWD's excellent work updates the M119's projectile's ballistics to realistic values, see NWD's post on page one.

Time permitting, I will be updating this with MP functionality and NWD ballistics compatability which will increase range out to the more realistic ~11,000m. There is a rocket assisted shell with a range of 19,000m but it's not a priority.

Thanks to you all for your interest in this. I made and played the small demo missions while running Madmatt's effects mod and FDF's sound mod. I recommend them for much improved sounds and explosion/smoke effects for artillery strikes.

Thanks.

Chops.