Attack Helo question

[markh 10]

I have used the editor to create a basic mission involving REDTanks and PCs and BLUE Fire infantry teams and attack helo (Cobra). I am BLUE. The Player unit is a Team leader in the fire team and the attack helo is AI.

I have used the High Command function and created a waypoint for the attack helo that is a respectable distance from the RED units so that I can use the benefit of the helo's missiles for stand-off attack, knowing that in the real world the attack helos missiles can kill armour at a range where the armour weapons cannot reach the helo.

My problem is that when the helo reaches the waypoint it does not stay at the waypoint (which is at a range where it can use its stand-off advantages). Instead the AI indulges in a suicidal "charge" against the armour and gets knocked down after perhaps killing 1 or 2 vehicles.

My question is how do I get the attack helo's AI to stay at stand-off range and continue to kill the armour, in the way that would happen in real life?

[Kabolte 10]

Mission editing and scripting forum

I don't really know how to do this, other than setpos, but that would look pretty bad. Imagine seeing a helicopter move a few feet, then be teleported back.

edit:

On second thought, you could try this

1. Create a trigger

2. Create your helicopter, name it helo1

3. Create an invisible h (empty->objects), name it helo1position

4. Group the helicopter to your trigger, change the trigger activation to vehicle, not present.

5. Enter this in the onAct field

helo1 doMove (getpos helo1position);

That may or may not work though, never experimented with doMove

Edited July 15, 2009 by Kabolte

[markh 10]

Mission editing and scripting forum

I don't really know how to do this, other than setpos, but that would look pretty bad. Imagine seeing a helicopter move a few feet, then be teleported back.

edit:

On second thought, you could try this

1. Create a trigger

2. Create your helicopter, name it helo1

3. Create an invisible h (empty->objects), name it helo1position

4. Group the helicopter to your trigger, change the trigger activation to vehicle, not present.

5. Enter this in the onAct field

helo1 doMove (getpos helo1position);

That may or may not work though, never experimented with doMove

Kabolte

Thanks for your quick reply, but that does not solve the overall problem in that the attack helo needs to be a mobile asset that I can move over the battlefield to attack RED units where ever they are located. There is no point (or fun) in placing RED units in a set place in a user created mission with no movement orders simply waiting like dummies for my BLUE helo to show up and kill them.

For those who know Steel Beast Pro PE, you can give attack helos a movement order such as "engage" and the helos will move to the waypoint. However, if they see enemy armour on the way, they will stop, hover and kill the armour with stand-off weapons before continuing to the assigned waypoint. That is the type of command I am looking for in Arma 2 and I guess I am asking whether there are commands that will allow the AI to act in that fashion.

[THEBLITZ6794 10]

gunner: OMG! COBRA! COBRA!

commander: relax *begins hammering it with DShK*

[p75 10]

I'd like to know this too. Anyone?

[markh 10]

I am bumping this to see if there is anyone who can help with this attack helo question. I have tried reading as much as I can on the forums and still cannot work out how to prevent the attack helo AI from conducting a suicidal charge against armour/men instead of enagaing them at a safe distance.

In reality the Cobra should be able to stand-off at a safe range and take-out armour. I understand that their hell fire missiles have a range of over 7000 m. I appreciate that the visual distance of the game is below that, but I would expect the weapons to be modelled to reflect that the helo standoff weapons can outrange the Tank and BMP guns.

Is there any way to instruct the helo to hover at a waypoint and attack enemy with missiles? I have tried most of the commands such as hold etc ... without luck.

[krycek 349]

Currently the choppers are a little broken,besides the crashing in trees and choosing stupid landing zones they do not hold position and keep "hovering" for miles.I tried to stop them but the only time when they do keep their position is when they're in formation with you and you aren't moving.

From my tests,they also have problems when engaging targets,sometimes they choose to fire their unguided missiles instead of their AT ones and other times they don't fire at all unless you specify a target for them.At least these scenarios happens in my case.So even if you manage to make them hold the position somewhere most likely they won't fire their guided missiles on their own even if the enemy armor is in plain sight.

Solution is to either babysitting them and specify targets or wait for the patch and hope at least some of the chopper issues will be fixed.

[markh 10]

Currently the choppers are a little broken,besides the crashing in trees and choosing stupid landing zones they do not hold position and keep "hovering" for miles.I tried to stop them but the only time when they do keep their position is when they're in formation with you and you aren't moving.

From my tests,they also have problems when engaging targets,sometimes they choose to fire their unguided missiles instead of their AT ones and other times they don't fire at all unless you specify a target for them.At least these scenarios happens in my case.So even if you manage to make them hold the position somewhere most likely they won't fire their guided missiles on their own even if the enemy armor is in plain sight.

Solution is to either babysitting them and specify targets or wait for the patch and hope at least some of the chopper issues will be fixed.

Krycek

Thanks for the feedback.

I shall wait, and hope, for a patch. Thanks for taking the trouble to check it out.