How does one lock onto soft targets (personel) when flying the helicopter?

[p75 10]

How does one lock onto soft targets (personel) when flying the helicopter? I can only target vehicles. Is there a way to target soft targets when flying a helicopter either by vanilla or script?

Update: I'm talking about the gun. More specfic, ordering your gunner to pick a soft target.

Edited August 1, 2009 by p75

[An-225 0]

You can't. That's not what Vikhrs or Hellfires are for anyway - use the Hydras or S-8 (?) pods. I'm not sure the military would be happy with you wasting such a valuable missile on a group of infantry when you can easily use the cannon or rocket pods.

[p75 10]

You can't. That's not what Vikhrs or Hellfires are for anyway - use the Hydras or S-8 (?) pods. I'm not sure the military would be happy with you wasting such a valuable missile on a group of infantry when you can easily use the cannon or rocket pods.

Maybe I'm not clear enough, I'm talking about the gun.

[An-225 0]

You don't lock on with the gun. You can't in game, and you can't in real life.

You use the optics in game...NUM0 or RMB...and aim at a target.

[USSRsniper 0]

You don't lock on with the gun. You can't in game, and you can't in real life.

Yes you do actually lock on targets so that the gun can track the targets without the gunner constantly moving the optics/gun manually... :P

Inghelicopter click on target with the right mouse button or TAB, if you are the gunner you still have to aim manually tough but the target will be locked. Works with the gun and missiles.

Edited August 1, 2009 by USSRsniper

[p75 10]

Yes you do actually lock on targets so that the gun can track the targets without the gunner constantly moving the optics manually... :P

Hey mate,

How? The tab does not work. Do you need to be close? I'd like to be able to lock on from a few hunderd yards at least.

[randir14 10]

The only way I know of to target them is to get them in the center of your screen and right-click. Kind of hard when at your height and speed infantry look like pixels.

[An-225 0]

@USSRsniper

Well in that case, you anchor the gun to a specific point. You don't "lock onto" a person, as an AGM-114 locks onto a laser or an AIM-120 onto a radar signature.

The OP was talking about locking onto a person - now, how am I to interpret that? And besides, he stated that he can lock onto vehicles, furthering my impression that he wanted to "lock onto" a person.

@p75

Of course TAB won't work for locking onto a person - the gun doesn't ride a laser beam, it doesn't lock onto a heat source. What do you expect it to do?

Allow me to delve into it in more detail...the KA-50 can, in real life, anchor the optics to a specific point...such as in the center of a cluster of infantry. It cannot however, track moving infantry.

The same can probably be said for the AH-64 and the AH-1, although I'm not too sure since I have no idea how to acquire the manual for the Apache or Cobra.

Of course, you cannot anchor the gun (or UAV camera) to a specific point in ArmA. It isn't exactly hard to shoot though, if you have a good pilot, and I don't see why you have the need to lock the gun onto a cluster of infantry? If your pilot is at all good, he will minimise the amount of erratic movements, and you will usually have a clear shot at infantry.

Edited August 1, 2009 by An-225

[p75 10]

@USSRsniper

Well in that case, you anchor the gun to a specific point. You don't "lock onto" a person, as an AGM-114 locks onto a laser or an AIM-120 onto a radar signature.

The OP was talking about locking onto a person - now, how am I to interpret that? And besides, he stated that he can lock onto vehicles, furthering my impression that he wanted to "lock onto" a person.

@p75

Of course TAB won't work for locking onto a person - the gun doesn't ride a laser beam, it doesn't lock onto a heat source. What do you expect it to do?

Listen mate, you are a bit arrogant, aren't you, lol? Just think alittle before you state things! I have a gunner in the front of me, not? I could command him to lock on a soft target, not? Christ, it is early morning, be abit more forgiving :D

[USSRsniper 0]

@USSRsniper

Well in that case, you anchor the gun to a specific point. You don't "lock onto" a person, as an AGM-114 locks onto a laser or an AIM-120 onto a radar signature.

The gun does not lock onto the soldiers, but you can lock it to trac vehicles :) I was talking about vehicles.

Hey mate,

How? The tab does not work. Do you need to be close? I'd like to be able to lock on from a few hunderd yards at least.

I think the tagret must be withing visual range to lock it from gunners position, but from pilots seat just click TAB target has to be in the cross hair ro in the green square in the radar. Target must appear on the radar as red icon too. To lock on infantry use the target menu and the gunner will lock onto the infantry.

Edited August 1, 2009 by USSRsniper

[An-225 0]

The gun does not lock onto the soldiers, but you can lock it to trac vehicles :) I was talking about vehicles.

The OP was talking about soldiers, hence the word personnel in his opening post. ;)

P75, I am not the one at fault here. First of all, you neglected to state that a) you are trying to use the cannon and b) you are the pilot, not the gunner.

When commanding a gunner, you simply select them and press 2 to tell them to target a soldier. It is that easy. :)

[mjr.hassle 13]

I think you or your gunner need to see and `call out` the infantry target. You`ll notice the crosshair moves to target infantry after been sighted. Pressing TAB will cause you to target a vehicle, or call `no target` and lose lock with the infantry.

Basically get close enough to the infantry with the gun selected and your AI gunner will do the rest, unless you have manual fire selected, then you`ll need to pull the trigger yourself.

This works for me.

[USSRsniper 0]

The OP was talking about soldiers, hence the word personnel in his opening post. ;)

But doesn't soft targets mean vehicles? ;) anyway...

You still can lock onto soldiers in game, here is proof if you don't believe

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/6586/arma22009080104283588.png

Sounds stupid but you can do it in game :D

Only works if AI gunner saw the target and identified it as enemy.

Edited August 1, 2009 by USSRsniper

[An-225 0]

I realise that the word 'soft target' is being used incorrectly here, but he still stipulated 'personnel' afterwards, so he is talking about infantry specifically. I'd assume that 'soft target' covers everything short of an MBT.

That isn't exactly locking on though - missiles will not track the target box, and nor will the cannon auto-align itself with it (unless you have an AI gunner). ;)

[p75 10]

Come on, thanks , I have my answer, still have a headache from yesterday and you guys are not helping there ;-)

Appreciating the answers!