Mando Missile ArmA for ArmA 2

[gunterlund21 10]

Hi Mando

Question

Ive added Ace Whiskey Cobras with TOW's into the control selection for Gunship support. When they fly out they fire their TOWS AND mando hellfire missles. What is the best way to deal with this. Is it possible to turn off the Mando missile for GS Support or can I remove ammo from the helo so they only use Mando Missiles

[mandoble 1]

gunterlund21, ATM you cannot do any action. With next beta you will have code variables (like that for the carpet bombing) which, if existing, will be executed when the support groups are spawned so that you can change their crew, weapons, etc.

Probably you have already noticed that these GS are way way way more effective using mando missiles than any other default weapon, so I would remove their weapons and leave MMA there as they tend to use default weapons when they are already too close to the target.

maturin, I will recheck that problem with human gunners being able to select guided weapons. What's the problem with ACE and planes AA ability?

EDIT: Maturin, I rechecked and I can confirm you that human gunners in Su34 cannot select missiles using BIS methods.

Edited March 29, 2010 by Mandoble

[NutzMcKracken 17]

SirSmok@lot, that might be an interesting option to be used side by side with MMA, as MMA can deploy any scripted weapon too (as the Mu90 torpedo example, and current SADARM). But to make it more "standard" it should be loaded as a real weapon so this might be also added for the configurations of some choosen platforms from the MMA rearming console.

First priority now for MMA is to solve a savegame problem present for SP missions with HUD mode ON (fixed now for normal HUDs and fixed soon for portable systems). This and some extra console options will be part of next beta. Then we can discuss which of these bombs to include and how for next release.

ATM I think it should be an ordenance option for manned planes and not an option available from the air support console. If available from the console, these kind of attacks might completelly break any mission unless some serious air defenses are deployed everywhere.

I'm with ya on these points! Takes the fun out of it honestly. Not to mention if you can't fly then go as a co-pilot on a friendly 2 seater like the upcoming F-111.

Another point, the AI release the bombs way to early, takes a keen human eye and timing to release combined with altitude for effect....some would otherwise call this a bug, I look at it as a challenge to a weapon that can slaughter armor columns fairly easily in the right hands.

With this point I also know that you really have to counteract this weapon with alot of AAA. I remember using your scripts in an ACE Evo mission I made in ArmA 1 to counter act the effectiveness of the MK20 Rockeye.

I also use your current scripts to test against the F-111 since its so fast the Tunguskas have trouble targeting it. I was giving it a go with 2 F-111's packed with MK82's only facing about 10-15 AAA. gave them a good fight but a good pilot can definitely outwit them at low altitude NOE (Nap of the Earth) fast flying. Then enter MMA and its definitely a challenge!!! All this was done @ South Sahrani approaching North from the South over water at 500-600knots + / @ <50ft off the deck. Pure thrills.

Would definitely look forward to putting these in your hands!

Revising the textures ATM since I know they can be a bit better and more accurate (namely CBU-89 :j: ). I'd really like to see what you can do for the "Gator" system AT and Anti Personnel mines, currently using BLU-91 masked inheriting the properties of the "Mine" (games resident AT Mine).

[maturin 12]

EDIT: Maturin, I rechecked and I can confirm you that human gunners in Su34 cannot select missiles using BIS methods.

I re-rechecked and was able to select both kinds. Must be some issue with ACE (or ACEX).

Now I can't reproduce the Russian planes shooting Air-to-Air missiles at tanks. Swapping team spots between infantry and pilots may have fouled something up.

The only other issue was that when MMA takes ten or more seconds to initialize, that's long enough to fly the length of the Utes map in a fast plane and shoot all your ordinance BI-style. Is this just a built-in limitation or has ACE given me back the BI lock-on mechanics that you took away?

[mandoble 1]

maturin, I doubt ACE or ACEX can interfere with MMA BIS weapon denial, so you press F and you can select Ch29 or R73 from gunner seat once MMA HUD is ON?

Your second point is related to the fact that you are using MMA XEH instead of a mission which initializes MMA by its own (GLs). MMA XEH waits few seconds to ensure MMA has not been already initalized from the mission.

[maturin 12]

maturinso you press F and you can select Ch29 or R73 from gunner seat once MMA HUD is ON?

I don't press F, because the Su-34 gunner has no weapons except those that should be restricted by MMA.

So you are switched to the Ch-29 by default, and that weapon stays selected once the HUD pops up and is ready to go. You can then cycle through the R73 and CH-29 using F.

All other aircraft I can think of allow you to switch to restricted weapons momentarily, then switches you back. The Su-34 gunner seat has no allowed weapon to switch to since the cannon and FFARs are under the pilot's control.

Actually, that may be the problem. ACE gives FFARs to the pilot instead of the gunner in relevant aircraft.

[mandoble 1]

Agree, that is certainly the problem. If there is no allowed weapons to switch to, it will remain with the current one.

EDIT: Anyway you should not be able to TAB/LOCK.

[maturin 12]

Agree, that is certainly the problem. If there is no allowed weapons to switch to, it will remain with the current one.

EDIT: Anyway you should not be able to TAB/LOCK.

But you can hold R-click and lock, IIRC.

[manzilla 1]

Mando,

Reading the ReadMe I see that if I want to have the Console come up only if the player has the LD then I add this to the init:

// Add somewhere to your init.sqf
[] spawn
{
private["_acidx1", "_acidx2", "_unit", "_veh"];
_acidx1 = -1;
_acidx2 = -1;
while {true} do
{
waitUntil {("Laserdesignator" in weapons player) && (alive player)};
_acidx1 = player addAction ["Console: Air support", "mando_bombs\mando_airsupportdlg.sqf"];
while {("Laserdesignator" in weapons player) && (alive player)} do
{
_unit = player;
if (vehicle _unit != _unit) then
{
_veh = vehicle _unit;
_acidx2 = vehicle _unit addAction ["Console: Air support",
"mando_missiles\mando_bombs\mando_airsupportdlg.sqf"];
29 of 31 20/03/2010 15:36
MMA ReadMe First file:///C|/Users/Administrador/Documents...24b/mma_readmefirst/mma_readmefirst.html
waitUntil {(vehicle _unit == _unit) || (!alive _unit)};
_veh removeAction _acidx2;
};
Sleep 1;
};
_unit removeAction _acidx1;
};
};

What I want to do is set up my mission so the Console will only be available if someone in my group(AI or me) has an ACE2 radio, in this case "ACE_PRC119".

How would I do this? It seems to me it would just be a simple swap of "player" to the group but I cant seem to figure it out.

Thanks in advance.

[mandoble 1]

Have not tested and probably it can be optimized, but you might try this:

// Add somewhere to your init.sqf
{
  [_x] spawn
  {
     private["_acidx1", "_acidx2", "_unit", "_veh"];
     _unit = _this select 0;
     _acidx1 = -1;
     _acidx2 = -1;

     while {true} do
     {
        waitUntil {("ACE_PRC119" in weapons _unit) && (alive _unit)};
        _acidx1 = _unit addAction ["Console: Air support", "mando_missiles\mando_bombs\mando_airsupportdlg.sqf"];
        while {("ACE_PRC119" in weapons _unit) && (alive _unit)} do
        {
           if (vehicle _unit != _unit) then
           {
              _veh = vehicle _unit;
              _acidx2 = vehicle _unit addAction ["Console: Air support","mando_missiles\mando_bombs\mando_airsupportdlg.sqf"];
              waitUntil {(vehicle _unit == _unit) || (!alive _unit)};
              _veh removeAction _acidx2;
           };
           Sleep 1;
        };
        _unit removeAction _acidx1;
     };
  };
} forEach units group player;

[TRexian 0]

Hey Mandoble (and Manzilla),

That's a pretty slick bit of code! :) I've wondered for quite awhile how to get an addaction to "follow" a player into a vehicle. Thanks for posting that!

But, would it also be worth checking what crew position the original unit is - the one with the radio - and limiting the addaction to that position? Something in the addaction conditional such as:

((assignedVehicleRole _this) select 0) == ((assignedVehicleRole _unit) select 0)

(Uses select 0 for the assignedVehicleRole only because I believe there are issues trying to compare arrays?)

[manzilla 1]

Thanks Mando. I'll check it out.

Trexian,

I was thinking about limiting it to only the unit that initially starts with the radio but in this case I wanted any one of my SF team members to be able to pick up the radio in case of the FAC's death.

It's a good idea though. I'd definitely do this in a regular infantry mission.

EDIT:

Yes Mando this works but it only works for the player that has the radio. What I'd like is to have the player(SP mission) to have the Console action available as long as someone in the group has the radio. The player starts out as the team leader and AI member 3 starts with the radio. But if he dies and someone else in the group picks up the radio(player or not) the player will again have the ability to use the Console. And if nobody equips it again the player will not have the Console action available until either he picks it up or he orders another AI team member to pick it up.

Edited March 31, 2010 by Manzilla

[mandoble 1]

Well, this is just a matter of scripting. Anyway probably you should consider that your group might change during the game with AI units joining, etc.

[manzilla 1]

Yeah but I'm not too good at scripting, way over my head. Would it really matter if others joined my group? As long as any player in the group has the radio then the player can see it, would one need to do a bunch more scripting if other AI joined the players group?

Never thought about that but I didn't realize that would make a difference in this case.

[mandoble 1]

That's weird, that code should be adding the action to any member of your group with that item in his weapon inventory.

[TRexian 0]

The "in weapons" check for the radio is limited to that unit (which is _x)? To add the action to everyone in the group wouldn't you need to first check all the weapons of the units of the group, then set a boolean if it is found, then add the action to all the units? Can the conditional of the addaction include some sort of a loop like that?

Edit: or also figure out which unit is the player, and only add to that unit?

[manzilla 1]

It's only showing up for the man that physically has the radio in this case team member #3, the FAC, has it. I have to team switch to that guy in order to get the action menu option. I don't have it in the init though. I have it in the my_console_setup.sqf that came with the example mission. I've basically used/tweaked it for this mission. And I commented out:

["MMA Air Support Console", {(typeOf vehicle player == "ACE_Stryker_TOW_MG_Slat") && (player == driver vehicle player)}]execVM"mando_missiles\mando_bombs\mando_giveme_console.sqf";

Also I was wondering about controlling the Airborne reinforcements via High Command. Can I do that some how? I saw something in the ReadMe about making a weaponless reinforcement group:

mando_airsupport_re_action =
{
private["_grp"];
_grp = _this select 0;
{
removeAllWeapons _x;
} forEach units _grp;
};

but is there something similar I could use to add this to the airborne group:

hcsetgroup [[i]groupname[/i],""];

Basically it makes a spawned group(or any group) to be able to be directed via High Command. I'd really like to be able to control the airborne troops and especially via HC. It would be a perfect fit for them.

EDIT:

It works if I'm in the same vehicle as the guy equipped with the radio but once I'm out of it the option goes away.

Edited March 31, 2010 by Manzilla

[mandoble 1]

Manzilla, effectively the action is added to the unit that has the object in the inventory, but if you executed that script everywhere (for every client and not only where the player is), you should be able to aproach that soldier and get access to the menu action too.

What do you mean with High Command controlling the reinforcements?

[manzilla 1]

Manzilla, effectively the action is added to the unit that has the object in the inventory, but if you executed that script everywhere (for every client and not only where the player is), you should be able to aproach that soldier and get access to the menu action too.

What do you mean with High Command controlling the reinforcements?

The high command module by BIS.

Hmmmm, I not really sure what you mean by every client. I'm just making an SP mission and I wanted to have the team leader have the ability to use the console but only if someone in the group(an AI team mate) has the radio. I did it with the console in A1, I believe you told me how to do it but I couldn't find it in the thread. I have it set up in my missions that use Bon's artillery:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=93200

this is what use to activate this same feature using his script:

player addAction ["Call Artillery","bon_artillery\dialog\openMenu.sqf",["Arti_dlg"],-1,false,true,"","player hasWeapon 'ACE_P159_RD90'"];

Not sure if that means anything to you but who knows.

They way you gave may actually be a bit better though. So basically as long as the player is within a certain distance from the AI teammate that has the radio, the player will be able to call up the Console from the action menu? I like that, much more realistic.

[jpinard 10]

I'm not sure if this was just answered (I'm sick and about read to drift off)

When I'm in something (AH64 APache) it won't let me switch weapons when I'm by myself and trying to switch from gun to missiles. Why is this?

[mandoble 1]

Use MMA keys (default or your own custom ones) to cycle through MMA HUD modes in every plane/chopper or vehicle. With F you will able to cycle only non-guided weapons. You have all this info in the included PDF as well as the online readme (HUD section).

[jpinard 10]

Use MMA keys (default or your own custom ones) to cycle through MMA HUD modes in every plane/chopper or vehicle. With F you will able to cycle only non-guided weapons. You have all this info in the included PDF as well as the online readme (HUD section).

There's definitely something wrong. I was already doing that and what happen's is I go to change weapons (while in the correct HUD view). For example, I'm in air-to-air mode (HUD), and I've got multiple AA missiles. I hit the "change gunner weapon" button and it will flash the missile and immediately switch bad to the GAU gun. I made a youtube video to show you exactly what's wrong, but youtube's having maintenance at the moment so I can't post the link.

I've also setup the custom key settings like you described in your pdf manual just in case that was it too. Next I'll run it without my joystick to see if something weird is going on there. As soon as youtube is back up I'll add to this post so you can see it. Thanks for your help :)

Oh I'm using your latest version 2.4b5

----------------

OK not my joystick. I'll now unload all my others mods and see if it works properly.

Edited April 1, 2010 by jpinard

[maturin 12]

There's definitely something wrong. I was already doing that and what happen's is I go to change weapons (while in the correct HUD view). For example, I'm in air-to-air mode (HUD), and I've got multiple AA missiles. I hit the "change gunner weapon" button and it will flash the missile and immediately switch bad to the GAU gun. I made a youtube video to show you exactly what's wrong, but youtube's having maintenance at the moment so I can't post the link.

That sounds right. With Mando, you have one guided and one unguided weapon selected at the same time. If the HUD says air-to-air, get a lock and fire the missile with the MMA key (not L-click). You can be firing GAU-8 rounds the entire time with the normal trigger button.

You will never select a guided weapon with the "change gunner weapon" button. That it flashes to it momentarily is just a scripting workaround and supposed to happen.

[Defunkt 431]

When MMA is active you can only select non-MMA weapons in the BIS HUD (default key is [F] to cycle), if you try and select an MMA controlled weapon the selection is advanced to the next non-MMA weapon (i.e. often the cannon) which is the behaviour you described - this is by design. MMA controlled weapons must be selected in the MMA HUD (only) and are cycled using the key you bound within the Use Action 18 custom control.

EDIT: Yeah, what he said.

[mandoble 1]

jpinard, current MMA weapon selected is displayed on top of the MMA HUD. By default and if you dont reconfigure the keys, LEFT CONTROL is used to cycle HUD modes (and also MMA weapons). Again by default, TAB is used to lock on a target, LEFT WINDOWS to fire a missiles or drop a bomb in CCIP mode and LEFT SHIFT to drop flares. In some special cases you can fire and then lock on the target (LOAL for Apache hellfires), while normally you will need to get an MMA lock before being able to fire (except for free fall bombs in CCIP HUD mode). There is also an special key (G by default) that is used in some systems: to transmit current target to the other human crew member in Apache or to switch to hitching camera in transport choppers). The last key is used for system with ECM available (R by default to turn it on).

Note that MMA HUD lock on is timed in many systems, so you will see the diamond blincking over the target while the final lock on is achieved. This time varies from system to system, and the time might be much longer if the target is emitting ECM (you will see the mark and diamond in blue color when the selected target emmits ECM). If the target has ECM turned on, the lock might get lost at any time. You will find that some planes cannot be locked on unless quite close to them (these defined as stealth like the X35B).

Other MMA systems are available only via menu actions (MCCs and TVs), so check these out too.