Using support in MyMission/Combat sessions

[ladlon 10]

In a MyMission/Combat session, you can call artillery, airstrikes and UAV's.... but I'm unclear on how to utilize them.

Specifying the target for artillery and airstrikes seems hit&miss... and I'm not entirely sure how to actually do it (...left click on spot on map?.... middle click?.... aim at target in 1st person mode). Seems almost random 'how it's done' when I do it.... and sometimes the target is placed in some other spot away from where I clicked. Could someone give me the official procedure?

Also, in the name of all that is good, somebody PLEASE tell me how you use the UAV support! :rolleyes:

I can call the support in, and a UAV flies around... all that is lovely.... But, how is it actually utilized? Can I get control of it... or can I see the video feed.... or does it display enemies on the map? What exactly does it do, and how do I control/access it (or whatever you're supposed to do with it).

I've checked the old Arma1 manual, searched online, etc... but found no documentation on that.

[ladlon 10]

Anyone?....

[SASrecon 0]

nvm -detele-

[ladlon 10]

Huh?....... ;)

[Nielsneo 10]

In a MyMission/Combat session, you can call artillery, airstrikes and UAV's.... but I'm unclear on how to utilize them.

Specifying the target for artillery and airstrikes seems hit&miss... and I'm not entirely sure how to actually do it (...left click on spot on map?.... middle click?.... aim at target in 1st person mode). Seems almost random 'how it's done' when I do it.... and sometimes the target is placed in some other spot away from where I clicked. Could someone give me the official procedure?

Also, in the name of all that is good, somebody PLEASE tell me how you use the UAV support! :rolleyes:

I can call the support in, and a UAV flies around... all that is lovely.... But, how is it actually utilized? Can I get control of it... or can I see the video feed.... or does it display enemies on the map? What exactly does it do, and how do I control/access it (or whatever you're supposed to do with it).

I've checked the old Arma1 manual, searched online, etc... but found no documentation on that.

I'll give it a try.

Artillary: The first thing you do when you're calling in artillary is select what kind of strike you want.There are 5.

Immediate supression - This will achieve the fastest result but will use only a handfull of rounds.HE = hig explosive rounds; Smoke = smoke obviously; WP = white phosphorous wich is infantry only.

Illumination - Used at night to illuminate a great area.

Laser guided munition - very effective for a single armored target.Need laser designator for that one.

SADARM - Very effective against multiple armored targets. Cannot be used for buildings and infantry.

Fire for effect - Large scale barrage with fairly wide pattern.

You will likely use the FFE the most. Once you choose FFE you will be asked a fire mission target. Go to the map and single click on the map where you want the strike. A plus sign with a text will appear. Then just sit back and watch the carnage unfold.

UAV : This one is weird. Everytime i wanted to use one i immidiatly get a message saying "bingo on fuel,RTB" and the UAV crashes. I've used it effectively in the campaign but there u had a base with an UAV controlpoint where you could set the path of the UAV and control it's camera. I don't know why it does'nt work in the combat mission wizzard.

Airstrike(CAS) : This one calls in 2 A10's at the designated location. You set this location by looking at the point you want CAS and then use the option. It's a bit backwards as a click on the map would be much more usefull but it's probably due to it's effectiveness against rolling enemy armor. I encountered a couple of moving T90's one time and would not have survived if i used the artillary option. The A10's made short work of them and gave us a way to move to a safer location.

I hope this helps. It is a new feature so would'nt come up in the Arma1 documentation.

[jakerod 248]

Airstrikes are not always A-10s. I have actually never been given A-10s before. I have had harriers and F-35s though.

[ladlon 10]

Hi, Nielsneo... Thanks for pulling through once again!

Ya, I've manage to use them all (aside from the UAV)... Just wasn't entirely positive of the targeting methods.. as sometimes a map clip seemed to work, other times it didn't... other times, it would place the X off target... so I wasn't really sure. Most of the time, it worked fine.

Thanks for explaining the various artillery types! I kind of figured them out myself, but it's great to have 'official' verification! I've been using the HE one for everything (as at the time it seemed the most appropriate... at least with my limited knowledge). But your explanations are going to make future strikes much more affective!

As for the UAV, mine ACTUALLY WORK, oddly enough. I never got the fuel issue. I'd have a UAV fly around, circling the area I targeted (I think....). Only issue was, that was about all I could seem to do. I couldn't access it's camera.... or control it... or have it mark enemies on the map (...after not being able to control it or view it's feed, I assumed that what it did was mark enemy units on the map). But, I couldn't find ANYTHING (commands, etc) that allowed me to do anything with it. So, at this point, all it is good for is having a UAV fly over your head!

I know there were a few posts about the UAV in terms of using it in your own Editor missions.... People either didn't know how to set it up, or couldn't figure out how to fire weapons from it (...I still haven't seen an answer on that!). Shortly after purchasing the sim, I flew a UAV in the Armoury section... but couldn't figure out how to control the camera or fire. I could just fly around.

I'm curious to play around with the different artillery strikes now... having only used the HE one. Is the SADARM kind of like a clusterbomb type thing?

A big 'hey' to Jakerod, too.... who's been helping me out quite a bit in past posts as well! I seem to get a mix of plane types in airstrikes... both A-10s and others.

[Nielsneo 10]

As for the UAV, mine ACTUALLY WORK, oddly enough. I never got the fuel issue. I'd have a UAV fly around, circling the area I targeted (I think....). Only issue was, that was about all I could seem to do. I couldn't access it's camera.... or control it... or have it mark enemies on the map (...after not being able to control it or view it's feed, I assumed that what it did was mark enemy units on the map). But, I couldn't find ANYTHING (commands, etc) that allowed me to do anything with it. So, at this point, all it is good for is having a UAV fly over your head!

I know there were a few posts about the UAV in terms of using it in your own Editor missions.... People either didn't know how to set it up, or couldn't figure out how to fire weapons from it (...I still haven't seen an answer on that!). Shortly after purchasing the sim, I flew a UAV in the Armoury section... but couldn't figure out how to control the camera or fire. I could just fly around.

I'm curious to play around with the different artillery strikes now... having only used the HE one. Is the SADARM kind of like a clusterbomb type thing?

Ah too bad about the UAV. It was kind of a let down as in the campaign you can control it's flightpath and view the camera. U could also fire the missiles but i never got them to hit anything. A bet u would have to place that control building in the editor to use those functions.

About the SADARM. They are not clusterbombs. It's called "Sense And Destroy ARMor". It's fired from a howitzer and when it reaches a certain hight a parachute deploys. When it's coming down it searches for enemy targets with a wave sensor and infra-red sensor. Once it's found a target it fires an "explosively formed penetrator" (EFP) at it. If no targets are found it self destructs. So it's great for neutralizing ligt to medium armor. Main Battle Tanks are a bit tougher due to their reactive or explosive armor so it might require more rounds.

Again happy to help.:)

Edited April 7, 2010 by Nielsneo

[ladlon 10]

Oh, ya. Sorry.... I didn't recognize it at first. Ya, Sense And Destroy Armour.... It mentions that in the menu list or something.

:( So, WTF is with the UAV (in Secom or Mission Wizard sessions)? Why is it that there seems to be several things (grenades, UAV, etc) that seem to be broken, or don't make sense, etc.... yet I feel like I'm the only one having trouble (either knowing how they work, or getting them to work properly)? That's one weird thing I feel about Arma2 and the forum/users... I feel like they all have some different version, or that I'm completely missing something here that they won't fill me in on! (..not saying this is literally what is happening... just that it feel like it!).

Kind of like getting the sim, and finding that the guns don't fire... yet no one in the forum is complaining about it... not that they mention it DOES work.... just they don't mention it at all! I keep expecting the Twilight Zone music to start playing!

That's not to say there's not good people here... I'm not bashing them or their support to me. I hope you get what I'm trying to explain here.

It's frustrating, as I say... but mostly in that I WANT to play this, and I know there's a great sim in there... I'm just 'wandering along the battlefield, wondering why my gun doesn't fire'.... so to speak.

As for the grenade thing, I finally did get an answer a long while back.... basically saying 'Ya, I don't know how it works.... it doesn't really work properly, I think.... I don't bother with it...'. Frustrating, but at least it sort of lets me know that I'm not alone or going insane....not in terms of that, at least!

I know I've said this a million times, but it still surprises me that someone hasn't made a full manual... Not the tactics type thing available, or the 'basics' game manuals that are available. Just seems by now some 'huge fan' would have done it.... as there seems to be with most other games. Take for example GTA.... There's always some guy who makes a PAINFULLY complete manual.... going through EVERY mission, listing EVERY item. My mind boggles when I view these things, thinking some guy took the time to write all this stuff down... dedication?.... or insanity?..... or nothing else to do in life? ;)

Meanwhile, something like Arma2 that really warrents such a complete fan made manual doesn't have one (...again, aside from that dsleksy-whatever one, which is more of a tactics type thing... still VERY good, but not a 'what each menu item means and does' type of manual. I keep revisiting it, though, to see if some of the missing things have been added (...like the whole UAV thing).

Just me quietly ranting a bit.... Nothing serious, and I do really appreciate the help from the regulars in my posts. :)

Edited April 7, 2010 by ladlon

[Alex72 0]

Ive said it before and i'll say it again - please read through the forum a bit. You never know how much you learn. UAV shortcomings is very very well known. Nothing new. Search and back read in the forum will give you so much info. Its a bit nervwrecking going into the same discussion over and over and over for the people that have been here a long time so doing what i did when i came here - read back and search - youll get up to speed with things.

The UAV can surely be used to look through its "camera" and it can surely be set to fly where you want. That the campaign can be buggy here and there i cant comment on but know at least that its so.

Test the UAV module (read on the BIS wiki or just search this site) and youll learn how it works. We will get better UAV - im guessing here - in Operation Arrowhead. But until then check the module out and learn to use it. Make some small missions to learn how things work and make your own stuff. Its very rewarding and a learning experience wich gives the game much more depth for you. The true depth i would say. Between others releasing missions you can create your own - play it SP or with mates helping you out in MP testing them. Even that will be good fun and good gaming.

Read back the forum and get all the answers. ;)

[ladlon 10]

I did do searches for it... trust me. But the references I found were more for how to set it up in custom missions (editor) as well as how to use it in the CAMPAIGN... I found nothing about how to use it in a random Secop/Mission wizard session. There seems to be no commands available to control it in such sessions. I also found no mention of them in any manuals (..again, other than how to set one up in your own mission... setting up the modules, etc).

I've gone into the Armory and played around with the UAV there... but that's not the same as in the Mission wizard, as in that type of session the UAV is not part of my team, so I don't have any way to control it, and there seems to be no menu items relating to it in such a session too.... unlike in the Armory session, where I CAN control it.

I spend hours reading and searching through the forums, downloading and reading the PDFs, watching the videos. It just doesn't seem like people in the other posts are asking/answering the specific questions I'm pursuing... just stuff that's unrelated to my specific question.

If you have a link to how to control a UAV in a Secop/Misison wizard session, I'd gladly read it and shut up about it.

[NoRailgunner 0]

Some things work better in the editor or with scripting.

The mission wizard is not almighty and imho more intented to create missions quickly and having fun without beeing a "scripting-scientist". ;)

Try the modules in the editor (not the mission-wizard) - http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Category:ArmA_2:_Editor_Modules

[ladlon 10]

Hello again, NoRailgunner....

Yes, I was previously using the editor before discovering the Mission Wizard.

It's not that I'm completely obsessed with wanting to use a UAV... it's that the MyMission/Combat sessions (which is what I use pretty much exclusively) HAS UAVs as part of it's support options (along with airstrikes, artillery, etc). So, it's IN there, and supposedly works (one would assume)... and I just want to know how to use it so that I can utilize it as an option. Kind of a shame that I'm 'awarded' UAV support (along with the other support), but have to avoid it simply because I have no idea how to use it. I understand it conceptually, and in the Armory section I can control it fine... but it seems broken or partially missing in the Combat session.

So, ya, I can use it in the Editor, or the Armory, or even in the campaign... but I'm asking specifically what the deal is with it in the Combat sessions (or any of the Mission Wizard sessions). I play those because it's exactly what I want... random missions. I previously was setting up similar missions in the editor, but they lacked the support options, since that's a bit more complex to code, compared to the random placment, ambient combat and Secop modules... so when I found that the Mission Wizard (which has everything that I programmed in my custom Editor session, PLUS airstrikes, artillery, UAVs, supply support, etc) I naturally switched over.

But why is it that no one will answer this one question... How do you use the UAV support in a Mission Wizard session once you call it in? It feels like it's some huge secret that everyone is holding! :eek: