3 Different IR Strobes, whats the difference?

[kocrachon 2]

So i have added the 3 different strobes with the class names here...

IR_Strobe_Target

IR_Strobe_Marker

IRStrobe

So far I have noticed only a couple of things.

1) Two of the strobes are throw able, but they are both identical in light radius and blinking time, so whats the difference between these two?

2) One of them (Marker) Isn't throw able at all, and you cannot turn it on either. Normally one of them would be a strobe that is on your body so aircraft know not to shoot you. However, with this one equipped, I, nor my allies, flash, and we are not able to turn them on either. So what is the purpose of this strobe?

[Alwarren 2767]

So what is the purpose of this strobe?

Maybe it's the item that is lying on the ground after you throw it, i.e. you throw one of the first two, and that gets deleted and replaced by the third.

Just a wild guess though.

[Big Dawg KS 6]

Both "IR_Strobe_Marker" and "IR_Strobe_Target" were throwable when I tested, and there was no apparent difference between them (both created a laser-target like object). And if I had to guess, I'd say "IR_Strobe" is just a base class and not intended to be used.

Edit: Just checked the config. "IR_Strobe_Target" is in fact the base class, and except for the names, they are all completely identical.

class IR_Strobe_Target : CA_Magazine {
...
};

class IR_Strobe_Marker : IR_Strobe_Target {
displayName = "$STR_EP1_DN_IR_Strobe_Marker";
};

class IRStrobe : IR_Strobe_Marker {};

Edited July 13, 2010 by Big Dawg KS

[CarlGustaffa 4]

Will AI actually target them as well? Haven't toyed with these yet.

[Big Dawg KS 6]

Will AI actually target them as well? Haven't toyed with these yet.

They are targetable only with weapons that have NVGlock=1 (or so I believe).

For some reason, the only one I noticed that has this is the LGB, but that doesn't seem to make any sense...

[kylania 568]

I did a test where I spawned a IRStrobe and IR_Strobe_Marker. An Apache overhead did nothing. However when my guy threw an IR Strobe, the Apache went nuts, calling out enemy contact and targeting the strobe.

So something about firing the strobe makes it targetable?

[jakerod 254]

I did a test where I spawned a IRStrobe and IR_Strobe_Marker. An Apache overhead did nothing. However when my guy threw an IR Strobe, the Apache went nuts, calling out enemy contact and targeting the strobe.

So something about firing the strobe makes it targetable?

Perhaps spawning it made it neutral and because a blufor unit threw it, it made it targetable for blufor. Although by opfor can target it too but maybe they wouldn't if blufor threw it.

[kocrachon 2]

So how come we don't have strobes that stick to the player to identify him as a friend to nearby air assets... so they dont drop a bomb on us...

[pre-Vet 10]

yeah think its a but weird to throw away a very expensive and usefull piece of kit just to get it bomed,especialy because this is a milsim. giving coördinates is way more accurate, stealthy, clear (no more:"confirm marker") and wont get your ass bomed when you drop a strobe.

I did some searching and everybody is surprised the strobe isn;t intended to mark yourself in night time operations so everybody involved knows you are one of them.

however LurchiDerLurch has a AC-130 script where IR markers are on each unit when seen through optics, might have potential to develop for every NVoptic...

[RomeoSierra 10]

yeah think its a but weird to throw away a very expensive and usefull piece of kit just to get it bomed

Ha ha. You think the military is bothered about wasting money! The bomb that they will drop on the IR strobe probably costs about £50,000 - £100,000. Not to mention the cost of the aviation fuel to get the plane over its target & back home.

[kocrachon 2]

I did a test where I spawned a IRStrobe and IR_Strobe_Marker. An Apache overhead did nothing. However when my guy threw an IR Strobe, the Apache went nuts, calling out enemy contact and targeting the strobe.

So something about firing the strobe makes it targetable?

This is strange to me as well. Not only will the AI call it out as a target, but you cant actually engage it. I have had 2 squad members toss each IR strobe, I flew in an A-10, F-35B, and AH-64, the A-10 and AH-64 were of the OA expansion, and the F-35B from ArmA 2. None of them could actually "lock" onto the IR strobes.

[meester 18]

The following in initialisation - this addMagazine "IR_Strobe_Target"; - seems to be the best bet with ace2. I can turn it on, on me and when I throw it the flashing on me stops. When I pick it up off the ground, I have to turn if on again via the interaction menu [ace2].

[victim913 10]

I think there has been alot of fixes with ir strobes and similar things, so I don't know which are right and which are not. And maybe I am thinking of the wrong thing. so maybe someone can straighten this out for me.

Are there any items that you, as a ground soldier ingame, can place on the battlefield that will serve as a target for aircraft?

I thought that was what the strobes were for but i've never gotten it to work. Basically something like that. You can leave some type of "target me" item. You place it down and call an airstrike to target that item, then yo can just leave, knowing your aircraft will target that item.

Mainly i want it for the opposite. I want to be able to place that item in position, then team switch to an aircraft flying around, and when I push "target" or "reveal target" my strobe or whatever will come up as my trget.

Does it exist or or is it possible?

Thanks

[shay_gman 272]

IR strobes, or Infra Red Strobes. Are basiclly flashing infra red lights. Since infra red isn't shwon to the naked eye you can only see it by looking at it with some kind of lance or camera eg Night Vision Google (NVG).

Here is an experiment for an IR strobe, everyone can do it in their home. Take a remote controller look at the end point (the lamp) and press a button, do you see anything? no. Now open you phone camera look at the RC's lamp through the camera and press a button, Do you see the light now?

This is IR.

Now IR strobes used to designate targets just in video games as MW. Anybody with some NVG will see the srobe blinking. IR strobe is used to designeted friends from foes in night fightings.

If you want to designate targets for airforce use the laser designator or GPS transponder. Or you can create the laser designator target so it will pop as the target for the air force.

[Noraf 0]

i haven't testet that seneario myself, but you do have both marker strobe, and target strobe ingame, have you tried them both?

[Lonestar 11]

There are two kinds of strobes:

• Positioning strobe
  
• Target strobe
  

The former is used to locate friendly infantry and the latter is used by aircraft to lock targets.

IR Strobe                 IRStrobe              n/a
IR Strobe Marker          IR_Strobe_Marker      n/a

From the manual:

• Infrared Strobes – There are two kinds of strobes available, visible only in

NVG: The Marker strobe and Target strobe. The Marker strobe blinks and is

only practical as a position marker provided your opponent is not equipped

with NVGs. The Target strobe can be targeted by vehicles and aircraft

(machineguns, unguided rockets); it can be used for marking tagets at night.

Edited March 22, 2011 by Lonestar

[victim913 10]

That's what I was looking for. The Target strobe. I know what the IR strobe is, I was just using it as an example. I was looking for something that can be locked on.

I remember trying to use them before but neither of them worked. That's why I wanted to make sure what I was looking for.

ACE has a VIP IR strobe. What is the difference with that?

The reason the laser designator won't work is because I will be in the aircraft. The AI won't use it, or really know how to use it. So if I target with it, then team switch to the aircraft, The AI will switch to weapon.

I think i can get AI to drop the target strobe or at least i can switch to him and and drop it where i need it.

Thanks alot

[jakerod 254]

I have seen the AI use the laser designator before. Last time I checked the target strobe worked. I don't remember if they only used a hellfire on it though or if they used something else.

[Imperator[TFD] 444]

The Target Strobe can be locked on to by aircraft with laser guided weaponry.

It is however, very very picky about when it works.

[Lonestar 11]

Ok guys, I've done some testing.

1. It appears there are 3 classes for strobes:

IR Strobe                 IRStrobe              (target strobe - not throwable)  
IR Strobe Marker          IR_Strobe_Marker      (marker strobe - throwable)
IR Strobe Target          IR_Strobe_Target      (target strobe - throwable)

2. Only weapons that have NVGlock=1 seem to be able to lock them.

Only missile I've found so far is the GBU-12 (LGB) launched from this aircraft:

AV-8B (LGB)                       AV8B

3. There seems to be a bug: both marker strobe and target strobe can be locked by aircraft (they both appear as Laser targets).

4. Now I wonder why the manual says:

The Target strobe can be targeted by vehicles and aircraft

(machineguns, unguided rockets); it can be used for marking tagets at night.

Machine guns can't lock anything! And if rockets are not guided then how will they acquire target? :Oo:

Edited March 23, 2011 by Lonestar

[Lonestar 11]

"IRStrobe" is not throwable, however "IR_Strobe_Target" is.

As Big Dawg KS said, only weapons with NVGlock=1 can lock them.

The only aircraft I've found so far that can lock them is the AV-8B (LGB).

But there is a bug: both marker strobe and target strobe can be locked by aircraft.

http://forums.bistudio.com/showpost.php?p=1880781&postcount=8

[Noraf 0]

Ok guys, I've done some testing.

----snipp----

4. Now I wonder why the manual says:

The Target strobe can be targeted by vehicles and aircraft

(machineguns, unguided rockets); it can be used for marking tagets at night.

Machine guns can't lock anything! And if rockets are not guided then how will they acquire target? :Oo:

Well, if it's a human player, he can use it to mark were to shoot, and, i think you can order ai to engage it aswell

[microgus 10]

TY Brother

[jakerod 254]

Ok guys, I've done some testing.

1. It appears there are 3 classes for strobes:

IR Strobe                 IRStrobe              (target strobe - not throwable)  
IR Strobe Marker          IR_Strobe_Marker      (marker strobe - throwable)
IR Strobe Target          IR_Strobe_Target      (target strobe - throwable)

2. Only weapons that have NVGlock=1 seem to be able to lock them.

Only missile I've found so far is the GBU-12 (LGB) launched from this aircraft:

AV-8B (LGB)                       AV8B

3. There seems to be a bug: both marker strobe and target strobe can be locked by aircraft (they both appear as Laser targets).

4. Now I wonder why the manual says:

Machine guns can't lock anything! And if rockets are not guided then how will they acquire target? :Oo:

I could've swore that I saw an apache use its cannon on it one time when I was messing around in the mission editor. I might be wrong about that though. I also think i've seen one use hellfires on it.

[AnimalMother92 10]

Machine guns can't lock anything! And if rockets are not guided then how will they acquire target? :Oo:

Probably because the manual was for the original release of OA. Since then things have changed..

[76690]  Fixed: Despite irTarget = 0 units/objects could be locked with TAB.