[OA] BD Hellfire 1.0

[Big Dawg KS 6]

Ok, this sort of stemmed out of an experiment I started after reading this thread. And since the concept was so cool, I decided to put it into addon form. Since I already wrote it so nicely in the readme, here's the description from it:

Description:

BD Hellfire is an enhancement that provides an alternative (hopefully more realistic) system for engaging targets with the AGM-114 Hellfire Air to Ground Missile system. The system forces players to use laser designation to guide Hellfires, without interfering with AI controlled aircraft's ability to engage targets with Hellfires.

Currently, the system will be utilized on the AH-64, AH-1, and MQ-9 aircraft in game.

The system allows you to use your own laser or lock on to other lasers to guide your missiles. In addition, it allows you to toggle between direct and top attack modes. In top attack, the missile will climb before decending on the target from above. See the readme for more info.

Update: v1.1

I've improved the top attack simulation quite a bit. It is now more viable at closer ranges (it can scale depending on target distance), and it just looks cooler too. I also added some improved support for using other addons with the system. See readme for change details.

This addon requires Operation Arrowhead.

Readme:

+==================+

| BD Hellfire v1.1 |

+==================+

Author:

======

Big Dawg KS

Credits:

-------

Big Dawg KS - scripts

oyman - testing

Changelog:

=========

v1.0

-----

Initial Release

v1.1

-----

-Improved top attack simulation

-Improved compatability with other addons

--Limited support for different weapon classnames

--Top attack parameters can be set in missile config

Description:

===========

BD Hellfire is an enhancement that provides an alternative (hopefully more realistic) system for engaging targets with the AGM-114 Hellfire Air to Ground Missile system. The system forces players to use laser designation to guide Hellfires, without interfering with AI controlled aircraft's ability to engage targets with Hellfires.

Currently, the system will be utilized on the AH-64, AH-1, and MQ-9 aircraft in game.

Firing Hellfires:

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

Players can no longer fire hellfires at will with when using BD Hellfire. They will not be able to select Hellfires from their weapons. Instead, when a valid target is available, the ability to fire using an action (or shortcut key) will be enabled. The action, called "Fire Hellfire", will appear when you have a lock on a laser target. A shortcut key can be used to invoke firing without using the action menu. By default, it is your "reload" key.

Under normal circumstances, this action will be available to the aircraft's gunner. If Manual Fire is on however, it will be available to the pilot instead.

Targetting:

----------

There are several ways to lock on to a target, but you can only lock on laser targets. The simplest way to designate a target is to turn your own aircraft's laser designator on (which will be added to the aircraft if it is using BD Hellfire). While your aircraft's laser deisgnator is on, you will be locked on to the target it creates by default. This is sufficient enough to fire a missile, which will track your aircraft's laser.

In addition, you can simply point your crosshairs toward a laser from another source (ground unit or other aircraft), and you may be able to get a lock. This is a less reliable method, and may not always produce a lock. If you are able to get a lock with this method, you the fire action will be available.

Lastly, using your laser designator you can manually lock on any laser target. If you have a hard lock on a target, this target will be used to guide your missiles. Even if you have your own laser active, locking on to another source will override your laser.

Hellfire Flight Modes:

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

BD Hellfire also includes the option to enable a top attack flight path when firing Hellfires. You can switch between top attack and direct (default ArmA 2 behavior) attack using the "Toggle Direct/Top Attack" action. In top attack mode, the hellfire will begin to climb right after it is launched. When it finishes climbing, it will turn back on the target and engage it from a high angle. Using top attack will allow you to engage targets from behind obsitcles, as well as hit hard targets such as tanks and APCs on the top where their armor is weaker. The default shortcut for the toggle action is your "vehicle turbo" key.

Under normal circumstances, this action will be available to the aircraft's gunner. If Manual Fire is on however, it will be available to the pilot instead.

Addons:

------

As of v1.1, you can enable BD Hellfire on other vehicles by calling the following script on it:

[this] execVM "\BD_Hellfire\initEH.sqf"

If the vehicle uses different weapon classnames, you must set the following variable on the vehicle (using setVariable) to that classname (only 1 weapon supported per vehicle):

BD_HF_HellfireWeapon

ex:

this setVariable ["BD_HF_HellfireWeapon","Addon_HellfireLauncher"]

Also in v1.1, addons can be made more combatable with the top attack feature by defining some config parameters. If no parameters are present, default values are used (based on BIS hellfire flight characteristics). These parameters are added to the CfgAmmo class for the missile:

/* This determines the maximum climb angle. Depending on other config values, the missile may not be capable

of tracking its target at steeper angles. If it loses the target, it cannot reacquire it, so set the

climb angle to something that doesn't point the nose of the missile at too much of an angle from the target. */

BD_climbAngle = <number>; // between 0 (flat) and 90 (straight up) degrees

/* This determines the maximum altitude the missile will climb before diving back down. */

BD_climbMaxAlt = <number>; // measured in meters relative to launch altitude

/* This determines how the missile adjusts its climb altitude for closer targets. It is defined as the percentage

of the distance to the target at time of launch that the missile will stop climbing. For example, if the target

is 300m away at launch, a value of 0.3 means the missile will stop climbing after travelling 90m (horizontally)

even if it has not yet reached its maximum altitude. If it reaches its maximum altitude first, it will stop

climbing at that point. */

BD_climbTargetDistanceMultiplier = <number>; // decimal value between 0 and 1 (usually betwen 0.1 and 0.5)

Multiplayer:

===========

Requires the addon to be installed on the server to work. Only clients that have it installed will be able to use it.

Expansions:

===========

Requires Operation Arrowhead. Also compatable with Combined Operations (ArmA 2 + OA).

Required Addons:

===============

THIS ADDON REQUIRES EXTENDED EVENTHANDLERS

This addon should also be compatable with any other addons provided they don't interfere with the XEH stuff.

Disclaimer:

==========

I am not responsible for ANYTHING that happens to your computer by using this addon. Use at your own risk.

Installation:

============

Install the pbo & bisign files into the Addons folder in your ArmA 2/OA directory or any mod directory. Install the bikey file in your Keys directory.

Download:

Version 1.1

Armaholic

Arned Assault.info

MediaFire

Version 1.0

Armaholic

Armed Assault.info

Strategy Informer

MediaFire

MegaUpload

Additional mirrors would be greatly appreciated.

Edited February 12, 2011 by Big Dawg KS
Update released

[Fox '09 14]

sounds good , ill give this a try!

[TechThings 22]

Fookin Awesome mate,

Seeming that the Semi Active Laser hellfires are currently the only missiles used by us brits on the AH in Afghan atm this brings a nice new sence of realism.

[oldbear 390]

New on front page at Armed Assault.info

Link to mirror :

[OA] BD Hellfire 1.0 : http://www.armedassault.info/index.php?game=1&cat=addons&id=1498

[Big Dawg KS 6]

Additional mirrors added.

Thanks Old Bear.

[hellfire257 3]

Im glad this works with AI too. Other mods I have tried that are similar to this have hindered the way the AI uses attack helicopters. Nice one!

[Guest]

Release frontpaged on the Armaholic homepage.

BD Hellfire v1.0



Community Base addons

Community Base addons OA (only required if you use OA standalone)

[lao fei mao 21]

Great，I'v be waiting for this addon for a long time. Especially for MQ-9 which is not easy to be controlled to lock a ground target and fire hellfire. Now with this addon, the MQ-9 will be a powerful weapon.

[KeyCat 131]

Great stuff, gonna try this one out... Thanks for sharing BD!

/KC

[CameronMcDonald 146]

Ah, wonderful. :)

Now where are those goddamn grenades? >:|

[oyman 0]

Ah, wonderful. :)

Now where are those goddamn grenades? >:|

he still hasn't payed me for the OFP ones

[CameronMcDonald 146]

Goddamn it.

[Big Dawg KS 6]

The physics simulation has changed a bit since OFP. I haven't yet been able to find a good way to model grenades, though to be honest I haven't even tried since a few tests I did in ArmA years ago. :rolleyes:

Right now I have been writing all my scripts/making all my addons without a lot of testing (limited time to do so). The grenades would require a lot of research and trial and error. Maybe when I get more time at home I will look into it.

Anyway, let's stay on topic. How are the Hellfires working for everyone?

[lao fei mao 21]

Still I've found the addons doesn't work well with the MQ-9 which's hellfire missile doesn't fly to the target my laser designator point to.

[Big Dawg KS 6]

I believe this is a problem with BI's MQ-9 itself. The laser designator always points forward, and is not slaved to the camera (my guess is missing memory points). Nothing I can do about it without modifying the MQ-9 model (which I can't do).

[guidozombie 10]

Amazing!! Great add on, it was a let down not to be able to guide the hellfires with the Apache, i wonder why they included the laser designator on the ULB but not in the Apache.. By the way.. do anybody know if it's possible to get rid of the little red circle with target distance that appears when using the laser?

[WallyJas 10]

Guys I am not sure if I am reading this right. Does this add-on enables the pilot to choose manual fire and then have access to the gun camera (cross hairs, zoom etc) to manually guide hellfires onto any target?

I have installed and can laservdesignate but can't seem to find how to get to the gunners camera when in manual fire mode as pilot.

Can anyone help please?

[avengerzx 10]

Amazing! Gonna test now

[WallyJas 10]

Is it possible to make this addon support other attack helos?

[cannonouscrash 12]

Wally, if you can designate a target, another chopper with laser guided missile, or even a attack aircraft with the laser guided bombs should be able to see the laser.

[WallyJas 10]

Awesome ... Thanks guys

[Big Dawg KS 6]

Update (v1.1) released, see first post.

[Guest]

Updated version frontpaged on the Armaholic homepage.

BD Hellfire v1.1



Community Base addons

[KeyCat 131]

Thanks BD (and Fox)!

/KC

[HELLFREEZA 0]

it's a small addon, but it's a MUST HAVE addon for CO.

BIG THX Dawg! :)