Arma 3
ZEUS WARGAME [RTS mod]
Seaman Cannon 8 Oct, 2024 @ 8:11pm
Notes on simple integration with Drongo's Air Operations
I've been working on a mission and have found a few interesting ways to integrate this mod with Drongo's Air Operations:
1. You can use the Unit Cost Module to create an aircraft that is immediately added to DAO's Virtual Aircraft Manager (VAM). This stores the unit so that the AI won't do anything stupid while you want it to be idle, and you can call it in similar to how fixed wing works in Wargame: Red Dragon. You are able to load helicopters with infantry and insert or paradrop them without breaking any RTS functions. You use the DAO interface for this, not the Zeus interface. This is the code to add to the Unit Cost module custom init line:
//index of the airfield, side the unit should belong to
[1,WEST,[typeOf _this]] call dao_fnc_AddToVAM; deleteVehicle _this;
Uncheck "Add Vehicle Crew" on the Unit Cost module. To get the index of the airfield, open the DAO interface and turn on airfield markers (in the upper right).
A few caveats:
Do not store aircraft that have RTS infantry loaded; they'll be deleted.
There is a bug/limitation in DAO where aircraft will spawn the wrong direction on the runway or just spawn and explode. Use that mod's "spawn in air" option to fix that. Note that this means that fixed wing aircraft will not be able to load infantry in normal circumstances. Don't build a mission around this like I did lol
Air corridors allow you to have a "virtual airfield" like in Wargame. There appears to be a bug in DAO that causes aircraft to spawn at the wrong corridor if you have more than one, so be aware.

2. You can use DAO's VAM along with Drongo's AI Fire Support to create a credible air threat. See this script:

sleep 300;
//uncomment if not using another aircraft AI
//EAST call DAO_fnc_SimpleAI;
//loop checks that any air command center building is alive. for optimization, put the stronger/higher hitpoint buildings on the left of the condition check
while {alive bomb_target_1 || alive bomb_target_2 || alive bomb_target_3 || alive bomb_target_4 || alive bomb_target_5} do {
//[airfield index,side,[array of classnames for aircraft]] to be added to the AI
[2,EAST,["O_Plane_CAS_02_dynamicLoadout_F"]] call dao_fnc_AddToVAM;
sleep (60 + random [0,120,300]);
};
//associated task completed if loop conditions are false
["acc", "SUCCEEDED"] call BIS_fnc_taskSetState;

You can load that in init.sqf, but note that I have not tested or even though about MP compatibility since I am very rusty on MP dev. I might be trying that tomorrow and I'll update.

Bonus: You can also add Drongo's Artillery to total control over air and arty. Note that you will need to leave Zeus every time you need to use the mapclick function of either DRA or DAO. If in multiplayer, it is a great idea to have a JTAC handle all supports for you. Combine all of this with HAL/NR6 and you will have a great comp stomp. I might publish a mission showcasing all of this, but I need some more time to tune balance and find edge cases.
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Seaman Cannon 9 Oct, 2024 @ 5:46am 
I forgot to mention that for the second tip, you need to have the VAM threshold in DAFS set to 1 or higher so that the AI will spawn the virtualized aircraft. You can also use that module to enable CAS/CAP AI for the enemy aircraft.
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