What does "Force Complete" do?

[Gambit21]

...aside from turning a search light on and off.

I have an AA group from Haash or Coconut where each AA unit has a Force Complete command object lnked to it.

What is the purpose? Does this somehow insure the AA units function properly?

Edited November 20, 2017 by Gambit21

[Sketch]

As I understand it... It completes a previous assigned event. 

 

As an example, the AI bomber pilots will continue to make passes/circle the object their attacking, even if they have ran out of ordnance or have destroyed the object. So if you tell your bombers to bomb something, you would setup a force complete once they complete their attack (via ordnance or destroyed object). Then, they will go to the next event.

 

Check pg 130 of the Mission Editor Manual

 

Your searchlights example are turned off by default (their last command), force complete (high) ends that command and starts the next event; which should be lights on.

 

For the AAA, I set the timeout to 999 for the attackarea command. This way the AAA will constantly attack players. I use force complete (high) when the players leave the checkzone to tell the AAA to stop firing. I assume others are doing the same.

 

 

Picture for reference:

[coconut]

My guess is that every AI unit always has a command assigned to it. The purpose of ForceComplete is to replace the previous command, but it also works even if the unit did not have anything to do before. ForceComplete could also be seen as "do nothing".

 

In addition, each AI unit has some "side activities" that it can do while assigned an other command. When it reverts to that side activity depends on the priority of the command it is assigned to perform.

If that command has priority "low", then the unit will take every opportunity to do its side activity. When the command is high, it will never perform the side activity.

 

The side activity of land lights is to be switched on (during night-time). Assign it a ForceComplete low, and it will switch itself on. Assign it a ForceComplete high and it will be fully dedicated to its command, which is to do nothing.

 

Same thing with artillery units. Their side activity is to shoot at anything they can shoot at. Tell them to do nothing with a low priority, and they will shoot at anything they can shoot at.

 

I use this with AA units simply for clarity issues in the editor. I don't like all these circles associated to check zones, attack orders, check points, complex triggers... It becomes messy very quickly. These force complete orders on AA get them to do their job, and keeps the mission map in the editor a little clearer.

[Gambit21]

OK - great info.

Thank you both.

[LLv34_Temuri]

I use this with AA units simply for clarity issues in the editor. I don't like all these circles associated to check zones, attack orders, check points, complex triggers... It becomes messy very quickly. These force complete orders on AA get them to do their job, and keeps the mission map in the editor a little clearer.

Btw, have you noticed any difference in performance between using attack air vs. force complete?

Or what if I just leave the AAA pieces without any commands? Shouldn't they fire anyhow?

Edited January 8, 2018 by LLv34_Temuri

[Gambit21]

I find that leaving them alone often results in them not firing at all.

It 'should' work based on how other entities behave engage, but AA seems to need help.

[JimTM]

I find that leaving them alone often results in them not firing at all.

It 'should' work based on how other entities behave engage, but AA seems to need help.

I did an AA test long ago and, for what it's worth, I found:

 

- Without an attack area command the AA machine gun only fires over a limited horizontal angle and at short range whereas the heavy AA fires through 360 degrees.

 

- With an attack area command the AA machine gun and heavy AA fires through 360 degrees and at long range, with more accuracy.

Edited January 12, 2018 by JimTM

[JG1_Shadepiece]

How would you get an artillery unit to fire at a target indirectly? I put a mission begin, a timer, and an attack ground MCU I believe. The guns are firing, but I'm not seeing shell impacts at their fire mission.

[JimTM]

How would you get an artillery unit to fire at a target indirectly? I put a mission begin, a timer, and an attack ground MCU I believe. The guns are firing, but I'm not seeing shell impacts at their fire mission.

 

Make sure that the attack area command MCU is high enough to have a line of sight on the target artillery.

Edited January 13, 2018 by JimTM

[JG1_Shadepiece]

You can raise the height of the command by editing the Y axis, or does the target area have to be on a higher elevation?

 

Also, is there a list of ranges gor the different units?

[JimTM]

You can raise the height of the command by editing the Y axis, or does the target area have to be on a higher elevation?

Also, is there a list of ranges gor the different units?

Edit the Y value to change the height.

 

I'm not sure which units you are referring to, but have a look at pg. 220-221 of the editor manual.

[JG1_Shadepiece]

I meant the ranges for the different artillery units. Are they listed somewhere?

[JimTM]

I meant the ranges for the different artillery units. Are they listed somewhere?

 

There may be some posts with the range information, but you'll need to do a search.

 

FYI: I updated my post above to change "target" to "artillery".

[JG1_Shadepiece]

That makes a lot of sense thanks. I got it sorted, but now I need to figure out how to get the shelling to be more effective. The shells can actually damage blocks and entities.

 

It seemed like the guns would stop firing periodically.

Edited January 14, 2018 by 7./JG26_Shadepiece