Sneaking Into A Target Area

[Beebop]

Disclaimer: I'm  v e r y  new to Mission Building.

I have looked through the available manuals and videos but have not found the information I am seeking, or, I didn't know where to look or what description to look for.

 

Here's what I want to do;

Have a flight of bombers/ground attackers fly to a target area "undetected" by enemy fighters.  Bombers fly in below 1000 meters.

Have a cover flight of fighters fly with them and remain undetected.  Fighter cover is above 5000 meters. 

The idea is to have the bombers fly in low to avoid being seen and the fighters are there to cover them if one or more strays up into the "detection threshold" and "alerts" enemy fighters.  Also any fighter that falls below the "detection threshold" will trigger an attack on them by enemy fighters.

 

I have looked at MCU properties and see a 'z' value, the height of the MCU.  Can you set a height above it where the MCU would not take effect?

Is there a way to set a zone between 1000 meters and 5000 meters where if no friendly planes fly into it (i.e. bombers stay below 1000 meters and fighters stay above 5000 meters) they will not attact the attention of enemy fighters and be attacked in this area?

I seems there might be a way to have all friendlies fly below a certain height and avoid detection but what about above a certain height?

Is this even possible?

 

Directions/links on where to look for this information or the information directly would be appreciated.

 

 

 

Edited October 26, 2019 by Beebop

[JimTM]

For the check zone trigger, you can only set the height for the bottom of the cylinder or the center of the sphere (see Zone Type on pg. 277 of the editor manual). I'll add a line to the Zone Type description saying that the cylinder extends up to an unlimited height. By the way, you set the check zone height in the Y value of the MCU Properties (pg. 204), not the Z value.

 

Unless someone else has a better solution,  I think the only way to come close to solving  your problem is to try a check zone trigger sphere with Y set to 3000m and Zone set to 2000m. Make sure you understand the note in the Zone Type description re. potential object detection problems with spheres.

 

Note that check zone triggers currently do not work for player-controlled planes in dogfight missions when you start a server from within the game.

 

By the way, if you are thinking of using the complex trigger translator, there may still be an issue with sphere height.

Edited October 26, 2019 by JimTM

[Gambit21]

Beebop, we need box shaped triggers.

Until we have them such logic will remain imperfect as Jim mentioned.

[Beebop]

Thank you gentlemen.

[JG1_Butzzell]

S!

 

Is this multi player or single player?   In single player, AI do not "stray" from way points. The player would be the random element. 

 

It can be done in single player with a complex trigger or a trigger array depending on whether you want just an attack area or a pathway. As the player, would you stray?

 

It can be done in multiplayer for a specific area. Very difficult for a pathway because people fly all over the place.

[Beebop]

My bad.  I failed to say it was for a Dogfight mission. 

A specific area would be fine such as a spherical area between the home base and target as suggested by JimTM.

Yes, people fly all over the place.  The point would be that attackers need to fly below a certain height and escorts need to stay above a certain height. 

My thinking is if the enemy does detect their presence they would either attack the fighters giving the mudmovers a better chance of success or by attacking the mudmovers give the fighters height and speed advantage in trying to protect their charges.

However JimTM's response leads me to believe I am asking too much from the game, at least at this time.  However I'll give it a try and if successful will report back.

Edited October 27, 2019 by Beebop

[JG1_Butzzell]

S!

There is another option. A random event. A randomly triggered event makes for different events in game replay.

 

Picture below shows the target and attack area. It has several complex triggers with a 2000m radius at 3000m altitude. The trigger is set to on object entered and the enemy country. When the object triggers it goes to a timer. This timer hits a deactivate connected to all the complex triggers. This removes them and the mission runs better. That timer goes to a standard random output array, The 4 spawners represent 4 different groups of planes.  The placement in the picture is just for demonstration. The spawners would be moved to appropriate intercept position. The second random was put in to show a variation in output.  Each complex trigger would be connected to a random output array.  The spacing of the complex triggers actually gives people a place to sneak through. Obviously they could be moved in closer or additional could be placed.

 

Sorry, i did not want to go through building all the plane groups. This is just a concept demonstration. Looks a little low rez. Sorry again.

 

Edited October 27, 2019 by JG1_Butzzell

[Beebop]

JG1_Butzzell, hmmmm.  THAT looks interesting.  It's a step or two above my current level of mission building expertise but I kind of understand it and I will definitely look into this.  I've used timers before but not to this level of complexity.  So I'll get to studying.
I like the idea of different groups and, if I understand correctly, they can have different components, all 109's 109's and 190's or 110's and 109's etc.  That helps me as the player to have a bit of a surprise as to what shows up.

No need to apologize for anything.  The jpeg is clear enough to me. 

Thank you for taking the time and effort to put this together.

[JG1_Butzzell]

S!

 

The random group is shown and discussed in the Groups sharing section on the first page. It is in the mission editor in chapter 14.

[Beebop]

Ahhh.  Thanks.