Special Forces Formation

[ChuckStone]

We've all seen those films about the SAS and Delta Force etc. (e.g Black Hawk Down) Notice that they move around in groups of 4 and each member looks in a different direction.

Is it possible to make a script where you can move like this automatically using a script or radio command or something.

Perhaps you could do a thing where you are the leader and look straight ahead and the rest of the team look around like that.

Also, maybe it is possible to activate such a script when the team is set to danger, instead of all that crawling around (because lets face it, if you wanted them to crawl you would say "hit the dirt"). What's the point of having Special Forces in the game if they do not behave like Special Forces.

It would be so much better because then the enemy wouldn't sneak up on you quite so much.

On another related point, Is it possible to make your team behave in a set way when they see enemies (any enemy) like in SAS SOP where the MG provides covering fire and the rest fall into a line formation and then once the threat has passed return to their 4 man patrol formation.

[macguba]

You could certainly make a script where, on a radio trigger, the other 3 members of your squad look in the other 3 directions.  Use getDir to find the direction of the player and setDir to set the directions of the others:  

dude2 setdir ((getdir dude1)+90)

Syntax not guaranteed but you get the idea.  

Don't know if you can get a dude to look in one directon and walk in another though.

[lilmat]

I know about a command called  "group setFormDir heading"
I know it's not quite what you are looking for,but still
you my be able to use it.
You could try try useing markers(dots/white)
 and getpos unit? and position it where you want the unit
to look at. You should not have to worry about looking and
running? (I don't think)


------------------------------------------------------------
group setFormDir heading
Operand types:
    group: Object or Group
    heading: Number
Type of returned value:
    None
Description:
    Set formation heading. Accepted heading range is 0 to 360. Formation is facing this direction unless enemy is seen. When group is moving, this value is overriden by movement direction.

Example:
    player setformdir 180

[ChuckStone]

That looks like it's the one (MacGuba) but when one of them sees an enemy, will the rest respond or will they just stay looking in their direction?

[lilmat]

Ok! What this will do  is, whatever the formation, when
you set the direction eg. 045 The units will face that dir.
This will cause a group in the line formation moving N,
facing north, when you use the command to look 045
the moment they stop the group will look NE and the line
of men will now not be running W to E BUT NW to SE.
So this is not quite what you may be needing, but you
could have groups to change position according to terain.
Hope this may help!

[macguba]

It's a one off command so once your loons have done what they are told they will just behave normally ..... so if one of them spots the enemy the rest will tend to turn that way too, as they normally do.    I think.  Try it and see if it solves your problem.

It occurs to me that with 4 soldiers if you use staggered column it should give you a basic formation that is not too far away from reality.

What I always do when I'm stuck is start reading through the [un]offical command refs .... sometimes you hit upon a command you didn't know was there which does the job.