Adding more intelligence to choppers

[SniperUK]

Hey guys at the moment i am using a script which i have written which uses an onmapsingleclick command to dispatch two little bird helicopters to a given location.
At present the choppers move fine and i have set their behavior to combat and allowed them engage at will.

The issue i am having is that sometimes the choppers are really dumb and will not engage infantry targets on the floor. I have read a similar post on the forums but there seemed to be no given solution provided so i am asking again.
When i add dotarget and dofire commands this works fine the choppers lock onto their target and destroy them in seconds. Without this though the chopper intermittently kills its target.

The issue i am having is that i can not use just a seek and destroy waypoint as the script i use to generate the enemy is dymanic, so the helicopter never knows what targets they will have to engage when they are sent to a particular location.

I was thinking of maybe setting up a dynamic trigger which will be created at the onmapsingleclick position, that will take a radius reading of what opfor are in the area and create a list. However the issue with this is getting the choppers to target and eliminate every person on that list. I did breifly consider using the knowsabout command but this seems to more likely take a reading of how much a target knows the other, and i could not see a way to assign or set the variable to 4 so the choppers knew about the target before they got there.

Any suggestions will be appreciated as always. Thanks in advance.

[Mandoble]

Each time you spawn a target, reveal it to current chopper's pilot and gunner.

[Mr.Peanut]

I had a similar problem in OFP, and at the time did not know about invisible targets, which were the primary way of dealing with this issue.

What I did was continually setPos a S&D and a Cycle waypoint to the proper location. This would ensure the heli was never idle. I then used the reveal command.

Your idea is sound and could be implemented in a script, but a few more specifics are needed. Must the heli eliminate every single last infantry in the area, or do you want the heli simply to continue attacking targets in the area for a given amount of time?

[SniperUK]

It just needs to attack targets until:
 a) it takes a certain degree of damage and returns to base
 b) it runs out of ammo

Its goal is not to wipe everyone out, its role is to provide air support for the infantry who call it in, in the first place. I did just try the reveal command which worked a charm, so it is more than likely i will have to attach a dynamic trigger, create a list of east in the area and reveal them all. If you can come up with something less complex, then i am all ears.

PS : i have developed a number of dynamic chopper scripts over the last few days which work fine in multiplayer and single player, and will attach them to the forums soon. These include:

1) A dynamic evac script : Team leader calls in an evac by using his map. The chopper takes off and lands and the given location and waits for the team to get in. Once the team is in the team leader then selects a second location which they want to land. The chopper then takes them there, drops them off , returns to base and lands.

2) A dynamic resupply script : Similar to the first script as the team leader calls in a resupply using his map. The resupply chopper takes off and heads to the given location, it hovers, drops out a wooden box and fuel and then flys back to base and lands. The wooden box also contains an additional script that allows any player to unpack the box which deletes the box and places ammo and other supplies at that location.

[the corinthian]

Those scripts sound quite useful. It'd be great to be able to call in a medic UH60 but I dont think there is a current UH60 medic addon for Arma. Could always pop a medic in the heli I suppose?

[SniperUK]

yeah that would be easy, i have already written a script with a sound where if you shout for a medic the medic comes over to you and heals you, could probably integrate that with the evac script so the medic jumps out, runs over and heals you, embarks the chopper again and flys off.

[the corinthian]

There is actually a UH60 medevac addon -
http://www.nextgenerationgames.de/php/content/download/aaaddons/mailman653_UH%20Medevac_v1.0.rar

Could you post the script please Sniper Id love to have a go with it.

[SniperUK]

I managed to fix this by using a dynamic trigger which is created at the location the chopper will be going. Once the trigger is created it reads all east into a list. Using this the list is then cycled and littlebird 1 and 2 are revealed the enemies. The little birds now do not hesitate when opening fire and will stay engaged unless of 3 reasons:

a) They take over 30% damage and head back.
b) They have no more ammo left, so return to base and land for re-arm.
c) The area is clean and the trigger causes the loop to end itself, in which case the littlebirds also return to base for refuel and re-arm.

PS: yes i will attach all 3 scripts with sample missions soon to the board. The reason i will attach sample missions is because they are relatively complex due to local and server side scripts calling one another to guarantee they will work in single player and multiplayer.