Battle Ground Vietnam

[xpelekis]

Since nowadays all needed "tools" exist, a project Idea that I had in mind
for well over 1 year, starts taking "shape".

Find all the info here : Vietnam War Mission series

 

[awstub]

I have the Vietnam War Project ( http://vietnamwar.project.free.fr/ ) installed. It is really all scenery, so I think it would be OK....but is there any reason this wouldn't be compatible with the mission series?

 

[xpelekis]

On the contrary. I also use this scenery and my purpose is to fly these missions in that scenery.
I don't think it will be a problem.

 

[roger-wilco-66]

Amazing!

Thanks for your research and development, Xpelekis. I see some great stuff coming up!


Cheers,
Mark

 

[Victory103]

I downloaded F18MT awhile ago but never got around to using it. Are you loading SimVar externally? I had the program set to start with FSX and it is not working all the time, tested the VN F-4E mission, no AI wingman.

 

[awstub]

On the contrary. I also use this scenery and my purpose is to fly these missions in that scenery.
I don't think it will be a problem.

Excellent! I can't wait to try them.

Since I have been waiting for the MV F-4E to get TacPacked, I have modified the Alphasim B-57B (13th TBS) with Captain Sim Weapons for FSX so I can fly missions out of Danang AB. I haven't quite figured out how to add TacPack convoys to it yet. ..but it would be awesome to run missions against the Ho Chi Minh trail.
I need to figure out a way to add a pipper to the Canberra's gunsight too....

 

[xpelekis]

I started messing with F18MT for the first time few days ago. I'm impressed of this utility.
Comes very handy with this project.

Victory, if you don't see wingman at your left at VVDN, means that FSX loaded just the .FLT file (ie, not the mission).
This happens when one or more elements missing from your mission install. (Simvar has nothing to do. Mission doesn't need it to run.
Though you can't control the wingman. BTW : have you placed "Extensions" folder inside FSX folder?). Make sure you followed the instructions and the folders structure. Have you installed the AI
Wingman ?

I have confirmed good working of mission from third person.

I have modified the Alphasim B-57B (13th TBS) with Captain Sim Weapons for FSX

You can change from F-4E to this and have a F-4 to escort you... See info in "Read me".

 

[xpelekis]

Third mission in series is ready for download. Features Razbam's A-7 of VF-25,
with a repaint from this forum.
Spawn with any carrier that CCP supports, anywhere. A-7 AI Wingman will be there :

Info & Download

 

[strikehawk]

I have modified the Alphasim B-57B (13th TBS) with Captain Sim Weapons for FSX so I can fly missions out of Danang AB

I was wondering how you did that. I have Weapons but usually just add guns and rockets to my helos.

As an aside, after I learned to edit the XML for weapons I found that the program will use sounds from CFS2 as well as the mingun sound file from the ND Huey if you add those files to the CaptSim weapons folder sound file. While playing around I found a wav that sounds closer to the M60 than the default one. Some of the files I use have faster and slower firing rates so you can adjust for the gun you want to fire. I hope that this bit of info will help someone that is trying to get a more realistic sound.

 

[Victory103]

Great to get the SLUF involved, but is there no way to have the ACM up to load weapons along with CS Weps? I just got the beta TP version of the Raz A-7. Will the wingman feature work for helos, so many missions that can be generated for them in this theater.

 

[xpelekis]

Yes you can. You'll have to shut the engine off once onboard carrier (cut the fuel - parking brakes already set). Then ACM appears
and loads as usual (ie, the default procedure for A-7). But weapons cannot disappear from pylons except you use the Razbam weapon
system delivery.

About helos, you suggest a mission with player flying a helo and have helos wingman/s ? It can be done the same way. But AI helos have
to be of the "Arcraft" type (no problem) and there are not many AI helos out there.
But sure, a helos specific type of mission can be made, featuring the type of missions they fly (SAR, CSAR, etc.).

BTW : You can change the plane that you will fly in any mission by checking the box "Enable changes in selected mission" before you hit "Fly".
Then from inside mission Menu Bar, you may change say to A-6 and have an A-7 wingman (of course) to escort you.

What I'm up to now, is to add more threats to the battleground environment (apart of the AAA vehicle type already implemented and Tacpack SAMs that
user may deploy on will):
- A random event (chance 50%) of a pair of AI Migs to intercept player over a certain Latitude (ability to shoot him down).
- "Huge" areas that player will experience Flak and may take damage
- Certain Areas ("Outposts") that friendly & hostile AIs can capture by arriving there (CCP spawned convoys) with scenery flag change (NV - SV flag).

My perspective for the FSX combat environment is that of a "strategy board game" :
The "board and rules" are the mission conditions & triggers, while
"pieces" (ie, AI vehicles etc) are placed by the player with CCP.

A "Strategy board game" named "BattleGround Vietnam" that player can actually fly it in a flight sim.

 

[xpelekis]

On another note, you can fly this mission wherever in FSX World, since it's not "place specific".

This is "Wizard" flight off the Libyan coast - in a theater where bombs of AI Wingman
trigger destruction to FSX@War structures... (FSX@War not released yet)

In order to use CCP for spawning on a Carrier inside "BattleGround Vietnam : A-7" mission in any place of the FSX World,
you will have to check "Enable changes in selected mission" before you fly, so that you can change Airport (say to Mitiga) for a closer distance to the Carrier (compared to Vietnam Da Nang) and thus proper spawning on Carrier.
You may also change Time of Day or Weather or even plane : Let's say Aerosoft's F-14.

By also placing CCP vehicles at Libya, you'll get the vocal warnings upon proximity to them, as also the ability of AAA vehicles in the flight.

This is an example of an AI bombing FSX@War Airport :

 

[xpelekis]

For the Tomcat drivers :

Info&Download

 

[xpelekis]

BattleGround Vietnam (v1) almost finalized.

An interactive environment that user taking advantage of it's features and by
using CCP (or F18MT) as a kind of AI "Mission Editor", will be able to simulate
various types of missions to fly over Vietnam in FSX simulator context.

Here is an example of a simple CCP AI escort mission to Dong Hoi - over a Latitude
that a 35% chance of Mig encounter arises.

 

[awstub]

BattleGround Vietnam (v1) almost finalized.


An interactive environment that user taking advantage of it's features and by
using CCP (or F18MT) as a kind of AI "Mission Editor", will be able to simulate
various types of missions to fly over Vietnam in FSX simulator context.

Here is an example of a simple CCP AI escort mission to Dong Hoi - over a Latitude
that a 35% chance of Mig encounter arises.

Very cool mission video. It reminds me of stories my father told me about flying escort missions for the "Ranch Hand" C-123's spraying Agent Orange along the Hoi Chi Minh trail when he flew B-57B's with the 13th TBS.


Near the end of the video it sounded as if the Mig might have gotten some hits on your aircraft....was this the case?

If so, was any damage registered on your aircraft? Were any systems degraded? Were you able to make it back to a base?

 

[xpelekis]

...Mig might have gotten some hits on your aircraft....was this the case?

This was exactly the case and Mig damaged my right wing. If I tried for base, I would make it
with this damage only. Landing though would be kind of troublesome (even more if is a carrier landing)...

Threats against user that can cause damage include : Flak areas, Migs, as also predefined vehicles & boats
with AAA ability.
If user gets hits and damage, a random failure occurs chosen among following : Engine Fire 1 or 2, Fuel leak, Generator failure,
Wing damage Left or Right, Elevator damage, Oil leak. I haven't implement more failures, though is an easy task.

The ability to fly stories like the one you describe is the purpose of the "BattleGround".

 

[xpelekis]

This is the Carrier based version of BattleGround Vietnam and
another example of using CCP as the Mission Editor.
Carrier based version shares the same features with the Land based
with Flak & MiG Latitude Areas moved further North protecting Thanh Hoa,
Haiphong port & Airport as also Hanoi.

Mission : Corsairs pair escort at Thanh Hoa area.

CCP Mission design :
User FSX Mission GMT spawn Time : 08:30:00
CCP CH3 heli starts moving : 08:31:00
CCP Corsairs in formation start moving : 08:33:00
CCP Carrier & Task Force start moving : 08:37:00

All AI units spawn after FSX connection to CCP, starting to move
in Wpt routes at the defined times. CCP Mission Wpts designed in
Google map first.

Beta testing at the same time CCP v1.3.2.9 & "Battleground" mission.

 

[Victory103]

Mini Alpha strike, very cool. Would using AI A-7s help or I assume the framerates are fine as is? I'm sure you have the Migs waiting as well. Wish the AI would land on the boat.

 

[xpelekis]

- Frame rates are actually good & better than in video.
All planes (Wingman included) are FS9 AIs found on Owl's nest & MAIW.
I wish we had native FSX AIs...
- MiGs : Yes they were there... disabled them for making the video...
- Wingman landing on Carrier : it can be done. It provides a static Carrier
though and mission coded (ie, not placed with CCP).
I prefer the CCP option for user having the ability to use a Carrier of his own
choice and place it wherever he wants.
- Mini Alpha : I remember about this... I could have used a 4 x Corsair formation
without a problem. But is truth that number of AIs in use is limited by the FPS
drop they can cause in FSX.

 

[xpelekis]

I'm very pleased to announce that BattleGround Vietnam for fans of 2nd generation jets
and/or 'Nam Era has been released.
In an open partnership with SimWorks Studios that liked & adopted my project providing
the voice overs that add much to the immersion, their forum for support & discussion,
as also other things that are work in progress, this project took a much better shape than
what I could accomplish alone.
May be used for 'Nam flying with any aircraft user wishes and is freely available from SWS forum.
Support & discussion will also be held there.
Timing couldn't be better with the release of CCP v1.3.2.9 version that will be
used as the Mission Editor for this interactive and challenging environment.

Find all info in SWS forum or klicking on my signature. Safe Landings !

Video demonstrates an example of using CCP to design and fly a CCP.mission
inside the BG 'Nam's FSX Mission system environment :

(PS : Sorry for re-posting the video).