Operation Scarlet Dawn - Syria PvE Persistent Campaign

[Surrexen]

Operation Scarlet Dawn

 

Operation Scarlet Dawn is a self-contained persistent campaign for the Syria map. The mission will randomly choose targets throughout the map but you can do things in whatever order you like. You can fly any role you like, and if you are on your own, you can use the radio menu to request support flights of AI planes to assist you. Most modules have been included. You will be flying against Iranian forces, who are supported by the Russians. The mission utilizes Moose functions and custom scripts which have been included in the mission file. To allow the mission to provide persistency, it is necessary to de-sanitize 'lfs' and 'io' in MissionScripting.lua. This is a requirement for all features of the mission to work correctly.

 

Check the mission briefing for AWACS/Carrier Group/Refuelling frequencies etc.

 

Notes on requesting support flights:

- CAP/CAS/Anti-Shipping/SEAD and Pinpoint Strikes are available to call in, you can choose the sector they will fly to

- Only one flight of each type can be active at any given time, so choose carefully

 

Other radio options

- Check Current Objective will remind you what the current target is

- Target Report will give you coordinates and distance to the target, and if the target is a group it will tell you how many units are remaining in the group

- Abort Directives will allow you to send support flights back to base

- Skip Mission under Scarlet Dawn Options will allow you to put the current mission back into the pool and draw another one

- Scarlet Dawn Sound Options will allow you to toggle all custom sounds on or off

 

To Enable Persistency

Inside your DCS installation there is a folder called Scripts. Inside that there is a file called MissionScripting.lua, if you want persistency to work, edit this file (make a backup first if you like) and make the bit that looks like this:

 

do

sanitizeModule('os')

sanitizeModule('io')

sanitizeModule('lfs')

require = nil

loadlib = nil

end

 

Look like this instead:

 

do

sanitizeModule('os')

--sanitizeModule('io')

--sanitizeModule('lfs')

require = nil

loadlib = nil

end

 

Important: The user that runs DCS must also have write permissions to the installation directory or the lua files for persistency will not be generated.

 

Once you have done that, start DCS and launch the mission. The mission will then write out a list of dead units and statics to a pair of lua files inside the DCS root folder. A file is also generated to track the status of airfields. Another one is generated to track what you have built from the helo operations menu. Once these files exist, the mission will load those files when it starts up and remove the units and statics that were previously destroyed so you can pick up where you left off.

 

Note: MissionScripting.lua will need to be changed any time an update or repair is run.

 

Download here: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.c...files/3313323/

 

General Flow

 

In the early game, there are a lot of neutral airbases. Periodically, red and blue AI generals will dispatch transport planes which will attempt to land at these bases. If they land, they will capture the airfield with a vehicle.

Once there are no neutral bases, the mission will ‘escalate’. The red general will then dispatch various strike packages ahead of transport helicopters towards a target airfield. If the transport helicopter lands, it will attempt to capture the airfield with a vehicle. The blue general will only dispatch a transport helicopter, so you need to clear a path for it yourself. Aside from this, using your own transport helicopter (Huey or Mi-8) you can bring an infantry team to an airfield, and they too will attempt to capture a base with a vehicle.

 

The status of the airfields is persistent between sessions.

 

Note that the red general will not target Incirlik or Ramat David since that is where all the player client slots are located. The blue general will not target Palmyra.

 

Helo Operations Menu

 

Huey’s and Mi-8’s get a special menu to be able to call in infantry squads and cargo containers. Please note you need to join a helicopter slot after about 5-10 seconds into the mission before the menu can be automatically added. The infantry teams are specific to the FARPS (London and Paris).

 

Navy Seals, Özel Kuvvetler Komutanlığı (OKK) and the USACE 1^st Squad Engineers start at London FARP, DELTA Force, Shayetet 13 and the USACE 2^nd Squad Engineers start at Paris FARP.

 

Cargo Containers will spawn at the nearest cargo loading zone to your helicopter. You can carry only one container or infantry group at a time. The locations of the infantry teams when they are on the ground, is persistent. To construct something, you will need the engineering team, and the required amount of containers to be present in the same area (the engineers construction zone, the construction zone is set when the engineers are “inserted” into an area). Cargo Loading Zones, Infantry pickup locations, Construction Zones, and Extraction zones can be smoked via the radio menu. Also note that the containers are loaded ‘on’ your helicopter, and not slingloaded.

 

Note: At the current time, repairing damaged constructions such as a HAWK site is not implemented, therefore, a HAWK site will only be persistent while it has all members of its group alive. This is because the amount of HAWK sites (and other vehicles you build) is restricted, and will allow you to build a new site when the mission reloads, instead of a semi-destroyed HAWK counting towards the total.

If you want to utilize combined arms, you can add a tactical commander slot, and allow ‘planes can control vehicles’ in the mission editor. This will allow you to be able to drive or command the M1A2 Abrams tanks, M818 Trucks, and Roland ADS systems. I would like to expand on the Helo Operations section, but it may not happen for a while.

 

Known Issues I Cannot Do Anything About So Don’t Ask

 

Incirlik hangars on the Northern central side of the airfield appear to have some potential FPS issues until you get your plane out of the hangar. I have had to relocate the JF-17's to be out of the hangars completely as those planes in particular cop it bad. Either way, this is a map related issue from what I can see. Beirut is supposed to start as a neutral base, but I've had to set it to blue as the Northern approach for runway something something has a tree and building in the way that the developers know about from bug reports. AI transport planes etc crash into it, therefore it is set to blue temporarily until this issue gets fixed up. When it is fixed, this base will be set back to neutral.

 

The carrier group has AI CAP planes and an S-3B tanker that will spawn on the deck and go hook up to the catapults. If players do not co-operate with the AI, horrible deck accidents may occur. In the interest of ‘immersion’ I am keeping these spawns starting from the carrier deck instead of air spawns. 99% of the time it is fine. If the AI get stuck on the deck and don’t/can’t launch for whatever reason, they will self-delete after about 5-10 minutes and respawn by themselves at a later time.

Edited January 9, 2021 by Surrexen

[zildac]

:thumbup: :pilotfly:

[Badass1982]

Thanks surrexen , I shall use this on my severs great work sir. Random question, is clear field also undergoing a makeover?

[Surrexen]

Thanks surrexen , I shall use this on my severs great work sir. Random question, is clear field also undergoing a makeover?

 

That will probably depend on how this one and Snowfox Escalation are received.

[Spirale]

 

That will probably depend on how this one and Snowfox Escalation are received.

 

I wish you will do the same pro job on Clear Field ^^

[KaptinKaos]

I noticed by default that immortal, unl fuel and weapons and game modes were turned on in editor... Is this for a reason?

 

Also, right off the hop I jumped into an F-14A on the carrier and was immediately struck by a spawning AI F-14. Possibly need a second carrier for players to launch off of?

 

I'm slowly going to add some player aircraft to empty slots once I figure out where the AI spawn in, lol!

 

Thanks a bahjillion for this map @Surrexen

[Surrexen]

I noticed by default that immortal, unl fuel and weapons and game modes were turned on in editor... Is this for a reason?

 

Also, right off the hop I jumped into an F-14A on the carrier and was immediately struck by a spawning AI F-14. Possibly need a second carrier for players to launch off of?

 

I'm slowly going to add some player aircraft to empty slots once I figure out where the AI spawn in, lol!

 

Thanks a bahjillion for this map @Surrexen

 

 

Immortal, unlimited fuel and weapons are "enforced off".

[Surrexen]

Small update made to the mission as I'd forgotten to swap it back to fog of war. This has been corrected.

[NightstalkerNOR]

Another excellent mission Surrexen, thank you!

 

Im having issues with aircraft taking off from Incirlik. I like that they taxi for takeoff, but it takes a while 'til they are airborne. Would it be possible for aircraft to stand on ramp close to active runway in hot-condition?

 

When spawned support aircraft land at their original base, Im having sort of the same issue where they have to taxi for quite the distance. This translates to those units taking a while before being able to respawn for a different mission.

 

I suspect both of these issues can be fixed by moving the starting ramp closer to the threshold for the active runway, and shut-down ramp closer to the center of the runway?

[Surrexen]

Another excellent mission Surrexen, thank you!

 

Im having issues with aircraft taking off from Incirlik. I like that they taxi for takeoff, but it takes a while 'til they are airborne. Would it be possible for aircraft to stand on ramp close to active runway in hot-condition?

 

When spawned support aircraft land at their original base, Im having sort of the same issue where they have to taxi for quite the distance. This translates to those units taking a while before being able to respawn for a different mission.

 

I suspect both of these issues can be fixed by moving the starting ramp closer to the threshold for the active runway, and shut-down ramp closer to the center of the runway?

 

 

I will be specifying the parking spots that the AI use at a later time for this mission. I have not done so now, simply because parking spots in some areas have known issues, and something may change from the map developers (Ugra) at any given moment.

[slampemil]

Love it. Have been looking forward to this since they released the Syria Map.

[Surrexen]

Love it. Have been looking forward to this since they released the Syria Map.

 

It is for those out there, like yourself, that this has been made to happen. Enjoy.

[NightstalkerNOR]

 

 

I will be specifying the parking spots that the AI use at a later time for this mission. I have not done so now, simply because parking spots in some areas have known issues, and something may change from the map developers (Ugra) at any given moment.

 

Excellent. You have taken your previous mission a whole step further. I love the changes made!

 

I have two requests, also:

 

1: Addition of the Tarawa with both the harrier and helo to launch from?

 

2: When launching a support mission I find it somewhat difficult to find the correct location for them to launch towards. I am not familiar with most of the target locations names and I have ended up launching anti-ship jets way inside dry land. I request either a Grid reference in the spawning menu for a general location to launch the support missions, or to add the location names referred to in the spawning menu in the target info.

 

Thanks again for an excellent mission!

[Surrexen]

 

Excellent. You have taken your previous mission a whole step further. I love the changes made!

 

I have two requests, also:

 

1: Addition of the Tarawa with both the harrier and helo to launch from?

 

2: When launching a support mission I find it somewhat difficult to find the correct location for them to launch towards. I am not familiar with most of the target locations names and I have ended up launching anti-ship jets way inside dry land. I request either a Grid reference in the spawning menu for a general location to launch the support missions, or to add the location names referred to in the spawning menu in the target info.

 

Thanks again for an excellent mission!

 

1. Waiting for map updates before anything else gets added

2. The current primary objective lists the grid reference and sector that the target is in, and you can still use skip mission from the radio menu to change the current primary objective to a different thing if you don't like/want the one that it chose. Hopefully that helps. Anti-ship strike call-in's will likely be refined more later down the line.

[Lexe]

Thank you very much for your work, just finished adapting your mission for our scuadron needs, and i am impressed by the ammount of work and changes you made from previous missions. Congratulations.

Regards.

[NightstalkerNOR]

 

1. Waiting for map updates before anything else gets added

2. The current primary objective lists the grid reference and sector that the target is in, and you can still use skip mission from the radio menu to change the current primary objective to a different thing if you don't like/want the one that it chose. Hopefully that helps. Anti-ship strike call-in's will likely be refined more later down the line.

 

1. Thanks for your reply, Surrexen. I understand the priorities due to possible map-fix approaching.

 

 

2. There might be something I am missing regarding the spawning "problem", or maybe I was unclear. Firstly, it's not specific to anti-ship assets - just in case it seemed like it was only relevant for them.

Today I was tasked with the main objective taking out an SA-8 in Latakia. I have no issues finding the target and/or inserting the assigned target coordinates. That information is very well present in the "target info" with both different coordinates format, name of location and grid-tile.

However, if I want fighter, SEAD or CAS backup with me it's hard to find the right place to send them to because many of the names listed are not referenced to in the target information. I ended up searching in the spawning menu for a name that matches the target location itself, closest city, village or other location to Latakia, but I was unable to find one. I was therefore unable to send support assets to Latakia area because they ended up somewhere else.

 

I believe it would be easy to find the closest location for spawning support assets by adding a grid-tile to the location name where they are sent to operate in. For example, if the closest AO for fighter support to Latakia is inside the grid-tile on the border between Syria and Turkey, it could look something like: [Where to send fighter support?] "Yaladegi BV34". I would then be able to quickly check if that grid-tile is near Latakia where I am attacking.

 

As another possible approach; In the original Clear Field or Snowfox missions it was easy to find where to send spawned assets due to the name referenced to in the spawning menu matched the location name in the "target info", ie. in the target info it would say something like: "Destroy SA-8 site in Dzhvari, Zugidi-sector, KN53, [and a bunch of coordinates]". In the Spawning menu, it would look something like; "Spawn fighter support" -> "[Where to send fighter support?] Zugidi-sector".

 

 

3. I also noticed that the SEAD 'crafts spawned from Incirlik lands at the airfield after tasking complete, and shuts down on the parking ramp on the treshold for rwy 23. After both have landed and shut down I was unable to spawn them again.

[Surrexen]

Point 3 above, is totally incorrect. The planes will land and park etc, and will be removed from the map after between 5-10 minutes. At that point you can send them out again.

[NightstalkerNOR]

Point 3 above, is totally incorrect. The planes will land and park etc, and will be removed from the map after between 5-10 minutes. At that point you can send them out again.

 

Roger. I wasn't aware that it worked differently than your other missions. Thank you for clarifying.

[Wood]

fantastic thank you:pilotfly::thumbup:

[solidGad]

hi all. is there alerts when a red or blue general dispatches a transport or stirke at an airfield? 

[Surrexen]

3 hours ago, solidGad said:

hi all. is there alerts when a red or blue general dispatches a transport or stirke at an airfield? 

 

Yes there is a text alert saying that the general is mobilizing aircraft. That is the hint that something is going on. Blue general announces the target airfield, and where the transport is leaving from.

[solidGad]

2 hours ago, Surrexen said:

 

Yes there is a text alert saying that the general is mobilizing aircraft. That is the hint that something is going on. Blue general announces the target airfield, and where the transport is leaving from.

 

excellent. thanks!

[KaptinKaos]

A cool addition to this map would be the use of the Hercules mod for cargo transport... I'm banging my head against a wall trying to splice it in though, lol!

[hlfritz]

Hey Bro, thank you for doing this!

 

Any chance for hints on where all of thee sectors are for calling in support?  I will say many of us are probably not familiar with these locations and I know I personally have no clue where the sectors are.

 

Thx!

[Surrexen]

26 minutes ago, hlfritz said:

Hey Bro, thank you for doing this!

 

Any chance for hints on where all of thee sectors are for calling in support?  I will say many of us are probably not familiar with these locations and I know I personally have no clue where the sectors are.

 

Thx!

 

Geography lessons for the country of Syria is outside the scope of what I'm doing I'm afraid