Operation Black Spire - Nevada PvE Playground

Operation Black Spire is a persistent, open world PvE playground for the Nevada (NTTR) map. The mission will randomly choose targets throughout the map. 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 USAF Aggressors who will be utilizing everything at their disposal. 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. The mission will still be able to run without this, but persistency won't happen.

Current version is v100 (Preliminary version)

Check the mission briefing for AWACS/Refuelling frequencies etc.

Notes on requesting support flights:

- CAP/CAS/SEAD/Aerial Drones 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

- AI flights will start near Nellis airfield and will await a "Push" command via radio when you are ready for them to proceed with an attack

- Pinpoint Strikes will only attack a mission target if the target is within the sector they are called to

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 Black Spire Options will allow you to put the current mission back into the pool and draw another one

- Black Spire CAP options will allow you to enable the Nellis Viper squadron, and separately, a choice between Nellis Defence Tomcats or Hornets

- Black Spire Sound Options will allow you to toggle sound events for weapon firing 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

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 (it will update this list periodically, every 2.5 minutes at the moment). 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 wh ere you left off

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

Download here: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3307434/

If you would like to support the missions development, you can donate here: https://www.paypal.me/Surrexen

Please keep in mind this is a preliminary build and as such I expect a lot of things will need adjustment. I figured some of you might like to check it out over the Christmas period, so .. Merry Christmas!

Some things to note:

1. This is a cold start mission (at least for the time being)

2. There are currently 105 mission targets

3. You will be fighting all sorts of planes, not just the usual red forces, so check your targets! Will probably expand this list out further at a later date.

4. There are a lot of SAM sites in the Tonopah area so be warned, I expect it will be a hard nut to crack. The major SAM sites and/or their locations will not be changed under any circumstances.

5. I will probably add a guns only section in the map somewhere at a later date so you can go up 1v1 against different stuff away from all the rest of what is going on here.

6. I would suggest leaving the AI as air-starts as I've seen a few take off issues when they start from the ground (ie. leave it the way it is so it says 'multiplayer mode' for air-starts).

That's all I can really think of right now.

Go get em'.

Congrats on the release buddy! Fast AF!

Congrats on the release buddy! Fast AF!

Haha thanks! But yeah the bones of this have been in the works for ages, just finally got around to giving it a big push to being 'good enough' to release :thumbup:

Very impressed with Clear Field...looking forward to checking out the rest of your work!

Very impressed with Clear Field...looking forward to checking out the rest of your work!

Awesome I'm happy you like it :thumbup:

My friends and I have been playing this variant for a few days. We enjoy the other maps you've created quite a bit.

One quick question, the Air-starts for enemy AI, while very good for performance, make it where destroying one wing of enemy AI result in another instantly taking its place in the air. Is there something we can destroy in-game to reduce enemy spawn frequency? Like destroy the EWR Radars?

The other night six of my friends couldn't get near the north because the instant we shot down an enemy wing of fighters, another would spawn immediately, usually close to us. Even with all of us using full CAP loadouts, we could not suppress enemy fighters as fast as they spawned. This picture was taken about an hour into the mission, all of the parachutes you see on the ground are from AI planes spawning, dying, ejecting, and immediately being replaced within a minute of being shot down. All of North Nevada was covered in these chutes by the time we decided to call it quits.

Is there a way to change/adjust this?

My friends and I have been playing this variant for a few days. We enjoy the other maps you've created quite a bit.

 

One quick question, the Air-starts for enemy AI, while very good for performance, make it where destroying one wing of enemy AI result in another instantly taking its place in the air. Is there something we can destroy in-game to reduce enemy spawn frequency? Like destroy the EWR Radars?

 

The other night six of my friends couldn't get near the north because the instant we shot down an enemy wing of fighters, another would spawn immediately, usually close to us. Even with all of us using full CAP loadouts, we could not suppress enemy fighters as fast as they spawned. This picture was taken about an hour into the mission, all of the parachutes you see on the ground are from AI planes spawning, dying, ejecting, and immediately being replaced within a minute of being shot down. All of North Nevada was covered in these chutes by the time we decided to call it quits.

 

Is there a way to change/adjust this?

Yeah I think it's caused by the GCI squadron, they seem to respawn to quick and the timer on GCI can't be adjusted. I don't think I really want GCI in this anyway so I'll probably remove them.

Pretty sure I saw Su-25T's in the CAS role fly around not firing anything as well. I'll deal with that at the same time. If you notice anything else come back and let me know. I'll deal with it all after Christmas. :thumbup:

Yeah I think it's caused by the GCI squadron, they seem to respawn to quick and the timer on GCI can't be adjusted. I don't think I really want GCI in this anyway so I'll probably remove them.

 

Pretty sure I saw Su-25T's in the CAS role fly around not firing anything as well. I'll deal with that at the same time. If you notice anything else come back and let me know. I'll deal with it all after Christmas. :thumbup:

Sure thing! Thank you.

There is only a SAM attack. Are there any ground operation (tank or battalion) engagements between borders? aslo CAS task management?

There is only a SAM attack. Are there any ground operation (tank or battalion) engagements between borders? aslo CAS task management?

Out of 105 mission targets about 9 are major SAM sites and maybe another 9 or so mobile SAM's. The rest are made up of tanks, artillery, buildings, infantry, supply vehicles, etc etc.

Great mission i played all day this mission, Is there any option for size enemy airbase?

Really nice mission, looking forward to those tweaks on the enemy cap, but still enjoying it a lot in it's current state. Thank you!

Enviado desde mi ALE-L21 mediante Tapatalk

Thanks Surrexen

Another fantastic creation.

Sorry guys I have just realised I had forgotten to add in some of the pinpoint strike routes, and also copied an incorrect tag over to the CAS flights which was making them go off wherever they felt like at the time. Therefore ...

v101 is up.

Changelog:

- Red GCI Squadron removed

- AWACS/Tanker flight path's adjusted

- Incorrect tags on CAS flights removed

- Missing Pinpoint Strike routes added

- Su-25T's removed from AI CAS/SEAD roster until further testing can be done (A-10C's appear to be working fine).

Note: I have changed my mind and will be making flights out of Nellis AFB hot starts, planes will be available from Creech AFB to practice cold starts in the next update. Time of day will be set to 5am start which apparently isn't actually night time ... anyway you get really nice dawn shadows over all the dunes / mountains etc around Nevada at that time. Naming conventions are also going to change slightly, with the airbase listed first, then the airframe (Nellis AFB - F-14B). This will make it so all the cold start planes at Creech AFB will be listed first. I will also see if I can get the guns only area up and running.

Since my entire country is on fire I figure I put this update out now 'just in case'.

v102 is up

Changelog v102:

- All Nellis AFB client slots changed to parking hot starts

- Planes added to Creech AFB, Creech AFB slots are all cold ramp starts

- Radio option added to call for a Wild West Pistol Duel, which will spawn a gunslinger out near grid MV90. Once you shoot them down, radio again to call another one as many times as you like. The gunfight area is well far away enough that CAP flights shouldn't interfere etc.

- Other minor stuff that nobody will want to know about

Enjoy

Possible to add the SA342 variants to the mission? thanks!

(or is it easy to add them myself with the editor?)

also, very good mission so far. the Nevada map works well for what you are trying to do. I also like that the F10 map shows the enemy positions. helps to plan out your strategy with the persistent progress feature.

is there any limit to how many times you can keep the persistence of the mission going? or can you pretty much keep playing it until you want to 'start fresh'?

thanks again!

also, very good mission so far. the Nevada map works well for what you are trying to do. I also like that the F10 map shows the enemy positions. helps to plan out your strategy with the persistent progress feature.

 

is there any limit to how many times you can keep the persistence of the mission going? or can you pretty much keep playing it until you want to 'start fresh'?

 

thanks again!

When you finish all the missions it will reset progress back to 0 for you automatically.

Excellent! Great job on this one. Very fun!

One comment on enemy CAP. It seems often the enemy has quite a few more aircraft in the air while I can only have one. Today as I was doing air to ground, there were 4x mig29 hunting me while only 2x su-27 on my side and unable to request more.

Also, what are the Nellis vipers, tomcats, etc?

Thanks again!

Excellent! Great job on this one. Very fun!

 

One comment on enemy CAP. It seems often the enemy has quite a few more aircraft in the air while I can only have one. Today as I was doing air to ground, there were 4x mig29 hunting me while only 2x su-27 on my side and unable to request more.

 

Also, what are the Nellis vipers, tomcats, etc?

 

Thanks again!

Nellis Vipers/Tomcats/Hornets are the same kind of thing as what Snowfox has for Base/Fleet defence planes. They will stay over Nellis and engage anything that gets close to it.

Request Support -> Fighter Screen via radio will send a pair of fighters to the sector you want them to go to.

Nellis Vipers/Tomcats/Hornets are the same kind of thing as what Snowfox has for Base/Fleet defence planes. They will stay over Nellis and engage anything that gets close to it.

 

Request Support -> Fighter Screen via radio will send a pair of fighters to the sector you want them to go to.

Thanks!

Yes, I use the that option often. But if there is two in the air already, I can’t get more to come, even when enemy cap outnumber us. Today 4x migs against 2x Allied su27. Couldn’t summon more.

Doesn’t happen all the time so not a huge deal, but figured I’d mention it. :)

Thank you very much Surrexen for your hard work !

Loving this mission. Slowly eliminating red from the map. It hasn't been easy and many casualties. Red CAP's get out of control but we will win in the end! :)

On a side note, are the other missions (Clear Field and Snowfox) like this? As I said before, I like how red units are shown on the F10 map as I can plan my strategy. Can you see the red units on the other maps?

Thanks again for this great mission! :)

Loving this mission. Slowly eliminating red from the map. It hasn't been easy and many casualties. Red CAP's get out of control but we will win in the end! :)

 

On a side note, are the other missions (Clear Field and Snowfox) like this? As I said before, I like how red units are shown on the F10 map as I can plan my strategy. Can you see the red units on the other maps?

 

Thanks again for this great mission! :)

Snowfox and Clear Field the map view is allies only to simulate a real environment, whereas Black Spire is supposed to be sort of like a training environment like red flag ... kind of. Jupiter and Secret Squirrel have the units visible on the map simply because you don't have radars in the older planes so I left that there for people to be able to find targets.

Snowfox, Clear Field and Black Spire are all supposed to be hard. That was the intention.

sounds good! Black Spire is a great challenge so far and enjoying it! :)