Over-edited SAM mission - now won't target me

[Hunter_5E]

New to the editor so was experimenting with making a basic SAM hunt mission for Gazelles.

 

Made a simple one with a BUK unit and a single Gazelle and it worked fine - they shot at me with even just my rotors poking above a building. Added a few more BUK units and a FARP for my side - still worked.

 

After only a bit more editing however - tweaking positions and adding gazelles and waypoints - half of the SAMs stopped targeting me. I took out the stuff I added last, thinking it may have caused it but then the rest of the SAMs stopped targeting me.

 

Their radars show on my RWR but they don't lock on me or fire. The BUK CC, SR and LN units all have their antennas up, the SR is turning but the launchers have their missiles stowed.

 

In youtube videos I've heard a lot of people say that over-editing stuff can break DCS. I thought they meant it would mess up the mission you were working on so I deleted my first one and started again with a clean sheet. No joy, can't get any SAM unit at all to target me.

 

I did a cleanup and repair on my DCS - still none will target me. How the heck can a bit of editing break DCS to the point that SAMs won't target you any more??? Totally ridiculous to my mind.

 

Does anyone have an answer on how to fix this? I've searched all over but can't find any answer to my problem. Hoping I don't have to re-install DCS from scratch...

[R-22]

Hunter:Looks like your doing it right.

I'm going out on a limb here but did your trouble start with the last Update?

[=475FG= Dawger]

You need to post the miz file if you want a useful answer, I think.

[Hunter_5E]

Hunter:Looks like your doing it right.

I'm going out on a limb here but did your trouble start with the last Update?

 

No, it happened before the update came out - all in one day. Played about in the editor for a few hours and at some point during my editing, the SAMs stopped targeting me. Worked fine to begin with then just stopped. I wasn't even trying to do anything fancy like triggers or zones, just adding some units and moving them around to place them well.

 

I deleted my original mission file as I thought only it was corrupted so don't have it to post here. I'll make another one later today and post it for scrutiny.

 

Seems to me however that DCS has written something to core files when it shouldn't have. Otherwise just starting with a clean sheet and making a new mission should work, especially after doing a cleanup and repair on my DCS as well. What's happened just doesn't make any sense.

[R-22]

If you were moving Sam-Units around, perhaps part of the unit is not close enough to the others. OR check & make sure the Unit-Template has not been changed to a Static UNIT.

[Hunter_5E]

They're definitely not too far apart. I've seen in vids that they can be as far apart as 20 miles or more - mine are only yards apart, plus they worked for a while in the beginning.

 

I thought perhaps I'd placed my FARP too close and started hot and pre-armed so maybe they didn't have time to deploy and be ready. Moved back to Sukhumi airfield to give them time but still no joy.

 

On first try with mission posted below - flying mission in editor - I flew into the valley and one launcher did target me after about 30 seconds and it even shot at me. I dropped down into cover and broke the lock, evaded the missile then flew back up into their view - nothing happened. Flew around for a couple minutes about a mile away from them... nothing. It's like they'd all gone for a smoke break and couldn't be bothered with me. Exited from editor and started a server, flew it in there... nothing targeted me at all - and they're all set to excellent skill level.

 

When I first made the mission days ago I was getting targeted just a few seconds after I flew into the valley at waypoint 1 and had to get into cover quick to avoid getting shot at. Now, I'm lucky if one unit takes a single pot shot at me. What's caused them to all go lethargic? Its' frustrating the heck out of me.

Gazelle Test Mission.miz

[R-22]

Hi Hunter & TKX for the Mission Post.

Never would have found out without it.

1- Waypoint Speed is 11, change to 0.

2-Advanced Waypoint - Options - ROE - "set to" WEAPONs FREE.

I tested with an F15, It took 5 min before it registered on the RWR & Fired.

Hope this Helps.

[MadDog-IC]

They're definitely not too far apart. I've seen in vids that they can be as far apart as 20 miles or more - mine are only yards apart, plus they worked for a while in the beginning.

 

I thought perhaps I'd placed my FARP too close and started hot and pre-armed so maybe they didn't have time to deploy and be ready. Moved back to Sukhumi airfield to give them time but still no joy.

 

On first try with mission posted below - flying mission in editor - I flew into the valley and one launcher did target me after about 30 seconds and it even shot at me. I dropped down into cover and broke the lock, evaded the missile then flew back up into their view - nothing happened. Flew around for a couple minutes about a mile away from them... nothing. It's like they'd all gone for a smoke break and couldn't be bothered with me. Exited from editor and started a server, flew it in there... nothing targeted me at all - and they're all set to excellent skill level.

 

You have everything correctly setup, how ever Tracking radar and launchers all require time to deploy, detect, aquire and lock a target, the launchers are 29 seconds, but can take a bit longer than that. You can shorten their reaction time by placing an option in the advanced waypoint command (Alarm State=RED), this puts them on high alert with radars and launchers already deployed and scanning.

 

So your altitude and terrain masking can all affect those parameters, where they will lose lock and have to re-aquire and lock you.

 

Check out the attached mission: You can make the human flight into an AI for testing and viewing as it is programmed to do the mission.

 

 

When I first made the mission days ago I was getting targeted just a few seconds after I flew into the valley at waypoint 1 and had to get into cover quick to avoid getting shot at. Now, I'm lucky if one unit takes a single pot shot at me. What's caused them to all go lethargic? Its' frustrating the heck out of me.

I have found that having certain commands in the advanced waypoint section can cause some strange things to happen with AI that shouldn't happen, this may be one of them (Very random at best). Best to make several versions of a mission whilst editing so if one stops working correctly, you can fall back on to the last one that worked, I have to do this quite regulary myself, because of the anomalys that happen with the ME.

 

Updated Mission:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uzpu1gqy7n40obx/gazelle%20test%20mission_fixed.miz?dl=0

 

Regards Ian.

Edited December 28, 2019 by MadDog-IC

[Hunter_5E]

Hi Hunter & TKX for the Mission Post.

Never would have found out without it.

1- Waypoint Speed is 11, change to 0.

2-Advanced Waypoint - Options - ROE - "set to" WEAPONs FREE.

I tested with an F15, It took 5 min before it registered on the RWR & Fired.

Hope this Helps.

 

Thanks for your help and responses guys - very much appreciated.

 

I did notice the speed setting after the mission stopped working but couldn't remember if it was set to 11 in the original. I did change it to zero but made no difference as far as I could tell.

 

I've looked in the encyclopaedia to try and find the various units "time to readiness at deployment" or whatever it's called but doesn't seem to be in there. I remember seeing that info somewhere before but can't find it again. Any idea if that's still listed somewhere as it is pretty important info?

[Hunter_5E]

Thanks for your help Ian and for posting the fixed mission. Much appreciated and I'll have a look at that today.

 

Weird thing is, I didn't have any commands in the advanced waypoint section, just a single BUK unit and a single gazelle. Hard to get simpler than that really unless it's one guy with an AK against another at 20 paces.. lol.

 

Doesn't inspire confidence for learning when things can go squiffy at the drop of a hat, but I'll persevere with the editor and try to make some missions.

 

Cheers

[MadDog-IC]

 

Weird thing is, I didn't have any commands in the advanced waypoint section, just a single BUK unit and a single gazelle. Hard to get simpler than that really unless it's one guy with an AK against another at 20 paces.. lol.

 

Doesn't inspire confidence for learning when things can go squiffy at the drop of a hat, but I'll persevere with the editor and try to make some missions.

 

Cheers

 

The mission editor can cause you a lot of grief at times (Things can get broken with DCS patches), but sometimes it is a lack of knowledge of the requirements of military specifications or a combination of both.

 

The encyclopedia, has the BUK TR at 5 minutes to deploy into combat ready state, and 26s seconds for the BUK LN.

 

I just google the real deal to find out specs I need to know usually.

 

The BUK system as a whole would be much more agressive earlier if it had a constant clean line of sight to your chopper, so the higher you fly obviously, the earlier it will prepare and missile, If you took off straight up from the airport so that you were higher than the mountains in front of the BUK, it could shoot you down from there.

 

Also about the advanced waypoint commands, I realize you didn't have any in there, it was just a passing comment, that might help you in the future.

 

Best of luck with it.

 

Regards, Ian.

[Hunter_5E]

Tried your fixed mission Ian but same thing happening. The search radar showed as soon as I entered the valley, followed shortly after by a lock and a missile launch. Looking good I thought but... after breaking the lock and popping back up, they'd all gone for a smoke break again.

 

All the launchers had stowed their missile racks again but the search radar was still spinning. Flew over them and up and down the valley for a good few minutes and nothing reacted to me at all. I could see unit #006 had a missile missing from his rack so it was him that took the early shot at me. All other launchers stowed and inactive.

 

The mystery deepens.

 

I had a good battle with a BUK unit in an online server a week or so ago - which is what inspired me to make a mission. I had to duck and dive to get into a good firing position, scooting from cover to cover hiding behind buildings and they were constantly firing at me all the while. Must have evaded about 6 missiles and I was low to the deck. They were very aggressive in that mission - as they were in mine initially, just can't replicate that aggression. They've turned into lazy sods and I don't know why.

Edited December 28, 2019 by Hunter_5E

[Blech]

...

I had a good battle with a BUK unit in an online server a week or so ago - which is what inspired me to make a mission. ...

 

 

Hi,

 

 

I guess your online session is archived

You can check the settings in the Mission Editor

 

C:\Users\ xxx\ Saved Games\DCS.openbeta\Tracks\Multiplayer\MPxyz.trk

 

Expand MPxyz.trk with e.g. 7-Zip

Delete the sub-folders :

...\track

...\track_data

 

Mark all from

Config to warehouses

Create with 7-Zip a MPxyz.zip

 

Rename MPxyz.zip to MPxyz.miz

Move MPxyz.miz to

C:\Users\ xxx \Saved Games\DCS.openbeta\Missions

 

 

Picture

 

I joined a MP-server some minutes ago

I wait until I can take a plane

Exit

Steps like above

[=475FG= Dawger]

Hi,

 

 

I guess your online session is archived

You can check the settings in the Mission Editor

 

C:\Users\ xxx\ Saved Games\DCS.openbeta\Tracks\Multiplayer\MPxyz.trk

 

Expand MPxyz.trk with e.g. 7-Zip

Delete the sub-folders :

...\track

...\track_data

 

Mark all from

Config to warehouses

Create with 7-Zip a MPxyz.zip

 

Rename MPxyz.zip to MPxyz.miz

Move MPxyz.miz to

C:\Users\ xxx \Saved Games\DCS.openbeta\Missions

 

 

Picture

 

I joined a MP-server some minutes ago

I wait until I can take a plane

Exit

Steps like above

 

You can just rename the .trk to .miz if all you want to do is open it in the mission editor.

[Blech]

You can just rename the .trk to .miz if all you want to do is open it in the mission editor.

 

 

Hi,

 

Playing for sometime - without deleting the track-folders it will be a very large MIZ

[Hunter_5E]

Did some more testing - after looking up the minimum range of the BUK launchers online. Turns out their min range is 3km and I think I may have been just inside that. Got my GPS showing miles so was maybe a bit off in my mental calculation. Originally had some units a bit farther down the valley as well which just added to my confusion.

 

Anyway, end result is the mission is working and they do shoot at me - as long as I'm over 3km from them. Phew... sorry for the confusion guys. My bad, but learned my lesson.

 

Thank you all for your help and your patience.

 

EDIT: Despite my confusion with the fixed mission, my first one was definitely broken as I was most definitely more than 3 km away and they wouldn't fire.

Edited December 28, 2019 by Hunter_5E

[Hunter_5E]

@BLECH Good suggestion but probably easier to go into a dynamic sandbox mission like "The Round Table" and spawn stuff with ZEUS. Only just realised today that was available and how to do it. Goin to give it a try tonight.