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I did modify a mission a while ago so that when you enter the cockpit of a password protected slot, the server will restart the mission. If this is of interest I’ll see if I can get the details on how to achieve this, it’s been a while.
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Probably not exactly what you are looking for, but the Into the Jungle dudes usually have Simple Mission Restart running on their server. It allows anyone to restart the server from the F10 menu. What I was thinking is if a crew is on working, they would have the option to continue fighting at night, or to restart the server.
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Might be because SAMs become ridiculously easy to kill on any setting that is not excellent. Even an SA-10 on “high” is just cannon fodder for a semi- good pilot, SA-2 and SA-3 on lower skill than excellent will simply be targets almost equivalent to unarmed trucks.
Edit: Oh, and foothold runs an IADS script. Last time I used mantis I accidentally had some SAMs on “average” skill and I was wondering why they were completely ineffective, basically never engaging anything until I noticed my mistake.
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So, you’re saying we shouldn’t have spent the money on the monkey?!
I forget about that as an option. I think with most of the jets in DCS having a moving map of some kind and the kneeboard option that would cover navigation questions. I’ll probably be doing the same with the F10 map.
Though if we cut off the F10 map completely that eliminates having anyone fill in as an AWACS/GCI which we had on a few occasions, which was a lot of fun.
Ah if they were on “Excellent”, then dropping it down a notch should be good.
That’s honestly not a bad idea. The ability to spot targets in Pimax vs a Quest 3 vs a Quest 2 vs a 36" monitor vs a laptop screen is pretty varied. There’s a reason air power was for a very long time mainly only good for static targets, or finding targets in the open. While bombing a tree line and calling it a mission success is historical a lot of time, I’m not sure if it’s fulfilling. Flip side using CTLD or CA to get some ground based FAC’s in that can laser designate is a fun cooperative concept. Same with grabbing a bunch of lift helo’s and doing an artillery raid. I’m a big proponent of letting people choose their level of fun.
Which kind of segues to my next thought. What are we trying to simulate with the “cold war” concept? That time period ranges from prop driven front line strike aircraft to F-18’s. With the Apache, the D model wasn’t introduced until '95, so is it fair to use it in a “cold war” scenario? Again, I don’t want to limit anyone else’s fun, and the Apache really is a blast to use. I’m thinking of it more as, less guided weapons, less data links, less sensor fusion. I personally am going to try to have more “realistic” loadouts as well, instead of going beast mode with 16 hellfires as the default.
With that in mind, I have a few ideas for some “house rules” that would up the non-blowing-stuff-up flying possibilities and change the dynamic of how we do things. These all boil down to us agreeing to try and be a little more realistic within the confines of the mission.
These ideas are mainly for when we have multiple players on the server, as we have more people participating. If people are solo, then we’d all operate in the “spirit of the rule” as much as possible in the limitations of being by yourself.
(1)FACs and Smoke Markers and other target assistance
(1)(a) For smoke markers, 9 line calls, etc, we have to buy and ferry in a unit to represent the FAC no further than 6 km from the target area (roughly the max range of an 80mm mortar), and they should roughly be in a spot that would have a line of sight to the target. This can be infantry or a HMMWV or similar in whatever aircraft that can accomplish that task. This would make having good assault helo pilots a major bonus, as we could use smoke right out of the gate for the initial strikes without it being too “gamey.” Or if the threat level is workable, a C-130 could drop a stick of troops, LAPES in a jeep, etc (we may need to test out if that works with CTLD), to do the same thing.
(1)(b) Once the smoke goes away from the smoke makers (usually takes about 3-5 minutes from what I remember), we use the 9 line call, etc, the unit representing our FAC has to be picked up and re-inserted before we call smoke again; or alternatively a new infantry unit can be deployed as a FAC (it’d keep it no more than one FAC unit per transport helo we have flying). Our helo pilot (or pilots) will have plenty of flying to keep a FAC team available to spot for us. This also provides motivation for someone to act as an FAC-A with smoke rockets, since they’d be under no limitation on marking and can keep the markers fresh for everyone else acting as strikers.
(1)(c) If a human is operating the FAC unit in CA, they should in general be marking targets via a smoke munition, laser designating, talking strike aircraft on, tracer etc. If that’s not feasible (e.g. an unarmed vehicle) they should reposition (or be repositioned) to a different location before using the smoke marker support option again.
(2)Zone capture
(2)(a) We can’t land zone cargo to perform a zone captures without a ground unit in the zone. This can be an infantry unit, armor platoon, whatever. Just something that would have some ground holding power. The idea being that most of the time, ground forces move forward supported by other elements to capture territory rather than being a complete afterthought.
(2)(b) The ground forces in question have to be bought at a zone, and not at a player created FARP. The ground forces can then be ferried to a FARP for future use, easier transport to the fight etc. Yes, this means that ground units are going to be doing some driving, and C-130’s and heavy lifters are going to be more critical in getting the heavy stuff to the front efficiently.
(3)Zone upgrades
(3)(a) We only carry 1 zone crate internally per helo regardless of its actual cargo capacity, and 1 additional zone cargo slung if possible. Right now, there is no reason to fly anything other than the Chinook for cargo helo op’s due to its cargo capacity, this minimizes the “meta” of the logistics side somewhat (the Chinook is still stupid fast) as far as zone capture goes. We can always secure the zone for Blue with anything that can carry cargo, but it will take working together or consistently to get it fully upgraded quickly. Realistically it should take a much larger volume of supplies to upgrade a zone, but this will at least slow it down somewhat.
(3)(b) Zone crates are only purchased/created from a warehouse zone. Preplanning the capture and having the appropriate crates staged is the goal. If the distance to a warehouse zone is deemed excessive, than a Zone that is closer may be used just preferably not an adjacent zone.
(4)Player created FARPS
(4)(a) A helo transporting crates to setup a FARP may NOT carry additional cargo crates for the FARP, except as a sling load. Right now a CH-47 can carry a FARP and 4 cargo crates all internally, all at once. This will help tighten the logistics aspect unless players work together to plus up the FARP from the get go, while still giving the CH-47 the capability to carry more cargo (just not game breakingly so). I’ll have to see what the C-130 can carry to see what if any limitations it might need for balancing. Right now I’d say if you can get it in the Herc you can bring it.
(4)(b) The first additional cargo crate to a FARP has to be a “10 of everything” crate. This simulates the need for everything else besides munitions at a fixed FARP to get it running and helps focus people to have to be frugal with their loadouts lest they run dry. An alternative idea is no resupply of the FARP. If we can pack them up/despawn them that’d be ideal, as you’d move to a new location with a new FARP versus treating it as FOB.
(5)Supply I have to look at the cargo weights to see if this would work, but I think it does
(5)(a) We only use “10 of everything” crates when running supplies to Zones. These are heavier than the “10 A2G missile” etc crates, and as such you can carry less of a given munition in a given load. This simulates the need for beans as well as bullets at a given basing location.
(5)(b) If there is a paved runway at the location, a C-130 must land to drop off supplies, if there is not, airdrop is permissible. You can of course always rough field land the C-130 if there’s not a paved runway.
(5)(c) Munition specific crates (10 A2G missiles etc) can be loaded to player created FARPS though per (4)(b) the first crate needs to be a “10 of everything”.
My thinking with these suggestions is to increase the mobility and logistic aspects and create some critical links for the logistics and mobility pilots to fill to achieve the goal of capturing a zone. At the most basic level we have a much more limited munitions supply at each base, and setting up a FARP for anything beyond 1 or 2 single ship sorties requires multiple loads (or a C-130). Actually fighting for the zone, we use the ground forces more than just a security element at a base against the occasional enemy convoy attack.
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Only if that doesn’t effect SAMs. They really need to be on excellent for the IADS script (mantis, it’s moose based) to work properly.
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Saw your reply above, I concur.
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The problem is that the skill level is basically effective detection range. That’s a huge issue with SAMs.
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Overall great suggestions I would say..
I did a few air assaults in the last campaign and the infantry can actually capture the base. Larger units bring RPG-16 and FIM-92 which makes them quite potent but naturally they are very vulnerable to every type of fire. The mission also makes them run to and try to capture any point in 2km radius, so you can drop them a short distance out of the zone. I also honestly wonder if we can load the troops up into bradleys.
Well that’s DCS.. Lots of stuff from different years. Judging from the script Beach posted, it looks like he is leaving the AH64D in, but restricting the mast mounted FCR/IFR and both Lima and Kilo hellfires. So that would mean rockets and the gun for the apache, and designating for other assets as much fewer units can self designate unless beach doesn’t restrict all these modern TGPs. I suppose that could pass for as close as we can get to an earlier AH-64A.
Yes that works. You need to have the paratrooper doors open and be in constraints for a paratrooper drop. the script can tell you when you are. Then, you can practically teleport troops to the ground from the door. at least this is way less buggy than dropping them realistically. I used it in the last playthrough to deposit stingers along the North coast of Qeshm.
Slingloading was a ton of fun in the last campaign actually. At first I only did it with the Hind as that was the only chopper I had some proficiency in.. But later it became really useful as I could self-escort with R60, drop troops and MANPADS or move a few things by using both the troop compartment and the slingload. I am thinking the chinook will still remain a very powerful logistics tool because even with just 2 crates as it can drop in a ton of ammo as well which will be harder to get for us. Perhaps a rule for ourselves we can set up is that we do not spawn in logistics helicopters from FARPs we build. That sometimes made it too easy. I would have almost suggested to not spawn attack heli’s there either and really use it as a point to rearm and refuel your chopper instead of a minibase but then there’s a big risk that attack helo’s have to do dreadfully long legs in and out of combat zones.
The balance for the Herc, as I see it right now, would be that it always spawns quite far away. Once we crossed the strait it was always 15-20 minutes before getting anywhere. If you have to fly it out of Incirlik on Syria I think it’s fair if you load it fairly fully.
Is it possible to make it so we have to pay for crates? What if guided munitions were much more expensive than unguided ones?
Parson me if this has already been answered, but is there a written manual for Foothold? I can only find videos online, and there’s nothing in the zip except the mission when you download it.
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There’s a #foothold-manual channel in their discord with the latest updates here:
I’d post it here but I think they want to not redist like that, unsure. If you are completely allergic to discord then let me know and I’ll send you a PM.
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Sorry about the lack of responses today so far..I’ll go back through the thread in the morning. Night shift is kind of wonky and didn’t get much sleep today..just got back from soccer with Kai..and I’m on call tonight so parsing my energy.. 
In older technology planes I see opportunities to CTLD in some tanks and stuff and do some Combined Arms captures of zones.
Thanks for the patience in waiting for the server to get set back up. Just want to give a great experience to all of our different roles in this community. It’ll be up soon.
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Shoot I figured we’d have a day or two of testing at least before it was up for real. No rush on our account!
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I’m thinking we kind of make that the way we capture zones. It’d be interesting to be flying in support of a ground campaign and needing to do things like air and airborne assaults to capture zones, in addition to letting the armor do their thing.
Ah perfect, my original thought was mandate a ground unit do the capture, but I wasn’t sure if they could or not.
I believe the Hellfire was part of the system when it debuted in the 80’s. Even though the K has range of 12.7km, George wont shoot them past 8km, which is actually in line with the pre K versions of the Hellfire. Kinematically, you can shoot them around 8.5km, but you are literally lobbing them in on Hi, shooting them direct they ain’t gonna make it. Honestly all the aircraft survivability stuff (CMWS, laser detectors, etc) are probably a bigger game changer than the hellfire. That will also nerfs the Kiowa, but I think I was the only one to try and kill anything with it. If we’re not using hellfires, I wish ED would finally add MPSM rockets (among the many payload types they said they’d and still haven’t).
I quite like that suggestion, but see below regarding some thoughts on flight times.
I get where you’re going with that, and I also agree the distances to cover can result in 30+ minute flights into combat if you’re not launching from a FARP. I think anything over about 10 minutes to get to the action we’re starting to move into what should be “players choice,” and 10 minutes might be a bit much.
I think if we stick with the zone supplies have to come from a warehouse zone, that eliminates starting at a FARP for a zone level up. Pulling a supply crate from a FARP deprecates its supplies, which actually makes sense that you’d transfer everything from a FARP to the next zone, and it’d make it less useful if we’re still fighting out of it. Maybe, no buying a FARP at a FARP, that seems like a reasonable limitation. Players can always elect to not start from a FARP on their own, and just use it refuel/rearm.
Any idea if you can run supplies via ground units? Escorting a ground convoy through Indian country could be fun.
If possible crates from a warehouse are free, otherwise they cost. And definitely up the cost of PGM’s if that’s an option.
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Got it. Thanks!
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I absolutely agree with this BUT then my scatterbrain needs to have some sort of mini-manual on how to handle stuff because I will need to be reminded what can and can’t be done… 
Do you mind copy/pasting or directing me to exactly what the recommended changes are? I’m starting to install mods on the server (OV-10 and OH-6) and would like to get the UH-60L working correctly.
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