Hiya, Stratos,
I ran the following mission in stratos_hiD.exe:
TITLE: FlyKiowa -stratos.exe
BATTLEFIELD: UKRAINE 46750 66750 0 0 5 26
RUNAI: RED
RUNAI: BLUE
SIDE: 0
BLUE_FRIENDLIES: 90
BLUE_ENEMIES: 10
RED_FRIENDLIES: 90
RED_ENEMIES: 10
\* Blue Flyable Platoon with Kiowa *\
\* You can change this Platoon: 21 to your own custom Platoon # *\
PLATOON: 21 46750 66750 45 0 46750 66750 2 101
ORDER_MODE_WAYPT:
ORDER_WPT_CURRENT: 1
ORDER_FORM_NOE:
ORDER_ASMBLY_HELO_S_AND_D:
ORDER_PRIORITY_HELOS:
\* Red Trucks *\
PLATOON: 69 48750 66900 45 0 46750 66750 2 101
ORDER_MODE_WAYPT:
ORDER_WPT_CURRENT: 1
ORDER_FORM_LINE:
ORDER_ASMBLY_NORTH:
ORDER_ADV_SLOW:
\* Red BRDM RECON *\
PLATOON: 69 48750 67200 45 0 46750 66750 2 101
ORDER_MODE_WAYPT:
ORDER_WPT_CURRENT: 1
ORDER_FORM_LINE:
ORDER_TRVL_ASSAULT:
ORDER_ASMBLY_NORTH:
ORDER_ADV_SLOW:
\* Red Trucks *\
PLATOON: 69 48750 66500 45 0 46750 66750 2 101
ORDER_MODE_WAYPT:
ORDER_WPT_CURRENT: 1
ORDER_FORM_LINE:
ORDER_ASMBLY_NORTH:
ORDER_ADV_SLOW:
[Briefing 0]
Heading = 8, Kiowa Test
Text = 1, 1, Token Briefing.
Time Out = 15
While in the Pilot's seat, I swung the helo due East. The AI gunner targeted Red vehicles. I was able to destroy a few of them with the gun and rockets. The Apache wingmen took out the rest.
One thing to bear in mind is that the .50 caliber gun is pretty damned useless against all but the softest of targets. But you can take out a Havoc with the Kiowa's rockets.
I ran the mission again and hit the F9 Chase View as soon as the mission started. Watched the Kiowa destroy a few Reds with rockets and gun.
The Apaches actually got most of the Red vehicles. Under AI control, the Kiowa would launch a rocket or two, or fire its gun, and then wander off in a very distracted manner for a while before engaging the enemy again. Reminded me a bit of my Grandmother doing some grocery shopping.
Copy&Paste the above mission into a new text file using Notepad. Save the file as whatever you want, and throw it in your
\Gunship!\Data\Battles\player\ folder
You can change Platoon 21 in the mission.txt to whichever Platoon # you've plunked the Kiowa in.
Can you destroy anything?
Which Platoon# did you use for your custom platoon?
Which .exe did you run through the Mangler?
Can you use the Kiowa's weapons at all?
As far as Insertion/Extraction with a Blackhawk... there's some information on the LZ command in the Huey's Readme.txt that may be of some use to you. Then again, that command is flaky to say the least, so you'll probably be disappointed.
I'm unaware of any simple & straightforward way to get your wingmen to follow your helo. I've always resorted to deleting/adding waypoints in the Map Screen-- A big pain in the ash, imho. That's not to say with any degree of certainty, however, that there isn't a better way to do it.