I seem to remember a while back, maybe in a TSH3 preview, that someone was working on a realistic training campaign. Is it still in the works or has it been dropped?

You read about that in the SimHQ "Jane's F-18 revisisted" article. Ripcord is the author and he was having some problems getting it to run as planned. He'll have to give you some more concrete information.

It works but not consistently. The problem is that I attempted to track weapons placement so that you and your wingman are not out bombing anything and everything, and getting credit for it.

Note that there is a debrief condition that looks for 'number of ground targets hit'. And there is another that tracks 'number of friendly air targets killed' and another for enemy, neutral, etc. Unfortunately, we do not have a debrief condition that tracks 'friendly ground targets hit'.

So in order to compensate for that, I attempted to use a series of goal state settings to check for hits on a list of friendly and civilian targets that are located on and around the bombing ranges, etc. The idea here is that you have to correctly ID your targets.

That works fine in most cases, but in some cases we were getting incorrect outcomes. So we shelved the project for now until we decide what to do.

What to do will be one of two things:

1) TSH will determine that we can add a new debrief condition to the missions builder. If that is possible, then I'll remove the majority of all those goal flags and seriously simplify the structure of the debrief.

2) TSH will determine that we cannot add a new debrief condition to the missions builder. Then I will need to seriously rethink the whole project.

It might not mean starting over, but it might mean that you will be allowed to bomb pretty much anything without consequence. Alternatively, it might mean that you would be allowed only 1 or 2 hits on certain targets, and not more than those 1 or 2 hits. That would really limit what we are able to do in terms of working on range against multiple targets - not good.

Either way, I believe I will need to remove a lot of the extra flags and goals that I have built into it.

And there is the chance that I could be wrong.

Right now I am focusing on finishing another project that I started a long time ago -- that is a Saudi campaign which Maverick has given new life to. So between now and Christmas, that will demand all my attention. After that, I will probably return to this project. Hopefully by then TSH will have some idea what we can and cannot do in terms of manipulating the debrief outcomes in MB.

If you and/or some others would like to do some additional testing in the interim, that would be great.

Ripcord

Thanks for the info Ripcord. I really hope that everyone can get the kinks worked out because I think this is a VERY cool idea!

I haven't had this sim very long and I'm still learning, which is why I am interested in this training campaign. Despite my lack of experience, I would be happy to help out in any way I can.

Let me know what I would need to do as a tester.

Jon

Ripcord, am also getting back into this great sim after some time away from it. I woul dbe more then happy to try the training campaign as well. I still cannot resolve the AA mode slide show, so am just using the technique of heads down on the long range shots and no RADAR for the close in shot.

Cheers!

OK guys, I'll gather up what I got, update the CTEXTE file, check a couple things, and then post the first one here for download (for NCAPE). Just give me a few days, probably won't get around to it until this weekend. It will be available for download for a week (by yousendit.com). Depending on how that goes, I will release the other one (for GULF).

A bit later I'll come back with a wish-list in terms of testing, but really, in a nutshell, I just want to know if the general outcome is what you expected. And I'll have some other important comments as well concerning management of your AI wingman.

BTW - this should be a heck of a lot more fun flying in pairs in MP.

Ripcord

Sounds good Ripcord.

Ripcord,

Feel free to post the text of the readmes I wrote for this. I can't remember what state they're in but IIRC they were pretty much complete. I think reading that would give a beta tester a much better idea of what to fix.

Ripcord, what was the latest beta? I'm really going to fly it this time. Doesn't matter it's not completely consistent, I'll just be more persistent.

Friendly bumping.

Joe, I think I remember that, vaguely, but I couldn't locate your Readme files anywhere -- not in my folders, not on the TSH FTP, not in my e-mail from you. Do you think you can forward those to me?

Ripcord

EDIT: belay my last, Joe. Just found the thing in our TSH forums in the missions section. Nice job, man. Thanks.

I'll get this out shortly.

Alright, it's uploading now.

OK, fellow brownshoes, while we're waiting, perhaps a little hype....

==========================================

A junior officer fresh from the Fleet Replacement Squadron, you are one of the newest member of your East Coast VFA squadron flying the F/A-18E. Recently your squadron completed training exercises ashore back at NAS Key West and NAS Fallon, and is currently undergoing at-sea stages of a regularly scheduled Interdeployment Training Cycle (ITDC). In about 3 months, the squadron will be completing its ITDC and preparing for its next scheduled deployment aboard the USS George Washington (CVN-73) as part of an Atlantic Fleet Carrier Air Wing.

The USS George Washington battle group has just completed a COMPTUEX in Caribbean Sea, during the intermediate phase of the ITDC. Now the air wing and the battle group are back training along the Eastern Sea board, getting certification for blue water operations. In another two weeks, the USS George Washington battle group will begin its transit to the Norwegian Sea, where it will take advantage of much needed NATO training facilities for the advanced phase of its ITDC, and participate in NORDEX, a NATO combined arms arctic readiness training exercise.

While the rest of your squadron prepares for deployment, you and a few other nugget pilots – ‘stragglers’ coming from the RAG very late in the training cycle -- have been assigned an accelerated, more intensive training syllabus. You’ll be compressing this extensive learning curve into a short 3 week training deployment to the Royal Norwegian Air Force base at Bodo, home to three RNoAF squadrons flying the F-16 Falcon. You get an opportunity to train with other NATO units at a number of weapon ranges and training sites, and you will fly a lot of hops during this 3 week period. At the end of the third week, you’ll finish your carrier qualifications and rejoin the squadron to continue your training.

********************************
TEAM SUPERHORNET OFFICIAL ADD-ON

NAME: IDTC NORWAY CAMPAIGN
VERSION: 1.0
RELEASE DATE: ???
Creator: Ripcord
********************************


----------------------------------
WHAT IS THE IDTC NORWAY CAMPAIGN?
----------------------------------
The IDTC Norway campaign is a training campaign designed to recreate the experience of a new pilot that is late joining his squadron during an IDTC (interdeployment training cycle). Over the course of approximately 20 missions, this pilot is subjected to an intensive training regimen, flying in all weather conditions and times of day, starting with land-based sorties and eventually joining the squadron aboard the USS George Washington, CVN-73. Squadron Primary Mission Areas emphasized during the campaign are Mobility (MOB), Strike Warfare (STW), Anti-air Warfare (AAW), Amphibious Warfare (AMW), Anti-surface Warfare (ASUW), Mine Warfare (MIW) and Command, Control, Communications (CCC). Mission types include formation flying, precision strike, escort, SEAD, air intercept, and CAS.

This campaign is designed to be as realistic as possible in terms of actual training operations. Thus, the following apply:
- You must land after each hop. If you fail to land, you get sent to practice in the airfield pattern or to do more carrier qualifications. You then restart that phase of the training.
- Targets must be properly IDed at all times.
- You are not cleared for live munitions on each and every hop; there are restrictions to which you must adhere.
- You must navigate to avoid off-limits areas (i.e. ranges in use, civilian air traffic, simulated hostile weapons engagement zones, etc.).
- Some missions have weapons accuracy requirements.
- Using the TSH Sound Manager, previously unused in-game sounds have been extracted and inserted in missions to simulate enhanced ATC control, range controllers, etc.


--------------
COMPATIBILITY:
--------------
The IDTC Norway campaign requires that the 1.01F patch and TSHv1 are installed. Objects Packages Parts 1 and 2 must be applied using the TSHv1 installer.


-----------------------
INSTALLATION PROCEDURE:
-----------------------
1. Download IDTC_Norway.zip from the TSH website.

2. Extract the contents of IDTC_Norway.zip to a temporary folder.

3. Place the 25 .cmf files in the FA-18\Campaign\Mission folder

4. Place the ctexte.cmp file in the FA-18\Campaign\data folder. This is an updated file that includes texts for all known existing campaigns at the time of release.

5. Place the IDTC Norway.mcf file in the FA-18\Campaign folder.

6. Place the m6.wve file in the FA-18\Movies folder. This is a campaign introductory movie borrowed from Jane's Fleet Command, which uses the same format as Jane's F/A-18.

7. Place the 8 .pcx files in the FA-18\Ncape\OBJECTS folder. Backup the existing files of the same name. These .pcx files replace the USS Ronald Reagan skin (CVN-76) with a USS George Washington skin (CVN-73).


---------------
CAMPAIGN NOTES:
---------------
1. Read the detailed briefs carefully. They inform you of navigation and weapons restrictions, other flights involved in your missions, times of day (do you need NAVFLIR capability?), etc.

2. FLIR imagery in your HUD (through use of a NAVLFIR or a TSH-modified ATFLIR with NAVFLIR capability) helps immensely in target detection, especially during CAS missions. This applies even during the day.

3. FLIR imagery in your MDI (through use of an ATFLIR) helps immensely in target identification.

4. Telling your flight to "Attack Ground Targets of Opportunity" (TAB 4 6 3) when a FAC has designated targets will result in the flight attacking those designated targets. This is the best way to get AI wingmen to perform FAC-controlled CAS.

5. Pilots who a refueling-impaired can use the Automatic Refuel command (ALT+f) to complete aerial refuelings required by mission length and/or completion goals.

6. Radio subtitles should be enabled. Radio message history (CTRL+m) can be helpful to review lengthy and/or complex transmissions.

7. Enhanced ATC communications built into these missions use the stock tower controller voice. Thus, no tower controller soundpacks should be used for this campaign.

----------
CHANGE LOG
----------
1.0 - initial release


Post comments or questions on the TSH forums at http://tsh.war-fighters.net/forum/.

Now, here is a short note on the problems we are having.

Basically, it's your AI wingman. You are in charge of him, and he's not really particular in terms of getting good positive ID on this targets. His motto is bomb first, ask questions later. The problem here is that will get YOU grounded, and your wings taken away.

So you really, really want to keep that AI wingman on a real short leash.

I can't stress that enough. What will happen is you'll fly a mission, you'll think everything went smooth as butter, then you RTB and head for the debrief and shazam - you learn that you just took out a cod trawler or a Finnish family of five. End of training campaign.

If this happens, please check your specific target kills in the debrief, and make sure that object is listed (boat, tug, car, whatever). What is concerning me is that defrief might be wrong on some mission -- those are easy to fix. Now I think they are pretty tight, but more testing is needed.

What normally works OK.
-- telling a wingman to Attack My Target (TAB 1 6 5) when you have a target locked up (works good with ground tgts).

-- telling a wingman to Attack Primary Target (if one is assigned).

-- telling a wingman to Attack Air Defenses (TAB 4 6 4) seems to work OK. I don't remember any cases when he goes off to bomb a Finnish family of five after taking out some AAA sites. But then again, this is something that we need to closely monitor, so watch for this.

-- telling a wingman to Attack Ground Targets of Opportunity (TAB 4 6 3) will usually work when working with a ground FAC, but I THINK you have to issue that command at just the right time, like just as the FAC starts to call out the target. Doing it too early or too late doesn't work, in my experience. That's just giving the guy a free pass to go bomb whatever he wants. Be extra careful when using this command.

NOTE: After your AI wingman releases on a target, it is generally a good idea to tell him to either rejoin or go orbit. Better if you issue both commands at some interval (first go orbit, then rejoin a couple seconds later) or be a little redundant in issuing them. This is especially true when you just gave him the Attack Targets of Opportunities command, because with that command, he'll keep doing it until you really insist that he stops. And even then, he might just decide to sneak one more bomb drop in while you aren't paying attention.

What doesn't work OK
-- telling your wingman to Attack Ground Targets of Opportunity (TAB 4 6 3) when working with JSTARS. Maybe I'm doing it wrong....?

Additional comments and requests:

At this point, I really think this campaign is probably best used as a two man MP training tool. I believe it would work well in a 'new guy flies with experienced guy' scenario. It should allow you both to work through the training syllabus together, learning all the commands and practicing using the full range of weapons.

As a single player tool, I really don't think it is nearly as useful.

As you fly, also, do me a favor and take some notes. Any feedback is welcome, so long as it is constructive. Particularly if you see something wrong, I'd like to make a note and post it somewhere - this thread is as good a place as any.

Thanks, and have fun!

Ripcord

Here it is. The files will be available for 7 days (about 64 megs).

Here is the link for the zip file I uploaded:
http://download.yousendit.com/2E1F2FF07B626525

Give 'em hell.

Ripcord

Thanks Ripcord, will give it a go.

Should I use Warefarefix on?

Martin.

No, don't use warfarefix with this.

Note that in the future, the next version TSH will incorporate many of the cool features in warefarefix, and hopefully we will all move to that new version as the 'working standard'. Let's not digress here, but just be aware. I never build anything that requires warefarefix or would be better using it.

One of these weekends, Martin, we should get on HL and go for a hop. I think we're only 1 hour apart (I'm in Vladivostok, in the same time zone as Sydney & Melbourne).

Ripcord

Thanks Ripcord, downloading now.

Awesome, Ripcord, feel very enthusiastic while downloading it. Great read and the campaign sounds like something that I wanted to fly since long in JF/A-18. THANKS!

Geez...now yousendit wants a registration...and the download is now PAINFULLY Slower than it was before.. oh well... Downloading anyway!! Thanks Ripcord! Please tell me the rocket mission is gone

Recluse