AGL versus Absolute Altitude

[darknite]

What are the game effects of Absolute Altitude (above sea level) versus AGL (above ground level) altitude in the game? I notice that when I fly over land I get both altitude listed. I can imaging AGL being used for weapon envelopes, flying VLo, etc. Is this really the case?

[hermanhum]

You are correct.

The AGL is used for weapons release envelopes. If the Minimum Launch Altitude of a weapon is 610m and you flying just 100m over a mountain that is 6000m, you will not be able to launch. You must climb until you are 610m above the current ground altitude.

Way to dig into the game features. [8D]

[darknite]

Thanks, Herman.

I imagine that it's the absolute altitude that effects a/c performace (besides vlow flying), then? In any case for some reason I really dig the fact that this element was included in the game. Any idea if terrain masking is enabled in the game?

[hermanhum]

ORIGINAL: darknite

Any idea if terrain masking is enabled in the game?

If you mean, "Can I hide by flying behind this mountain range?", then I believe that the answer is, "Yes". [:)]

Previously, in H3.6.3, certain sensors could 'see through mountains'. I have checked for this instance in ANW and believe that it has been corrected. [8D]

[mikmykWS]

Yeah IIRC when we were testing all of this we seemed to get better results. FWIW it wasn't broken in 3.6.3 just evaluated differently. 

[Stalintc]

I can confirm I have found terrain masking works, I sent several flights of super etendards at low level over the fjords of Norway to attack ships, and the enemy task force had no idea of their presence until the missiles were launched to which my attack aircraft left the area un-scathed, and the enemy task force launched fighters to intercept only a few minutes after my aircraft unmasked and launched. (The fighters never caught up with the retreating super etendards) All flight members survived thanks to masking.

So yes I believe it does work [;)]

[jkruny]

Yes, the visual sighting behaviors have been changed.

You can hide ships in fjiords, and behind islands.

Mountains can mask a/c, and if the scene is built in ANW, with an a/c that is VLow capabable,it is almost undetectable flying nap of the earth. Course, sometimes the a/c still do crash,"pull up, pull up, pull up!"

Hehe

[hermanhum]

The pilots of the Argentine air force would be downright proud of you! [8D]

HarpGamer.com - Home of the HCDB.

[Stalintc]

ORIGINAL: hermanhum

The pilots of the Argentine air force would be downright proud of you! [8D]

HarpGamer.com - Home of the HCDB.

lol it was their idea I stole after all! [8D]

Speaking of which are there any Falklands battlesets or scenarios out there? would be interesting to defend against such tactics.

[mikmykWS]

There are a couple Battlesets here:

First one covers the orginal battle and was incredibly researched. The author had a number of first person sources to work with and really made an effort to make a good set of scenarios happen. This is probably why I consider him one of the best. He even put together a great narrative on it here.

The second battlset covers a future variant (2002) and is another excellent set. I've played them a bunch of times.

There are a couple of scenarios in the original game and pretty sure there are few more out in archives somewhere. Very popular subject.

[hermanhum]

ORIGINAL: Stalintc

Speaking of which are there any Falklands battlesets or scenarios out there? would be interesting to defend against such tactics.

There are a couple of scenarios already included with the Original DB:

Falklands War I - Regional Conflicts 2 battleset

Malvinas Part II - Global Conflics 1 battleset

Good hunting [8D]

FilesOfScenShare

[Stalintc]

ORIGINAL: hermanhum

There are a couple of scenarios already included with the Original DB:

Falklands War I - Regional Conflicts 2 battleset

Malvinas Part II - Global Conflics 1 battleset

Good hunting [8D]

Now that is good news if ever I heard it! cant wait to try them out! tally ho![;)]

Mike - My god thats alot of scenarios, is DB2000 and those scenarios compatible with ANW? (only harpoon game I have)

[mikmykWS]

Yes sure do.

For right now they're still in 3.6.x file format until more folks by the game (we have two crowds to serve). The only oddities you'll get are that some victory conditions may not be read properly and some how altititudes are displayed in map display. 

There was a bunch of noise about how functional our scenarios were early on but thankfully it turned out to be just that...noise[;)]  Check it out for yourself and have fun with the stuff[:)]

[Stalintc]

Cant wait [8D]

[hermanhum]

ORIGINAL: Stalintc

is DB2000 and those scenarios compatible with ANW?

All scenarios created in Harpoon 3.6.3 are afflicted with the same bugs. The bugs are not database specific. You can take a look at the partial list on StrategyZoneOnline * Known Harpoon 3.7 [ANW] Issues.

If a scenario did not crash the game in 3.6.3, it will likely not crash the game in ANW. However, this does NOT mean that it operates in the same manner. Now, if a scenario showed problems in v3.6.3, those same problems are going to re-appear in ANW (and may even be magnified).

Your experience with the NAV Bug is a prime example. It does not crash the game, but it seriously degrades the scenario's performance. Unless someone explained what happened to the Russian SAG to you, you would have no idea that the Russians were operating at any level less than optimal, right. [;)]

This is just one man's opinion, but I found that the state of the game released made solitaire play virtually "unplayable" and totally unsatisfactory. The combination of some pretty major bugs makes the experience less than fulfilling.

• NAV bug - AI units cannot plot paths properly
• ViConds Bug - ViConds evaluate erratically
• Target list ignored
• ECM Boomerang - You gotta see this one to believe it. [:D]

Of course, other folks have their own opinion. I hope that the patch fixes some of these horrendous bugs.

Good hunting. [8D]

[mikmykWS]

I have faith that AGSI and Matrix will work out whats's broke in 3.7 (fact sounds like they already have with the coming patch). I also have faith that the communities will get their scenairo sets up to date as everything comes together. Thats the way its always worked..and frankly probably bigger things to worry about....like playing the game[;)] Sorry just get fairly annoyed with the negativity some times...its always so self serving in most cases.

[Stalintc]

Some interesting opinions [:)] I didnt mean to seed conflict here, ive heard what you both have to say and will take that on board when I give DB2000 a shot. I may even just wait until the problems are resolved. We shall see [8D]

[mikmykWS]

Believe me you didn't[:)] My remarks were not directed at you[:)]

Beyond my name being on the games I really want Harpoon to succeed because its really a fun hobby and the guys at AGSI and now Matrix work pretty hard making it so. The DB/scenario rat race sometimes overshadows that...so have little patience for it when I see it. Particularly in the realm of slagging the DB2k because its "not 3.7 compliant" although thats true for all community scenarios until everybody has the time to get up to speed and the patch is out. As I mentioned before this community has been around for a long time as has Harpoon itself. It always works itself out[:)]

[Stalintc]

Excellent thanks for your input anyhow [8D]

This is a whole new world to me [;)]