Matrix Games Forums

I was using MALDs against a surface group yesterday and I noticed they weren't getting shot at. I switched to the opponent's side in the editor and I was surprised to see the MALDs modeled as aircraft instead of missiles.

In my case, since they were designated "unknown contacts", the computer never shot at them. It did try to ID them with a fighter, but the decoys ran out of gas before they could get close enough to see them.

I was expecting the computer to consider the decoys as missiles and immediately start shooting. Instead, they computer would have waited until they ID'd them as harmless decoys before they started shooting. [8|]

I get the logic behind modeling decoys as aircraft, but it makes them fairly useless when used against the computer. They lack the range to be effectively used for misdirection, so their best use is as "shoot me" signs to get radars to light up and to waste SAMs. To do this, they need to be treated as missiles and immediately considered hostile.

At least, that's my opinion. What do others think?

Yokes

The modern history of decoys has been to have them emulate aircraft (such as Desert Storm, Just Cause, etc). Scenarios need to have Exclusion Zones set to have intruding a/c identified as hostile or a SAM battery won't engage until the a/c has been identified.

Sounds correct.

Considering they're subsonic and flying a "normal" path (not flying right above the waves,) why should they be magically identified as missiles by the enemy and attacked?

We need to keep our logic consistent but as Primarchx mentioned there are tools in the game to get the results you're looking for.

You can have SAM sites shoot via the engage nonhostile ROE or you can set up and exclusion zone that makes them hostile.

Mike

I'm cool with them being mis-ID'd as AC. My biggest issue is, they are currently set up as BOL, and the AI can't use them against the player. I humbly request that a GPS seeker be added, so that the AI will launch them against the human player. I'd like the same to be done with the OECM drones that the Soviets have. Please. Kinda begging, but not.

I can't do it myself, or I would have already. Ragnar, can you help me out, buddy?

Request updated. Thanks!

Mike

Thanks Mike. A couple other issues with the MALD-Js; According to public info, their range is "approximately 920 km (575 mi) with ability to loiter over target". I saw them burn out at about 40nm. Still testing to confirm. But it seems they are vastly shorter-ranged, than the real thing. Lastly, the AI was able to determine their type as "decoy". It would be nice if this could somehow be changed, so that if one is playing a human adversary, there may be some actual surprise involved in their use.

Honestly. This is one of my few disappointments with Command. I am not fond of the way MALDS work in Command. Also don't MALDS use an electronic suite to simulate radar signature/emission of various aircraft. For example the real life commander can cause them to appear to the enemy as F15E's or F18's, etc per mission needs. I hope that this is something that can be fixed in future builds. Could there be a way to have the AI favor recognizing them as Hostile almost immediately on detection?

Yeah noticed the fuel issue. Pretty sure this is fixed within the next couple updates.

Any idea what sensor ID'd the decoy?

Thanks!

Mike

ORIGINAL: Stevechase

Honestly. This is one of my few disappointments with Command. I am not fond of the way MALDS work in Command. Also don't MALDS use an electronic suite to simulate radar signature/emission of various aircraft. For example the real life commander can cause them to appear to the enemy as F15E's or F18's, etc per mission needs. I hope that this is something that can be fixed in future builds. Could there be a way to have the AI favor recognizing them as Hostile almost immediately on detection?

Try setting up an exclusion zone that marks an intruder as hostile and see what happens.

In real life SAM sites don't visual ID much at all. They depend on another sensor or defined free fire zones. You can model both pretty well in Command and probably should to give your AI a little fight.

We do need to work on the AI's ability to use MALD's and waypointing.

Mike, it was the SRS-14 Tangahz carried by the Su-24MR. I love the way the MALD's do their thing, the Russians had air contacts (bogey's mind you) jumping all over the place, SAMs and AAM's were being launched across a +/-60 degree arc off the actual target bearing.

But it doesn't last long. And I had to launch them myself just to see what it looked like...

I'd greatly appreciate the fix when you get around to it, as it seems the ADM-160 (and variants) are going to be big players in the future of air combat.

ORIGINAL: NakedWeasel

I'm cool with them being mis-ID'd as AC. My biggest issue is, they are currently set up as BOL, and the AI can't use them against the player. I humbly request that a GPS seeker be added, so that the AI will launch them against the human player. I'd like the same to be done with the OECM drones that the Soviets have. Please. Kinda begging, but not.

I can't do it myself, or I would have already. Ragnar, can you help me out, buddy?

The AS-2 drone is already in there as an aircraft. Will that help any?

Do you have more info on the SRS-14?

Thanks!

A little info on the SRS-14 here: http://books.google.com/books?id=Y8kePY ... od&f=false

Apparently an upgraded version of the SRS-9 with better antennas, and better software. Effective in the 0.2-10.7GHz range. Podded ELINT sensor carried aboard Su-24MR and RECON Foxbat.

A great site on the Su-24MR, in general: http://www.16va.be/3.4_la_reco_part3_eng.html

As the the AS-2 Drone, I know it's there and I'm grateful for it. My only issue with it, is, it can only be launched by the player and not the AI.

I've had some fun with MALD-Js, by the way, now that they work. Handy way to have a persistent jamming presence, though a little slow.