New feature: Radio Operator trait
Even though communication is important on modern battlefields, it is curiously absent from JA2. So I implemented a new minor trait: radio operator.
A radio operator is a soldier that has received communication equipment training. Only radio operators can use such equipment, in this case radio sets. A radio set (item #1697) is worn like a backpack and requires special batteries (item #1698) on order to work. With such equipment, an operator has access to a variety of unique skills.
These skills are called by pressing $ in tactical - which calls the new skill menu - and then selecting the correct skill (currently usable ones are green). As some skills require a target location, the location your mouse was when you opened the menu is taken for this and is coloured green while the menu is active.
Artillery strike
If allied troops are in adjacent sectors, a radio operator can call in artillery strikes. These can be called in both from militia (the number of shells will depend on the number an quality of troopers) or your mercs (in which case they need to have mortars and shells in their inventory). To call in artillery, first hover with your mouse over the position you want shelled. Then open the skill menu and select Artillery Strike from the Radio Operator menu. You can then select from which sector you want assistance.
If you call militia, a signal shell will immediately fired upon this location, illuminating the area and marking this region with red smoke for shelling. One turn later, a massive artillery bombardment will flatten the area around that signal. The size of the bombardment depends on the number and quality of militia in the sector you ordered the attack from. There is a cooldown for this (ini setting), so you will only be able to use this once per battle per sector.
If you call a strike from other mercs, they need to have mortars and shells in their inventory. All those will be fired. You can then simply give them more shells from that sector's inventory for another run. You can also use all kinds of shells, like mixing a few mustard shells in between normal shells, or illumination shells at night.
If you call your mercs, then you should mark the target area prior to the call. Use a mortar signal shell (#1700) or a signal flare (#1701) to mark a target with red signal smoke. Once artillery is called, it is fired on a random signal smoke source (which is the reason the AI always fires one prior to the bombardment). If such a signal does not exist, a radio operator of the team that made the call is targeted, as we assume he ordered a heroic last stand. Should such a person not exist anymore, we target a random grid on the map, because we have to fire somewhere, right?
Militia itself does not use radio operators, that's your job. The enemy, however, does, as the AI now knows how to call artillery strikes.
And no, this is not a use of the ancient 'airstrikes' feature. This is entirely new and does not use that code.
How do you defend against artillery? One possibility is to run away really fast. Another would be to kill every hostile radio operator before he can call his friends. Third option is gambling - artillery targets a random signal smoke source. So if a bombardment is imminent, you can somewhat increase your chances by throwing out additional smoke sources.
A fourth option is to jam sector-wide communications.
By selecting this skill, the radio set will fill all radio frequencies with white noise [insert technobable here], thereby making any communication impossible. Other radio skills will be unusable for all teams as long as this radio operator does that (he has to keep the set in his inventory and in use). The enemy can't nuke you, but you can't nuke him either. Reinforcements also won't work (the AI cannot call reinforcements either, might be useful if the DCA is to hard for you). The AI also uses this, especially if it cannot call artillery anymore.
A crossed out radio symbol means we are currently jamming frequencies.
Scan frequencies
A countermeasure against Jam communications, scanning searches for jammers by triangulation [insert more technobable here]. Map regions with jammers will be marked on the map, but you won't know who causes it, where exactly they are, and how many they are.
Eavesdrop
The radio operator uses his radio set to listen for any nearby noise sources. This increases his hearing range extremely [pseudo-scientific but ultimately made-up explanation here], but a he intently listens, his attention to his surroundings wavers - his interrupt level is lowered significantly while he does so.
Call reinforcements
You can call in militia reinforcements from neighbouring sectors, provided there are any. They work like normal reinforcements. This allows for better strategies, such as calling your reinforcements once you've secured their immediate staging area.
This also works outside of towns, and will thus enrage people to no end once they realise the tactical implications In short: you can effectively move militia in combination with your troops. Couple that with equippable militia, use profiles to individualise them, and they'll be as close to mercs as they can ever get. They can even be used offensively - so you can attack a city with a platoon of well-equipped militia, a squadleader to boost them and a radio operator to move them.
You can finetune (within boundaries) how many reinforcements you want to call.
These reinforcements work a bit different (internally) from normal militia reinforcements, so time delays are not possible for them at the moment.
Switch off radio set
Cancels any jamming/scanning/listening.
<font size="]Radio Scan
This is not a skill but an assignment in strategic screen. A radio operator can use their equipment to drop in on enemy frequencies, possible revealing enemy positions and numbers in neighbouring sectors. The higher troop concentration, the higher the chance of detection. The sector modifier <sRadioScanModifier> in TableData/Map/SectorNames.xml increases the possible scanning range in a sector (so that mountains are rewarding positions for this task). It is even possible to deduct enemy movements from this.
Not a skill, but worth noting: operators can give individual orders to militia even if they are not in sight, making them the obvious choice in ordering militia around.
All radio actions cost battery power. The battery charge level is indicated by a green bar on the battery item picture. If not needed, make sure you turn off your equipment via switch of radio set. Only radio sets currently worn 'work', so moving around the gear in your inventory also saves batteries.
The status of a radio set has an influence on its performance. Damaged sets have a chance to fail. The feedback you receive will be the same you get when frequencies are jammed - if your gear is in bad shape, you won't know wether it just failed, or if the enemy is actually blocking your communications.
This trait gives you access to a number of unique skills. I deem this trait necessary for this. Using these skills won't be possible without it (no, I won't move this to backgrounds). Same for the radio set. I know modern radio units are not as big as a backpack and don't weigh multiple kilos, but I deem this necessary for balance reasons. If you want these skills for your team, you need mercs with this trait, and they need to drag along this gear, thereby forcing you to compromise on the equipment you take along.
This does not break savegame compatibilty.
This has been added to the trunk in revision r6547 and GameDir r1848. The GameDir revision is required, otherwise you will experience crashes when trying to use this feature.
[Updated on: Sun, 22 December 2024 02:41] by Moderator
[Radio Operator]
; artillery can be called every x minutes from a sector. Does not apply if mercs fire the shells
RADIO_OPERATOR_ARTILLERY_SECTOR_FREQUENCY = 120
; AI artillery: number of mortars is number of soldiers divided by this
RADIO_OPERATOR_MORTAR_COUNT_DIVISOR = 6
; AI artillery: number of shells is mortar points divided by this
RADIO_OPERATOR_MORTAR_SHELL_DIVISOR = 30
; AI artillery: the total sum of mortars points is determined by the quality of soldiers
RADIO_OPERATOR_MORTAR_POINTS_ADMIN = 10
RADIO_OPERATOR_MORTAR_POINTS_TROOP = 15
RADIO_OPERATOR_MORTAR_POINTS_ELITE = 25
; artillery shells land within a x tiles radius of their target
RADIO_OPERATOR_MORTAR_RADIUS = 10
; the initial signal shell lands within x tiles radius of their target
RADIO_OPERATOR_MORTAR_SIGNAL_SHELL_RADIUS = 2
; scan assignment: detect enemies up to x sectors away
RADIO_OPERATOR_ASSIGNMENT_SCAN_BASE_RANGE = 5
; we can use our radio set to listen, this will greatly enhance our hearing, but makes it easier to interrupt us
RADIO_OPERATOR_LISTENING_HEARING_BONUS = 20
MercProfiles.xml: The Radio Operator trait has the number 21. Bob, Weasel and Ears have received this skill, it seemed possible due to their bio. I am not sure who else would qualify, but more mercs with this would be good
SectorNames.xml: <sRadioScanModifier> is an INT8 value in [-3, 3] and alters effectiveness of scan assignment in this sector. + good, - bad.
Explosives.xml: <ubType>10</ubType> is for signal smoke.
Items.xml: New Itemflags:
RADIO_SET - 33554432 - marks a radio set
SIGNAL_SHELL - 67108864 - this is a signal shell that precedes artillery barrages. Has to exist in the xmls, otherwise artillery wont work!
POWER_PACK - 134217728 - item continously powers an item it is attached to
A very interesting point for modders: I also added the possibility to chain explosives. By adding <buddyitem>x</buddyitem> to an explosive item, an explosion of this item will additionally cause an explosion of item 'x' at the explosion's location. For example, the new mortar signal shell only causes red signal smoke to be created, but it is linked to item #1699 - Flare Internal - which causes a short-lived illumination effect. This can be chained, so you can have explosives with multiple effects. Like vacuum grenades that send out frags and cause fire, or whatever stuff you can come up with. However, be warned!. You can create a loop with this (effect A calls effect B calls effect A calls effect B...), which will crash the game. So be careful.
As usual, there'll probably be the odd bug in here. Don't panic, report what happened, and let me fix it in that case, soldier.
-
Edit (by moderator):
As of gitHub release "JA2_113-v1-178-g7fa8ff9-G6320L663f" (that's from 2024-12-21), the <ItemFlag>-tag as an xml tag has been removed and bitmask flags have been added as their own individual tags instead.
So, instead of using the above mentioned flags use the following tags at item:
<Radioset>
<SignalShell>
The one for powerpack is no longer valid, Radio Set doesn't need a battery anymore.
[Updated on: Sun, 22 December 2024 02:40] by Moderator
Messages:340
Registered:December 2008 Location: en route to San Hermanos
Flug your work is stunning! stop doing what you do an give JaF-team a chance... don't rise the bar so high! Imagine what JaF will be without all the new features you, headrock, sandro and all the others have added...
Messages:340
Registered:December 2008 Location: en route to San Hermanos
A better question: how many shells are going to be fired per turn in tactical combat? shouldn't this be the same as if the mercs were in the sector? It seems a little bit like an exploit if you can send all that menace in only one turn...
A very interesting point for modders: I also added the possibility to chain explosives. By adding x to an explosive item, an explosion of this item will additionally cause an explosion of item 'x' at the explosion's location. For example, the new mortar signal shell only causes red signal smoke to be created, but it is linked to item #1699 - Flare Internal - which causes a short-lived illumination effect. This can be chained, so you can have explosives with multiple effects. Like vacuum grenades that send out frags and cause fire, or whatever stuff you can come up with. However, be warned! You can create a loop with this (effect A calls effect B calls effect A calls effect B...), which will crash the game. So be careful.
@DepressivesBrot: When calling artillery from other mercs, mortar rounds will be launched in the order they are found in their inventory. Thus the order is determined by the internal sorting of their inventory slots.
The signal shell (call to militia/enemy) is launched immediately. The barrage arrives at the beginning of the next turn if calling to militia/mercs, and one turn later for the enemy (otherwise the player has no time to react to it, which proved to be very frustrating during testing).
@Maalstroom: The shells are removed from mercenary inventories at the moment the attack is commanded. Think of it as 'the rounds need one turn to fly' or sth like that. Imagine they are rapid-fired... Continuing spreading of those shells over multiple turns sounds good, but isn't - remember that the shells are spread. 2 shells per turn on a large region isn't much, and everybody would avoid that region in subsequent turns, making artillery only useful against static targets, which we don't have a lot of. I want artillery to be able to blast an entire squad in a single turn, not to be a tad more realistic but useless. As far as the exploit goes - the AI has access to this too... an more opportunities than you to use it.
Hmm, I'm not so sure. I mean the distance between sectors is poorly defined and not really consistent, so what kind of mortar could reach which part of the tactical map?
As for the jamming and listening, I think it is really about line of sight, that's another thing that's never been defined in JA2. And for "triangulation", I believe you need at least 2 receivers, otherwise you will get a bearing. In a RF rich world we live in today, it's gonna be hard to identify too. I don't want to pretend to be a pro, but I think this is something too complex to be modeled realistically. I can't comment on how well it will work for the gameplay though.
I'd love to have more control over militia. They follow my mercs on strategic map well enough as they are now, but at 2 hours per sector it's slow. It's also desirable to be able to decide when the militia can reinforce, and how many, though maybe not at the cost of a skill. But to truly avoid border clash, I think it's more about where.
On the other hand I thought you did melee protection and powered exoskeleton that increases carrying capacity. Why not adding them to the trunk? Stab vest is nothing sci-fi, and working exoskeleton is just a few years away.
[Updated on: Thu, 31 October 2013 21:04] by Moderator
The latest set of XML's with SCI_Unstable_Revision_6547_on_GameDir_1848 seem to be crashing the XML Editor. I think I found the issue in the new signal items:
1700 Mortar Signal Shell and 1701 Signal Flare are both trying to use the same index 94 in Explosives.xml - I remember we were able to get away with this in-game but the XMLEditor does not like this
1699 Flare Internal is using index 95 in Explosives.xml - don't the Explosives.XML indexes have to be in the order they appear in Items.xml?
Lookup\ExplosionType.XML is missing entry 10 for Signal Smoke
Additionally, in manually updating ItemFlag.XML I found that the following flags don't have names:
8192
16777216
A search of the forum didn't reveal anything as far as item flags for new features. The SCI's XML end off at 262144 JUMP GRENADE
The missing entry in Lookup\ExplosionType.XML is causing the XML editor to crash. I just added:
10Signal Shell
and the editor starts fine.
Using the same class index causes the editor to show only the first item of that index. So 1700 "Mortar Signal Shell" is shown while 1701 "Signal Flare" is not.
ItemFlag.XML:
// -------- added by Flugente: various item flags --------
// flags used for various item properties (easier than adding 32 differently named variables). DO NOT CHANGE THEM, UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!!!
// note that these should not be used to determine what kind of an attachment an item is, that is determined by attachmentclass and the AC_xxx flags above
#define EMPTY_SANDBAG 0x00000001 //1
#define FULL_SANDBAG 0x00000002 //2
#define SHOVEL 0x00000004 //4 // a shovel is used for filling sandbags and other building-related tasks
#define CONCERTINA 0x00000008 //8
#define WATER_DRUM 0x00000010 //16 // water drums allow to refill canteens in the sector they are in
#define MEAT_BLOODCAT 0x00000020 //32 // retrieve this by gutting a bloodcat
#define COW_MEAT 0x00000040 //64 // retrieve this by gutting a cow
#define BELT_FED 0x00000080 //128 // item can be fed externally
#define AMMO_BELT 0x00000100 //256 // this item can be used to feed externally
#define AMMO_BELT_VEST 0x00000200 //512 // this is a vest that can contain AMMO_BELT items in its medium slots
#define CAMO_REMOVAL 0x00000400 //1024 // item can be used to remove camo
#define CLEANING_KIT 0x00000800 //2048 // weapon cleaning kit
#define ATTENTION_ITEM 0x00001000 //4096 // this item is 'interesting' to the AI. Dumb soldiers may try to pick it up
#define GAROTTE 0x00002000 //8192 // this item is a garotte
#define COVERT 0x00004000 //16384 // if LBE, any gun inside will be covert. On a gun, it will be covert in any LBE, even if the LBE does not have that tag itself
#define CORPSE 0x00008000 //32768 // a dead body
#define SKIN_BLOODCAT 0x00010000 //65536 // retrieve this by skinning (=decapitating) a bloodcat
#define NO_METAL_DETECTION 0x00020000 //131072 // a planted bomb with this flag can NOT be detected via metal detector. Use sparingly!
#define JUMP_GRENADE 0x00040000 //262144 // add +25 heigth to explosion, used for bouncing grenades and jumping mines
#define HANDCUFFS 0x00080000 //524288 // item can be used to capture soldiers
#define TASER 0x00100000 //1048576 // item is a taser, melee hits with this will drain breath (if batteries are supplied)
#define SCUBA_BOTTLE 0x00200000 //2097152 // item is a scuba gear air bottle
#define SCUBA_MASK 0x00400000 //4194304 // item is a scuba gear breathing mask
#define SCUBA_FINS 0x00800000 //8388608 // this item speed up swimming, but slows walking and running
#define TRIPWIREROLL 0x01000000 //16777216 // this item is a tripwire roll
#define RADIO_SET 0x02000000 //33554432 // item can be used to radio militia/squads in other sectors
#define SIGNAL_SHELL 0x04000000 //67108864 // this is a signal shell that precedes artillery barrages
#define POWER_PACK 0x08000000 //134217728 // item continously powers an item it is attached to
edit: I added the missing flags to ItemFlag.xml and ExplosionType.xml in GameDir 1852.
[Updated on: Thu, 31 October 2013 23:15] by Moderator
JA+SCI_Unstable_Revision_6553_on_GameDir_1854.7z
I have IMP- Radio Operator + radio set + special batteries.
I click on Radio Operator and I have window with inactive all functions. Only Cancel is green.
What am I doing wrong?
Please help
(I use a placeholder picture until someone adds a proper pic) All radio actions cost battery power. The battery charge level is indicated by a green bar on the battery item picture. If not needed, make sure you turn off your equipment via switch of radio set.
Great to have this long awaited feature, Flugente!
A very simple variety of this was used in JA:Urban Chaos, where the x-ray device had the image of a AN/PRC-10 radio. It worked as x-ray device, consuming batteries and all. Unfortunately I don
New settings in Skills_Settings.ini (r6556 & GameDir r1856): RADIO_OPERATOR_ARTILLERY disables artillery for all teams. Useful if you do not like what this trait does. If you don't want this trait at all, don't select it for your IMPs, and simply remove the 33554432 from the radio set in Items.xml - this will cause the game not to assign this trait to enemies.
While I really don't like that option, many people ask about distributing the shells over multiple turns, so here it is: RADIO_OPERATOR_ARTILLERY_DISTRIBUTED_OVER_TURNS causes artillery to not fire one massive barrage, but to fire over multiple turns (default is FALSE for this). If you use this, it is very important that you increase of the signal smoke in Explosives.xml. Otherwise your own artillery will target the operator once the smoke runs out!
You will soon see why I don't like this option - the danger of artillery comes from the fact that it happens suddenly on your troops and delivers massive damage. If one or two shells are fired each turn, one can simply avoid it by, say, not being near that ominous red cloud that says 'Artillery fire here, avoid!!!'.
mmm
On the other hand I thought you did melee protection and powered exoskeleton that increases carrying capacity. Why not adding them to the trunk? Stab vest is nothing sci-fi, and working exoskeleton is just a few years away.
That is WH40K stuff, and will not go into the trunk as its pure science fiction. Will be changed once third-world countries have access to power armour and automatic exploding rocket machinegun-sidearms
Randok
I click on Radio Operator and I have window with inactive all functions. Only Cancel is green.
What am I doing wrong?
Do you wear the radio set like a backpack?
MartinWillyWonka
How about making a correlation between a radio operator and Skyrider? Having a radio operator (radio equipment) could make it somehow easier/faster/safer etc. to get Skyrider to your sector, doing EVAC:s during a fight, dropping items (med kits and ammo) or something.
Nah, that would make the helicopter more overpowered than it already is. I'm already pushing it very hard with the reinforcement option... I expected many more people to be deeply upset about this.
Messages:1965
Registered:March 2009 Location: Middle of Germany
Flugente
That is WH40K stuff, and will not go into the trunk as its pure science fiction. Will be changed once third-world countries have access to power armour and automatic exploding rocket machinegun-sidearms
I did not explain that? Yoiks!
Will correct that. The green squares mark the location you are ordering a skill on (only works on some skills, like artillery). The location is the tile your mouse was when you pressed $. In the case of artillery, this is the area you want bombed (only works if you call militia - mercs will target a smoke signal).
That is WH40K stuff, and will not go into the trunk as its pure science fiction. Will be changed once third-world countries have access to power armour and automatic exploding rocket machinegun-sidearms
Well I took a closer look and figured that it was done by simply adding strength. If it is to be done technically realistically then it's better to use some other modifiers, like "equivalent strenght" for carrying capacity only, because no exoskeleton today is made to give a more powerful punch. Also it's better to add some other modifier to affect actions like movement, vaulting, climbing roof and changing stances. Either by making them slower or outright impossible. Before those things become available, I don't think exoskeletons can be implemented properly either.
But the point of melee protection is still valid, no? Even if no items today could carry such attribute(I don't think so, hard armors make good candidates), it could be make available to future items or other mods. Although I'd suggest to make distinction between blunt attack and blade weapons.
[Updated on: Sun, 10 November 2013 07:02] by Moderator
Would like feedback on players' usage of hotkeys for squads.
Please do comment so that considerations can be taken whether to preserve or free the > 10 (Shift + #) squad hotkeys up for other uses.
(Not to worry there's still free keys, just that needs a bit of searching/or more multi-press to bind a new hotkey for a good fit.)
Anyone has occasions of assigning mercs to squad numbers > 10?
Possible scenarios will be
- Late game where you are running your Mini Merc Management Machine (4M) where their speciality is not about mass producing $, but corpses in many different sectors
- You always mentally assigned certain roles to certain squad number and/or you make use of Flugente's SquadNames.xml
Previously, all (1-20) squads can be recalled using hotkeys on both strategic and tactical screen.
Radio Operator feature uses ($ aka Shift + 4) to call up the skill menu, thereby Squad 14 & its mercs has to selected through other methods in tactical screen.
Implications on freeing > 10 (Shift + #) squad hotkeys: In Strategic Screen,
Same squad group selection (> 10) will be done through manual Shift+LMB/Ctrl+LMB after sorting the mercs by assignment
In Tactical Screen,
- 'Shift+Space' to cycle through the squads OR
- searching and clicking on the merc in tactical screen
In both cases, screen will be 'centered' on them whereas using hotkeys, screen will remain where it is. The differences will be more evident when playing on big maps and it's good to have the alternative selection method present.
---------------------------------------
As such, proposed hotkey change for Radio Operator skill menu to 'Ctrl + /' 'Ctrl + ,'.
- 'Ctrl' calls up the 'hand' cursor meaning some action expected
- 'Ctrl + /''Ctrl + ,' is beside the 'Ctrl + .' for calling the menu for fill canteens and take off covert clothes etc
- '/' will centre on merc, convenient before calling the skill menu. (proximity for QWERTY keyboard)
To minimize confusion and ease transition, the 2 keys ($ and 'Ctrl + /''Ctrl + ,') can co-exist for a few months before the removal of $ to restore Squad 14 hotkey in tactical screen.
[Updated on: Sun, 24 November 2013 02:51] by Moderator
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In short: you can effectively move militia in combination with your troops. Couple that with equippable militia, use profiles to individualise them, and they'll be as close to mercs as they can ever get. They can even be used offensively - so you can attack a city with a platoon of well-equipped militia, a squadleader to boost them and a radio operator to move them.
The sector modifier <sRadioScanModifier> in TableData/Map/SectorNames.xml increases the possible scanning range in a sector (so that mountains are rewarding positions for this task). It is even possible to deduct enemy movements from this.
