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[dpeters95]

First, the software being used:
1) Latest DBW version
2) #DBW_MissionPro Combo by PAL mod
3) #DBW_Small Collection mod
4) FMB

However, I don't believe any of the above are having an effect on my mission.  I must be doing something wrong.

All I want to do is to have a division (4 ea.) of F4U-1A planes, with default loading, machine gun strafe a barge, that's it!  For the life of me I can't get them to do it.  They proceed toward the ship, the leader anounces 5 min to target, then 1 min to target and then the planes veer off and head to the next waypoint.  I have the waypoint before the ship at an altitude of 100 meters, 300 km/hr and the GAttack SET (Green Circle) on the target ship.  They just won't do it 

I would REALLY REALLY REALLY appreciate it if someone, anyone can explain to me how to do this.

TIA

[naki27]

Was the barge in question a ship or an object?  Planes won't attack objects.  In fact, I don't think they will use guns on ships at all, just bombs and rockets.  Any other target like cars or artillery will be attacked with guns.

[KiwiBiggles]

An old IL-2 trick is to hide a fuel truck inside the object you would like the AI to strafe - the AI strafes the truck & blows up the object in which it's hiding.  Fuel trucks explode nice too.  Haven't tried it with a barge, but it might help?

[dpeters95]

Was the barge in question a ship or an object?  Planes won't attack objects.  In fact, I don't think they will use guns on ships at all, just bombs and rockets.  Any other target like cars or artillery will be attacked with guns.

It was a stationary ship.  I tried a Barge and a IJN Fishing Boat...  Maybe I should try putting a truck on the barge 

[dpeters95]

An old IL-2 trick is to hide a fuel truck inside the object you would like the AI to strafe - the AI strafes the truck & blows up the object in which it's hiding.  Fuel trucks explode nice too.  Haven't tried it with a barge, but it might help?

Hmmm, I will certainly give that a try!

[KiwiBiggles]

Yeah, give it a go.    I don't know if the FMB will let you place a truck on the water, you'll have to try it.  If you have trouble you could try tricks like placing it on land, then dragging it onto the water, or placing your barges closer to the shore, or even 'beached' as if they are being loaded?

[KiwiBiggles]

Actually, another trick just occurred to me that might help.  If you can't place a truck on the water in FMB, try placing a static ship, then open the mission in windows notepad and change the object in the text.  Copy the 'object' text from a truck you've placed on land, and the 'co-ordinate' text from the static ship.  It might just fool the game engine into placing the truck onto the surface of the water.

I'm not by my gaming rig, so I can't try it - but let us know how you get on? 

[dpeters95]

Yeah, give it a go.    I don't know if the FMB will let you place a truck on the water, you'll have to try it.  If you have trouble you could try tricks like placing it on land, then dragging it onto the water, or placing your barges closer to the shore, or even 'beached' as if they are being loaded?

Well, thanks for the idea but it didn't work either.  I was able to put the fuel truck on a stationary IJN Fishing Boat and even hide it, but again, the flight got near, said they were starting the attack run but veer off to the next WP.  I even tried to use a stationary plane on a runway and they veered away again at the last minute.  I know all these things can be destroyed because after they bypass the target I switch off the autopilot on the last plane and go manually strafe it myself.

I can't believe that it can't be done!

[KiwiBiggles]

OK. 

CY6 wrote two ground attack mods - I couldn't tell you how he wrote them - but I've found them highly effective.  The AI Ground Attack performance is much better with CY6's mod, so that it's pretty much a mandatory mod in all my custom builds.  Unfortunately I'm not sure if it's compatible with DBW (which does have it's own AI mod - have you tried it in JSGME?).

This is an interesting problem (I'm building a customised BoB map and missions that will eventually feature the invasion barges and also Channel coastal shipping) so I'll try and do some tests later tonite, when I get home.

I'll get back to you later.

Cheers
Kiwi

[KiwiBiggles]

Here's an idea just while I'm thinking about it... can you get the AI to strafe a truck on land, at all???

You might need to try a truck from the vehicles menu (the moving ones) rather than from the objects menu.  You'll need to give it two waypoints I suppose, even if they're very close together so that it's virtually stationary - one waypoint may work, but I don't think you'll be able to orient the truck in any particular direction without the second waypoint? 

In any case, I'd be surprised if the AI fails to strafe a truck from the vehicles menu (they're called 'CHIEFS' in the mission text file) and then you can see if you can move those CHIEF waypoints onto the water in either the FMB or the mission file.  Then plop your ship on top of the truck?

[KiwiBiggles]

More ideas - lol - have you tried assigning an 'area' attack as opposed to attaching the GATTACK waypoint?

[dpeters95]

Kiwi,
     Thank you very much for your help!  I went back and loaded my test mission again and discovered that I mistakenly left the fuel truck that I hid on the ship as a "Red" object.      Once I changed the object to "Blue" they started attacking. 

   I did some more testing and yes, they will not attack stationary ships.  You have to use that little hide something on the ship trick to get them to strafe.

   Thank you again.  Much appreciated!!!