Lowlandswarrior RNLAF AH-64D Apache

INTRODUCTION

The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. It features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems. It is armed with a 30 mm (1.18 in) M230 chain gun carried between the main landing gear, under the aircraft's forward fuselage. It has four hardpoints mounted on stub-wing pylons, typically carrying a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and Hydra 70 rocket pods. The AH-64 has a large amount of systems redundancy to improve combat survivability.

PROLOGUE

This project started as an upgrade and combine HAFM US Helicopters and the RWCO mod. It got dragged into the Lowlandswarrior mod project as it was revived after 10 years. Our goal is to build an outstanding Apache helicopter mod (or Port, what it really is) and add new features by making clever use of Arma3's configuration parameters and stock functions. We prefer to keep this mod 'sqf-less' but could take the scripting road only if we are 100% the scripts give no multiplayer issues at all. Which is the second focus of the mod, multiplayer. AI usability is on the lower end of our priority list and tried to used Arma's stock functions to make the mod 'realistic'.

The third but not least goal is to make a mod people enjoy. Have the rush of getting into that Apache helicopter and handling all it's weapons and sensors.

v .99 Fixes:

- AI Gunner animation at pilot get-in location

- Damage model

- Advanced Flight Model (Number of Rotorblades, Blade radius, Engine power output, HMD Torque% now correct)

- Circuit breaker panel removed (Small glitch remains, will be fixed asap)

- Cargo LOD showing for Side-passengers, changed to 1-LOD.

- AGM-114 booster power and endurance

- Munitions type for rockets on HMD replaced by 'RKT'

- Flare launch position and direction

- Pilot & gunner head positions

v .99 Additions:

- Hellfires ACE3 AMG Ready

- TFAR Radio support

- Sensors/Weapons separately controllable by mouse

- New AGM-114 Launch sound (Thanks to NODUnit)

- Put back default AFM Gauges

- Minor texture changes

- HMD modified

v .9.95 Fixes/Improvements:

- Damage model

- Advanced Flight Model (improved)

- Pilot & gunner head positions

- PNVS Turret now follows pilot head movement

- Multiple model fixes

v .9.95 Additions:

- Hellfires LOAL/LOBL mode

- Hellfire in LOAL flies ballistic trajectory

- Rockets/Missiles now leave at the angle of the moveable pylons

- PNVS on IHADS

- IHADS now has 3 modes. Hover/Trans/Cruise (Switched automatically with flying speed

- IHADS now shows pilot's relative view direction

- Separate Laser activation button

- Separate Rocket fire button

- Animation changes for Pilot/Gunner when switching controls

- Bitch'n betty calls Missile and it's direction (+auto flare program)

- Minor texture changes

FEATURES

- Advanced Flight model

- Aprox 1 Hour Endurance (For gameplay)

- IHADSS with symbology, being as realistic as we can practically get it

- Slaving TADS to grid

- Extended TADS UI Information (Bearing, 6 digit grid of aiming location, Airspeed, Alitude AGL, Range to aiming location, Time)

- Auto & Manual ranging of 30mm cannon

- TEDAC with PiP

- PNVS Turret (with PNVS overlay on IHADS)

- Pilot MFD with optional Gunner PiP

- Enhanced damage model to improve pilot survivability

- AMASE Pods with multiple CM programs and 4 dispencers

- Pitching weapon pylons

- AGM-114 HEAT and Thermobaric variants

- Self lase capability

- Fire from Vehicle, for two passengers off the sides

- RNLAF Skin

- ACE3 AMG system ready

- IHADS has 3 flight modes

KNOWN ISSUES

- AI Gunner animation at pilot get-in location

- Wheels not animated when taxing

- Rotor hub visible after main rotor destruction

- Bad AI compatibility (intentional)

- PNVS sometimes has no green-filter

- PNVS does not track in mp

- PNVS Turret does not follow head tracker

- Rockets and missiles don't follow pylon movement

Planned for v1.00:

- TADS with symbology, being as realistic as we can practically get it

- TEDAC with PiP and symbology overlay and turret zoom (Like in MELB)

- MFD's that actually are Multi Functional

- Improved weapon 3d models

- Improved Pylon 3D models

- High res textures

- Full technical/Flight manual

What should you know?

AI Compatibility

The AI does not work properly with this mod on purpose. The whole mod is focussed on multiplayer use. You cannot expect anything from the AI nor will the Lowlands Warrior team put any effort in to fix it since some functions come with degrated AI.

PNVS

This is still a WiP function but it works!

Use the 'Seagull Down' key to switch it on/off

LOAL/LOBL

The hellfires automatically switch from LOAL to LOBL depening on how you use them.

When you lock a laser and fire, it will be a regular direct trajectory as you are used to from Arma3.

When you have no target selected AND no target under your crosshair the hellfire will leave in LOAL-LO mode, scanning for the nearest laser spot when reaching 400ft above launch altitude.

Lasing targets

We would like to advise you to use the laser quick-key to laser targets. This is the 'Seagul Fast forward' key.

You can have Hellfire selected, lase your target, click 'next target' to lock the laser. And then fire.

For a more top-down attack, aim next to your target, launch a hellfire WITHOUT THE LASER ACTIVE. Then after launch, activate your laser. (See LOAL-LO above)

Gear/Light functions

The external lights and the lower/raise-gear function have been (ab)used to make the IHADS symbology change from Hover to Trans and Cruise mode. You will notice the lights and gear symbols in the Arma3 UI will switch on/off depening on the speed and will reset if you try to force it in a certain setting.

Pitching pylons & Aiming rockets

The pylons pitch -15 to +4 degrees, following the gunner's turret. Switching to rockets makes you lose the moving rocket crosshair though. This is a limitation of Arna3.

We advise you to select guns. You will have both your Sensor POI and your Rocket crosshair. Use the 'Seagul forward' key to fire your rockets one-by one, exectly on target!

Aiming Guns

the 30mm is ineffectively inaccurate beyond 2000m and this will not zero beyond that.

To Auto-zero the guns, lock your own laser. It will say 'AUTO' in the UI, indicating you have a good firing sollution

Sensor Point of Interest

To start this subject... STOP USING A MOUSE TO CONTROL YOUR SENSOR!!! We don't use a mouse in real life either do we? The TEDAC is closer to an Xbox controller.

So use any game-controller like Xbox controllers or Logitec Rumblepad or simmelar to aim your weapons.

In the highest FoV the camera is Not-geostabilised and you need to constantly move the sensor to stay on target. From the first zoom up until the narrowest zoom the sensor IS Geo-stabilised and will memorise the point which you looked at last.

So, you Geolock a position and zoom aaaaallll the way out, you can scan arround freely. If you zoom in again, the sensor will snap back to it's memorised position.

CREDITS

Bohemian Interactive Studios

Neptune Modeling, Textures, animations and main config work

Kimi aka geraldbolso1899 for invaluable support and additions in Configs and UI

DeltaGamer for making the initial port and sharing his unbinarized work

Matthijs for founding the LLW mod, configs, Scripting, modeling and testing

NodUnit & Franzen for sharing sound effects

Atomic Tim for​ scripting

Batavian Tactical for testing

UKSF for testing

Anyone else that brought up ideas and error reports

END USER LICENCE AGREEMENT

Re-releasing this mod with or without changes is NOT allowed without formal approval of it's creator. When you do we will hunt you down, find you and and make sure you'll regret it.

DISCLAIMER

You are permitted to install and use this software for personal entertainment purposes only. This add-on is meant for ARMA 3 game platform by Bohemia Interactive only. Any commercial or military use is strictly forbidden without permission from the author.

Edited June 10, 2016 by Neptune [LLW]

Congrats on release

New mod v0.9 available at withSIX. Download now by clicking:

@87th_Neptune;

You are now able to manage your own promo pages of your content on our web platform and publish new content yourself.

To do so, please hit 'this is me' button on the page while logged in and follow the quick and safe claim procedure to get connected to your work.

For now you can send new content or releases our way by using any filesharing service and add your notification at getsatisfaction.withsix.com.

Thanks @87th_Neptune

ArmA3.de Mirror added:

Lowlandswarrior AH-64D Apache (A2 Port) (v0.9)

Kind regards

Miller

Congratulations on getting this out! I keep up with as much current defense news as I can find and noticed that your aircraft description is written in the words of http://www.militaryaerospace.com/articles/2014/03/ah64e-helicopter-contract.html this news article that is about te AH-64E Guaridian. So I am curious,,, do you gys think this project could transform into an AH-64E Guardian designated addon??? The major upgrades that I have read about would seem quite easily implemented; such as adding TFAR & ACRE2 support (that would cover the Joint Tactical Radio System) and possibly add a UAV interface onboard, maybe the Guardian's pilot could control the UAV's gunner and the Guardians gunner control the UAV pilot,, or hell,,, just simply add a built-in UAV terminal to the action menu while seated in the chopper and KUNG-POW! Your AH64D would then be AH64 E block III. I don't know, just trying to contribute some ideas. I'm going to play with her right now though, Thank You to the whole team!!!

Release frontpaged on the Armaholic homepage.

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

We have also "connected" these pages to your account on Armaholic.

This means soon you will be able to maintain these pages yourself if you wish to do so. Once this new feature is ready we will contact you about it and explain how things work and what options you have.

When you have any questions already feel free to PM or email me!

Edited March 29, 2015 by Guest

Gradually Dutch assets are being released for Arma 3, which is awesome. Thanks for sharing this with us.

I'm wondering about the Lowlands warrior (LLW) mod you're talking about. Is that released already, 'cause I can't find it?

Yes the Lowlands Warrior mod was release 10 years ago for Operation: Flashpoint, now known as ARMA: Cold War Assault.

Now, 10 years later some of the team members are picking up the modding tools again and will try to accomplish the same thing again.

You can download the original modpack for OFP here:

http://operationflashpoint.filefront.com/file/Lowlands_Warrior_Pack;74072

Yes the Lowlands Warrior mod was release 10 years ago for Operation: Flashpoint, now known as ARMA: Cold War Assault.

Now, 10 years later some of the team members are picking up the modding tools again and will try to accomplish the same thing again.

You can download the original modpack for OFP here:

http://operationflashpoint.filefront.com/file/Lowlands_Warrior_Pack;74072

Ah right! Sounds good. I know Arma2 OA had Dutch Armed Forces which was quite big and looked amazing at that time so it would be great to have something similar for Arma3.

I'm hopeing that you'll use Arma3 character models when it comes to the units though. Too often people take the old Arma 2 models that really don't look as good as Arma 3's ones IMO.

Have fun creating the content for Arma 3 fella's!

Just to be clear, LLW is not connected in any way to the DAF pack and we strive for different standards. ;)

Edited March 29, 2015 by 87th_Neptune

This looks really nice.I am a huge Apache nerd and am always happy to see more varients in A3.This seems to have struck a nice balance beween the vanilla choppers(which are a bit simplistic)and Franze and Nodunits fully interactive chopper(which I cant use as for some reason it destroys my framerate even on ultra low settings when I usually play on very high-wierd)Great job guys!

Cool, Cool.. Love the RNLAF Skin, goes well with the rest of the Netherlands stuff I play with. Very cool army they have :)

Lowlandswarrior AH-64D Apache (A2 port +)

Excellent work, I love it!

Truly a next-generation LLW product! ;)

OFP LLW AH64D PIC1 (103 kB) OFP LLW AH64D PIC2 (102 kB) OFP LLW AH64D PIC3 (160 kB)

Edited March 29, 2015 by Matthijs

Best apache at the moment ! Even if it's pretty hard to fly it in AFM :D

Any chance to get a US writing ?

How do you pitch the pylons?

The pylons will follow your TADS movement according to realistic limits.

Nice work Nep! Nice to see its all coming along for you!

You do know that you're going to have to do a Longbow variant for the Brits and Americans... you just know it. lol

Best apache at the moment ! Even if it's pretty hard to fly it in AFM :D

Any chance to get a US writing ?

Yes, a british and US Army version will come aswell. So that will bring back the radar and radar guided hellfire aswell.

---------- Post added at 17:12 ---------- Previous post was at 17:11 ----------

Nice work Nep! Nice to see its all coming along for you!

You do know that you're going to have to do a Longbow variant for the Brits and Americans... you just know it. lol

Yes officer ;)

Which map were those screenshots on the release post taken on? looks cool.

Bornholm. Had the best Netherlands looks of all...at the moment. ;)

Edited March 29, 2015 by 87th_Neptune

Congrats on release, very nifty work.

Really really good job on this.

Not the full release I know, but here's some feedback although I'm sure you're aware of the issues.

1st - AFM, like with my helicopter release, I can tell it's not "fully" adjusted to not have some interesting issues with the Trim. Have you had any success in figuring out the AFM coding?

And to go along with this, to add the AFM flight gauges to your helicopter, add this line to your config code for your helicopter.

unitInfoTypeRTD = "RscUnitInfoAirRTDFullDigital";

I usually place mine right next to

simulation = "helicopterrtd";

2nd - Damage Model is good but not perfect, you cannot shoot the pilots. At all. While this may be the kind of gameplay you enjoy, the in-ability for the pilots to not be injured by any heavy caliber of round is slightly immersion breaking for me.

Also, regardless of how much heavy caliber of rounds you place into the hull of the airframe, it will not take damage. Granted you can (and should be) shoot out the tail and main rotors. At some point enough heavy caliber of rounds will disable any airframe due to some point with electronics and mechanical parts and equipment being destroyed.

If you're interested, I'd be happy to help give some of my experience.

I removed the gauges intentionally since they overlap the HMD which show the same data.

I understand the AFM coding I just didnt put time in adjusting it yet. since I have no figures for it I need to do a trail-and-error thing to make it fly like it should compared to my very limited flight experience with the Apache.

The damage model is high on my priority list. I was under the asumption pilots could in fact be killed by high cal weapons. So I think you detected a bug there.

The tail, engine and rotors should be destroyable aswell...it was the last thing I tested prior to the release.

Please by all means, PM me for input. We could sit together on TS to maken it better.

I specifically removed the gauges cause it has an HMD with all the necesary info, for the sake of immersion ;)

When you switch to AFM, a torque percentage counter appears on the top left corner of the HMD, anything close to 100% is not recommended. I might need to adjust the torque envelope to display correctly, but for now it's close enough.

EDIT: Totally sniped by neptune. I removed them, neptune is a credit thief.

Any chance for a US version and PSD templates?

Ah, that's what I figured. Although my (neutral) recommendation to have it included still stands.

Some people enjoy flying with the gauges, and for those that don't want them on. There is the option to turn them off in the game options. So you'd not be affecting what it is your attempting to do, only allowing those that do enjoy that aspect to be allowed too.

Again, totes up to you, doesn't bother me in the slightest.

Yeah the AFM XML coding is a COMPLETE bitch to understand, I've spent the last 6 months trying to brush up on it, and the little to no information on it provided by BI doesn't really help with the matter. It is all purely trial and error when making adjustments.

Great to hear you're already onto the damage model. In porting over the UH1 and the AH1, I had to do a pretty interesting change to coding in order to get AFM and the damage model working correctly. It may or may not work for you, but I'd be happy to show you my work and we can see if it makes a difference.

And yeah, I've been having Torque issues as well with my helis. Again, all trial and error. The fun stuff... hooray...