I have now setup a secondary beta which you can opt into if you wish to help test the fixed wing A.I. systems.
The infantry beta will remain as a separate beta just in case I break anything critical ːsteamhappyː However, the Fixed Wing A.I. beta does include everything from the infantry beta.
1. Added Su-25 Frogfoot support unit. This is a fully autonomous unit and will make its own decisions on what targets to attack. To call in lock your targeting pod on the point that you would like the aircraft to perform its Close Air Support mission and then call it in from the support menu as usual.
The aircraft will attack any units in a 3km radius around the selected area until it either runs out of weapons or runs out of targets.
If you want to reposition the aircrafts fire zone then you can simply designate a new position and then call it in again from the support menu. You will here a radio call confirming the repositioning of the fire zone.
The Su-25 is petty tough and can operate in areas with air defences, but it can also be shot down. Keep that in mind when using it.
At the moment it costs a whole "10 DP" to deploy this unit and you can have a maximum of 4 Su-25s active at anyone time. This price is purely for testing purposes so that you can take it on pretty much any mission.
I haven't fully tested on the Norway map yet so it is possible it may struggle with the extreme elevation changes on that map.
2. Updated the support unit selection page so that support units are represented by "trump style" cards.
3. Fixed the Sierra Hotel area so you can update pilots correctly.
4. Rebuilt the pilot radio system to make it easier for none flight aircraft to communicate with the player
5. Fixed the Sidearm missile so you can once again fire it blind and it will home in on whatever radar source it encounters
6. Updated the detector system so it is a little easier to control via code.
7. Updated the damage control system so that a "Fuselage" failure actually kills the helicopter properly. Before the A.I. was able to continue flying. A fusilage failure is deemed to be a break up of the helicopters body so engines, rotor blades etc are all now destroyed correctly. I will be adding in the ability for the aircraft 3D model to break apart for a more visual representation.
8. Harrier, Su-25 and Reaper Drone now use a new vector radar icon.
KNOWN ISSUES
When calling in the Su-25 you will experience a stutter in the game as the assets are loaded in. In future the fixed wings will start pre-deployed so this stutter will not happen.