ACE 3.11.0 Hellfire

This guide will be talking about the new ACE 3.11.0 Hellfire missiles

The new hellfire missiles have gotten their last "piece" of code for the full functionality. They now operate a bit more realistic. Just keep in mind ... realistic can sometimes mean overpowered!

Overview

• What changed
• How to use the new system
  • Guidance
  • Attack profiles
  • Usage
• (Advanced) tactics
  • Changes in the 6liner system
  • Indirect firing
  • Long distance firing
  • Combined operations
  • Splitting workload (pilot / copilot)
• Recommended Lasercodes (who should use which code)
• Hellfire versions
• Classnames
• How to add them to vehicles in zeus which don't support the new ACE hellfires (AH-64)

What changed?

• Engine limitation of 5km missile range has been increased to 15km
• Locking range is nolonger "only" how far the IR / visual sensor can reach
• will lock to laser after launch
• Therefore no lock is required to fire
• Flight profile modes
• Laser codes

How to use the new system

• Guidance
  • Hellfire missile is a semi-active laser guided weapon. It requires an observer (either the launch platform or an external soruce) to provide laser designation.
• Attack profiles
  • Missile does not need line of sight to target when fired and can LOAL (Lock-On-After-Launch) (can also delay lasing target). This and the attack profile use will effect missile's flight and max altitude.
    • LOBL: Lock-On-Before-Launch, standard top attack
    • LAOL-DIR: Missile flies with a low altitude until acquiring a laser
    • LOAL-LOW: Missile imediately gains ~90m altitude
    • LOAL-HI: Missile immediately gains ~300m altitude
  • Usage
    • Switching ot the hellifre weapon will show additional information about the weapon in weapon status dispaly
    • Shows: lock mode, laser code and a laser receiver indicator
      • E.G. LOAL-DIR CODE: 1111
    • Laser receiver indicator turns red when it detects a laser pulse set to the current code.
    • Cycle attack profile with vehicle's ACE3 Interaction Menu or with the missile guidance "Cycle Fire Mode" keybind (default: Ctrl + Tab)

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(Advanced) tactics

• Changes in the 6liner system
  • The only change in the 6liner system are a few additional remarks
    • Lasercode
    • Launch profile
    • Launch altitude
  • Indirect firing
    • During indirect firing the gunner does not have direct view onto the target / laser position
    • Two main things have to be taken into consideration
    • Will the launch profile and launch altitude make the missile impact into obstacles before reaching the target
    • Will the missile have enough time to detect the laser and steer towards the target (turning radius of the missile is the driving factor)
  • Long distance firing (Example video (please ignore the random scream))
    • Just as with indirect firing you have to take a few things into consideration
    • Will the launch profile and launch altitude make the missile impact into obstacles before reaching the target
    • Will the rocket motor burn long enough (IRL counterpart has a 8km range)
    • Is the flight path of the currently unguided missile somewhat close to the target / laser position
• Combined operations
  • Usage of the new hellfire system allows for more cooperation between different parts of the platoon
  • Multiple birds can do coordinated strikes at the same time
    • 1-1 is doing a strike coordinated by the FAC while
    • 1-2 is doing a strike coordinated by the JTAC while
    • 1-3 is peppering an area while setting their main cannon to auto laserrangefinding
  • Splitting workload (pilot / copilot)
    • It is possible to split the missiles (e.g. half and half) between pilot and copilot. This allows for striking of independent targets at the same time with the same bird.
      • E.G. The pilot is striking a laser of the JTAC while the gunner is engaging a target lased by himself
    • If the pilot as ALL missiles and the gunner is only in control of the laser marker and the main gun it will allow to get more ordenance down range.
      • E.G The Gunner is engaging targets and needs some support from a (thermobaric) hellfire the pilot can set everything up while the gunner continues to engage the targets (rarely useful but now possible)

Recommended Lasercodes (who should use which code)

• Creating a system for laser codes is nessesary to prevent wrong strikes and friendly fire. The following system is a suggestion I made. If this system turns out to not work as well and somebody else has a better idea feel free to tell me.
  • 1111 - 1118
    • Left unused as these are the default and first few codes. Somebody who is not suppost to use a laser designator can't fuckup a strike by accidentaly using a "default" laser code
  • 1121 - 1128
    • Used by the squads incase they ever need to have a target eliminated and FAC / JTAC / drone OP / any other way of locking is possible
      • 1121: Alpha
      • 1122: Bravo
      • 1123: Charlie
      • 1124: Delta
      • 1125: Echo
      • 1126: Foxtrot
      • 1127: Empty / knight / special forces
      • 1128: Empty / knight / special forces
  • 1131 - 1138
    • Used by FAC / JTAC / Drone OP / etc ... Pretty much anybody who is ordering strikes and is somehow in communication with the birds (Use these in 6 lines)
  • 1141 - 1148
    • Each bird will get their own laser code which will ONLY be used for selfdesignation (auto laserrangefinding their main cannon)
      • 1141: 1-1
      • ...

Hellfire versions

• There are now 3 hellfire versions that work with the new ACE hellfire system
  • AGM-114K Hellfire II
    • Platform: Rotarywing or groundbased
    • Target: All armored threats
    • Range: 8km
    • Guidance: Semi-active laser homing
    • Warhead: 9kg tandem shaped charge HEAT
  • AGM-114N Hellfire II
    • Platform: Rotarywing or goundbased
    • Target: Enclosures, ships, urban target, air defence units
    • Range: 8km
    • Guidance: Semi-active laser homing
    • Warhead: Metal augmented charge (Thermobaric)
  • AGM-65 Maverick L
    • Platform: Fixedwing
    • Target: smaller, fast moving, and maneuvering target on land and at see
    • Range: over 22km
    • Guidance: Semi-active laser homing        

Classnames

The new ACE hellfire missiles in question are:

• AGM-114K Hellfire II
  • PylonRack_1Rnd_ACE_Hellfire_AGM114K
  • PylonRack_3Rnd_ACE_Hellfire_AGM114K
  • PylonRack_4Rnd_ACE_Hellfire_AGM114K
• AGM-114K Hellfire II
  • PylonRack_1Rnd_ACE_Hellfire_AGM114N
  • PylonRack_3Rnd_ACE_Hellfire_AGM114N
  • PylonRack_4Rnd_ACE_Hellfire_AGM114N
• AGM-65 Maverick L
  • ace_maverick_L_PylonRack_1Rnd
  • ace_maverick_L_PylonRack_3Rnd

How to add them to vehicles in zeus which don't support the new ACE hellfires via Ares Achilles (AH-64)

1. Empty said pylons and prepare the rest of the loadout with Ares Achilles loadout module or ACE pylon menu
2. Use the execute code module and place it onto the unit you want to add the Hellfires on
3. Execute the following code as GLOBAL to add the weapon for the pilot
   • (_this select 1) setPylonLoadOut [pylon id (0-XX), "pylon weapon name",true,[]];
4. to add the weapon for the gunner fill the last array with a 0
   • (_this select 1) setPylonLoadOut [pylon id (0-XX), "pylon weapon name",true,[0]];
5. repeat step 3 until all requred pylons are applies

This might be a lot of info at a time ... so lets split it up

• (_this select 1)
  • selects the unit the module is placed on
• setPylonLoadOut
  • command to set the pylons
• [pylon id (0-XX),
  • pylon id's can be indexed from 0 to how ever many pylons there are or with their actual name which WILL change depending on which vehicle
  • E.G.
    • "pylon1"
    • "pylons1"
    • "pylonTip1"
    • and many more ...

NOTE:

• To get around all of this hassle use one of the following helicopter as they do infact work with the ACE hellfire system
  • AH-6M Littlebird
  • AH-1Z Cobra
  • (Nearly) all vanilla helicopter
  • (Nearly) all vanilla jets
  • If one is using a vehicle that allows for ACE hellfires the zeus can give the pilots a HEMETT (Ammo) and let them apply their own loadout

LAST REMARK:

• If you ever need a lized loadout for a mission feel free to hit me up and I'll create the required code for you!

TL;DR:

• ACE hellfires no longer need a lock before firing
• Make sure you are on the correct laser code
• set the firing mode depending on terrain in your missile flightpath

Or just read "How to use the new system"