[CRAFT] AWACS Aircraft

[redv]

This mod on the OpenXcom mod portal: https://www.openxcom.com/mod/awacs-aircraft

Xcom forces were armed with Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS).

The new generation of AWACS allowed significantly increase radius of detection. Which is especially important for low-flying and stealth targets. Radius of detection comparable with conventional underground Small radar system. Wait! Did I say "conventional underground radar"? It's ridiculous. Underground radars are not allowed because it is impossible.

Theoretically we can intercept and decode UFO transmissions, but even in this case we cannot determine the correct position of UFO. Therefore AWACS crafts is our eyes and ears. AWACS is most important part of our line of defense.

Are you ready to fight?


DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AWACS AND AWACS.scenario

1. AWACS ruleset
AWACS ruleset just adds to your game an AWACS aircraft. You can buy it, fly back and forth, detect UFOs, enjoy by a new ufopaedia entries. Nothing more, because in regular OpenXcom using AWACS looks like a cheating.

2. AWACS.scenario ruleset
Can works well with regular OpenXcom, but I highly recommend to use OpenXcom Extended: https://www.openxcom.com/mod/openxcom-extended
Forum thread of OpenXcom Extended: https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=2915.0

You should begin a new game because the AWACS.scenario ruleset deletes Small radar system and Large radar system (you have been warned;)). You cannot build and use any kind of underground radars.

Starting base contains one Skyranger, one Interceptor and one HAWKEYE. Aircrafts of the AWACS class (HAWKEYE, AWACS and DARKSTAR) performs the function of radars.

AWACS has radius of detection comparable with Small radar system. Average chance of UFOs detection is 40% (* works only in OpenXcom Extended).

For manufacturing a DARKSTAR should be completed the "Unmanned Aircraft" research project.

Battle aircrafts of Xcom have average chance of detection 70% (* works only in OpenXcom Extended).

Hyperwave decoder cannot determine position of UFO (* works only in OpenXcom Extended), but can intercept and decode hyperwave transmissions. Therefore an UFO must be detected by AWACS or any other craft, then Hyperwave decoder during 30 min decodes transmissions and gives additional information about this UFO and his mission.

Update 1.1:
   Added E2 Hawkeye and RQ-3 DarkStar aircrafts.

Update 1.2:
   Fixed several mistakes in the ruleset.
   Updated sprites.

[ivandogovich]

Lovely sprite for the AWACs in the hangar.

And very interesting mechanic, and definitely a challenging scenario!

Cheers, Ivan

[pkrcel]

Props for a job well done, or at least well tought out...I strongly hope your modifications can be pulled into upstream OXC redv.


I may try this in the next future but I have my hands full right now with 3 campaigns 

[redv]

Thanks, Ivan
Had to "fold" a wings because max size of sprite is 32x40 px.

Thanks, pkrcel
This mod is some kind of proof of concept. Gameplay changes significantly. Old strategies not works.
For example no longer need 8 bases. 3 bases works well. Anyways you cannot cover whole Earth by radars.

[Dioxine]

That big-ass E3 Awacs is a hard sell to fit in these hangars IMO How about replacing it with the older E2 Hawkeye? The lower speed of the latter would also limit the abuse Myself I'll be adding a Zeppelin for the exact same role

[Recruit69]

An interesting approach!

I somehow feel that, a special craft hangar should be made just for the radar craft, to compensate for the fact the base will have now freed up a few slots of radar facilities in every base....?

[redv]

That big-ass E3 Awacs is a hard sell to fit in these hangars IMO How about replacing it with the older E2 Hawkeye? The lower speed of the latter would also limit the abuse Myself I'll be adding a Zeppelin for the exact same role

Hmm, it's a good idea. I think, instead of replace better to add E2.
Zeppelins reminded me Warcraft II

[Falko]

hm it did not try it because i assume manually sending planes to find ufos is tedious work
what i would prefer (but its currently not possible) is after a base attack (=landing if ufo is destroyed by defense it does not happen) all radarfacilities is converted into build mode for 10 days (simulates rebuilding radar on the ground but the control/searchcomputer are in base/undamaged) during that time i would use some awacslike planes but reserving at least 5 facilities (hangar+hyperwave) just for detection in each base is not for me (did anybody ever thought/did something about different craft sizes like small fighter need small hanger, huge spaceship need huge hangar,..) ?

[pkrcel]

hm it did not try it because i assume manually sending planes to find ufos is tedious work

In fact if openxcom extedend could support multiple waypoints.... ...it would be GREAT.

The fact that you can't lay down a flight plane is limiting and a pity, but I guess it's doable with reasonable effort and could be pulled as OPTION::MultipleCraftWaypoint....

[redv]

hm it did not try it because i assume manually sending planes to find ufos is tedious work

You are right. 4 (maybe 5) AWACS is maximum of managed quantity.
Perhaps, a drone on solar energy can solve this problem. After research and manufacture of course ;-)

[Falko]

another option:
geostationary satellites = crafts with HUGE (>12 months) Fuel reserves but VERY slow speed

[Jo5hua]

Very nice dude! This makes a lot of sense. A global war with aliens would definately speed up research to have AWACS available at the timeline of UFO DEFENSE. I wish I had these in my first run superhuman runthrough. +1

[HelmetHair]

What is the cost of the AWACS?

What is the monthly upkeep cost?

What is the detection radius?

Will you release the hyper wave decoder not revealing an alien craft but it's mission info as a separate ruleset? or have I missed something?

Could you add an improved AWACS that is X-Com buildable with hyperwave capability, higher speed but still uses conventional fuel?

-HH

[redv]

What is the cost of the AWACS?

What is the monthly upkeep cost?

What is the detection radius?

    costBuy: 700000 $
    costRent: 700000 $
    radarRange: 1700 miles

But you can change this as you want

Will you release the hyper wave decoder not revealing an alien craft but it's mission info as a separate ruleset? or have I missed something?

Behavior of Hyperwave decoder is a part of the AWACS.scenario ruleset.
If you don't need AWACS, but you want to try this behavior of Hyperwave decoder, you can use your own separate ruleset.
For instance "hyperwaveDecoder0.rul":

Code: [Select]

facilities:
  - type: STR_HYPER_WAVE_DECODER
    radarChance: 0But this ruleset will be works only in OpenXcom Extended, because in regular OpenXcom Hyperwave decoder always detects UFOs.

Could you add an improved AWACS that is X-Com buildable with hyperwave capability, higher speed but still uses conventional fuel?

Not now, because a code does not support this capability.
But speed of AWACS you can increase as you want. You can change the "speedMax" string. Remember, if you increase speed, then you increase a fuel consumption too. May be you want decrease speed?

[HelmetHair]

   
But this ruleset will be works only in OpenXcom Extended, because in regular OpenXcom Hyperwave decoder always detects UFOs.

Not now, because a code does not support this capability.

Roger that. I think that will actually support what I am wanting in a game. I imagine a hyperwaves being a lot like an ELF transmitter used to get messages to submarines, which is a one way communication that provides simple orders that correspond to a code book. The amount of power and size of the generation equipment means that an ELF transmitter is NOT mobile by any means. So when transmitting the Russians or the US would know that each other had subs in the water, but not their exact locations.

With the Hyperwave decoder tweaked a touch we could know about where they were and what they were hoping to accomplish, but not their exact location which means an AWACS would need to find them and then dispatch of interceptors and lastly a ground mission by a skyranger.

time to play around with this...

Is there a way to set multiple waypoints? or a large patrol path?

-HH