As of today, PlannedAssault generates JCOVE/lite (VBS2/VTK 1.22) missions. Initially, missions can be generated for two areas near As Samawah.

I'm quite happy with the results of this first step: combined arms maneuvers working for single player missions, involving armor, infantry, artillery and rotary wing CAS.

JCOVE: battery of AI controlled AS90 self propelled guns firing

JCOVE: British infantry and WMIKs move up under AW-1 cover

Insurgents forming up for an attack

The biggest three rough edges are unit placement, air landings, and warnings about missing marker icons. The problem with unit placement problem is that groups spawned in 'FORMATION' (which means VBS2 selects the exact positions) sometimes end up with group members or vehicles placed on top of buildings or in walls, and being stuck there forever. The work-arounds for this problem include: (a) in PlannedAssault position units away from buildings and/or (b) inspect and fix unit start positions in the generated mission using the JCOVE/VBS2 2D mission editor.

Air landings with Mi-24 Hind gunships under fire may suffer from pilots failing to land. I'm not yet clear on if this is due to the Hind being a gunship instead of a transport helicopter, or something else.

UK infantry with chest rig and PRR

JCOVE: generated briefing shown in-game

Pinzgauer 4x4 truck and Jackal patrol vehicle patrolling

Mission generation with PlannedAssault for JCOVE/lite is similar to mission generation for the Arma series (and these video tutorials, on editing, transport and air assaults apply).

PlannedAssault created missions include plans for both sides, a briefing for the player's side explaining the role of each group. The missions include instructions and scripts for the AI to:

• form up and attack abreast with multiple groups, in straight and flanking AoAs
• mount and dismount multiple vehicles,
• fire pre-planned artillery missions and AI triggered defensive artillery missions
• fly gunship CAS missions and engage targets from a distance
• execute air landings
• select and man defensive sectors while hide non-combat vehicles
• trigger and perform a armored counter-attack

Not yet supported for JCOVE are fixed wing CAS. PlannedAssault doesn't support paradrops and UAVs yet.

JCOVE: Using the Javelin

JCOVE: generated mission loaded in editor

JCOVE: Challenger2 troop counter-attacking

In order save time authoring missions, PlannedAssault offers a large database of units (groups in the 2D VBS mission editor) with custom configurations. Examples for JCOVE include the UK soldiers equipped with other weapons than the LA-85A2, and insurgents manning civilian cars. (For Arma2, PlannedAssault uses custom configurations to provide Bundeswehr mechanized units featuring correct battailon logos, and company designations).

I'm looking forward to explore and support more of VBS2.

William