5.20. Flight route section¶

Note

FlightRouteSectionParser is responsible for parsing sections which provide information about route of a single flight.

Route consists of separate points. Each point is defined on a single line. Lines which start with TRIGGERS keyword indicate options for a point which was defined in the previous line.

The output of the parser is a dictionary with a single item. It is accessible by FLIGHT_ID_route key, where FLIGHT_ID is an ID of the flight which is listed in Wing section. The value is a list of dictionaries, where each dictionary represents a single point of route.

Section example:

[3GvIAP01_Way]
  TAKEOFF 193373.53 99288.17 0 0 &0
  TRIGGERS 0 10 20 0
  NORMFLY_401 98616.72 78629.31 500.00 300.00 &0 F2
  TRIGGERS 1 1 25 5 500
  NORMFLY 63028.34 42772.13 500.00 300.00 r0100 1 &0
  GATTACK 99737.30 79106.06 500.00 300.00 0_Chief 0 &0
  GATTACK 74338.61 29746.57 500.00 300.00 4_Static 0 &0
  GATTACK 82387.92 51163.75 500.00 300.00 0_Rocket 0 &0
  LANDING_104 185304.27 54570.12 0 0 &1

Output example:

{
    'flight_route_3GvIAP01': [
        FlightRouteTakeoffPoint(
            type=RoutePointTypes.takeoff_normal,
            pos=Point3D(193373.53, 99288.17, 0.0),
            speed=0.0,
            formation=None,
            radio_silence=False,
            delay=10,
            spacing=20,
        ),
        FlightRoutePatrolPoint(
            type=RoutePointTypes.patrol_triangle,
            pos=Point3D(98616.72, 78629.31, 500.00),
            speed=300.00,
            formation=Formations.echelon_right,
            radio_silence=False,
            patrol_cycles=1,
            patrol_timeout=1,
            pattern_angle=25,
            pattern_side_size=5,
            pattern_altitude_difference=500,
        ),
        FlightRouteAttackPoint(
            type=RoutePointTypes.air_attack,
            pos=Point3D(63028.34, 42772.13, 500.00),
            speed=300.00,
            formation=None,
            radio_silence=False,
            target_id='r0100',
            target_route_point=1,
        ),
        FlightRouteAttackPoint(
            type=RoutePointTypes.ground_attack,
            pos=Point3D(99737.30, 79106.06, 500.00),
            speed=300.00,
            formation=None,
            radio_silence=False,
            target_id='0_Chief',
            target_route_point=0,
        ),
        FlightRouteAttackPoint(
            type=RoutePointTypes.ground_attack,
            pos=Point3D(74338.61, 29746.57, 500.00),
            speed=300.00,
            formation=None,
            radio_silence=False,
            target_id='4_Static',
            target_route_point=0,
        ),
        FlightRouteAttackPoint(
            type=RoutePointTypes.ground_attack,
            pos=Point3D(82387.92, 51163.75, 500.00),
            speed=300.00,
            formation=None,
            radio_silence=False,
            target_id='0_Rocket',
            target_route_point=0,
        ),
        FlightRoutePoint(
            type=RoutePointTypes.landing_straight,
            pos=Point3D(185304.27, 54570.12, 0.00),
            speed=0.00,
            formation=None,
            radio_silence=True,
        ),
    ]
}

There are 4 different types of route points. Each of them has several subtypes. All of them are described as types of route points.

Each point has type, X, Y, and Z coordinates and speed. They also tell about radio silence and can have information about air formation.

Take-off
Normal flight
Attack
Landing

5.20.1. Take-off¶

Take-off includes taxiing and instant take-off. Aircrafts in take-off can be aligned as normal, pair or inline. The latter two work off as runway take-off; i.e. planes take-off in the direction of the next waypoint.

You can also set the distance between planes on the ground. You can also delay the take-off.

If you set normal takeoff, plane position will be snapped to runway as usual if the waypoint is less than 1250 m away from the runway. However, flight will respect any delay that was set.

You can also specify all of those parameters for carrier take-off, but all except the time delay will be ignored.

Definition example:

TAKEOFF_003 80156.47 47263.58 0 0 &0
TRIGGERS 0 2 20 0

Output example:

FlightRouteTakeoffPoint(
    type=RoutePointTypes.takeoff_in_line,
    pos=Point3D(80156.47, 47263.58, 0.0),
    speed=0.0,
    formation=None,
    radio_silence=False,
    delay=2,
    spacing=20,
)

Take-off points are defined by FlightRouteTakeoffPoint.

Let’s examine defined lines:

TAKEOFF_003

Type of route point (inline take-off).

Output path:	`type`
Output type:	complex constant route point types

80156.47

X coordinate.

Output path:	`pos.x`
Output type:	`float`
Output value:	original value converted to float number

47263.58

Y coordinate.

Output path:	`pos.y`
Output type:	`float`
Output value:	original value converted to float number

0

Z coordinate.

Output path:	`pos.z`
Output type:	`float`
Output value:	original value converted to float number

0

Speed.

Output path:	`speed`
Output type:	`float`
Output value:	original value converted to float number

&0

Tells whether radio silence is enabled for this route point.

Output path:	`radio_silence`
Output type:	`bool`
Output value:	`True` if `&1`, `False` otherwise

Note

TRIGGERS line is not present for normal take-off

TRIGGERS

Tells that this line contains additional options for previous one.

0

Is not used for take-off.

2

Time delay (in minutes)

Output path:	`delay`
Output type:	`int`
Output value:	original value converted to integer number

20

Distance between aircrafts (in meters).

Output path:	`spacing`
Output type:	`int`
Output value:	original value converted to integer number

0

Is not used for take-off.

5.20.2. Normal flight¶

Normal flight mode includes cruising, patrolling, and artillery spotter.

Patrolling will establish circling movement in a particular pattern (triangle, square, etc.). You can adjust orientation of the pattern (direction of first waypoint in the pattern), side size (in km) and altitude difference from waypoint to waypoint (climbing or descending pattern).

If number of cycles or timer are set, they will tell AI when to exit the pattern and continue with subsequent waypoints. They work as OR logic, so whichever comes first will make the AI exit the cycle. Zero value for either of the two parameters means that this trigger is ignored.

Waypoints with type artillery spotter have such parameters as: number of cycles, timer, direction and side size. However, they do not have any effect.

Definition example:

NORMFLY_401 98616.72 78629.31 500.00 300.00 &0 F2
TRIGGERS 1 1 25 5 500

Output example:

FlightRoutePatrolPoint(
    type=RoutePointTypes.patrol_triangle,
    pos=Point3D(98616.72, 98616.72, 500.00),
    speed=300.00,
    formation=Formations.echelon_right,
    radio_silence=False,
    patrol_cycles=1,
    patrol_timeout=1,
    pattern_angle=25,
    pattern_side_size=5,
    pattern_altitude_difference=500,
)

Patrol points are defined by FlightRoutePatrolPoint. In other cases (normal flight and artillery spotter) FlightRoutePoint is used.

Let’s examine defined lines:

NORMFLY_401

Type of route point (patrolling using triangle pattern).

Output path:	`type`
Output type:	complex constant route point types

98616.72

X coordinate.

Output path:	`pos.x`
Output type:	`float`
Output value:	original value converted to float number

98616.72

Y coordinate.

Output path:	`pos.y`
Output type:	`float`
Output value:	original value converted to float number

500.00

Z coordinate.

Output path:	`pos.z`
Output type:	`float`
Output value:	original value converted to float number

300.00

Speed.

Output path:	`speed`
Output type:	`float`
Output value:	original value converted to float number

&0

Tells whether radio silence is enabled for this route point.

Output path:	`radio_silence`
Output type:	`bool`
Output value:	`True` if `&1`, `False` otherwise

F2

Type of air formation (echelon right).

Output path:	`formation`
Output type:	complex constant air formations or `None`

Note

TRIGGERS line is not present for normal flight

TRIGGERS

Tells that this line contains additional options for previous one.

1 [1]

Number of cycles to repeat.

Output path:	`patrol_cycles`
Output type:	`int`
Output value:	original value converted to integer number

2 [1]

Timeout (in minutes).

Output path:	`patrol_timeout`
Output type:	`int`
Output value:	original value converted to integer number

25 [1]

Angle of pattern (in degrees).

Output path:	`pattern_angle`
Output type:	`int`
Output value:	original value converted to integer number

5 [1]

Size of pattern’s side (in km).

Output path:	`pattern_side_size`
Output type:	`int`
Output value:	original value converted to integer number

500 [1]

Altitude difference (in meters).

Output path:	`pattern_altitude_difference`
Output type:	`int`
Output value:	original value converted to integer number

5.20.3. Attack¶

There are 2 kinds of way points which tell AI to attack other units: attack ground units and attack air units. Both of them have same parameters, but different types. Former one is defined as GATTACK and the latter as NORMFLY.

Note

Yes, waypoints which tell AI to attack air units has type NORMFLY, just if it is a normal flight point. This is misleading, so route point types define this type as X_AIR_ATTACK, where X tells that this is a fake type.

A target is any destroyable object: aircraft, moving vehicle, artillery, rocket, static object, etc.

Definition example:

NORMFLY 63028.34 42772.13 500.00 300.00 r0100 1 &0
GATTACK 99737.30 79106.06 500.00 300.00 0_Chief 0 &0

Output example:

[
    FlightRouteAttackPoint(
        type=RoutePointTypes.air_attack,
        pos=Point3D(63028.34, 42772.13, 500.00),
        speed=300.00,
        formation=None,
        radio_silence=False,
        target_id='r0100',
        target_route_point=1,
    ),
    FlightRouteAttackPoint(
        type=RoutePointTypes.ground_attack,
        pos=Point3D(99737.30, 79106.06, 500.00),
        speed=300.00,
        formation=None,
        radio_silence=False,
        target_id='0_Chief',
        target_route_point=0,
    ),
]

Attack points are defined by FlightRouteAttackPoint.

Let’s examine the second line:

GATTACK

Type of route point (attack ground unit).

Output path:	`type`
Output type:	complex constant route point types

99737.30

X coordinate.

Output path:	`pos.x`
Output type:	`float`
Output value:	original value converted to float number

79106.06

Y coordinate.

Output path:	`pos.y`
Output type:	`float`
Output value:	original value converted to float number

500.00

Z coordinate.

Output path:	`pos.z`
Output type:	`float`
Output value:	original value converted to float number

300.00

Speed.

Output path:	`speed`
Output type:	`float`
Output value:	original value converted to float number

0_Chief

ID of the unit to attack.

Output path:	`target_id`
Output type:	`str`
Output value:	original string value

0

Waypoint number of the unit to attack (not relevant for static objects).

Output path:	`target_route_point`
Output type:	`int`
Output value:	original value converted to integer number

&0

Tells whether radio silence is enabled for this route point.

Output path:	`radio_silence`
Output type:	`bool`
Output value:	`True` if `&1`, `False` otherwise

5.20.4. Landing¶

For landing you can choose one of the 5 landing patterns:

right;
left;
short right;
short left;
straight in.

Left pattern is the default pattern used in versions of the game before 4.12. The straight in landing is rather tricky to get correct and can cause planes to crash into each other. You can set several flights with different pattern to land on the same airfield. AI seems to handle this fairly well, but there are no guarantees that they will not collide. All settings are ignored if the flight is landing on a carrier (i.e. they use default left pattern).

Definition example:

LANDING_104 185304.27 54570.12 0 0 &1

Output example:

FlightRoutePoint(
    type=RoutePointTypes.landing_straight,
    pos=Point3D(185304.27, 54570.12, 0.00),
    speed=0.00,
    formation=None,
    radio_silence=True,
)

Landing points do not have special parameters and they are defined by FlightRoutePoint.

Description:

LANDING_104

Type of route point (landing using straight pattern).

Output path:	`type`
Output type:	complex constant route point types

185304.27

X coordinate.

Output path:	`pos.x`
Output type:	`float`
Output value:	original value converted to float number

54570.12

Y coordinate.

Output path:	`pos.y`
Output type:	`float`
Output value:	original value converted to float number

0

Z coordinate.

Output path:	`pos.z`
Output type:	`float`
Output value:	original value converted to float number

0

Speed.

Output path:	`speed`
Output type:	`float`
Output value:	original value converted to float number

&1

Tells whether radio silence is enabled for this route point.

Output path:	`radio_silence`
Output type:	`bool`
Output value:	`True` if `&1`, `False` otherwise

Footnotes:

[1]	For patrol points only.