Report 018: Rockets news - Vector Thrust

This will be one of the last additions of contents to be included before the alpha release.

Meanwhile, everything is getting ready for the first release, between adjusting every units/weapons specs, adding missions and testing the game.

Before starting, something to be aware for those o may not know, different from the missiles, most of the rocket weapons for aircrafts and helicopter are contained in a Rocket Pod which that can hold multiple projectiles at once.
So, in this list it will be displayed both the rocket and the respective launcher

(Also, most of the rocket weapons are unguided, so they have to rely on the pilot aiming to be effective.)

(this list is sorted from low to high caliber)

Rocket Pod:

LAU-68D/A Rocket Pod
Ammo: 9
(Note in game, by default, every weapon carries more ammo than in reality is allowed to. In case of the rockets, for example the LAU-68D/A may have additional ammo but can only perform 9 successive shots, which will reload after some time until all the reserve ammo is depleted)

Currently for:
F-15
F-16
A-10

Rocket:

Warhead: HE
Launcher:
LAU-68D/A
LAU-61C/A

The hydra 70. with the M151 warhead, is a small rocket with a high explosive warhead intended to engage lightly armored, easily vulnerable materiel and manpower.

Rocket Pod:

LAU-61C/A Rocket Pod
Ammo: 19

Currently for:
F-15
F-16
A-10

Rocket:

Warhead: HE
Launcher:
LAU-68D/A
LAU-61C/A

Is the same as the M151 but with a higher destructive power and more effective against armor.

Rocket Pod:

B-8M Rocket Pod
Ammo: 20

Currently for:
Mig-29
Su-27
Su-47

Rocket:

Warhead: Armor-piercing
Launcher:
B-8M

The S-8KOM is intended to engage modern tanks, lightly armored and soft-skinned combat materiel. Due to the fragmentation effect, the rocket also inflicts damage to manpower.

Launcher:
B-8M

Rocket Pod:

LAU-10D/B Rocket Pod
Ammo: 4

Currently for:
F-15
F-16
A-10

Rocket:

Warhead: HE

Launcher:
LAU-10D/B

The Zuni Mk-16 is a general-purpose rocket, however in comparison to the others is an outdated version that will be only used by the first generations of fighters.

Rocket:

Warhead: HE
Launcher:
LAU-10D/B

The Zuni MK-71 is and improved version of the zuni Mk-16

Rocket:

Warhead: HE (anti-armor)
Launcher:
LAU-10D/B

This zuni is the same as the above, the only difference is this has a different warhead especially intended to be used against armored vehicles

Rocket Pod:

B-13L Rocket Pod
Ammo: 5

Currently for:
Mig-29
Su-27
Su-47

Rocket:

Warhead: Thermobaric
Launcher:
B-13L

The S-13DF is a rocket with an enhanced power warhead filled with fuel air explosive mixture and is intended to engage lightly armored, easily vulnerable materiel and manpower.

Rocket:

Warhead: Frag

The S-24B is a high velocity rocket capable of destroying any armored vehicles and hard hardened shelters. It also differs from other rockets as it is carried individually on weapon pylons, rather than in pods.

Currently for:
Mig-21
Mig-29
Su-27
Su-47

Rocket Pod:

O-25 Rocket Pod
Ammo: 1

Currently for:
Su-27SM
Su-47

Rocket:

Warhead: HE
Launcher:
O-25

The S-25-O has proximity fuse allowing it to be more effective against aerial targets, however being contained in a launcher with a single shot, it’s better to reserve it’s use for ground target or other easy to hit targets.

Something that hasn’t been explained well is the difficulty levels for campaigns.

Every campaign can have as many difficulty levels as the maker wishes, with the possibility of adjusting the meaning of each level.
In the official content all similar difficulty levels in all campaigns will be all adjusted in the same way.

However in user content, the makers have the freedom to adjust the difficulty levels as they like.
For example, “easy” mode can mean:
-That the player has more ammo and takes more damage.
-AI has lower skill
-Enemy air units have less heath
-Enemy units take more time to lock or to reload
-Allies are more skillful
-and so on…

An important aspect to take in consideration is how difficult is an unadjusted AI, by default, the AI is molded as an average skilled player. Also, the actual player have the same health and do the same damage as a similar unit controlled by the AI .
Because of this, even with the average skilled AI, as the player has the same life expectancy as any other unit, the game can be very difficult and unforgiving to mistakes.

So, when making difficulty levels, be sure to add at least some type of upper hand to the player when making lower difficulty levels. (Including rewards for higher difficulty levels, that may be with points, money, experience, planes or others)

In a closing note, speaking about AIs, there is a Golden rule in the game:
The AI will never be able be to do maneuvers that the player can’t with the same aircraft.

• Added adverse movement, pitching moments and other flight dynamics.
• Improvements gameplay, menus and other mechanics.

• Added LAU-68D/A Rocket Pod
• Added Hydra 70 (M151 warhead) rocket
• Added LAU-61C/A Rocket Pod
• Added Hydra 70 (M229 warhead) rocket
• Added B-8M Rocket Pod
• Added S-8KOM rocket
• Added LAU-10D/B Rocket Pod
• Added Zuni Mk-16 rocket
• Added Zuni MK-71 (MK 24 warhead) rocket
• Added Zuni MK-71 (MK 32 warhead) rocket
• Added B-13L Rocket Pod
• Added S-13DF rocket
• Added S-24B rocket
• Added O-25 Rocket Pod
• Added S-25-O rocket

Stay tuned, more reports will follow