APP-6 NATO-standard tactical markers

By VKing (kauestad at gmail) (c) 2012-2015

1. Licence

You may:

• Redistribute this package freely assuming proper credit is given and this readme is included.
• Reverse-engineer the scripts in this addon for the purpose of learning.

You may not:

• Reproduce or modify any graphical content in this addon in any way without permission from the author.
• Use this addon or any content therein for commercial or military purposes.
• Assume there is any warranty.

Thanks to:

• Xeno
• Sickboy
• Jake Peril
• Krause
• Yaxxo
• Falcon
• Impulse 9
• NouberNou
• Herbiie
• Toadball
• ITC Crab Company
• The United Operations community

2. Functions

vk_fnc_addMarker

Creates an APP-6 marker at a position or attached to a unit.

Parameters

0. Position [Array] or unit/vehicle [Unit]
   • If a position is given the marker will be static. If a unit or vehicle is given marker will track that object.
1. Marker type [Side or string]
   • Type of marker. BLUFOR/West, OPFOR/East, or Independent/Resistance for blue, red, or green markers, respectivly. To use unknown/yellow style use "unknown".
2. Marker composition [Array of Strings]
   • See section 8 below for a list of markers
3. OPTIONAL: Group size [Number] 0-11, from fire team to army group. -1 for none.
4. OPTIONAL: Marker scale [Number] default 1
5. OPTIONAL: Visible to [Side or array of sides]
   • Define which sides should be able to see this marker. Default for static markers is all. For tracking markers this is the same side as the unit. Markers put on empty units do not show up unless you set this.
6. OPTIONAL: Marker text [String]
7. OPTIONAL: Marker is a BLUFOR-tracker marker [Bool]
8. OPTIONAL: Killed type [String]
   • See section 6.

Returns

• Marker's handle (Vehicle or helper vehicle the marker is attached to).

Examples

• _m1 = [bradley1, west, ["recon","arty","armor","2"], 3] call vk_fnc_addMarker;
• _marker2 = [getPos HQ, east, ["hq","armor","III"],5,2, [west,east],"Regimental CP"] call vk_fnc_addMarker;
• _heliMarker = [heli3, independent, ["airunit","rotary","attack"],-1,1, [independent], "", true] call vk_fnc_addMarker;

vk_fnc_deleteMarker

Deletes a marker.

Parameters

0. Marker name, marker pointer, or object marker is attached to [String] or [Object]

Returns

• Nothing.

Examples

• _marker2 call vk_fnc_deleteMarker;
• heli3 call vk_fnc_deleteMarker;

vk_fnc_setBFT

Sets BLUFOR tracker state for vehicle.

Parameters

1. Unit
2. OPTIONAL: New BFT state [Bool]
   • If no new state is given, the state is toggled.

Returns

• New BFT state

Examples

• this call vk_fnc_setBFT;
• [Truck1, true] call vk_fnc_setBFT;

vk_fnc_moveMarker

Moves a marker to a position or attaches it to a vehicle.

Parameters

1. Unit or marker pointer.
2. New position or unit.

Returns

• New marker pointer

Examples

• [_marker8, [0,0,0]] call vk_fnc_moveMarker;
• [Truck1, Truck3] call vk_fnc_moveMarker;

3. Special combinations

Some combinations of composition markers will create special combinations to make the marker more readable. For example, adding the armor and engineer markers together will change the engineering marker to fit inside the ovaloid armor marker.

The following combinations are implemented:

• armor and aa
• armor and engineer
• armor and maint
• medic and fixed or rotary
• sof and fixed or rotary
• reduced and reinforced

More combinations are present

4. Vehicle markers

In addition to markers denoting groups, there are also markers for individual vehicles.

For air vehicles add the airunit type. For ground vehicles add the groundunit type. Otherwise proceed as normal and the game should figure out making the vehicle you want.

5. BLUFOR tracker

Markers flagged as BLUFOR tracker (BFT) markers can only be seen by units that have or are inside vehicles equipped with BFT systems.

Vehicles or units can be so equipped by using the vk_fnc_setBFT function.

6. Behaviour of killed units:

A marker attached to a unit that's killed or destroyed will by default be removed. This can be changed by setting the killed type in the vk_fnc_addMarker call or setting the variable vk_mods_markers_killedType for the unit.

The default behaviour can be changed by setting the vk_mods_markers_gKilledType variable.

The available options are:

• remove - Default. Deletes marker.
• static - Marker is recreated as a static marker where the unit died.
• destroy - As static, but a black 'X' is added to the marker to represent a destroyed unit.

In a mission with respawn, the killedType can be set to nil and the marker should be kept with the unit when it respawns, but this functionality is untested.

7. List of valid markers

Group symbols

aa
aaa
airassault
airborne
amphib
at
armor/armour
arty
eng/engineer
hq
ifv
inf/infantry
inst/installation
maint/maintenance
medic/medical
mlrs
mortar
motor/motorized
recon
sam
signals
sf
sof
supply
wheeled

fixed/fixedwing
rotary/rotwing
fighter
attack
cargo
rescue
scout
uav
utility

heavy
medium
light
vstol

damaged
destroyed
reduced
reinforced

In addition, the numbers 1-9, letters A-M, and roman numerals I-VI can be added to the array (as strings).

Vehicle symbols

These symbols are automatically generated when the airunit or groundunit symbol is added in combinations with the above markers, but can be added directly if wanted.

uaaa
uaaa_sp
uapc
uapc_w
uarty
uarty_sp
uifv
uifv_w
umedic
umlrs
umortar
umortar_sp
usp
utank
utank_h
utank_m
utank_l
uutility
uwheeled

8. Changelog

• 5.0.0
  • Made sure everything works again
  • Fixed BFT script errors
  • Allowed left-side symbols on unit markers
  • Fixed text colour (should now be proper black again)
• 402
  • Added setBFT function to allow easier enabling of BFT systems on vehicles.
  • Improved BFT backend.
  • Added killedType as 9th argument to addMarker.
  • Fixed markers for destroyed units not respecting BFT settings.
  • Changed syntax of vk_fnc_addMarker.
  • Added moveMarker function.
• 401
  • Reimplemented BFT
    • Removed functionality that let different seats in a vehicle have BFT. Vehicles are now all or nothing.
  • Tweaked Air assault and Amphibious graphics.
  • Added ground vehicle markers.
• 400
  • Simplified code
    • Removed BFT functionality.
    • Changed static markers to work as unit markers attached to spawned helper vehicle.
• 305
  • Fixed an issue that could create errors when loading a mission.
  • Fixed an issue that would spam chat with error messages.
• 304
  • Fixed a race condition that could prevent variables from being properly initialized.
• 303
  • Fixed an issue that would occationally cause RPT spam when deleting or hiding markers.
• 302
  • Added missing unknown installation icon.
• 301
  • Some backend cleanup.
  • Improved readability of some symbols.
  • Added "cargo" symbol for air groups and air vehicles.
  • Added "fighter" symbol for air vehicles.
  • Added markers for air vehicles
    • To use add "airunit" to the mod array.
  • Added unknown style markers
    • Use "unknown" as type instead of a side.
• 300
  • Initial conversion from Arma 2.
  • Added Independent style markers.