# Complete MOOSE CTLD System — Player & Mission Setup Guide Welcome! This guide explains what logistics means in DCS, how the CTLD system lets players change the battlefield, and exactly how to use the in-game menus. It also includes a concise mission-maker setup section. --- ## What is CTLD and why it matters - CTLD (logistics & troop transport) turns helicopters and transports into force multipliers. - You request “crates” at Supply (Pickup) Zones, deliver them, and build combat units, SAM sites, radars, FOBs, and support vehicles. - You can also transport troops and deploy them to hold ground or attack. - Every delivered asset can change the front line: new air defenses, JTACs, EWR coverage, armor pushes, or an FOB that shortens logistics legs. [screenshot: F10 -> CTLD root menu] Tip: The loop you’ll repeat is Request → Deliver → Build → Fight. --- ## Getting started (players) 1) Spawn in a supported helicopter or transport. 2) Fly to a friendly Supply (Pickup) Zone. 3) Open F10 Other -> CTLD. 4) Use Logistics -> Request Crate to spawn crates; use Operations -> Build to assemble units/sites. 5) Use Navigation to get vectors and Hover Coach, and Field Tools to mark or create a quick Drop Zone. 6) Deliver, build, and watch the mission evolve. [screenshot: Example Pickup Zone with smoke] --- ## Menu overview (matches in-game structure) Below are the menu groups and the common actions you’ll see under each. Some options appear only when relevant (e.g., inventory enabled, crates nearby, zones configured). ### Operations [screenshot: Operations menu open] - Troop Transport - Load Troops: Load infantry while inside an ACTIVE Supply (Pickup) Zone if the mission enforces this rule. - Deploy Troops (Defend): Unload troops to hold the current area and defend nearby. - Deploy Troops (Attack): Unload troops and order them to seek and engage enemies or move toward enemy-held bases (mission-configured behavior and speed). Static/unsuitable units will hold position. - Notes - Troop loading may be restricted to Pickup Zones. The nearest zone will be shown in messages if you’re outside. - Deployment is blocked inside Pickup Zones when restrictions are enabled. - Build - Build Here: Consumes nearby crates (within the Build Radius) and spawns the unit/site at your position. Includes a “confirm within X seconds” safety and a cooldown between builds. - Build (Advanced) → Buildable Near You - Lists everything that can be built with crates you’ve dropped nearby (and optionally what you’re carrying, depending on mission settings). - Per item you’ll see: - Build [Hold Position]: Spawns and orders the unit/site to hold. - Build [Attack (N m)]: Spawns and orders mobile units to seek/attack within the configured radius. Static/unsuitable units will still hold. - Refresh Buildable List: Re-scan nearby crates and update the list. - FOB-only recipes can require building inside an FOB Zone when enabled (mission-specific rule). ### Logistics [screenshot: Logistics -> Request Crate] - Request Crate - Menu is organized by categories (e.g., Combat Vehicles, AAA, SAM short range, Support, Artillery, etc.). - Each entry shows how many crates are required (e.g., “M1097 Avenger (2 crates)”). - Requests generally require being within the maximum distance to an ACTIVE Pickup Zone. - When inventory is enabled, stock is tracked per zone; out-of-stock types cannot be requested at that location until resupplied. - Recipe Info - Browse categories and see each item’s description; use this to plan which crates you need to build a unit or a multi-crate site. - Request Crate (In Stock Here) - Appears when inventory menus are enabled and the mission-maker has exposed this view. - Shows only items in stock at your nearest active Supply Zone and lets you spawn them directly. - Includes a “Refresh” option to update the list after requests. - Crate handling tips - Crates are marked with smoke at spawn. - Use Navigation -> Request Vectors to Nearest Crate if you lose sight of it. - Hover pickup: hold roughly 5–20 m AGL, very low ground speed, steady for a few seconds to auto-load. - Crates have a mission-configured lifetime and will self-cleanup if not used. ### Field Tools [screenshot: Field Tools menu open] - Create Drop Zone (AO) - Quickly creates a temporary Drop Zone around your current position for coordination or scripted objectives. - Smoke My Location - Green / Red / White / Orange / Blue: Mark your current spot with smoke to help other players find you or the build point. ### Navigation [screenshot: Navigation menu open] - Hover Coach: Enable / Disable - In-game guidance messages to help you nail the hover pickup window (AGL, drift, speed, “hold steady” cues). - Request Vectors to Nearest Crate - Prints bearing and range to the closest friendly crate. - Vectors to Nearest Pickup Zone - Bearing and range to the nearest active Supply (Pickup) Zone; if none are active, you’ll get helpful direction to the nearest configured one. ### Admin/Help [screenshot: Admin/Help menu open] - Show CTLD Status - Quick summary of active crates, how many zones exist, and whether Build Confirm/Cooldown are ON. - Draw CTLD Zones on Map / Clear CTLD Map Drawings - Draws labeled circles for Pickup/Drop/FOB zones on the F10 map for your coalition; clear them when you’re done. - Debug → Enable logging / Disable logging - Toggles detailed logging (mission maker troubleshooting). - Player Guides (in-game quick reference) - Zones – Guide - Inventory – How It Works - CTLD Basics (2-minute tour) - Troop Transport & JTAC Use - Hover Pickup & Slingloading - Build System: Build Here and Advanced - SAM Sites: Building, Repairing, and Augmenting - Coalition Summary (if exposed by mission maker) - A roll-up of coalition CTLD activity (counts, highlights). Exact placement depends on mission configuration. --- ## How players influence the mission - Build air defenses (SAM/AAA): Protect friendly FARPs/FOBs and deny enemy air. - Deploy armor and ATGM teams: Push objectives, ambush enemy convoys, or hold key terrain. - Build EWR/JTAC: Improve situational awareness and targeting support. - Establish FOBs: Create forward supply hubs to shorten flight times and increase the tempo of logistics. [screenshot: Example built SAM site] Practical tip: Coordinate. One player can shuttle crates while others escort or build. FOBs multiply everyone’s effectiveness. --- ## Mission setup (for mission makers) Keep this section short and focused. You can find the defaults and toggles inside: - `Moose_CTLD_Pure/Moose_CTLD.lua` (main CTLD implementation; see the `CTLD.Config` table) - `Moose_CTLD_Pure/Moose_CTLD_FAC.lua` (optional FAC/RECCE support) - `Moose_CTLD_Pure/catalogs/` (example catalogs with ready-to-use recipes) - `Moose_CTLD_Pure/init_mission_dual_coalition.lua` (ready-to-use minimal init for BLUE+RED) ### Load order (Do Script File in Mission Editor) 1) `Moose.lua` 2) `Moose_CTLD.lua` 3) A catalog file from `/catalogs/` 4) `Moose_CTLD_FAC.lua` (optional FAC/RECCE) 5) Your mission init block (you can use `Moose_CTLD_Pure/init_mission_dual_coalition.lua` as-is or adapt it) image Minimal snippet (example) — keep it to the point: - Create a CTLD instance per coalition with: CoalitionSide, AllowedAircraft, Zones (Pickup/Drop/FOB definitions), and key toggles. - Optionally create a FAC module instance and run it. - Optionally merge a crate catalog. Hint: See the shipped `init_mission_dual_coalition.lua` for a clean example of both BLUE and RED. ### Zones you must create in the Mission Editor - Pickup (Supply): e.g., `ALPHA` (BLUE), `DELTA` (RED) - Drop: e.g., `BRAVO` (BLUE), `ECHO` (RED) - FOB: e.g., `CHARLIE` (BLUE), `FOXTROT` (RED) Use the names referenced by your init script. The example init uses flags to control active/inactive state. [screenshot: Trigger zones for Pickup/Drop/FOB] ### Frequently configured options (where to change) All of the following live under `CTLD.Config` in `Moose_CTLD.lua` or can be provided in the table passed to `_MOOSE_CTLD:New({...})` in your init script. - Logistics rules - `RequirePickupZoneForCrateRequest`: Enforce being near an ACTIVE Supply Zone to request crates - `RequirePickupZoneForTroopLoad`: Enforce being inside a Supply Zone to load troops - `PickupZoneMaxDistance`: Max distance to the nearest ACTIVE zone for crate requests - `ForbidDropsInsidePickupZones`: Block dropping crates inside Supply Zones - `ForbidTroopDeployInsidePickupZones`: Block troop deployment inside Supply Zones - `ForbidChecksActivePickupOnly`: If true, restrictions apply only to ACTIVE zones - Building behavior - `BuildRadius`: How far to search for crates around the player when building - `BuildSpawnOffset`: Push spawn a few meters ahead of the aircraft to avoid collisions - `BuildConfirmEnabled` + `BuildConfirmWindowSeconds`: Double-press safety to prevent accidental builds - `BuildCooldownEnabled` + `BuildCooldownSeconds`: Per-group cooldown after a successful build - `RestrictFOBToZones`: When true, FOB-only builds must occur inside an FOB Zone - `AutoBuildFOBInZones`: When true, crates for FOBs inside an FOB Zone can auto-build - Inventory system (per-zone stock) - `Inventory.Enabled`: Track stock per Supply Zone and FOB - `Inventory.ShowStockInMenu`: Show counts in menu labels - `Inventory.HideZeroStockMenu`: Enable the special “In Stock Here” menu at nearest zone - `Inventory.FOBStockFactor`: % of initial stock seeded when a new FOB is built - Hover & pickup quality-of-life - `HoverCoachConfig`: Message timing and thresholds for the in-game hover guidance - `TroopSpawnOffset`: Spawn troops slightly forward to avoid overlaps - AI behavior for Attack builds - `AttackAI.VehicleSearchRadius`: How far spawned vehicles look for enemies when ordered to Attack - `AttackAI.MoveSpeedKmh`: Movement speed for Attack orders - Menus - `UseGroupMenus`: Per-group F10 menus (recommended) - `UseCategorySubmenus`: Organize Request Crate/Recipe Info by category - `PickupZoneSmokeColor`: Color for crate spawn smoke marks ### Crate catalog (recipes) - Use one of the provided catalogs under `Moose_CTLD_Pure/catalogs/` or your own. - Each entry defines a display label, side, category, stock, and a build function. - Multi-crate “SITE” entries build multi-unit groups (SAM sites or composite systems). - Typical workflow - Load your chosen catalog after `Moose_CTLD.lua`. - Merge it into each CTLD instance you created. [screenshot: Request Crate categories] ### Dual-coalition setup - Instantiate two CTLD instances (one per side), each with its own zone names and smoke colors. - Instantiate two FAC modules if you want auto-lase/RECCE for both sides. - The included `init_mission_dual_coalition.lua` shows a minimal working setup. ### FAC/RECCE (optional, from `Moose_CTLD_FAC.lua`) - What it adds - Auto-lase with configurable laser codes, IR markers, map marks - Manual target lists, quick multi-strike helper - Artillery/Naval/Air tasking (HE/illum/mortar, carpet/TALD prompts) - RECCE sweeps: detects and marks units with DMS/MGRS - Player usage - Look for an F10 FAC/RECCE menu in qualifying aircraft or groups - Mission knobs - CoalitionSide, auto-lase behavior, code reservations, marker type/color, and on-station logic are configurable in `Moose_CTLD_FAC.lua` or via `:New()` overrides ### Sanity checks and troubleshooting - Use Admin/Help -> Show CTLD Status to verify counts and toggles quickly. - Draw zones to confirm names/positions match your intent. - If crates don’t spawn: check zone active state, distance to zone, and inventory stock. - If builds don’t trigger: check Build Radius, confirm window, cooldown, and that the crates match the recipe. --- ## Screenshot ideas (drop your captures in the placeholders above) - CTLD root menu with the five groups (Operations, Logistics, Field Tools, Navigation, Admin/Help) - Request Crate with category submenus visible - Build (Advanced) -> Buildable Near You list - Hover Coach prompt during a near-perfect hover - Vectors message to a crate / pickup zone - Zone drawings on the F10 map (Pickup/Drop/FOB labeled) - In Stock Here list (if enabled) - Example SAM site placed after a build --- ## Appendix: File locations and names - Main CTLD: `Moose_CTLD_Pure/Moose_CTLD.lua` - FAC/RECCE: `Moose_CTLD_Pure/Moose_CTLD_FAC.lua` - Example dual-coalition init: `Moose_CTLD_Pure/init_mission_dual_coalition.lua` - Catalogs: `Moose_CTLD_Pure/catalogs/` No large code is required; most options are cleanly exposed in the config tables. Keep snippets tiny when needed.