STW Transport Helipads — Online Manual

For players

Use the vanilla public map-marker action while you are the leader of a player group. STW recognises transport instructions, checks landing zones, and converts accepted instructions into locked STW markers visible only to the owning faction.

Find a ready friendly Transport Helipad.
Open the map and place a marker at the intended destination.
For a simple immediate flight, set the marker text to LZ.
Wait for the acceptance radio message. The helicopter starts, flies to the LZ, waits, and returns home.

Simple direct request:

LZ

There is no EXEC marker for a standalone LZ. It auto-executes after its safety check.

Map-wheel shortcuts

The group-leader map wheel also offers Place LZA, Place LZB, Place HOB, and Clear transport markers. Use LZA then LZB for a pickup and drop, or LZA then HOB for a pickup followed by a hover insertion. The HOB shortcut uses a 30-second hover at 20 m AGL; typed markers let you choose other values.

Fast-roping and rappelling limits

The STW Extend/Retract Ropes System may deploy ropes only when the helicopter is between 6 m and 30 m above ground level (AGL). Below 6 m, STW reports Too low for rappelling (min 6 m); above 30 m, it reports Too high for rappelling (max 30 m).

Realism safeguard: these limits are intentional. A very low hover leaves insufficient room for a safe rope descent, while a very high hover creates an excessive, less controlled descent. Hold a stable hover within the 6–30 m AGL envelope before deploying the ropes.

The route language

Commands are case-insensitive. lz, Lz, and LZ are equivalent. Whitespace between a modifier and its value is optional (H20 and H 20). Distances are metres; heights are metres above ground level (AGL); durations are minutes. D accepts 0.01–30 minutes and H accepts 1–500 m AGL.

Simple Flight Paths

Choose one of these when you want the helicopter moving now. No EXEC, no planning ceremony—just choose the destination and let STW validate it.

Command	Meaning
`LZ`	Direct, immediate flight to one landing zone. It lands for the default 20 seconds, then returns home.
`LZ D0.5` `LZ H20 D1` `LZ D 1 H 50`	Direct flight with optional modifiers in either order. `D` is landed wait time in minutes (0.01–30); `H` is final approach height in AGL metres (1–500).
`LZA`, then `LZB`	Take me from A to B. LZA is the pickup zone; LZB is the destination. Both use landing-zone icons and accept optional D/H modifiers. Once both valid markers exist, the direct two-stop route auto-executes without `EXEC`.
`HO`	Hover here. Fly directly from the pad to the marker, hover for the default 1 minute at 20 m AGL, then return home. Add `D` and/or `H` to override either value; no `EXEC`. The legacy standalone `H` form remains supported when both values are supplied.
`LZA`, then `HOB`	Pick us up, then hover at B. Land at A, hover at B for the default 1 minute at 20 m AGL, then return home. Add `D` and/or `H` to override those values (for example, `HOB D0.75 H30`); `HB` remains an equivalent typed-marker alias. No `EXEC`.

Drop me there

LZ H20 D0.5

Approach at 20 m AGL, land for 30 seconds, then return home.

Hover here

HO

Fly to the marker, hover at the default 20 m AGL for one minute, then return home.

Take me from A to B

LZA D1
LZB D0.5

Pick up at A for one minute, drop at B for 30 seconds, then return home.

Pick us up, then hover

LZA
HOB

Pick up at A, hover at B for the default one minute at 20 m AGL, then return home. Add D/H modifiers to override either value.

Advanced Flight Planning

When the mission needs a little theatre—scenic approaches, staged insertions, observation hovers, or several stops—build a numbered flight plan and finish it with EXEC.

Command	Meaning
`LZ1` … `LZ5`	Numbered sequential landing zones in a planned route. They must begin at LZ1 without gaps.
`FP1 LZ2 H100`	A flight point before LZ2. Up to ten FPs may be assigned to each LZ. The optional `H` sets its height and, when it is the final FP, the LZ approach height.
`HO1 LZ1 D2 H40`	A hover point immediately before LZ1. Both D and H are required; their order and spacing are flexible. New routes should use `HO` so `H` remains the height modifier; legacy `H1`–`H10` hover markers still work.
`HO1 FP3 LZ1 H20 D2`	A hover point immediately before FP3 on the approach to LZ1. The explicit LZ keeps it unambiguous in a multi-stop route.
`HO1 HO2 D0.5 H40`	Hover HO1 immediately before HO2. Hover chains may end at an LZ, a flight point, or a final hover-only point.
`HO2 D0.5 H20`	Final point of a hover-only route: hover for 30 seconds at 20 m AGL, then return home without landing.
`FP1 H40`	Final point of a flight-only route: fly through FP1 at 40 m AGL, then return home without landing.
`FP1 HO1 H80` `HO1 LZ1 D0.5 H25`	Linked route. A numbered FP or LZ may explicitly name the next `FP`, `HO`, or `LZ`. This creates one unambiguous linear chain, rather than relying on the usual LZ grouping.
`EXEC` / `EXECUTE`	Commits a planned numbered route. Exactly one is required.
`CANCEL` / `CLEAR` / `DELETE` / `DEL`	Cancel your active transport route and delete all of your pending transport-route markers. Commands are case-insensitive.

Planned-route order

For every destination, STW follows a fixed order:

FP1 → FP2 → … → HO1 (before LZ) → HO2 (before LZ) → … → LZ

An FP-targeted hover is inserted immediately before its named flight point: HO1 FP3 LZ1 H20 D2 occurs after FP2 and before FP3. Hover-only and flight-only routes use a single final numbered point instead of an LZ.

Your first advanced plan

One planned stop

FP1 LZ1 H100
HO1 LZ1 D0.5 H40
LZ1 D0.5
EXEC

Fly through FP1, hover at HO1, land at LZ1, then return home.

Hover-only route

HO1 HO2 D0.75 H40
HO2 D0.5 H20
EXEC

Hover at HO1, then HO2, and return home without landing.

Flight-only route

HO1 FP1 D0.5 H20
FP1 H40
EXEC

Hover at HO1, fly through FP1, and return home without landing.

Linked routes: write the route in flight order

Linked routes are for plans whose order cannot be expressed cleanly as “points before LZ1, then points before LZ2”. Put the next marker name after a numbered FP or LZ. A hover already names its next point with its normal target syntax.

FP1 HO1 H80
HO1 LZ1 D0.5 H25
LZ1 FP2 D1
FP2 LZ2 H100
LZ2 D0.5
EXEC

This flies FP1, hovers at HO1, lands at LZ1 for one minute, continues through FP2, and lands at LZ2 for 30 seconds. A linked route must have exactly one start, every marker must lead to the same final marker, and it cannot contain forks, unused markers, missing targets, or loops. It may end at an LZ, a bare HO, or a bare FP.

Corrected multi-stop example

This route demonstrates both types of hover. The two HO1 markers are valid because they have different targets.

FP1 LZ1 H50
FP2 LZ1 H80
HO1 FP3 LZ1 H20 D2
FP3 LZ1 H60
HO1 LZ1 H20 D0.75
LZ1 D2
EXEC

The helicopter flies FP1 and FP2, hovers for two minutes before FP3, continues through FP3, hovers for 45 seconds before LZ1, lands there for two minutes, then returns home.

Read it like a pilot’s briefing

The route language is deliberately compact: each marker says what it is, which landing zone it belongs to, and then any height or time instruction. Read this flight as follows:

Marker text	Pilot’s briefing
`FP1 LZ1 H50`	“Flight Path One before Landing Zone One, flying height 50 m.”
`FP2 LZ1 H80`	“Flight Path Two before Landing Zone One, flying height 80 m.”
`HO1 FP3 LZ1 H20 D2`	“Hover One before Flight Path Three for Landing Zone One, flying height 20 m, duration two minutes.”
`FP3 LZ1 H60`	“Flight Path Three before Landing Zone One, flying height 60 m.”
`HO1 LZ1 H20 D0.75`	“Hover One before Landing Zone One, flying height 20 m, duration 0.75 minutes.”
`LZ1 D2`	“Landing Zone One, duration two minutes.”
`EXEC`	“Compile and execute the path.”

In other words: fly FP1 and FP2, settle into a two-minute hover before FP3, continue through FP3, pause for 45 seconds before LZ1, land for two minutes, and return home. It is a small flight plan written directly on the map.

Landing-zone validation and marker lifecycle

STW checks every LZ for water, steep or uneven terrain, trees, and substantial obstacles. It does this when it converts the marker, so a rejected LZ is removed immediately and reported by radio.

Direct LZ, direct HO, LZA/LZB, and LZA/HOB routes auto-execute. Do not combine them with extra route markers or EXEC.
Direct HO (and its legacy H alias) and HOB (or HB) markers do not land, so their map positions do not need LZ validation; choose clear airspace at the requested hover height.
Recognised route instructions are converted into locked STW markers shortly after placement. Plan their positions before placing them.
Committed syntax, ordering, or safety failures discard the whole numbered draft. Place a corrected fresh route and a new EXEC.
Use CANCEL, CLEAR, DELETE, or DEL to cancel your active route and delete your pending transport-route markers.
Converted LZ markers use the vanilla pick-up icon. Flight and hover points use the STW hover icon. Their colour follows the owning faction.

For Game Masters and scenario authors

Place a Transport Helipad, then open STW Transport Helipad Properties. Choose the faction, helicopter model, and number of defending patrols. The helicopter is used for autonomous transport only; it is not a combat-helipad feature. Remove it using STW Remove Transport Helipad or its STW Game Master removal handle.

Every configured helipad creates a faction-coloured, faction-only map marker with the vanilla Helipad H icon at its pad position by default. It uses the Heli_Pad quad from services-icons-bw.imageset. The marker remains correct for players who join late or change faction. Set showTransportHelipadMarkers=false in the Transport Helipads configuration to hide this network from the map. The marker is removed with its helipad.

Automatic helipads can be enabled in Scenario Properties. The system searches shuffled map tiles and places eligible sites for the enabled factions up to the configured limit. Candidate selection is spread across the map rather than concentrating on airfields; runway locations are allowed and use the normal helipad pad prefab.

Scenario authoring: leave sufficient clear ground around a helipad and use the same LZ validation constraints when designing likely player destinations. The server remains authoritative for acceptance and flight movement.

Server configuration

The configuration file is created on first server start:

$profile:STW/TransportHelipads/STWTransportHelipadsConfig.json

Stop the server before editing it; values are validated when loaded.

Setting	Purpose
`enabled` `diagnosticsEnabled`	Enables the subsystem and diagnostic logging.
`enableNotificationMessages` `enableChatMessages`	Controls route feedback for players. Hint notifications are disabled by default; radio/chat messages are enabled by default.
`defaultUSHelicopterModel` `defaultUSSRHelicopterModel`	Default models for future pads. `RANDOM` chooses an installed eligible model.
`maxActiveHelicopters` `maxActiveHelicoptersPerFaction` `maxConcurrentSorties`	Global, faction, and simultaneous transport-flight limits.
`replaceMissingCrewBeforeTakeoff` `refuelBeforeTakeoff` `rearmBeforeTakeoff` `repairBeforeTakeoff` `repairTargetHealthPercent`	Pad servicing before a flight.
`enableDestroyedHelicopterReplacement` `destroyedHelicopterRespawnCooldownMinutes`	Destroyed-aircraft replacement and cooldown.
`automaticGenerationEnabled` `enabledFactionKeys` `maximumAutomaticHelipads` `automaticMinimumDefendingPatrols` `automaticMaximumDefendingPatrols` `automaticGenerationInitialDelaySeconds` `automaticMinimumPadSeparationMeters`	Automatic pad generation, faction roster, patrol range, delay, and site separation. An empty faction list creates no automatic pads.
`showTransportHelipadMarkers`	Shows or hides faction-only helipad markers.
`scriptedFlightEnabled` `scriptedFlightOutboundSeconds` `scriptedFlightCruiseAltitudeAGL` `scriptedFlightCruiseSpeed`	Legacy compatibility settings retained for existing configurations.

SOFT DEPENDENCIES

The following mods are soft dependencies from the Transport Helipads development project. STW remains usable without them; a model appears in Scenario Properties only when its prefab is available. For multiplayer, the server and every client need the selected model’s source mod and its dependencies.

Faction	Optional models / role	Mod	MODID	Workshop page
USSR	Mi-8MT Black	RHS - Status Quo	`595F2BF2F44836FB`	Open workshop page
Supporting content	RHS content required by the optional RHS aircraft	RHS - Content Pack 01	`1337C0DE5DABBEEF`	Open workshop page
Supporting content	RHS content required by the optional RHS aircraft	RHS - Content Pack 02	`BADC0DEDABBEDA5E`	Open workshop page
US	MH-60 Armed, MH-60 Supply	Sikorsky H60 Project	`60ED3CC6E7E40221`	Open workshop page
US	MH-6M Transport	WCS_AH-6M	`6273146ADFE8241D`	Open workshop page
US	AH-6M Fast Roping	MH-6M Fastroping	`68E03EA95906E09A`	Open workshop page
US	Reaper NH90 BRD	Reaper NH90	`32DEDDEE795721AA`	Open workshop page
US	CH-47 HC.5, CH-47A Transport	H-47 Chinook	`61957C5C6FB7A773`	Open workshop page
US	H47 Chinook Fast Roping	H-47 Chinook - Fastroping	`6704485615D2D3C3`	Open workshop page
US	CH-46 Fast Roping	CH-46 Ropes	`671138554D63B499`	Open workshop page
US	MH-60 fast-rope support	MH60 DAP - Fastroping	`6704481D26FE95B2`	Open workshop page
US	UH-60 CG, FireHawk, Black, Green, Grey, Skyward	UH-60	`688D66CBCE3CFA42`	Open workshop page
USSR	SW-4 Civilian	SW-4 Puszczyk	`65DF491292F18B74`	Open workshop page
USSR	Mi-35P-M	MI-35P-M	`686403B40305815C`	Open workshop page
USSR	Mi-24V Transport	WCS_Mi-24V	`628933A0D3A0D700`	Open workshop page
USSR	Mi-24V Transport upgrade	WCS_Mi-24V_Upgrade	`6608EB45061AFC69`	Open workshop page

Vanilla UH-1H and Mi-8MT Transport do not need an optional helicopter mod. Optional profiles—including the additional fast-rope-capable US aircraft—appear only when their prefab can be loaded. The selected aircraft and every required dependency must be installed on the server and all clients. Test each optional profile before publication.

Operational notes

Before take-off, STW can refill all helicopter fuel nodes when the refuelling setting is enabled, including multi-tank aircraft.
Autonomous routes are server-controlled. The helicopter accelerates, turns progressively, keeps terrain clearance during flight, lands at each stop, and returns to its home pad.
If a transport helicopter is destroyed in flight, its route is cancelled and it performs a server-controlled crash descent that retains its horizontal momentum.
Keep routes reasonable: every requested LZ must be reachable with enough fuel for the return journey. Extended fuel-range planning is a future enhancement.

Captain Sprocket community

Arma Reforger server: STW Reforger

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More STW manuals

Helicopter Insertion Assault

Faction group leaders can use Combat Support → Insertion Assault on the map command wheel to deploy a newly created, same-side AI assault group from a ready transport helicopter.

Choose Insertion Assault and click the intended combat area.
The click is the assault anchor and initial ground objective. The server finds a safe random ALZ 75–150 m away; both distances are configurable.
Review the resolved ALZ, helicopter model, helipad, distance, cargo seats, troop faction, and Light Team, Squad, or Full Lift size. The nearest ready same-faction helipad is selected first, but other ready friendly helipads can be selected.
Request the mission. A faction-visible ALZ - Insertion Assault marker appears after acceptance.

Safety and timing: the ALZ is validated before flight and again at deployment. Troops disembark normally, move toward the clicked anchor, and engage with native AI behaviour. The transport returns home; the default 25-minute cooldown starts on acceptance and the transport must also be back at its home pad before another assault.

After ten quiet minutes, server configuration either retains the group or, by default, sends only STW-owned survivors away from players and removes them. The ordering player receives lifecycle notices.

Rope Insertion Assault is not currently available. It requires a reliable multiplayer-safe server API for AI rope attachment, descent, safe release, and rope retraction. Troops are never ejected as a substitute.

Automatic faction quotas

The generated runtime file is $profile:STW/TransportHelipads/STWTransportHelipadsConfig.json. An empty automaticHelipadQuotas array preserves legacy round-robin assignment from enabledFactionKeys. A non-empty array fills each valid listed faction to its own automaticHelipadCount; enabled factions without an entry receive no automatic pads. Duplicate, empty, unsupported, negative, and malformed entries are discarded safely.

{`n  "enabledFactionKeys": ["RHS_USAF", "RHS_AFRF"],`n  "automaticHelipadQuotas": [{"factionKey":"RHS_USAF","automaticHelipadCount":2},{"factionKey":"RHS_AFRF","automaticHelipadCount":3}],`n  "maxActiveHelicopters": 5, "maxActiveHelicoptersPerFaction": 3,`n  "maxConcurrentSorties": 5, "maximumAutomaticHelipads": 5`n}

Global caps remain enforced for active aircraft, active aircraft per faction, automatic pads, and concurrent sorties. There is no separate transport-request queue-size setting; requests require a ready available pad. Raise the global aircraft and automatic-pad caps when the quota sum is larger than their defaults. Stop the server before editing; the file is created on first server start.